Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Quit yer bitchin'

In the past I've bitched about how little training Law Enforcement receives.

I've also bitched about the martial artists and combative sports athletes with no practical field experience teaching Law Enforcement and Military Close Quarters Combatives.

So, it's time to quit bitching and do something about it.

Taiho Jutsu Minnesota


To all Defensive Tactics Instructors / Training Coordinators,

Taiho Jutsu Minnesota is a network of police officers and defensive tactics instructors across the state

Tai: Body - Ho: Law or Control - Jutsu: Technique. Simply defined, Taiho Jutsu means control and restraining techniques.

Taiho Jutsu Clubs provide additional training for Police Officers supplemental to their official training. This is an excellent opportunity for Officers who want more than 8 hours of defensive tactics training a year

This training is also designed as Instructor development. Giving trainers an opportunity to brainstorm with and learn from other Instructors.

This training will be made available to active duty military personal and combatives instructors
This training will also be available to civilian martial artists that pass back ground screening and who are willing to teach local Law Enforcement in their area.

There are many martial art instructors teaching many different martial arts to Law Enforcement. Unfortunately the overwhelming majority of those instructors have never worked in Law Enforcement, tried to control a resisting opponent, or been in a fight. Also there are many Officers teaching defensive tactics with no training beyond the minimum 40 hour train the trainer course.

Taiho Jutsu Clubs are run by experienced Police Officers and Operators who use these techniques in the field. 


Training by Professionals, based on real world experience, designed for practical application.  For cops by cops to deal with actual problems cops face.

The training focuses on gross motor, high percentage techniques that are effective for all regardless of size or gender and has an emphasis on ground control, an area where most Law Enforcement Officers need serious additional training.

An individual can test the efficacy of any combat method (martial art) by asking himself this simple question “Will this work so I can use it instinctively in vital combat against an opponent who is determined to prevent me from doing so, and is striving eliminate me through means fair or foul?” - Paraphrased from Col. Rex Applegate’s “Kill or be killed” written in 1943:

Taiho Jutsu Clubs provide reputable schools teaching principles that have been tested over 30 years on the street to work for the officer under pressure against a resisting subject, to be non obtrusive to the public, and defendable in court.


Taiho Jutsu Minnesota meets once a month at rotating locations across the state

MONTH             LOCATION            TRAINING TOPIC              SPECIAL TOPICS / GUEST INSTRUCTORS

January              St. Paul                 Contact Control

February           Mankato               Take Downs

March                St. Paul                  Counter Assault

April                   Alexandria             Weapon Retention SOTA – Special Operations Control Tactics

May                   St. Paul                    Impact Control

June                  Mankato                 Ground Skills

July                   St. Paul                    Contact Control

August             Alexandria               Take Downs

September      St. Paul                    Counter Assault    Violence Dynamics - Marc MacYoung , Rory Miller

October            Mankato                Weapon Retention

November       St. Paul                   Impact Control

December      Alexandria               Ground Skills                O3CT Instructor School – Steve Jimerfield

Our first meeting will be January 14th at 2210 Silver Lake Road New Brighton MN. The exact dates and times for other training are to be determined.

Training sessions will run 3 hours and follow this basic format

Warm Up 30 Min

Training Topic of the month 60 Min

· Technique / Skill Building

Drills 30 Min

Brainstorming / Trouble Shooting 30 Min

For more information please contact :

· Officer Kasey Keckeisen Mounds View Police Department

o 763 717 4078 kasey.keckeisen@ci.mounds-view.mn.us

· Investigator Ken Anderson Douglas County Sheriff's Office

o 320-762-0234 ken.anderson@mail.co.douglas.mn.us

· Shawn Morgan

So any cops reading this in the upper mid west please come and join us.
Any civilian trainers that teach cops (whatever art / system) and want to learn what Operators need for their job please come join us

Train hard, train smart, be safe














Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Uchi Deshi

Uchi-deshi (Kanji: 内弟子 Hiragana: うちでし lit. "inside student") is a Japanese term for a live-in student/apprentice who trains under and assists a sensei on a full-time basis.
 Uchi-deshi usually live in the dōjō or the home of the teacher, or in separate accommodations near the dōjō. He serves the teacher all day, every day. Duties may include cleaning and secretarial work. In contrast to uchi-deshi, students who live outside are referred to as soto-deshi (Kanji: 外弟子 Hiragana: そとでし literally "outside students").
Historically, an Uchi-deshi was typically chosen and groomed to become the next head of a school of martial arts when a direct family member was not available.

