In my mere 14 years of training martial arts, I have crossed paths with some really self-absorbed, tough-talking, sociopathic “on” martial artists. Some claim a flawless, fight record and tell tales that sound more like a superhero’s daily routine. They talk and walk with an untouchable aura.
I have also seen these types of martial artists get an unsavory, not-so-nice, physical beat down. {insert surprised look emoji here}.
Here are some RED flags when selecting a martial art instructor:
- Instructor rambles on about their undefeated street fighting record or that forms championship they won in 1991. Run!
- Instructor never asks anything about you. Get up and walk away!
- Instructor does not implement any sparring in the classes. Just leave..quickly! (Remember, martial arts is a hands-on…and feet-on…experience.)
You CANNOT and WILL not become an EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT Martial Artist without somewhat replicating the very thing you will face in a street fight or competition: A resisting opponent(s), chaos, stress inoculation etc. Most traditional martial art schools rehearse exotic, formatted, fight sequences that are far better suited for a movie. Martial Art efficacy is the goal, not fight choreography.
The video above will explain the rest. And there are MANY. Check out Gracie in Action on youtube.
