June/July news n’ updates
I am in the process of shooting a series of new instructional videos which I am titling 'Rich Dimitri's Self Defense Tips n' Rants'. Volume 1 will be ready and available for download in the shop section before the end of the month with 2 other volumes being released by mid July.
My book the Tangent Redemptions of Anti Hero is now available in paperback format for purchase on http://www.lulu.com/shop/richard-dimitri/tangent-redemptions-of-an-anti-hero/paperback/product-22197257.html as well as download in the shop section of my site. The reviews have been nothing short of amazing with the most common comment after reading it being "This book should be made into a movie by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez!" - Only $15 and the first chapter is FREE TO READ HERE
Chris Roberts of Safe International and I are going to be in Australia at the end of the month for a seminar tour along with our bro Jim Armstrong of RAW Combatives. We will be in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne, for more details on the seminars, please contact the number on the ad above.
Also, if you haven't had the chance of checking out my last interview which was also the first I've done in over 3 years, it's live and on youtube "Richard Dimitri Interview with JoJo Ruck"
That be about it for now.... thanks and all the best to one and all.
Joanna Ruckenstein Interviews Me at A1A
Q & A: Inside the Heart of a Self Defense Expert
Q & A: Inside the Heart of a Self Defense Expert
I've done countless interviews all over the world for various magazines, radio shows, newspapers, blogs and the like and some have been great while others were standard, everyday questions but none ever dove into the real heart of the matter; how did and does the journey into the self defense/martial arts world affect us on a personal level?
I was positive I wasn't the only one who felt that way and so I decided to come up with a list of 10+ Questions for the great men and women of our industry who are out there day in and day out dealing the darker side of the martial arts universe, the self defense world.
Little do people know or realise that we don't only work with prestigious groups such as law enforcement, military, security, world class athletes and the like but the vast majority of the time, between those 'tacticool' contracts, we deal with victims of violence on a daily basis.
Even when not dealing directly with the victims, we are constantly researching the world of violence in one form or another; pedophilia, rape, incest, domestic abuse, attempted murders, kidnappings, aggravated assaults, street fights and every kind of urban violence one can think of. Needless to say, speaking for myself anyway, this has had a huge impact on both my life and worldviews, and not necessarily on a positive level as I wrote about in an earlier blogpost.
This 'revealing' interview isn't about styles, systems, methodologies, tactics or even self defense... it is about how the work in the self-defense/personal protection industry affects each and everyone of their lives on a deeper level.
I sent out over 40 requests and received quite a few replies, surprisingly, many more than I expected accepting my offer to take part. In no particular order of appearance here are those who have accepted and who will be interviewed here beginning next week:
John Whitman of Krav Maga Alliance
Lee Morrison of Urban Combatives
Christopher Roberts of Safe International
Jim Wagner Reality Based Personal Protection
Debi Stevens of Action Breaks Silence
Mark Hatmaker of Extreme Self Protection
The interviews will be posted on a first come, first serve basis. There are others who I am awaiting a reply from who said they'd look it over and get back to me and there are still others I have not heard back from at all, only a couple opted out due to scheduling reasons thus far, and so I will update this list as and if it grows.
CAVEAT: If I have missed anyone in our industry and I did not contact you for this interview, please accept my apologies, drop me an email and I will send you the questions for your participation, the only requirements I have is that 1. Teaching self defense is your main source of income and 2. you are actively teaching on an international level. Thank you.
Stay tuned folks.....
Happy Birthday Senshido International
April 11th 1994, I opened Senshido International. It's been 21 years exactly this weekend and the journey has been nothing short of a pure mind blowing adrenaline ride. It feels like I've lived 7 different lifetimes in those 21 years.
I was told I was never going to make it by most everyone. I was told I was too young to operate a martial arts school especially in the oversaturated city of Montreal at the time, there were a total of 9 different martial arts schools within an 8 block radius from where I opened, some of them with already international reputations. And I almost did fail, many, many times actually. I came very close to closing shop on several occasions but that school just began having a life of its own and it attracted the best of people from all 4 corners of the globe.
It was a home away from home for many. If you didn't belong anywhere, you definitely belonged with us. It wasn't just a martial arts/self defense school; it was a laboratory, a home, a crash pad, a haven and above all, a clubhouse for misfits and characters of all sorts. There truly were 'no rules' and not just in the training or martial delivery system either. It was a place where folks could open up, fully express themselves without fear or concern, be themselves and for those who were lost, it was a place to rediscover one's self. There was absolutely nothing 'normal' or standardized by any means, the 500 MPH bullet train that was Senshido just kept on steaming through regardless of every adversity, every set back, it just grew and grew.
Time flies. 21 years later, I've managed to secure myself as one of the top in my field in the world. No small feat considering it's hard enough to make a living teaching martial arts and self defense as for the vast majority, these are side jobs, hobbies and extra income providers but for those of us who are making a living out of it, it is one tough fucking racket to be in, make a decent living in, let alone truly succeed at.
I've never personally measured my success via how much I made or owned, for me, it has always been about the people, the relationships, the betterment that such information I provide creates and in that respect, I have succeeded a million times over. There's nothing like the reward of being told that you are directly responsible for both saving and inspiring countless people worldwide, to have changed and illuminated so many lives. Though I still cannot fully resonate with that because I can barely manage to get my own shit together 99.99999% of the time, the testimonials just keep on coming.
