CT064 - Louis Martin: The True Believers

Today's guest is Louis Martin, author of The True Believers.  Louie' book explores the fanaticism and cultism that is common in the martial arts,  through his own experience training in Seibukan Jujutsu.

The book, and Louie's experiences, are similar to Leah Remini's exploration of Scientology in  her A&E show Scientology & the Aftermath. But the martial arts world has its own version of "cultism", and its not always easy to draw the line between normal martial arts stuff (which can be a little weird) and taking it to this bizzare amplified version of reality.  As Louie gets into his experiences you begin to see where it is possible for instructors to take advantage of people financially, emotionally while the students themselves have culpability by by diefying their instructors, and continued one-upsmanship for his attention.  

Louie's book is a very honest exploration of his experiences in martialarts, and its not really like any other martial arts book that i've come across.  I think anybody whose trained in the martial arts is going to relate to some of the things that Louis saw and was involved in, even if its not to the same DEGREE.  And its also a good warning for people looking to get into the martial arts, of some of the stranger things to watch out for.

You can find the book, The True Believers on Amazon, I will put a link  in the show notes and on facebook.