 In modern times, the role is also referred to as tsukibito (Kanji: 付き人 Hiragana: つきびと literally, "attached person"). Other terms include senshusei (専修生; せんしゅうせい) and kenshusei (Kanji: 研修生 Hiragana: けんしゅうせい "trainee"), although these terms are more general and do not necessarily indicate a live-in apprentice.

Gayku Homma Sensei runs a Uchi Deshi program at the Nippon Kan in Denver.  I knew a couple of guys that spent a summer there and came back much better.

They improved at an accelerated rate, because one way or another they were training nearly 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

I always wanted an experience like that.

I’ve come close to that a couple of times hosting Mark, and Rory but not quite the same.  At your own home you have a certain familiarity and “normal life” leaks in.

Camp Taiho Jutsu



Last week I finally had the uchi deshi experience.  Douglas County SWAT wanted Special Operations Control Tactics training.  They also wanted Instructor development training for their DT guys.  We developed a week long training program.  Steve Jimerfield would run a One on One Control Tactics Instructor Course Monday – Thursday and I would work with the local area SWAT teams on Friday.

(I love my job)

The training took place at Alexandria Technical College (about 2 ½ north of the metro area)




My brother Kent let me use his cabin (his totally kickass resort like cabin)

So living in a cabin 3 hours from home with nothing to do but eat sleep and train.

Great week!  I can see why the Uchi Deshi process accelerates learning.  I learned as much over dinner or watching Kung Fu movies after class as I did the whole day on the mats.

Another cool thing happened last week.  Control Tactics / Close Quarter Combatives were accepted by Mixed Martial Artists.

This is usually the discourse between sport fighting enthusiasts and people who have to use their training to protect their lives while they serve others


Enough to make you want to pull your hair out right?

So when a friend of mine who was a amateur MMA fighter and now teaches Muay Thai and BJJ asked me about how to teach cops I was a little apprehensive.

Gus is a good kid and he has helped me teach SOCT before so I invited him to the One on One Control Tactics Instructor Course.  If you’re going to teach cops there is no better foundation to have.

Jimerfield, Miller, MacYoung all teach:

·         Structure

·         Range

·         Power Generation

·         Movement (Motion defeats strength)

Gus got all of this in the Uchi Deshi experience.  He learned 1st hand what Operators need, and that real world violence has very little to do with the paradigms of sport arts.

Gus wasn’t the only person who learned this.  One of the students also managed Brock Lesner’s private training facility.  When his size and strength were made useless it was very cool to see the gears click and watch him use structure, range, and movement to end violence quickly.

He thought it was so cool he invited us to the training camp to meet Brock



Train hard, Train Smart, Be safe, and - make an opportunity to have that Uchi Deshi experience, it’s totally worth it


Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Do you Kung Fu?


I love the Kung Fu Panda movies, and now the very good series on Nickelodeon.  So do my daughters.  So much so that they have been begging to watch all my old Kung Fu movies.  It’s been a blast

Last Saturday I decided to teach some Kung Fu.
Now just so we are clear I don’t know Kung Fu, the formally taught Chinese martial art.

However, I really like this quote from the movie “The Forbidden Kingdom”

Jackie Chan as Lu Yan:
“Kung Fu is hard work over time to accomplish skill. A painter can have Kung Fu, or the butcher who cuts meat with such skill, his knife never touches bone.  A musician can have Kung Fu, or the poet who paints pictures with words and makes emperors weep, this too is Kung Fu.”





So if we define Kung Fu as hard work to accomplish skill, Saturday’s training was bursting with Kung Fu.

Class started with an optional 2.25 mile run.  I don’t think class time should be spent on PT training.  I wanted to run and we were training at a park with a nice trail so I incorporated it into my training.  Students are free to join me if they wish.

I like to run before class for the obvious cardio benefits, but also to loosen up and to tire out before training.  That way it is harder for me to slop muscular strength and I must rely on solid fundamentals.

Saturday is all about solid fundamentals, I focus almost entirely on principles and use very few techniques.  Techniques only being used to demonstrate  / test the principle.

