Active Shooter Response

I was going to write an article on this topic but I found a great one already done by a Security Expert from the UK.  I give him full credit and leave his name at the top and bottom so he may be thanked for his thoughtful writing

There is one thing I would change for those of us in the U.S.  It does not have to be a terrorist attack. In fact the likelihood of us being involved in a real terrorist attack is very small.  We do however have cowards of many types who can get their hands on guns in the U.S. so think big.  The attacker could be a disgruntled employee, bullied school kid, ex-relationship, Muslim, Christian, etc.  He or she may have a grudge against you individually or not care that you exist at all.  This information is valid for any type of situation where there is an imminent threat to you and your loved ones and immediate action is paramount.  Read on and let me know what you think.  

Thank you Shaun.  

.  This blog was posted on behalf of Shaun Gowland, Managing Director or Risk Contained (http://www.riskcontained.co.uk/).

After being asked numerous times by various people for advice on what to do whilst caught in a terrorist attack, I thought it would be good to go a little further in depth, well quite a bit further in depth, than what the Government and Police have been doing, guiding you via posters and what I deem as “brushing it under the carpet somewhat.” I think it’s extremely important information and without trying to frighten most of you too much, in which some way I hope it does, as it can only heighten your awareness and knowledge and hopefully make a difference one day. It’s advice that could save your life and others, here goes!

This blog is aimed at the everyday person, yes you! Read on and take what you can from it. I’m also open to questions and if needed, can advise further of course.

It’s so hard to cover everything in such a small amount of words and without me being able to show examples and video etc. If I can only get you thinking on what you would do or think you would do in a specific situation I’ll be happy. I don’t want to push my personal thoughts or what I would do onto you, nor do I want to tell you what to do. We are all individuals and your reactions and actions certainly would be different to mine and everyone else’s. That’s the reason when I discuss and deliver training to my clients it’s specific to them and not a generic “how to” package. Imagine telling an 85 year old, partially disabled person to run etc and you get the picture of how other companies fail by delivering generic advice and training to clients. I simply want to offer up some options and ideas for you to think about. They might be right for you, they might be wrong for you that, of course, will be up to you, the situation and, more importantly, what would be happening at that very nano second in time. Hindsight is a great thing and having the opportunity to look back and plan for a situation that has already happened is a fantastic thought, unfortunately we are yet to invent the time travel and nor do we have the ability to predict the future. What we can do is learn from the past and develop ourselves to cope and adapt to future events. Let’s hope the following situation is the very last we see, personally I don’t think it will be and we must prepare and ready ourselves to survive as best possible.

The date is the 13th of November 2015, the time 21.40, the place the Bataclan Theatre on the boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement, Paris, France, just one of the places that night to be attacked. The American band Eagles of Death Metal are playing to an audience of around 1,500 people. You’re in that audience enjoying your night with a close friend. About an hour into the show a car pulls up outside and 3 men enter the building armed with once deactivated AK47 Assault Rifles purchased from a Slovakian military shop and re-activated by replacing the barrels due to poor deactivation laws in that respective country. They also have grenades. Around 22:00, the attackers took 60–100 concert goers hostage as police gathered outside the venue. The latter I’ll leave for maybe a future blog post as other factors come into play. The time they were in the building is an important factor in this and should be kept in mind.

In 2014 the FBI conducted a study into Active Shootings and discovered most end in 2 minutes or less, this was not the case in the Paris attacks and in the majority of recent Terrorist based shootings/attacks of late. These attacks are meticulously planned and executed to accomplish the largest media impact and devastation/loss of life possible. We are now also seeing a new form of attack where the Terrorist seeks to escape and is not intent on just having their own life taken as the attack concludes. In the past the Terrorist was going into an attack already knowing they were dead making them even more proficient without the reigns of preserving their own life. Take the Japanese Samurai for instance "The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to death, there is only the quick choice of death.” The Samurai went into war accepting they were already dead making them even more dangerous in battle. "Those who cling to life die, and thosewho defy death live." The sengoku daimyô Uesugi Kenshin left these words for his retainers just prior to his own death. We have the same dangerous, fanatically religious, brainwashed, hardened mindset in modern day Terrorists putting them ahead of the common day persons mindset. Whilst caught up in an attack whether they are planning to escape or to die, both ends of the spectrum are extremely dangerous regardless and need to be dealt with quickly and appropriately.

Do something!

The Fight, Flight or Freeze response is a physiological reaction that happens to all of us during a perceived harmful event, attack or threat to personal survival. In my experience individuals can go through either response and different events can bring different responses to the point even a similar event can bring on a different response to the last one at a later date. I’ve seen men curl up and cry under an armed attack, months later after returning fire and leading the team in a previous attack, so don’t think you’re going to respond the same each time, even in a similar situation. As ever, preparation is key and having a clear plan to follow backed up with practical hands on training really helps to get your mindset into dealing with what’s going on at the time and surviving. To do nothing is simply signing your own death certificate so DO SOMETHING!

