Cash for gold?

It really chaps my ass. It seems that many MANY crime prevention groups out there advocate pacifism. It seems like I cannot turn around without hearing a story about the XXXXXXX association opposing good guys carrying guns, good guys learning to fight back, women fighting victimhood. When will the madness stop?

I don't mean to vent, but these policy makers often times don't know the first thing about violence. Either that or they are so out of touch with the real world, that they advocate dangerous shit with the best intentions.

So as a rebuttal to the victim/pacifist mentality, I go out of my way to report incidents that I find of badasses who defy those dumb rules and do something about the violence in their life.

http://www.wyff4.com/r/30076862/detail.html

Watch that left again.

Okay, watch it one more time.

Did you see it? The weight transfer! My goodness! Launching that stocky body like a missile is EXACTLY how you go for one punch knock out power. There was no follow up, no need for a second guess, JUST ONE MASSIVE HIT!

These are the types of mechanics that we all need. The guy didn't look perfect, but I can tell you his power was at 100%. Watch it ONE MORE TIME and look at the amount of ground he covered. You can't really tell what caused him to fall over, but the 3 step rule applies here. The guy got blasted what appears to be 8 feet.

Then watch him make the idiot clean it up. See where the blood ended up? That's some distance!

In conclusion, I want you all to have the confidence, mechanics, and ability to control your life that this guy has.

This guy is my "Badass of the Month"!

On the Subject of Animals

http://www.kare11.com/news/article/953156/391/Nine-arrested-after-brawl-at-Mall-of-America

Just saw caught this news last night. Although information seems to be sketchy, it seems the rumor of two famous rappers being at the MoA is at the heart of what started this brawl. It doesn't really matter what started it, take a look at the effect. Several fights and brawls started all over the peaceful place, this was not just one isolated fight. Also take note that the location was not some dark alley. It is someplace you have probably been yourself with your family.

A few lessons that stick in my head to take away from this:
- There are packs of wild animals out there, and closer than you probably think. Just because they aren't rabid at the moment doesn't mean it is wise to be in their proximity.

- When a fight goes down, don't think it is over when the two (or few) scrappers break up. When thugs get to fighting they get worked up and don't want to come down right away. Don't be surprised to see a second, third or fourth fight erupt in the wake of the first one, and by other people. When large scale brawls start, get away. Far away.

- Worried about 'profiling' or being judgmental? Screw that, it's your ass buddy. That is to say that your safety and the safety of your family rely on your instincts. Never worry about trying to justify your base instinct that a person, group of people, or a place doesn't feel right. Stuff that PC garbage in a hole where it belongs and listen to your instincts. If you don't like the feel of a place, take your family and leave. If things are getting bad, get inside somewhere that you can lock a door behind you. Just going into a crowded place might not be enough.

- Along the same lines, do not ignore your instincts because you think you are in a protected place. Safety is YOUR responsibility, that means you are your own best protector. Do you really feel confident wandering into a pack of fighting animals and expect someone else to come and save you? How long would it take for you to get stabbed and possibly killed? As we have established in class, it is about a nanosecond. Do you think a mall security guard will be there in time, or even if present, be able to stop it?

A story from 2008 drives these points home very well:
http://www.plamerican.com/view/full_story/13772840/article-Men-accused-of-beating-father-at-Valleyfair

If you feel having a cell phone on you provides security, think again. This is one of the greatest illusions out there, especially among parents thinking that their child having a cell phone provides them safety. Sure it does, when they are stranded and need a ride home but when seconds count and real danger is there, a cell phone is the equivalent to holding a KitKat bar. It won't stop a beating or rape, and cannot summon help anywhere near fast enough - even if there is time to make a call, which there probably isn't.

Also note that Valleyfair has it's own police and, despite being close at hand, could not get to or stop the beat down. You probably spend all of your life farther away from police assistance than the father who was hospitalized during this attack. Don't count on outside help because it is likely not going to come. You must be ready to handle your own safety.

This should be a sobering wake up call. It's your ass, buddy!

Dempsey / Carpentier Training

We do a lot of this stuff. Thought y'all might be interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQmVh1vX7mA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgQtbvbniE8

JTH

Edit 12-28-2011 to fix hyperlinks.

New Poll and Schedule

Hey everyone!

Class on Sunday was something different that what we typically do on Sundays. Please take a moment of time to write your thoughts in the comment section and vote on the Poll. Feedback helps make class better and lets me know where you are at.

Class on Sunday will be canceled to do Christmas. Many of you might have Monday off in observance of Christmas. If we can find a venue, we might be able to hold a class on Monday in observance of class!

Let me know if you could make a class on Monday!

Targeting and Human Anatomy Part 4: Foot

As you can all see from my picture, the foot actually has two targets on it. One being the ankle, the other being the toes/top of foot.

I'm going to go ahead and roll these both into one part because they are too similar to spread between multiple posts.

I remember teaching self defense at another location, and they always wanted us to teach foot stomps. For whatever reason, this was considered a "go to" move. First thing you do, stomp the foot. The tried to sell the foot stomp as if it was something from a bugs bunny cartoon. Upon stomping a foot, they would have you believe that they attacker would lift the damaged foot up, hold it with both hands, and hop around on the other leg yelling "ouchy!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spz6foT1oSk

Here on planet earth, we know better. This is a strike that I think we are all familiar with. If you have ever been to a metal concert, a riot, or the mall of america, you know what it's like to have your foot stepped on.

Yes it hurts.

However, if you have ever tried to administer such a stomp, you know that a brief moment of bad tap dancing makes this very difficult to land. Additionally, there are many MANY documented incidents of the person having bones broken in their foot and not knowing about it, or just fighting through without hesitation.

So how do you do a foot stomp correctly? MAYBE crank it from a green to a blue? Here are some things to consider:

-Put on weight.
-Wear work boots. Tiny kung fu slippers won't cut it.

In my personal opinion, the foot stomp works best as a piece of a move, not A move.

Here's what I mean:

Stomping on the foot hurts. You could break some bones, you could even cause mechanical failure. However, if you step on a foot with a drop step, then deck the guy on a spot (like The Mark), it adds damage. We talk about this much with throws too. You all know what I mean!