This is also Kung Fu.  How many Kung Fu movies have you seen where the “master” has the student do some menial task (perhaps grueling if done wrong) over and over again to drill a specific principle.  Then when the “disciple” can’t take it any more, the master shows the application of the principle in a technique.  Almost magically because the student understands the principle so well he masters (makes it his / her own) the technique.

Another quote from “The Forbidden Kingdom” I like a lot

Jet Li as The Silent Monk (who oddly enough spoke through out the entire movie):
Learn the form, but seek the formless. Hear the soundless. Learn it all, then forget it all. Learn The Way, then find your own way.

A big paradigm shift for me, and the most fun I’ve had teaching lately revolves around helping others find their own way.

You don’t have to do things the way I do them, but you have to do them well, they have to work.
What makes things work?:
  • Structure
  • Movement
  • Power Generation

So, guess what we worked on? 

1ST Exercise
Rowing exercise
Rowing exercise as its name implies looks like you are standing in a boat rowing with oars
It is a subtle form of power generation.  Shifting your weight as opposed to using muscle.

Here is a video


I don’t like this video, it is the kind of granola eating hug a tree Aikido that makes me puke, but it serves its purpose

For this exercise I used the Frankenstein plyoband contraption I made


This also works structure.  You have to be very strong if you use muscle to stretch the bands.  You can't do rowing exercise using muscle.  You can do rowing exercise if your structure is solid.  If your structure has a weakness you will never be able to shift your weight foreward.  Using resistance students instantly saw their own flaws, then were able to fix them.  Much more productive then me saying something they don’t understand over and over again. 

The woman from the video never would have moved an inch.  I’m sure she has been doing rowing exercise for years with cooperative partners.  Even the “hard” variation.  Training with resistance 5 minutes would have taught her more than doing it perfectly with no structure for years.

2nd exercise
Same thing only this time the pulling motion.  More light bulbs go off, more students - Learn The Way, then find their own way

Then pulling against a push, pushing against a pull.  Good times

This blog would go on for ever if I describe in depth every exercise we did, but I hope it can serve as an example for you to do some principle based training for yourselves.

For myself I think I have found a fun, productive way to teach children that won’t have them maiming their siblings or ingraining horrible habits that will get them killed.

I have been playing Kung Fu school with my own daughters.  We’ve been having a lot of fun and Lauren is really catching on (faster than most cops I teach)

The experiment continues – more to follow

Train Hard, Train Smart, Be Safe

P.S. – When we play Kung Fu my Kung Fu name is Woo Ping.  Woo Ping Yo Ass!





Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Combat Jujutsu



I took most of this essay from http://www.alljujitsu.com/combat-jujitsu.html

What they call Combat Jujutsu is what I call Taiho Jutsu

Before you read on please understand:
I hate the term / concept of extreme martial arts
I hate the term  / concept of the world's deadliest martial art
I hate the idea of preying on the afraid and uninformed for financial gain

(those pills I bought from the internet didn't make my pecker any bigger)
(learning lethal commando techniques won't magically protect you from dangerous situations)

Having said all that I thought I would hate this essay, but there was some pretty good stuff in there.
So, for your entertainment and enlightenment I tried to edit out most of the stuff I hated and leave in the good stuff here.

Enjoy -


History of Combat Jujitsu
Also known as close combat or close-in combat, hand to hand (H2H) combat is the most ancient form of fighting known to man. A majority of cultures have their own particular histories related to close combat, and their own methods of practice. However, the ultimate goal of all of them is to dominate the enemy, usually by termination! There are many varieties practiced throughout the world including various martial arts, boxing, and even wrestling. 

Those who study the Art of War have always looked for quicker, more efficient methods by which to dispatch their enemies. Military organizations looked to the effectiveness of Japanese H2H methods and there found the deadliest martial art. It was refined and adapted for modern warfare. The ultimate result is Combat Jujitsu.


Military organizations have always taught some sort of unarmed combat for conditioning and as a supplement to armed combat.

Among the Samurai warriors of Japan, such combatives were known as Bujutsu, meaning the Art of War. This included jujutsu (jujitsu, jiu jitsu), empty hand arts; tantojutsu, knife or dagger arts; bojutsu, staff arts, and so on. Moving into more sophisticated weapons of the time you had weapon arts such as kenjutsu, sword arts; yarijutsu, spear arts; and kyujutsu, archery. Each art was studied separately as is done in modern times where each specialty has its own school; i.e. infantry, airborne, artillery, etc.