“This shit ain’t easy”

Being able to do something and operate with a clear mind is hard, super hard! You’re not going to suddenly become Jason Bourne that’s for sure. Past studies show that people who have witnessed traumatic events felt like they were watching a movie, it felt surreal and like it wasn’t really happening. The ones that have survived that is. For instance how’s your weapons recognition? Do you know how many rounds a standard AK magazine holds? Is that Glock 17 made ready to fire by looking at the trigger position etc etc? Do you know when the terrorist is reloading or is he dealing with a stoppage on his weapon? How’s your skill set around fighting, disarming an attacker, using a recovered firearm? Have you been and checked for a way out of the venue before relaxing? Do you have an escape plan? Are you monitoring who's going in and out of the venue? Where’s your vehicle parked and how do you get to it once the streets outside are unsafe? How far can you run, how long can you fight, can you fight on the ground, can you even throw a punch or kick to incapacitate an attacker? I could go on and on and I only wish I could ask these questions to certain clients without scaring the living daylights out of them before they decided they didn't need my services. A mistake I hope they never have to deal with. Not everyone can afford professional protection in their everyday lives so what can you do to protect yourself in it’s basic form? Well let’s look at something you can put in place to help mitigate the risk.

- Maintain situational awareness at all times
- Take control of yourself and others in your party (children, partner, spouse etc)
- Keep a track on where others are in your party and do not leave minors alone at any point
- Have an escape plan
- Do not go with the crowd unless they present a barrier between you and the attacker and there’s no other route

- Make your choice to either Run, Hide or Attack quickly 

- Be assertive and aggressive
- Keep positive and above all else believe your going to survive
- Deal with medical matters once your clear of danger
- Report and tell the authorities, Police etc

Let’s go into these in a little more detail, I cannot go in depth, as I said this blog is to get you to think and it’s not a manual to follow under any circumstance;

1. Maintain situational awareness at all times

Most threats can be stopped through this skill alone, I have built a career from doing this, it is the primary role of any professional in protective duty. If you see it before it happens then you have the upper hand. It buys you time to react and having that time saves lives.

2. Take control of yourself and others in your party (children etc)

Being a wet blanket ain’t going to help when the rounds start to fly, you must take control of yourself and whoever you have with you. Make sure your party know when you get serious they need to listen, have an emergency word or similar for instance. Unfortunately you cannot save everyone and personally I concentrate on my family or friends should they be with me. As hard and as heartless as it sounds I will put others in the line of fire to save my family, friends and that’s just the way I am, in that type of situation I think of them and them alone, I care not for anyone else and they become a barrier to enable my families escape. Sorry if that offends but I do not know you and I will not put your life above the lives of anyone in my family. Be hard faced, you’re going to have to be when it’s time to lead and survive. Selfish? Yes, will it help you and your family survive? Yes.

3. Keep a track on where others are in your party and do not leave minors alone at any point

Have you got children with you? Have they popped off to the toilet alone? Imagine the attackers have started firing, imagine how your children would feel in the panic, witnessing the event, trying to find you, you trying to find them. I don’t think I need to add further to this other than if others in our party are not minors then they need to know the plan and what to do. Extreme isn’t it? Having a conversation with your wife before a night out about an escape plan and what to do, agreeing on a meeting point once in safety if split up etc. Yes it is extreme and how many people do it? Very little I suspect. Now put yourself in the place of the people caught in the situation described at the start of this blog post and ask yourself how many now wish they could have done this.

Can we do this every time we go out? Well it’s a hard thing to contemplate but in todays world in todays unpredictable terrorist rich environment I have a plan every time I go out, every time I take my family somewhere and until the current climate changes I’ll carry on to do that, I couldn't live with myself should I not, and something go wrong. It’s your choice, it’s your life you make that choice not me.

4. Have an escape plan

Spend 15 mins before you go out to view the locality on a map, especially if it’s a new place you have never been before. Look at the venue over view/map/floor plan on the internet, most have these. When you get to the venue look at the fire escape map/floor plans if available etc and take into consideration entry and exit points. Visible exit points and hidden exit points, for instance at the back of a kitchen or back stage etc. Keep your nearest exit point and next exit point in mind at all times that way you can make a quick escape should you need to and if your nearest exit is blocked you have a secondary in mind immediately. Once out of the venue proceed with caution take into account whats in front of you and behind they may be following you. Get to safety as soon as possible. Be aware of armed Police and how you look to them, if you are weapons trained and have picked up an attackers weapon make sure you know what to do if your in the sights of the armed Police etc they will shoot if your deemed a threat. Learn the Rules of Engagement and know when and how to react in this position.

5. Do not go with the crowd unless they present a barrier between you and the attacker and there’s no other route.

It’s a natural tendency to follow the crowd, this will only impede you escape unless they provide a barrier between you and the attacker. Think for yourself and follow your plan not others, they will not have planned as your have thus they do not know what they are doing nor do they know what they are going to do. It’s dangerous period.

6. Make your choice to either Run, Hide or Attack

Let’s break these 3 options down even further as this is a very important part of what to do. If you’re going to choose either of the 3 options then you’re going to have to take in what’s going on around you very quickly and be able to make an ongoing dynamic risk assessment as you move, this takes practice and is not easy whilst awash with adrenaline and a fully blown attack taking place with death and multiple injures around you. Either way you have to do something as we discussed earlier and you must put things happening around you into the back of your mind and move. Whenever I work I use three simple protocols:

- Remove the VIP from the threat
- Place assets and barriers between the VIP and the threat
- Remove the threat

Let’s put those into the following 3 choices;

RUN: You have chosen to run, now running poses a multitude of problems when confronted with an attack in the form of a firearm as a firearm is a distance weapon and works better when the thing your firing at is at a certain distance mostly close range pistols and carbine weapons are used and this makes your problem huge! Distance is the best weapon in the world if your distance is greater than the weapon thats being used against you but in a confined space or open space up to around 1000 yards (differing according to the weapons used of course) then the attacker has the upper hand. Running in most cases is the worst thing you can do although we can mitigate that by how we run. We must run sporadically in zig zags and take different bursts of pace and direction to make it harder for the attacker to acquire a target and hit it. Use urban furniture and place a barrier between you and the attacker and remove yourself from the threat as quickly and as safely as possible. Choose your barriers wisely, the weapons used in Paris can and did penetrate brick walls so using plaster walls and normal soft skin vehicles is not good enough. Stay Low and Move FAST!

