Martial Arts:An Instructor's Perspective

All Martial Arts schools are not the same

Vipr — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 01:42:41 +0000

Most people who are interested in starting a MA often have the same mis-conception. They come into a school thinking that they are all the same. I get asked many times, by people that I know, if what I train in is the same as some school in their neighborhood. Here’s the lowdown:

Every school teaches it’s own style
Every school teaches it’s own combination of styles
Each style is different
Each school teaches it’s own version of a style
Instructors in a school may teach differently
A school that is a member of a governing association might be similar to another school that is a member
Each school will have a different level of traditionalism
Each school sets up it’s own rules

And many, many other things. But suffice it to say, unless the school is part of a large chain of schools, you will have to evaluate each one on its own merit. Your success will be better if you do the following:

Learn about the different styles
Honestly evaluate what your needs are
Honestly research/evaluate the school
Decide

Good luck!

Down time

Vipr — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 05:35:11 +0000

Currently responding to numerous submissions. Will be adding more video content as soon as possible.

The Fighter’s Mind

Vipr — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 04:30:13 +0000

I am currently reading this book. I will post a review when I am done.

Are MA instructors too strict?

Vipr — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:01:59 +0000

Today I find myself questioning whether or not I am too strict with the students. With the kids, my main goal is to keep them safe at all times. I find that there are a few who need to be reminded over and over again to not do things like wrestle,push and jump on each other. I certainly understand that kids need the guidance, but I’m wondering if they like me as an instructor. When I have to be particularly strict with a child, I make it a point to give that student some quality recognition later in the class. I know that most people tend remember their last interaction with someone, and kids are not different. I like to leave them on a positive note whenever possible. I don’t want them coming to class and wonder if the “mean” instructor is going to get on their cases again.

I also feel like I was a little be harder on the younger Black Belts in the adult class. But I just realized something… they are younger and tend to fool around and chit-chat if I let them! That drags everyone down and that’s certainly not good. I am okay with them needing more discipline!

Meditations on Violence-A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence

Vipr — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:04:40 +0000

This book was read on a Kindle.

The Technicals:

Author: Rory Miller

Foreword by Steven Barnes

Chapter 1: The Matrix

Chapter 2: How To Think

Chapter 3: Violence

Chapter 4: Predators

Chapter 5: Training

Chapter 6: Making Physical Defense Work

Chapter 7: After

General:

The author’s experience with violence stems from two areas. The first is his longtime training and teaching in Martial Arts. The second is his employment in the Corrections field. Throughout the book, he weaves the two together and makes comparisons between what most Martial Artists believe, and what occurs in the real world.

I found that the author’s style was direct and sometimes crude. While he does a decent job, it is clear that his forte is not writing. Despite the fact that I am an avid reader, I found it difficult to read more than a few sections at a time. This was in no way due to the content, but rather the choppy writing. In fact, I found many of his insights very illuminating and useful for my own training. I have been in real fights in my lifetime and I am often surprised by some of the comments made by Martial Artists who have never been in a fight. True violence is far more sudden and brutal than is often possible in the dojo.

It is here that the author excels. The descriptions of his personal experiences in the jail are very helpful. Granted, some of his comments seem jaded due to his many years of dealing with criminals and their mentalities. Chapters one and two are adequate but you will hear the same information later. The best information has to do with the “Monkey Dance”. His breakdown of Violence in chapter three is very effective. He puts things in simple and clear terms and does a good job of getting at the basics of violent acts. It is a must ready for any serious warriors. Chapter four, Predators, is short but to the point. He paints a dismal picture for anyone unlucky enough to find themselves face-to-face with one. Chapters five and six deal with the common problem of dojo training as well as some remedies. I personally found some useful information here but I will admit that most Martial Artists that I have come into contact with would shy away from it. This is because it involves extremely realistic training methods. The final chapter, “After”, is helpful for those involved in acts of violence, but it seemed a little out of place. I think that this was because the author takes such a cold stance throughout the book, and then attempts to switch to being compassionate at the end.

Overall I feel that it was worthwhile to read this book. I probably would not read it again in its entirety but rather use it as a reference. I would suggest that whoever reads it would do well to highlight the useful information so it will be easily accessible later. It’s gritty feel is very appropriate considering the topic and the author comes across as being credible.

I would give it 2 stars out of 5

Permission to do what you have to

Vipr — Sun, 23 May 2010 01:44:13 +0000

Still working my way through the book, “Meditations on Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence” by Sgt. Rory Miller and came across something interesting.
As an instructor, I often come across long-time students who have trained to defend themselves, but seem to have trouble with the thought of having to injure someone. Additionally, they/we often overlook simple solutions to an attack situation. The author does a good job of explaining one aspect of this. It’s the idea of giving ourselves permission to act. He describes some usual mental blocks that hinder one’s training, including my own. He also offers some simple suggestions that may serve to free these roadblocks. I feel they are applicable to the beginner as well as the long-time Martial Artist. Take them as food for thought:

“You have permission to defend yourself
You have permission to be rude
You have permission to survive, no matter what it takes
You have permission to act when the scary man reaches for his belt. You do not need to wait until he draws the weapon or until he points it at you, or until he hurts you. You have permission to act.
You have permission to beat me, even if I wear a Black Belt
You have permission to become better than the best instructor you ever had
You have permission to invent something better than I ever taught you, permission to use it in my class, permission to use it to defeat me, and permission to teach it to your students
You have blanket permission t grow and live and survive and fight and run and scream and talk and play and laugh and learn and experiment. You have permission to win, and you have permission to decide what winning is. Be amazing!

