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These crafty marketers try to make themselves look better by slamming the "others" who do things differently.
If you really want the low-down on how to find the right self defense teacher for you, this article will point you in the "right" direction! The truth is that every martial art or self defense system that has any merit outside of winning a sport competition has one thing in common.
And that single thing is that is was created, tested, tempered, and proven in the only place that matters - on the battlefield or on the street.
That means that people lived and died trying certain things out.
Those who got it right, went on to the next day of their lives.
Those who didn't...
...
well, you know.
The reality is that there is no one, best way to defend yourself.
Anyone who tries to convince you of that, should be avoided all costs.
Because, this "silver-bullet" mentality will give you more in the way of an over-confident attitude than skill! Here's how to tell if you've found a good teacher or not: 1) Do some research and learn what's really like inside a fight - not what some black belt says it is, but by talking to people who have really "been there.
" Talk to people like police officers, body guards, night club bouncers, and others who have more so-called experience than the karate ring or the high-school variety fights.
The ugly reality is that - and this is going to piss off a bunch of teachers - most martial arts black belts and self defense "experts" have absolutely no real-world experience at proving their theories! The point here is, you need more than someone with some information and knowledge to share - you need someone with experience using that knowledge more than once or twice against someone who wants to beat, break, or kill them! 2) Remember that there are going to be phases to your training.
Like it or not, you're not going to be able to learn how to defend yourself by reading some guys book, or even by watching a single video.
Self defense is just too deep of a subject.
And there are way too many variables and possibilities as to what could happen, by whom, and where.
In the beginning of your training, you should be getting some simple strategies, tactics, and techniques designed to avoid and evade, and a few simple strikes that are super easy to employ.
But the point here is to learn to "be where the danger isn't! The motto for my own students at this level is...
"If he can't hit you, he can't hurt you, and if he can't hurt you - he can't beat you!" No tricky techniques.
And, no false promises that you, a beginner, can learn to beat an enraged, violent attacker who is doing whatever he wants, at full speed, by learning a couple of "special" moves.
Again, not something that most people want to hear - not something that the "silver-bullet" gurus want me to tell you either - but...
Them's the facts! 3) Learn with a constant, critical eye.
One of the first lessons that my students get from me is...
"Question EVERYTHING!" If I show you something that you don't understand, or that doesn't match what you know or believe to be so about a street fight, or a real-world attack situation, then call me on it! This is about your safety.
And, you're putting your life in my hand (or whoever you choose to teach you), every time you learn something from me.
That means that every martial arts and self defense teacher - myself included - has a very real moral and ethical responsibility to make sure that what they are teaching you isn't just some idea that they've never actually put to the test! This is a responsibility that I take very seriously - both as a teacher, and a student who still trains with people better than me! And you should too.
So, before you get all wide-eyed and impressed by the number of trophies in the window, the gazillion degrees of black belt that someone is professing to have, or you fall for the political two-step tactics used by some gurus...
Make sure that you remember that there is no "silver-bullet" answer to learn to defend yourself.
There is only hard-work, understanding as much as possible, and making sure that you are learning from someone who cares about his or her students' safety, as much as they do about their own family members!
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