Self-Defence Athens, Greece
F.A.Q.
What is your training approach?
Check "Our Approach" in the articles section
What’s paramount in self-defence?
Intent and mindset are the most important factors. They affect everything: Movement, momentum, stability, balance and breathing.
Do you use protective equipment?
We can't do without them. With the appropriate tools and protective equipment, you can train almost everything with a fully-resisting opponent. And that’s how you know whether what you study, works or not. In order not to provide a false sense of safety, minimum protection is used, so that long term injuries are avoided.
What kinds of people come to train with you?
Thinking people that do not care about belts, certificates or trophies, but are interested in being able to defend themselves and their family.
What does unarmed combat include?
We consider real unarmed combat, to be beyond stylistic rigidity. For us, unarmed combat is just striking and grappling. Period. Each individual may do it slightly differently. A style is but its founder’s expression. That’s what each martial art / system is about. That’s what most people have to learn to do. To apply their expression and not the style’s expression.
What about weapon systems?
Regarding weapon systems, I try to train with people that have used weapons in actual confrontations, and especially if this has been in the line of their work. People whose training has been tested, and who have the psychology and the sense of responsibility to correctly teach priorities, the where, the when, and the how.
Weapons training is serious business and we share such information only with those individuals who have been with us for a long time, and whom we consider will not mis-use such knowledge.
Are there any secrets in martial arts?
If you ever hear about secret stuff in martial arts, turn away. If you ever hear about the absolute truth, turn away.
Do you believe in cross-training?
In any school, you may learn a number of things, but you will never broaden your horizons, unless you do your own research and cross-train. If you learn how others train, then you know their game and their weaknesses. Experiment. It’s a matter of common sense to understand that it’s one thing to train with your gi / uniform, bare footed on a tatami, and quite another on uneven ground, in shoes, and wearing street clothes.
Go deep into a system, have it as the core and then cross–train. The only one that you have to be true to, is your own self. If you don’t lie to yourself, then you don’t need anyone’s approval.
What’s your opinion on the endless discussions about style A vs. style B?
We avoid getting involved in such unnecessary and worthless discussions. All systems have strong points, within the framework of their limitations. Never underestimate another martial art system and never talk disparagingly about it. It only shows others that you are immature, or that you don’t really believe in the one you yourself train in. There is no better system, just what fits you better, or what meets your specific goal. Which martial art one practices, is irrelevant. The main difference / problem or whatever you want to call it, is that of good and not-so-good instructors.
Should students copy their teacher’s movement?
Having exactly the same movement as your instructors is counter-productive. You must own the system and not let the system own you. You must strive to adapt your training to your own physical limitations and abilities. No two persons that study the same system, from the same instructor, for the same amount of time, will ever fight exactly the same.
How long does it take to become proficient?
There are no shortcuts. The longer you train, the more things you see that you can improve. Being more experienced, you have more chances to be safe. So, to re-phrase something one of my teachers said: “The harder and smarter you train, the luckier you get”.