Higher Self

bushido_man96 he used to be in Overland Park, KS, which is in Johnson County, just a short drive from the plaza in KCMO if you are familiar with that area. I have to admit it has been quite a few years, so I'm not sure if he is still actively teaching anymore.

Like anything, context is needed to evaluate meaning. I don't think quotes like that were ever intended to be absolute truths. Yet they are there to provide value or meaning to those wanting to receive it. I think the quote provides a great lesson of humility that many people could benefit from. With that said, the meaning comes from the receiver, not the giver of the information. It will resonate with some and not with others, and that is perfectly understandable. Thanks!

Great insight from everyone on this forum. Sensei8, I loved that car mechanic anaolgy. Thanks again for everyone taking the time.

Thanks for the thoughts sensei8 and bushido_man96. I'm not sure if it will have a higher enrollment or not. I guess I personally feel like reality based self-defense might be a little more in demand than traditional MA, currently. Both are very valuable, of course, and there should be many self-defense applications within any MA system. However, my profession focuses on practical application so it is quite possible that I am just biased in that perception. That is the reason I am seeking perspective from the group in that regard. As you all eluded to, there is plenty of potential in both approaches I suppose. Thanks again for the feedback. bushido_man96, I am also from KS. I noticed your username and wonder if you ever had a chance to study Bushidokan Karate under Steve Mackey. He was a pretty well known instructor around here. Thanks again,

Sinsei8, those were very informative articles. I agree that running a business should not be vilified. I have been consuming a lot of content regarding entrepreneurship lately. Falling into the "big is bad" mindset in terms of profit or success can be the start of a failed venture. Thanks again for taking the time to share those articles with me. I appreciate it.

Thank you DWx. You are right, there is a lot of good information to think about. I was confident that would be the case. By the way, I like your Confucius quote. It reminds me of one of my favorites by Einstein - "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Thanks,

Sensei8, that is great information. Thanks for the thoughtful response. I will absolutely consume the articles you suggested in short order. Thanks again and congratulations to you for earning a living with something as special as martial arts. ✌🏼

Those are all great considerations OneKickWonder. I think he will make a good transition in that regard. He has branched out a lot in the last 10 years plus, to include pretty high level security and body guard type assignments, as well as branching out from his traditional martial arts training. I agree that the market should be there. It seems to me that if anything, there is more of a push toward what many believe to be more “reality based training “ rather than strict traditional martial arts. Just my perception though. Thanks for taking time to give your input.

What do you think about the marketability, from a business perspective, of a self-defense academy versus a traditional martial arts school? I would like to see what this group has to say about the marketability of a self-defense academy versus a traditional martial arts school. I am curious what you all think, as I have a friend who has taught traditional martial arts for his entire adult life. However, enrollment has been down for a while and he is thinking of approaching it from the self-defense academy perspective. I know he has great knowledge and experience to bear and I think it is pretty marketable. I would greatly value the opinions, and especially any specific experiences, of the people in this forum. Thank you much, Higher Self

I agree that the mental aspect of fight survival is huge. With that said, I agree with bushido_man96, in that any number you pick is just arbitrary and could never be quantified in this way. With that said, I think it is quite important to have a balance of both physical and mental acuity. They are both necessary for success in the self-defense arena.

MatsuShinshii, that was a great analogy about the priest going to the rifle range.

This is a simple answer, yet quite meaningful to me. I was a closed door student to my Kung Fu instructor for several years. I was there not because of anything I had done, but because my old Tae Kwon Do instructor was kind enough to refer me when I told him I wanted to explore some other art forms. My Kung Fu instructor held classes no less than 3 times a week, usually for about 3 hours at a time, for as long as I went there. My life eventually took me in another direction, mainly the military. The point of this post though, is that for all the time my instructor invested in me and the other small number of students, he never accepted a dime from me. He said he was taught that Kung Fu is a way of life and if it is shared, it is shared to improve the lives of the students. Needless to say, this is a great example of the martial arts touching lives in a positive way. I tell people all the time, the study of martial arts is about much more than just learning how to survive a fight. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with earning a living while doing something you love, but this definitely made a strong impact on me. Thanks for giving me the chance to share this experience on this forum.

Great points OneKickWonder. Especially, the emphasis on the importance of avoiding violent encounters. Of course, that isn't always in our control, but it can be to a large degree.

I believe you start to learn as soon as you start to think about self-defense and make it a priority. As someone stated here, self-defense should be considered more of a lifelong pursuit. There are many things that can be accomplished, simply by increasing your awareness and making it a priority in your life. The more you train, however, the better you are able to apply the concepts and principles of any system. Generally speaking, self-defense, is very different than sport martial arts. Although, all martial arts contain self-defense concepts, if self-defense is truly my goal, I am going to seek out a school or instructor that teaches that as a priority. To answer the question, every step you take along the path of martial arts or self-defense makes you better prepared to handle a confrontation than you were before. To take it seriously, you will never stop learning. Thanks.

Chi Sau is such a wonderful aspect of the Chinese martial arts. I always feel vulnerable on the high line when I am doing Chi Sau. What a great tool to learn tactile sensitivity.