Of course, along with those come the flip side. Those that hate me for the work that I do. Those that don't understand, that judge and for some reason, I happen to affect negatively without having even met the vast majority of them. I also receive my share of hate mail, threats, insults and the like but these are all but 2 sides of the same proverbial coin.
You can't please the whole world and frankly, I don't give a fuck. I do what I do and let the chips fall where they may. Love me or hate me, condone or condemn me, praise or defame me, I'M STILL HERE MOTHER FUCKERS, 21 years+ and I'm nowhere near done and when I am, when I leave this fucking earth, I will not just be leaving behind a practical self defense methodology but an entire fucking legacy to 'absorb what is useful, add what is specifically of your own and disregard the rest'.
Thank you to one and all who are, will be and have been there over the years, none of this would have happened without each and everyone of you.
DO SOME SHIT.
Lasalle Classes Updates
The demand for my 2 days a week group class has been higher than expected so I will be increasing the number of participants per class to a limit of 20 instead of 10 and if the classes maintain their popularity, I will probably add a 3rd one in the week as well.
Classes begin Monday April 20th at Senshido International’s new home and headquarters; A1A Training Center located at 1201 90th Avenue Lasalle, Québec run by Senshido International Team leader Wes Derequito.
The cost is $15 per class. If you purchase a package of 8 classes up front, you get 2 free (There is a 2 month time limit/expiry date to the 10 class package). You can also pay on a per class, as you come basis.
GROUP CLASS SCHEDULE: Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8pm BEGINNING Monday April 20th, 2015.
Private lesson availability from Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm (barring the days and times I am teaching group classes) and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 2pm.
I am now accepting bookings and reservations for both group and private classes via PAYPAL, for more information or to book your spot please drop me an email at i.am@richarddimitri.com or leave me a message at 514-712-2942 and remember, first come first serve basis.
Thank you, see you in a couple of weeks!
Rich
Montreal Classes
I will officially be offering private lessons available 7 days a week during opening hours (posted below) as well as teaching 2 purely self defense/personal protection group classes per week at Senshido International's new home and headquarters; A1A Training Center located at 1201 90th Avenue Lasalle, Québec run by Senshido International Team leader Wes Derequito.
I will only be accepting a limited number of 10 people per class max, at the cost of $15 per class. Each class will cover a specific topic agreed upon by the majority. It is on a first come, first serve booking basis and if you purchase a package of 8 classes up front, you get 2 free. You can also pay on a per class basis.
GROUP CLASS SCHEDULE: Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8pm BEGINNING Monday April 20th, 2015.
I am also available for Private lessons from Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm (barring the days and times I am teaching group classes) and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 2pm. Depending on the weather, private lessons can begin as early as April 1st and held at a local parc near you.
I am accepting bookings and reservations for both group and private classes via PAYPAL as of now, for more information or to book your spot please drop me an email at i.am@richarddimitri.com and remember, first come first serve basis.
Thank you and all the best!
Rich
Updates
REGARDING CERTIFICATION
I am still receiving lots of requests and questions regarding certification and as thankful as I am for the interest, I am no longer certifying anyone in anything, and as things stand, I don't plan to again. I do not market a style or system or singular methodology, I purely teach personal protection and self defense; and since I don't own 'self defense' (we all know who does lol) I cannot certify people in self defense.
I am however fully available for workshops, private and semi private instruction as well as SKYPE consultations if interested. Check out my course descriptions on my website to see which suits your needs best.
If however, you are absolutely interested in a Senshido certification, then please hit up Wes Derequito at Senshido.com as he is the new Senshido International Team leader.
MOVING BACK TO MONTREAL
My family and I are moving back to Montreal for 18 to 24 months prior to moving to Ecuador. We will be arriving on the first week of April and I will be available to teach private and semi private classes at Senshido International's new location in Lasalle, A1A Training Center run by new Senshido International team leader, Wes Derequito.
Wes is also hosting me for a workshop on May 23rd at A1A Training Center where I will be breaking down and demystifying the 'Shredder' tool and concept. Joining me at the workshop will be Chris Roberts of Safe International as well as a good bunch of the Senshido International Team coming in from pretty much everywhere. Join us for a great time! For more details and information, please hit up Wes Derequito at info@araacademy.com
NEW MATERIALS
I will also be releasing a few new instructional DVDs and a follow up to my best seller 'In Total Defense of the Self' this year as well as contributing in a few of the new Senshido International instructional DVDs also to be released this year.
Thank you and all the best.
Sincerely,
Rich
Functional Combative Drills Now Available
Functional Combative Drill training manual, NOW AVAILABLE in the shop section, $12 or FREE with any other purchase and at all times. Also check out the DVD download of the same title as an excellent accompanying training tool.
"Functional Combative Drills is an excellent source for anyone wishing to increase their combative skill set. These drills will fit seamlessly into any training program/martial art and offer a unique outlook on how you truly need to train should you wish to survive a violent confrontation.
Having done many of these drills myself, I can tell you that they are exciting and fast paced. They will improve all of your combative attributes and enable you to develop a holistic hand to hand combat arsenal. Everything is taken into account. Rich leaves nothing out and the explanations of each drill are very simple and well communicated to the reader.
With 59 drills included, you will have plenty of material to keep you your training partners busy for a long time. An incredible value."
Jeff Liboiron
Nanaimo, BC
Senshido International Team Member