So go ahead and use foot stomps, but just be aware that they are not fight enders!

See you all at class!

Big Country And "The Mark" Targeting update

We talked a fair amount in class about "The crucifix".

The strange thing about this pin/submission/position of dominance is that the finest practioner in the world is... Well...

Big...



Yep... Big Country Roy Nelson is probably the best fighter in the world at the Crucifix... His termendous gut is used as a weight to smother the life out of a guy while he pounds them to paste...

It's too bad for Roy, that his only real skill.

Here is him in The Ultimate Fighter reality show winning a match with a crucifix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz-NYzGRwC8

Note that he did not use the figure 4 in the conventional way, but used the whole structure as a pinning hold for the arm.

Another interesting thing to note is that there are about a hundred different versions of "The Crucifix".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_eBvsmaws4

 The Mark Update:
A master of martial arts brought something up in conversation about "The Mark".

He liked what I had to say about it, but brought something up I had never really considered: It's a 5+ Organ Punch.

http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/26700/26705/abdomen_26705.htm

A properly placed punch to the Mark actually does significant damage to 5 or more organs, really depending on the exact placing and power. The trauma actually hits many good targets!

Targeting and Human Anatomy - Part 3: The Mark

There once was a land of brutes, steel, cool mustaches, and boxing. Men were men, women were ladies. Folks wore suits to church on Sundays, and trains were the coolest technology around.

Ah, these were the days...

Imagine yourself in such a magical place, wood buildings, dirt roads, and train hop'n just to pass the time.

During this era was a pugilist named Daniel Mendoza. This guy knew his shit, believe me.  At the end of this post, I will link up some "further reading" about Mendoza, but for now, here is his definition of "The Mark".

"The MARK. The pit of the stomach. So called, from its being the object at which a stroke most likely to put an end to a battle can be aimed."

I think that just about says it. What Mendoza was talking about is what we know as, "The Solar Plexus".

This spot is located just about where the ribs end on the center of your body. Anyone who has had "The wind knocked out of them" more than likely was hit in the solar plexus.

So what happens when you hit "The Mark"?

The impact can temporarily stun the Diaphragm. The impact causes an abnormal amount of pain and also causes the breathing to halt for a second. The result typically is the person curling up to protect that spot, and try to regain air. Some of my research has suggested that your body shuts down many of it's parts to regain your breath, thus weakening your whole body or even damaging tissue outside of your respiratory system.

The reason this is Blue is this: A firm strike does so much damage that regardless of pain threshold, your body protects itself by preforming the actions listed above. Many people who are hit here with perfect health will double over.

The way to kick it into the Red: A hard enough punch of course can be fatal. It's extremely rare and I have never once seen it happen. But there is documentation out there of the Abdominal Aorta being ruptured and killing the person.

Of course, if you hit like a sissy, or you hit someone with an extremely strong core, you will only keep this in the green territory.

I have more personal experiance with this target than any other. This is the classic "playground sucker punch" spot. I have seen friends, enemies, and strangers get hit here and double over.

Don't try this at home:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MciLrVWcP8w

I'm not sure what kind of "school" would do this, but run, don't walk from a teacher like this one. If Chris or I ever tell you to, "hold weights, move your feet apart, and stand there while I hit you". Please leave without paying your mat fee because Aliens have taken over our bodies and most likely your brains will be sucked from your skull....

Further Explination from some kind of British Robot...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bktQ6UWSB98&feature=related

I have also hit people there and been hit there. I can tell you from experience, that even if it doesn't fully stun your diaphragm, it does keep it from functioning at 100%. Each time I have been hit there, I have to watch my breathing and control my core. Each strike takes a little bit out of you, and you have to regain your breathing.

I have personally  never been knocked out from this blow.

Many football hits that "level" people are from this kind of impact. The shoulder of a running defensive back or some other such human missile can deliver this blow effectively. It's not just for striking.

I have a video for you all that showcases some body punches. Here are the highlights to watch for:
Number 9: A non-striking "The Mark" K.O.
Number 7: A center line punch that really sticks it. *Note the weight transfer and back heel!
Number 5: We don't teach this kind of thing, but it shows the power of strong strike(s) to The Mark!
Number 3: Knee Strike from fairly close range. We don't like to throw knees to high, but in this case, it works!
Number 2: Mechanical Failure doesn't always happen quickly! There is often a delay with this sort of thing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R8n-J-buwA

For those of you who have watched all the videos, you will notice that many of them showcase some spots for future "Targeting and Human Anatomy" episodes.

Hope to see you all at class!

Further Mendoza Reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Mendoza
http://www.sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Mendoza/

Public Transit

Back in the 80's and 90's, movies and urban legends would speak of the dangerous "New York Subway System". As a kid from the mid-west, I never really knew what to believe.

I would see these dark, dank corridors in movies. Floor to ceiling tile. Graffiti on the walls, shady characters lurking in the shadows. 

I never really knew what to think of these locations, because I never really had been to them.

With everyone carrying a cell phone with a camera these days, much of that world has been revealed. 

Every day, it seems a new video hits the net with public transit violence of one kind or another.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/11/16/l-train-attack-caught-on-video-cops-looking-for-suspects/

I just wanted to show everyone that violence is out there. Due to the brevity of the video, it's hard to tell exactly what happened. But as a martial artist, you should all see the martial mistakes that the victim made.

-Implementing force without the ability deal with the consequences.
-Getting trapped against a wall
-Going to the ground
-Dealing with multiple attackers
-"Surrender"

In other news:

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2374661.shtml?cat=1

I posted about this story when it first broke. Tristan also posted a good write up on the blog about 1 punch kills. Very interesting stuff. This appears to be a case of self-defense? Who can really tell. I think the difficulties here are this:
-Drunk
-Ages
-The very small amount of actual strikes
-Problems with the opposite gender.

I will try to follow this case, but it is important to think of the legal issues the surround us in our violent world.

I almost forgot! I wanted to explain the association with this story and my "Jaw" article. Reports indicate that the victim was punched "in the face". That tells me that it was the Jaw that was struck. If I had to guess on what happened, I would say that he was punched in the jaw, caused a Knockout (mechanical failure) and then his head hit something on the way down. Thus turning our Blue Target, into a Red Target.

