>>43
Good point. It's just that when most people think of self defense, they forget that getting away from or avoiding a violent confrontation is more important than actually being able to fight. Another is that no amount of training in a controlled enviroment can prepare you for the realities of an attack on the street. It's next to impossible to do anything to protect yourself when faced with a gun, knife, or multiple attackers.
If you do want to train in some sort of martial art, it's best to train in something that incorporates alive training. The alive aspect will teach you how to apply your techniques against a resisting opponent, which you won't get from doing only kata or drills. The two cheapest and easiest to find styles that will do this are boxing and Judo.