Wim Demeere Podcast

WDP 169 - Randy King

14 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Randy King is a self-defense instructor, speaker, and author. We talk about his new book and lots more. The second part of our talk, in which Randy an...

WDP 168: Toby Cowern

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Toby Cowern has an extensive background in military intelligence, survival, and preparedness. We discuss geopolitics and how the consequences of the w...

WDP 167: Paul Silfverstråle

14 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Silfverstråle is a long-time practitioner of martial arts, in particular the Tai Chi Chuan style I also teach. He also has extensive knowledge o...

WDP 166: Jamie Clubb

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jamie Clubb is a UK-based martial arts and self‑protection coach, founder of Clubb Chimera Martial Arts and has authored books, courses, and a long-...

WDP 165 - Mary Stevens

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Stevens is a Karate instructor, women's and children's self-defense instructor, and much more. We talked about her experience in India, self-defe...

WDP 164: Strength training on any budget

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

No gym? No problem. In this episode, I cover how to build serious strength with bodyweight exercises, cheap and DIY equipment, and more, in the most a...

WDP 163 - Andy Benfield

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Benfield is an adventurer, author, and more, but today he speaks about how he teaches "Meditation For the Rest of Us" and "Change Your Mind" sess...

WDP 162 - Toby Cowern

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Toby Cowern has an extensive background in military intelligence, survival and preparedness. We discuss geopolitics and how global dynamics impact eve...

WDP161 - Dr. Lucius Pomerantz

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lucius Pomerantz, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, former MMA fighter and BJJ black belt. We talk about being a ringside physician at the ...

WDP 160 - Iryna Zarutska and Charlie Kirk

13 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I didn't feel like doing this episode, but several of my Patrons contacted me privately and asked me to release it. So here goes. The links I mentione...

WDP 159 - Maija Soderholm

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Maija Soderholm is the lineage holder of the Visayan Style of Maestro Sonny Umpad, a Bagua Zhang teacher and author of multiple books. We first talk a...

WDP 158 - Prof. Eric Parsons

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Eric Parsons is a professor of economics. We talk about how economics works and how the average citizen can benefit from understanding it. He also sha...

WDP 157 - Barry Eisler

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Barry Eisler is a bestselling author and former CIA officer. We discuss his new book, a political thriller titled "The System" and discuss the nature/...

WDP 156 - Gus Rogers

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gus Rogers is a Tang Soo Do teacher and author. We talk about forms, his book, and much more. The show notes:  https://wimsblog.com/156  Part 2 with...

WDP 155 - Toby Cowern

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Toby Cowern and I talk geopolitics and staying sane in an increasingly chaotic and fast-changing world.  The Q&A part with my Patrons is here: htt...

WDP 154 - Ares - What to do when you end up in a protest?

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Political and other protests are common these days. Unfortunately, they often escalate into violence. In this episode, I share some thoughts on how to...

WDP 153: Marc MacYoung

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Marc MacYoung returns to the podcast and we talk politics, self-defense, and a lot more. We recorded this January 23rd so current events are not inclu...

WDP 152: The optimistic episode

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As promised a while ago, this is the optimistic episode to counter my enduring reputation of being Mr. Doom and Gloom. Enjoy! The show notes are here:...

WDP 151: Mary Stevens

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Stevens is a Karate instructor, women's and children's self-defense instructor, and much more. We talked about her work, her writing, how to teac...

WDP 150: Torbjørn Nymark

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Torbjørn Nymark is a martial artist, but also a Compositor and 3D/VFX-Generalist. He works at Storm Studios where they work on many high-profile movi...

WDP 149: Toby Cowern

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Toby Cowern has an extensive background in military intelligence, survival and preparedness. We discuss geopolitics and how global dynamics impact eve...

WDP 148: Iain Abernethy

12 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Iain Abernethy is a karate expert who focuses on applying techniques and principles from kata. We talked about our training, how it changed as we got ...

WDP 147: Brian Frias

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Brian Frias is a retired Marine with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, a former LEO, BJJ black belt under Andre Galvao, and a full-time instructor ...

WDP 146: From Polarization to Deradicalization - Pathways Out of Extremism for a Fractured Society

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We live in extremely polarized times and it can be difficult to avoid being radicalized. In this episode I go over common factors involved in (de)radi...

