Criticism ≠ Teaching – Rory Miller

  The last post was laying the groundwork for this one. I thought starting with the universally acknowledged evils of micromanagement would make this post more palatable. Instead, Danny Martin gave a very capable defense of an unpopular and nearly indefensible position. Truly well done. Jumping into this anyway, because it is important. Criticism is … [Read more…]

10 Requirements for Teaching a Self-defense “Move” – Erik Kondo

  “I want to learn some self-defense moves!”  What self-defense instructor has not heard that request? When an instructor teaches a student a physical self-defense “Move” (or technique), he or she is engaging in problem solving. The instructor is providing the student with a theoretical solution to a future problem. This situation is analogous to … [Read more…]

Cost vs. Benefit: Fear Marketing in the Self-defense Industry – Erik Kondo

If you are involved in the personal safety/self-defense industry, you will notice a common complaint. The majority of people in the world really are not interested in what you have to sell. Regardless of how important the subject matter is, or that you feel it is, most people do not put a lot of thought … [Read more…]

The Process of Principles Based Teaching – Rory Miller

Largely this will be a draft of an article for Conflict Manager Online Magazine. I’ve been doing a four part series there, the last three are the steps towards application (deriving your principles, a touch of adult learning theory, stuff like that.) So, background– You have to know your principles, understand them. And you have … [Read more…]

Convergence – Rory Miller

Philosophy. Nothing about survival or self-protection or self-defense or whatever you want to call it is difficult or unnatural. This is exactly the problem we were evolved to solve. Not being a victim is part of our deepest wiring. Mind, body and spirit have all the tools. This is not about forging warriors, this is … [Read more…]

Self-Defense Instructor Problem: Dealing with “It’s not my job to prevent being assaulted.” – Erik Kondo

  Self-Defense Instructor Problem: How do I deal with a person’s whose argument is that violent assault is a societal, not an individual problem, and therefore, it is not an individual’s responsibility to prevent his or her own victimization? As a self-defense instructor or proponent, many times you will be faced with someone who states … [Read more…]

Solo Skills – Rory Miller

Once upon a time, I’d elected to go into a cell and talk down an extremely agitated inmate, and it wasn’t working. One of the big keys to talking down people in altered mental states (bad drug reactions, stress that makes them temporarily out of control, or truly unstable mental illness doesn’t really matter much) … [Read more…]