Back in the saddle

So, anything newsworthy happen since the last blog post?

I don't mean to make light of recent tragedies, it is just sometimes if you don't laugh you start to cry.

Clearly many things have happened locally and across the nation since the last Budo Blog.
Also the last Budo Blog was like "War and Peace" long.

Randy King gave me some good advice along the lines of - no one besides people that already know you and like your blog are going to read your posts if it takes them 45 minutes to read it.

Too long didn't read  - can keep good information from getting to folks that may need it.

Clearly many things have happened, this blog helps me process those things.  It also has to be of use to everyone that may read it, and presented in a way that can be more easily consumed.

So, this will be "Back in the saddle" Vol 1

I spent a lot of time in the saddle last week.  Driving from northern Minnesota down to Mankato (southern Minnesota) to pick up Rudenick Sensei.  Then continuing on to St. Louis for the USMAA National Training Camp.

I had my phone plugged into the radio playing every Metallica and AC/DC song there is or listening to classic rock radio on Pandora when Rudenick Sensei had clearly had enough of the deep cuts of Metallica's early work

Driving cross country listening to classic rock with an old bearded guy....reminded me of an episode of Supernatural.

Clearly I am Dean

I love training camp.  It is a great opportunity to see old friends and spend time with family.  Both the family you are born into and the one you chose.

It is a great opportunity to get away from it all.  Molly's description of Valhalla.  For the next three days all I am going to do is fight and feast.  Turns out it was a good time to get away from it all.

On the road, busy training, disconnected from media I had no idea what was going on.

Things have been going really well for me on the Beyond Batman training project.  I did not want travel to throw a monkey wrench into those gears.  So I started camp at 0500 with a sandbag strength workout.

{Sand bag product review to follow}

We made it through St. Louis traffic and road construction just in time to get a coffee at the hotel coffee shop and get our gis on before camp started.

The camp started with an opening ceremony and this year an awards ceremony.  Awards from the Katamedo Jujitsu Training and Nutrition page.  Omar Ahmad started the page as a place to share nutrition, fitness, and training information with the purpose of encouraging members to strive to be their best and in doing so inspire their students and others that observe their efforts.

I won the award this year.  Not so much that I worked harder or had better results than the others.  I think I won on the sheer volume of selfies I posted

Here is a screen shot of the photos from that page, except for Omar's giant calf they are all me

I was honored to be recognized for my efforts.  Now I have to work even harder to hold on to the title

"This is not last year and I am not done here" - Rob Bailey

Training camp started with Kurt (Barnacle Boy)Valdez teaching Tae Kwon Do in the main room 

Here is a picture of Kurt getting whooped by his lovely wife.  

The couple that throws together grows together

On the other mat Steve Jimerfield Sensei was starting his Talon class

 Nothing brings back the PTSD... I mean memories like taking ukemi for the Talon class.

After that Omar Ahmad was up for self defense, and I got to switch from being beat up by Jimerfield to being beat up by Omar.

Great class!  The focus was on counter ambush from behind and follow up.  Fighting to the goal, in this case the goal was escape.  Also addressing situational awareness and the need to keep yourself from being buried in your phone when you are out in public.

This would come up again in the Jujitsu test and in the Violence Dynamics class I presented later in the camp.

Omar's class worked great to set up mine which gave me more time to play.
I was very pleased with how the class went, everyone worked hard, and seemed to learn something and have fun.  It seems arrogant to review my own class so instead I'll give you part of the lesson plan to review what was covered

Training Goal:
To use Aikido as a mechanism to play with fundamental principles that are useful to all participants regardless of their primary training system

Learning Objectives:
Participants will demonstrate proficiency in:
Oyo Waza Practical Application
Kansetsu Waza Joint Locks
Nage Waza         Takedowns
Osae Komi Pins
Atemi Waza         Striking
Jyu Waza         Free Style

Timeline
Discussion 5 Min
Hinge Joints – Hiji Hishigi (Elbow Crush) 5 Min
Takedown (2 variations)       10 Min
Pin         5 Min
Gliding Joints
Pressure Test and Jyu Waza 5 Min
Tomiki Aikido / Judo Discussion

Ball and Socket Joints – Ude Garami 5 Min
(Arm Entanglement)
Takedown (2 variations)        10 Min
Pin         5 Min
Pressure Test and Jyu Waza 5 Min

Debrief
What is your take away?         5 Min

Discussion

Aikido is a form of Jujutsu.  When you break it down Aikido is primarily:
Joints Locks – Kansetsu Waza
Throws – Nage Waza
Pins – Osae Komi
Striking – Atemi Waza
Practical Application – Oyo Waza
Ahmad Sensei just did a fantastic class on self defense.  Which makes my job easier.  We will work everything from counter ambush or from offense covering Oyo Waza and Atemi Waza.
From there we will work the fundamental principles of how locks work.  That way you won’t have to memorize any techniques, rather you will be able to improvise locks when the opportunity presents itself.
That is known as Takemusu Aiki or spontaneous technique.
That is regarded as the highest level of Aikido.  That is also the concept I believe Makoid is referring to when he speaks of “Old Man Judo”.

From there we will use locks to take Uke down covering Nage Waza.  Finally we will maintain the locks to pin Uke on the ground covering Osae Komi.

I have found people learn best through play, and feeling things for themselves.  Feeling is believing is an old Aikido maxim.  So we will play with these ideas through several different pressure testing methods and freestyle variations.

We will be using Aikido as a mechanism to play with fundamental principles that are useful to all participants regardless of their primary training system

Nathan Corliss was nice enough to take Ukemi for me

That is him working his way out of a choke with a Talon

We discussed camp afterwards, the following is a paraphrased version of what he had to say

Many have  commented to me they make the effort to attend yours and Gary's classes. It's some of those little details and variations that help adapt to our differences.

I know that's the case for me too. I had specific people I wanted to attend, You, Gary and Jimerfield.

Its the body mechanics work and methodology of teaching technique that appeals, Its broken down well and helps me to pass on techniques to others who don't train.

I'm also glad you discussed the basics of social and asocial violence. Important topic for others to think about levels of force to apply when necessary and how avoidable some are.

Kurt was going over it in class last night. Working the ambush getting to that dead angle then, do what you wish. At least you know its being passed on.

After my class Ron Treem taught a Karate class while I continued to get beat up by Jimerfield Sensei

The next class was taught by Michael Makoid Sensei.

