GreenieMeanie
Black Belt
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2021
- Messages
- 537
- Reaction score
- 158
I attend a self-defense dojo ran by an instructor certified in an international Krav Maga Brand, and another international brand, which is essentially FMA boxing, body manipulation, and various weapons under a different name.
Overall, the instruction is good. They know the techniques, the instructors know why the techniques are done, along with some other martial arts knowledge. However, I’m concerned no one understands the greater theory behind what they’re doing, except that “there are no rules in a street fight.” When talking to older more experienced students, I get the impression that they’d never heard of FMA until attending these classes.
When doing basic FMA partner drills with knives, it was insisted that I focus on cutting. My background is primarily contemporary street-focused systems, and so I know that in most situations, an average knife is not hefty or sharp enough to preform a fight-ending slice. You get a cut if it‘s available, but you’re really just using the knife to pry your way into a stab. I know enough about FMA, to realize that the slicing moves derive from an assumption of bludgeons and heavy field blades. I was told not to worry about it, and just do the drill as instructed.
I’ve had the opportunity to study Shiv Works, prison fighting, revolver work, anti-abduction stuff, WW2 combatives, and then some. Ideally, I’d like to have a study group going. I feel like it would be completely new to them. I think they understand and respect that I’ve had previous, diverse training. Yet, I suspect the students and instructors are, for now, more interested in my assimilation than my input. But I don’t know if that’s the general mentality, or if I simply need to bridge the communication gap. I have a good relationship with all the instructors.
Does anyone think I can convince them? If so, how should I approach the head instructor?
Overall, the instruction is good. They know the techniques, the instructors know why the techniques are done, along with some other martial arts knowledge. However, I’m concerned no one understands the greater theory behind what they’re doing, except that “there are no rules in a street fight.” When talking to older more experienced students, I get the impression that they’d never heard of FMA until attending these classes.
When doing basic FMA partner drills with knives, it was insisted that I focus on cutting. My background is primarily contemporary street-focused systems, and so I know that in most situations, an average knife is not hefty or sharp enough to preform a fight-ending slice. You get a cut if it‘s available, but you’re really just using the knife to pry your way into a stab. I know enough about FMA, to realize that the slicing moves derive from an assumption of bludgeons and heavy field blades. I was told not to worry about it, and just do the drill as instructed.
I’ve had the opportunity to study Shiv Works, prison fighting, revolver work, anti-abduction stuff, WW2 combatives, and then some. Ideally, I’d like to have a study group going. I feel like it would be completely new to them. I think they understand and respect that I’ve had previous, diverse training. Yet, I suspect the students and instructors are, for now, more interested in my assimilation than my input. But I don’t know if that’s the general mentality, or if I simply need to bridge the communication gap. I have a good relationship with all the instructors.
Does anyone think I can convince them? If so, how should I approach the head instructor?