Self Defense is More Than That
Wikipedia defines self defense as a countermeasure that involves defending the health and well-being of oneself from harm.
It’s a good definition.
And, when most of us think of “self defense” we are thinking specifically about physical self defense.
Students at my academy, Krav Maga Martial Arts, learn the most practical self defense system, including powerful strikes and kicks, and defense against the same, as well as versus grabs and holds standing and from the ground and defense versus stick, knife and gun threats as well as other violent scenarios.
But lately I have also been thinking about the many other threats to my students’ well being…
poor mental and physical health based on unhealthy habits and inadequate or inaccurate information, traffic accidents, and even mounting online dangers to our youth.
I was shocked when I read this about a teen pushed to kill himself by an AI love interest online.
It sounds like science fiction, but is yet another real threat to kids growing up today.
Anyway, the point is that I believe there are many more threats than just violence today, and I want to teach my students defense versus all of them.
My school is a Blackbelt Leadership Academy, that also happens to teach the most practical self defense.
What this means is that we develop character and leadership skills and traits as well as teaching practical self defense.
I teach a leadership lesson weekly, that my instructors at each location play in the Blackbelt Training class and then go deeper on during the Blackbelt Leadership classes.
I am going to start adding weekly Beyond Self Defense lessons, too, that address the threats that I just spoke about and more.
These will include classes on nutrition, mental health and online safety, in addition to our physical krav maga and martial arts curriculum and character and leadership development program.
I am excited to bring this next evolution to our continually improving program and am grateful in advance to all the subject matter experts in my tribe that will help me.
For more information on Krav Maga Martial Arts, visit TampaKravMaga.com
Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!
Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com StephenDelCastillo.com
About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is an 8th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commissioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000. Today I continue to train, learn, sow and grow under the mentorship of World Champion Grandmaster Jeff Smith, who regularly visits the academy to help sow into my teams and students as well.
The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes BLVD and now our new location in 8836 US 19, Port Richey! Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Port Richey and surrounding areas.
See stephendelcastillo.com for more information and to order my book, Developing Your Superpower, Meditations on Mastery, Volume 1.
Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com