See you on Sunday!

Man or Animal?

This is an item that made news recently, and you may have heard of it. I'll warn you that the video is disturbing. Even sickening, although it is not bloody or terribly graphic. Here is a link to the article, including the video:

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Teen-Punching-Man-at-CTA-Stop-Caught-on-Tape-133703583.html

In thinking on the simple self-defense level, the obvious mistakes I can see being made are:
1) Don't assume someone is harmless or benevolent, even though they are smiling and laughing

2) Don't think that looking as though you are harmless will keep you safe from danger

3) If you are around animals, you are going to get bitten

This last thought led me to contemplate society in general. It is believed that we live in a civilized nation of men and women, each who has some kind of morality and ethics - even though they may be different from ours. That is true for men and women, but not true for animals.

If you are around an animal, you must appreciate that animal's behavior. You cannot blame a wasp for stinging or a rattlesnake for biting. It's what they do. To protect yourself, you keep those things at a distance or you kill them. Animals will not be bought off or reasoned with. Distracted, maybe. Mere proximity is dangerous, and as survivalists we must understand that.

In the case above, the animal is in human form and cares nothing about responsible or ethical behavior. Unlike the more predictable wasp or rattlesnake, it is not territory protection or response to a perceived threat that has caused him to lash out. The teen didn't get pissed off or defensive to lash out. It seems to have been just for kicks.

A psychologist might call this sociopathic behavior. Who the hell cares what you call it when you have been laid out for no apparent reason. Although I have been been rather disgusted by the number of spontaneous fistfights and brawls in IHops and fast food restaurants, this video is even more disturbing because there was no real lead up or confrontation. It was just an ambush against a helpless target, for the pure adrenaline ride.

I'll stop before unloading my opinion and wondering why society allows animals to walk among men. Instead, let's just keep these lessons at heart:
1) Underestimate no one - anyone can be an animal

2) Remember that showing weakness will invite predators, it will not keep them from noticing you

3) Mind your surroundings and part company with animals immediately

P.S. Here is a news follow up on this matter. Evidently, this is a game now gaining popularity called "Point 'em out, knock 'em out".

Targeting and Human Anatomy: Part 2 - The Jaw

Welcome back to the Blog! As you can surmise, this is my second installment of my series on:

TARGETING AND HUMAN ANATOMY!!!!

*holds for applause*

Thank you thank you...

The first target I want to cover is our BLUE targets: The Jaw.

We have all seen this one. It's the ultimate boxing KO and you can find countless videos of it on the internet.

My personal favorite is Rocky Marciano when it comes to Jaw KO's. To illustrate this, I present a special guest to the Survival Academy: Burt Sugar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoRg7oty4wc

Fast forward to 145 to watch the stalking and THE jaw knock out. There are a ton of other knock outs in the video, but I want to talk about this one specifically.

So what causes the Jaw to do so much damage?




Meet the Central Nervous System. Most of you have seen diagrams like this, but I wanted to post it anyway. The two main pieces to the CNS is the brain and the spine. The act of the head contorting sideways causes these two systems to be damaged.

When you have a strong neck and you are prepared, the muscles in the neck stabilize the skull and cause significantly less trauma to the CNS.

The jaw sticks out of the human head like a lever. It is the easiest way to force someone's head to turn. When you apply a solid amount of force to the jaw, mechanical failure occurs. With enough force (or a weak target) can even cause death...

The rapid twisting of the two elements further the damage and have been known to cause a permanent disconnect in the CNS. Think of it like fiber wire.



Each one of those little fibers operates SOMETHING. In the body. Some of them rush of to your extremities, some to your organs. A significant impact on the jaw, TWISTS that fiber wire and can cause those little fibers to snap. Fortunately, they can heal or be repaired... but not always...

When you hit someone on the jaw, and this fiber wife feels the twist, it often times shuts down those little fibers on it's own to prevent further damage. This is what a 1 second KO is. This is when you see two fighters scrapping and one seems to fall down like a sack of potatoes. He regains conscientiousness before he hits the mat. The brain shut down some of those fibers, because they were scared of permanent damage. The brain fires them back up and resumes function.

It's not the pain of the jaw, it's the contorting of the neck that delivers mechanical failure.

If the Jaw is open, the power can knock it closed, causing a major shockwave through the teeth and into the brain. Smashing out teeth is usually the result.

If the Jaw is closed, the shockwave can transfer straight to the brain, causing it to slosh around with similar effect to contortion. It shuts down some function in order to preserve the cells that are being smashed.

Of course, these two forms are not as potent as the CNS contortion I talked about earlier.

Either way, the Jaw is a very good target to cause Mechanical Failure of the target. It hurts anyone, but can really shut down a enemy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOso9QKRgmU

See you at class!

Targeting and Human Anatomy: Part 1 - Overview

Hello everyone!

 Welcome to the first installment of my new series. As you have heard, I am going to do my best to explain my theory and opinion on human targeting. What strikes work best to the jaw? Would you ever kick to the head?

Such questions like these will be answered!

For those of you who saw the first posting, you saw this. You MIGHT be asking yourself "Uh... Why color code it?"

Anyone who has seen martial arts targeting guides, notices that many of them are color coded.



This is one that I have seen 1000 different places. It is specifically geared towards striking with a baton. Each zone is color coded.

This next one is a "pressure point chart" or some other such nonsense...


And if you have ever taken karate in a strip mall, you have seen this one:


I have seen this "Karate Striking Points" poster in about 20 different schools. It seems to come in the Franchise Kit for every single martial arts school.

So why do something different?

In a word: Simple.

I feel that much of the value of combat arts are lost when you try to complicate things too much. Sure, there is always more to learn, but does the bad information contained in these posters really help you? Does the guy in the trailer park have one of these?

I think weaknesses in the human body are much more basic.

So about my colors:

Red dots signal places that are easily fatal. These are the spots that a minimal force will result in death. These spots should be used with care and caution. However, if legal use of force allows you to use one of these targets, it's important to know.

