The Ultimate Guide to Self-Defense Jiu-Jitsu (and more!)

10 questions with self-defense expert (and BJJ black belt) David Heineman.

Today I have another interview for you on a topic that I haven’t ever actually talked about on The Grappler’s Diary — mostly because I’m not really qualified to talk about it.

It’s also quite divisive…

Self-defense Jiu-Jitsu.

That’s why I reached out to David Heineman — a self-defense expert (and an experienced grappler!).

David is a BJJ black belt under Mike Cimm, a Tae Know Do black belt, and a Hapkido black belt. He’s also opening his first gym soon.

In this article, David shares everything from details on his new gym to tips for growing as a content creator to the hard-hitting truths about improving your understanding of self-defense. If you want to learn more about David before we dive in, check out his Instagram page here.

Let’s dive in!

Photo via David Heineman Instagram

Can you tell me and my readers a bit about your background in Jiu-Jitsu/martial arts?

I have been training in martial arts since I was 5 years old, so I am closing in on 30 years of training altogether.  I started out with traditional tae kwon do which I continued to train in until I reached 5^th Degree Black Belt.

At the same time, I also trained in combative hapkido, which was my first true exposure to “self-defense”.

That said, the older I got, I realized there are a lot of holes in traditional martial arts, and therefore felt I needed to explore systems that offered a bit more contact. This led me to boxing and Muay Thai which I started training in high school and continue to train today.

Upon graduating college in 2013, I took up Jiu-Jitsu.  I have always been a fan of grappling and I wrestled on and off throughout my life between club and school so I figured this was the next best thing. To this day, I train actively in Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, and Muay Thai to make myself as well-rounded as possible.

I am extremely passionate about teaching in general, but more specifically self-defense. Especially with everything that is going on in the world today, the ability to protect yourself and loved ones is something everyone needs.

When it comes to training in self-defense, I do my best to travel in order to train with the best of the best.  I have spent the last few years specifically focused on dealing with knives and firearms, both offensively and defensively.

This has allowed me the opportunity to train with some amazing instructors and practitioners from around the world who have years of real-world experience. I am a huge fan of martial arts regardless of the discipline or practicality.

I enjoy the art form as much as I do learning how to break bones; I just understand what is useful in real-world situations and what is better suited for Hollywood.