Picking a School

If you want to learn how to defend yourself in a non-competitive environment, you should learn how to fight on your feet as well as on the ground.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) isn't the best form of self defense for street fighting, but is effective if manipulated. There are certain rules that a trained fighter has to abide by. Those rules are put in place for safety. Outside the cage, there are no rules, so you should adjust accordingly. I have seen two competitors punch, kick, knee, elbow, and slam each other black and blue and not be able to knock out or submit each other. Granted, they are conditioned athletes, but either way, the human body can absorb a lot of punishment. In a self defense situation, your goal is to finish the fight as quick as possible.

A certain unwarranted fear comes over people when street fighting is brought up. 99 times out of 100, no one even gets hurt. I have seen many fights at a bar or party where there is no damage inflicted upon the participants, no more than a game of pick-up hockey. These fights are also easily avoidable, it's that 1 out of 100 you have to watch out for.

That one out of a hundred is when it's life or death, when extreme measures must be taken to save yourself from great bodily harm. MMA training only is not enough. Jab, cross, right kick followed by a takedown will hurt you if there are multiple opponents, or if a weapon is involved.

So, if you want to learn how to properly defend yourself, you the consumer, are going to have to spend some money. Spend your money wisely. Listed below are some do's and don'ts. Treat your shopping adventure like buying a car and don't be fooled by a salesman.

Don'ts:

Don't walk... run, run, run when you experience these:
1. People training in katas or forms. In my opinion, there is no bigger waste of time and money than this. I speak from experience. I have over 10 years of Traditional Martial Arts (TMA), practicing different styles. When I was around 21 years old I could do around 60 katas by memory from all of the different arts I practiced. Every single one of them was worthless for the purpose of self defense in today's world.
2. Training with your hands down at your hips or chest. Your hands need to be up by your head to protect yourself properly.
3. The selling of black belt programs. You can enroll in college, but the Dean can't guarantee you'll graduate. No instructor should guarantee you a black belt.
4. Not letting you try a class for free.
5. Old outdated weapons training. For example, swords, nunchakus, staff, or tonfa. I shouldn't even need to explain.
6. If the head instructor is under 70 and calls himself master. I know guys in their 30's calling themselves "Master", what a joke!
7. Any old style Karate like Shotokan or Tae Kwon Do. At ATA or National Karate, even their top notch students can't fight. I would put money on any wrestler or boxer over the TMA practitioner. Even about 90% of Kenpo and Jeet Kune Do is worthless, not because of what is practiced but how it's practiced.
8. A lot of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) schools are following this trend, teaching you the most updated version of the x-guard or rubber guard, but forgetting the self defense aspect. BJJ was created for self defense, not sport. There are exceptions, Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu teaches both. There are others, just do some research.
9. Stagnant drilling. One guy punching, leaving his arm out there, while opponent does a 20 punch kick combo while the puncher stays in place. As soon as you have drilled the technique a hundred times, you should start practicing it live with a resisting opponent. You will find everything much more difficult to perform.

Do's:

1. Make sure they address both grappling and stand up self defense.
2. Once a technique can be done automatically, they should practice drills with resisting opponents, otherwise it's one big waste of time.
3. A friendly atmosphere produces better students.
4. There should be a kids class and an adult class. Kids shouldn't train with adults.
5. The instructors should be friendly and knowledgeable.
6. Everyone in class should be working hard without excess talking.
7. Make sure the lessons seem practical. Think of the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid). If lessons are taught using pressure point striking, chi energy or the dim mok death touch, try not to laugh as you leave.
8. The school should have students that compete in something full contact. That way you know what you are practicing is actually effective. Even though competition is full of rules, it helps the school as a whole because the adrenaline factor is taught with lessons.
9. Make sure there is a lot of conditioning. When you are defending yourself, being conditioned is half the battle.