People ask me what they should by to have a “live” experience when training in combatives. Over time there are various pieces of equipment you should purchase.
Here is the list with recommended vendors:
As a student of the martial arts, I will always yield to any instructor who has a great explanation of how things really go down in the street. This video put together by the London Wing Chun Academy.
Here is an excerpt from this video’s description:
Sucker Punch Analysis: How to fight and Defend Yourself in extreme circumstances. This week we discuss the interaction between (1) Tunnel Vision brought about by Stress, (2) Body, and (3) Hand Position as the Critical factors that more often lead to people getting knocked out by sucker punches. Make sure you watch this video as it really will make a difference in how you fight to defend yourself.
Here is the video:
Self-Defense is a serious topic.
Self-Defense and martial arts are not necessarily synonymous.
The former is oftentimes scenario-based and looks at the brutal nastiness of human nature, while the latter tends to be focused on using the martial ways to temper ones mind, body and soul or competitive sport.
This is not to say that martial ways/traditional training or sport have no value.
Let a Judo player throw you, a boxer punch you in the liver or a Tae Kwon Do fighter kick you in the face and then let me know how you feel.
The conditions and type of stressors that bring about what Peyton Quinn or Geoff Thompson call “the adrenal dump” is different than what happens in traditional sparring or sport.
When you are a self-defense instructor, understand that people are placing trust in your competence to teach them things they can use to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.
This is not a comprehensive list, but here is a quick checklist to refer to when shopping around for a self-defense/personal protection instructor:
Your life and freedom depend on it.
Peace and blessings, and thank you for your time.
The best advice for practical personal protection is to focus on fundamentals.
Below are 40 effective, high probability of success techniques you can use.
I am not saying that these are the absolute best techniques, but in my experience they work quite well.
YouTube video tutorials are forthcoming. Stay tuned.
Hand/Arm
Foot/Leg
Close Quarters
Break Falls
Throws
Wrist Lock Take-Downs
Escapes
Weapons
As a personal protection instructor, one the the main things I talk about ad nauseam is awareness. People are so easily distracted these days. Walk down any city street and you’ll see folks texting away, strolling along with their headphones or ear buds in. When a person is so distracted, they make themselves a target for criminals who will either take their property by force, or pick their pocket. Below a few tips that can help keep you safe:
(BPT) – With the average attention span only lasting eight seconds, and the need to multitask to keep up with an on-the-go lifestyle, it’s no wonder so many of us are easily sidetracked during routine tasks. Mace, a globally recognized leader in personal safety and security, offers valuable tips to combat the five most distracted behaviors.
Running with headphones
Whether training for an upcoming marathon or jogging around the block, we often take the time to develop the perfect playlist to keep us going, but don’t consider the risks of tuning out the outside world. Before you press play, consider your personal safety: leave the headphones at home, especially at night. If you’re streaming music through your smartphone, make sure the volume is low enough to hear the traffic around you.
Texting while walking
Did you know that nearly 60 percent of pedestrians use a smartphone while crossing the street, according to the National Highway Traffic Administration? Combine that with the average five seconds a driver’s eyes are off the road while texting, a statistic from the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the results can be deadly.
Don’t walk and text. If you need to take a call, move to the side until your call is complete. Always be aware of your surroundings. A distracted pedestrian can be an easy target for potential criminals.
The National Crime Prevention Council suggests you switch directions or cross the street if you think someone is following you. If the person continues to lurk, move quickly toward an open store, restaurant or lighted house. Add an additional layer of protection by arming yourself with the BoobyTrapBra, a Just In Case bra designed to hold your pepper spray where you can easily reach it, empowering you to live an active life with peace of mind.
Walking your dog at dawn and dusk
Fido requires multiple daily walks to stay healthy. If your schedule only allows for exercising him in the early morning or late evening hours, you may find yourself walking in the dark when you’re overtired, which can delay reaction times when they’re most critical.
Keep dogs on short leashes for more control in heavy traffic. If you walk your dog in the dark, wear light colored clothing with reflective strips so drivers can see you. Nite Beams are equipped with LED safety lights that provide high and instant visibility up to 1,400 feet or a 1/4 mile from every direction. Available in wrist, arm and leg bands for you, and collars and leashes for your dog, these bands will help to provide safety for everyone.
Navigating the parking lot
Whether working late or tackling weekly errands, busy parking lots and garages can be dangerous if you are distracted by an armful of bags, children or technology. Leave the balancing act for a secure location to ensure you safely get in your car and on the road.