Free your mind and keep it open to all the possibilities. There is often more than one right way to accomplish something. Train on!

Styles Help

Vipr — Sun, 23 May 2010 05:51:26 +0000

I am going to add some video to the blog that shows the various styles. My goal is that this will make it easier for the beginner to compare their choices. There are tons of websites out there that weigh the pros and cons of each available style. There are as many opinions as there are MA practitioners and everyone likes to defend what they themselves train in. I will defend only one point of view: “Get as much information as possible before you decide”. My goal is to present the styles visually and leave it to each person to research and decide for themselves. I will save the long commentaries about each style to all those other sites.

Still Learning!

Vipr — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:31:14 +0000

I participated in a tournament this weekend and it was amazing for me! I fought in full contact kick-boxing for the first time, and I loved it! I have been practicing MA’s for about fifteen years and it is very exciting that I am still discovering new aspects of it, and of myself. I feel like a white belt again!
At tournaments, I now have experience in the following:

Forms
Point sparring
Continuous sparring
Full contact kick-boxing
Demonstration

For those who are interested in the tournament circuit, I will break down the various categories. Keep in mind that most schools will focus primarily on one aspect of a tournament

Forms: Empty-handed or weapons. Traditional/Creative/Extreme. Musical/non-musical
Sparring: Point, Continuous, Team
Kick-boxing: American, International, Muy Thai
Demo: Group performance

Of course this is just a basic break-down. Each category has its own rules and guidelines that must be followed. Additionally, each one has its own expertise and focus. Tournaments are a great teaching tool for Martial Artists. The experience of performing under pressure aids a person in overcoming their fears, much like a self-defense situation. While success in tournaments does not guarantee and ability to protect oneself, certain aspects of them can be carried over to other parts of training, and life.

Quitters/Winners

Vipr — Fri, 14 May 2010 20:40:09 +0000

In the last two days I have noticed a theme. Yesterday we were mentored by our Sensei on the topic of why people quit. Then this morning, I was reading and the chapter I had just started began by describing the difference between those who quit and those who succeed. I believe that everything happens for a reason so I guess this is life’s way telling me this is important to share right now. So I will….
The difference between quitters and winners is Fear and Perspective. Most people don’t try something because they are afraid of failure. That fear is so strong that they will find any reason not to try something. The winners are those who know that failure is a natural part of the learning process. They accept it as necessary and sometimes even welcome it. For some reason, people get caught up in how failure might make them look to others. It is amazing to me how anyone can worry more about what others think than what they, themselves, think. I understand that this is hard to overcome. So how does one? Like anything else, practice. Yes, practice failing. Or at the very least, change your perspective on it. Everyone makes mistakes and it is those who learn from them that increase their odds of being successful. If you look at failures as steps towards a goal, then each failure is, in itself, a success. Talk about a win-win.

P.S.–Just wanna say “kudos” to all you out there who have taken the time with the questionnaire. Please don’t let any obstacles stop you from finding your path. You can do it!

“whether you believe you can or can’t, you’re right”

Instructions

Vipr — Sun, 09 May 2010 20:43:53 +0000

I have gotten a lot of questions about what my process is to get help choosing a Martial Art and school. The website is unique in that it helps people avoid all the information overload. I have designed it to accommodate the needs of each individual. They can get the personalized support they need without having to meet me face-to-face. The people that I have met in person have truly benefited from the consultations. The downside is that the process does take time because there are a lot of things to consider if you want to make the right choice. I literally took two years to find my current school. I made the time to visit all the schools in my area. I also made it a point to ask the right questions. The last part is so important!

While I certainly understand that not everyone has the same goals as I do when it comes to MA’s, I feel strongly that the steps I took can help anyone. I would like others to benefit from my experience while bypassing the usual pitfalls. I have tried to make the process as simple as possible while maintaining the integrity of a personal consultation. Despite this, you will need to invest a little of your time to get the best results. I must stress that your success depends entirely on you. You get out what you put in.

Here is a breakdown of the steps:

You fill out the questionnaire as thoroughly as possible. The more information I get, the better the recommendation that I can offer
I review your submission. I later send you and e-mail that contains my recommendations along with the reasons why. Included will be a list of questions that you should print out and take with you to the schools you are interested in. THIS LIST IS THE KEY! It is the information the experienced Martial Artists would look for when considering a new school. It is the insider secrets that I looked for when I was making my choice. Now you have the power!
Once you’ve gotten the “inside scoop”, input your findings into the “Prospective Schools” survey.
I will review your submission and send you and e-mail with recommendations.
Armed with all this information, you make your choice

It doesn’t get any easier than that. The other option would be to just join a school and hope for the best. Now you’re ready, click the link below to begin.

“Getting Started” survey