| Believe it or not, there are many unqualified | | | | Rule #4 - A self defense instructor should be |
| blackbelts and self defense instructors giving advice | | | | certified and trained under a known expert of the |
| and teaching stuff that could get you killed. Worst of | | | | art. You don't want to pick a guy with a blackbelt |
| all, these people have never been in a life or death | | | | who proclaims he's an expert. You should be learning |
| fight and have no valid or real experience when it | | | | reality based street fighting for the modern world. |
| comes to fighting. | | | | You don't want to learn simple techniques for a |
| Rule #1 - You should always interview a potential | | | | variety of "common attacks" with no real power or |
| martial arts or fighting instructor before you join the | | | | force based on what he's teaching. |
| dojo. You want to put them through an interview | | | | Rule #5 - If he prefers to be called a master, or |
| process finding out what qualifies them to teach you. | | | | claims to be a family member of a group of master |
| If they got a blackbelt in taekwondo at the age of | | | | self defense instructors or martial artists, he's full of |
| 15, have never been in a real fight other then | | | | crap. Most dojo's want to make money and if they |
| sparring, turn away and run! | | | | throw a lot of hype into their sales pitch you know |
| Rule #2 - You want to make sure the class you will | | | | he just wants your money and the stuff he teaches |
| be joining has full contact sparrring. You need to feel | | | | is probably garbage. |
| the pain of being hit, get accustomed to having fists | | | | Picking the right self defense instructor is |
| and feet thrown at you. You need to have active | | | | fundamental to your personal training and real life |
| experience in actual combat situations. | | | | success in a fight. You want a teacher with battle |
| Rule #3 - Not all mixed martial arts instructors | | | | tested experiences that are proven to work. Not |
| understand the difference between in the octagon | | | | outdated information or stuff being taught with no |
| and on the streets. If they tell you their jiujutsu will | | | | reality or force as part of the training. |
| save you on the ground they are wrong. Simply | | | | Don't make the mistake of throwing money into the |
| because you never want a street fight to go to the | | | | most expensive dojo in town and expect to have |
| ground. You can get stomped, stabbed, or smashed | | | | the edge lesser priced schools would have in a street |
| by your opponent and possibly his friends. | | | | attack. Interview your teachers before you join! |