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Physical violence is sometimes unavoidable.

Self-protection requires tactical movement towards a threat in order to defeat it.

Always try to avoid confrontation whenever possible.

When it is impossible to avoid, taking the initiative is the only way out.

"Karate is for defense only," Mr. Miyagi famously told Daniel-san in "The Karate Kid." In contrast (sort of), Cobra Kai advised to "strike first, strike hard, and show no mercy." Mr Miyagi's quote seems to echo an ethos from Okinawan and Japanese traditions that advise "karate ni sente nashi"; there is no first attack. But which is correct?

Making sense of defense

The basic core of many martial arts is self-protection throughout all situations. It is key to always be aware of the unfolding situation, get out of the way of the threat by moving forward and off the direct line from the opponent to place yourself in a safe position to respond. Initially, stopping the threat may require hitting lethal targets (e.g., a punch to the throat) because your skill is not high enough. The next training stage is hitting targets to incapacitate (e.g., kicking........

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