Look at the picture above, how many ‘players can you identify? Listed below are a few that you should see immediately.
…okay, did you get all that? Feel free to post others and questions on our facebook pages.
I’m going to share with you how to avoid the 5 worst mistakes I have seen martial artists with their training. As a professional martial artists myself, I have a unique advantage point that allows me to see things the average practitioner doesn’t see until making one of these mistakes.
The most striking observation I could share with you is that there are a few training mistakes that are made by martial artists (of all styles) over and over. Some are merely an annoyance, and others can change the nature of their self defense knowledge and skill. Most can be easily avoided just by knowing what they are. That is my hope for you as you read this special report.
Instead of making this into a boring, formal report, I’d like to write to you as if we are talking together about your future in the martial arts – as we do all the time with our DSI Members. In the end, this really is about your training. So grab a cup of coffee or tea and let’s get started…
This special report isn’t long enough to get into lots of details from the experience of other martial artists, but we will look in summary form at the most common mistakes martial artists make so that you can avoid doing the same things.
I’d like to start with a question…
After years of working out, of squeezing your training in around your job, or running your own martial arts school, the endless distractions and daily frustrations – are you confident after taking that last class – you are learning what martial arts was intended?
No, I don’t mean whether you learned a proper block, punch and kick. I hope you’ve got those mechanics down cold.
I am asking if you are knowledgeable enough in the Martial Science department to be sure all the years of training have served you well? Or, if you are just starting in martial arts or mixed martial arts, understand how to make the best training choices for you.
These are the questions you need to begin to ask yourself now:
Let’s look at your desired end…
Imagine for a moment that you are already a member of Dragon Society International and the martial artist you’ve always wanted to be. You’re looking back on your first year – all the way back to today. It’s been a good year. No, make that a great year. Your experience and momentum have changed, for one thing. You have time for those things that matter most in your life and your not wasting it on training that won’t support the goals you’ve set for yourself.
You think about your training. You smile. You avoided the worst mistakes many martial artists you know made. But you’ve done more than avoid mistakes. Your smile grows. It’s investing in yourself. It’s growing your martial science knowledge. “Why did I wait so long to do this? you ask.
Now, jump ahead a few years…
You are content with your training – enjoying every moment of it with intensity and purpose. The smile is back. You look forward towards the future with a strong feeling of accomplishment. You are now a DSI Certified Instructor, desired all throughout the martial arts world. And your students who you train now know you are an authority on the subject of martial science. They know exactly who to learn the art and skill to better themselves…without hesitation. You can now look back and feel confident that you made the right decision in your training.
This can be You!
I write that last sentence with confidence because DSI has walked many martial artists through the process in their own training. The description above comes directly from the comments I hear regularly from DSI members and Certified Instructors. Most importantly, it can describe you too.
That’s if you avoid the mistakes most martial artists make in their training. And beyond avoiding mistakes, you want your training to grow and increase in a way that can change the rest of your life.
So, let’s take a look at “The 5 Worst Mistakes Martial Artists Make in Their Training.”
Worst Mistake #1
Waiting Too Long to Learn the “How” and “Why” of Your Art
Have you been training for a while? How you ever wondered why your instructor did certain things? Were you not allowed to question him or her? Are there certain moves or self defense techniques that just do not make sense or feel natural?
Dragon Society International explains and those questions plagued by martial artists of all styles. Especially the “How” and “Why” to any art. It is in the mechanics and principles that unravel the mystery of why we move here or punch there. DSI is your blueprint of martial science.
Worst Mistake #2
Listening to Way Too Many Differing Opinions as to Which Art is Superior
The most superior art is the one that works for you. The one you feel most natural doing. Why should you change something that works for you and your ability? You shouldn’t. No matter what influences you see around you, your art is who you are. It’s a part of you. It resonates with you. Don’t change it. Improve on your art. That is what DSI brings to the table. Enhancement of your existing art.