I enjoy Makoid Sensei's instruction especially "old man Judo".  This was one of the best classes at camp. The focus was principle based Judo.  Specifically structure and power generation.  Makoid Sensei had different Instructors show their favorite version of Tai Otoshi (Body Drop)

Using Tai Otoshi as a delivery method Makoid Sensei demonstrated that no matter the variation of the throw, the principles that made Tai Otoshi work were the same.  

That is a tough act to follow.  Following that act was Eric Holien

Getting to know and roll with Eric was one of my favorite parts of camp this year.

I recognized his name as a Facebook friend, but I guess a part of my brain didn't put it together that he was also from Minnesota until I saw he was scheduled to teach martial art aspects of western wrestling.

Martial art aspects of western wrestling?  Hell, those are a few of my favorite things.  Who is this guy that they have teaching that?  So I looked him up.

He is not all that far away from me.  It would be great to set up training opportunities.  I hope he is cool.  Please be cool

Eric was on a Military Wrestling Team while he was serving over seas with lots of competition experience, especially with Eastern Europeans.  (If you don't know Eastern Europeans have a well earned reputation as very tough grapplers)

What did Eric teach?  Principle based Wrestling (are you starting to see a trend here?)

That is the core of Katamedo Jujitsu.  The principles of the grappling arts are common, only the rules differ.  Whether the rules are department policy or rules of engagement for professional use of force, state statutes for personal protection or sport rules for competition in any grappling or mixed martial arts setting.

The most confident fighter is one who can compete on equal ground no matter what the rules.

For personal protection and professional use of force you have to be able to compete on equal ground no matter what the rules. Confidence in this is built through competence. Competence is built using modern sporting methods to prepare practitioners for the situations they will be called upon to face and train them to deal with those situations in the most realistic manner safely possible.

Eric had a great class.  Again I don't want to sound arrogant writing that I liked Eric's class because it is a whole lot like what I teach.  However, as I have written several times - If you use the chisel of successful application to remove everything that does not work what is left regardless of it's original source material is going to look pretty similar. Clearly there will be some variation do to different application and plain personal preference, but you will find similar forms to provide a specific necessary functions.

COOL! We can be friends

We can set up cross training and represent the north central region.

I guess I need to start taking some ginkgo biloba or start doing Sudoku or something to help the old memory.  It turns out that Eric is also in Law Enforcement and we actually competed against each other in a 2007 Jujitsu tournament.

That tournament is no longer held.  However, with Eric's competitive experience, if things go my way with the C.A.T.C.H. project maybe we will host a tournament to replace it.

Much, much more on that to follow.

The day ended with the testing board.  The test deserves more time than I have left in this blog.  So like a Quentin Tarantino flick I am going to go out of chronological order and come back to the test later.

After a long hard and fun day I was treated by my Sister Kay and her Husband Jim to a wonderful meal.  Then, as is tradition Rudenick Sensei and I enjoy a cigar and a "Marky Mark" in the back yard debrief the day and prepare for tomorrow.

On the road, busy training, disconnected from media, getting away from it all.
Good day, time to enjoy the Budo Buzz

My phone started blowing up with texts from friends on the tactical team.  Especially from one buddy in particular.  One buddy who's previous job was with the tactical team in Dallas Texas.

Now I knew what was going on...

Ok, so as promised I will break this blog into segments.  I will leave you with this dramatic cliff hanger.

Until next time

Train hard, Train smart, Be safe!

Tactical Dilemmas

As promised I will start this post with the much awaited after action review of Cabot Welchlin's fire arms class.

Later in the blog we will discuss tactical competency further.
For now just understand that Tactical Training + Operational Experience = Tactical Competency

Cabot is one of those very rare Instructors, that not only is very skilled, but has also used these skills in the field.

On top of that he is able to pass on that hard earned information in a way that even the most inexperienced can understand.

Marksmanship is a fundamental and necessary skill.  However, there is a vast difference between marksmanship and gun fighting.

Cabot has the tactical competency to teach gun fighting.

There are no advanced skills, there is just further mastery of the basics.  There are best practices, there are ways the best in the world (people with the highest tactical competency) do things.  Not because they look cool, or that is how their instructor told them to do it, or to be different from other Instructors.  Rather things that have the highest probability for success.  When you boil that all down the most high speed folks out there are very good at the basics.

Cabot has that rare skill to be able to watch some one shoot, asses, make a few adjustments and help the student attain a mastery of the basics.  A process that otherwise could take 1000's of rounds and training hours to accomplish, and has as high of a chance to ingrain negative habits as it does to increase proficiency.

The best review I can give is from direct example.  Amy (pictured above) for all intents and purposes has no firearms experience.  She was in a class filled with Police Officers, Tactical Team Members, Competitive Shooters, and Firearms Enthusiasts.

That could make anyone nervous / self conscious.  Much less a young woman visiting from a different country.

Her first time on the line she was not only off target, but off paper, off the backer.  No real data to receive feed back from.  Cabot adjusted a few things.  Still off paper.  Cabot assessed her fundamentals, stance, grip, trigger press, all seemed solid.  That left sight picture.  Amy and Cabot got that squared up and progress followed quickly.

In fact in less than 3 hours Amy went from literally not being able to hit the broad side of a barn to successfully completing a course of fire consisting of engaging  a threat at contact range, moving to cover, engaging another target from behind cover using her non dominant hand, and culminating with a third hostage rescue target requiring hip girdle and head shots with out hitting the Teddy bear hostage stapled to the target.  Under time pressure.  Amy scored in the high 90% and successfully saved the hostage within the time allotted.

Very impressive on Amy's part.  Equally impressive of Cabot to help her get there.

Amy went from nervous and apprehensive to confident and having fun. (See the above picture "Merica! Pew! Pew!)

The first time Cabot and I ran this class for civilians was last fall when Maija Soderholm was in town working on a project for Somico Knives.  Here is her review of the training:

I have a long background in martial arts especially sword arts, and the basic principle behind them is that of movement. Because of this, the idea of spending time standing behind a counter firing at stationary targets begun to sound rather like riding a stationary bicycle - good exercise, but really nothing to do with what a bicycle was designed to do. 

But how do you safely step into more real world firearm training?

Firearms are lethal weapons and must be treated with safety as the primary concern. Hence it is imperative to find an experienced teacher to lead the class.

Fortuitously I was invited to participate in a day of training with Cabot Welchlin, firearms instructor for the SWAT team of Ramsey County and himself a retired leader of the team.