HIDE: Now to me hiding brings it’s own problems and should be, in my mind, the last option on the list. If indoors it’s only a matter of time before the attacker either finds you or stumbles across you and it’s goodbye. If you have no other option other than to hide then you must find a secure area, room etc. A lockable door or a door you can place barriers against to stop the attacker finding a way through or breaking the seal. A place they wouldn't look, loft space hidden areas, use things to conceal yourself and others, if possible where you can see the attacker pass so you can utilise another escape route or attack them from the rear is you are capable. Turn off lights and do not make a noise, turn of mobile phone ring tones, and vibrate too! If they hear you you’re in trouble. Use your mobile and call the Police as soon as possible not to give yourself away when doing so. Do not respond to anyone knocking on the doors or trying to flush you out by saying they are the Police etc. Attackers will do this and reports of them asking for help are common place so be cautious and survive forget about others until your safe.

FIGHT: In an ideal world I’d tell everyone to rush the attackers to disarm them. I have ran this scenario alongside running many times in a controlled environment and have seen an 80% or more survival rate. Within 21 feet the attacker only gets a few shots off until they are engulfed and disarmed, that means you lose a few people and the majority survive. Now put that into real word attacks, how many sane brave people would run at an attacker firing an AK47 into a crowd? Not many our response is, as we described earlier, Fight, if you’re close enough, Flight, this is the normal response which most would run away from the attacker and the distance is increased for a distance firearm to be used even more effectively, and then there’s Freeze, again a majority of humans do this and are killed. It’s nearly impossible to predict what will happen in a real attack as we have so many variables and anyone giving a run down of what they will do need an ego check and have more than likely never been in that sort of environment or situation.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO ATTACK?

Use things around you. Chairs and fire extinguishers make great cover and instruments to land devastating blows. Rush the attacker and restrain him/her, be aggressive and, if needed, take them out. Does anyone remember the train bound Terrorist that the 3 American and 1 English hero’s took out before he started his kill on a fully packed train? Spencer Stone, a US Airman was the first to rush the attacker and choke him unconscious using Brazilian Jiu Jitsu techniques. He single handedly saved potentially hundreds of lives that day and is a personal hero of mine. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is, in my eyes, the best form of unarmed combat to learn which I’ll go into in a future blog post for all interest.

Work as a team, the more the better in my eyes. Rush the attacker and disarm as soon as possible. Go for the weapon first in a surprise attack, they will not expect this and their mindset will not cope quickly enough to overcome this in enough time as to act. You therefore, will have the upper hand.

Will you get hurt? More then likely yes. People survive gunshots everyday and to give yourself and others the best chance of survival this is the best proven and tested method to maximise the number of survivors in an armed attack. Curling up and begging for your life will not work. Think back to the execution of the Policemen on the street during the Charlie Hebdo attack. One was shot begging for his life pistol still in the holster. They do not give a damn about your life. Chris Norman a Briton aboard the train that day gave an insight into his mindset around subduing theattacker that day, “My thought was, ‘OK, I’m probably going to die anyway, so let’s go.’ I’d rather die being active, trying to get him down, than simply sit in the corner and be shot. Either you sit down and you die or you get up and you die. It was really nothing more than that.”

7. Be assertive and aggressive

Aggression is your friend use it to your advantage, if you’re running or fighting for your life it’s the same aggressive state of mind you will need to have. Going above what you think is acceptable and what you think is within the law sadly goes out of the window once firearms are involved and people are being killed around you. The use of deadly force is necessary. Take them out before they take you out. Like the heroes who subdued and disarmed the terrorist on the train they didn’t stop attacking until the attacker couldn't move or was capable of anything dangerous, neither did they go further than what was needed. Once they had him restrained they didn’t kill him, he was handed over to the Police in good health if not a little bruised and battered. If they had killed him in the fight then I’m pretty sure the law would have been on their side and they would have walked free. Killing him once restrained is a different matter all together. As I said before once firearms are involved deadly force is definitely on the cards. Not everyone is capable of taking a life, in this situation it’s either you or them and I know who will be going back to their family if it was myself. Again your choice, you make it.

8. Keep positive and above all else believe your going to survive

Mental Toughness is paramount as well as the will and need to survive. Staying positive and having the mindset that you will survive will help you. Believing your going to die will only push you into shock quickly and make you give up. The situation is far from ideal but once over, you will have your life back. Dwelling on negative thoughts breeds further negative thoughts and you’re quickly into that downward spiral. Stay positive if you want to win!