Worst Mistake #3
Piloting Your training Solo
There are many basement and garage practitioners trying to figure the Martial Arts out on their own. Their is a home for you, if you are one of them and feel like you can’t mesh with any style. DSI principles and ‘players to the game’ will reassure your love of the martial arts and still give you the freedom to learn the way you want to…without boundaries!
Worst Mistake #4
Failing to Take Full Advantage of Information
What happens when you do take action on the info you are given? You do take advantage of the information you’ve learned up until this point…don’t you? We can’t make you train, but we can give you unparalleled information and support that goes along with DSI and your training.
Worst Mistake #5
Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Expecting Different Results
I have read that this is the definition of insanity. You aren’t satisfied with your level of self defense but instead you do nothing to change it. Instead, you follow along blindly hoping for enlightenment. That day will not come unless you take advantage of opportunities for your own training. DSI works with martial artists who’s training has gotten ‘stuck’ for lack of a better term, build them up, and now they have become our greatest success stories.
Ok, time for a pop quiz: How many of these mistakes would you have avoided? Will you avoid?
The good news is you now know of the “Top 5 Worst Mistakes Martial Artists Make with their Training.”
The bad news is that there is no shortage of ways to make mistakes. If space permitted, we could cover a pile more. Never-the-less, this is a good place to start your thinking.
There’s one thing this post cannot do…
That’s to evaluate your individual situation – where you are in your training and where you want to take it.
There are several benefits to becoming a DSI member:
I wish you mistake free training! I hope you have enjoyed this post and I look forward to seeing you at DSI seminars and special events.
Anyone who has studied traditional martial arts for awhile has been to a seminar where the master, shaman-like, lightly hits a couple of points on the uki’s body and he goes out, caught by the faithful followers before he hits the ground. No explanation usually is offered other than the implied idea that knowledge to the secrets of the Chinese-based martial arts gave one inexplicable power.
Knowledge into the science of traditional martial arts actually does give one a certain measure of power, but it can all be explained by anatomy and physiology…and there is no magical secret to it. An attacker always believes he has the advantage: bigger, stronger, meaner, likes to fight, likes to hurt, is excited by pain, has accomplices or a weapon, is a little crazy or on drugs. Pain likely will not cause submission and just might fuel the rage. The defensive response needs to affect a subconscious reflex causing a systemic shutdown over which the aggressor has not control.
The easiest and fastest way to accomplish this is to affect a parasympathetic heart response – a specific, directed attack to the heart which causes immediate unconsciousness. Stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system causes the heart to slow down with less forceful contractions, the large arteries coming out of the heart to expand, which leads to a precipitous drop in blood pressure. The brain now cannot get enough blood so the small arteries in the brain constrict, thus decreasing blood flow to the brain further. The result: unconsciousness, called a vasovagal faint or syncope, the knockout of the seminars. This is not the same as the knockout a football player experiences on the field. That is caused by the brain being severely slammed against the cranium. This knockout is a state of temporary unconsciousness, a faint.
Points that give access to the nerves on the head and neck are able to stimulate a parasympathetic nervous system response and cause a vasovagal faint. There are two types of trauma to the body, blunt force trauma and penetrating trauma. In the traditional martial arts we have two types of strikes: blunt force trauma strikes in the traditional karate long punch; and energy penetrating strikes in the close-in fajing strike. These two strikes have different sources for their energy, although there is overlap. The fajing energy strike is especially suited to rapidly hit the vital points on the head and neck, and to send concentrated energy into the small area of the vital point.
The physics of these two kinds of strikes, as well as a complete discussion on attacking for a vasovagal knockout is discussed in the video and accompanied book, Parasympathetic Attacks to the Heart, offered by the Dragon Society International. This PATH approach is the quickest, safest and most effective means to neutralize an aggressive attack.
In the world of traditional martial arts the word dim-mak is bounced around freely as an enigmatic and dark technique that has the magical ability to be lethal days after subtly administering it. Various points on the body are discussed as death points, touched or lightly struck, causing devastating and protracted effects.
