Wow WoW WOW!  Have you read Thundercat’s Top 10 Pick-Up Artists for 2007 and Donovan’s Top Dating Coaches of 2007?.  I’m always amused when I read those lists.  How does one determine the best Pick-Up Artists (PUAs)?  Is it by the amount or consistency one successfully get women in bed or is it by the quality of women one keeps in his life?  Is there even a difference between pick-up and dating coaches?

To me, a pick-up coach is more focused on getting you laid whereas a dating coach is more focused on helping you attract the right type(s) of women in your life and for your lifestyle.

I have selected my favorite coaches and PUAs for 2007 based on the genuineness and/or authenticity I’ve sensed in their desire to help men and in the quality of products I have experienced, reviewed or skimmed.  When possible, I will make note of the kind of contact I have had with that guru.

So without further ado, here are my favorite coaches and Pick-Up Artists for 2007:

• Favorite Dating Coach:  David Wygant
  runner-up: none

If you hang out with David like I have, you can’t help but want to hang out with him more.  David’s strongest source of charisma stems from the fact that he makes you feel energized.  After every occasion I’ve had to spend time with him, I felt empowered and ready to take over the world.

As a coach, he takes immense satisfaction in seeing guys develop the foundational social skills that would make them successful with women.  During his bootcamp, he doesn’t boggle your mind with endless theory.  Everything he teaches you is applicable immediately and it all starts with a good workout.  Yep, you’ll walk A LOT for 3 days when you take his bootcamp because you will walk everywhere to meet women in the most mundane of situations. 

Because he doesn’t use Community jargon, he also makes you feel like you are hanging out with one of your boys.  When around him, there is none of that pressure to pick-up the girl, to kiss her or to get her phone number.  Of course, you will eventually do that but it’s all about being social, meeting everyone and connecting with the people you like.  You are never at war, on the battlefield, trying to conquer the woman.  You are here to create a powerful (confident) image of yourself and let the chemistry happen.

The biggest lessons I’ve gotten from him are:  listen, make everything your playground and use momentum to create more energy in the world around you.

As a guy, David is a lot of fun.  He’s very perceptive of the kind of energy a woman projects.  It is very common for me and him to walk somewhere and chat with some women and right after we are done, he’d tell me:  “Did you sense that sexual energy from her?  OMG, she was soooo horny!” to which I’d laugh and nod.  David is a fast talker but sometimes, I wish he’d talk less… especially when answering a simple client’s question.  LOL

• Favorite PUA for developing highly attractive male behaviors and handling mutliple relationships:  Sebastian Drake
  runner-up:  Vin DiCarlo

Sebastian is one of those guys that you can’t help but respect.  He’s fairly young (24-26?) but he understands the world with a wisdom that is only acquired by someone many times his age.  Generally speaking, you’ll always find him very calm and relaxed.  It’s like he’s always aware and in control of his emotions. 

When it comes to women, he has the ability to make them contribute to his lifestyle like no one I have seen.  What appeals to me the most about Sebastian is his strong stance on ethics.  Of all the pick-up gurus I have met, he is the only one who has addressed using seduction techniques with good intentions in mind.  You are to improve the life of the woman as much as yours.

As a coach, he will have LOTS of stories to tell you about his countless adventures and you can’t help but become inspired by the possibilities that are being opened up to you.  If you wanted the lifestyle of a player who has the choice of many quality women at the same time, he’s your guy.  He will teach you a lot of high level, advanced beliefs, theory and techniques that will work wonders when you get your social skills basics down.  He gives you the “best practice” model for you to work towards but sometimes I wish, he’d give more examples of how you can make that approach work FOR YOU.  Personally, his VAC model of attraction has been the biggest influence on my early understanding of natural game.

What I learned the most from him is:  have standards to how you expect people to treat you, believe in your own attractiveness and lead like a true confident man.  Sebastian knows how to explain how to act, think and speak like a highly attractive “elite” man.

