FOOT STEPS EPISODE 9 MONICA COUTO

By: Jose Casillas

foot steps

Episode 9: Monica Couto

Monica Couto is a Lisbon, Portugal based Executive Protection Specialist and highly decorated Martial Arts Instructor. She has dedicated much of her time championing the role of women in the industry as well as teaching others to protect themselves.

What inspired you to get into Martial Arts and Personal Protection at such a young age?

It began when I was 11 years old. At the time, I practiced gymnastics,

but I was already a martial arts fan watching Jackie Chan, Richard Norton and Cynthia Rothrock movies. They were my biggest inspiration, but the one that got me into it was my first Master, Fernando Baptista. He was small in height, but very energetic and powerful in his performance, extremely fast, but at the same time very graceful. I just wanted to be like him. So, I just embraced the Japanese Martial Arts. The main one was the Samurai Art -Bujutsu. I studied disciplines like Jujutsu, Karate Wado-Ryu, Aikijutsu, Ken Jutsu, Bo Jutsu, Tambo Jutsu and Tanto Jutsu and the Bushido with all regarding the moral principles of a warrior. I discovered that the Samurai, “those who serve,” were just like bodyguards. This mindset of serving and protecting just increased as I grew up in this environment. Nowadays, I’m very thankful because I found my “mission” and my, “why.”

Now that you have your own Martial Arts school why still continue personal protection?

Well, in my opinion personal protection isn’t just a job, just like Martial Arts aren’t. They are my passion and my purpose in life. Now that I have my own school, I can finally delegate the classes and hand over responsibility to the elder students, allowing me to have time to accept other projects that will challenge myself in the Close Protection field. At the age of 42, I can testify that I developed both the Maybe my attitude made the difference because I just believed in myself and my skills. I started teaching Martial Arts when I was a fresh black belt at the young age of 18 years old, no experience but a lot of passion.

soft and the hard skills, but I want to continue to master my craft, knowing how to do it smoothly and efficiently. For me, teaching is learning, and experience is knowledge. That’s why I continue to invest in training and networking to be able to stay contemporary in what I do. Whenever I have a Detail/Task I feel honored that someone trusts me for their safety and security. In addition, there is the financial aspect, which also matters. The fact that it is a very well-paid activity allows me to continue to invest in my education, training and traveling, as well equipping my Dojo with new and improved training materials.

What difficulties have you personally faced and how did you overcome them? In both owning a dojo and pursuing a career in personal protection?

Looking back, I realize that difficulties and adversities were there all the way through. Everything was hard before it was easy. Maybe my attitude made the difference because I just believed in myself and my skills. I started teaching Martial Arts when I was a fresh black belt at the young age of 18 years old, no experience but a lot of passion. We all know that 30 years ago, it was truly a ‘man´s world’ and although women were studying and practicing, they weren’t really mentioned. I didn’t have a female role model as a professional martial arts teacher. So, what made me believe that I could succeed as one? My thinking was that maybe I could be a role model for women in this area through my example: if I can do it, they can do it as well. After 13 years of running around Lisbon and teaching in different places, the opportunity arrived and I just took it, I rented a place and created my own Dojo. There were times I wanted to quit. Sure! The difficulties were all about proving that I was as good as a man. I just created my own style of martial arts with a twist of self-defense and close protection drills. I understood that it was all about perspective and context. As it relates to the personal protection career, the challenges are similar about the role models, and how to break into the industry, but the demand for female protectors is real and we just need to be prepared and available.

What similarities do you think Martial Arts and private protection have in common?

The struggle is real and similar either to break into Martial Arts world as an international teacher or into private security as a good protector. In common we have the same purpose, to serve and protect. How do we do that? In my case, I started to learn how to “serve” as a teacher and then how to teach people to “protect” themselves. I traveled around the world in the field of martial arts

and self-defense and through my teaching I learned a little more about human behavior and emotions. That experience and knowledge, I transferred to private protection. Most people think that martial arts are violent, aggressive and dangerous. Like a weapon, it depends how you use it.

Why do you think Martial Arts is a key skill to have as a skilled protector? Why do you think many people don't have Martial arts training or don't take it as seriously?)

Although the focus is all about physical conditioning and selfdefense, in addition to the main benefits you will discover selfdiscipline and a non-quitting spirit, self-confidence, concentration, and attention to detail. I think people don’t take it seriously because they think that Martial Arts don’t work in the street. It really depends on the system we are talking about. For example, if you practice Judo or Karate the main purpose is competition. Of course, you have many benefits of this practice, but maybe you won’t find that the skills transfer directly to the close protection field. However, many styles of martial arts combine techniques from different disciplines that can be applied virtually in any situation. You also

I started to plan out my strategy with women in general and Arab women in particular. There are a few traditional cultural barriers because there are places where women struggle for the respect of their individuality.

need commitment to this lifestyle and managing time in the executive protection isn’t easy.

I know you traveled and taught in Iran, Kuwait, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. How did you go about accomplishing that?

Everything begins in the heart and in the mind, you must dream it. I believed that I could empower women through my teaching and training all over the world. Yes, my dream was big, but I could “see” it. In other words, I just applied the visualization process and then I acted. I started to plan out my strategy with women in general and Arab women in particular. There are a few traditional cultural barriers because there are places where women struggle for the respect of their individuality. For example, in Iran, hijab was mandatory, and we had to cover our hair and body. There were no public affection like hugs or kisses, and women could only practice with each other behind closed doors and with closed windows covered with curtains. During the training the majority wore the hijab even in the absence of men. Other countries like Dubai aren’t as strict, but women still have limited rights. So how did I get my “foot in the door”? I just created my opportunity. I learned different styles of martial arts and selfdefense systems from teachers all

over the world, I’ve participated in many training camps and seminars to collect experiences and inspiration. Later, my time came and I started to receive invitations as a lead instructor worldwide.

The private sector offers a variety of specific types of protection work, what has been your favorite or more awarding?

I have been working as a close protection operative for Middle East Royal Families in Europe and I also had the opportunity to travel to the US to assist my principal. Can’t say that I have a favorite type of work because I need to continue to experience other fields first, like celebrity protection or corporate. I am very passionate about the protection craft, and the most awarding feeling is when my principal tells me, “Thank you Mónica, I’ll see you tomorrow”.

If someone were to follow in your footsteps what advice would you give them?

Don’t follow my footsteps because we all have a different purpose in life, you really need to find your way and climb your mountain. However, if you want my advice to succeed in this industry: surround yourself with good people and with the same mindset as yours. Simple as that. Invest your money and time wisely and do it with passion. Do what you love and fight for your dreams.

Jose Casillas is a Los Angles based Executive Protection Agent who specializes in red carpet events, movie premiers & estate security. He also teaches martial arts and works as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).