If you tell somebody that you do karate they immediately make a joke reference about not arguing with you given that you're now trained to kill with your bare hands etc. etc. I laugh it off - actually I'm not that trained (less than one year does not an expert make) and even if I'd done my 10,000 hours, the automatic assumption that I would be able to defend myself against an attacker or attackers would be unlikely given that - one, the free sparring I practice is a highly stylized sport designed to show control, not injure and involves little actual karate. Two, as a small women my strength would be very much inferior to a larger male (stereotyped attacker). It's strength that wins fights regardless, unless vastly out skilled. Three, I've never experienced a hostile attack, the type carried out by those capable of habitual violence and as such, would probably fail to realize the gravity of my situation until too late. When it comes to self defense, avoidance remains the best option. Failing that, talking your way out is a close second. Fighting your way out is the option of last resort. It often ends badly.
The reason why I practice karate and probably others too, is because it teaches me self control, shows me how to carry on when I don't think I can, shows me that I can do things I never thought possible and it keeps me fit. Way, way down on my list of way I do karate is that it might help me defend myself. Perhaps it can. At least I'm used to taking controlled blows through a pad, perhaps a reflex reaction may make the difference. I do hope so, but it remains very hard to explain to non martial artists that we're not all doing it to become trained killers. So, it's best just to laugh their comments off (you sound odd if you try to explain) and smile modestly, perhaps if they were a would be attacker they'll pass you by.
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