Oh… and if you get to go out with him, don’t be surprised that you or him end up with a woman in intimate situations that you would have never expected 45 minutes ago.  He knows how to keep an interaction moving forward at an incredible speed and he’s an approach machine.

• Favorite Coach for developing emotional connection and generating meaningful conversations:  Wayne Elise
  runner-up:  David Wygant

I have been a fan of Wayne’s teachings for a long time, from way back in the days before The Game by Neil Strauss was released.  However, I never got the chance to hang out with him.  The only time I got to meet him was at a SoCal Lair meeting to which he was the guest speaker.  If you haven’t read my previous account of that day, you can read about it  here.

To me, Wayne comes across as the most zen and compassionate guy in the Community.  The brilliance of his method comes from its simplicity.  Everything he teaches revolves around confident self-expression.  He is funny but he doesn’t try to be.  He never tries to impress you in any form or fashion but he definitely shows clear interest in wanting to know you for who you are.  He doesn’t take himself too seriously, he is down to earth and is easy to relate to.  When you talk to him, he gives you full undivided attention.  As such, how can you not like him?  Just read his blog.  You’ll understand.

What I like best about his philosophy is that he breaks down the stages of an interaction in 3 easy-to-remember phases (1.  platonic, 2.  personal, 3.  sexual) and also describes well how to create more powerful interactions by making more statements from a very personal “I-perspective.”  Just by practicing these simple tips, you can become a much interesting (therefore more attractive) person already because people discover who you truly are.  The other thing I like about him is his focus on meeting people who makes you happy and bring your energy up.  This is so simple but is an often overlooked concept for many PUAs on the hunt.

My only concern with his teachings is that it emphasizes mostly verbal self-expression.  Charisma Arts does cover other topics but I haven’t seen them talk a lot about being playful in ways other than disqualifications.  What about using physicality to show sexual interest instead of the typical verbal Statement of Intent (SOI)?  I know the method is very adaptable to diverse environments but how easily can a guy adapt Wayne’s philosophy to venues not prone for meaningful conversational exchanges.  Also, why does it feel to me that some of the Charisma Arts’s teachings would make you come across as a little “harmless”, even though confident?  Is it just me?  I sometimes like a little bit of edginess or plain silliness in my interactions (This is probably just my own personal misconception because I have yet to hang out with anyone directly working with Wayne).

• Favorite PUA for developing intrigue and asserting masculinity (dominance):  Vin DiCarlo
  runner-up:  Sebastian Drake

I met Vin back in September 2006 when he was one of the instructors for the bootcamp I took with theApproach.  As I remember him, he was a very laid-back kind of guy.  What impressed me most about him was how easy he made pick-up sound.  Not only could he explain what he did in a very concise manner but he could also make it look very easy.  Vin thinks about interactions in very broad strokes and I guess that’s why I relate to him.

I got the chance to watch him talk to an Asian woman in a bar during the bootcamp.  From the distance, it really didn’t look like he was picking her up but somehow, I could sense that she was quite taken by him.  I really don’t know how it ended but the next day during class, he had to step outside to take her phone call… probably to arrange a date with her a bit later.

In 2007, Vin really impressed me with his new DiClassified material.  The Vin DiCarlo Kino Escalation ladder is a wonderful guide for guys who don’t have a clear idea on how to use touching to effortly escalate physically.  However, I liked what he taught most about warm dominance, intrigue and sexual tension (along with the use of roleplay). 

From speaking with a friend who participated in Vin’s Mastermind Group, Vin does not focus on generating value during pick-up.  Instead, he trains guys to develop powerful mental, verbal and physical habits in expressing themselves to the women in order to convey all the key traits of an attractive male.  I may get negative comments from Vin’s fanboys for saying this but in a way, I feel that Vin is teaching the proper (maybe evolved) application of good VAC game.  After all, VAC was his foundation.

