Men's Journal Article??????

[Bone]

Did anyone notice the Men's Journal Article on self defense? It liste dthe top 4 Martial Arts to take for self defense purposes as Brazilian jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Krav Maga & Jeet Kune Do. I think that they were pretty informed in the article, however, I think that they missed the boat on a BIG piece. That being you are only going to be as good as the instructor you pick. Menaing that if you pick soem guy who is a jack in the bag and went from a Black Belt in TKD at a McDojo and now decides he cross trains so it is JKD so changes his schools name to that then you are not getting quality instruction.

I also would hav eliked to seen them put put Judo, Kali and Karate down, but show readers what to look for. For instance in Europe there is a guy named John Blumming who is a very high ranking Judoka and Karatika, getting his training at the Kodukanand mas Oymama respectivly. He likes to train a very hard style ciombonation of the two arts and would be a great school for soemone who lives by them to train with. In contray if you goto a school and there focus is tournament karate, which is fine, then how to decide if that is what you want to learn.

[Rick Wilson]

Haven’t seen the article but I have seen Mr. Blumming in a documentary. Yes, very hardcore training which included going down to the Red Light District of Amsterdam and bouncing.

The point Bone raises is a good one. But how does an untrained person see past all the BS and flash to tell the good from the bad?

Is there a check list that can be created? We see articles in Martial Arts Magazines check lists on how to pick a style or a school but I can’t recall having seen one on how to pick an instructor.

[newguy]

Is there a check list that can be created? We see articles in Martial Arts Magazines check lists on how to pick a style or a school but I can’t recall having seen one on how to pick an instructor.

That would be a very valuable article. I would argue that the instructor is even more important than the style.

[Bill Glasheen]

Darren Laur wrote a really nice piece on how to look for a reality-based self defense (RBSD) instructor. *

Salesmen, Cheats, and Liars

Salesmen, Cheats, and Liars or,
Everything You Need To Know About Reality Based Self Defence (RBSD) Instructors


Recently, I was reading a web page of a fairly well known RBSD instructor and author in the U.S., when flashing before my eyes, on his web site, was the following announcement/update:


“ So and So (name withheld) is Vancouver Island’s First Reality Based Instructor”


Being a person who calls Vancouver Island his home, I know of several individuals/instructors who have been teaching “Modern Combatives/ Self Protection” for many years, myself included, who have spent thousands of hours both researching and acid testing what it is that we teach and do. This new “Vancouver Island’s First Reality Based Instructor” got his credentials after attending a 20-hour program. Can anyone else see the irony here other than myself ?????? Things that make you go hmmmmmmm!!!!!!


The term “Reality Based Self Defence” has become the catch phrase of choice in the new millennia amongst those who teach what they call street effective training. Just pick up the current issues of any of the better-known martial art magazines, and it seems that every page is littered with advertisements of Joe Schmuck’s RBSD School. Much like the Ninja craze in the early 1980’s, and the MMA craze of the late 1990’s; Reality Based Self Defence is the newest and the hottest thing in the market today. Using the term “RBSD” will guarantee you large financial rewards due to the fact that those who are seeking such training, are being attracted to those unscrupulous teachers, instructors, and schools who use the term RBSD as the bait to lure the unsuspecting and naïve student into their lair. Once lured, these charlatans play into the human desire and want of “flash”, and usually hook the student into nothing more than a watered down martial art program that has no place in the reality of the street while rolling around in the mud, the blood, and the beer. In fact, what these charlatans are teaching is not self-protection, but rather “self defeat” at the expense, and to the detriment of those who do not know any better, the uninformed student.


Let’s look at the term “ Reality Based Self Defence”


· “Reality Based”: If a teacher, instructor, or coach is teaching from what they believe to be their reality (no matter how divergent from “actual” reality their principals and beliefs are), then what they are teaching is, in their perception and belief, Reality Based Self Defence. Some of the training principals and techniques that I have seen passed off as RBSD would only be useful in the movie The Wizard Of Oz. But yet to these instructors, that is their reality when it comes to combatives.


· “Self Defence”: I have always hated this term. Why ?, it paints the mental picture that one has to wait for the aggressor to do something to them first, before one can take protective measures. IMO, this term also creates the less desirable “defensive” mindset that we need to stay away from.


