If a martial arts teacher you know, or a martial arts "guru" or online personality / RU-vidr shows MOST of the signs listed in this video (more than 10), then they are most likely a fake martial arts teacher / fraud. If they never post any footage of themselves sparring, fighting, or showing their techniques live against non-compliant opponents, but will only post videos of themselves demonstrating their techniques against willing compliant partners, then it means they can't reliably reproduce what they teach in actual fight scenarios, which in turn means they are teaching something that is most likely not pressure tested and therefore unreliable for real-life use. At that point, they are no better than interpretive dance teachers, performance art teachers, or simply online RU-vid entertainers or performance artists / comedians. Take care, everyone!
In Summary: - Abstract / Non Scientific / Mystical - Zero Physicality / Out of Shape - No Touch Master - Demo Master - Never Competed - Fight Record - Never produced a good student - Jealous / Insecure - Coattail Rider - Cult - Self Appointed Title - They Never Teach - Teach Useless Seminars - Walter Mitty Effect
I have trained for almost 6 years with a false master like that. He made up the whole history of this style, while in the end he stole the diploma from his own master, while saying he had another master of Chinese background. They give you dreams just to chain you. I could tell a whole story about this fraud. Thanks for the video. I will share! We woould need MMA rangers who go around the world to challenge live these fake gurus and their students, and honesty im thinking of doing it with the school that stole my dreams and sent me into depression. I jave recovered but sometimes still hurts.
Agree with pretty much everything you said, however there are a couple situations that are different IME. Some BJJ schools that are legit have cultures where they consider you a traitor if you go train with a different team. Also, as far as titles go, in Asia a lot of people call their teacher Sifu as a default title and sign of respect, like how they call cab drivers sifu, or anyone who’s attained a good level of skill. I think the sifu title being a red flag for a fake teacher is more of a western phenomenon, because in the west these kinds of Asian martial cultural titles get blown out of proportion. Also, most Judo schools are legit, and everyone calls their teacher Sensei, and it’s accepted. I think rather than the title being a “modern” vs “traditional” issue, it’s more of a situation where if the teacher has demonstrable ability, his title is less likely to be in question.
Agreed. Team loyalty is one thing but it shouldn’t count if you visit a different school to train in a different martial art. Ie. You go to different schools for different arts.
In training, you must be very aware of your actions and the people around you. You become more aware of your environment, which helps to keep you safe out in the world.
I quit my martial arts school last month, i've been there for 7 years finally came to the realization that everything we practice is way too complicated to do in fighting. There was no sparring because according to the instructor "sparring is stupid, that's sport fighting which doesn't work in self defense, MMA and Boxing don't work in the street." Meanwhile we had over a hundred different wrist locks that i think would never work because they're so complicated to do on someone even if they're standing still, everything we did just felt impossible to do but we were graded on paper on how good the techniques looked in the air which i don't know how proves whether or not it's gonna work. Last year i was training in his house because the school got shut down from the pandemic so i was getting private training, i noticed he said some pretty messed up things that slowly made me second guess him as a person, stuff that he wouldn't say in group class. He also bad mouths almost anybody he talks about, especially other martial artists.
Sounds like our instructor. I brought some students to the club and he flirts with their mothers when they're 30 years younger than him and gets jealous if I talk to them. One of them quit the club for a few months because he tried to get a kiss from her in front of everyone. He puts down all the other martial art schools and says we shouldn't be friends with students from the other schools or we shouldn't help students from other clubs at tournaments or clinics. We never spar anymore because he's not good at sparring anymore and will say the same things. "Someone might get hurt" "That's for sport Karate, it's useless". Then we do all the bullshit wrist locks that you'd probably never use in real life. We basically have a whole club of people that can't fight. Also, some students get their belts 6 months before other students because the instructor wants to keep them coming back or doesn't remember when they started.
Even though I practiced Muay Thai and Taekwondo as a teenager and my 20’s and sparred in class, I didn’t have the time and money to compete in big tournaments. Travel costs, and entry fees, not always doable. I became a police officer and been in situations where Ive used my training in life situations. To say I wouldn’t be a good instructor (which I do part time) because I didn’t compete in tournaments is a ridiculous generalization.
It is a generalization for sure, but it is also rooted in reality. If you don't have competition experience, how practical are your techniques and how tested are they against high level opposition?