9. Deal with medical matters once your clear of danger

Medical matters must be dealt with after you have extracted to safety and all interventions must be within you capabilities. Medical training is a must in my eyes for everyone, we run various certified Medical courses which will only help in any medical emergency. We must ignore other injured persons and keep moving, they will only slow you down. Let the experts go back for them or you will find yourself joining them and at worst dead. Another hard choice to make, passing screaming men, women and children to preserve your own life, and another one you’re going to have to make yourself. Unfortunately, I can only guide you and give you the options.

10. Report and tell the authorities, Police etc

Once safe, comply with the Police or Authorities and relay the clearest picture you can to them. How many attackers? How were they dressed? Approximately how many casualties? Which exit did you escape from? What weapons have been used, if you know? These are just some of the questions you may be asked so try to take in as much information as you can as the event happens. The more information you can gather the better chance the experts have at saving lives.

Conclusion

These attacks are still extremely rare but being prepared can only be a positive in the pursuit of preserving lives and defeating the terrorist. You may get the time to react, you may not even see it coming, being in the wrong place at the wrong time can be inevitable and when it’s your time to go unfortunately it’s your time to go and there’s nothing you’re going to be able to do to stop that. What we can do is, do something, fight for your life. It may just save it and countless others. Be brave and go out fighting. Easily said, hard to carry out in the chaos of an attack. Let’s hope we never have to but if the situation calls be ready! Do something and be the best you can be!

Sparring vs Reality Based Scenario Training

Sparring vs Scenario Based Training

There seems to be a little misunderstanding out there about sparring and it's benefits compared to reality based scenario exercises and role playing.

I am going to start with what I understand as sparring and what it helps us develop.
Sparring is a great way to test particular skills against an uncooperative training partner.  It helps us check out what works under certain conditions, challenges our physical fitness and tests basic skill sets.  Our partner agrees to resist our attempts and makes us work for a win.  Protective gear of some sort is often used and there are rules of engagement that protect the participants.  Sparring is primarily used to test sporting based martial arts that have a competitive component to them.

Sparring is primarily concerned with developing physical skills, endurance, speed, competitive spirit and has a strong component of sportsmanship like all athletic events.  The level of intensity can be varied depending on the skills of the participants and rules can be adjusted to test particular skills.

Sparring has a place in martial arts, but it is limited in what it offers and what is developed in the participants.  Sparring is often also style based.  For instance in Tae Kwon Do take downs and ground fighting skills would not be tested.  In BJJ kicking skills would not be used.  If you are training for a point, no contact, tournament then those rules would be followed.  Sparring is a sports tool.  It can be geared to develop many aspects but it is limited in many ways.

Scenario based training can test everything you can in sparring and much more.  Decision making, tactical and strategic thinking, use of weapons, cover, concealment, escape routes, use of force, proper use of environment are just a few examples.  Like sparring there are rules to protect participants and protective gear is often used however the purpose and approach are totally different and much more diverse.

To start with, here is an example of how a scenario based training exercise could function.
You have been in a weekend workshop focused on how to use barricades, obstacles and weapons of opportunity against an attacker.  The focus is on de-escalation, maintaining a position of tactical advantage and immediate neutralization of an imminent threat.  OK, so here is a big difference.  When have you ever heard terminology like that used during a sparring session?

So the scenario is this.  You are walking to your car in a parking lot at the mall.  You had to park a fair distance from the door because it was very busy when you arrived.  It is now 9 pm, the parking lot is almost empty and it is getting dark.  There is no security to call to walk you to your vehicle and you are alone.  As you approach your vehicle a male walks up to you and asks for some money.  He seems harmless at first but as he gets closer he reaches out and grabs your shirt.  As you attempt to pull away he steps in and pushes you against your car.  You have pepper spray in your purse and a tactical flashlight in your hand.  There is a car on both sides of you and the mall entrance is 75 yards away.  There is no one else in the parking lot.

Well, if this ever happens to you you made several mistakes to begin with, but that is not the focus right now.  The response here in a scenario is to do what ever is necessary to remove yourself from the situation as fast as possible.  There are many options available to you.  Which ones you choose and why are what is being tested.  Your immediate physical response and the intensity of your attack is being tested.  How quickly did you disable him?  What was your fear level?  How did you deal with it?  What other factors came into play?  How do you describe what happened to the police?  How do you justify your use of force if he is on the ground moaning, holding what used to be his testicles and bleeding all over the pavement?

Scenarios can be used to test knowledge, skills, decision making and much more.  They can be simple or complicated.  They can take place in parking lots, bedrooms, living rooms or an office environment.  They can include weapons, multiple opponents and just about anything else you can come up with.  Put some protective gear on, bring in multiple attackers and you have a challenge that will test anyone at any skill level.

Reality based training is an important element of a complete martial arts or personal protection program.  If your school or program does not use scenario based training then talk to them about incorporating it.  Sparring has it's place but as I said before reality based training goes much deeper and has many more aspects to it than sparring alone.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more contact me at:

Technique vs Skill

Technique vs 

Skill Based Learning

Over the years I have studied many traditional and non-traditional systems and styles of martial arts.   Some were based on old school thinking that had not changed in decades and others were more contemporary and kept up with current understandings and methodologies.

Some of the old school methods were based in replicating the instructor and repeating set sequences of movement based on artificially established parameters.   These included how the attacker would attack and that he had to do it exactly the same way every time.  As a result the defense also had to be a set pattern of movement, the same way every time.