Rather than Reality Based Self Defence, I consider the terms; Combatives, Self Protection, Self-Offence, and Fighting more desirable. Although these names are not as catchy as RBSD, they are more distinct and fitting to the topic IMO.


On the street, “results” are what matters, and not a name or phrase. The purpose of this posting is to shed some light, IMO, on what to look out for when choosing a school or teacher so that you do not run into one of these “fly by night”, “one course wonder” RBSD instructors. You need to ensure that you choose a Self Protection instructor or school as you would your family doctor. In both cases you may be placing your life in their hands. Some questions that need to be answered when choosing a school or instructor:

· How long has the instructor been involved in teaching/studying combatives
· What is the instructors credentials and where did they get them from and can they be verified by you
· Does the instructor have lesson plans or course training standards that can be viewed by you
· What is the instructors background
· Is the instructor well known for their expertise
· Does the instructor have references that can be easily checked by you
· Does the instructor practice what they preaches, if not stay away
· Does the instructor consider themselves a demi-God, and the students their flock, if so stay away
· Does the instructor teach what he calls “SECRET” techniques, if so stay away because there are no secret techniques in combatives
· Is the system taught, practiced, and applied by rote; if so stay away
· Do students practice in street clothing rather than martial art garb
· Are classes taught only in the closed environments of the dojo or training studio, or does the training take place in open environments under all kinds of conditions, if not stay away
· Is sensory deprivation training utilized to replicate fighting with an injury or disability, if not stay away
· Does the instructor give credit to others, or do they lay claim to everything being taught in combatives as theirs, if so stay away
· Are techniques being taught, sport based, if so stay away
· Are students required to memorize complicated techniques, if so stay away
· Does the instructor talk about the emotional, biological, and physical effects of fear in combat from a modern rather than philosophical perspective, if not stay away
· Does the instructor deal with survival stress inoculation training, if not stay away
· Is class time dedicated to learning and practicing everything related to combatives, if not stay away
· Does the instructor continually seek out new information from others, thus allowing themselves and their students to grow. If not stay away
· Does the instructor allow students to adapt, overcome, and improvise in combat or is the instructor’s way the only way, if so stay away
· Is there a heavy emphasis or reliance on pain compliance or joint manipulations, if so stay away
· Does the instructor teach all ranges of combat (psychological, pre-contact, weapons; knife-club- gun, kicking, punching, standing clinch , ground) if not stay away
· Does the instructor put more emphasis on the physical rather than the mental, if so stay away
· Does the instructor/school utilize scenario based replication training on an ongoing basis, and are these session video taped for your own visual feed back, if not stay away
· Does the instructor/school want you to sign a contract where you have to pay several months up front? What are the real costs ? Is it all about MONEY, if so stay away
· Are questions permitted in classes, and does the instructor answer them to your satisfaction. If they don’t know the answer to a question will they research it and get back to you, if not stay away
· Does the instructor understand and discuss the legal ramifications as it relates to self protection/Use Of Force , if not stay away
· Are training materials available to the student, if not stay away
· Is the training practical and realistic from “YOUR” perspective, if not walk away
· Are private or semi private lessons available, if so how much
· Does the instructor continually update and provide crime prevention awareness strategies, if not stay away
· Are the use of and defence against weapons (gun, knife, impact weapons, oleoresin capsicum spray) offered, if not stay away
· Are multiple opponent strategies discussed and practiced, if not stay away
· Will the instructor/school allow you to watch several classes and speak to students, if not stay away
· Do you feel comfortable with the instructor/school and other students, if not stay away

These are but a few of the questions that should be asked and answered when seeking out those instructors and schools who approach the topic of combatives from a professional standpoint. If you, the reader of this posting, have other questions that should be asked, please post them if you see fit.


Remember, do your homework, and ask the important questions. This industry is infested with those who say they are “certified” RBSD instructors, when in fact they are nothing more than salesmen, cheats, and liars. Two quotes that come to mind:


1) Buyer beware

2) There’s a sucker born every minute




Strength and Honor

Darren Laur

Good stuff. Are we paying attention?

- Bill

* Source: Van's forum