In Dog Brothers Martial Arts, our mission is to help people like you to not only get a start in the martial arts, but to help you to “Walk as a Warrior for All Your Days.™”
This means that we are looking to teach training methods that will serve you for the long term, not just if you are young and competitive.
Is this the best program for you and your individual needs?
If you recognize one or more of your goals in the following statements, then the answer is YES!
- You want more personal instruction
- You want to learn in a pressure free environment
- You want to learn to assess potential threats in advance
- You want to train a no nonsense system that works
- You want to prepare for both ritual combat and reality based situations
- You want to learn the truth about legal issues related to self-defense
- You want a flexible training schedule that does not require contracts
1. You want more personal instruction
I know you will learn faster and more thoroughly with smaller class sizes and we do not want you to ever feel like you are just another number in our classes. I have a very low instructor to student ratio. I guarantee you’ll get the time and attention you deserve. In addition to standard classes, I am also available for private training programs, should that be a more desirable option. I will also communicate with you via email and/or social media to answer any questions or provide additional links in addition to what is covered in class.
2. You want to learn in a pressure free environment
We value the experience, growth and development students can gain from putting what they have learned to the test so that they are sure they can access this learning in real world situations, and in real time. However, we also understand that this kind of training is not for everyone! As such, you dictate the level of impact that you would like to take the material. In this way, I can serve both fighters and practitioners, and ensure that value is found in the class by both types.
Also, the focus of our training is not geared for ritual competition! I do not want only those students who will be an ornament to the school. As our mission statement is to “walk as a warrior for all your days™,” our focus is on developing the group as a whole. A strong group can test one another to ensure growth and development, but we do not keep track of wins and losses, nor do we require you to compete.
3. You want to learn to assess potential threats in advance
Threat management will allow you to get yourself prepared to rise to the occasion without doubt clouding your judgment. This is critical in evening out the odds, since the “bad guys” usually have the advantage of initiation. I will help you to balance the scales with an understanding of pre-attack cues and readiness strategies.
4. You want to train a no nonsense system that works
In DBMA, “if you see it taught, you see it fought.™” We attempt to keep the “razzle-dazzle” to a minimum, and only traffic in techniques that have proved themselves to be of the most use in the crucible of the Dog Brothers’ Gatherings of the Pack and related laboratories. Simply put, if it works, we will use it, and teach it to you. In addition, many techniques in DBMA are described by Guro Marc “Crafty Dog” Denny as “portal techniques” that will allow some of the martial arts techniques you may have already learned but have not found a use for to find a home. For the individual elements of the DBMA program, click here.
5. You want to prepare for both ritual combat and reality based situations
We want to prepare you for all possibilities (and all areas of aggression) so that you are able to manage both known and unknown contacts with clarity and with a proper legal understanding. As the Guiding Force of the Dog Brothers, Guro Marc “Crafty Dog” Denny puts it:
“in search of the totality of ritual and reality.”
This means that the paradigm of the street is different than that of the cage, or of competitions with agreed upon parameters. It is our aim to prepare you for situations that require 360˚ awareness, uneven odds, and an an uneven level of readiness as well as ritual combat. This is what the DBMA tag-line “consistency across categories” is meant to address.
6. You want to learn the truth about legal issues related to self-defense
Self-defense is not a foregone conclusion, and I will teach you as much as I am able about the legal issues related to self defense. This includes but is not limited to an articulation of pre-attack scenarios, levels of force, when you waive your right to self-defense through your actions, home defense, and weapon and gun issues. In short, do not expect me to teach you to assume anything. I will not teach the “better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6” school of thought on self-defense.
7. You want a flexible training schedule that does not require contracts
I stand behind the DBMA program. If you decide for any reason I didn’t live up to my commitment to helping you meet your goals to learn practical self-defense, gain more confidence and/or start getting you into better shape, there is no obligation. All I ask that you attend the scheduled classes in the first 30 days and give me a fair shot. Few –if any– other local martial arts schools will extend the same offer.