e of these views - the "tough-guy syndrome" - and talk about the misconceptions present that, contrary to their intent, lead these students astray from their ultimate goal.

Now, before I begin, let me say that there are those people out there who are just plain tough. They can take as much as they dish out an

There seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to martial arts training. The first, we'll call them the "safety-first" schools, adheres to the philosophy of no-contact or light contact and never doing anything that might cause injury to a student.

This school usually focuses on solo training with little to no actual contact between students without the use of padded, safety gear.

The second school, we'll call them the "tough-guy" schools, believes that you have to do everything for real if you're going to be any good.

This school tends to avoid solo training and kata "forms" for a more no-holds-barred, freestyle approach to combat training.

Each sees the other as wrong. Unfortunately, just as with all extremists, each misses the possibility of a third, or middle approach to training.

The Warrior Concepts Black Belt Mastery programs are designed to take this middle path, aiming for a safe approach to the training while focusing on the important key elements that will be present and crucial to surviving a brutal attack. If you've read my other articles and blog posts, or if you've attended my live classes and training events, you already know what I'm talking about.

In this article, I want to focus on one of these views - the "tough-guy syndrome" - and talk about the misconceptions present that, contrary to their intent, lead these students astray from their ultimate goal.

Now, before I begin, let me say that there are those people out there who are just plain tough. They can take as much as they dish out an

le to no actual contact between students without the use of padded, safety gear.

The second school, we'll call them the "tough-guy" schools, believes that you have to do everything for real if you're going to be any good.

This school tends to avoid solo training and kata "forms" for a more no-holds-barred, freestyle approach to combat training.

Each sees the other as wrong. Unfortunately, just as with all extremists, each misses the possibility of a third, or middle approach to training.

The Warrior Concepts Black Belt Mastery programs are designed to take this middle path, aiming for a safe approach to the training while focusing on the important key elements that will be present and crucial to surviving a brutal attack. If you've read my other articles and blog posts, or if you've attended my live classes and training events, you already know what I'm talking about.

In this article, I want to focus on one of these views - the "tough-guy syndrome" - and talk about the misconceptions present that, contrary to their intent, lead these students astray from their ultimate goal.

Now, before I begin, let me say that there are those people out there who are just plain tough. They can take as much as they dish out an

d, freestyle approach to combat training.

Each sees the other as wrong. Unfortunately, just as with all extremists, each misses the possibility of a third, or middle approach to training.

The Warrior Concepts Black Belt Mastery programs are designed to take this middle path, aiming for a safe approach to the training while focusing on the important key elements that will be present and crucial to surviving a brutal attack. If you've read my other articles and blog posts, or if you've attended my live classes and training events, you already know what I'm talking about.

In this article, I want to focus on one of these views - the "tough-guy syndrome" - and talk about the misconceptions present that, contrary to their intent, lead these students astray from their ultimate goal.

Now, before I begin, let me say that there are those people out there who are just plain tough. They can take as much as they dish out an

o the training while focusing on the important key elements that will be present and crucial to surviving a brutal attack. If you've read my other articles and blog posts, or if you've attended my live classes and training events, you already know what I'm talking about.

In this article, I want to focus on one of these views - the "tough-guy syndrome" - and talk about the misconceptions present that, contrary to their intent, lead these students astray from their ultimate goal.

Now, before I begin, let me say that there are those people out there who are just plain tough. They can take as much as they dish out an

e of these views - the "tough-guy syndrome" - and talk about the misconceptions present that, contrary to their intent, lead these students astray from their ultimate goal.

Now, before I begin, let me say that there are those people out there who are just plain tough. They can take as much as they dish out and have an almost superhuman ability to withstand pain and punishment. But...

...these people will be so with or without fight training.

As I've discussed in other articles, there is a vast difference between a warrior and someone who fights for pleasure or reward. Where the warrior seeks to be able to defend self and others only when necessary - and with the least amount of wear and tear on him or her self - the fighter will very often put themselves in more danger just to show that they are the toughest guy there.

Here are several truths about the nature of training and combat that I have discovered from over thirty years of not only martial arts training, but from actually having to survive in real-world self-defense situations.

• 1. Dojo training (practice) is NEVER the same as the real thing. No matter how much you try to make it so. Unless you're actually cracking ribs, breaking legs, gouging eyes, and dislocating joints during training, you're still "pulling" and therefor NOT in combat mode.

• 2. Related to number one above... You don't do to your friends what you do to an enemy who's trying to maim or kill you. Again, slow training which takes into account things l