During the course of the day Cabot assessed our abilities, our weaknesses, and our ability to follow instructions to stay safe, and over the course of 6 hours took us from standing and firing to moving and firing, transitioning from standing to kneeling to lying down, to running, firing from cover, moving from cover to cover, and changing magazines and firing left and right handed.

It truly was an awesome day. I learned an enormous amount about myself, and the gaps in my practice, and felt my skills improved exponentially to be something that are of real use. There was even homework to take away to keep the skills we were developing sharp.

As a Brit living in the US, I thought it would be good to become familiar with firearms, and after having spent a some time at the range shooting with friends' guns, eventually ended up with my own.

I now feel I have the confidence to use it if necessary. Something that was not true before my time training with Cabot.

Stay tuned to this blog for future training opportunities with Cabot (Chameleon Survival)

After those adventures I was fortunate to be able to attend the NTOA tactical team leader school.

The class was taught by AJ and Jeff
Great class, fantastic Instructors.  At the beginning of each successive day we were asked what our take away (or one thing that stuck with us) from yesterday was.  Hmmm, who else does that?
My three primary take aways from the class were principle based SWAT, manipulating human performance, and being my brother's keeper

My goal with this post is to share these take aways in a manner that is useful for anyone reading.

Principle based SWAT

I have written about principle based training, especially in regard to personal protection and martial arts.  So what is principle based SWAT?

Tactical dilemma
Every time I write something like this I have to balance what open source information I am willing to share vs what I think everyone should know.

I am willing to share this because it will not compromise anyone's security and with recent events including everybody on social media somehow becoming experts on active shooter incidents, Law Enforcement, and Tactical Operations I feel it is necessary to get this information out.


If all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.
If all you have is one go to tactic you use for everything regardless of the varying circumstances, things will end poorly.

If you are in a fair fight that means your tactics suck

"Aint no such thing as a fair fight with a Marine"

That does not mean you put yourself at a disadvantage because you are so badass you can take 'em

even when every thing is stacked in the threat's favor.

Principle based SWAT is having multiple tactics and using the right tool for the right job.
Stacking things in your favor.

How do you determine the right tactic / tool?

PIE

Priorities of life
Intelligence (the fact set you have at the time)
Environment

To help clarify lets run through a scenario:

Patrol Officers respond to a call of a domestic assault.  As the Officers approach the door they are confronted by a male with a gun.  He shoots at them and yells if he sees another cop he is going to kill that cheating bitch.  He slams the door shut.  Officers back up to behind cover and establish a perimeter.

What do you know, what is fact set you have at the time?
Male suspect has shown that he is dangerous, has a weapon, and has barricaded himself with a hostage.

What are the priorities of life?
Innocents in immediate danger of death (hostages)
Non involved citizens (people in the area)
Law Enforcement
Criminals

How does that determine your tactics?

Risk much to save much, risk little to save little, risk nothing to save what is lost.

With a hostage inside you have to have a go team ready to move at a seconds notice based on information they are receiving in the field.  You are willing to send in your people to save the hostage.  They have the authority to move when an opportunity with a reasonable chance of success presents itself or when they feel the risk is justified to save the hostage.  Risk much to save much.

Incidents are ever changing, not stagnant.

In our scenario lets say you have a go team ready, they have contingency plans for what the hostage taker may do.  Negotiations talks him into letting the hostage go.

Now tactics change.

What are the priorities of life?
Innocents in immediate danger of death (hostages) [Hostage was released]
Non involved citizens (people in the area)  [The area has been cleared]
Law Enforcement
Criminals

Risk little to save little.  It no longer makes sense to risk Law Enforcement lives to go in and get this guy.  Tactics shift to barricaded subject.  You will notice that property is no where on the priorities of life check list.

If you are unable to shift tactics as circumstances change things will end poorly.

If all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.
If all you have is one go to tactic you use for everything regardless of the varying circumstances, things will end poorly.

Well, this hammer has served us well the last 20 years.  We kicked a lot of ass using it.

If any fighter / martial artist brags about his / her record what is the first question you ask?
Who have they fought?

I brag that I am undefeated...against women...under 8 years old.  (See also big fucking deal)

You can use your hammer against lesser threats and be undefeated.
When you use that hammer in a situation in which it is not the correct tool, and use it because that is the only tool you know how to use, against a threat that wants to fight, that is skilled at fighting, that is when you get people killed.

Lets use this as a transition and start shifting to how this is applicable to anyone.

If you want to be successful at social violence (see also being a bully / asshole) you do not have to be very skilled.

Being big and strong helps.  If you want to train, whatever you train in (whatever hammer you use) really doesn't matter because you pick smaller weaker opponents that don't really want to fight you.

So regardless of your method it works 98% of the time...until you tree a bad one.  Until you come across one of the 2%

Someone who can fight, that likes to fight, and now has an excuse to fight

Now your max bench press and strip mall Rex Kwon Do really don't add up to much as you lay on the floor bleeding out wondering what happened.

Terry (pictured above) fits exactly the profile that these asshole / bullies would seek out.  And Terry is most defiantly a 2%er ( I mean that as a compliment).  That would be the worst and possibly the last mistake the asshole  / bully ever makes.

Click HERE  to find out more about Terry


I am in no way saying that Tactical Teams are asshole bullies.  However, I am saying that there are teams that rely heavily on high risk tactics and are unable to adapt.

They (we) have been lucky that they have run those tactics at the 98% (who have you fought?). Those same tactics against a 2%er will get your guys killed.

One of my primary takeaways from the NTOA class was using principle based SWAT tactical planning to explain how and why different tactics can be used and to articulate why high risk tactics are correct choice when circumstances dictate.

How does this relate to folks reading this that may not be tactical team leaders?

The ability to be more than a fighter but a tactician

Be more brilliant

Just a tactical teams use PIE to help make decisions, we as private citizens can use
IMOP or as it makes more sense to me PIMO

Do I have to act?

If you don't have time to ask the question you should already be acting (operant conditioned counter assault response)

If you have time to ask the question you probably don't.  You have discretionary time to plan (brilliant tactician)

Preemption - Do I need to be here?
If you can leave.
If you have a duty to act, or other legitimate reason you can't leave is the threat immediate?

In order to be an immediate threat, an individual must display (and you must be able to clearly articulate how you knew) three things:
Intent
Means
Opportunity

Intent
Intent is the desire to do something - "I'm going to fuck you up!"
It does not to have to be as obvious as that.
Humans have been communicating with body language far before the spoken word existed.
We are very good at reading intent through body language, but often we have trouble articulating that process

Means
The threat must have the ability to carry out intent.