Weapons and tactics change with new technology, but even with major technological changes such as the initially crude uses of gunpowder, all the way up to the invention of the machine gun, hand-to-hand fighting methods, including small arms and bayonet, remain central to modern military training.

Hand-to-hand tactics designed specifically for modern Special Operations was largely codified by Major William E. Fairbairn and Colonel Rex Applegate during World War II.

William Ewart Fairbairn (1885-1960) was a soldier, police officer, and exponent of hand-to-hand combat methods for allied special forces in World War II.

He served with the Royal Marine Light Infantry starting in 1901. After joining the Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP) in 1907, he studied Jujitsu and then Chinese martial arts. He developed his own training system and taught his method to members of that police force in order to reduce officer fatalities.

Fairbairn described this system as primarily based on his personal experience, under the most extreme martial arts conditions which according to police records included some 600 non-training fights, occurring while attempting to make arrests. Fairbairn published a book, Scientific Self Defence, in 1926 illustrating this method.


Fairbairn was recruited in WWII by the British Secret Service as an Army officer, where he trained U.K., U.S. and Canadian Commando and Ranger forces and their instructors. He modified his techniques for military applications, rather than police and riot control. The original Police system was oriented towards self defense and restraint, while the military Close Quarters Combat Jujitsu system concentrated on rapidly disabling an opponent, with potentially lethal force.

The militarized version is the basis for all US Military Special Operations Forces H2H combat and is described in detail in a later manual for Allied Special Forces titled Get Tough, originally published in 1942.


His system was designed to be simple to learn and brutally effective. The techniques presented by Fairbairn are all Jujitsu techniques. All you need to do is scan through his training manual to see for yourself. Here are a few examples.

Technique No. 6A - "FROM A STRANGLE HOLD".



You are seized from in front by the throat, as in Fig. 23.

With your left hand seize your opponent's right elbow from underneath, your thumb to the right.
With your right hand, reach over his arms and seize his right wrist (Fig. 24).
With your right arm apply pressure downwards on his left arm; at the same time, with a circular upward motion of your left hand; force his elbow towards your right side. This will break his hold of your throat and put him off balance (Fig. 25, reverse view).
Keeping a firm grip with both hands, turn rapidly towards your right-hand side by bringing your right leg to your right-rear. Follow up with edge-of-the-hand blow on his right elbow to break the arm (Fig. 26).
Note - All the above movements must be one rapid and continuous motion.


Anyone familiar with Jujitsu will recognize technique No. 14 - Japanese Strangle Hold.

And of course, No. 19 - Wrist Throw.


These techniques are designed to quickly disable or kill an opponent!


As you can clearly see, It's All Jujitsu!

Rex Applegate's book "Kill or Get Killed".
Read for free here

Colonel Rex Applegate (1914-1998) worked in the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) where he trained allied special forces in close-quarter combat during World War II. In 1943 he wrote Kill or Get Killed, still considered the classic textbook of Western-style hand-to-hand combat.

Applegate developed the techniques outlined in the book during his work with William E. Fairbairn. The result of this was the development of what is widely considered the first scientifically based study of Combat Jujitsu. Applegate's techniques are heavily based on Fairbairn's system, and enhanced with feedback from the OSS operatives who put his extreme martial arts techniques into action in World War II. In other words, these methods are tested and proven! Making Combat Jujitsu, without doubt, the world’s deadliest martial art!


Excerpt from Kill or Get Killed

Here Col. Applegate describes where his system of Combat Jujitsu came from, its purpose, and why it is important not to settle for imitations. This is a paraphrased version of Chapter 1: Introduction to Unarmed Combat. (You will notice he uses the jiu jitsu spelling.)

"Long before the existence of the stone knife and the bow and arrow, primitive man fought with his hands, teeth, legs, feet, and body.

Tibetan monks of the 12th century are reputed to have been among the first to develop a definite system of fighting without weapons. Some time after the 12th century, the Japanese learned of this method of combat and, characteristically, copied it and claimed its origin. They gave it the name of jiu jitsu, and claimed that it was developed during their mythological age. For centuries jiu jitsu was practiced, with many variations and improvements, by the Samurai warrior clans.

