SELF DEFENSE

Seminars





If you're looking for a Self Defense class in Miami, you've come to the right place! Most people consider Martial Arts and Self Defense one and the same. While related, they are in fact all but mutually exclusive. Dojo owners and instructors hard-sell us about the effectiveness of their particular style of martial arts to "Win a Bar Fight." But a bar fight is not self-defense. With self defense, the goal is not to beat someone up or impress onlookers. The goal is to escape and go home, get up the next morning and live another day. Bar-fighting we do not condone, much less teach. And if one's goal is to become a great competitor, choose your martial art style and TRAIN! But if your goal is to survive the attack of a violent criminal, then focus on escape no matter what it takes.

At South Miami Martial Arts, we define a fight is a physical conflict to settle something that could not (or would not) be settled verbally. To us, sparring is a contest in which there is no conflict. Both partners in the match have to goal of helping one another improve their martial arts skills. Self Defense is the subject of surviving a life-threatening situation with as little damage as possible. The goal of a fight is to prove something. The goal of sparring is to win. The goal of self defense is to SURVIVE.

  • What we cover in a Seminar: Violent criminal behavior, conflict resolution and avoidance, de-escalation, various environmental scenarios like vehicle, home, bed, shower, public places, remote locations etc, techniques for escape and attack, weapon avoidance, weapon disarms, weapon retention - and much more. We delve into the critically important subject of combat psychology. One tool we use for this is board-breaking. The goal is not to break a piece of wood. Rather, it's to experience the process of overcoming a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. It requires very little strength - but a lot of confidence, commitment, courage—and of course technique. Observing this process since 1986 has proved its effectiveness. Slamming a body part through something harder and stronger than you are begs the question, what else might I be capable of?

  • When: Usually Saturday afternoons, but we can arrange most any time.

  • Where: By far, the best place to hold the seminar is our fully-equipped facility. We have pads, bags, targets, training weapons, mats, mirrors, timers and just about anything else you could think of. It is entirely possible to hold a remote seminar just about anywhere. But that's going to mean hauling tons of gear as well as travel time and expenses. With limited equipment and setup, and a higher price tag, remote seminars are possible but not recommended.

  • Who Can Participate: We can accommodate just about any arrangement, from women's self defense groups to law enforcement personnel to a seminar for elementary school children. While a good combination of men and women gives us more training options, we do not recommend mixing those under and over the age of about 14. Again, however, we can accommodate any combination of attendees.


  • Duration: We schedule our self defense seminars for two hours, but they usually run over. Once we're set up and running, you see, it's all the same to us. This is what we do and we LOVE IT! Trust me, you'll be begging to go home and rest your brain and body long before we finish.

  • What to Bring: This is an investment, and you'll want to make the most of it. We highly recommend videoing the seminar. Notepads will also come in handy.

  • What to Wear: Something loose fitting in which you can move freely.

  • Cost: $20 per person with a $200 minimum. It is perfectly acceptable for one person to pay $200 for a private session. Or 5 people to pay $40 each, etc. However, for best results, you'll want as big a variety of people as possible. Escape techniques work and feel different depending on the size and strength of your partner / attacker. We recommend at least 10 attendees. If you have 10 or more, each person of course pays only the $20 fee, so there's that, too. Though it's your call, we don't recommend more than about 40.

  • IMPORTANT BONUS!: Expertise requires PRACTICE! And so for every attendee of your seminar, we extend ONE FULL MONTH of regular classes here at the dojo, completely free of charge. This will give everyone ample time to refine technique and get a head start on their continued practice, besides offering an opportunity to experience the psychological and spiritual rewards of regular martial arts training.


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