[Sangetsu]

I studied Kenpo karate years ago when I was a high school student, and then I switched to Kendo, eventually reaching "shodan". As a method of improving strength and teaching mental discipline, I found both to be very useful, but as an actual tool of self-defense, either art could only be described as "so-so". Their main benefit (particularly my kendo training) stressed mental alertness and to be aware of one's surroundings.

Martial arts are generally just that, they are "arts". And though they are well-suited to many real-life situations, they have their limits. I spent 6 years in a Army Ranger unit, and I learned much more there about fighting than I did in martial arts classes. In societies where people are generally unarmed, unarmed combat is a useful skill, but in places were people are often armed (such as much of the US), their usefulness is more limited.

I learned that the most efficient form of self-defense was simply to carry a gun or a knife, and when I lived in America I had a license that allowed me to carry both. A gun is the kind of deterrent which will usually stop any attack cold, without a punch, kick, or hold being necessary. In 99% of cases, you needn't even fire it, simply showing that you have a gun will stop an attack. The true essence of the martial arts is economy of effort, economy of movement, and minimal personal risk, and a simple weapon offers all of these.

That's not to say that the martial arts are useless, they are better than nothing when push comes to shove, they taught me to be prepared at all times, and to not pull any stops when it came to defending myself. And the most efficient way to defend myself was simply to keep myself armed.