Working to Win (Survive) or Delaying Loss?
Watch a proposed self defence response to an assault and ask: Are they trying to win (survive) or are they trying to delay losing?
I see many self defence moves all about covering or recovering a defensive position. The movement do not take less effort that movements or time than would work towards better and more strategic positions leading to a win (survival) or movements that would end the situation. The movements used lead to a recovery of a defensive position which means the intent instilled is to delay loss and not one to win (survive).
If you are defensive and merely trying not to lose, you will.
If someone is trying to hit you and your only thoughts are stopping them from hitting you then eventually, they will succeed.
Your thoughts and intent have to be about winning the situation. Winning for me can have a number of defence strategies but they all lead to surviving.
To act and merely put off loss is not a good strategy because at some point you will no longer be able to put it off. Instead you should always be working to win, to escape the Aggressor, or to disable them or to control them.
Distancing away to recover a guard position but not moving towards an escape route means the Bad Guy gets another shot.
Covering up so that you do not get hit is time limited.
I am not saying there is never a time for either of those but frankly if you train them then that will be what you go to and delaying loss simply means you still lose, just later.
Just some thoughts for you to look at what your responses are and make sure they enact strategies that lead directly to winning and not simply delaying loss.