Fighting Secret #2

In Mark Hatmaker’s first newsletter on the “secrets” or “shortcuts” of training, he reveals one of the factors of MA success in the ring and on the street: superb conditioning. Few of us, if any, could argue over its importance because all the technique in the world won’t help you if you have no energy to execute it. In the second newsletter installment, Hatmaker discusses the other secret to successful training, which is drilling. I know, I know. Not a sexy answer, but we all know it is true. The other ringing truth is this: there are no shortcuts. We have to put in the work and get sweaty. The work requires repetition, i.e. drilling.

I recall when I first began Muay Thai training many years ago. I inquired about learning the proper way to do the Thai kick. My instructor simply said, “Do a thousand repetitions.” He probably also said something about 1000 being the beginning (that would be one of his typical succinct responses). Luckily, in addition to repetition, I got a lot of pointers from friendly students, and from Francis Fong, who saw how much effort I was putting into this endeavor. I am still grateful for his time and involvement. I finally acquired the Thai kick after thousands of repetitions, and was accused of kicking like a mule, so I would say that drilling really works if we give attention to our own feedback loops as well as the constructive criticism of those who give a damn about what we are trying to accomplish.

Mark calls drilling “technical cultivation.” For many, there are stumbling blocks on the journey to proficiency, which he says lie in two categories of excuses, one of which is Lack of Discipline. I read an article about Francis Fong in Martial Arts Masters Magazine this year, wherein he talks about the concept of discipline. He says in all his years of training, discipline has never been an issue; he is so passionate about Kung Fu and the pursuit of excellence, he never has to force himself to do the work. In fact, he is not even certain whether he was born with natural ability because of his intense drive. Hatmaker states, “genetic exceptionalism is rare so that leaves the rest of us to cultivate self-discipline.” It has been my experience that burning desire, like Fong possesses, seems to overcome the issue of discipline because you have a grand vision of what you wish to accomplish, or a specific outcome that keeps you going. It has also been my experience that burning desire trumps talent any day. Many talented people waste their innate gifts because they don’t push further; they don’t grow beyond their talent.

Some folks are just looking for novelty, or they drill for the sake of drilling without putting much thought behind the practice. These people hit the second stumbling block to proficiency: Lack of Mission Perspective. Without some kind of return on your time investment, drilling useful techniques and scenarios, you are just spinning your wheels. Hatmaker says we must “match the drill(s) to the game at hand.” I do believe that all of the techniques work some of the time, and we have to try things to find what works best for us, but we also have to take care in training ourselves for a specific environment. That means very different things if you are a boxer, an MMA fighter, a cop, a soldier, or a civilian on the street, etc. I wrote about purposeful training in a recent blog post about Brian Willis:

http://gutterfightingusa.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/purposeful-training/.

We have to be willing to evaluate and fine-tune our training so that it meets our needs and works for us in the proper environment under duress (or in chaos!). If we are new to the game, we have to ask a lot of questions, study, and seek out answers from many instructors to develop the proper mission perspective.

There really is no mystique to becoming good at anything. Some of us do possess some innate ability for athletics or martial arts (kinesthetic intelligence), but we all have to apply ourselves to being fit to fight, and to doing enough repetition to build solid motor programs into our nervous systems. It takes time to develop efficiency, grace/fluidity and finesse. If I could add one more thing to what Hatmaker said, I would encourage people to cross-train in multiple disciplines, not for the novelty aspect, but to discover more about themselves. Guro Dan Inosanto talks about learning other people’s games not to necessarily make them your games, but so you may properly and efficiently defend against them. I think this is sound advice. We learn about the criminal mindset so that we can outsmart them, right?

Mark Hatmaker’s website: http://www.extremeselfprotection.com/

Fighting Secret #1

I recently read a very interesting newsletter written by Mart Hatmaker.  He was discussing the so-called “secrets” or shortcuts that people involved in MMA and street skills acquisition are constantly seeking to get the edge.  Is there truly anything new under the sun?  I would tend to agree with Hatmaker, in that there really are no secrets, and the search is an exercise in futility.  Having said that, I am a firm believer in continual growth because it helps me learn more about me and what my possibilities are.  I believe in personal excellence, and I generally follow the principles of Jeet Kune Do in order to discover my own potential as a martial artist.  There is a distinct difference between finding what works for me and my abilities, and searching for the magic bullet.

