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So, you’re not sure if you should enroll in a self defense class or study with a Defensive Tactics Instructor. Do you like knowing you can keep cool under pressure? Look out for your loved ones? Take care of yourself? Learn something new? Want to overcome a fear of confrontation? All good reasons, let’s take a closer look.

What is the difference between a martial arts school, self defense or defensive tactics class?

Well, a lot actually. One is focus the other is curriculum.

In general terms martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practiced for a number of reasons: as self-defense, military and law enforcement applications, mental and spiritual development; as well as entertainment and the preservation of a nation’s intangible cultural heritage. The study of which is a lifetime endeavor and takes dedication, discipline and determination to achieve mastery.

A self defense class teaches awareness, assertiveness, verbal confrontation skills, safety strategies, and physical techniques that enable someone to successfully escape, resist, and survive violent attacks. A good self-defense course provides psychological awareness and verbal skills, not just physical training.

Defensive tactics are used by members in the law enforcement and military to protect others as well as themselves. The definition of “defend” as used here is neither punitive nor passive, but instead “to repel danger or harm while serving and protecting.” The techniques are designed to be easy to implement, effective, immediate and range from aggressive to lethal.

Most people don’t want to spend YEARS in a martial arts school studying a predefined style or movements meant to preserve a system and immersion into a culture foreign to their own to become an effective fighter. So, a good self defense or defensive tactics class is what you want to look for.  

My 5 Top Reasons To Go:

1. Defend yourself and your loved ones. Knowing you can protect yourself and the people in your life you care about is important and a responsibility you shouldn’t take lightly. It’s an incredible sense of confidence that you can manage yourself in an altercation, stand your ground and keep your cool and if need be defend yourself or those around you.
2. Overcome fear. Training at a good school with a good well qualified instructor is meant to challenge yourself and build confidence by putting you in situations during training that are meant to make you uncomfortable. The training will be difficult and hard, but you will develop real confidence in yourself and your abilities to deal with situations that are uncomfortable to down right scary. From how to deal with a bully or confrontation in the workplace to an all out physical attack you’ll overcome those fears you have through your training.
3. Learn New Skills. Learning a new set of skill can create a sense if accomplishment and self defense or defensive tactics training will teach you and test your new skills you’ve developed you never thought you knew you needed or even wanted, but once you have them you’ll wonder why you didn’t do this sooner. The ability to be able to take care of yourself and learn how to defend yourself will you things from a variety of different areas; anatomy and physiology, biology, health and fitness, personal discipline, diet and exercise, personal dynamics, interpersonal communication, confrontation psychology, etc,…. You’re going to learn more than you thought you ever would.
4. Make new friends. Camaraderie is a powerful by product of training in these environments. You’ll be with people who are learning and sweating with you and witness to your personal development and encourage your success.  These bonds create new relationships and build strong friendships. Plus what’s cooler than hanging out with new friends that can look out for you as you look out for them?
5. Give Yourself A Choice To Not React. At the end of the day if something happens it boils down to how you’ll be able to react or respond. A reaction is an autonomic response, as when the doctor tests your reflexes, it just happens. You really have no control of the reaction you had to the stimulus provided. A response is something that you have total control, a choice you make to engage or disengage and the level of intensity you engage in when presented with something like a confrontation. Being able to defend yourself in a confrontation or situation is a series of choices you are able to make. Fight or Flight is a choice. Engage or disengage. Offense or defense. An understanding of these concepts gives you a lot of personal power in your life and they can be applied anywhere and to anything you encounter in your daily life. That’s a lot of power you have you didn’t know you had before.

These are all good reasons to study self defense and defensive tactics or if you want to devote your life to it a martial art. All of them will be rewarding and give you new skills, new knowledge, new confidence and new friends, but most importantly a choice and abilities you never thought you had before.