A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence

I take martial arts and have developed a slight interest in self-defense. Enjoyed Miller's perspective in this book. Easy read. Miller shares his real world, bare knuckle experience in law enforcement and as a prison guard.

Bottom line is avoidance is the best self-defense strategy. Stay away from sketchy people and sketchy places. Know what to look for and trust your intuition. Also, adrenaline will dampen the benefits of training in attack mode, assuming the rare occurrence that the attack is of the sort our training is even helpful to thwart. So, again, just avoid the prospect of a violent encounters. And don't think violence is like a movie or TV show. Don't be stupid and think you are Bruce Lee. Real violence plays for keeps. Better to run than fight. The End.

I think living in constant awareness that there is a theoretical chance of becoming a victim is a screwed up way to live. Be smart not paranoid. But self-defense industry needs us scared. Rory Miller is part of that industry and even so, there is much value in the experiences of Miller.

Rory's message and methods pull no punches (pun intended), so read this book if you're serious about learning how to psychologically and physically be prepared for the myriad situations you may face in your lifetime.

I study "martial arts" most of my life for fitness and self-defense.
Only my last school is teaching real self-defense. I am with this school for the last 17 years.
But even the best school cannot cover it all when you practice 2 times a week on average...

By deep gratitude to Rory Miller for many insights which could save my life !

If you are a SERIOUS martial artist, you MUST read this book. I presents a clear and organized breakdown of the types of violence out there, how your training relates (or doesn't) to it, and even some of the legal and psychological fallout that comes with the territory.

I believe this to be the best self protection book there is. I have bought several copies of this book for friends and family. Rory Miller does a fantastic job of explaning the mind of the bad guy, and how to use this knowledge to your advantage. Well done and done right. Read this book, and view the world a LOT more street wise!

Mr Miller clearly knows his stuff. I'd recommend this text for any serious student of the martial arts ...or anyone interested in the darker side of interpersonal relations. I put it right up there with The Art of War and The Book of Five Rings.

Meditations on Violence contains a lot of good info on the whys of violence. It is more practical and down to earth than a number of books I've read which makes the information easier to use in everyday life.

My martial art practice isn't really focused on self-defense, however it was a quite interesting book. It gave me an insight of what a real fight may be. It can be really challenging for a martial artist as it revels some flaws in the way we practice. It also revels what parts of your martial arts can help you in such situations.

This is a clear-sighted, well-researched (in both the academic sense and the personal experience senses of research), and immediately useful book. Written in an accessible style, with well-chosen illustrative examples and fantastically clear descriptions of what goes on within and between individuals before, during, and after violent encounters, this book debunks many of the myths of martial arts training (without dismissing the value of training), and helps the reader reorient his or her thinking on how to prepare for unexpected violence. Superb.

An unsettling but healthy dose of reality about the nature of violence, how it happens, and your response to it. Offers anecdotal evidence and reinforces the need for skepticism in training practices.

Overall, Miller's book is helpful, but if you want a PhD in the philosophy of violence pick yourself some parents who practice violence devoutly, and they'll make you street ready by high school. And if theyre really smart, plus violent, you get a Phi Beta Kappa pin, too.

Miller's book is good for what it is, an overview of violence, but living it for many years is like being raised in the Arctic or the store or Sahara.

Miller, of course, cant give you the education your parents bestow, but he's on the right path.