Hatmaker goes on to say that one of the things that truly separates the wheat from the chaff is how much gas one has in the tank.  This is true in the ring and on the street.  If you are exceptionally conditioned, you have a distinct advantage.  I recall a disturbing video I watched earlier this year: an interview with a prison inmate with a life sentence for murder (and no chance for parole).  He talks so contemptuously about overweight cops and prison guards and discusses his typical day of doing pushups and burpees in his cell. . .ALL DAY LONG.  What else does this guy have to accomplish?  He brags about his ability to run circles around cops due to his superior conditioning because, as he puts it, “I’ve got wind!”  In light of his life sentence, his value for human life is diminished, and he is just itching for a guard to screw up and present an opportunity.  His whole mission in life is to stay fit and kill another human being because what is one more life sentence?  I am certain there are more people with this mentality living outside the pen.  I ask myself a serious question: do I have the capacity to fight this guy for my life if he targets me?  I hear the words of boxing trainer Ross Enamait echoing in my head: “Conditioning is King.” Whenever you are deep in it, and you have to fight for your very existence, you want to hit hard, fast and relentless until the threat is conquered.  You’ve got be fit to finish the fight, however long it takes, even if that means you go mano y mano with Burpee Whacko.  As Hatmaker points out, there are no weight classes and no rules out on the street, so we have to train to overcome our weaknesses which, for many, includes proper conditioning.

Mark says there is another “secret” to fighting, if you can really call it a secret, and I will discuss that one in a later post.  He is an exceptional writer with an interesting perspective.  I highly recommend you check out his site and at the minimum, sign up for his free Legends newsletter!

http://www.extremeselfprotection.com/

Purposeful Training

I think it is an easy thing to lose purpose in training, both as the coach and as the practitioner.  We can get stuck in comfort zones and just bumble along in big ruts, doing what we have been doing for ages.  I can remember many a time in the past when I would inquire why things (pertaining to MA training) were done a certain way (yes, I am the inquisitive one), and the response was either very vague, or complete silence.  I guess that meant it was either A) none of my business, or B) they had no idea.  It was probably none of my business because they had no idea, but I digress.  I can certainly tell you that the majority of adult learners like to know why they are doing things.  Most people I know do not have unlimited time, and they are hungry for purpose, generally speaking.  They want to feel their time is spent wisely.  Now, as instructors, we do get a lot of crazy questions, and sometimes there is not a great answer to divulge at the moment—we may have to give something further thought, or we may have to go consult another expert and get back to students.  This is truly one of the great aspects of teaching, because it forces us to really figure out what we think we already know because we have to deliver the knowledge to another person.   It is our responsibility to keep evaluating the training practice, as well.  Is it doing what it is supposed to do for the students?  Sometimes we try things and they don’t work, and then we have to discard them, but we are always learning and seeking new knowledge to help us do what we do. . .BETTER. 

Brian Willis expresses his thoughts about training as it pertains to officers.  In my mind, it is even more critical that time is spent wisely, participating in meaningful training.  It is unfortunate that the mire of bureaucracy often gets in the way of this.  Complacency can do so much harm.  Check out Brian’s post: 

http://excellenceintraining.typepad.com/excellence_in_training/2009/11/and-the-purpose-of-this-drill-is.html

Guro Dan on Stick Fighting

I cannot recall the show from which this clip was derived (maybe Human Weapon??).  Regardless, here is our Kali instructor talking about stick fighting.  I was in the mood for another video clip on Filipino Martial Arts.  How about you?

Thunder Band

 

Okay, this is so cool.  I posted on Dave Schmitz the other day.  He is going to offer resistance bands that can be stretched up to 5 yards, which opens up a lot more exercises you can do, and you don’t have to link bands together anymore.  If you have never experienced resistance bands, you will be quite surprised the first time that you do.  Most people are flabbergasted that a simple rubberband kicked their tails.

Check out Dave’s post and videos: http://askdaveschmitz.com/thurder-band-videos

You can purchase bands from Dave here: Performax Resistance Band Training

Identifying Vulnerabilities

If you are going to be more aware while moving around in your environment, it makes sense to take stock of areas where you are more vulnerable and your mind is otherwise engaged.  I recall Hock Hochheim saying in our seminar recently that it is impossible to be on high alert all the time because you would completely burn yourself out.  He said that you have to have a place you can go to let your guard down and recharge.  I do agree with this, though I sort of agree with Al Peasland when he says that you have to be in Condition Yellow (360 degree awareness at all times) whenever you are awake.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, awareness does not have to be a state of paranoia, though some folks can and do take it to this extreme.  Learn how to tune into the world, being in the here and now, in a relaxed state.  Ensure that your area is secure before going into a profound state of quiet reflection.   

Back to taking stock (and I got a lot of these ideas, again, from Kristie Kilgore’s Eyes Wide Open (she got them from security specialists and bodyguards).  Can you think of times when you are distracted or at a disadvantage?  Keep in mind that criminals will strike when it is most advantageous for them and the least advantageous for you.  Here are some possibilities, and the list is by no means exhaustive: 

• Running or walking with an mp3 player
• Running or walking in a wooded park in the evening hours
• Visiting an ATM, especially at night
• Making overnight deposits at the bank
• Outdoor recreation in a public space
• Walking with your hands full from a store to your vehicle
• Talking on your cell phone
• Moving into a low light area
• Going into an area where the entrance and exit are the same (funnel)
• Riding in elevators or using stairwells in public buildings and parking decks, especially at non-peak hours
• Unlocking a door
• Traveling in unfamiliar territory
• Whenever you are in a stressed state
• Very noisy environments
• Crowds
• At the gas station pump
• Entering a convenience store
• Stopping your car in a high-risk area
• Securing a child in a car seat
• Entering or exiting public restrooms 

What precautions might you take during these moments to be more aware of your surroundings and to make yourself a harder target? 