Much of what is called dim-mak is actually kyusho jitsu, the art and science of attacking vital points on the human body. Dim-mak (dian xue in Mandarin) incorporates this but goes much beyond utilizing all of the concepts of the Chinese experience, like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), yin-yang, Five Elements/Phases and qigong. Dim-mak has a premeditated intent to seriously destroy a person’s life or quality of life. It is almost an evil intent for the practitioner systematically, with knowledge of the outcome, uses attack methods in sequence to affect a systemic, often slow shutdown of part or all of the opponent’s being, including their spirit and zest for life.
Understanding human anatomy and physiology gives us insights into what exactly can cause a delayed, serious effect. This is especially true by knowledge of the nervous system and the heart and circulatory system. The body is a complex and beautifully sophisticated entity with all aspects of it having multiple functions. All parts and systems of the body are intimately integrated into a whole. For the body to function as an integrated whole there must be organization and this necessitates communication. There are two communication devices, nerve impulses and chemicals. Chemicals, hormones, from the endocrine system travel through the blood and electrical nerve impulses travel by means of the nervous system.
In addition to hormones the blood carries nutrient enriched blood to all organs and parts of the body, and the circulatory system carries the waste products away. Disrupting this flow has dire consequences on the organs of the body. A decrease of blood flow to any organ can lead to damage to the organ or total organ failure. A traumatic hit directly over an organ can cause this easily. Also, stimulating certain nerves connected to an organ by convergence in a sympathetic nervous system attack can cause a somatovisceral reflex response, which results in a decrease in blood flow to the organ.
In the video and book on Parasympathetic Attacks to the Heart offered by the Dragon Society International there is discussion on the how to attack the nervous system for a sympathetic response and various ways to negatively affect the heart and circulatory system. This information relates to the Chinese concept of “Dim Hsueh”, attacking the blood gates. Also, in the video is a demonstration of a true dim-mak attack to the lymphatic system as a sample of what dim-mak actually means.
“We train hard so the fight is easy” – unknown.
During the past several years much time has been spent analyzing and rechecking martial art theories and applications in a hope that we can provide our group with a better plan for self defense and training applications. One of the biggest obstacles that I have experienced is the wide range of talents and use of terminology. What one group of martial artists considers “intense” another group would break a rib laughing at. Think for a moment of the diversity of martial artists out there. We have everything from blue-collar, heavy duty construction workers and submission fighters to white collar, office personnel whose biggest threat of the day is a paper cut.
Each has their own predetermined idea of what an intense workout is, and what a threat is. I guarantee you that the two ideas are far removed from each other.
I run into schools and associations whose idea of an intense workout is cardio karate class with a gi on, and the next week I see a school where if there isn’t heavy bruising and blood loss it doesn’t count as a workout.
Reality checks are still one of the most humbling experiences out there and we all need them. Most people get only one point of reference during their training. Their only reality check is within the dojo and what ‘sensei’ tells them.
Both points are severely flawed.
‘Sensei’ can only teach you what he/she knows and has experienced and dojo is full of ‘dojo compliance’ and ‘politeness’. These three things greatly inhibit growth and safety while filling the martial artist with a severe case of false security. Run this simple test in your mind or dojo. Try your techniques with a bigger, faster, opponent that is really trying to get you. If you feel that it did not work or that you could only get it to work 50% of the time, you have a real problem on your hands. Reality bites and is very unforgiving. You have to decide whether you are willing to bet your life on ‘Sensei’s’ life experiences and dojo compliance when someone really latches on with intent. Theories and mind games are okay, but when the attacker has you by the throat, and your lights are starting to go out, you may wish that you had spent a little more time in the real world of training.
Now, that does not mean that you go out and join a submission school or train with Army Rangers. It just means that you push your envelope, question everything, and be honest with yourself. Ask yourself, “Will this work for me when my life is on the line?” The fact that ‘Sensei’ says, and can do it will have no importance to you when you are about to get stomped. If it doesn’t work for you on at least 90% of the people, 90% of the time, then it is a real bad bet on your part. The undisputed truth of the matter remains as it always will, if you wish to learn to fight or defend yourself, you must engage in training as close to real fighting as your body can tolerate. The harder you train, the more punishment you can withstand, the greater your chance of victory or survival.