After WWII [due to the aura of mystery that surround the practice of jiu jitsu], there was a huge demand by the public for books and techniques on these methods of fighting. Bookstores were flooded with books and pamphlets on the subject of unarmed combat. Many of these, purporting to be genuine jiu jitsu, bore titles and slogans intended to appeal to the gullible. However, when the course was completed and students were called upon to use what they had learned against a determined opponent, they usually found themselves helpless. Such courses obviously did not give the student the extreme martial arts training necessary to adapt him to the uncertainties of combat.

Military experience, in combat and training centers throughout the world, has shown that the average man can be quickly turned into a dangerous, offensive fighter by concentrating on the correct principles of combat jiu jitsu and by advocating its use of blows executed by the hands, feet and other parts of the body, often overlooked by the average enthusiast.

All types of combat can be divided into two phases, offensive and defensive. Knowledge of both is necessary to any fighting man. However, in training Special Forces for warfare, the emphasis is usually on the offensive. The techniques presented in Kill or Get Killed, have been used successfully in training and in recent combat. They can be learned easily and applied quickly and instinctively, but only after adequate practice.

No text, no matter how well-illustrated or clearly explained can, alone, teach a man to fight. It can only serve as an instructional guide. Closely supervised intensive practice is the only path to practical knowledge. There are no easy methods or short cuts. Practice must be intensive enough to render the mechanics of each technique automatic. There is seldom time to stop and think when the pressure of combat is on. Being able to throw a man is much different from knowing how."


As you can see from the above statement, Col. Applegate stresses correct technique and supervised practice.


Special Forces all over the world will Always use Combat Jujitsu!
General Purpose Forces change H2H training based on changing technologies and changing missions, such as the recent concept of "peace-keeping". Spec Ops, on the other hand, require sticking to the basics! When the enemy is encountered, react swiftly and decisively! These tactics have not changed since the beginning of history, and they never will.

The big misconception is that Special Operations Forces are like Ninjas that sneak in and assassinate enemy forces in their sleep. Well, this may occasionally be part of the mission. But usually, Spec Ops missions are to destroy vital infrastructure, and the goal is to never make contact with enemy combatants! In fact, it is preferable to avoid contact, as it slows down a unit from reaching its objective.

However, if you encounter an enemy combatant during Spec Ops, there is no time for hesitation. You must always keep in mind two vital assumptions:

He is Armed!
He is not alone!

Therefore, speed and surprise will always work to your advantage.

When meeting the enemy during Spec Ops, you will have three choices:

Dis-arm (and/or bind, but leave behind)
Capture (rescue hostage or take prisoner back)
or Kill.

[Can you see where a Law Enforcement Officer may need to make similar choices? That's why Combat Jujitsu is perfect of those tasked with keeping our streets safe.]

In most cases, the objective of the mission will predetermine some of this (as in whether or not to take prisoners), but sometimes the decision must be made in an instant. When necessary, you cannot hesitate to make use of the deadliest martial art, Combat Jujitsu.

Techniques must be functional in actual close-in combat. Spec Ops troops may be wearing helmets and flak jackets. They could be armed with M-16s and carrying heavy packs. It would make little sense for a soldier thus encumbered to try a taekwondo kick to the head of a helmeted enemy. This is precisely the lesson learned by armored Samurai four centuries ago, and it is still relevant today!


Civilian Instructors
Most civilian instructors in Combat Jujitsu train police, martial artists or combative sport athletes, due to the limited need to learn lethal tactics outside the military. But some may train civilians for private security and self-defense. The very things which make Combat Jujitsu the deadliest martial art, being that it is well-adapted for military training (fast, ease of use, modest physical demands) also make it suitable in many ways for civilian self-defense. The world's military forces train thousands of instructors every year.


Frequently emphasizing their law-enforcement, corrections or military background, many Combat Jujitsu instructors also offer training to law enforcement agencies, the military, private individuals, security guards or companies. However, you should be very skeptical of anyone who tells you the US Navy SEALs use their system.

The Department of Defense has always looked for "educational" methods whereby the extreme martial arts techniques of Combat Jujitsu may be learned by trainees faster, and retained longer, and also making their reaction instantaneous. However, the techniques themselves have changed very little over the last fifty years. They have been proven effective, so why mess with a good thing? Besides, there are only a certain number of ways to kill someone with your bare hands. No one has yet to come up with anything better. So be very skeptical of anyone who says, or implies, they taught the SEALS or any other Special Operations Forces how to do Combat Jujitsu techniques.

