Wim Demeere's Blog

Martial Arts and Self-Defense Blog by Wim Demeere | Techniques, Books, Podcasts

Martial arts instructors know everything, even when they don’t.

by 4 Comments

I’m a big fan of the Freakonomics book and discovered the website with its podcasts a while ago. There was an episode recently that touched upon a fundamental problem in the martial arts and self-defense community:

The instructors know everything, even when they don’t.

In a way, this is only human. You’re in a position of authority and are expected to be able to answer questions. Because, you know, your students pay you to teach them so if you can’t answer every question with absolute authority then you’re not a good teacher, right?

I don’t think so.

I may be wrong but I never saw it written anywhere that a martial arts or self-defense teacher is supposed to know everything. That’s just not possible; and like Logen Ninefingers aka The Bloody Nine always says: “You have to be realistic about these things.”

I believe you do your students a disservice by giving them an answer that is either wrong or incomplete when you go out on a limb like that. What’s worse, when they eventually find out you were full of it, they might end up questioning the knowledge and information you offer that is accurate. So even in the long run, you’re better off telling the truth and admitting you don’t know. No matter how difficult it is for your ego to do so.

When I was younger, I fell prey to this very mistake but after repeatedly being wrong, I learned my lesson. Now I just say “I don’t know.” or “I’ll ask my teacher.” or “I’ll look it up.” If a student presses for an answer, at best, I’m willing to give them my opinion and then label it as such. That way they at least have a qualifier to put the information I give into proper context instead of taking it as gospel.

By the way, this applies to everything I write on this blog too: I’m an island of one, just one guy sharing a little knowledge and personal experience. I make no claims other than “This is what I think is right at this point in time.” So don’t take my word for anything other than that. I’ve been wrong about lots of things and fully expect that to happen again in the future. (Though this doesn’t seem to stop me from having an opinion, some people might say…)

The corollary to that is that I may (and probably will) change my mind somewhere down the line. Which is another aspect the authors mention in the podcast: [Read more…]

The Tueller Drill and Self-Defense

by 2 Comments

Here’s an interesting interview: Lieutenant Dennis Tueller, famous for giving us the Tueller Drill gives an interview on the background and real meaning of his drill.

Take a look at the video with Mr. Tueller first, I’ll comment on it below.

 

Some thoughts on this excellent interview:

  • Lieutenant Tueller makes it very clear that 21-foot rule is not a rule at all. If anything, it’s a rule of thumb. [Read more…]

How to get rich fast teaching martial arts

by 8 Comments

I often get asked the question of how to get rich fast teaching martial arts and this is as good a time as any to answer it. But first, some background information on what triggered this post:

Jason asked me a question on something I posted on my Facebook Page the other day. It was in response to something Bobbe Edmonds posted on his own page. So first of, here’s what Bobbe said:

There’s a little meme going around about the supposed “big bucks” in teaching martial arts for money. That selling aspects on DVD, or in seminars is somehow “selling out”, and betraying your teachers. There’s a rumor that somewhere, someone is raking in boatloads of cash from students, and living the high life.

Let me bring the room to order and state for the record: People who teach martial arts solely as a means of income are usually the POOREST people on Earth. There are a few exceptions, of course, but the common example is a pauper in pajamas. The ones who make it with a commercial school are predominately day care centers that offer Aerobic-Kickboxing and half a dozen other “peripheral” services just to keep the doors open and the lights on. (nothing wrong with that, by the way.) Most of us, myself included, must hold down actual full-time jobs and juggle out free time with commitments to our students. We have learned that precarious tightrope walk between family, work, and training. We have discovered how misguided our priorities were, and often learned how to correct them the hard way. We have done a hell of a lot more, laid a hell of a lot of groundwork and suffered a hell of a lot of grief for no other reason than to cross hands with another human being who is seeking the same knowledge we once sought.

So, a little free advice for all of you who are the next generation of teachers, the up-and-coming with your eyes on being an instructor of the arts: There is no money to be made in martial arts. None. The top-paid MMA fighter in the world today makes HALF of what I do per year as a computer geek…on his best day, and my worst. The best most of us can do is make some gas money or spare change for this art that we’ve dedicated our lives to learning.

