A good martial arts school?

Question

I am moving to Houston in 2 weeks and will be taking a job near Bush airport and living in The Woodlands. I will be traveling a lot to fairly dangerous areas (Brazil, Colombia, etc.) and would love to learn some street savvy self defense skills.

Anyone know a good self defense/martial arts school near the airport or somewhere along I-45 I could attend in the morning before work?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I agree that you should ask your employer about the use of physical force in self defense while on company time.

As for having "street savvy" skill, here are some things to remember:

General safety suggestions
Keep your travel plans, including accommodation details, to yourself.
Don't hitch hike.
Try not to travel at night.
Avoid 'seedier' areas of the cities you visit, especially at night.
Ask your hotel manager for advice on 'safe' versus 'unsafe' local areas.
As a general rule, city streets that include children and women suggest the area is safe for families.
Carry with you at all times the contact details of the Australian embassy. If your city doesn't have an Australian embassy, find out which other country's embassy is available to help you, such as the British embassy.
Keep a photocopy of your passport and all other important documents in a safe place.
Use ATMs during the day, when there are people around.
Try to rely more on credit cards and travellers cheques than cash.
If you are mugged, don't fight back. It is better to lose a few dollars and a wristwatch than get injured.
Avoid incidents such as fights, riots or civil disturbances at all times.

Transport safety suggestions
At the airport, watch for your suitcase as it appears on the carousel. Don't hang back and wait for the crowds to disperse - you might find that someone else has already taken your bag in the meantime.
Avoid changing money at airports, as thieves could be watching you.
Consult with your hotel manager or tourist information centre about the public transport in your area. Make sure you know what official taxi cabs look like. A thief may pose as a taxi driver to lure you into their car.
Don't share taxis with strangers.
Carjacking is a problem in some cities. When driving, keep all doors locked and windows up. Make sure your boot is locked too.

Hotel safety
If possible, choose accommodation that has unmarked 'swipe cards' rather than numbered keys for each room. If you lose your swipe card or if it is stolen, the thief won't know which room to rob.
Take note of emergency exits, stairwells, fire escapes and emergency plans, just in case.
Always lock your hotel door when retiring for the night. If there is a chain included, use it.
When arranging to meet people you've never met before (such as business associates), wait for them in the lobby. Don't ask them to come up to your room.

Don't stand out in a crowd
Even if you're not sure where you're going, walk like you've got a purpose.
Match your dress style to that of the locals. Don't wear an obvious 'tourist' outfit like a loud shirt with a camera slung around your neck.
Be discreet when map reading.
Notice the people around you. Be wary if someone seems to be taking more than a passing interest.

Don't make yourself an attractive target
Don't wear expensive jewellery on obvious display.
Wear valuables (such as traveller's cheques and credit cards) on a belt worn under the clothes and next to the skin.
If feeling particularly vulnerable, wear your money belt somewhere other than around your waist. Thieves know all about money belts too.
Consider carrying a 'dummy' wallet holding a small amount of cash. If you are directly confronted by a mugger, you can hand over the dummy wallet and avoid further distress.

I would highly recommend that you take Kuk Sool Won. It is an amazing South Korean Martial Art that I enjoyed from time in junior high until I got pregnant with my daughter. I was trained by Barry and Choon-Ok Harmon (both 8th degree black belts and the people who run this dojang have been tained by them!). There is a dojang on Sawdust Road just west of I-45.
Good luck and safe travels!

Answer 2

Before you do ANYTHING like enrolling in a martial arts school, be sure you understand your employer's policy on behavior when traveling in foreign countries. Believe it or not, defending yourself when mugged, on company time, has gotten people fired from US companies for "failure to follow company policies and guidelines".

Food for thought.

I'd recommend a tae kwon do school, myself, but that is because I studied that art back in the 70s.

Secondly, taking a class or two isn't going to turn you into Street Fighter. You mentioned "street savvy" in your question, which has me wonder exactly what you want to learn. Your best defense is to not let yourself get into a compromising position. In other words, keep your guard up. That's street savvy. Always have an escape, and don't travel after dark in foreign countries.

I know this isn't the information you're looking for, but I've traveled to many foreign countries and the best advice is to just keep your eyes open and don't make yourself a target. When in doubt, you run, you don't become a tough guy and duke it out with an assailant (most likely it will be more than one, so the odds are even less in your favor no matter what your training). Tough guys wind up dead. Think of the first Indiana Jones movie. The swordsman waves his scimitar very rapidly through the air to show his skills and scare Indy. What does Indy do? Pulls out a pistol and kills him. Same thing here. A knife or gun in the dark makes all your training moot. Not allowing yourself to get into this situation: Priceless.

Answer 3

There is a great Akido school there. You'll have to research it though. It's 4th generation Akido instructor. It doesn't get much better than that. A humble school that is hard to find. Worth looking for. Good luck on your quest!