A good example of this type of program is at a local school where you can see several lists of techniques posted up on the wall.  There are over 100 of these from white belt to black belt and then more above that as well.  Each student wishing to progress in this system has to remember the techniques in sequence with the name, attack and specified defense.  There are about 10 per rank.  The names are difficult to remember on there own let alone the attack and defense that must be performed exactly the same way each time.  Students get very good at replicating these as they practice them hour after hour in order to progress.

Other styles teach a curriculum based on techniques as well that have little to do with actual fighting, self defense or even sparring.

In the local school I am discussing it was my observation that even senior ranks who had been memorizing these lists of techniques for months and years, did not use them when fighting or sparring.  They reverted to basic skills such as hand strikes, kicking and in some cases take downs to finish on the ground.  They did not use the techniques that had been laid out because in a dynamic ever changing environment in a fight or sparring match you can't use rote memory techniques because you will not find yourself in a static perfect position to follow through with it.

On the other side of this discussion is skill based training methodology.  In this there are no set pre-established responses to a static, unrealistic situation.  Skills are taught as separate yet combinable movements that can be used in a variety of situations, from different positions and in dynamic, changing environments.

Skills may be presented as striking, kicking, take downs, throws, ground neutralization movements weapons attacks and responses and so on.

Skills are taught in dynamic situations so that the student can explore variations and different responses to similar threats and attacks.

For instance, instead of a set response to a straight punch to the face and repeating the same response over and over again like described above,  in a skill based program the student would be given several options, including movement drills, hand redirects or blokes, counter strikes and more.  The student would then explore these variations and devise his own natural responses based on his mental and physical make up, existing skill level and other factors that make him unique.

So an example of a drill would be that one partner throw 10 straight punches to the face and the defender respond with 10 different counters.  This type of training provides the participant with a creative component and an opportunity to develop his own natural awareness and abilities.  It also develops a fluidity and flexibility that is vital in a violent encounter.  Making the training as close as possible to what may be encountered in the real world gives the student the skill sets to respond to real threats in a dynamic, fluid and effective manner.

Innovation and creativity are vital to the learning process.   If a student learns to mimic the instructor and simply repeat a set of pre-established movements there is no individual expression or development in that. The student simply becomes a clone of his instructor.

Martial Arts are not meant to be written in stone and replicated generation after generation in some homage to a person who used skill based learning methodology to create his own way of doing things.  I find it ironic that most martial artists who people choose to follow did not mimic someone else but created their own way through experimentation and exploration.  Why then do people want to mimic that person instead of taking the core, or essence of what they did and then expand on it, adding their own flavor and variations?

I believe technique based learning has some advantages for new students.  Learning new ways of moving and understanding how to perform basic skills.  I also believe that technique based learning should only be used at the very beginning of someone's journey and that skill based training should be implemented as soon as possible to stimulate internal learning processes and individual expression.

After all, it is called Martial "Art"

Tactical Awareness

Tactical Awareness

Self Defense Article #3

Wow, you won the violent confrontation at the park.  You have talked it through with your partner and a couple of close friends.  You feel good about the results.  You took time to learn the physical skills you need to protect yourself.  You went out and purchased the tools that gave you tactical advantage.  You share your interest with your partner and she has joined you in your exploration of self defense. 

The next aspect you can work on is creating what is often called a tactical mindset.  Part of that is the winning attitude you have already created.  Another part is being able to look at situations and assess the tactical position you are in and how to gain advantage. 

To start with let’s talk about what is called the Color Code of Awareness.  This is a five color code to indicate your level of awareness and state of alertness. 

1)      White – This is the level of alertness often associated with being in a safe place, like your home.  You are relaxed.  There are no threats, no unknowns.  You are safe with your family watching TV or doing something fun and interesting with the ones you love.  This is the ONLY time you should find yourself at this level of awareness, it has no other place. 

2)      Yellow – You are out for a walk with the dog, or taking your kids to school.  You are shopping at the local supermarket.  You feel relatively safe in environments that you are familiar with.  You are relaxed but alert to everything and everyone around you.  When you are driving you know where the vehicles are on all sides.  You are paying attention. 

3)      Orange – A potential threat has appeared.  It could be the guy driving really fast and coming up on your rear bumper.  It could be the 4 punks on the corner wearing gang colors.  Anything that could be a potential threat needs extra attention and evaluation.  You are watching and listening, you are aware of the smallest changes.  You have tuned in and are ready for action if it becomes necessary. 

4)      Red – A threat is present.  The punks on the corner have spotted you and are moving your way.  The vehicle that was coming up fast behind you does not appear to be slowing down.  Action is required.  The action depends entirely on the circumstances you are in.  That is why you continue to study and practice.  You have run through scenarios in your mind so you can react quickly, you already have several options available to you so you don’t freeze up in a situation.  You do whatever you need to do to protect yourself. 

5)      Black – This is where you never want to be.  Too late.  You freeze up.  You were in white when a threat presented itself, you couldn’t respond fast enough and you do nothing.  You just became a victim.  NEVER allow yourself to go to black. 

How do you get to black?  Well one way is to be in white, unaware, too relaxed.  A threat appears and you need to be in red to deal with it affectively.  You can’t get there fast enough.  It is very difficult to jump from white to red.  Too much space in between.  You can jump two levels, but not three.  So you can be walking around in yellow and move to red to deal with an immediate threat.  You can jump one level at a time very easily, two is workable but not three.  What can happen is you don’t respond at all or you jump to black and just loose it. 

