Fear is the Mind Killer: How to Build a Training Culture that Fosters Strength and Resilience

How do we cultivate inner strength?

Martial arts and self-defence are about so much more than physical skills. Learning to fight is a catalyst for growth. It makes our students stronger, more confident, and more resilient -- at least, that's how it's supposed to work. Too often, the students who need that strength the most struggle to find it.

Learn how to build a training environment that helps all of your students grow. Help them face their fears, grapple with failure, test themselves, and come out far more capable than before.

Fear is the Mind Killer covers the fundamentals of designing a healthy training culture, from policy-writing and classroom strategies, to building drills and stress testing. You'll get a primer on the science of motor learning and motivation, and learn how to work more effectively with underserved populations, including women and survivors of violence.

This system-agnostic guide gives you the tools you need to assess your existing school environment and make sure that it's serving the needs of all of your students, or to build a new school that is accessible, ethical, and effective. It will help you ask the right questions and find the answers that make the most sense for you and your community, and includes sample drills and planning exercises to get you started.

You know what your students need. Here's how to get it to them.