Before making your way to your vehicle, be sure your keys are in hand. Pay attention to your surroundings and other vehicles entering and exiting the lot. Consider walking alongside the aisle instead of taking the stairwell, or ask a security guard to escort you to your car. To buckle a child into a safety seat, get into the backseat with the child and lock the doors rather than doing so from outside the vehicle.
Zoning out on public transportation
One of the perks of public transportation is the ability to use your travel time to multitask, like getting a jump start on your day by checking work emails. While you may enjoy not paying attention to the road, don’t let productivity goals get in the way of your personal safety.
Ride in the first car or closest to the operator (insider tip: the train conductor is usually in the second car). If you are traveling at night, do your best to avoid dark or isolated stops. Remain aware of your surroundings as you exit, with keys in hand when you depart from the stop or station. For added protection, include the compact and easy-to-use Mace Brand KeyGard on your key ring.
Whether walking, running, driving or riding, incorporate these tips into your everyday habits to help keep yourself safe and secure throughout the day.
Just a quick thought on this. Generally, I recommend palm strikes over clenched fists. However, hammer fists work well as do both horizontal and vertical punches. It depends are your training – most of us did not spend hours hitting a makiwara board so it likely that we will injure our hands when punching someone in the face as that is a hard surface.
Between the horizontal and the vertical fist, I prefer the vertical fist. It is faster and can be thrown when close in on an opponent. That’s just my two cents.
What are your thoughts?
Tactical Civilian Combatives seminar is starting Sat, 10/3. Click on this link for registration info –> http://bit.ly/1MvPJGl
SPACE IS LIMITED.
You MUST be at least 18-years-old to participate.
This course will cover the Tactical Civilian Combatives module of theMinimalist Martialist Method.
This IS NOT a new system of martial arts. It is simply about focusing on fundamentals and being practical and efficient concerning personal protection. In my experience it is not necessarily what you train in butWHY and HOW you train. The “why” you train will determine the “how” you train.
Generally speaking, the skills that will be taught can be learned by virtually anyone. It doesn’t matter if you are a woman or a man, old or young, athletic or somewhat out-of-shape. Whatever the case may be, you need a firm grasp of the pillars outlined and core principles of fundamental techniques and tools that are simple to use and proven to work.
Classes will be taught by Sensei Tyrone Turner (3rd Degree Black Belt in American-Te Goju-Ryu).
Various strikes, kicks, throws, and escapes will be covered during this seminar series.
Some martial artists pride themselves on knowing a ton of techniques. For instances, I have heard some Aikijujutsu practitioners brag about how their system has more than 3,000 (three thousand) techniques. In my humble opinion, that just isn’t necessary for personal protection.
Let’s take a look at boxers. Boxers have five punches in their arsenal: jab; cross/straight; hook; uppercut; and overhand. Even though they are “limited” to five techniques, they can create an infinite number of combinations to disable an opponent.
If your interest and focus is primary personal protection, I highly recommend that you focus on mastering five techniques in five areas. Below are the areas and examples of recommended techniques:
HAND STRIKES
KICKS
CLOSE QUARTERS
THROWS
PORTABLE, CONCEALABLE, LEGAL TO CARRY WEAPONRY
If you focus on the above-mentioned techniques, and create drills so you can practice, experiment on applications, and explore counters to these very techniques, you will be on your way. This teaching and training method is called TDAC (Techniques, Drills, Applications and Counters) as taught to me by my primary teacher, Renshi David Bunch (“Sensei Buddha“).
As big band jazz great, Count Bassie, would say, “Less is more.”
Here is the link to download my special report entitled The Minimalist Martialist Method: Some ideas to save time, money and your hide.
CLICK HERE to download the report.
New study group forming NOW! SPACE IS LIMITED to 25 participants. Starting Saturday, 12th, 2015 in Lower or Midtown Manhattan, or Downtown Brooklyn. (Location to be disclosed to registrants) Here is what will be covered in this 8-part (2-hour sessions) seminar series:
Cost for the seminar series is $35 per class for a total of $280 for the entire series. Registrants must pre-register an advance payment of $140. The balance is due before attending the 5th session. *** SPECIAL GIFT WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE THAT PAY IN FULL IN ADVANCE. *** Payments must be made via PayPal (debit and credit cards accepted; NO CASH ACCEPTED). A registration link will be provided as the date approaches. I hope to see you there.
The Minimalist Martialist Method 