 A person threatening to shoot you must have a gun to be an immediate threat, for instance.

Opportunity

The threat must be able to reach you with the means.

If those conditions exists (the fact set as you know them the time) force is justified.

What Level of Force?

“You are expected and required to use the minimum level of force that you reasonably believe will safely resolve the situation.”

Risk much to save much, risk little to save little, risk nothing to save what is lost.

Anything you allow to go physical has the potential to go lethal.

Check your priorities of life.

Is this worth killing or dying over?

(You will notice property is not on the priorities of life)

How to decide what tactic will safely resolve the situation is a broad enough topic that it deserves a post in and of itself.

Or....

There is training available 

Click HERE to sign up today

My point being against a 2 %er, against asocial violence, or against a threat that gives you no other option but to go physical (it is social for the threat but asocial to you such as a status seeking show)
You need to be a tactician.  You have to have operational diciplines that allow you to match a tactic to the circumstances at hand. (Not just a hammer)

Otherwise at best you are just a fighter.

If you get out maneuvered by the threat they can make all your fighting skills and physical abilities worthless.

Your max bench press and (enter whatever you like here) really don't add up to much as you lay on the floor bleeding out wondering what happened.
Be more brilliant.

Manipulating human performance.

On this blog, and in training I often refer to the OODA loop

Observe
Orient
Decide
Act

A model used to explain how the brain takes in information and what is physiologically necessary for the body to act on that information.

One of my take aways from the class was how to better stack the odds in my favor, and how to diminish the threat's ability to harm me.

It was drilled into us that you only move as fast as you can accurately shoot you can make good decisions.  Team leaders get paid to communicate, make decisions, and listen.

Everyone has heard slow is smooth and smooth is fast.  Sounds cool but what does that really mean?
"Slow" allows you to process information in smaller batches.  For example dealing with 1/8 of a room at a time is "slower" than dealing with all of the room at once.

However, your brain can fully process that 1/8th "smoothly" because there is less information to take in.  Less information to process quickly = better decision making.

Because you are processing less information "smoothly" you can move from Observe to Act much "faster".

Even though this may feel slower, reaction time is faster, than jerkily trying to process too much information all at one time (compressed time and space) and make a good decision.  Especially against an ambush.  All the threat has to do is Act.

So professionally this made me look for more tactics that allow my team to maximize their information processing ability.  Doorway assessments, observation boxes etc...

In regard to personal protection it reinforced the need for Counter Assault training.  Conditioning that allows you to skip Orient and Decide and go directly to Act.

The flip side of that is creating tactical dilemmas for the threat.

Doing several different repeated things that keep resetting the threat to Observe and Orient. Overwhelming the threats ability to process information.  Keeping the threat from Acting in anyway that can be used to harm you.

"Buffet of pain" I don't start trouble.  If you force me to put my hands on you every thing I do is going to hurt you until you are made safe / no longer a threat.

Manipulating the edge of human performance.  Maximizing my ability to process information and act.  Overwhelming the threat with so many tactical dilemmas their ability to process information is distinctly diminished causing them to freeze.

Stacking the odds in my favor.

For more information on human performance, especially as it relates to decision making under combat stress please click HERE  to check out the Force Science Institute

Dr. William Lewinski - Force Science Institute

I am my brother's keeper
A major part of the NTOA class was after action reviews of some criminal incidents that required tactical operations to resolve.

The Instructors reviewed incidents they were involved in.  Events that years latter are still emotionally raw.  I thank those Instructors for doing that.  It can't be easy, but through their efforts the already high standard is being raised.  The probability of successful resolution becomes increased.

They bear that burden.

It was also discussed that if you take on a leadership role, that your burden increases as well.
Not only to have your people trained, not only to lead them in the field, but to have their back.  To help with their mental well being after an incident.

You are your brother's keeper.  You owe it to him to do everything possible to ensure he survives the incident, and everything that comes along after.

Which leads me to....
Another tactical dilemma.  Do I go there?  Do I have the moral courage to speak up when it is far easier to be quiet?

Well...I have never been known for being quiet.

With recent events in the media, more specifically the Pulse night club shooting in Orlando, everyone has an opinion, and everyone is an expert.

Unless you were there, you don't know.
Unless you have taken part in a hostage rescue operation, you don't know.
If the only information you have is from the media YOU DON'T KNOW!

So, if you don't know, sincerely and with all due respect, shut the fuck up.

Hostage rescue is one of the most difficult operations there is.  Successful resolution pushes the limits of human performance.  The best of the best in the world are tasked with it.  The people with the highest tactical competency.  Teams that have the best training, and highest operational tempo. Groups like GSG 9 in Germany.  These types of operations is what Delta was made for.  But America has The Posse Comitatus Act limiting the powers of Government in using federal military personnel to enforce domestic policies within the United States.

I don't want this to get political or to debate the "militarization" of Law Enforcement.

Where I am going with this is I want to make the point that hostage rescue is a very difficult task.
For the sake of argument lets liken it to surgery.  A specific surgery where a team of Surgeons are tasked with removing a malignant tumor.  If they even nick anything but the tumor the patient will die.  If the Surgeon doesn't remove the tumor precisely some how the tumor can release a toxin that will kill the Surgeon.  Now lets say that the tumor can also somehow move.

No one reading about this very difficult and dangerous surgery at home from the comfort of their couch the next day is going to get online and write something like - Well I carve the turkey for the family on Thanksgiving so I know a lil something something about this.  Those Surgeons did it all wrong, they should have have used a #7 scalpel and cut proximally across the femoral artery ...

But that is exactly what is happening.

It happened after Columbine.
There is stuff about Columbine that the general public doesn't know all these years latter.  Basically because so very easily things could have gone so much worse.

But because the general public doesn't know the facts, the responding officer's actions have been judged with out knowing what information they had at the time.

Some have gone so far as to call these guys "The Cowards of Columbine"

Can you imagine going through that, then being called a coward for your actions?

Then the "experts" come out and pontificate on how they would have done things.
Based on information that was not available during the incident.
Based on incorrect or false information.

There are still plenty of experts teaching active shooter response classes based on, and using video from the library at Columbine.

Well, guess what?  The only cameras in the entire shcool at the time were in the lunch room.
Any video from the library was from a training exercise made after the incident.

