Michael Alban - Self Defense Instructor

All COBRA Courses start with an Orientation. During Orientation, students learn:

- How COBRA was developed from law enforcement

- Why self-defense is an important life skill

- Martial arts vs. "real" self-defense

- The three part formula every "bad guy" uses

- How a "bad guy" chooses a victim/target

Fundamentals are the essense of the first few sessions of Muay Thai/Kickboxing. Proper stances and technique are stressed to establish good habits and prevent any injuries that are caused by improper technique. Students will also learn how to properly use their training gear.

All Cage Fitness courses start with a Fitness Evaluation and Health Assessment. The purpose is to establish a baseline to help me and the student set short term and long term goals for their 12 week course.

I have been involved in the martial arts for 30 years. I hold a 4th Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo. Between 2002 - 2021, I operated my own studio in Rochelle Park, New Jersey. Now that I am located Texas, I am offering my services as a personal self-defense training for individuals, families and small groups. I am also offer seminars for businesses, schools, churches and other organizations.

In January of 2019 I became a Certified COBRA Instructor  by completing the mandatory 20-Hour Certification Course and passed all required tests. As a COBRA Instructor I am able to teach a variety of COBRA courses which you can find on my webiste www.cobra552.com

I am also a certified Cage Fitness Instructor since 2010. Cage Fitness combined High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). No partners. No contact. No experience needed. Only Muscle toning, fat burning, sweat pouring exercise!

Over the last 20+ years, I have worked with students of all ages (ages 3 and up), skill levels, fitness levels, and various "walks of life".

Some of my students have served in the military, work in law enforcement while others are everday people wanting to know how to defend themsleves or improve their health.

One of my students started training with me to prepare for Marine Corps Basic Training. I was the second person he called the day he graduated from Basic Training. His mom being the first person he called of course!

1.Does the program come from real life training and experience in a field that deals with violence and criminals? This excludes sports, theory-based self defense, power point training and is, by nature, more than knowing how to kick and punch. You want the self-defense programs primary training focus to be defending and dealing with violence from a criminal.

2.Where are the instructors getting their lesson plans and curriculum? This is very important. Many programs do not have a structured and organized written curriculum. It’s the equivalent to attending school and your teacher scribbles out the lesson plan on the same day.

3.Do students get a training manual? A step by step manual is a valuable learning tool, especially when learning self-defense.

4.Does the program and do the instructors operate from a single and organized source or is everyone flying solo? It’s not difficult to obtain a certification in something, however after that, what is in place that maintains quality control, consistency, and professionalism? Checks and balances are very important.

5.Does the program have specific training for what they are advertising that they teach? If your child needs training to deal with a bully, the program you pick should have legitimate experience and training in this area. This should be across that board. Whether it’s a corporation or training teens, ask how and what are your qualifications to teach that market.

6.Can I verify with the affiliate company you are with that you are in good standing? This is if they are part of and receive their training from an affiliate organization. If they are a stand-alone system, ask if they have company or client references that you can verify. Social proof is very important, especially when it involves training that needs to work in real life.

7.Is this program a brand or a single location? This is important especially when it comes to creating and developing a consistent, organized and professional end product. Brands of all types are widely preferred by the market over a small mom-and-pop type of service.The market desires a refined and proven product and that’s what a brand name brings. They also feel more comfortable spending money with an established brand that they can do research on. Examples: Amazon, Starbucks & NFL.

8.How long has the program been around? Anyone can open a business. Staying in business is where the real work begins. A long-established business usually (but not always) indicates that the company is successful, professional, and offering a great product. You do not want them to go out of business before your membership runs out.

9.If you are a company/business/corporation and are looking for a self-defense trainer, ask how many companies has the program trained? Both large and small. A professional and legitimate self-defense company who has specific training for specific businesses should be able to provide an extensive client list.

10.Where do you and your instructors get on-going training? When you get a certification to teach self-defense, you are letting everyone know that you offer realistic self-defense training that could save someone’s life in the real world. It is critical for a self-defense professional to keep their training up to date. Physical techniques are a perishable skill and knowledge of how criminals operate is always changing. Manuals, videos, consultations and in person physical training are all great ways to stay up to speed on reality self-defense training if you are and instructor. Keep This in Mind. One of the most important, if not the most important skill a person could posses is the ability to stay safe and stop a violent threat. This has nothing to do with a sport, winning a trophy or title belt. Watching YouTube videos or adopting ideas from hearsay, example  “I will put my keys between my fingers and hit him in the eye” just won’t cut it. Cell phone safety Apps, pepper spray and many other commonly used crutches are used so people can avoid committing to physically training.

Your safety and safety of your family is the most thing in the world. Ask the hard questions, do your research and be sure that the self-defense company you pick for your training is legitimately qualified to teach reality self-defense.

COBRA-Defense was developed from REAL Law Enforcement training and field experience. COBRA is a GLOBAL Self-Defense brand with locations worldwide.