We occasionally get asked a strange question: “Is TTS only for self-defense?” This question often leaves me at a loss as to how to address it.
The first interpretation of this question can stem from the misconception that people have in relations to the nature of self-defense. Some people believe that self-defense is like a magic potion, that once consumed will allow you to get out from any violent situation with one or two moves that require little to no effort and do not require any need for offensive measures. But of course this is not true, any violent action requires an equal (if not more) violent counteraction with strong and decisive counterstriking and aggressive mindset and behavior. Of course this involves proper training where the technical, physical and mental aspects of fighting are constantly taught, sharpened, reinforced and tested under variable degrees of stress. This is the kind of TTS training .
The second interpretation of the above question can relate to the comparison of TTS to other martial arts. Most martial arts are separated into three categories: art and style; sports and competition; combat and self-defense. Although most martial arts have had their origins in combat, very few are still applicable for the modern day. You can imagine that these days the need to learn how to defend against a swordsman using your own sword or long staff is not a priority, but defending against a pistol threat may be of more value. Hence, some older forms of traditional martial arts have evolved into exactly that, an art, where practitioners train for the sake of form, style and physical and mental fitness.
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