Pursuant with recent discussion of why people are having trouble making pressure points work for them. I believe the root of the problem lies in the original premises under which they are operating. I recently did a full four hour seminar debunking some of the misinformation that has been distributed on pressure point theory. During the seminar I demonstrated how each of the following myths are simply not true and any knowledgeable pressure point expert, acupuncturist or neurologist could easily supply you with information validating what I am saying.
The other thing that really amazes me in that people will take information at face value and not test it. All you need to when someone tells you something about pressure point work is simply go out on the mat and test it. Either you can make it work right then with the ‘expert’ helping you or the data is false. Now, if nine out of ten people are making it work and you cannot, it may be that your martial arts skills need some work. Anyway, here are some ‘pressure point principles’ that are easily myths:
There are more myths out there, but you get the idea. People are building their training, art and self defense programs based on some of these myths. When the time comes to use these techniques, they are going to rudely awakened and disappointed because they will not work. What baffles me is why did someone put this misinformation out there in the first place? Was it because they just don’t know any better? or just did not want people to learn? Are they mistaken in their research and development. We may never know.
Leg Attack Points ST 39 and GB 36
I want to discuss one of my favorite leg attacks. The points below the knee at ST-39 and GB-36. The attack works because of the ‘wood attacks earth’ part of our five element science. The angle will come from the front at a 45 degree angle toward the core of the body. The kick to these points is best done with the ball of the foot. All you have to do is line up the kick so that all the foot makes contact with this combination at the same time. This will insure proper angle of the attack. Be careful! A blow with 50 psi is adequate to do damage if you follow these instructions.
I normally demonstrate this combination in seminars by striking these points with my knuckles with about 10 psi. This normally causes the leg to buckle. This slight amount of pressure is enough to properly demonstrate the power of this science and its proper application. Once you locate the points, work on different angle kicks to activate them. As I said earlier, the easiest is the ball kick, but it can be done from another angle with a shin kick. I have seen kicks to this area break legs in competitions so make sure that you give this technique the proper respect it deserves.
Point CV-24
Intersection-jiaohui point of the foot yang ming stomach and hand yang ming large intestine channels and the conception and governing vessels; 8th of the 13 ghost points. Add to that the mechanical effect of the blow coupled with the neurological shock and we get an easy knockout when the point is struck in and down at a 45 degree angle. Striking weapon can be anything from a dropping palm heal to an overhand looping punch. Secondary effects include a dislocated jaw if your opponent does not have his jaw tight upon impact.
Point CV-17
Meeting- hui point of the qi; intersection-jiaohui point of the foot, tai yin spleen, foot shao yin kidney, hand tai yang, small intestine, and hand- shao -yang, triple burner channels and the conception vessel; alarm-mu point of the pericardium.
As you can see from the description of the point, this is a highly energetic point often ignored because it lies on the breastbone. The structural damage may be limited due to all the bone, however, the energetic damage can be immense.
This point will react to any stimulus to the yin meridians so it becomes an excellent choice for a secondary strike after parrying the arm or kicking the inside of the leg.
I would like to address a phenomenon that occurs in every martial arts school. The instructor cares more about the development of the student than the student does. I constantly see instructors working their butt off trying to get students to ‘do it right’. Instructors will spend more time trying to get the non-conformers to do it right that they will helping the ones who are doing it right.
There are some wise old sayings that become more brilliant as I get older. See if you recognize any of these:
Why am I taking time to share this? I need to tell our instructors that it is okay to hold to their standards and not ‘sell out.’ It is okay for them to have students who do not make the grade. and it is okay to tell students that they are not ready yet for a promotion, next belt rank etc.
It is a lot better to do that, being truthful with the student as he is developing and to hold the student to a high standard that to have the student come before the testing board and be crushed by the outcome.