Being tactically aware is a vital survival skill.  As I have already indicated if you are not in the right mindset you cannot respond fast enough to a threat. 

Always be aware of your surroundings.  Where you are, who else is there.  Where your avenues of escape are, what safe areas are nearby, what areas you want to avoid.  What weapons are available to you.   These are all things to consider. 

Here are some of the things I do to stay safe.

·         I always stop for a moment before I enter a building.  I stop at the front door of the bank and take a look to make sure I’m not walking into a robbery or something.  I stop near the front of a restaurant to see who is there and what the atmosphere is. 

·         When driving I am aware of who and what is around me at all times.  I look as far ahead as I can to see what is happening with traffic.  I try not to drive in the middle lane so I don’t get blocked in at a red light.  I always have enough distance in front of my vehicle when stopped to pull out and go around the guy in front of me.   Make sure you can see his tires in contact with the pavement.  That will give you enough room to move. 

·         A safe following distance is 3 seconds between you and the car in front of you while moving.  Just pick and spot on the road and when the vehicle in front of you passes it start counting.  You should get to three before you reach the same spot.  This is the best way to judge distance as it doesn’t matter how fast you are going, just count to three. 

That should be enough to think about for now.  Until next time, be alert, be safe.

Raven, Spirit Warriors

Response, what to do during an attack

Mitigation, Preparation, Response and Recovery.   Whether it is emergency planning or self defense, these four phases of planning can be used to assist you in making sure you are covered and ready to survive a critical incident.  In our last article we covered these phases.  In this one I would like to look at the Response aspect in more detail. 

It’s a beautiful night.  You and your significant other are out for a walk under the stars.  You talk and hold hands, everything is so wonderful.  Wait!  What is that uneasy feeling you just got in your stomach? 

Was that someone moving in the dark over to your right?  Are there two of them? 

Being aware of your surroundings you spot your escape route.  You analyze your physical readiness, assess your environment for weapons of opportunity, barriers, concealment, cover, anything that you can use to give you tactical advantage. 

You reach into your pocket and feel the high intensity 2000 lumen flashlight that you carry.  With the other hand you remove your tactical folding knife from your belt.  Your adrenaline starts to kick in so you change your breathing to the tactical breathing you learned in self defense class last week. 

You start moving toward the parking lot where there are lights and other people around.  You tell your partner to get her pepper spray out of her purse and to take her kubotan out.  You tell her what you have observed and she replies she has already made them.  She is just as prepared as you are because she attended the class as well and knows she can kick butt if she needs to. 

The perps move in closer.  They think they are being stealthy and are going to surprise you.  Boy, are they in for a lesson.  You step away from your partner, moving about 6 feet to the rear and side.  You keep moving towards the lights when a third perp you didn’t see steps out from behind a tree and blocks your way.  Startled,  you blind him with your light, kick his shin and knee him in the groin, you break his nose with your flashlight and smash his collar bone with the butt end of your knife then sweep his leg so he falls groaning on the ground.

Your partner has engaged perp number 2.  You look over just in time to see him put his hands up in the air and scrunch his face up as he gets hit with a full blast of pepper spray, right in the eyes.  She knows that may not be enough so she smashes her kubotan down onto his nose, shattering it, then drives her shin up between his legs.  You hear a forced exhale of breath as he bends forward just in time to meet her knee, straight to the solar plexus.  Vision gone.  Breath gone.  Mobility hindered. 

Perp number 3 isn’t that stupid, he looks at his friends and takes off the other way. 

Wow, you are shaking, breathing is fast and you are in shock.  Did that just happen?  You can’t remember exactly what you did, but it appears to have worked.  Your partner is on her knees, she is crying, adrenaline is pumping.  You need to move, breathe deep, in through the nose, out through the mouth, nice and slow, there you go.  Control you responses, breathe, breathe. 

You won.  You didn’t just survive, you dominated them.  Surviving is not enough.  Surviving often means you made it through something where at one point you were a victim.  You are never a victim when it comes to self defense.  You either win or you lose.  Some people say there are no winners in a fight.  That can be true when you are talking about fighting another person for ego gratification or some other insignificant reason.  In a life and death situation you are absolutely a winner.  

In self defense there is no second place, no consolation prize or metal.  There is only one acceptable outcome.  Your attitude has to be one of perseverance, dominance and control.  If for one second you give up or doubt yourself you could lose.  Losing on the street may mean losing your life.

Mental preparation, creating a tactical mindset, never accepting defeat; these are all necessary attributes that will help you to prevail in a violent confrontation.  

A battle is won before it begins.  If you utilize the four phases of emergency planning as described previously, if you train right and practice what you train, you will have a much better chance of winning. 

Besides, in any aspect of life, who wants to be a loser?  Not me.

In our next article we will look at how you can create a winning attitude and what a tactical mindset is.  The physical skills are only a small aspect of learning how to protect yourself.  They are the easiest.  The rest is where you really have to work at it. 

Until next time, be safe, be smart. 

Tradition or Evolution?

Tradition or Evolution?  

I do not believe it necessarily has to be one or the other.  I believe there is a prominence of one or the other in most martial arts so the question is which are you most interested in?

The answer for me is evolution.