What happened to the responding Officers at Columbine is bullshit.  Lets not let that happen to the guys from Orlando

We are our brother's keepers

Remember principle based SWAT.  There are tactics that are appropriate for active shooter.  Tactics that all Officers are capable of accomplishing.  When the circumstances change.  Switch from active shooter to a barricaded hostage rescue situation the tactics must also change.  Things that worked well for an active shooter response will get the hostages shot.
Hostage rescue is the zenith of tactical operations.  Not all officers are capable of doing it.  You want the people with the highest tactical competency working to resolve it.  You have to be prepared to move if the shooting starts again or an opportunity presents itself but until that happens you want to get your best assets, your greatest chance for success in place before further engagement takes place.

So again,

Unless you were there, you don't know.
Unless you have taken part in a hostage rescue operation, you don't know.
If the only information you have is from the media YOU DON'T KNOW!

And if you don't know feel free to keep your opinions to yourself.


How does this apply to martial arts or personal protection?

Be the best at what you are.  Don't claim or try to be something you are not.
Don't be that guy.
Don't be the guy that tries to capitalize on tragedy

Click HERE to watch Clint Overland's reaction to this video

Don't be the guys that uses "the trending" of tragic events to bolster his / her name recognition by giving advice on how to do it better.

Lastly, if you truly believe you can do it better.  Put on your big boy / big girl pants and apply for a profession that puts you in a position to do it better as the incident is happening.  Where you can actually save lives.

If not, maybe take some of the time and energy you were going to spend critiquing the event to thank the people that were there doing the best they could with the information and resources they had at the time

Train hard, Train smart, Be safe

Tactical Dilemmas

As promised I will start this post with the much awaited after action review of Cabot Welchlin's fire arms class.

Later in the blog we will discuss tactical competency further.
For now just understand that Tactical Training + Operational Experience = Tactical Competency

Cabot is one of those very rare Instructors, that not only is very skilled, but has also used these skills in the field.

On top of that he is able to pass on that hard earned information in a way that even the most inexperienced can understand.

Marksmanship is a fundamental and necessary skill.  However, there is a vast difference between marksmanship and gun fighting.

Cabot has the tactical competency to teach gun fighting.

There are no advanced skills, there is just further mastery of the basics.  There are best practices, there are ways the best in the world (people with the highest tactical competency) do things.  Not because they look cool, or that is how their instructor told them to do it, or to be different from other Instructors.  Rather things that have the highest probability for success.  When you boil that all down the most high speed folks out there are very good at the basics.

Cabot has that rare skill to be able to watch some one shoot, asses, make a few adjustments and help the student attain a mastery of the basics.  A process that otherwise could take 1000's of rounds and training hours to accomplish, and has as high of a chance to ingrain negative habits as it does to increase proficiency.

The best review I can give is from direct example.  Amy (pictured above) for all intents and purposes has no firearms experience.  She was in a class filled with Police Officers, Tactical Team Members, Competitive Shooters, and Firearms Enthusiasts.

That could make anyone nervous / self conscious.  Much less a young woman visiting from a different country.

Her first time on the line she was not only off target, but off paper, off the backer.  No real data to receive feed back from.  Cabot adjusted a few things.  Still off paper.  Cabot assessed her fundamentals, stance, grip, trigger press, all seemed solid.  That left sight picture.  Amy and Cabot got that squared up and progress followed quickly.

In fact in less than 3 hours Amy went from literally not being able to hit the broad side of a barn to successfully completing a course of fire consisting of engaging  a threat at contact range, moving to cover, engaging another target from behind cover using her non dominant hand, and culminating with a third hostage rescue target requiring hip girdle and head shots with out hitting the Teddy bear hostage stapled to the target.  Under time pressure.  Amy scored in the high 90% and successfully saved the hostage within the time allotted.

Very impressive on Amy's part.  Equally impressive of Cabot to help her get there.

Amy went from nervous and apprehensive to confident and having fun. (See the above picture "Merica! Pew! Pew!)

The first time Cabot and I ran this class for civilians was last fall when Maija Soderholm was in town working on a project for Somico Knives.  Here is her review of the training:

I have a long background in martial arts especially sword arts, and the basic principle behind them is that of movement. Because of this, the idea of spending time standing behind a counter firing at stationary targets begun to sound rather like riding a stationary bicycle - good exercise, but really nothing to do with what a bicycle was designed to do. 

But how do you safely step into more real world firearm training?

Firearms are lethal weapons and must be treated with safety as the primary concern. Hence it is imperative to find an experienced teacher to lead the class.

Fortuitously I was invited to participate in a day of training with Cabot Welchlin, firearms instructor for the SWAT team of Ramsey County and himself a retired leader of the team.

During the course of the day Cabot assessed our abilities, our weaknesses, and our ability to follow instructions to stay safe, and over the course of 6 hours took us from standing and firing to moving and firing, transitioning from standing to kneeling to lying down, to running, firing from cover, moving from cover to cover, and changing magazines and firing left and right handed.

It truly was an awesome day. I learned an enormous amount about myself, and the gaps in my practice, and felt my skills improved exponentially to be something that are of real use. There was even homework to take away to keep the skills we were developing sharp.

As a Brit living in the US, I thought it would be good to become familiar with firearms, and after having spent a some time at the range shooting with friends' guns, eventually ended up with my own.

I now feel I have the confidence to use it if necessary. Something that was not true before my time training with Cabot.

Stay tuned to this blog for future training opportunities with Cabot (Chameleon Survival)

After those adventures I was fortunate to be able to attend the NTOA tactical team leader school.

The class was taught by AJ and Jeff
Great class, fantastic Instructors.  At the beginning of each successive day we were asked what our take away (or one thing that stuck with us) from yesterday was.  Hmmm, who else does that?
My three primary take aways from the class were principle based SWAT, manipulating human performance, and being my brother's keeper

My goal with this post is to share these take aways in a manner that is useful for anyone reading.

Principle based SWAT

I have written about principle based training, especially in regard to personal protection and martial arts.  So what is principle based SWAT?

Tactical dilemma
Every time I write something like this I have to balance what open source information I am willing to share vs what I think everyone should know.

I am willing to share this because it will not compromise anyone's security and with recent events including everybody on social media somehow becoming experts on active shooter incidents, Law Enforcement, and Tactical Operations I feel it is necessary to get this information out.


If all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.
If all you have is one go to tactic you use for everything regardless of the varying circumstances, things will end poorly.

