Many people use the terms “Martial Arts” and “Self-Defense” interchangeably. Let’s be perfectly clear: they are not the same thing. Martial Arts covers a broad spectrum of study, ranging from performance-oriented art to sports competition to battlefield combat. Self-defense, by comparison, has a very narrow definition. For our purposes, we’re going to define it as what you do to get yourself or another person out of a potentially dangerous, threatening or violent situation.

Some martial arts are highly applicable to self-defense situations. The Wing Chun and Balintawak Escrima taught at the Modern Martial Arts Institute are two such styles. There are many other styles that excel in their area of concentration, but are decidedly ineffective for real-world self-defense. Every system has it’s specialty. Ours just happens to be self-defense.

To study self-defense is to study violence and to really know what an attacker thinks and does. Not the scripted and stylized attacks and techniques played out in most dojos and training halls, but the brutal, unexpected and unfair assaults that happen in the real world. One of the first things to understand about real self-defense training is separating myth from reality. This is a critical warning: violence is what it is, and it is not necessarily what you think it is. It is definitely not what you’ve seen in the movies or depicted on TV.

Our goal is to prepare you to handle real violence, real assault, and do it in a way that is safe, effective, and legally and morally responsible. You’ll learn about the legal definition of self-defense and where it’s boundaries are. You’ll learn about the continuum of force, and techniques to stay safe regardless of the threat level. We’ll go beyond technique and explore the principles, the psychology, and all the variables of violent encounters.

Most importantly, you'll practice your self-defense skills with each and every class. We do not set aside "self-defense techniques" as a side-course or extra seminar, they are the core of everything we teach. As you progress through Wing Chun and Balintawak drills, you're developing reflexive self-defense skills that are instinctual, effective and always available.

We would love to discuss your needs and goals for self-defense training and explain more about our programs and our approach to building defensive skills. Call us anytime. There's nothing we like better than to help people develop the confidence, knowledge and skills to stay safe.