After 30 years in this field, I made a decision that surprised a lot of people:
I stopped teaching fighting.
Not because fighting skills aren’t valuable. But because I realized I was teaching people the wrong thing.
What Changed My Mind
A while back in the 2000’s, a woman came to me after taking some self-defense classes. She asked for a “refresher course”. She knew techniques and could throw punches and kicks. She wanted to add some defensive skills from the ground.
Then she told me what happened in a parking garage.
A man approached her. Something felt wrong. She froze. He got closer. She still couldn’t move.
Nothing happened—he walked past her. But she was shaken.
“I knew what to do,” she said. “But I couldn’t do it. Why couldn’t I do it?”
That’s when I realized: I may have been teaching the wrong thing in the past, just like her coach did to her!
The Problem with “Fighting”
When you teach someone to fight, you’re teaching them what to do after the situation has already gone wrong.
But most dangerous situations can be avoided entirely if you:
- Recognize the warning signs early
- Trust your instincts
- Make a different choice
Fighting is the last resort. It’s what you do when everything else has failed.
So why was I teaching it first?
What I Teach Now
Now I teach in this order:
- Awareness – How to see danger before it sees you
- Avoidance – How to make choices that keep you out of danger
- De-escalation – How to defuse situations before they turn physical
- Escape – How to create distance and get away
- Physical response – Simple, effective techniques for when everything else has failed
Notice where “fighting” falls on that list? Dead last.
Because if you’re good at 1-4, you’ll rarely need #5.
This Isn’t About Being Weak
Some people hear this and think I’m teaching people to run away or be victims.
That’s not it at all.
I’m teaching people to be smart. Live another day.
The strongest person in the room isn’t the one who can fight the best. It’s the one who never has to fight at all.
Because they saw it coming. Because they made a different choice. Because they were aware. Don’t take unneccessary chances.
That’s real strength. That’s real confidence.
And that’s what I teach now.
20 years in the military, 30 plus years in the martial arts, and I recognize in myself the need to make changes for the better. Take advantage of this. Call 859-344-1010 now and see how many spots are left in the next class.