Resistance is not the same as realism
The common assumption is that resistance automatically makes training realistic. If someone fights back, the work is assumed to be valid.
The problem is not that resistance is useless - it’s that resistance alone does not define context.
All resistance happens inside boundaries. Distance, intent, allowable responses, and consequences are always constrained, whether they are acknowledged or not. Change those constraints, and the same resistance can produce completely different outcomes.
Difficulty is not the same as transferability. Training can feel hard, exhausting, and convincing while still preparing someone only for that specific exchange.
Resistance should be treated as a tool, not a validator.
Without clear context, resistance answers only one question: can this work against someone who is allowed to respond in this way?
Realism begins when resistance is framed by the conditions the training claims to address.
Resistance tests what is permitted, not what is assumed.