If you look for a school that teaches self-defense in Kansas City, you will probably come across dojos that advertise karate as a way to protect yourself. Karate is a traditional martial art that is practiced worldwide, but is it really effective for self-defense? Karate for Self-Defense: Does it work? You’ve probably seen videos of karate competitions where practitioners perform techniques to gain points from a panel of judges. For many people, this is their only exposure to karate, and they may mistakenly think that karate is meant for contests and not practical for real-life situations. However, “sport karate” is not intended for self-defense. Instead, it emphasizes competition and exercise. Traditional karate is centered on the theme of protecting yourself using blocking, striking, and kicking movements. For this reason, many schools offering classes on self-defense in Kansas City teach karate. An adept practitioner of traditional karate should be able to defend themselves without using any weapon other than their body. Some dojos offer a balanced approach to karate, guiding their students to do well in competitions while arming them with the skills they need to feel confident when faced with an attacker. Tips to make karate work on real-life situations In a situation where you are faced with a violent attacker, being able to walk away relatively unharmed is what you should aim for. Practicing karate as a sport is different from using it to protect yourself. For this reason, it’s best to choose a self-defense teacher in Kansas City who incorporates practical and useful techniques that work in real-life settings in their classes. If you’d like to learn how to defend yourself using martial arts, reach out to Aplomb Martial Arts. Classes offered include Kempo karate, a style that teaches practitioners to block attacks and disable opponents with takedowns and strikes.