Blue dots are for "Mechanical Damage" targets. These are targets that when struck, have a good likely hood of causing the human machine to fail rapidly. Sometimes instantly. The strikes here are not "sure fire" but nothing is. Some times, these spots don't establish a ton of pain! Many times when people get knocked out, they don't recall any pain at all. So of course, by striking these points, you will have to answer for many legal questions too. The blue dots when struck will cause mechanical failure to people regardless of what chemical might be coursing through their veins.

Green dots are spots that are locations that cause a higher amount of pain than the rest of the human body, but don't have a substantial likely hood of the "1 punch ko". For most people, these spots will deliver pain. However, if the person is on something, the green dots might have no effect. Additionally, these spots can often be trained to harden by professionals or experts with ease.

It should go without saying that a green dot with the right amount of force could be kicked into the blue, or red category, but I want to make that clear anyway. For example: A foot stomp by the average person won't cause a break. However, if that person were a heavy body with work boots on, that green target, might become a blue. Additionally, if you shot someone in the foot, it just might be a red target. So don't be too picky about this. In reverse, a weakling striking in the throat, turns it from a red target to a green target.

To expand it a bit, take a look at the Monadnock chart. Every inch of the body has a color on it. We could easily do this with our graphic, but I avoided it. Everyone knows that a slug in the bicep hurts. Anything getting hit hurts.  That doesn't need to be taught. What does need to be taught is effective targets in real combat and the reason they are.

I hope that everyone follows this series and asks questions about it. I encourage all of you to research this stuff on your own, challenge me, and do your best to discuss it both here in the comments section, and in class.

See you on Sunday!

Demons...

I have really no idea where everyone in class stands religiously. Frankly it's not entirely important... at least for class.

But what is important is the "religion" of others. But perhaps not in the way you think...

Sure, the news is covered with "Religious fanatics kill XXXXXX people". Every religion is subject to this all over the world news, but those people of course are the minority.

However, that minority is the one's you have to watch.

Take for example the Demon Slayer in the news.

Here is a guy who used not a gun, or a knife, but a Crossbow and a Hatchet to "slay demons".

Unconventional weapons are out there, and crazy people love to use them. No mater what religion (or non-religion) you are a part of, there is someone who is going to carry out "God's Work" in the name of your faith.

http://www.king5.com/news/Elderly-Humptulips-man-was-shot-with-crossbow-wife-attacked-with-axe-133395258.html

The first installment of the "Targeting and Human Anatomy" series is coming soon!

Anouncment! New Series!

Attention Students!

I wanted to let you all know that I will be doing a series on this very blog! Every few days (or week), I will post another installment of the series. The focus of the series is "Targeting and Human Anatomy".

Why?
In class, not a week goes by where someone asks about targeting. Typically someone speculates on what would happen if you were hit _______. I think that by putting out my series, I will help folks understand my perspective and help everyone develop martially.

Each series will include my educated opinion on a new target. Now, I want to make it clear that the information included will be ENTIRELY my own opinion and experiences. In no way am I taking information specifically from a source. My opinion will differ greatly from other martial arts manuals, programs, and will probably differ from the opinions of other Survival Academy Students and Instructors.

How did I come up with this information?
As a constant student of life, I spend a good portion of my time in front of a computer learning what I can about the human body and how it behaves. Everything I say, I will support with information and research. I will also talk about my personal experiences with each lesson.

I encourage all readers to subscribe to the blog or check back regularly and follow my new series!

So without further ado, I present: The Survival Vitruvian Man

Getting involved

A while ago I posted a link to an episode of Penn and Teller: Bullshit!. The episode was titled "Martial Arts is Bullshit". I highly recommend searching for this episode on youtube, the library, netflix, or where ever you can find it. It was funny, smart, and made me think a lot.

In that episode, it talked about the fact that we never see headlines in the paper that say:

MARTIAL ARTIST SAVES THE DAY!

or other such things.

Well, I'm going to change all that.

In class yesterday, we talked briefly about gun situations. What happens when a gun comes into play and what to do about it. Watch this video carefully and think about what you would do if you were the clerk, one of the fighters, or just some other passerby.

What would have to change in this story for you to get involved?

What would change for you to flee?

Hope you enjoy the video!

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Fighters-in-L-A-for-BJJ-tournament-stop-a-robbe?urn=mma-wp9093

See you all Sunday.

My job isn't particularly dangerous; I'm not wrestling guys into squad cars or anything like that. But it does have its moments involving highly disturbed people with a proven track record of poor impulse control. So this is why I'll be in class again this Sunday:

Defendant Loses Right to a Lawyer After Allegedly Stabbing 3 of Them with Pencils or Pens in Court

***
None of the lawyers was seriously hurt. In the first two incidents, which occurred less than a week apart, Monson was accused of stabbing two different lawyers with pencils he smuggled from jail, HeraldNet.com reports. On Tuesday, Monson grabbed the pen being used by his defense lawyer, Jesse Cantor of Everett, Wash., and stabbed Cantor in the head, witnesses said.

The attack occurred Tuesday as prosecutors gave opening statements in Monson’s felony drug trial in Snohomish County. Corrections officers set off an electric stun cuff on Monson’s leg as he lunged for the pen and then piled on top of him, the story says. The first person to reach Monson was a police officer seated at the prosecution table.

Judge David Kurtz said Monson would have to defend himself without a lawyer and would be strapped to a special chair for the rest of the trial. Kurtz advised jurors to ignore the incident, the restraints and the lawyer's absence.

***

First, I question whether the lawyers who were stabbed in the hand would agree that they weren't "seriously" hurt. Probably makes it pretty tough to do your job for a while. As for the last bit: "[The Judge] advised jurors to ignore the incident, the restraints and the lawyer's absence." Yeah, right. Juries and jurors aren't dumb. I'm fairly certain they didn't "ignore the incident."

Shifting, Level Change, and Speed

Hey you vicious fighters!

We worked on the 3 things in the title quite a bit on Sunday. We discovered through light contact the value of mobility. No mater what we are doing, proper Shifting, Level Changing, and Speed are our best tools once violence has occurred.

Mike Tyson: There is nothing about this guy that hasn't already been said. I'm going to say it again because I think it is valueable to the theme of our class on Sunday.