If you are in a fair fight that means your tactics suck

"Aint no such thing as a fair fight with a Marine"

That does not mean you put yourself at a disadvantage because you are so badass you can take 'em

even when every thing is stacked in the threat's favor.

Principle based SWAT is having multiple tactics and using the right tool for the right job.
Stacking things in your favor.

How do you determine the right tactic / tool?

PIE

Priorities of life
Intelligence (the fact set you have at the time)
Environment

To help clarify lets run through a scenario:

Patrol Officers respond to a call of a domestic assault.  As the Officer approach the door they are confronted by a male with a gun.  He shoots at them and yells if he sees another cop he is going to kill that cheating bitch.  He slams the door shut.  Officers back up to behind cover and establish a perimeter.

What do you know, what is fact set you have at the time?
Male suspect has shown that he is dangerous, has a weapon, and has barricaded himself with a hostage.

What are the priorities of life?
Innocents in immediate danger of death (hostages)
Non involved citizens (people in the area)
Law Enforcement
Criminals

How does that determine your tactics?

Risk much to save much, risk little to save little, risk nothing to save what is lost.

With a hostage inside you have to have a go team ready to move at a seconds notice based on information they are receiving in the field.  You are willing to send in your people to save the hostage.  They have the authority to move when an opportunity with a reasonable chance of success presents itself or when they feel the risk is justified to save the hostage.  Risk much to save much.

Incidents are ever changing, not stagnant.

In our scenario lets say you have a go team ready, they have contingency plans for what the hostage taker may do.  Negotiations talks him into letting the hostage go.

Now tactics change.

What are the priorities of life?
Innocents in immediate danger of death (hostages) [Hostage was released]
Non involved citizens (people in the area)  [The area has been cleared]
Law Enforcement
Criminals

Risk little to save little.  It no longer makes sense to risk Law Enforcement lives to go in and get this guy.  Tactics shift to barricaded subject.  You will notice that property is no where on the priorities of life check list.

If you are unable to shift tactics as circumstances change things will end poorly.

If all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.
If all you have is one go to tactic you use for everything regardless of the varying circumstances, things will end poorly.

Well, this hammer has served us well the last 20 years.  We kicked a lot of ass using it.

If any fighter / martial artist brags about his / her record what is the first question you ask?
Who have they fought?

I brag that I am undefeated...against women...under 8 years old.  (See also big fucking deal)

You can use your hammer against lesser threats and be undefeated.
When you use that hammer in a situation in which it is not the correct tool, and use it because that is the only tool you know how to use, against a threat that wants to fight, that is skilled at fighting, that is when you get people killed.

Lets use this as a transition and start shifting to how this is applicable to anyone.

If you want to be successful at social violence (see also being a bully / asshole) you do not have to be very skilled.

Being big and strong helps.  If you want to train, whatever you train in (whatever hammer you use) really doesn't matter because you pick smaller weaker opponents that don't really want to fight you.

So regardless of your method it works 98% of the time...until you tree a bad one.  Until you come across one of the 2%

Someone who can fight, that likes to fight, and now has an excuse to fight

Now your max bench press and strip mall Rex Kwon Do really don't add up to much as you lay on the floor bleeding out wondering what happened.

Terry (pictured above) fits exactly the profile that these asshole / bullies would seek out.  And Terry is most defiantly a 2%er ( I mean that as a compliment).  That would be the worst and possibly the last mistake the asshole  / bully ever makes.

Click HERE  to find out more about Terry


I am in no way saying that Tactical Teams are asshole bullies.  However, I am saying that there are teams that rely heavily on high risk tactics and are unable to adapt.

They (we) have been lucky that they have run those tactics at the 98% (who have you fought?). Those same tactics against a 2%er will get your guys killed.

One of my primary takeaways from the NTOA class was using principle based SWAT tactical planning to explain how and why different tactics can be used and to articulate why high risk tactics are correct choice when circumstances dictate.

How does this relate to folks reading this that may not be tactical team leaders?

The ability to be more than a fighter but a tactician

Be more brilliant

Just a tactical teams use PIE to help make decisions, we as private citizens can use
IMOP or as it makes more sense to me PIMO

Do I have to act?

If you don't have time to ask the question you should already be acting (operant conditioned counter assault response)

If you have time to ask the question you probably don't.  You have discretionary time to plan (brilliant tactician)

Preemption - Do I need to be here?
If you can leave.
If you have a duty to act, or other legitimate reason you can't leave is the threat immediate?

In order to be an immediate threat, an individual must display (and you must be able to clearly articulate how you knew) three things:
Intent
Means
Opportunity

Intent
Intent is the desire to do something - "I'm going to fuck you up!"
It does not to have to be as obvious as that.
Humans have been communicating with body language far before the spoken word existed.
We are very good at reading intent through body language, but often we have trouble articulating that process

Means
The threat must have the ability to carry out intent.

 A person threatening to shoot you must have a gun to be an immediate threat, for instance.

Opportunity

The threat must be able to reach you with the means.

If those conditions exists (the fact set as you know them the time) force is justified.

What Level of Force?

“You are expected and required to use the minimum level of force that you reasonably believe will safely resolve the situation.”

Risk much to save much, risk little to save little, risk nothing to save what is lost.

Anything you allow to go physical has the potential to go lethal.

Check your priorities of life.

Is this worth killing or dying over?

(You will notice property is not on the priorities of life)

How to decide what tactic will safely resolve the situation is a broad enough topic that it deserves a post in and of itself.

Or....

There is training available 

Click HERE to sign up today

My point being against a 2 %er, against asocial violence, or against a threat that gives you no other option but to go physical (it is social for the threat but asocial to you such as a status seeking show)
You need to be a tactician.  You have to have operational diciplines that allow you to match a tactic to the circumstances at hand. (Not just a hammer)

Otherwise at best you are just a fighter.

If you get out maneuvered by the threat they can make all your fighting skills and physical abilities worthless.

Your max bench press and (enter whatever you like here) really don't add up to much as you lay on the floor bleeding out wondering what happened.
Be more brilliant.

Manipulating human performance.

On this blog, and in training I often refer to the OODA loop

Observe
Orient
Decide
Act

A model used to explain how the brain takes in information and what is physiologically necessary for the body to act on that information.

One of my take aways from the class was how to better stack the odds in my favor, and how to diminish the threat's ability harm me.