Alot of this is good info, however being lightweight is not an indication of skill or power level. Rather, the lack thereof. Some people are just light, the ectomorph body type has trouble gaining weight but can still produce a good amount of power.
I totally agree with a trainer should be fit mentally and physically…they should spa with other students ..it shows their development….they should be patient and they should show curtousy………but don’t agree with having numerous fight records …just because someone practices martial arts …it doesn’t nesessry mean they are not good instructors …look at boxing coaches …not all of them competed but they are good coaches ….what I do agree with you is also…having over full,classes and having students with certain belts but yet can’t do 20 push ups …but they are excellent in their katas….too me you must be fit to complete your kata and sparring technics to be graded or the next level ….I enjoy your podcast…very well presented and un oppionated
Brother, I've been working as a full time Instructor for over 3 years now and finally moved on from my master. I feel like I could make videos like this for the next year from all the crap I have witnessed. All the instructors were forced to sign a document agreeing not to hang out with any students unless she is invited too. Even adults. She told me it's because she is worried someone will talk about her behind her back and she will lose a student. We are not allowed to be friends on social media either. Cross training is strictly prohibited. She says if we disagree with a technique, talk in private. Well, I tried and she straight flipped out. Called me disrespectful because I suggested we train our self defense based on how people are attacking today. I am also a certified firearms training counselor, former army combat instructor and combat veteran. Been training in the martial arts all my life. I have state and national championship medals in TKD and Kickboxing. She is a world forms champion but has never been in a physical altercation in her life. I think she did some low level point sparring like 20 years ago. She said, she won't change her curriculum because she is happy with it. We are training knife defense with some joint locks with 180 degree turns. A bunch of fine motor skill techniques but never any more than 30% speed and with 100% compliance. She wouldnt even hear me without getting offended. These are just the highlights but what would you say about this?
As for a fight record.. I have been in around 60 street fights 60w 0 L I have never been in a single competition, JKD is not a competition Martial Art.. as for gimmick names, it's about blending martial arts as well, other than that good video
In general great points, but I have to wonder. If someone did create their own martial arts system (JJJ), what rank should that teacher start themselves at? Would it be acceptable to be like "Well they created it, so they should at least be a black belt" or would it be more in lines with: They should follow the same curriculum as everyone else and start teaching as a white belt, testing as he would test other students in teh same appropriate time line? That last one would technically make sense in a training sense, but would look pretty not legit if they started a school and peeps see they are all the same rank as the teacher. Also could be tough to be an honest test on themselves anyway. Be it a formal test grade or a subjective progress rank.
hello my kids have taken over 100 classes they are 5 and 7 they joined last April 2024 still yellow belts when will they have there belt testing ? how do I know they going in right school ? I am nervous are they enrolled in right school ? please advise ,classes are in usa
What do you think about martial arts instructors who allow you to watch a class and then asks you to leave in the middle of it because he doesn't want you to see his secret techniques he only shows advanced students ? I once called a sifu up and asked to watch a class . He agreed . So I traveled over an hour to get there . Once there I saw him instructing his students in basic kicking and stances that you would see all the time in a wushu class . And then he asks me to leave after they were done with that . "Ok . That's it . You need to leave . " "I just want to see what your style is about . " "No. You can't watch it ." Is the sifu right ? Or was he just being a dick ?
Insecurity is one of the signs. If you’re confident in your abilities you have no reason to hide anything. You can freely show someone your skills and it won’t mean they’ll be able to reproduce those skills without proper training. Hiding something means they’re making up for their lack of knowledge and experience. Red flag.
I appreciate your attempt to define reality. Unfortunately, this era doesn't allow for it. Reality is whatever has sponsorships, funding, and attention. So whatever might be "fake" may be very real by those who say it's real, nowadays. A lot of people learn virtually and online now, which changes things significantly. The teacher is only half the battle. It's really up to students and what they do. So how about a video on fake students?
Reality is if people can use their martial arts. Can you use it against resisting opponents? If it’s all 100% demos and drills then you’re just a performance artist. In that case become a stunt actor or fight choreographer, or a RU-vid “teacher” 😜🙂👍
yes and sanda and jkd are both good,better and more effective than shaolin kung fu and wing chun in self defence street fighting and work in combat sport mma oh and quick question why is it eh everytime i look up top martial arts wing chun is above jkd