The real ability of Mike Tyson was not his power. It was not his offense at all... It was his defense.

I have posted this video before, but I don't think it ever made it to this blog. Watch the master of defense move. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYZzMPsm6c4&feature=related

Of course, this is not exactly what we do in a street fight, but his mechanics should be practiced, mimicked and meditated on regularly.

Why we train how we train.

This could have been/ could be any of us:

Charges: Schizophrenic Man Tried to Kill HCMC Employee in Bathroom Attack

An allegedly schizophrenic man assaulted and tried to strangle a Hennepin County Medical Center lab technician in a hospital bathroom last week after he claimed his threats to kill someone went ignored, according to attempted murder charges filed this week.

***

The victim told police it was 10:15 p.m. when she went to the public restroom because the staff restroom was locked.

When she went to wash her hands, a man ... placed her in a choke hold and pulled her to the floor while trying to muffle her screams. He put her head between his legs and grabbed her by the throat and squeezed, charges said, and punched her at least twice in the head as she began to lose consciousness.

She was able to escape when someone walked in and told Marshall to get off her.

***

HCMC spokeswoman Christine Hill credited the passer-by and security members for interrupting the assault and arresting the suspect.

Note the location: a bathroom. A classic "Gimme 3 Steps" scenario. I'm glad that a passerby was able to help out, but that was close. To paraphrase Bas Rutten, "Never let them get the choke, because God only knows what they're gonna do to you!"

The Value of Fitness

If you see me before class, I typically am trying to balance upside down or do something goofy. Chris has helped me with getting my hands on old manuals and books. Every week, it seems like someone shows up to class with and makes an attempt at a tri-pod, hand stand, or some other such thing. 

I personally take the time at class to do this stuff because at home, if I falter, A pile of hot wheels meets my fall like a bed of nails. 

So yes, I do stuff like this outside of class, but I like the open, clean mat to warm up with. It's also a good way for me to show those who are interested in learning, how I do it. 

But the real question is: Why? 

Why learn to balance on your hands? Are you going to fight upside down? The movements are slow, and the positions are goofy. 

During my recent fitness kick I noticed something. Something that has stuck in my mind like a tapeworm in your lower intestine...

Gymnasts are probably the most healthy, vital, and strong athletes I have ever seen. Such a strong combination of power, grace, flexibility, and agility form together to make Gymnastics.

And Fighting.

The skills and attributes need to be a good fighter are the exact same you need to be a Gymnast! 

The goal of the Survival Academy is not to make you into a better fighter. It's to make you Survive life and all it's encounters the most safe and healthy way possible. The term would be "Vitality".

We want you to be vital!

So if your 5-6, 300 lbs, and can kick the shit out of anyone, you still lose because Heart Disease will kill you faster than a mugger!

So I use gymnastics as a way to improve my fighting AND my health!

The idea is spreading like wild fire! I love martial arts sports and watch them all the time. Yahoo has been showcasing "Athlete Workouts" for a while now, and I came across one that validated everything I thought about exercise.

http://sports.yahoo.com/elite-athlete-workouts/georges-st-pierre

If you don't know who GSP is, I suggest you get you crawl out from under the rock you are living in and get on the computer to learn about this guy. He is a humble fighter with amazing talent. Arguably the best who ever fought! He uses gymnastics to make himself a better fighter! Amazing! 

Add that video to this beast. His brand of "Gymnastics" is one of the coolest thing's I have ever seen. It's a amazing combo of carny and fitness! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl-b8IAliW8&feature=channel_video_title

The last video I have for you is a fitness buff who recently got himself a pair of "Gold Metal Bodies" rings. Now, anyone with basic building skills could make these themselves, but this guy promotes them well. Take a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlGDtuP51K4&feature=channel_video_title

Well, I hope you all consider adding Gymnastics to your daily fitness routine. Doing a few yoga poses or tripods will greatly increase your vitality, athleticism, and health! 

Hope to see you all at class! 

Class this week and Training

A bit of an announcement:

This Sunday, Chris will not be at class. Thus, I will be running the show.

What this means for you:
Prepare to drill! There will be very little technique demonstration. I will be working people on stuff we have done before and drilling out the imperfections. What we will be doing will have quite a bit of light sparing. For those of you who have put in the extra time after class to work with me on my drills, it will be very similar to that stuff. It will be fairly open, but I have a few specifics I want to touch on.

Circular Striking-
Level Changing-
Ground fighting Vocabulary-
Surviving a ground and pound-
Mobility-

I am very excited to have some time to work some drills and move people closer and closer to "sparing". Everyone last week was very safe even though I gave them open reign to punch me in the face. Trist, Victoria, and Jason were all very controlled and safe. The outcome was more reps, more fun, and more learning!

Jack Depsey once said about sparing: "Although some exercises help condition and others speed improvement, there’s one all-important activity that assists both. That activity is sparring.  There is no substitute for sparring. You must spar regularly and often to become a well-rounded scrapper, regardless of what other exercises you may take.  Sparring not only improves your skill, but it also conditions your body for fighting by forcing your muscles to become accustomed to the violent, broken movements that distinguish fighting from any other activity."

In the dark catacombs of the Survival Academy Vault, I found a video of a real fighter training.

Rocky Marciano.

When you are watching this keep in mind: Fighters of his day fought WAY MORE than they do now a days. They couldn't dedicate 20 hours a day to heavy cardio and lifting because they were getting to close to fight night and wouldn't recover.

Put that into your mind for a second: Too Much Exercise can actually prevent you from being an effective fighter.

Where we fight, we must consider that. If you go to our class (or any other) trying to learn self defense, you must balance your exercise and fitness so that you are always in fighting condition. Becoming a sloth, or over doing it, could spell disaster to you if you had to defend yourself. The last thing you want to be when a guy tries to hurt you is sore, tired, or wounded.

So how did Rocky train when fights happend multiple times a year? You might be surprised!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fsGIq0t6YY&feature=player_embedded

New discovery!

Hey everyone!

I don't have a ton to say about this particular article, but I needed to share.

We are not only a Survival group, but we are a Historical group.

That is why this article is so damn neat!

