Everyone makes the same handful of mistakes in their first few months of self-defense. Knowing them ahead of time saves you weeks of confusion.
None of these are reasons to feel bad. They are just the usual bumps.
The usual suspects
If you recognise yourself in two or three of these, you are exactly where a beginner should be.
- Focusing only on techniques. Most incidents are decided before anyone grabs you. Awareness and distance do more work than any throw.
- Practising moves you cannot remember. Simple and repeatable beats clever and forgotten.
- Sparring with a partner who does not resist realistically. Slow, honest resistance is what makes a drill useful.
- Ignoring verbal de-escalation. Talking your way out is a win, not a failure.
- Training once and assuming you are ready. Skills fade. Twenty minutes a week keeps them sharp.
The one that matters most
Compare yourself to the version of you from last month, not to the person next to you. Progress in Self-Defense is uneven: weeks of nothing, then a jump. The people who stick around are the ones who stop keeping score every session.
Fall training notes
Fall is the busiest season for new members — schools restart, work routines settle and people finally book the class they have been thinking about all summer.
- Book your classes for the week on Sunday night, not on the day.
- Warm up for two extra minutes if you have been sitting at a desk all day.
- Keep one rest day after your hardest session — recovery is part of the programme.
Common mistakes we see every week
- Focusing only on techniques. Most incidents are decided before anyone grabs you. Awareness and distance do more work than any throw.
- Practising moves you cannot remember. Simple and repeatable beats clever and forgotten.
- Sparring with a partner who does not resist realistically. Slow, honest resistance is what makes a drill useful.
- Ignoring verbal de-escalation. Talking your way out is a win, not a failure.
A drill you can try between classes
Distance and exit drill. You do not need a partner or a bag for most of this, and it takes about fifteen minutes:
- Set up two markers four metres apart.
- Walk toward your partner; they raise a hand and say stop.
- You stop immediately and step back to a safe distance.
- Swap roles. Repeat ten times, then add a verbal de-escalation line each round.
Training at ARC MMA in Toronto
We run Self-Defense classes at 382 Yonge St in downtown Toronto, two minutes from College Station. Classes are capped at 20 people, coached from start to finish, and open to complete beginners. If you want to see whether it fits, book a free 1-on-1 trial — you will get a coach, a pair of loaner gloves and no sales pitch.
You can see the full timetable on the classes and pricing page, meet the coaches on the trainers page, and check upcoming seminars on the events page.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal to forget techniques?
Completely. Your body learns slower than your head. Repetition fixes it.
Should I train through soreness?
Muscle soreness, yes — sharp joint pain, no. Tell a coach either way.
How do I stop feeling awkward?
You do not, at first. The awkwardness fades somewhere around week six.
Written by the coaching team at ARC MMA. Questions about this guide? Send us a message or call (416) 450-8020.
Related reading
- Is Self-Defense Safe? Questions Worth Asking Before You Start — October 2026 — Is self-defense safe for a complete beginner? A straight answer from ARC MMA coaches in Toronto, plus the ques.
- The First Self-Defense Techniques You'll Learn (and Why) — October 2026 — The first self-defense techniques our Toronto coaches teach beginners, in the order you learn them, and why th.
- Self-Defense for Fitness: What a Class Really Does to Your Body — October 2026 — What an hour of self-defense actually does for your fitness — the interval work, the strength you build on you.
Where to go next
Have a look at classes and pricing or book a free trial if you want to try a session. For a wider view of the discipline, Public Safety Canada is worth following: Public Safety Canada.