Maybe the instructor is married and is used to someone demanding that he hand over his wallet.

Karate is not just about self defense. While it is good for self defense, one also learns lessons of discipline and honor. It also depends which form of karate you take.

A good code to live by, never underestimate your opponent if you're not confident enough on taking him down its better to hand over the valuables than getting stab or worse over a few hundred bucks..

Sounds like his teacher should learn Unagi

Karate is a sport, you cant use it veey well if your in trouble. If you want to know how to defend yourself try krav maga

Krav maga don't **** around

I take krav and taekwondo, and I've learned better self-defense in the few months I've been doing krav than I have in three years of taekwondo. Most martial arts are more of a sport than anything, but krav maga is the shit.

I too am curious as to why OP didn't intervene, and I have no idea why you got down-voted for asking. Bad-ass karate instructor or not, you should still move to assist someone in need. A simple shout to distract the mugger might have been all that was necessary.

I'm going to give OP the benefit of the doubt. he was probably shocked or scared of putting himself in a dangerous situation.He should have ATLEAST called the police.

Looks like he paid close attention to his teacher's lessons.

I was going to say the same thing,,,you just watched, as he got mugged??!?! How is this fml?? If anybody's life is ******, It's you're instructors.

Yeah, that was my question too. You just watched? What the **** is wrong with you? Did karate lessons take away your basic sense of human decency?

What a lot of people don't realize is that there's an enormous difference between knowing how to fight somebody that also plans on using a martial art or otherwise fighting "fair,"and defending yourself against someone who's willing to bum rush you and stab you for your wallet. Unfortunately you don't have to be experienced in situations like that to teach "self defense" classes, as you can see

Good point.

#15 Karate is about form and it's mostly a waste of time. It's not really self defense. Although it does teach you discipline and promote fitness. If you want to defend yourself in a fight, learn Krav Maga.

Learning technique doesn't give people the ability to fight. Karate, jiu jitsu, Krav, savate, etc etc ad infinum. None of it matters if the person is too weak to throw a punch outside the training environment.

I was robbed once too. I didn't know if he had a gun or not. I took self defense classes but there was no way in hell I was gonna try and fight him unless he attacked me and even then I don't know if I would've had the strength, I was shaking pretty bad

nope, you dont

Nope not everything results in a lawsuit.

Or, really, any weapon.

Except lasers. Nothing beats lasers.

Not always, if they're within reach a very skilled and experienced martial artist will usually be able to win out by taking advantage of the time the person with the gun needs to react.

That is true, but anybody with a gun and half a brain probably isn't going to get within reach of a victim

#36 you tell me anyone with half a brain that's using a gun to rob someone within sight of someone else. Most cops don't even know how to keep their guns out of arms reach of a criminal, you think some dumbass mugger knows how to keep out of arms reach? Highly unlikely.

Police officers generally have to get close to apprehend a suspect, unless you know of handcuffs that can be applied from out of melee range. Secondly assuming muggers to be stupid/incapable because they're criminals could cost you your life, unfortunately experience can often trump intelligence. You need to remember a lot of criminals do so for a living.

Also remember if criminals are doing so for a living, they will NOT kill you. All they need is money and they'll move along. A good tip is to throw your wallet in one direction and sprint off in the other direction. Or simply if you know martial arts, keep in mind the person will most likely not shoot you, the gun is just for show.

You willing to bet your life on that?