| The most surprising statistic that most karate and | | | | and get into a few fights? Should they go hang |
| martial arts teachers discover is the one that tells | | | | out in the seedier side of town and wait to be |
| them "why most of their adult students quit | | | | mugged, raped, or beaten?No, of course not. But, |
| shortly after enrolling." In fact, the greatest | | | | they can, like their students, go in search of real |
| percentage of adult dropouts from martial arts | | | | experts - people who have "been there" and who |
| classes occurs within the first 100 days!This has | | | | can help them learn what they need to know in |
| sparked some groups to investigate the reasons | | | | order to help the people who come to them for |
| behind this phenomena. Surveys have been | | | | this type of knowledge.Of course, this may |
| conducted both in the United States as well as in | | | | require that they suck in their pride and get a |
| Canada. Additional inquiries may also have been | | | | check on the old ego. But, as everyone knows |
| conducted in places like Europe and Australia as | | | | who has been in an actual violent confrontation |
| well.What the researchers found was, to them, | | | | with a dangerous attacker, you need to "check |
| incredible. They found that, by and large, the | | | | your ego at the door" if you're going to |
| number one reason for adult students dropping | | | | survive.Teaching self-protection skills to others is a |
| out of their programs was......no real-world | | | | huge responsibility. And one perhaps that's too |
| self-defense training early on in their training!"How | | | | great for a lot of people who are teaching for |
| could this be?", was the question. The researchers | | | | purely personal reasons.There is another option |
| were stunned. After all, they were martial arts | | | | available, however; just in case the primary one is |
| teachers and they certainly taught self-defense as | | | | totally unacceptable. And that option is simply |
| a part of their classes.How could these adults say | | | | to......stop trying to teach self-defense if they're |
| that they weren't being taught real-world | | | | not qualified.By all means, an instructor can, and |
| self-defense techniques?Perhaps, the problem was | | | | should, continue to teach his particular style of |
| not that "self-defense techniques" were or were | | | | martial art. But he should stop trying to convince |
| not being taught. Because, even after these | | | | intelligent, grown adults, that he knows what he's |
| studies were conducted and karate programs | | | | talking about with regards to surviving a violent |
| started to "import" third-party self-defense | | | | attack if he doesn't. He should remember that |
| packages into their product offering, adult | | | | people are placing their lives in his hands every |
| dropouts remained high.Maybe the problem was in | | | | time he open's his mouth, or demonstrates a |
| perception. Maybe students just couldn't see how | | | | technique. I'm not sure whether or not many |
| the "stylized" movements of a centuries-old | | | | instructors have thought about this. But they |
| system could be applicable against a street attack | | | | should.After all, most martial arts instructors teach |
| against a stiletto or 'Saturday Night | | | | honesty as one of the major tenets and |
| Special'-wielding assailant.It's certain that students | | | | character traits of a black belt master and leader. |
| were not seeing and hearing what they thought | | | | Wouldn't this be the "honest" thing to do?The |
| they should in order to believe that they were | | | | moral here is that, if a martial arts or karate |
| getting what they needed to survive such an | | | | teacher wishes to teach self-defense - if he or |
| attack. Even if these students don't know what | | | | she wants to get and retain adult students looking |
| 'that thing' really looks like, their gut-level feeling | | | | for this type of training for the long-term, they |
| was that, "this stuff isn't going to work."Maybe | | | | really have no choice but to do what they |
| the problem - what adult students are looking for | | | | must.They, like every other information-based |
| - is in something even more crucial to learning | | | | professional, are in business to provide a service. |
| self-defense against violent attackers. And maybe | | | | They must decide what that service is and |
| this "thing" was easier to identify by novices than | | | | whether or not it includes real-world |
| by trained instructors who had been indoctrinated | | | | self-protection against violent attackers who don't |
| into sport systems.Maybe what was lacking in all | | | | follow the rules of fairness and respect found in |
| of these programs was something the real | | | | martial arts schools and karate tournaments.They |
| experts like to call......Experience!Regardless of the | | | | should also know this......no company, whether it's a |
| subject, it's fairly easy to see when someone has | | | | furniture store or a martial art school, stays |
| experience with the information they have, isn't | | | | in-business very long if it can't give its customers |
| it? I mean, experience in actually applying that | | | | what they want and need. Their clients and |
| information to produce viable, proven results. As | | | | students may never tell them that they don't |
| the old saying goes, "those who can - do; and | | | | believe or trust them. But, rest assured that if |
| those who can't - teach."And, what adult students | | | | they're not getting what they've paid for, they're |
| are looking for is someone who "can" AND | | | | gone.As a final thought, and one that I live by. |
| "teaches" others how they can as well.Now, this | | | | What if, some day, "I" must depend on one of |
| isn't to say that most martial arts instructors | | | | my students to protect me from a dangerous |
| don't know their arts and the techniques and skills | | | | assailant for whatever reason. Wouldn't I want to |
| that come with them. Most certainly do. And | | | | make sure that what he or she learned was really |
| these people are very good at what they | | | | going to work?I know I would!Jeffrey M. Miller is |
| do.However; there is a huge difference between | | | | the founder of Warrior Concepts International, a |
| knowing how to 'perform' a skill - any skill - and | | | | Pennsylvania-based company specializing in helping |
| being able to apply that skill in a particular context. | | | | private, law enforcement, and corporate clients to |
| And self-defense is no exception.No matter how | | | | develop time-tested and proven self-protection |
| hard they try, most martial arts and self-defense | | | | and personal development skills that work in the |
| instructors will not be able to convince most | | | | real-world. He is the author of the highly |
| adults that they know what they're talking about | | | | acclaimed, educational video, Danger Prevention |
| without the experience to back it up. Adult | | | | Tactics. His latest book, "The Karate-Myth" shows |
| students are not children. They have seen far too | | | | the reader why most martial arts and |
| much in there lives to let these less-than-able | | | | self-defense programs don't work and how to |
| instructors slide.And with the new threat of | | | | insure your safety in today's violent world. For |
| terrorism being added to the ever-present | | | | additonal information about having this |
| concern with crime, most adults have no desire to | | | | internationally-recognized expert as a guest or |
| learn martial arts for purely ascetic reasons. They | | | | keynote speaker for your organization's next |
| want - no, they demand - and rightly so, that the | | | | meeting, or to sponsor a seminar with Mr. Miller, |
| person they place their trust in, not to mention | | | | you may contact him through his web site or by |
| their very lives, knows what he or she is doing.So, | | | | calling WCI in the U.S. and Canada, at (570) |
| what's an instructor to do if he or she lacks actual | | | | 988-2228. |
| real-world experience? Should they rush right out | | | | |