100 Survival Points to anyone who can get me a copy of the TRANSLATION!

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/World-8217-s-oldest-sports-manual-found-covers?urn=oly-wp818

One more reason to level change...

I know I sometimes beat a dead horse with "Level Changing". I talk about it non-stop. I find it to be one of the best martial moves you can do in ANY martial activity. Even thing's like football and hockey get dominated by good level changes!

Most street fights stay up high. Head grabs, head punches, hay-makers, ETC.

I think this is why in "Martial Sports" these days, ignore a good level change.

When most people think of "Cool Knockouts" the last thing they think about is body shots. This is another reason why people ignore level changes.

But I am here to tell you that while you level change, throw those shots!

Body shots seem to be less common in modern fighting arts, but I assure you they kick ass!

I found a video that shows this pretty well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNNJjfx-Ojc&feature=player_embedded#!

The liver shots are vicious. I have never been K.O.ed by a liver shot, but I have been given HORRIBLE pains from liver shots before.

When Bas Rutten himself says "I'm going for the liver, because it's the most painful knockout there is" you know body shots do serious damage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBUJa7ndYL0

Don't like liver shots? The Spleen works too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2JhhzYqaB8&feature=related

Listen carefully at about 2:30... He explains a type of punch that you may have heard of...

So work those drills! Bob, weave, squat, shoot, level change! Practice moving from high to low, low to high, and develop explosive movement. Not only is a great martial move to learn, but it's great exercise!

For any bears fans out there, you also might like Bas Vs. Urlacher...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGDFr-BXp0I&feature=related

See you at class!

Shadow Training

 "As you shadow-box, go through the same offensive and defensive movements you use in sparring. To be most valuable, your imaginary fighting should be done at top speed. Too many scrappers loaf at this work."


This quote should be branded on the chests of all of our students. 


There is value in slow movements. Yoga style exercises are very valuable. I also would advise against doing sprints with a 100lb bag over your shoulder. Safety first!


However, we all often neglect speed and agility. Speed can  only be really cultivated by fast movements. Do something fast, now do it faster. Over and over again. 


Out of all the drills and exercises that I have done, by far the most helpful is shadow boxing. But I take it a step further...


"Shadow Training" is what I call it. 


Basically, it's the art of using imagery and full speed drills without a real threat. So


So when you get homework assignments from me, class, or the blog to sit at a coffee shop and watch people and imagine that someone tries to rob the joint in front of you, I'm trying to get you into "Shadow Training". Do this with your ground drills too. Don't flop around on the ground like a fish! 


Imagine that you are shrimping to save your life! Imagine a hailstorm of blows coming down as your trying to roll out of an attack. Imagine that there is a shadow-fighter on top of you and if you don't get to guard soon, you will die!


I'm not sure who said the quote first, but always keep in mind:


"Your body cannot do what your mind has not already thought of".


So really use visualization in your training. Imagine shadows moving around you, attacking, surrounding, shooting, or whatever. 


You never know when you might be in a hair salon...


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1013-seal-beach-shooting-20111013,0,4309220.story


By the way, the quote above is from Jack Dempsey. So Don't think I am creative or anything. He is a master and we could all learn more from him.


See you at class!

Martial Behavior

We had a truly great class on Sunday. I think everyone will agree with me on that.

We covered good old fashion footwork, training drills, and of course pugilism. Our students made some very true strides and gained much from our new perspective on teaching pugilism and footwork. I think everyone took something home of value.

One of the concepts we talked about was being "A Martial Person".

Let's start with some dictionary, work shall we?

Martial:
Disposed to war or war like.

The definition goes on to say:
 Latin Mārtiālis  of, belonging to Mars,equivalent to Mārti-  (stem of Mārs ) + -ālis -al¹

Arts:
1.

the quality, production, expression, or realm, according toaesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or ofmore than ordinary significance.

When you combine the two, the basic definition is:

The Production or Expression belonging to the Roman God of War.

I assure you, that when "Mars" was standing around, he didn't look like this guy:


I want you to imagine yourself in a bar. You are watching patrons move around, eat, buy drinks, dance, pick up chicks, whatever... Now imagine Mars walks in. What would he look like?  How would he stand? What would he look like buying a drink? Hitting on a girl? Dancing?

The difference between "being Martial" and "Martial arts" is simple:
If you can turn the "Martial behavior" on and off, you are a Martial Artist. If you have the behavior of a shark about to feed, you have "Martial Behavior". If you are behaving Martially all the time, you are a Martial Person.

Side Note: Martial People never get jumped. Predators know the difference.

Let me give you an example.

Here are some Martial Artists: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=176SLdBhj_A
When they talk about, "Finishing it", they are talking about a tapout or a choke to black out.

Here is a truly Martial person: Fast forward to about 4 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po3Cl8uCHvs

When someone like this describes violence, it's not a hobby to him. As the interviewer explains, "to him it was just another day at the office".

I recommend that everyone watch all 6 full youtube videos that that last video links to. They are very good and you will learn about real world violence and Martial Behavior. Not just Martial Arts.

He describes with a grin: "I was righteously worshiped".

Keep training!

Power Transfer

Perhaps the most important part of the physical portion of martial arts is the power transfer. I honestly think that a unskilled fighter will beat a skilled fighter as long as he can transfer power better.

No matter if you are punching, kicking, throwing, grappling or using weapons, Power Transfer is the key. A kick without proper power is not effective. A punch without proper power is meaningless. A throw without a good transfer is an accident.

What are the keys of a proper Power Transfer?

1. Explosiveness.
2. Rooting to the earth/footwork
3. Hip Rotation
4. Focus

We will get into these more later in this article, but let's take a look at Power Transfer in sports:

Baseball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aBKr9NoyXk
The video lacks proper explanation in explosiveness. I think this is largely due to the fact that it's something to be assumed rather than taught. The creator of the video also fails to explain proper hip rotation. But did you notice that he does proper hip rotation? I assume this omission is more of an accident than anything else. The focus part comes up in his videos later. Highlight: He mentions that you should have your REAR FOOT on stable ground. This goes with the Rooting To the Earth.

