If it has katas/forms, if certain moves are proscribed during sparring, or if your teachers have not told you the catch-22 about there being no morally acceptable way to practice genuine kill shots even though they're all that really matters, then you are not preparing for self-defense in a life-and-death struggle.
So, martial arts may be the appropriate metaphor.
Disclaimer: My knowledge here is limited to a few years of kung fu as a kid, a lot of armchair research in the past five years, and an old friend who used to place at multi-state competitions. I'm not an expert so I could be off here.
1) the mugger was going to attack you anyway, and does so every day
2) the "martial arts" was a vicious form of Krav Maga taught to CIA operatives, that was a state secret until a few decades ago
Seems like an unqualified win to me.