5 REASONS TO ATTEND AN IN-PERSON SEMINAR

If you are already committed to Tiga Tactics courses, you may be wondering “why bother coming to a live in person seminar if I’m already getting instructional videos online?” Here’s a list of five reasons why I would attend in person seminars:

1) Interaction with other styles/people

When I go to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) seminar, everyone in the room trains BJJ. When I go to a Jeet Kune Do seminar, they all train Jeet Kune Do. When I go to a Kali seminar, they all — big surprise! — train Kali. But when you come to a Tiga Tactics Combatives seminar, you’ll get to meet people of all different martial arts styles.

I’ve met people whose primary art ranges from Muay Thai to Pencak Silat and Aikido to Mixed Martial Arts. And I’ve met people who have never trained in anything.

That is just what I remember off the top of my head. I not only learn from the seminar but also learn from the other students on why they do techniques a certain way and what are some of the benefits of those styles. It is a truly great exposure to the world of martial arts and a reminder that, if you are an Aikido practitioner, you have more in common with the BJJ competitor than a random person on the street who doesn’t train at all.

2) You will walk out the door better

I’ve been through a variety of seminars of different styles. Some are great, some are okay and some I’ll get so much information that, if I can remember one or two techniques, I would consider that a win.

The one guarantee I’ll give you is that if you come to a Tiga Tactics seminar, you will walk out the door better.

It’s not just that you’ll learn new material or technique, you’ll get a chance to drill it and pressure-test it so when you leave, it is now a part of your skillset — something that you can actually apply under pressure. After every single Tiga Tactics seminar, I’ve left feeling more capable on the way out the door at the end of the weekend, something I can’t always say for other in-person training events.

3) In-person training is hard to beat.

The video training offered by Tiga Tactics is absolutely great. You can learn, drill, and improve anywhere at any time. You aren’t limited by your access to whatever is in your local area or proximity to a major city.

However, there are some refinements you need to get in person. Having one of the Tiga Tactics instructors provide immediate and face-to-face feedback can help fix reoccurring mistakes you may not even realize you are making.

Furthermore, jumping back to point one, the variety of styles, abilities, and experience provide you with a new host of training partners. This is better than training with the same partner all the time or others who move/train in the same way you do because you attend the same martial arts school.

4) Access to experts

Having access to Tiga Tactics staff is a great resource not only for combatives-focused training but also for some specific styles. The depth and breadth of knowledge learned from more than a dozen black belts by the instructors cannot be replicated. It requires a lifetime of effort and you’ll have access to their brains all weekend in a small class setting.

5) It’s fun

While all of the above reasons will make you better, this might be the most important reason to come.

In 2023, I wasn’t planning on attending one of the seminars. When I found out co-founder Patrick Vuong would be unable to make it, I adjusted my plans and came out to help teach as an assistant instructor. It was a ton of fun and one of my favorite weekends of the year. Training is fun, and the way Tiga Tactics teaches is not only enjoyable but educational. Don’t just take my word for it though, show up to experience it yourself.

If these five reasons aren’t good enough for you, I’m not sure what will be. I can just tell you from personal experience as someone who has been in the military for 20 years and deployed to combat zones for a good chunk of that time, I find value in their courses both in person and online.

For those who are new, it is never too late to start training. For those who have been around a while, you can never get too much work on the basics. Hope to see you at a seminar soon!