Have you ever got in trouble in an actual self-defense situation, despite practicing martial arts for years, and what did you learn from it?

Once; I was quite a bit younger and it was while I was on active duty and serving my first stint in the military. I was on my way back to the base when I saw a guy hitchhiking that I thought was a friend of mine so I pulled over to give him a lift since we were heading in the same direction. As soon as he got in I recognized he was not my buddy but instead someone else. As I pulled away and headed down the street we exchanged small talk about where he was heading and what not and how far I could give him a lift. Once we talked about that the conversation took a strange turn and he started asking me what I would do if he pulled out a knife and threatened to take my car. As soon as the conversation headed down that path I pulled over and jumped out of the car as it came to a screeching halt and ran around the other side and opened the door and told him to get the *&&& out. I was careful to take the keys with me when I did this and had stopped so quick he was a little stunned by it and my resulting action. He got out and looked a me sort of strangely and was sizing me up and then thought better of it and started walking up the street and I got back in and pulled away. That was the last time I picked up a hitchhiker.

Yes. I have trained for a number of years in several styles and have been forced to defend myself a number of times in real life. My training worked well in all instances until I had to rescue a defenceless person who was being kicked to death by 4 attackers. I had been happily drinking at a party and was passing on my way home, so my reflexes and thought processes were slower than they should have been. I called the Police, but it was apparent they wouldn t reach the incident for some time, by which time the person would probably be dead, so I had to break up the attack and defend myself against one of the attackers, who grabbed me to try to headbutt me. I had a number of options but drunkenly chose to throw him with Harai-Goshi and follow him down to the floor, where I armlocked him and held him waiting for the Police. I felt no resentment to the attacker, so just thought about restraining him, not hurting him. This was a major mistake I wouldn t have made if I was sober, as another attacker took the opportunity to try to kick me to death on the floor. I was able to get on my feet, break loose and rescue the person, but in the process I got head injuries which led eventually to brain scans, hospital time and post-traumatic stress disorder, which nearly ended my career. I learned that I shouldn t have been merciful and restrained the attacker, I should have dropped him and finished him with any one of many techniques, or broken his arm and shoulder on the floor. In any case, going to the floor against multiple attackers was a drunken mistake. I ve learned to be more careful about relaxing, more alert and more ruthless - and I ve learned who my friends are, after they supported me through my recovery when others wouldn t.

The best training you can have is repeat repeat repeat-by constantly repeating your techniques you can execute them like second nature.

When i was jumped by two attackers a few years ago i didn t need to think-i just did what came naturally through intense training.

I won.

No. The reason I didn't get into trouble when I got in a self-defense situation is because I told the assailant I have a 2nd degree black belt in karate and he will be the loser. With a 2nd degree black belt, I'm considered to be a lethal weapon. Early in my training I learned it's better to defuse the situation by talking or walking or running away rather than stand and fight for one's own ego. I don't need to prove myself as a fighter to anyone, although I will fight to the death if need be to protect myself or someone else from an immediate threat of death. Just don't have a knife or gun aimed at me unless you intend to kill me or you will die within seconds.

You don't need to know those things young man.

Here is what i learned,by getting jumped.

All you need are stamina,and basic boxing punches.