• Favorite Social Circle PUA:  AFC Adam Lyons

If you are lucky, you can still get your hand on UK Channel 4’s “The Rules of Seduction” from the internet (a documentary in which he was featured) or you can watch the YouTube video below.

I’ve met Adam during the Los Angeles PUA Summit and ate lunch with him, his girlfriend and some other friends.  To me, Adam is your fun, charming social guy.  Like many of the natural friends I have made in recent years, he’s laid back, likes to joke around and doesn’t really talk about pick-up very much (which is good because it indicates that he has other hobbies).  I would have no issue including him in my social outing group because unlike some PUAs I have met, he’s not awkward and he’s not going to try to chase every single girl you introduce him to.

What I like about Adam is that he truly knows how to leverage his social power.  If you listen to him, he doesn’t initially focus on “attraction game” because he starts by creating rapport and comfort with women first.  Basically, he starts by becoming their friends.  As funny as it sounds, this is exactly what most non-Community guys who are successful with women do.

To me, his approach is a bowl of fresh air from all Community-related material because like him, I like to surround myself with a lot of women and there is no way I can ever pursue, nor would I WANT to pursue every single one of them.  Unlike a lot of PUAs, he actually has women to hang around as friends, not just as sexual partners.

• Favorite Sex Coach:  David Shade
  runner-up:  Daniel Rose

I haven’t met David Shade yet but if you don’t know anything about him, get his e-books.  It will give you so much in terms of sexual empowerment.  It doesn’t matter if you are a virgin or a seasoned lover, reading his stuff will open your eyes to the immense potential for sexual pleasure that is waiting to be untapped in your woman.

Daniel Rose also wrote a very easy to follow book with his Sex God Method but I feel David Shade has a more comprehensive list of products and personally, I like David’s writing style a bit more.

• Favorite audio product:  Pickup Podcast with AJ and Jordan
  runner-up:  Christian Hudson’s Master the Vibe and Charisma Arts’ free podcasts

I briefly met AJ and Jordan at the Los Angeles PUA Summit in Hollywood this past year but from the small interaction I’ve had with them and from listening to their podcast from time to time, I can tell they are knowledgeable and fun guys.  What I like best about them is that they take a real interest in exploring the various “tools” or methods you can use to improve your dating and pick-up life.  They also do not seem to get blinded by reprimandable marketing scheme to push a certain product for profit.  They only promote products that they know will bring genuine value to your dating life and will honestly tell you what works and what does not.

I have listed Master the Vibe as a runner-up because I like hearing the kind of interactions successful guys have when talking with women (I have yet to review their entire monthly collection of CDs.  I have only listened to a couple so far).  I know that Master the Vibe has received some skepticism about whether the dialogues were re-enacted or not but it doesn’t really matter to me.  The principles behind why the guy “got the girl” are the same.  For lack of actually seeing the interaction in-person, hearing how it went down offers a lot greater pointers on how to improve your game than just reading it in an e-book.  After exchanging a few emails with Christian Hudson, I can also attest that he’s a very kind and professional man.  I don’t care what kind of negative reputation he’s gotten from his split with Charisma Arts.

Finally, I have listed Charisma Arts’ free podcasts as another runner-up because I simply feel good about myself after I listen to them.  There is something about the way the instructors talk and have fun with each other that just puts me in a good mood.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

In this section, I want to list some guys that I would probably enjoy learning from but I just don’t know enough about them.

I’ve hung out with Cameron Teone a few times and I can say he’s a really cool guy to be around.  He’s absolutely hilarious.  He always has some funny story to tell.  I just don’t know what he’s doing on the pick-up front right now.  As a coach, he won’t try to turn you into his clone.  He will work with you to find your own inner “pick-up voice” and to me, that’s the best and healthiest thing a coach can do for you.

I spoke briefly with Johnny Soporno at the Los Angeles PUA Summit.  Maybe it’s his soft spokeness that appeals to me or just his portulence but I like the guy.  He seems to have a very honest and ethical approach to creating the multiple relationship lifestyle that you want.  He’s not into tricking women into something that would not be mutually beneficial and to me, that’s an important aspect of living with a happy conscience.

