EP 89 * David Hoopes * Protecting Yourself, Trust Your Gut & Survive a REAL Attack

Dave Hoopes is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, self-defense instructor, martial arts gym owner, and founder of Empowering You Self-Defense in Arizona. In this episode of **Targeted Podcast with Atlas Aultman**, Dave Hoopes explains how practical self-defense, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), situational awareness, and mental preparation can help ordinary people protect themselves and their families. ### Who is Dave Hoopes? Dave Hoopes is a first-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with years of martial arts training and teaching experience. He helps adults, children, businesses, churches, youth organizations, and other groups learn practical self-defense techniques designed around awareness, confidence, escape, and personal safety. He also teaches and trains at **Ethos Martial Arts in Queen Creek, Arizona**, where Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, martial arts, personal development, and community are central parts of the training environment. ### What does Dave Hoopes teach about self-defense? According to Hoopes, one of the biggest self-defense mistakes people make is **ignoring their intuition when a situation doesn't feel right**. Effective self-defense isn't about looking for a fight. It's about: • Recognizing danger early • Trusting your instincts • Maintaining situational awareness • Avoiding unnecessary confrontations • Escaping dangerous situations when possible • Staying calm under physical pressure • Knowing when you must defend yourself • Developing practical skills through repetition • Protecting yourself and the people you love ### Does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu work for self-defense? Hoopes explains how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teaches people to use **technique, positioning and leverage instead of relying exclusively on size or strength**. He also discusses how years of BJJ training can condition someone to remain calm while experiencing extreme physical pressure. ### Can Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu help children? Dave Hoopes discusses how martial arts and BJJ training can help children develop: • Confidence • Discipline • Humility • Emotional control • Physical fitness • Resilience • Social skills • Healthy ways to manage stress He also explains what he has observed when children dealing with behavioral problems or bullying begin consistently training martial arts. ### What should beginners look for in a BJJ or martial arts gym? Hoopes recommends finding a martial arts gym where the culture matches your goals. A good gym should prioritize: • Safety • Quality instruction • Respect • Community • Personal development • Appropriate training intensity • Helping students improve Dave explains why beginners should consider visiting multiple gyms and finding an environment where they feel safe, supported and comfortable learning. ### Can companies hire Dave Hoopes for self-defense training? Yes. Dave Hoopes provides practical self-defense instruction for businesses, organizations, churches, youth groups and other teams. His self-defense workshops can also function as interactive corporate team-building and employee-safety experiences. During the conversation, Dave discusses training employees who work alone or interact with the public, including professionals in sales, real estate, healthcare and service businesses. His typical self-defense training can be structured for smaller groups, larger organizations, conferences and breakout sessions. ### Topics discussed in this episode: Self-defense training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu BJJ for beginners Situational awareness Personal safety Corporate self-defense training Employee safety training Martial arts for kids Bullying prevention Mental toughness Stress management Choosing a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym Technique vs. strength Protecting your family Queen Creek Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Arizona self-defense training ### Connect with Dave Hoopes Dave Hoopes is the founder of **Empowering You Self-Defense** and can be contacted regarding self-defense classes, corporate training, group instruction, youth programs and speaking or conference opportunities. Website: https://www.empoweringyouselfdefense.com/ Gym website: https://ethosmartialartsaz.com/ Instagram: @dhoopes22 ### About Targeted Podcast **Targeted Podcast with Atlas Aultman** features conversations about leadership, resilience, personal development, mental toughness, martial arts, self-defense and the experiences that help people perform when pressure is highest. SPECIAL OFFERS & SPONSORS: - getFIGHTSCRUB.com - 10% off with code FIGHTSCRUBATLAS - GRAVITY-FORCE.com - use code ATLAS15 - BuckedUP.com - 20% off with code ATLAS25 - LEADERS-KIT.com: Leadership consultations - Targeted MERCH: https://blackeaglecustoms.us/collections/targeted-podcast - Contact show/GUEST APPLICATIONS: win@leaders-kit.com If this conversation helped you, subscribe to Targeted Podcast and share it with someone who wants to become more capable, confident and prepared. No matter what your choices - aim for excellence and STAY ON TARGET.