Book Review: Practical Karate 6: Self-Defense in Special Situations

The Cover of Practical Karate 6: Self-Defense in Special Situations

Authors: M. Nakayama and Donn F. Draeger

Reviewer: Mark Groenewold

Date: October, 2002

We have finally arrived at the last of this series of books that were supposed to teach us about self-defense and how to really use karate in the real world. I can't tell you how disappointing these books have been, now that I have carefully examined each of them. What started out to be a great series with books 1 and 2 turned into a so-so series with number 3 and then got really silly in 4, 5, and now 6.

Now we see clearly that although some of karate's great luminaries had brilliant technique and can do devastating damage through their technique, they lacked some of the practical experience of what real fights are all about. The fundamentals of karate are brilliant, and applied to particular situations work like a charm, but when things get messy, when people pull our weapons, when you may have to face down someone who is beyond all reason and sanity, or when a woman is fighting off a rapist things are not so “textbook” anymore. This series has failed to deliver.

Maybe this problem stems from the backgrounds of the karate practitioner. Doing karate daily in the dojo, training with other men in karate gis and honing fundamentals, kata, and maai they lost sight of some of the nastier elements of street fighting. Personally, I take some offense with some of the guys I hear spout off about how Shotokan is lousy in any real conflict, but judging solely on what we find in these books (particularly books 4,5, and 6) I can see why they say that.

This book begins with its usual caveats about how it is very difficult to survive and defeat people who are intent on hurting, maiming, or killing you and that it takes a lot of practice to use karate well in these situations. The book is divided into four sections: self-defense in automobiles, self-defense when your hands are tied, self-defense against switchblades, chains, meatcleavers and razors, and self-defense against handguns. Oh boy, we are in for a ride here.

The first sad section, self-defense against automobile attack has only a couple of bright moments, namely when Nakayama-Sensei gouges eyes and uses his elbows in the faces of his attackers. Some of the set-ups for the attacks are too hokey to believe. The “bare-handed choke” from behind seems silly to me, but not nearly as much as the “judo lapel choke”. I guess the advice here for karate guys is not to let judo guys ride in the back seat.

The most impractical stuff with this “automobile defense” section is the depiction where you twist around in the front seat of your car when an attacker opens your door so you can do an ushiro-geri to his abdomen.

If I were to try that I would bash my head on the rear view mirror, get my keister caught behind the steering wheel, my fingers jammed in the cigarette lighter, and be left with my backside pointing out of the driver's side of the car. My assailants not only would have a place to park their bicycles, but would be free to kick, punch, or stab me while my back was turned and I was stuck in the car getting fragments of rear-view mirror out of my forehead.

Section two, self-defense against having your hands tied, is one that totally escapes me. Not in my wildest dreams can I imagine where I would find myself in that kind of situation. Maybe if I were resisting arrest or something. But in such an event I probably would fight like hell before letting myself get handcuffed. Is this self-defense for convicts trying to escape the authorities while travelling between prison and the courtroom? If bad guys were to try to tie your hands you should be fighting like crazy already. See books 1 and 2 for better guidance. Weird section.

Section three is a hodge-podge of bad advice. Nakayama-sensei is actually trying to KICK THE SWITCHBLADE OUT OF THE ATTACKER'S HAND. But you must be careful to do so at the moment the blade opens!!! I must be dreaming. I can't believe this is happening. The scenario is also described in that you “have plenty of room in which to maneuver”. How about this advice, I think it will work much better:

RUN!!! RUN AWAY NOW!! KEEP RUNNING!

Further blade attacks and their so-called defenses are too depressing to tear apart. But in short we see more flopping to the ground and doing impractical kicks, X-blocks, and other silly stuff. Please do not, I repeat DO NOT do this at home. Or anywhere else for that matter.

The last section totally blows me away, and will blow you away too if you ever do something so stupid. The section is about self-defense in handgun situations. The two pages preceding the dangerous examples of what to do has some good advice though: “Don't try anything stupid. The man is likely after your money or would have shot you already. Only move if the attacker is truly distracted. Don't be a hero.” That is good advice. The responses to how to really attack a gun-wielding attacker, however, is not great.

First, I should mention that I have never been held-up by gun-point, and pray to God I never will be. Nevertheless, it seems unwise to me to use palm-heel blocks (a la Jion) or to (saints preserve us!) try to KICK A GUN OUT OF AN ATTACKER'S HAND. I think that is stupid, and I don't think I have to actually be attacked by a gun wielding nut-bar to say so.

Please, for your own safety and continued breathing, do not try to kick weapons out of people's hands. If you have to fight for your life, and have exhausted all your skill in talk and negotiation, and are convinced that this person is going to take your life, be very careful in what you are going to do.

I have consulted with police in Canada about what someone might do. They say that if a victim were to suddenly run, the attacker must decide right at that point whether or not to shoot. If they hesitate a couple seconds your chance of survival just rocketed from 0% to 50%. If you get a little further away your chances of survival increase even more. You could get shot. You could get killed. But if the killer wants to do you in and you stand still you have a much lower chance of survival.

You should only grapple or strike the gun-wielding attacker if he is right next to you or within striking range. But then again, if you move towards him, the gunman will think he has no choice but to pull the trigger. Running, on the other hand, seems more confusing. Shoot or don't shoot? That is the question he has to answer.

There is no easy answer for what to do in these situations. I hope you never have to deal with someone who wants to kill you. I pray that you will have a peaceful life to the end of your days. But there are crazy people out there. There are evil people who want to maim, hurt, and kill. We need responses to these people. We must make our karate more practical.

These books as a whole don't cut it.

I strongly encourage you to discuss self-defense in detail with your karate instructors and work with them to simulate some of these scenarios, experiment and try things out. You need to figure out what things work for you and your body type. You should also think carefully about what you would say to your attackers too. After dealing with tough street kids in my work in Canada for 4 years I can tell you that what you say, how you behave, your tone, and your body language are very important for diffusing situations that can easily get out of control. Practice this stuff and practice it a lot.

In the meantime, as you practice and study these things, leave these books at home or don't even pick them up from the bookstore. Not recommended reading. Sorry folks.

Best regards and stay safe!

Mark Groenewold
Ishikawa-ken, Japan
October, 2002

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