I started my martial studies in 1981.  I have studied traditional martial arts from China, Japan, Korea and The Philippines.   I have studied modern combat systems in the military and law enforcement.  I delved into Russian Martial Arts which is vast in it's richness and can be traditional and cultural or very modern and scientifically based.

I have never been a traditional person, meaning that the old ways are of interest to me but they do not define my studies or me in any way.  I am open minded in my spirituality, not religious.  I have no particular political affiliations but recognize what works as being of value.

This outlook on life as a whole is also my perspective in martial arts.  I recognize traditional ways as having value in learning how skills were developed and what their application can be.  History is moderately interesting but I am more interested in learning from history so we can move forward and not repeat mistakes or keep going around in circles.  When something no longer works or no longer serves a purpose it is time to let it go.

Lets use a martial example here.  I think Okinawan weapons are kind of cool.  The Tonfa, Sai and Nunchucks.  It is interesting how farm implements became weapons when the government put controls on martial studies and confiscated weapons and punished those who used them.  It has some historical significance in understanding the bigger picture.  Do I have any interest in learning to be proficient with these weapons and spending hours practicing?  No, not at all.

What weapons do I train with?  Short stick or baton, short bladed edged weapons,read knife, and firearms.  Why, you may ask?  Because they are the modern weapons that I have access to and can have available to me if I ever need to use weapons in protecting myself.  Some of you may argue that a firearm is not a martial arts weapon, I disagree, there is another article here on this blog discussing that topic so that is all I will say here.

In martial arts class do you wear funny outfits and speak a foreign language?  Why?

Do you train in bare feet?  Why?  This one is an interesting one in modern North American society.  Why do people train in bare feet?  Where are you ever going to fight someone in bare feet?  Unless you are in your bathroom or at the beach that is very unlikely.  Some people think it is to toughen your feet, I guess it does that but the more probable reason is simply that in Japan and Korea you do not wear shoes inside. Interesting huh?  It has little or nothing to do with practicing martial arts, it is simply a cultural thing of no shoes in the house.

What about a Gi?  Why do you wear a Gi?  It has nothing to do with martial arts it is simply the style of clothing worn in the past in some societies.

I look at many martial arts and ask "Why" when I see people doing a particular move or technique.  It is disheartening when the answer is " I don't know, that's just the way we do it."  Really?  Is that a satisfactory answer?  I do not think so.

In many Japanese and Korean styles the front punch is taught with a chamber position by the hip as the starting place.  Why?  Have you ever wondered?  Most people do not and many teachers do not have an explanation. No, That's just the way I learned it, is not a satisfactory answer.

As I said, tradition does have it's place, but when does it start to hinder forward movement?  I believe everything we learn in martial arts should be challenged and verified.  I believe a scientific approach can validate what is useful and eliminate what is not.   Using current understanding of anatomy and physiology, psychology, physics and math will help us to deepen our understanding and expand our knowledge and skills. Most of this knowledge was not available 100 or 200 years ago when many arts were being created.  What worked then in that country, in that time, may no longer be the most appropriate or useful way to train and practice.

I still see people doing ballistic stretching.  If you have any understanding of exercise science you will understand how detrimental that can be.   Over stretching in martial arts is common.  The effects are loose joints that get injured, overextended elbows and knees, hip problems and rotator cuff tears are all common in martial arts schools where the teachers are not properly educated and rely on the old ways as a valid method.

Tradition has it's place.  I think one of the big issues however is that people get stuck in tradition and do not ask why, or how and then get stuck themselves.  It is interesting to know the origins of a martial art, where and how it all got started but we also need to adapt and advance the art to meet the needs of people today in the modern world, in our own society and culture.

I encourage you to be brave.  To stop and ask why, how can we use this, how can we improve this?  Isn't that what the originator of the art did?  They saw what was available, maybe studied the old ways and then modified it and modernized it to meet their own needs and the needs of the people around them.  Why then would we not continue to do the same thing?

There is so much more that could be discussed here.  My purpose however is to simply initiate thought and to encourage you as a martial artist to question what you are being taught.  To encourage you to educate yourself in modern methods of training and base your choices on the highest level of knowledge you can attain.

There are some wonderful teachers and programs available to an open minded seeker, do not limit yourself to a tradition or one way of thought out of misunderstanding or some distorted sense of loyalty.  It is up to you to learn the best that you can from the best teachers you can find.

As you expand your awareness, knowledge and skills you will naturally evolve, which to me is the primary purpose of existence ,the evolution of self and my martial studies.
...the evolution continues...
Enjoy the journey.

What's your style?

What's your style?  I love that question when asked to Bruce Lee on a junket somewhere near Hong Kong.  His response was, "You can call it the art of fighting without fighting".

I always had a hard time answering that question for myself until I decided I have no style.  To me style implies structure, form, limitations all imposed upon you by another person.  Styles require replication of forms, basic techniques, repetitive movement all for the purpose of looking like the instructor.  Styles work for the person that created it because it was he/she that put their personal likes, dislikes, qualities, abilities and preferences into that style.

So my question is if he/she could do that why I am trying to imitate them?  Why am I not creating my own methods?

That is why REAL Martial Arts is not a style.  It is not really even a system, it is a method of discovery, testing, challenging and creating what works for you.  There is a systematic approach to it.  It uses science, anatomy, biomechanics, physics and biology to come up with skill sets that work against the human body in combat.  It also develops exercises, drills and practices that, strengthen the body, help release false beliefs and misunderstandings and create a person who is resilient, efficient, accurate and vital.