Football: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bET91RpahoQ
We talk about football in class a lot. This is because we have seen high level football players K.O. Blackbelts and other martial artists. Something about adapting your body to soak a 200-300 lb meat missile teaches you good footwork. This video explains a bunch of techniques and goes into the importance of proper footwork. I find it amazing that football players understand this stuff better than fighters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qkw_QWmt8w&feature=related
I like this one a ton. It's very simple, but says just about everything you can in under a minute. If all you did was practice two step drills, you would probably be a better fighter than most of your "fighters" out there. I wanted to point out the foot that's in the direction of travel moves first. Also, notice how they are off their heels?

Boxing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqqo9KzOaao
This video isn't flawless, but it makes it's points well. Light/powerful footwork is the thing to get from this video. He has good posture, mobility, and foot placement. Although he blades his body a bit much, he makes it clear why.

Muay Thai: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzqVUnbkAM8
Very similar to the other stuff, but hopefully your getting the point: Good athletes are built on the foundation of footwork.

Breakdown of the Keys:
1. Explosiveness cannot be learned any other way than practice. You can watch people in class who practice this a ton, and those who don't. Micro movements and small muscle movements are really what cause this to be effective. Shadowboxing/Jump rope/explosive body weight exercises are what develops this. Hit the bag, watch in the mirror and EXPLODE!

2. Rooting to the Earth is a term I learned in Shotokan Karate. The concept basically comes down to the ability to use the terrain as a springboard to launch your explosiveness. If you are caught on bad footwork, your fighting just doesn't work. Additionally, if you have no grasp of the earth, you are likely to be knocked out or thrown much easier. Judoka practice "Un-rooting" their opponents all the time. It's why their throws are so effective. There are many ways to learn to do this, but proper foot work is where you should start. No mater where you are, what your doing, or who's around, just think: "Are my feet properly rooted to launch significant power?" The football video mentions curling your toes. In football this is commonly referred to as "Grabbing for Grass". Launching off your feet is where Jack Dempsey's "Drop Step" really comes from. Make sure you are properly rooted before you try it though!

3. Hip rotation is essential to knock out punches. The baseball video show's this best, but good kicking tutorials are good to watch too. Opening your hips adds so much power to your shot's that it's tough to put into words. Hip Heists, windmill's, and "Elvis drills" are some great way's to develop power with this. Hip rotation is covered in Jack Dempsey's system as a "Shift" masterfully.

4. Once you have the above skills down, it's time to focus it. The ability to focus on your hip movement (or anything else) while placing a shot against a guy's jaw is a important skill. Once your body has developed all this energy, it's time to Transfer your Power into a target. Keep in mind: If your hand isn't strong enough to bear, you will likely damage yourself more than the opponent. Make sure you focus your damage properly! There is no way that I know of to knock someone out without landing your technique.

On the Lookout

Just saw this news article today:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Serial-Butt-Slash-Suspect-Identified-129371533.html?dr

We often imagine the kinds of attacks we might have to deal with as we train. As we exit our training hall, hopefully we are more mindful of potential threats around us. We envision a street person or thug approaching us with ill intentions in some bad part of town, and that is enough to get us in a mood to throw some smack down. What about people who do not look very threatening?

Do you keep your awareness up in peaceful places, such as a shopping mall in broad daylight? How about the situation mentioned in the previous post: your own living room with your cousin?

As much as I hate using anecdotal evidence to justify paranoia or worse, hysteria, having even one guy doing minor knife ambushes in a shopping mall gives good cause to never assume you are in a safe place.

It is probably not happy living to be on constant lookout for a potential attack at every turn or from every person within ten feet of you, but this news piece gives reason to be a little more careful.

How many victims become victims because they just don't believe it would happen: 1) To them, 2) In that place, 3) At all, or 4) From that particular person.

So what to do about it and how careful to be? That is up to you. Should you be acting like Inspector Clouseau on guard for Kato's ambush attack at any moment? Probably not. Personally, I think one should be aware as one can reasonably be (and this can be improved upon all the time) and be ready go at a moment's notice. It will come when you least expect it.

Opportunity: Perhaps your best weapon

It's one of the most important elements of a fight. Debatably the most important part.

When violence occurs, and you are the victim, a small window of opportunity might be the only way you will get out of there alive.

We don't cover it very much in class, but keep your mind open to different opportunities martially. When sitting in your favorite Star-Shmucks, sit calmly and watch the door. Watch the ebb and flow of customers walk into the coffee shop. Watch how the crowd moves and congregates. Imagine now that one of the patrons stands up with a gun, slaps their girlfriend, or does some ill shit.

Based on the current state of the Star-Shmucks, do you have the opportunity to escape cleanly? Do you have the lane of travel to intercept the offender? Patience may be required to get your opportunity. Use verbals, non-verbal languge and silence to wait out a window for opportunity.

The link I have for today is a good example of this....

http://kstp.com/news/stories/S2268925.shtml?cat=1
See you all at class!

With apologies from Okinawa.

Well, we have been talking a ton about the class.

Structure, location, type, drills, etc.

We have found perhaps the peak of human performance. From here on out, we will be adapting the techniques and strategy of Master Dominick Giacobbe.

http://www.cracked.com/blog/4-instructional-videos-made-by-crazy-people_p2/

Scroll down to the second article...

In all seriousness, class has been going very well. People are really starting to develop and I am getting more impressed with every each class. As we go on with the "Cover Crash and smash" drills, I hope to let you guys have some reps being the instructor. You will be blown away how each student has a VERY DIFFERENT style, all of which are stuff we teach, and are effective. I think the higher intensity stuff is really good for everyone and it's forcing people to develop.

The closing issue I wanted to mention is Escalation of Force.

When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, many thought the war was over. Japan had used force faster than us and damaged the already small American Navy to a unsightly low number. How would America ever recover from such a violent, dark, and vicious attack?

The exact same way that you do in a street fight. When it comes to violence of any kind, he who uses the most force wins. This is something we talk about in class a ton, but cannot be overstated. If someone pulls a knife, you must trump it and find a way to commit more violence than is being committed on you.

The legal way of putting this, "Using the least amount of force necessary to stop a threat". So if a guy punches you in the mouth, don't shoot him... Use the least amount to survive. And yes, that usually means running away....