It was drilled into us that you only move as fast as you can accurately shoot you can make good decisions.  Team leaders get paid to communicate make decisions and listen.

Everyone has heard slow is smooth and smooth is fast.  Sounds cool but what does that really mean.
"Slow" allows you to process information in smaller batches.  For example dealing with 1/8 of a room at a time is "slower" than dealing with all of the room at once.

However your brain can fully process that 1/8th "smoothly" because there is less information to take in.  Less information to process quickly = better decision making.

Because you are processing less information "smoothly" you can move from Observe to Act much "faster".

Even though this may feel slower, reaction time is faster, than jerkily trying to process too much information all at one time (compressed time and space) and make a good decision.  Especially against an ambush.  All the threat has to do is Act.

So professionally this made me look for more tactics that allow my team to maximize there information processing ability.  Doorway assessments, observation boxes etc...

In regard to personal protection it reinforced the need for Counter Assault training.  Conditioning that allows you to skip Orient and Decide and go directly to Act.

The flip side of that is creating tactical dilemmas for the threat.

Doing several different repeated things that keep resetting the threat to Observe and Orient. Overwhelming the threats ability to process information.  Keeping the threat from Acting in anyway that can be used to harm you.

"Buffet of pain" I don't start trouble.  If you force me to put my hands on you every thing I do is going to hurt you until you are made safe / no longer a threat.

Manipulating the edge of human performance.  Maximizing my ability to process information and act.  Overwhelming the threat with so many tactical dilemmas their ability to process information is distinctly diminished causing them to freeze.

Stacking the odds in my favor.

For more information on human performance, especially as it relates to decision making under combat stress please click HERE  to check out the Force Science Institute

Dr. William Lewinski - Force Science Institute

I am my brother's keeper
A major part of the NTOA class was after action reviews of some criminal incidents that required tactical operations to resolve.

The Instructors reviewed incidents they were involved in.  Events that years latter are still emotionally raw.  I thank those Instructors for doing that.  It can't be easy, but through their efforts the already high standard is being raised.  The probability of successful resolution becomes increased.

They bear that burden.

It was also discussed that if you take on a leadership role, that your burden increases as well.
Not only to have your people trained, not only to lead them in the field, but to have their back.  To help with their mental well being after an incident.

You are your brother's keeper.  You owe it to him to do everything possible to ensure he survives the incident, and everything that comes along after.

Which leads me to....
Another tactical dilemma.  Do I go there?  Do I have the moral courage to speak up when it is far easier to be quite?

Well...I have never been known for being quite.

With recent events in the media, more specifically the Pulse night club shooting in Orlando, everyone has an opinion, and everyone is an expert.

Unless you were there, you don't know.
Unless you have taken part in a hostage rescue operation, you don't know.
If the only information you have is from the media YOU DON'T KNOW!

So, if you don't know, sincerely and with all due respect, shut the fuck up.

Hostage rescue is one of the most difficult operations there is.  Successful resolution pushes the limits of human performance.  The best of the best in the world are tasked with it.  The people with the highest tactical competency.  Teams that have the best training, and highest operational tempo. Groups like GSG 9 in Germany.  These types of operations is what Delta was made for.  But America has The Posse Comitatus Act limiting the powers of Government in using federal military personnel to enforce domestic policies within the United States.

I don't want this to get political or to debate the "militarization" of Law Enforcement.

Where I am going with this is I want to make the point that hostage rescue is a very difficult task.
For the sake of argument lets liken it to surgery.  A specific surgery where a team of Surgeons are tasked with removing a malignant tumor.  If they even nick anything but the tumor the patient will die.  If the Surgeon doesn't remove the tumor precisely some how the tumor can release a toxin that will kill the Surgeon.  Now lets say that the tumor can also somehow move.

No one reading about this very difficult and dangerous surgery at home from the comfort of their couch the next day is going to get online and write something like - Well I carve the turkey for the family on Thanksgiving so I know a lil something something about this.  Those Surgeons did it all wrong, they should have have used a #7 scalpel and cut proximally across the femoral artery ...

But that is exactly what is happening.

It happened after Columbine.
There is stuff about Columbine that the general public doesn't know all these years latter.  Basically because so very easily things could have gone so much worse.

But because the general public doesn't know the facts, the responding officer's actions have been judged with out knowing what information they had at the time.

Some have gone so far as to call these guys "The Cowards of Columbine"

Can you imagine going through that, then being called a coward for your actions?

Then the "experts" come out and pontificate on how they would have done things.
Based on information that was not available during the incident.
Based on incorrect or false information.

There are still plenty of experts teaching active shooter response classes based on, and using video from the library at Columbine.

Well, guess what?  The only cameras in the entire shcool at the time were in the lunch room.
Any video from the library was from a training exercise made after the incident.

What happened to the responding Officers at Columbine is bullshit.  Lets not let that happen to the guys from Orlando

We are our brother's keepers

Remember principle based SWAT.  There are tactics that are appropriate for active shooter.  Tactics that all Officers are capable of accomplishing.  When the circumstances change.  Switch from active shooter to a barricaded hostage rescue situation the tactics must also change.  Things that worked well for an active shooter response will get the hostages shot.
Hostage rescue is the zenith of tactical operations.  Not all officers are capable of doing it.  You want the people with the highest tactical competency working to resolve it.  You have to be prepared to move if the shooting starts again or an opportunity presents itself but until that happens you want to get your best assets, your greatest chance for success in place before further engagement takes place.

So again,

Unless you were there, you don't know.
Unless you have taken part in a hostage rescue operation, you don't know.
If the only information you have is from the media YOU DON'T KNOW!

And if you don't know feel free to keep your opinions to yourself.


How does this apply to martial arts or personal protection?

Be the best at what you are.  Don't claim or try to be something you are not.
Don't be that guy.
Don't be the guy that tries to capitalize on tragedy

Click HERE to watch Clint Overland's reaction to this video

Don't be the guys that uses "the trending" of tragic events to bolster his / her name recognition by giving advice on how to do it better.

Lastly, if you truly believe you can do it better.  Put on your big boy / big girl pants and apply for a profession that puts you in a position to do it better as the incident is happening.  Where you can actually save lives.

If not, maybe take some of the time and energy you were going to spend critiquing the event to thank the people that were there doing the best they could with the information and resources they had at the time

Train hard, Train smart, Be safe

After Action Review - Randy's Rant Live

After Action Review - Randy's Rant Live

Last blog started as an after action review then turned into some thought processing I needed to do. So this installment, as promised will review Randy King's class and Cabot Welchlin's firearms class.


