subject: How To Choose A Good Self Defense Instructor! [print this page] Although you may not realize it, there are numerous unqualified blackbelts and self defense teachers offering advice and disseminating information which could get you killed. Even worse, none of these people have ever been party to a life or death fight and therefore do not have credible or real experience with regard to fighting.
How to choose a self defense instructor #1 - You ought to interview any martial arts or fighting teacher any time that you are considering taking a membership in the dojo. The process that you want to follow in talking to them should have as its purpose to discover what qualifies them to instruct you. Should their blackbelt in taekwondo have been obtained when they were fifteen and their experience is solely composed of sparring, then give them a pass.
How to choose a self defense instructor #2 - Be certain that the class you are considering incorporates full contact sparring. It is important that you feel the pain when hit and become accustomed to the conditions when real fists and feet are trying to take you down. That is, you must obtain genuine experience in real combat conditions.
How to choose a self defense instructor #3 - Some mixed martial arts instructors do not comprehend the fact that there is a difference between being in the octagon and being on the streets. Should they indicate that their jiujutsu will protect you when you are on the ground, they are simply wrong. This is because you never want to go to the ground during a street fight. You would likely get stomped, stabbed or smashed either by your adversary or his friends.
How to choose a self defense instructor #4 - Any respectable self defense instructor ought to be certified and to have received his training from a recognized expert of the art. You surely do not need for him to be some self-pronounced expert. Also, his instruction ought to be in fighting that is based in the real world. You do not want to get from his instruction just mere tactics for the "common attack" and no techniques that are founded in reality based fighting.
How to choose a self defense instructor #5 - If he likes to be addressed as master, or alleges to be a family member of some group of master self defense instructors or martial arts experts, he is full of it. The majority of dojos are out to make money and should they fill their sales pitch with a bunch of hype, then you must understand that he simply wants your money and his instruction is no doubt worthless.
Selecting the correct self defense instructor is basic to your training and success in a real life fight. What you need is an instructor with battle tested experiences and techniques that have been proven to work. What you do not want is stale information or instruction which has no reality on which it is built.
And please do not believe that aligning yourself with the highest priced dojo will protect you in a street attack either. Interview you potential teacher before you sign up!