No one since Fairbairn and Applegate have been able to improve on the world's deadliest martial art. But, many civilian "instructors" just outright lie about teaching Navy SEALs (Green Beret, etc.) their techniques. Most have never seen a harbor seal, much less a real Navy SEAL! Others "misrepresent" their program by saying they taught their "methods" to so-and-so & such-and-such Special Forces.

They may have indeed "demonstrated" their "training" (educational) program to representatives of the "D.O.D.". But, I guarantee you they never taught NEW Combat Jujitsu techniques to Special Forces. Most likely, they learned the techniques from Special Forces in order to plug them into their programs. Now they are making money by showing what they learned, not what they taught!


I do not make any such extravagant claims; nor do I need to! I admit, I'm showing you what I've learned through two decades of martial arts study, teaching and training with some of the most experienced Combat Jujitsu Masters in the world!


I didn't make these techniques up! They have been around for centuries!


After all, It's Jujitsu!


As warfare continues to evolve, high-tech weaponry will reduce the need for H2H (the enemy will be destroyed long before contact is ever made). However, it will never be completely eliminated, and it is important to continue to train and improve. There will be slight improvements in techniques, and changes may be made due to changing missions. But the core techniques of Combat Jujitsu will always remain. Why?


Because there are only a finite number of ways to kill a man with your bare hands, and we have probably explored all of them. Science and medical research may discover a few more in the future, but the core still remains. It has been proven in combat, so why take chances with unproven theory? 

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

“Knife fighting”



Ripped from the headlines…

St. Paul man stabs wife in eyes, kills another man



ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A father of five who suspected his wife was cheating on him was charged Monday with killing one man and stabbing his wife in the eyes.

Pah Ber, a 48-year-old man from St. Paul, faces charges in Ramsey County of murder in the second degree and attempted murder in the second degree.
The incident happened early Saturday morning at an apartment building in the 1400 block of
Farrington Street
in St. Paul. When officers arrived they found 40-year-old Po Lye dead from a deep cut to his neck.

Police then found Ber's wife, Paw Pree, on the floor of the living room with stab wounds to numerous parts of her body, including both of her eyes. Pree was taken to Regions Hospital where the staff determined she is now blind as a result of the wounds.

According to the criminal complaint, Ber's 21-year-old son said Lye was a friend of his who had asked to stay overnight. The son told investigators that when his father came home he began accusing his wife of cheating on him with other men. Ber allegedly asked if she was going to "love that guy" referring to Lye.

The son said that Ber grabbed a knife and chased Lye around the apartment, eventually stabbing him and cutting his throat. The son ran to his sister's bedroom and told her to call 911. He and his sister then fled to a neighbor's apartment.

Police interviewed Paw Pree at the hospital. Pree said that she fled into her bedroom after Ber stabbed Lye. She told authorities that Ber broke the door down and stabbed her numerous times, including several times in her eyes. Pree then heard Ber in the kitchen sharpening the knife, stating he was going to cut her throat. The complaint states that Pree's youngest son grabbed her hand and led her out of the apartment.

Ber was interviewed by officers following his arrest. He told police that he had been drinking and playing cards before he went home at 6:00 a.m. Ber said that he saw Lye and believed he was the man who had been with his wife.

Ber stated Lye had one time suggested they both sleep with Pree at the same time. When asked if he wanted to kill Lye, Ber responded "yes." Ber said he then stabbed his wife who was with his little daughter in bed.

According to the complaint, Ber told police that "it is better" that Lye is dead because he had been getting teased about his wife cheating on him.
"We are very disturbed by the violent nature of this crime," said County Attorney John Choi.
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


What can we learn form this?
Lots of violence dynamics stuff going on here.
Pah was so concerned about his status in the group he was willing to kill for it. 
He was cool having a 3 way with the victims not too long ago, but after a night of taking shit from his drinking buddies, he sees dude on the couch and goes ape shit.

First let me get this rant off my chest.
There is soooo much bullshit out there under the title knife fighting.
Most of it will get you killed, the rest will put you in jail.



I vowed never to post videos or links of bullshit and then comment how bad it is.  To me that is chicken shit.  If you don’t like it, be brave enough to post yourself doing better.

So here I will share some of the best knife defenses I’ve ever learned

1) Don’t join a violent criminal organization
2) If you do, DO NOT betray the above mentioned criminal organization
3) Don’t fuck other people’s wives

If you follow these 3 simple rules it is very unlikely you will ever face an edged weapon attack.

