About

David DiBella is the founder of Mindful Defense and a lifelong martial artist and self-defense instructor with over 40 years of experience. Since beginning his training in 1983, David has taught thousands of students how to stay safe through awareness, intuition, and mindset—not just physical skills.

He created Mindful Defense to make practical, real-world self-protection accessible to everyone, especially women and teens. Guided by the principle that “100% of confrontations that are avoided can be won,” David’s mission is to help people live confidently, trust their instincts, and recognize danger before it happens. His approach blends decades of martial arts expertise with a modern, mindful perspective on personal safety.