Hypothetically, there’s no immediate option to escape a person who has attacked you and is intent on causing you further harm. Do you think you would be able to fight back and create an opportunity to escape? Do you have a plan for if things go sideways and you end up on the ground with them raining blows down upon you? Can you fight to survive until your last breath?
For sure, something like MMA sparring is probably the closest you can get to actual fighting within a safe context. Unfortunately, a lot of schools tend to be insular because instructors are afraid they’ll lose students to others. I’ve always found this to be pretty silly. If you’re not confident enough in your art to actually try it against other schools that says a lot.
Exactly. The focus should be on learning and improving before all else. Sell-outs and inflated egos are everywhere unfortunately