Self Defense and Martial Arts - 4 Tips for Choosing the Right Self-Defense Instructor

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_Miller]Jeffrey Miller
Are you brand new to martial arts or brand new to the area?
Have you been going to dojo after dojo trying to find the right instructor who can teach you self-defense arts? Or, are you just beginning your search?
With all the choices out there and everyone under the sun claiming to be the next great hope, it's hard to decide who is worth training with and weeding out the who are just trying to make a buck teaching ineffective techniques to people who don't know any better.
If you are a newbie (we all were once), it makes it even harder to know what is real and what is not. This article provides a few tips to help you find exactly what is right for you.

Tip # 1: First and foremost, you need to decide what it is that you are seeking to gain from the self-defense arts. Are you looking for a hobby to do once or twice a week that will enable you to go to tournaments and compete, or are you looking to learn practical self-defense that you can be used for self-protection in a real-life situation. The point is, there is a HUGE difference between these two approaches.
Tip # 2: Whatever school you choose, ensure that you click with your instructor. If your self-defense teacher doesn't like you, or you do not like them, then it's not going to work. You should also take into account that what they're teaching and ask yourself, "Is this in-line with your beliefs, ethics and morals?"
Tip # 3: Investigate the instructor's credentials. There are a lot of people out there that have attained their rank in the self dense arts through "black belt mills" - schools that just promote students for "time" rather than effectiveness - and pass on bogus information. Remember -- Just because someone is wearing a black belt, or call themselves a grand master, doesn't mean they are worthy of the status they proclaim.
Tip # 4: Be careful of instructors who proclaim that "their" self-defense art's style is the only real style that will hold up in a street attack. The truth of the matter is that every style of the self-defense arts has its inherent strengths and weaknesses. In addition, there is so much more to martial arts than just the fighting aspect. If that is the only aspect of your self-defense or martial arts classes, then you're not really learning true self-defense.
If you would like to learn more about serious, real-world self-defense training, then I suggest reading my new book called, "Fight Smarter - Not Harder." You can download it for free at: http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/street-fighting-self-defense-book.html
Or, if you're looking for a solid, reliable self-defense program that will teach you more than just a few "martial arts tricks," check this out: [http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/self-defense-karatemyth.html]best self-defense
Jeffrey M. Miller SPS, DTI is an internationally-recognized self-defense instructor, trainer, and consultant. He is the author of over 800 articles, several video-based home study programs and self-defense books.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Self-Defense-and-Martial-Arts---4-Tips-for-Choosing-the-Right-Self-Defense-Instructor&id=6563775] Self Defense and Martial Arts - 4 Tips for Choosing the Right Self-Defense Instructor