Throughout the last few years we have seen a resurgence (of sorts) in the world of Martial Arts led, for the most part, by Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).  MMA can be seen in such programs as UFC, IFC, IFL, Strikeforce or King of the Cage.  These events have become so popular the annual revenue generated is in the billions of dollars.  Out of all the major sporting leagues (baseball, basketball, hockey and football) MMA beats them all except for the NFL, needless to say, that is impressive.  Like anything popular people are naturally drawn to it and want to learn how to become an MMA fighter.  Before I go any further, for the record I greatly respect all MMA practitioners; they are highly trained, highly skilled individuals.  That said this is where our differences in perspectives begins. 

Many people enroll in a self-defense class thinking they are going to learn practical life-saving techniques, when in reality they will only learn techniques that will not function in a real life situation.  Allow me to explain.  There are essentially two types of martial arts- sport and combat.  Sport martial arts are  governed by rules, regulations and tournaments.  Practitioners are often matched by height, weight and skill level all for the purpose of sparring and “controlled” fighting.  Teaching often focus on katas (forms) or being attacked in an unrealistic way (i.e- the person is visibly holding a knife and the type of attack is known to both individuals- for example a straight thrust). Techniques are often flowery, cool, slick or done for the sake of being done; there is little emphasis on the reality of the situation. While there is nothing wrong with training in these styles (I did in my early years) realize there is a difference between sport and combat.  Please note MMA is governed by these same rules.  When MMA first started it was really no-holds barred; which was very true to life but many people viewed it as too barbaric.  A few years ago some investors bought what is now the UFC, repackaged the sport, implemented rules and regulations which essentially “civilized” the competition and now possess a multi-million dollar empire.  A typical MMA match involves two fighters entering a cage to “go at it” all the while being supervised by a referee. The point being that MMA is fine for what it stands for, a hard hitting intense sport competition, it has little to do with actual combat.

By contrast combat martial arts take a completely different approach to training. When training for combat understand there are no rules and anything (read that last word again) goes.  In combat (read as a fight for your life with no referee there to stop things from getting out of hand) you will be most likely be faced by an opponent of larger size, who is stronger, faster and motivated by something other than winning a championship belt.  They may or may not have a weapon and do not care about the rules. In fact most assailants do just that- make a mockery of our laws. They will want something ranging from your possessions, your body to your life.  Point being the stakes are high and you are not in the ring. 

Therefore when you choose a school look for one that teaches you how to:

• subdue a larger assailant
• teaches you how to handle multiple attackers
• trains you on how to protect yourself from guns, knives, bats, chains, bats, chairs, etc.
• instructs you how to handle car-jackings, everyday security procedures and basic “street smarts”
• proper instruction on how to avoid situations, developing proper mental states and using innate preferences (i.e- intuition) when protecting ourselves
• techniques applied should not (repeat not) completely destroy and attacker. The legal fallout can be surprising and sometimes shocking

So in conclusion what should you look for in an instructor.  Here is a short list of relevant criteria that will help you on your quest.

• The instructor can discern combat from sport
• The techniques should be “effective” on nearly everyone and not dependent on someone of similar stature
• Avoid ego-maniacs. Any school that has a bunch of trophies in the window, insist their style is superior to anyone else or tells you that the advanced techniques require years of training should be avoided
• Any school that asks for an excessive amount of money
• After a few classes if the curriculum seems ineffective it probably is
• Scrutinize any instructor that teaches only the basics and unrealistic attacks (i.e.- a wrist grab)
• Be wary of any class that uses padding of any sort. For example “the suit”, “bullet heads” and the like.  While this may seem effective in reality it does not.  Students in these classes are taught a few (canned and predictable moves) and then allowed to let loose on an assailant wearing full protective gear.  While this looks good, it is actually doing the practitioner a disservice. Hitting someone with pads makes it easier and creates the illusion of being effective but you are ultimately working against yourself.  Working with pads builds psychological barriers inside a person.  Meaning you can physically “hit” someone but deep down your conscious is at ease since no one will get hurt. However faced with a real situation where there is no pads the results are often grim. The person will often freeze because the assailant will not be wearing pads and most people will subconsciously stop themselves because they have a hard time coping with the fact they are about to injure another human being.  If you want to get a feel for reality, train with no pads in a controlled supervised environment and allow yourself to be exposed to what real combat is like.
• Avoid classes where the instructor focus on forms, rituals and dwells on minutiae and breaks boards all day.  While creating correct posture is important and looks good when showcasing skills, it has little to to with practical application.  Remember boards don’t hit back and if you are engaged in an actual conflict realize the other person will be in it for their survival too.
• Weekend warriors.  Most instructors claim to be certified when in reality they went through a weekend class receiving only hours (read that again) of training.  Sadly these schools anoint people as certified trainers for the sole purpose of their own promotion. What is even more sad is the vast majority have never been in a real conflict and are too under-skilled and immature to present material in an effective way.  Understand that while martial arts are very cool and their are many competent teachers, this is still a business.  Don’t get sucked into marketing schemes, over-inflated claims and people promising rapid promotion or buy into the fact that you will be a certified trainer after only one weekend.  Be unapologetic and bold when asking about a persons background and training.  After all you are asking that person to teach you how to stay alive so ask yourself is it worth it to play a little hard ball before you enroll?