WDP 145: Dan Anderson

15 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"Super Dan" Anderson is the founder of American Freestyle Karate, multiple times World Champion, prolific author, and much more. We had an excellent c...

WDP144: Toby Cowern

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Toby Cowern has an extensive career in the military, including in intelligence, and also teaches survival and preparedness courses. We talked geopolit...

WDP143 – Ares: How to not go too far?

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Brian asked if I could talk about how to avoid going too far in a self-defense situation. How to stop yourself from throwing that one punch too many t...

WDP142: Lucius Pomerantz, MD

30 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Lucius Pomerantz, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, former MMA fighter and BJJ black belt. We talk about combat sports injuries, how to tre...

WDP141: Xavier Knox

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Xavier Knox is a South African knife maker, self-defense practitioner, and much more. We talk about the craft of knife making for self-defense, his wo...

WDP 140: Self-defense misconceptions

10 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are many misconceptions about self-defense. In this episode, I discuss the most common ones and add some nuance. Enjoy.  The links mentioned ar...

WDP139 - Jan Quaeyhaegens

14 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jan Quaeyhaegens is a Belgian MMA fighter in Cage Warriors. We talk about his career and what it is like to be a professional fighter.  The bonus epi...

WDP138: 2024 Bingo

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We kick off the new year by adding entries to our Bingo card for the year: what do you expect will happen? The goal is to be serious and silly at the ...

WDP137 - Ares - Training in multiple systems

16 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the group, we discussed training in multiple martial arts styles or self-defense systems, why doing so, and what you can learn from that. Some thou...

WDP136: René Dreifuss

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

René Dreifuss is a former MMA competitor, and coach, but also studied Political Science & East Asian /Japanese studies. Our conversation went far and...

WDP135 - Toby Cowern

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Toby Cowern is a survival expert, among many things, but in this episode, he mainly speaks from his background in military intelligence. We discuss th...

WDP134 - The fracturing of Western societies

05 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Self-defense is not only about social or criminal violence. At times, ideological and political violence can be just as dangerous to you. In this epi...

WDP133: Doug Patteson

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Doug Patteson is a former CIA spy, technical advisor to movie and TV projects, firearms instructor and a lot more. We talked about his life, what it'...

WDP132: Single variable thinking

15 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Tyson losing to James Buster Douglas was a surprise to many people. The way they expected the fight to go was caused by the same thinking we see ...

WDP 131 - Ares - Don't believe the hype

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Social media videos are reshaping the public perception of what violence and martial arts look like. Through clever editing tricks, they make things s...

WDP130: Schalk Holloway

16 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Schalk Holloway is a former self-defense instructor, and author, but is also involved in ministry and writes novels.  In this episode, we talk about ...

WDP 129: Ares - Self-Defense Law Mistakes

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many practitioners of martial arts and self-defense systems have opinions on the self-defense laws of their area. But all too often, they are mistake...

WDP128: Wayne Black

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Wayne Black has more than forty-five years of professional security experience in both the public and private sectors. He has personally supervised pr...

WDP127: Andy Benfield

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Benfield is an adventurer, author, martial artist, and more. His adventures in the Himalayas, searching for proof of the existence of the Yeti we...

WDP126: Liam Jackson

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Liam Jackson is a martial artist and had a full career in law enforcement: Deputy Sheriff and Training Officer, U/C narcotics officer, Chief of Police...

WDP125: Dr. Michael Piekarski

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Mike Piekarski is a Doctor of physical therapy, MMA, and BJJ competitor. He specializes in helping combat sports athletes recover from injuries an...

WDP124: Gavin Coleman

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gavin Coleman is the founder and lead knife maker and designer at Ironside Edge Works. He lives in South Africa and makes practical, self-defense kniv...

WDP123 - Ares - Teaching children to handle conflict

20 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After seeing a video of one kid bullying another, we discussed how to teach your children to handle conflict. Some thoughts about that in this episode...

WDP122: Meron Langsner

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Meron Langsner is a fight director, movement specialist, playwright, writer, and more. We talk about creating fight scenes, how they relate to stage a...

WDP121: How to discuss rationally

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

My take on how to discuss rationally, regardless if the topic is martial arts, self-defense, or even politics. Enjoy. For the show notes with all the ...

WDP120: Marc MacYoung

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Marc MacYoung is a pioneer in the world of self-defense, author of numerous bestsellers on the subject, expert witness on violence, and more. We talke...