A bad example of this is something I found online today.

If someone throws rocks at you or your property do you:
A. Throw Rocks Back
B. Drive off, call the cops
C. Defend your sweet ride with honor (honor in this case being a crossbow)
D. Cower in fear.

Read the article and find out...
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CROSSBOW_ATTACK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-08-30-11-06-29

Hey Pal, got a buck?

I think everyone has been asked this at least million times in their adult life.

There you are, walking down the street. Your minding your own business and out of no where, some smellier member of society approaches:

Scum: Hey man, can I get  [insert amount of money here].

Me: No

Scum: Hey, these are hard times I just need...

Me: (now agitated and clenched fists) I said, No.

End of issue... Right?

Well, today Tristan sent me an article. 

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Man-Asks-Pedestrian-for-1-Then-Stabs-Him-128237573.html

Here's what I want you to think about:

1. Was this guy after money, or after the thrill of an assault?

2. Would giving a dollar kept him out of the ER?

3. Why did he pick this victim?

4. At what point during this encounter could the victim have turned this around and kept himself from getting stabbed?

5. Your the passing motorist. What do you do? 

6. Once again, your the motorist. You see the attack. Do you have a weapon on you capable of saving this guy?

I look forward to hearing responses!

The Perfect Move

Attention all students of the Survival Academy:

I have discovered the perfect martial arts move!

When we drill in class, students see a bunch of "other possible moves". This is good. It shows vision and insight into other possibilities and other techniques. Our response to most of these moves is something like, "yes, that could work, but in my opinion, this one is better".

Is there a Perfect Move? Yes there is.

As defined by Rory Miller:
"A Perfect move does four things in a single action:
1. It betters your position;
2. It worsens the Threat's position;
3. It protects you from damage; and
4. It damages the Threat or unbalances the Threat if damage isn't justified, but this is a counter-assault. If you are ambushed, only enough damage to get out safely is justified."

Do you get the point here?

I am much more of a inside fighter. I fight most effectively when I am standing on my Threat's toes. Breaking the glass is essential in just about every move I prefer. There are other people who prefer long range attacks, middle range attacks, fists, hammer hands, palms, elbows, etc.

A truly well rounded fighters knows their body. A truly well rounded fighter knows their ability. He (or she) has the vision to know how to do "A Perfect Move" from all ranges, positions, and situations. This is the essence of a martial arts master.

Have you run through in your head all the different ranges and positions the are possible? Have you tangled with different types of people with different types of abilities? Does your fear of getting hurt, tired, or made to look silly keep you from practicing skills that will save your life? Time to defeat "The Bashful Monkey" and move on to keeping your ass alive.

Develop the perfect move. Develop the strength, speed, and stamina to do the perfect move over and over again.

An Ethical/Legal question....

Allow me to set the scene:

You are at a shopping mall. You are standing in a rotunda talking on your cell phone. During the conversation on the cell phone, you say: "...that idiot pisses me off too."

A passer by hears only this portion. He walks over to you and says, "what the fuck did you say to me?"

You are startled, put the phone at your side and say, "hey man, I wasn't talking to you. I was on the phone."

The passerby doesn't buy it. "shut your fucking mouth or I will beat the shit out of you!".

End of story.

Think about this: if you try to explain the situation and it escalates into a fight, will the court find you at fault because you didn't shut up? A case could be made saying that by not "shutting the fuck up" you were defending your pride, not your body...

I don't have a good answer for this, but it's something to think about...

New Poll, Changes, Martial Concepts!

First off, I wanted to point out to everyone that I put up a new poll on the blog. The last poll had to do with "Should I have Ad's on the blog." 7 for yes, 1 for don't care, and 1 for no. I don't know how we have 9 people voting, but I have had plenty of 3rd party traffic across the blog in the past. It would appear that those people like to vote! So from here on out, there will be ad's with every post. Visiting the sponsors will bring in only a few cents, but any money it generates will be back to supplies/material for the class.

Secondly, there's a new poll. This particular issue has been a rolling debate for some time. We have been encouraged in the past to formalize class, add belts, ranks, tiers, etc. I encourage you all to consider this, and vote accordingly.

Thirdly, I wanted to tell everyone what a great job they have been doing in recent classes. This isn't coming from my mouth as much as it has been coming from the mouths of other students. I have discussed with several students about things like:
1. Tristan looks really good lately! He has made amazingly big strides in the past months.
2. Mark hits like a truck. I can't believe how hard he hits.
3. Jason has made great progress already. I really enjoy having him in class.

These of course, are the quotes of other students. I would never say nice things to you guys, I am far to much of a jerk...

The Martial Concept I wanted to write about for this week is:
The Bashful Monkey

We all struggle with this. Even MMA/Boxing pro's struggle with this. It is the reason that Hillbillies, Bums, Thugs, Maggots, and other violent types win against trained fighters.

The Bashful Monkey is the title of a concept form Musashi's The Book of Five Rings. Everyone should read this book, as it's one of the best martial handbooks ever put to print.

The concept is this: When you fight, You cannot worry about being hit. Act ferociously and skilled, and you will avoid being hit and you will launch a solid offense.

Many folks go through life for years at a time without getting hit, or wrestled. The result is that they fear it. It becomes the unknown, and it probably has to do with their last painful memory of the school playground. The fear of an attack keeps you jerky, sloppy, and weak. Learning to deal with objects flying at your head is a ESSENTIAL part of Martial Arts. You must be able to look at an attack and fight through fear. Dodge appropriately, but don't let your fear of getting hit overwhelm you.

How to drill:
1. Show up to class and partake in drills. Let your fellow students throw some shots at you while you preform drills.
2. Rondori/sparing. Cover Crash and Smash and other forms of high intensity drills keep you on your toes. Have your wife/son/neighbor/friend take a weapon and try to hit you with it. Learn your footwork, range, and defeat the fear of getting hit.
3. Punching bag drills. After doing a combo on the punching bag, let it swing back and clock you. Repeatedly. Learn to elbow spike it as it swings at you. Also learn how to absorb the impact of a heavy object hitting you.

Once you learn that getting hit is no big deal and that you can fight through it, you will not be a Bashful Monkey!