I want to share a personal story; Many years ago a private student of mine insisted on doing it ‘his way’ because it was easier for him. He had less that six months study and I have over 35+ years. One of us has a deeper understanding of the martial arts.
He kept asking;
“Why am I not progressing?
Why do you always defeat me so easily?
Why don’t my techniques have the power yours do?
Why am I always off-balance?”
Easy answer. ‘His way’ is not the martial arts way. He cannot see beyond his limited scope. He does not have the advantage of 30 years of experience. He cannot see what is coming next. He fights on one plane not knowing that seven other planes exist. He couldn’t deal with what he did not know or recognize. His biggest opponent was himself and ‘his way.’
I am patiently watching. Pain is teaching and it is a slow, painful, agonizing process. He will either get strong, learn or fail. Either way will be okay. Such is life, all are not destined to be black belts.
Seminar attendees often ask me why I spend so much time on arm points and stances. It is because humans normally attack with their hands and the points of the arm below the elbow are very important to setting up point combinations that will render the attacker helpless.
Making sure that stances are correct insures that you will be able to withstand the unseen low kick and allows you to transfer energy properly.
That being said, let’s take a look at the point combinations that can be used from a latch onto PC-6, Pericardium 6.
The following points on the body will be greatly influenced by your activation PC-6; CV-14, CV-24, LI-18, ST-9, KI-8, LI-10, LI-11 and GB-20.
So you can easily see why we must learn to deal with the first available target being the arm, and then proceed to the secondary target on the body, which will have been weakened by our intitial stiumulus.
Many naive martial artists believe that pressure point work only involves finding where the deadly points are and hitting them. There is nothing further from the truth.
The ‘Master’ will utilize one point to set up the next and truly demonstrate the art. Any idiot can go and buy an acupunture book and find out where sensitive points are and hit them.
The idiot’s approach fails when he connot hit the moving target and cannot deal with the arms in his way.
The ‘Master’ uses the arm points to establish a pathway to the sensitive points allowing an easy victory over his enemy.
You must learn the science and deal with the real world scenarios.
REAL enemies have arms and move in combat.
REAL enemies are durable and can withstand impact to their bodies.
Most martial artists are incapable of delivering enough force from their punches to defeat their enemies without the blow striking a sensitive point (pressure point).
Usually people relate this ‘player to the game’ to the angle the pressure point must be struck in order to transfer energy into the meridian. Our DSI pressure point charts show the angle necessary to inject energy or strike the point that will provide the least amount of resistance to the meridian core.
This basic ‘player’ is easily seen and demonstrated by the novice who has charts. It is a key player in the core understanding of what we do. That being said, lets look at this ‘player’ from a mechanical application.
Every technique should be analyzed for its angle of attack to the attacker’s core. It should be the goal of every technique to place you in a position that you could access the core of your attacker.
Take a quick look at the video clip in our ‘Instant Knockout’ Video here
One of the points highlighted is for stomach 5. Now try to apply that stike to your own techniques.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
Your job is to address any stimulus in such a manner that puts you in the best position to reach your attacker’s core with the least amount of threat. In other words, do not do a wrist grab with a release point ready to hit stomach 5 but that will place you in direct line of fire from the off side hand.
Choose the release point on the other side of hand that will put you on the outside… out of the line of fire.
Always try to egress into the attack at an angle that will negate the natural anatomical strength of your opponent. This is usually done from the outside in toward the core of your attacker. By pressing the attack forward, you stop their rooting and stability along with ability to generate the energy wave form.
Recently at a Dragon Society International Seminar, Certified Instructor David Hansford released his thorough and detailed martial science research of the Parasympathetic Nervous System and how it affects the heart and other organs of the body.
We were all blown away with this ‘cutting edge’ information to say the least.
Grandmaster Tom Muncy said…
“This is GREAT!. This is some REALLY good stuff every martial artist needs to learn.”
