Self-preservation is the root of self-defense
When you think of the term "self-defense", what often comes to mind is some kind of physical technique to ward off a would-be attacker. This is but one layer, and dare I say the very last layer of the totality of self-defense, or rather self-preservation. After all, what is self-defense if not strategy and techniques for continuing one's existence? I will take this further and say it is about maximizing one's existence.
Injuries often interfere with martial art training. As a gout sufferer, I can attest that having a gout flare-up is debilitating in the worst possible way. The pain is simply too much to ignore - there's no such thing as "working through it" when it comes to gout.
Even if I were a tough guy (which I'm not) with a ridiculously high pain tolerance, I would be a fool to try to keep training while having a flare-up. Why? Because the nature of the affliction is that movement causes damage to the affected joint. If I were to do something that would cause damage to myself, how is that self-preservation? It's not! The best self-defense for me when dealing with a bad bad flare-up is to do all the right things for it: limit certain foods that trigger it, resting the afflicted joint/limb, drinking plenty of water to help my kidneys flush out the uric acid, and above all minimize physical activity that would only further cause damage. This means, simply: no training.
There are such types of martial artists, who will work through the pain of an injury for the sake of keeping the tools sharp or whatever. Be it an overarching sense of machismo or whatever, they'll train through the injury only to make it worse or prolong the healing time. But at what cost?
Injuries often interfere with martial art training. As a gout sufferer, I can attest that having a gout flare-up is debilitating in the worst possible way. The pain is simply too much to ignore - there's no such thing as "working through it" when it comes to gout.
Even if I were a tough guy (which I'm not) with a ridiculously high pain tolerance, I would be a fool to try to keep training while having a flare-up. Why? Because the nature of the affliction is that movement causes damage to the affected joint. If I were to do something that would cause damage to myself, how is that self-preservation? It's not! The best self-defense for me when dealing with a bad bad flare-up is to do all the right things for it: limit certain foods that trigger it, resting the afflicted joint/limb, drinking plenty of water to help my kidneys flush out the uric acid, and above all minimize physical activity that would only further cause damage. This means, simply: no training.
There are such types of martial artists, who will work through the pain of an injury for the sake of keeping the tools sharp or whatever. Be it an overarching sense of machismo or whatever, they'll train through the injury only to make it worse or prolong the healing time. But at what cost?