Generally speaking, no. Most martial arts can be easily used quite aggressively and for attack. Remember that most martial arts evolved from ancient battlefields and were used by warriors and soldiers in war. Punching, kicking, elbowing, kneeing, headbutting etc. -- every time you're practising a form of attack, it's not defensive (strictly speaking).Originally Posted by Bartrim
There are some martial arts styles that are more passive and defensive, like Tai Chi, Aikido, Jujutsu etc., but any style that uses striking/attacking is not purely defensive. Now in this day and age, most of us learn martial arts as a means of defence, and lawfully we can use attacks to defend ourselves if we are provoked, so long as we use a reasonable amount of force. But you'll notice that people like bouncers and police officers are often taugh passive techniques like holds, grabs and submissions over actually striking. It allows them to adequately defend themselves and neutralise opponents without actually hitting them. The same goes for teachers, we are allowed to restrain students for their own safety (e.g. if they're trying to harm themselves or others), but of course, we're not allowed to strike them. I've seen the instructional handbook for teachers aides (who often deal with kids with severe intellectual handicaps that they can lash out violently and these aides need to know how to safely restrain them) - and all the techniques were basically the same holds, grapples and submission techniques that I've seen in passive internal martial arts.
Ask me this next time we meet IRL. I'm not talking about anything illegal or unlawful, but I think it would be best if we discussed this further off the board.
You could teach me how to provoke them so I can kick their asses
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