We do this because we love it, period. Any teacher of any subject worth their salt will tell you the same.

Also – there’s nothing wrong with charging for your time and effort. Teaching for free doesn’t make you “noble” in any sense of the word. That’s nothing more than an illusion used to cloud your mind from the sacrifices you must make when you assume the role of a leader. Leadership means accepting responsibility.

If you feel led to teach in the bottom of your heart and the very limits of your soul,
If you love leading people to knowledge, and being a part of their growth,
If you can suffer the backstabs and betrayals of students who lied to your face while plotting your downfall, (and it WILL happen, sooner or later) and retain your dignity and integrity through it all, and STILL want to get up each day and give everything you have to your class,
If you have your student’s best interest at heart, and strive to be the best instructor you can every day,
If you survive your first ten years as an instructor, and you still love your art as much as you did your first year as a beginner…

Congratulations. You’re a teacher, no matter what anyone says.

Here’s what Jason asked me: [Read more…]

Jon Bluming, one of Europe’s first MMA fighters

by 10 Comments

Here’s a blast from the past but still relevant today: Jon Bluming talking frankly and freely about Judo, Kyokushinkai and debunking some of the myths that are still making the rounds today.

You might not enjoy this video if you practice either of those arts…

 

For those who don’t know him, Jon Bluming was one of the first in Europe to mix martial arts and fight effectively with them, both in competition and on the pavement. He took the striking from karate along with the throwing from Judo. But that doesn’t really do him justice. He was first and foremost a tough-as-nails street fighter. What’s more, he routinely took on challengers and fought all comers.  For some more background, check out this video:

Some people might get annoyed by Bluming’s words and that’s fine. But the fact remains: he was there then and chances are, they weren’t. Everything they know about what Mas Oyama really did or didn’t do, they learned from a book, video or other sources. Bluming didn’t, he was there… So it’s hard disputing what he has to say.

Also, I first started reading his column in a Dutch magazine twenty years ago. Back then, he already had that no-nonsense approach and called a spade a spade. Given the amount of revisionist history there is in the martial arts, it’s nice to see somebody call “Bullshit!” when he sees it. And the funny part is this: nobody ever comes out and proves him wrong. I wonder why…

 

 

.

My first 25 years of martial arts training, an overview, Part 3

by 4 Comments

I left things in part Two with the different arts I trained in. In this part, I’ll cover some other stuff and wrap it up.

 

Shifting focus

After I finished competing, I shifted my focus mostly towards self defense.  Self defense had always been one of the reasons why I trained and it was continuously on my mind. But when you’re a competitor, you don’t focus on it as much. So once those days were over, I had more time to study the issue in depth. I’d had my own share of violent encounters of course: a lot compared to some, peanuts compared to others. Regardless, I delved deeply into things like scenario training, the effects of stress-induced adrenaline, the psychological effects of living a life of violence, etc. In other words, all the things traditional martial arts routinely don’t or can’t offer.  I had already been reading up on it for a long time but intensified those studies big time.

Some of the information I found was impressive in its practical use. Other sources were nothing but blahblahblah to make the author or expert look important. But I learned the most from talking to and training with people who lived a life of violence. Some of them were LEOs, bouncers and soldiers. Others were just people who lived in a bad part of town and faced violence every day. Still others were the kind of people you wanted out of your life as soon as you discovered on which part of the line they really stood. But all the information was good, regardless of who it came from.

The one thing I got out of it the most is that there is no such thing as a one-stop shop as far as violence is concerned. The topic is just way too complex. For example: violence in the slums of Bogota is not the same as a a fight at a frat-boy party on a California college campus. The consequences can be the same, but the parameters and dynamics are totally different.

What’s more, the unique common denominator of all the violence in your life is you. What you bring to the table, your skills and knowledge, are just as much a determining factor than the other dynamics involved. Case in point: [Read more…]

Popular posts

Recent Posts

Search this blog

Custom Search