Am I a Self Defense Expert?

The Dreaded Question:

Recently I was asked a question that was much harder to answer than I might have thought. The question was "Are you a self-defense expert?". A little context is in order here. I went to training to achieve my Level 2 Instructor certification in Krav Maga from Krav Maga Israel. Several of my coworkers knew of the training and asked about it when I returned. I explained the levels and the system and my coworkers were congratulatory. Then the ominous question was posed. Honestly, it is a question I have struggled with as my knowledge has grown.

A Distasteful Thought

My immediate thought on the question was "No, I am not an expert". I could easily name 10 people that I have trained with that know so much more than me and I am in awe of their skills. I go to specialized training and leave humbled that there are holes in my self-defense knowledge that I try to fill. It seems that I constantly seek to gain more knowledge and become a better practitioner and coach. Being responsible for teaching people that you care about how to defend themselves is an awesome task that I don't take lightly. So, in that sense, I have never considered myself an expert. I actually find it distasteful to think of myself as an expert. But then I thought of the alternative.

The Alternative

If I am not somewhat expert will people go to the local McDojo, or worse yet, YouTube to learn self-defense techniques instead of me? I see so many teaching methods that vary from ridiculous to downright dangerous. I see self-defense videos on FaceBook and YouTube that are cringe-worthy and I am certain will get someone killed. These are always done with very compliant zombie partners and look cool and flashy. But do they work for your grandmother? Do the techniques work with a more aggressive partner? These questions always flash through my mind. I simply cannot let people I care about train like that and know that they will be safe. That means I am duty-bound to speak up on subjects where I know training is dangerous and not in the best interest of the student. That requires a level of expert credentialing.

Some Definitions and Thoughts

So, does my ability to recognize the martial art of Bullshito qualify me as an expert? Likely not. As a writer I spend a good bit of time consulting one of the best tools ever invented - the dictionary (dictionary.com specifically). So naturally, I consulted my old friend again to determine if I qualified as an expert. Two key definitions came to light:

a. noun - a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field; specialist; authority:

b. adjective - possessing special skill or knowledge; trained by practice; skillful or skilled.

These definitions became very enlightening. I would consider myself very much trained and possessing special skill. So, in the purest sense, yes, I have a level of expertise. But that thought led me further down the spiral. I began to formulate an idea that being an expert is not an event, but a spectrum. Secondly, I think being an expert is as much a mindset as it is an achievement. I looked at some basic tenets of my self-defense philosophy:

• Testing Under Pressure - I think this is one of the most important aspects of self-defense and I welcome it and the opportunity to improve. The real utility of self-defense concepts and techniques comes out when faced with three large dudes coming at you and one crazy chick with a training knife (you know who you are "A").

• Self-Evaluation - Does what I do work for me and others? If not, I need to learn the technique better or scrap it in favor of something that works. Introspection must be a fundamental concept for someone who would be expert in anything.

• Constant Learning - I think a person ceases to be expert worthy if they believe they have "arrived" and no longer need to learn and train under others. I love to learn new things that I don't yet know if they make my skills better. Krav Maga Israel's Chief Instructor does this and adjusts the curriculum slightly over time. I respect that aspect of the organization so much and embrace it as a personal philosophy.

So, the conclusion of the matter for me was that I am a self-defense expert Buddhist. I am on a path to expertise with miles behind me but many miles to go still. Others are at different places in their expertise pathway. I firmly believe I have an expert mindset and will strive to become a better practitioner and teacher as I mature. Hopefully, my enlightenment will not take 10,000 lifetimes with some of those lives as a Praying Mantis, cockroach, or something worse - a YouTube self-defense instructor.