WDP119: Tommy Blom

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tommy Blom is a Krav Maga self-defense instructor, but he also teaches strength and conditioning and more. We talked about the realities of violence, ...

WDP118: Andrew Wiltse

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Wiltse is an elite BJJ and MMA competitor who also worked as a bouncer. We discuss combat sports, self-defense and how the two interact. Enjoy....

WDP117: Gulshen Bano

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gulshen Bano is a self-defense instructor, businesswoman, and more. She took the time to talk to me about women's self-defense, working with teens, wh...

WDP116: Ares - Drills

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A video on a knife disarm drill in the group inspired these thoughts. Enjoy! The links mentioned in this episode: http://www.wimsblog.com/116 Support ...

WDP115: Brian Drake

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I had the pleasure to talk with author Brian Drake about his excellent books and so much more. Enjoy!  The second part of the interview: https://www....

WDP114: Ares - Knife defense training

11 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We discussed a knife defense video in the group a while ago, so here are some thoughts on one such example. Enjoy!  For all the links mentioned in th...

WDP113: Making money on social media with martial arts and self-defense

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The next installment in this series on how to make a living with martial arts and self-defense. This episode covers social media, mostly Youtube. Enjo...

WDP112: Tammy Yard-McCracken

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I talk with Tammy Yard-McCracken about 500 Rising, teaching women self-defense and so much more. As always, it was an excellent conversation and I lea...

WDP111: Ares - Lineage

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some thoughts on training in a specific lineage and looking at one from the outside. Enjoy! Support the podcast and get instant access to dozens of bo...

WDP 110: John A. Curley

20 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It was my pleasure to talk to John A. Curley about his work as a private investigator and his novels. He goes into detail on some of the darker aspect...

WDP109: 109 Ares - Martial arts and spirituality

14 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tanguy mentioned the importance of spirituality and mental aspects in martial arts training. In this episode, I share my thoughts on that. Also, a que...

WDP108: Montie Guthrie

31 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Warning, this is a NSFW episode: Montie and I swear and drink a fair amount of whiskey, so be warned before listening. It's the closest thing to actua...

WDP107: Fake-looking techniques

24 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Zachariah mentioned moves that look absolutely ridiculous when taught at half-power and in isolation but are scary as hell when applied with power. I ...

WDP106: Making money with instructional videos of martial arts and self-defense

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I go deep into the practical information of making instructional videos about martial arts and self-defense. How to get started, whic...

WDP105: Getting punched in the face

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What is something you'd wish more people knew about your martial art or system? Dan said: what it feels like to get punched in the face. I share some ...

WDP104: Toby Cowern

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I interview Toby Cowern on what you can do to prepare for Winter and austerity in Europe. Also make sure to listen to this follow-up episode in which ...

WDP103: The Seven Pillars of Urban Preparedness with Toby Cowern

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With Europe facing much uncertainty as Winter closes in, Toby Cowern explains The Seven Pillars of Urban Preparedness. This framework gives you immedi...

WDP102: Andy Benfield

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With Europe facing an energy crisis and a recession upon us, many people are afraid of what Winter will bring. How to handle freezing temperatures whe...

WDP101: Kelly Sayre

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I interviewed Kelly Sayre a few months ago https://wimsblog.com/91 and we agreed to talk some more. In this episode, we tackle questions men are typic...

WDP 100: Pattern recognition

08 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our brains are good at pattern recognition and when it comes to self-defense, this is both a good and a bad thing. In this episode, I explore this fur...

WDP099: Earning an income writing martial arts and self-defense books

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I got a lot of questions after episode 95 https://wimsblog.com/95 on different ways to earn a living with martial arts and self-defense. So instead of...

WDP098: Ares - Hacks to speed up learning

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We covered the topic of learning and teaching hacks in the group recently and this episode digs a little deeper into this topic. Enjoy! All the links ...

WDP097: Terry Trahan

18 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Terry Trahan and I talk about what it is like to be in "The Life" and how to get out of it. The conversation turns dark at times and is definitely NSF...

WDP 096: Death can be the outcome

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's an uncomfortable truth to face, but when you engage in violence, death is always a potential outcome. Yours. Your attacker's. That of an innocent...

