Self Defense or Self Defeat? What is the great Dojo fail?
Self Defense or Self Defeat? First I have to make a statement categorically. Because someone is a martial art Black Belt, regardless of rank, does not make them a self defense expert. In truth, just the opposite.
One of the most important things that happen in a Dojo is the learning of self defense. Yet this is the area where the egos becoming the biggest, the most posturing is done, and the most attacks of a personal nature occur.
Self Defense or Self Defeat
A great example of this is the bullshido clowns. They have attacked me countless times. And in thus helped me to get a lot of students. Why? Because any critical thinker knows we do not need a punch of internet trolls decided what is good and what is not. We see nothing but this in society today.
The truth of self defense is there are no experts. And the combat people, the former seals etc are COMBAT people. Street defense and military have no relationship. In a war it is kill or be killed. On the street it is only survival. The attacker does not expect a fight. But if you kill him, and it is not justifiable you go to prison for a long time.
Self Defense or Self Defeat
Many years ago, about 20 in fact I had a young man come into my Dojo for a free lesson. He told me he was far from a beginner and had been trained in the USA by the Navy Seals. Ok fine, why are you here?
I assigned my senior Black Belt to teach him his lesson. The man went to change in the dressing room and came out wearing Ninja tabbies. It was all I could do to not laugh out loud.
Self Defense or Self Defeat
He was awful! There was ZERO for previous training in this man, unless maybe he was 8 and trained for 6 months. He came into the office to see me afterwards and proceeded to brag about his training.
He grabbed my son Curt's wrist and applied a joint lock with pressure. He ask Curt, "do you know what this is?" Curt replied a basic wrist lock. The look on this guys face was priceless. Curt said to him "do it for real." The kid applied pressure, Curt moved in the Octagon and reversed the lock taking the man down.
We never heard from him again.
Why I removed my Self Defense Course.
I am NOT a self defense expert. And to be honest I do not believe there is any such thing. Dojo's either teach Self Defense or Self Defeat. And I see mostly self defeat.
Years go, abut 12 years ago I certified in Grand Master Steve Stewart's Humane Pressure Points Tactics course. I am the highest level in this and authorized to teach this. And this is decent stuff for the right student. I released my own version back in 2017 but have since removed it.
Self Defense or Self Defeat
Why did I remove it? Because people are not interested inl earning they are interested in pretending they know everything. So this year I removed them from the market.
Where does the ego come from? The instructor or martial arts wins a few bar fights and they are enlightened. Whys is teaching so hard? Because something works for you does not mean it will work for others. People who come to a martial arts teacher for self defense reasons are not looking to be champions, and not street fighters, they are please afraid of conflict. Cowards basically.
Yet you are going to teach them to FIGHT. EPIC FAIL.
Self Defense or Self Defeat
So what do you do? Teach them to ESCAPE first, to be safe. That was the basis of my Level One HPPT course. But it is part of Kosho Shorei and Kosho is the foundation of my eclectic root art of Hapkido.
Once someone is comfortable with escaping then you maybe able to teach them to fight. But what most instructors do is offer a one size fits all pile of techniques that never work. And this about 95 percent of the offerings I have seen in the industry.
Self Defense or Self Defeat? Self defense means teach them to escape and be safe. Self Defeat means teach them the techniques and watch them fail.
Self Defense or Self Defeat in Conclusion
All failure comes when you believe you have arrived. No technique has ever worked, and no martial artists can call themselves self defense experts. You may not like this, but it is true. You might be a champion in the ring, but the guy attacking will kill you, the guy in the ring just wants to win.
No matter what martial art you train in never think you know it all. Always be learning and expanding. Keeping the white belt beginners mind. Thank you for reading Self Defense or Self Defeat.
Humane Pressure Point Tactics
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