I think this case falls directly into #3.  Different culture, different rules but when I was 21 I didn’t have any 40 something friends.  And we sure as shit weren’t having sleepovers at my mommy’s house.

If you follow those 3 rules where else could you see edged weapons violence?

A process predator.

This is where I give you the totally kick ass secret Commando technique I learned to disarm a mugger.
Most resource predatory violence can be defeated by giving them what they want.
  • Wallet
  • Car Keys
  • IPod
Anything that can be replaced, any thing not worth dying for simply give them.
Professional criminals know the law better than most self defense instructors.  They want cash, scaring you with a weapon gets the cash.  Hurting you, especially with a weapon caries much stiffer charges.  Criminals aren’t dumb but they are lazy the easiest path to the cash is the one they will take.

What is worth dying for?
  • Your life
  • Your well being
    • Not being raped
    • Not being maimed

A process predator, someone who enjoys the process of hurting others may use an edged weapon too.  Like a resource predator they will show the knife to gain compliance.  Usually to get you someplace secure so the can do horrible things in private.

So what is the totally kick ass secret Commando technique I learned for this situation?

If they want privacy – get attention!  Yell, scream, run to safety. 

Where is safety? 
A crowd of people.
Do what ever you have to do to get lots of people’s attention and hopefully help.

That will serve you better than any specific H2H CQB technique I could suggest.

Who is H2H CQB designed for?
Young, fit, athletic, men.

If you follow the 1st 3 rules, who is least likely to fit the victim profile of a predator (either resource or process)?
Young, fit, athletic, men.

So unless you are actually a commando you are “reality based” training for something that doesn’t happen in reality

If you want to practice knife vs. knife dueling that’s fine.  It can be very fun.  But don’t delude yourself into thinking that is how knife attacks happen. 

As reality based and commando as most “knifers” claim to be, Kendo guys have a just as good a chance of getting into a sword fight as knife duelers do of
deploying their deadly skills on the street. (Unless they are actively looking to start fights)

Don’t use knives vs. social violence.
Social violence is the easiest to avoid, your little monkey might be screaming that you look like a bitch, but leaving solves the problem.  If they follow they have made your case for justified use of force.

If you pull a knife in social violence you better be prepared to use it.  Are you going to use lethal force against a guy that shoved you in a bar?  I hope your knife skills will protect you from being ass raped in prison the rest of your life.

So let’s end this blog / rant on a positive note.  I am not a hypocrite.  I carry an edged weapon with me everywhere I go.  If you want to learn how to use a knife find an instructor:
  • That has used a knife against an aggressive attacker in the world
  • That has defended themselves against aggressive attacker that had a knife
  • Understands (and can teach) force law and the judicial use of deadly force

Sadly there are maybe 5 guys in the world that fit those criteria.  It is worth your time to seek them out.

Train hard, Train smart, Be safe.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Combat Training Time

I was researching how much time the military devotes to hand to hand combat for a project i am working on (more on that later) when I cam across this article.  I liked it so I thought I would share it here

Combat Training Time
by Damian Ross
The Self Defense Company



In the book "The Close Combat Files of Colonel Rex Applegate" you get a glimpse into the training and preparation of the early SOE Agents. Applegate describes the basic training as a "5 week paramilitary course. This included instruction in weapons, unarmed combat, demolitions, guerilla warfare, basic communications, intelligence, small boats and organizing resistance groups." [Page 18.] You can imagine that only a fraction of this time was spent on actual hand to hand practice and instruction.


After completion of the basic training course, the agent was dispatched and continued their training in the field for advanced training. Instructor Michael Calvert recalls how he used jujitsu to "kill or be killed" in the Fairbairn and Sykes style. Fairbairn and Sykes methods developed into the form most are familiar with: basic close-combat instruction divided into two parts of roughly eight hours each for silent killing and battle firing.


Though the training in close quarters combat (specifically the empty hand, knife, spring-kosh, black jack and club) was extremely limited, the techniques and more importantly, the people who used them were extremely effective.


Fairbairn protégé and Instructor Sykes felt that all hand to hand can be broken down into 12 techniques. He even criticized the Fairbairn's popular book "Get-Tough" as being too complicated and geared towards police work. Sykes felt that only 12 techniques is all anyone really needed! 12 techniques practiced and applied correctly to any situation.