WDP095: How to make money with martial arts and self-defense

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of my Patrons asked me about how you can earn a living with martial arts or self-defense. Given as I've been doing just that for almost thirty yea...

WDP094: Ares - Existential fear

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We had an interesting discussion about a robbery in South Africa in my Facebook Group, in which a man successfully defended himself with a knife. The ...

WDP093: Barry Eisler

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I often complain about how people get their information about violence from books, TV, and movies, which so often get it wrong. But why would that be?...

WDP092: Ares - Travel safety

30 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We discussed travel safety and security in the group and I wanted to share some thoughts from the members while also adding my own. Enjoy! All the lin...

WDP091: Interview with Kelly Sayre

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kelly Sayre about her book "Sharp Women: Embrace Your Intuition, Build Your Situational Awareness, and Live Life Un...

WDP090: No-win scenarios

10 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A video of a young woman getting knocked out when play sparring triggered this episode. The links mentioned in this episode: https://wimsblog.com/90 S...

WDP089: Q&A

02 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I asked for some questions from my FB group members and here are my answers. Always fun to do these kinds of episodes. Enjoy!  The links mentioned in...

WDP088: Ares - Clothing in a fight

10 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There was a video of a street fight gone wrong in the Facebook group, illustrating how "small" details like clothing can make all the difference in yo...

WDP087: Dr. Mark Cheng

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It was a long time in the making, but I had a blast interviewing Dr. Mark Cheng. We talked about conditioning, rehab, injury prevention, martial arts,...

WDP086: Truisms in martial arts

28 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Brian posted an excellent question in our Facebook group: "With no explanation, what are some truisms you've learned in your martial arts career?" We ...

WDP085: Turning fifty

07 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I recently turned fifty, so in this episode, I look back at a life of training in martial arts and self-defense. As well as teaching writing, and so o...

WDP084:Time-sensitive announcement

23 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for my birthday thing again. If you were thinking about getting my books or videos, the next 24 hours is a good time to do so. The e-books: ...

WDP083: Ares - Will Smith and principled thinking

10 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Will Smith slapping Chris rock incident got a lot of people talking and all too often not in a principled way. We discussed this in the Facebook g...

WDP082: Lawrence A. Kane

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I had the pleasure of interviewing Lawrence A. Kane on his new book written with Kris Wilder: "Martial Arts and Your Life: The Story of Us: A Survey o...

WDP081: Martial Arts Weirdos

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A while ago we talked about the kinds of weirdos you encounter when you practice martial arts and self-defense. I have my own stories, but there are t...

WDP080: Teaching martial arts and self-defense

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Because of a recent conversation and a bonus reward I'm making for my Patrons, teaching martial arts and self-defense has been on my mind a lot. So in...

WDP079: Ares- Violence never looks good

06 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Violence never looks good in real life. People with little experience and knowledge of what violence is like in the real world often find it disturbin...

WDP078: Mark Dacascos

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It was my absolute pleasure and honor to interview Mark Dacascos. An incredible martial artist and actor, a wonderful human being, and just an all-aro...

WDP077: Ares - The Hero's Journey

05 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A while ago we discussed potential guests for the show and I came across a potential one. I ended up not inviting him on because of certain things he ...

WDP076: Learning techniques from video

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I wrote about learning techniques from video years ago and thought it might be interesting to revisit this topic. So I updated the old articles with s...

WDP075: Ares 001 - Analogies

23 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As promised, here is the first episode of "You are not Ares." In this one, I talk about analogies and how to use them for learning and teaching martia...

WDP074: Hock Hochheim

15 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I had a great time interviewing Hock Hochheim and he was very generous with both his time and the answers to my questions. Hock obviously has loads of...

WDP073: Limiting principles

15 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Who knew what watching a Lord of the Rings again could trigger? Seriously, limiting principles or self-imposed limitations are worth exploring yet all...

WDP072: Remembering Dan Docherty

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of my teachers, Dan Docherty, passed away a few days ago. In this episode, I look back at how he influenced my life and my practice of his art, Ta...

WDP071: Schalk Holloway

04 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I interview Schalk Holloway, self-defense instructor and much-acclaimed author of "The Maul." He shares his thoughts about self-defense, real violence...

WDP070: Staring into the abyss

06 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Things are a bit darker here than usual, but here is a deep dive into why I watch videos of violence, and why you should too (or not...) Enjoy! The li...