After 37 years working in nightlife security and providing personal protection for A-list artists and celebrities, I've faced more challenges than most people can imagine - bar fights, knives, stabbings, gunfire, group attacks and unpredictable chaos.  Alongside that, I've spent over 40 years studying multiple martial arts disciplines and competing at high levels across the country and overseas.  

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Having martial arts experience helps, but it is not something you can depend on alone to keep you safe.  The truth is, the competition world and the street world are completely different realities: 

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Competition

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• You face another trained fighter

• There are rules, referees, weight classes, and time limits

• Your safety is monitored and protected

• Technique and skill operate within boundaries

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Street

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• There are no rules, no referee, no limits

• Weapons, multiple attackers, surprise attacks - anything can happen

• It comes down to mindset, instinct, strategy, and decisive action

• Winning isn't about points - it's about survival 

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This is why I teach that your first line of protection is awareness.  Always know your surroundings.  Trust your instincts- if something feels off, it usually is.

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Distanct = Safety

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Maintain at least five feet from a potential threat.

Anything closer than that  becomes reactive space, where you may need to act immediately.

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My Personal Mindset 

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In real self-defense situations, offense is often the best defense.  But each person's response must match their job, policies, or agency guidelines.  In my world of private security and real world survival, if someone crosses the threshold, I neutralize the threat before they harm me or others.

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Multiple Attackers

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Many times I've faced groups. You must learn to identify the leader.  The one who controls the group's energy.  If you take out the leader, the rest usually fall back because they are followers.

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The Hard Truth

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What you learn in martial arts class is NOT what you should expect in real confrontation.  Real fights spike your heart rate, narrow your vision, and expose whether you have the mindset and experience to respond under pressure.  

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If you have little or no street experience, you must train with drills that actually work - not flashy martial arts showmanship, but simple, effective, survival-focused techniques that become natural through repetition.

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My mission is to teach what works when it matters most.  

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Visit johnlatu.com

For 1 on 1 or group training contact 704-798-8883

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