I was bullied as a young teenagerโdragged into toilets, splashed with water, punched. That pain pushed me to learn martial arts, hoping to get stronger and protect myself.
That experience pushed me to start learning martial arts, hoping it would make me stronger and help me protect myself. But after years of training, I faced a hard truth: most techniques I learned didnโt work in real situations.
Since I was 15, I trained in various styles, mainly traditional martial arts. While they taught discipline, culture, and focus, they also came with rulesโno eye pokes, no groin strikes, no throat attacks. These rules work in competitions, but real life has no rules.
If you want culture and discipline, traditional martial arts are great. But for real self-defense, you need practical, direct, and efficient techniquesโno wasted movements.
Because of my experience, I now teach realistic self-defense focused on effective shortcutsโnot skipping learning, but going straight to what works. Understanding how real assaults happen is key, so students avoid false confidence and stay safe.
I know some traditional schools resist this approach. It challenges their system, but Iโm not disrespecting traditionโIโm prioritizing your safety.
I donโt want any teenager to suffer like I did. Mastery isnโt about training time or perfect formโitโs about what really works when youโre alone, with no rules and no second chances.
Sorry to hear about your bullism experience I was victim of bullying too but I wasn't brave as I stopped to going to school.
Thank you for sharing. I'm really sorry you had to go through that, no one deserves to feel so unsafe. Please don't be hard on yourself for how you coped. Everyone responds to pain in their own way, and just surviving through something like that is a kind of bravery. I'm grateful you felt comfortable enough to share this here.
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Hello Joshua, great to see you have chosen to turn trauma in the past into fuel for great awareness!