I keep on hearing good things about Steven Nash but I have never taken the time to check him out.  So as of right now, I’m just listing him to remind myself to do so.  From what I heard, he understands that the skills to maintain a relationship are different than the skills you need for a pick-up.  Obviously, some of these skills overlap but in the end, he may offer some good insights to the whole attraction and relationship equation.  Honestly, what are you looking for from the Community:  a girlfriend or an incessant stream of women?

Zan Perrion is one of those natural guys whom I also haven’t taken enough time to truly explore.  All I know is that once in a while, I’d read an article from him and it just makes me smile.  I perceive him as the “Lover”.  He’s the charmer that you’d want to keep your mom, your grandma and your sister away from because they’d all fall in love with him at the same time.

THE “OTHER” AWARDS

I’m sure a lot of you will now be pissed off that all my favorite coaches or PUAs for 2007 are from the natural camp.  Well, get over it.  I am not listing the BEST PUAs out there, I’m listing the ones I like.  The guys listed above are the ones who can teach you how to have a balanced lifestyle.  You won’t adopt unhealthy beliefs and mindsets from them, you won’t become the creepy routine guy, nor would you become a woman chasing machine (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

However, I do respect what other gurus have contributed to the Seduction Community.  So let me mention some of them right now.

• Best PUA for turning natural game principles into a bundle of techniques for the Indirect Game Community:  Mehow
  runner-up:  none

I haven’t met Mehow yet.  All I know is that he was the tall pasty white guy at the Los Angeles PUA Summit.  In my opinion, he’s an intelligent marketer.  He’s definitely changing the PUA scene by releasing so many in-field video products.  However as innovative as he is with marketing pickup information, his techniques are watered down versions of natural game’s strategies and principles.

Correct me if I’m wrong but PureKino is the use of heavy incidental kino while performing your routine.  Microloop Theory is the reinforcing of your high value by asking for compliance or commitment.  It’s also a round-about way of explaining how to be engaging and interactive with women.  These “techniques” are all core principles of basic natural game but they are revamped with new names and new explanations to make sense to the highly technical guy.  I’m not criticizing him as a teacher or PUA.  All I’m saying is he’s not as revolutionary as his marketing tries to make you believe.  In short, he’s bringing natural game beliefs to indirect-style techniques.

• Best Entertainer:  Mystery
  runner-up:  Neil Strauss

Do I even have to introduce these 2 guys?  Have you watched VH1’s The Pickup Artist?  Yes, I have to give the best entertainer award to Mystery.  Whether you like his methods or not is irrelevant here.  I found his show to be extremely fun to watch and even if you didn’t like his show, you can still talk about him in bars and clubs to women.  ALL women know about him.  He’s the most iconographic character in the pickup world!

I gave Neil Strauss second place for best 2007 entertainer because I didn’t see much of his stuff until the end of the year when he was about to release his new Rules of the Game book.  Unless you were a member of Stylelife Academy, Neil was not very prominent in the mainstream public eye.  However, you can now watch some really comedic videos of his teachings on his MySpace page.  How can you not get a laugh after watching those?

• PUA most likely to creep all your friends and family:  Vince “Hollywood” Kelvin

I have nothing against Vince as a man or PUA.  When you meet him (which I did at the PUA Summit), you’ll see that he has a genuine desire to take care of you.  However, he’s so flamboyant and eccentric with his production that he’d probably scare all your normal friends away if you were to introduce him.  Smoke and stripper show, Vince Kelvin branded give-away condoms, loud attire, not-so-subtle NLP language, fake bodyguards…  Come on!  Tone it down, Vince… and we’ll all take you more seriously.

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Well, I hope you enjoyed my little take on the various dating/pick-up gurus that I have kept track of during 2007.  As always, feel free to leave me a loving or flaming comment.  At the end of the day, I will still love you all the same :)

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