REAL Martial Arts does not require students to replicate the instructor.  It asks students to find their own natural responses to situations, their own intrinsic qualities that can be nurtured to build a platform of movement, structure and relaxation that allows them to respond in their own way.

Students are encouraged to experiment with different movements and techniques to see what feels right and what can be developed for them.  It is a very intuitive approach.  Techniques are used as a basic place to start from and then the student goes from there.  There is no particular response to a given attack.  No basics to repeat, no katas or forms to take up grey matter trying to remember.

We train with partners almost all of the time.  We get attacked and have to learn how to move, how to respond to defend ourselves in a way that is natural and makes sense to us.  It is more about self discovery and uncovering our natural abilities than trying to mimic someone else's.

So, what's your style? 

Short Work in Combat

Excellent Workshop on Short Work
REAL Martial Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico

We had an excellent workshop on what is called short work yesterday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Class was taught by Josh Fabia.  Short work comes from Russian Martial Arts, Systema, to be more precise.  It works on the premise that the most direct defense is the most effective.  There is no wasted movement, nothing fancy and you go directly to your preferred targets.  The preferred targets are the eyes, throat, groin and solar plexus.  The idea being if the attacker can not see, breath or continue his attack you have neutralized the threat and can get out of there as quickly as possible.

Short work is very effective.  The motions are small and direct which means the other person can not see the attack and has very little chance to protect himself until it is too late.  We worked with strikes from standing attacks as well as ground fighting with one and multiple opponents.  We looked at pressure points and how to control a person by manipulating their head and spine.  Short work is very effective and very real however few other martial arts include it in their training.

One thing I really like about the training we are doing at EastSide Combatives is that it is focused on real life situations and application.  We deal with single and multiple attackers, standing and on the ground.  We work empty handed and with weapons in real life scenarios.  We train in doors on mats and outdoors in more realistic environments on cement, stairs and uneven ground.  Skills are developed progressively and everything fits together and expands on everything else.  It really is a system and it all works as one.

This month we will be focusing on short work in our weekly classes.  Each month has a different focus so that students can develop a good level of proficiency in each area and then bring together what they learned from the previous months into a system of personal protection that is effective and reality based.  As each student grows in their knowledge and skill they begin to develop their own unique approach and preferences.
They bring their personalities and inherent abilities to the game and learn to express themselves in their movements and skill use.  EastSide Combatives is not about replicating the teacher or anyone else it is about discovering and unveiling your own abilities and gifts so that each student is different and discovers their own inherent strengths and unique approach.

Firearms Training in Martial Arts

Guns.
Is firearms training a martial art?
This discussion was created the other day on Black Belt magazine's facebook page.  The statement that started the discussion was that firearms training should be mandatory for all martial artists.

I do not necessarily agree that it should be mandatory but firearms should definitely be considered, in our modern world, as a viable form of martial art.

There were arguments both for and against, some heated, some filled with emotion and nonsensical responses.

So the only thing I can express here is my opinion.  I believe firearms are a very important aspect of modern martial arts.  I believe they should be understood and trained with to give the practitioner a real understanding of what they are capable of and how to use and defend against them.

One of the common arguments against was that any idiot can pull a trigger, that it does not take skill to use a firearm.  Well, after years of shooting and training I know that is simply not true.  The argument could easily be put forth that no martial arts are martial arts.  It does not take training or skill for someone to hack your head off with a sword, or to stab you with a knife, kick you in the groin or punch you in the face.  Any able bodied person can do all of those things.

The difference between being able to simply perform these tasks and do it with finesse, timing, accuracy and skill is what makes it a martial art.  To be able to perform when needed and to look good doing it, that is where the art comes into play.

To accurately draw, display and hit your target in a certain amount of time, with fluidity and smoothness.  To engage a moving target with accuracy so that your rounds neutralize an imminent threat to you or another person.  To be able to shoot while moving to cover.  To have the hand eye coordination to place a 147 grain projectile travelling at 1000 ft per second, into a target the size of a basketball while perceiving and responding to a threat to your life with your heart rate at 160, breathing restricted and loss of fine motor function because of the fight or flight response.  To be able to function with all of this going on at the same time within a few seconds, from perception to response takes training, focus, energy, concentration, discipline, commitment, coordination, balance, speed and a presence of mind only found after extensive training and experience.

To me that description is exactly what martial art is.  A focused intentional development of martial skills to be able to perform those skills under less than perfect circumstances.  To be able to protect yourself from a threat and do all of this with accuracy and control.

If firearms training and development of the necessary skills to protect yourself and others, under horrific life threatening conditions, is not martial arts.  Then what is it?

Even if you choose not to train how to shoot it is beneficial to understand firearms so you know how to defend against them.  How you move to minimize the likelihood of being hit. The difference between cover and concealment.  How to disarm a person, if they are going to kill you, and you are within arm's reach and can possibly save your life with proper technique and execution.

At least in the United States, you are far more likely to come up against a gun-wielding bad guy than you are someone with a sword, sai, tonfa or any other kind of "martial art" weapon.

I think firearms training is a viable and very important aspect of martial arts training.  Firearms are a current and very real threat in our world and should be taken seriously by any martial artist.