But before we go into what is in the book and DVD set, let’s first go over what exactly is the Parasympathetic Nervous System and why martial artists need to learn about it.
It is one of the three main divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS is responsible for regulation of internal organs and glands, which occurs unconsciously. To be specific, the parasympathetic system is responsible for stimulation of “rest-and-digest” or “feed and breed” activities that occur when the body is at rest.
Its action is complementary to the other main branches of the ANS, the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for stimulating activities associated with the fight-or-flight response.
You got that so far? Okay, hang in there. You’re doing great.
Sympathetic and parasympathetic parts of the nervous system (nerves in the body) typically function in opposition to each other. This natural opposition is better understood as complementary in nature rather than resistant.
Here’s an example. Think of the sympathetic as the police, or first responders and the parasympathetic as the court system.
The sympathetic typically functions in actions requiring quick responses. The parasympathetic functions with actions that do not need immediate reaction.
Yeah, yeah. So what does all this mean for a martial artist, combat expert, and self defense extraordinaire like you?
Let’s put it plainly. Learning from Hansford’s Book and You will get all the juicy details of EXACT SCIENCE on how to manipulate your attacker’s nervous system to have the ‘upper hand’ with your favorite self defense technique in an altercation.
Period.
So what can you learn from David Hansford and some cameo appearances by Grandmaster Rick Moneymaker in this Book and DVD set?
Here’s my top 7…but there are so many more.
* What is the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic and why you need to know the difference between the two.
* What is Fa Jing and why it is the secret to energy transfer and styles like ‘iron shirt’.
* How the Central Nervous System works and the ways to dismantle your attacker in ways you never thought of before.
* What points ‘speed up’ the function of the organs, which ones ‘slow things down’ so you are not ‘working against yourself’ in your self defense.
* The most vital pressure points to ‘take out’ someone three times your size with ease and accuracy.
* What is ‘blood profusion’ and why every martial artist out there, regardless of your style, needs to know how it affects your striking ability.
* Learn one of the most easiest facial knockouts by Rick Moneymaker that takes a ‘quarter of a second’ to pull off.
The DVD is over 60 minutes of instruction to bring you up to speed on the extensive research David provided to the seminar attendees. It features hands on examples and demonstration and a look at seminar students practicing with a partner.
If you love studying martial arts and self defense science and pressure points, Parasympathetic Attacks to the Heart is one to definitely add to your library.
The secrets of the Chinese-based martial arts, including karate, have been revealed gradually as the understanding into Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Chinese cultural experiences, and role these play in their fighting systems, has expanded. Still it all seems so mysterious with colorful names like “Palace of Toil”, “Bubbling Spring”, “Needle in the Sea” and “Brushing the Peacock’s Tail” and with concepts like the “Sichen”, “Five Element/Phases”, “Controlling or Destructive Cycle”, “Qi and the Twelve Meridians” and “Yin-yang”. What’s a Westerner to do with these totally alien names and concepts?
Mostly we memorize them, accepting that they are based on centuries of observation with results that are predictable and reliable. Touch here, hit there in the sequence of the Destructive Cycle and unconsciousness follows. Or strike hard here, in and down, and death within three days. The concept of dim-mak (dian xue in Mandarin), striking techniques causing severe, delayed effects, seems almost impossibly magical. Since these were guarded secrets for centuries, traditional martial arts have an aura of even more mystery.
The light of understanding began to shine as individuals and organizations, like the Dragon Society International, studied, researched and experimented; and then applied western medical knowledge to these Chinese concepts. For example, the most fundamental and important concept in the Chinese philosophy and Chinese-based martial arts is that of yin-yang, the opposite and complementary nature that exists in all things and between all things. In anatomy and physiology the human body has an autonomic nervous system to rapidly respond to emergency situations in order to protect the body and maintain homeostasis. The responses are reflex actions over which a person has no control. The autonomic system is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems with these having opposing and complementary functions: one speeds up the function or activity of an organ, while the other slows it down. Thus the autonomic system unconsciously controls blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, urination, sleep and breathing.