I’ll go a little further.  When you return home, do you secure the premises and look around to see that everything is as it should be?  Do you maintain good security while you are home, both day and night?  How visible are you and your loved ones at night, looking in from the outside?  How visible are the contents of your home during the day, or whenever you are away?  These are all very reasonable considerations that many of us overlook because of our psychological-barrier notion of security—home should be a haven for us to get away from the world and bring down our defenses.  It all kind of reminds me of my cat.  It runs halfway under the bed, with its hind end visibly sticking out, and it thinks it has made a slick, safe escape from the world.  Poor thing has the brain the size of a walnut, so I guess it is not such a great comparison.  But the point is this: we have to make the extra effort to go beyond the veil of security and physically batten down the hatches. 

Consider times when you go into high-risk environments.  Perhaps you have not really considered what these might be, and you might even be surprised.  This is also not an exhaustive list: 

• Wherever competition is high for resources and/or women
• Wherever people have reduced inhibition through use of alcohol or drugs, like a bar or party
• Places of known terrorist activity
• Places with a high volume of drug trafficking
• Airports, airplanes, travel (either foreign, or to any unfamiliar place)
• High crime areas
• Places where large sums of money are exchanged
• Convenience stores
• Funnels (one way in or out) 

By the very nature of the opportunistic and/or volatile personalities that frequent these environments, you are immediately more vulnerable upon entry, hence the name high-risk.  We all have to accept a certain degree of risk in our lives, lest we adopt a lifestyle that keeps us hunkered down in an underground compound waiting for the apocalypse.  But again, we can take precautions and be on the lookout for breaks in the pattern.  I recall talking to a woman a few months ago who worked security in a bar AND drank alcohol at the same time.  Not really a recipe for success when the drunk (or buzzed) are called upon to deal with the drunk and disorderly.  Very risky business!  

One time, a few years back, I was taking a class in the Buckhead region of Atlanta.  Parts of this area are high-risk, especially at night, and I tend to be on my guard whenever I go over there.  But on this particular afternoon, I tread mindlessly out of the class and down to the convenience store to grab a soft drink and a candy bar.  I was on a mission and in a fog, because I walked right into an altercation between a customer and the clerk behind the bullet-proof glass.  How could I have missed the shouting on the way in?  The argument escalated, and yet I stood frozen, torn between a sugar fix and the exit.  Indeed, it was not one of my finer moments.  The customer punctuated his angry tirade with this sentence: “I will f****** blow this place up!!!”  Luckily, he stormed out and went away.  It could have been much worse, and I am glad it was not.  Lesson learned. 

I encourage you to look for your blind spots.  Be HONEST with yourself.  Predators look for us in a state of cluelessness or weakness, and the perps hope to gain the upper hand while we are fumbling around in oblivion.  Check your six!

Dog Brothers

At Combat Hard, we love our Filipino Martial Arts. Ahhh. Here are the Dog Brothers doing some full-contact stick fighting. Enjoy!

IKFF Military Advisor

Steven Mosley

We are very pleased to announce that Combat Hard’s very own Steven Mosley was recently invited to be the North American Military Advisor for the International Kettlebell & Fitness Federation, Steve Cotter’s kettlebell organization.  This is a tremendous honor, as we have learned so much about kettlebell lifting from Cotter.  IKFF tirelessly travels the globe, sharing their knowledge with the world, and we are so excited for Steven to be affiliated with this organization.  Congrats Steven!

http://www.ikff.net/about/north-american-advisors.html

 

Interesting Post on Threat Recognition

One of our blog readers sent me this link to an interesting blog post on threat recognition.  It discusses the predatory mindset of criminals.  There are great analogies to other predators in the animal kingdom to help flesh out these characters.  We talk all the time about becoming the predator.  This does not mean you prey upon weaker people, too.  Criminals have a very restricted view of the world, and you possess higher ideals.  No, you seek valuable insight about how these predators  operate so that you become the superior predator in the landscape “with another purpose.”  Read on, it is great stuff:

http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2006/03/recognizing-threats.html

Hock Hochheim Seminar

Holy smokes!  I am thumbing through this giant tome we purchased over the weekend while attending Hock’s seminar.  The manual is on Knife/Counter-Knife Combatives.  There are at least eleventy-million pictures and diagrams in here and plenty of stuff derived from military manuals.  I’ll have to let you know what I think of it later after I have had some time to really go through it.  The dude is prolific, without a doubt!  I was looking at his vast collection of DVD’s for sale and he has been busy.

The seminar was interesting.  Hock is quite a character, and he draws some interesting characters, as well.  He has a lot of stories and by my estimation, he has seen plenty of action and knows a lot of stuff.  Hmm.  Still processing. . .