Our Story

Growing up, Roy Shaw had lived with the constant discomfort of knowing that, in an emergency, he would be unable to meaningfully protect himself or his loved ones. It wasn't until Roy joined the army in 1988 that he first discovered his passion for self-defense. Learning hand-to-hand combat in the military was an eye opening experience that gave Roy a strong sense of confidence. Today, Roy no longer feels vulnerable. He has furthered his training by equipping himself with many other self defense styles and wants to empower others to do the same.

Roy's passion to serve and protect others continued on after the army, leading to his becoming a paramedic in 1992. In an effort to save lives, Roy decided that CPR should join the rest of education in the 21st century, not relying any longer on middlemen and rigid schedules, unreliable instruction and wasted time. Along with two other founders, he set about making a program that allows people to receive the training they need with the convenience and efficiency of a self-paced course. That was the beginning of ProTrainings, LLC, in 2003. The accessibility of the training made an immediate impact: even amateurs became willing to act in an emergency, saving lives and making their communities safer.

Fast forward to today. Roy realized that the same principles of the original CPR concept could be used to to teach self defense. Roy's own eight years of martial arts experience have given him an overwhelming sense of peace: his wife and six children can reasonably look to him to take action in an emergency, and he feels there is no reason why he can't offer that same peace of mind to those who feel anxious.

Practical Self Defense is the result of Roy's passion for getting rid of needless anxiety. The tools to learn self-defense have never been easier to access, and that's just the way we like it. We, the whole ProTrainings team, sincerely hope you find peace as you lay claim to your confidence with Practical Self Defense.