How Can You Become Effective In Only a Handful of Training Sessions


The truth is the average person can't. These men (and women) went through an incredible selection process. They were already physically and mentally tough. All they needed were the proper tools and training. Just like the elite soldiers of today, if you can run a sub-5 minute mile, swim several miles in freezing ocean waters, do 40 pull ups, you're going to be a tough customer no matter what you know. The attitude needed to subject yourself to getting to that point of physical and mental readiness will serve you more than any secret technique.



So How Do These Methods Fit Into Modern Self Defense?



Anything, if applied at the right time can work in a real fight. But you want to stick with high percentage combat proven techniques and strategies. Your chances of survival will increase accordingly. The techniques selected by Applegate, Fairbairn, Sykes and others were chosen because of the high success rate, the short amount of time required to grasp the techniques and the ability of these techniques to be used by a wide variety of people with different physical ability, size and strength.


Are these techniques outdated? Even today, self defense comes down to knives, guns, clubs, hands and boots, nothing has changed. What has changed are training methods. Imagine if you could focus on these techniques and REALLY spend the time to develop them with modern, proven methods of training.


Up until recently, your options for training in these combat methods have been limited. These methods were relegated to books, old poorly produced videos that only show demonstration techniques and no real training of these methods. Demonstrating technique is easy. Taking something out of a book and putting it to video is easy. The real task is training. This makes all the difference. Now you may not be able to go way for several months of intensive training under a qualified instructor, but if you have a little time and more important the desire to really practice these methods in a systematic program of implementation that has been getting proven results for the past 10 years, then you should take a look at the latest self defense training system.


How effective do you think you would be after several months at your local karate or MMA School? Sure, these are great endeavors, but how ready will you be for an actual knockdown, drag out street fight? After several weeks do you think you will have a good grasp of what you would need to do in a fight for you life?


Just like the agents of the Special Services of World War II, the proper training and the proper technique helps create the right attitude. But unlike them you can spend more time than a handful of training sessions to really master these methods. We can only show you what you need to do; you're going to actually have to do it. No secret here, beware of the four letter words TRAIN (I know train has five letters but I'm just sharing this article I didn't write it) and WORK. There's no getting around them, but at least you can get the most out of your time and effort by practicing the right methods and techniques, the right way.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

SOCT @ SCDIU

Hey everybody, your friendly neighborhood Samurai Super Cop is back and blogging.
It’s been a while so I thought I’d get caught up

SOCT @ SCDIU

No you don’t have dyslexia

Last week I taught Special Operations Control Tactics to the South Central Drug Investigate Unit Tactical Team.

The class went exceptionally well.  As you know I’m not shy about my awesomeness (or attractiveness).  But there came a point in the class where I had to ask Cabot (oh, yeah the old man and Lise helped), “Dude we have taught teams across the state, are these guys just that good? or are we just that much better at teaching?” 

I of course naturally assumed it was the latter but Cabot and I agreed that is was likely a combination of both factors.

All in all a great day.  Everyone was willing to listen to the information, worked hard, and asked good questions.

Good feed back after training as well.  Seasoned Operators experienced these difficulties before, but never received training on how to deal with it. 

They were very excited about it and working on ways to incorporate SOCT into their regular training

It was an excellent learning opportunity for me to see how these control tactics worked with slower more methodical operational tactics. 

They worked very well.  Mostly because of KISS.  When you keep things simple and principle based you can apply those principles to any operational tactic.  Train for what happens most and you can handle most of what happens.

"Being what people call an 'elite' or 'high-speed' operator is simply mastery of the basics while adapting and applying them to the current situation which ensures success."

Here are some pictures that look cool but don’t violate operational security








People ask me what ever happened to the super soldier project.

It continues to be field tested, and it is showing results. 

I am proud to announce that I was 1 of only 5 (out of 30) others who scored the maximum possible points on the SWAT PT test. 

Of those 5 I am the oldest (and best looking).

But I continue to be a slow learner.  I just maxed out on all these tests Thursday.  Friday is a training day. 

Did I pay attention to the advice about rest and recovery from the super soldier project? 

No, I decided to do some heavy bench press and scared the shit out of myself.  I thought I tore my pec. 
Thank God I didn’t and every thing is ok but I was sore as hell all weekend. 

Again God’s way of reminding me that I’m not 18 anymore.  I’m listening I promise.

So now we are all caught up.

Train hard, Train SMART, Be safe