Striking some nerves causes a sympathetic response with an increase in blood pressure, breathing and heart rate and which can cause a heart arrhythmia. Striking other nerves activates the parasympathetic nervous system which results in the heart slowing down, the blood pressure dropping dramatically, and the brain to go into a vasovagal faint. In the extreme scenario the heart can stop.
The book Parasympathetic Attacks to the Heart, offered by the Dragon Society International, summarizes the anatomy and physiology relevant to martial arts implications for the heart and circulatory system. The physics and kinds of strikes most suited for either a sympathetic or a parasympathetic response are discussed as well.
Do you feel you’ve reached a glass ceiling with your training? Do you want to enhance your training to include all aspects of the arts? Do you have pieces missing from your training and you don’t know where to start?
For over 20 years Dragon Society International has taught seminars all over the world. We have gotten our hands on literally thousands of people in an attempt to enhance their martial arts and to ‘fill in’ any and all missing pieces of their art.
DSI seminars bring fundamental, in-depth and ‘nuts and bolts’ principles of martial science pressure point training.
Easy enough right? So why do so many martial artists hesitate?
The problem arises with the preconceived challenges the individual puts on the process.
Students will tell us, “I have never seen results like that from the techniques my instructor has taught me?”.
But here is their concern:
…and the list goes on.
First, you do not need to switch styles. You can stay with the style you are in now. It does not matter what style you are currently practicing. We have helped out practitioners from every style, rank, country, back-ground, politics you can think of.
Sometimes a practitioner will ask us ,”Why hasn’t my instructor shown me these techniques before?”. If we do not know your instructor personally we cannot answer that question in an honest fashion. Maybe he or she did not have the same knowledge or exposure that there is now. Training even 5-10 years ago is different than today with access to Youtube, social media and the to the overwhelming knowledge on blogs and forums.
Instructors years ago had to go to great lengths to learn (travel, missing time with family, finding instructors, etc) and spending a fortune in collecting resources of books, tapes, and charts.
Presently it is even easier to access martial science knowledge and train with Dragon Society International.
You can decide to jump in with both feet and change everything you are currently doing. We have many members who have left their current school and come aboard.
Just for the record, when these situations have occurred the individual was already looking for another organization to switch to. They were either dissatisfied with either their current instructor, current style, current organization , or a combination.
The official position of DSI is we do not force or encourage, people to leave their current training circumstances. In plain language we do not fish in other instructors ponds. We do not need to.
Consequently if an individual comes to us and asks us to direct their training we will do everything in our power to help that individual if we feel they are genuine and honest in their reasoning for switching.
We will not get caught up in petty politics. It is all about the learning and sharing.
We have many Black Belts, for whatever reason, found themselves without an instructor to follow. Some may only teach a few people in their basement while some had large commercial schools with hundreds of students relying on them for information and rank.
I speak from first hand experience on this. Many years ago my wife and I were with a different organization. It got to the point where we had to make a decision as to which direction we wanted our training to go as well as the training of our students.
We already had developed a relationship with Dragon Society International and Grandmasters Muncy and Moneymaker. We decided to switch and go with Dragon Society. When I called Grandmaster Moneymaker and informed him we wanted to join DSI and leave our current organization his response was, “Welcome and don’t worry about a thing. We are going to take care of you.”
We haven’t looked back since. It was by far one of the best decisions we made for our training.
Many instructors simply want to add our science to the style they are currently teaching. We have worked with many organizations on helping them to add our principles to their curriculum with great results.
We have rank and certification for those just starting in the martial arts and want to earn their black belt all the way through to becoming a DSI Certified instructor.
We have an ever growing list of DVD’s, books, charts, and reference materials to learn from all which are available on our website store.dragonsociety.com.
We can help you easily ‘custom fit’ DSI principles and “Players to the Game” to your current training.
What if it only took this one class or seminar to make all the difference in giving you that ‘edge’ in your training this year? Don’t wait. Contact us today.
DSI is standing by.