Ok, so 3 weeks back now on Saturday May 21st Querencia Fitness hosted a stop of the Randy King Live Tour.

The class consisted primarily of counter ambush training.
When I use the acronym ODIN the OD is for Operational Disciplines.

Operational Disciplines are what I consider mandatory training / skills for anyone to be able to use their physical attributes, athletic skills, martial arts training for practical application against an intent and aggressive threat.

I place Counter Ambush at the top of the list of Operational Disciplines skills.
Everyone needs ingrained responses to negative stimuli that will allow them to survive long enough to be able to use whatever skills and attributes they may have.

For example a Division 1 Wrestler is very skilled and very fit.  If he is ambushed from behind in a way that overwhelms him or renders him unconscious none of his skills or physical attributes are worth a shit.

Inversely if that same Wrestler has trained to reflex something that protects him against most things, that buys him that 1/4 second to over come a surprise assault, then he can bring all of his skills and attributes to bear before adrenalization kicks in.

Very important.  So important there are very few instructors of this subject matter I would compliment, or suggest to others.

Randy King is one of those few.

One of the primary reasons I appreciate Randy's class is that there is nothing in it that hasn't been proven through practical experience / actual application, or rigorous pressure testing.


Randy has a lot of life experience working security in Edmonton.  One of my favorite stories of his starts..."The first time I was stabbed in the face by a fork..."

Randy has been ambushed and survived.  Lived to tell about it, and learned from it.  Sought out training from subject matter experts and refined his counter ambush response.

Not only that but he knows it well enough to teach it, and teach it well to others.

Also Randy has a whole stable of stronger, fitter, people to play with at KPC Self Defense.  He actively encourages them to kick his ass.  Anytime they do they are rewarded.  They get "props". What ever hole in the system that allowed them to whoop Randy is refined or replaced, then tested again.

I have wrote several times - If you use the chisel of successful application to remove everything that does not work what is left regardless of it's original source material is going to look pretty similar. Clearly there will be some variation do to different application and plain personal preference, but you will find similar forms to provide a specific necessary functions.

Randy is consistently removing anything that does not work.

There is other counter ambush training I have experienced where after the initial response to negative stimulus is delivered the exercise stops.  You reset and work stimulus response again...and then stop.

Then what?

Just do what you know how to do.

OK...

However, the threat is capable of human level problem solving too.
What ever you did to hold the threat off, no matter how good, no matter how bio-mechanically sound, it can't hold forever.

The threat isn't going stop until you render him / her incapable of continued violence.

No one that is so determined to damage you, that they set you up and sneak attack you is just going to stop because you happened to survive their initial attack. Because you impressed him / her with your ability to not get killed for a few seconds

Boom smack to the base of the skull - cover -counter assault -
"Whoa, that was a solid response to my attack, nice job bragh.  I only got in one hit instead of like seven or eight.  That usually takes most folks clean out!  Did we just become best friends?  You maybe wanna go get some big gulps?  You wanna go to the garage and do Karate?"

There has to be follow through
There has to be  takeouts. (Render incapable of continued violence / made safe)

Paraphrased from "Drills:Training for Sudden Violence By Rory Miller A Chiron Manual"

Everyone should have an effective flinch response to a sudden attack.
...you should train yourself that when attacked, you go on the attack and you do not stop until you are safe.  Takeouts are the training method.
Partner A attacks in any way from any angle with any weapon.  If he is behind you, you’ll probably get hit.  Deal with it.  The intensity and speed of the attacks should be dependent on the skill and experience of the students.  Partner B, the one doing the drill, takes partner A out.
What this means is that as efficiently as possible, fully on the attack (no defense, feinting or sparring timing) B swarms over A in a flurry.  Whatever B trains is on the table- strikes, locks, takedowns… As efficiently as possible (which means in as few moves as possible) B makes A ‘safe’.  Whether this means down, pushed away or incapacitated is dependent on the circumstances.  Do not think ‘winning.’  Refer to the concept of fighting to the goal.  Getting away works.
As Loren Christensen said, “There are only so many beats in a fight.  I want each of those beats filled with my stuff.”  Once someone triggers your defensive offense, he should never get another action.  You should be throwing so much action at him that he freezes.

“There are only so many beats in a fight.  I want each of those beats filled with my stuff.”

Another of the reasons I like Randy's approach is that after the students develop a workable response, that response becomes ingrained through reps of various takeouts.

Negative stimulus - response - follow through, get to the dead angle - make safe.

Make Safe included:

Escape

Disable - Striking - Dirty Dozen

Control

"In self defense escape is greater than striking and striking is greater than control 

Unless you have a duty to act then we flip that."

- Randy King

"Check out my sick gains" - Randy King

Also, I find that although I come from a Wrestling, Japanese arts background, and Randy comes from a Striking, Filipino arts  and Krav Maga background what we do, and how we approach it is very similar.

Again,  If you use the chisel of successful application to remove everything that does not work what is left regardless of it's original source material is going to look pretty similar.

As I type this that sounds arrogant in my ears.  {Cocky Voice} - I like what Randy does because it is almost as good as what I do.

That is not at all what I mean.  Because what Randy does is similar, because the Venn diagram has a huge space in the middle, it is the stuff on the edges that is very interesting to me.

Examples:
The next day I ran my CQB class.  If your counter ambush is different because they have a weapon, then you really don't understand the basic tenants of counter ambush training.

Because Randy has a Striking, Filipino arts  and Krav Maga background I asked him to bullshit check what I was doing with weapons.

There was a lot of  - yup, that is basically what I also do, but maybe consider this...
If you also grab here they can't slip their arm though.  That way it protects you against a blunt weapon and a long edged weapon like a machete.
Or
Just like hand cuffs work on the wrist this grip works on an elbow.

So the slight differences are interesting to me, and make my stuff better.  Covers blind spots I might have.

In order to recognize / expose potential blind spots you have to find people you respect with different perspectives and train with them.  You will find, when refined down "the good stuff" is going to look familiar.  So pay special attention to the different and unfamiliar.  There is where your potential for growth lies.

I also really enjoyed the Target Focus Striking (Dirty Dozen) and how Randy taught it.
It improved my ability to teach striking and fit nicely into an idea Dillon and I have been working on that we call "Hits for Jits"

"You get a throat pop, and you get a throat pop, EVERYONE gets a throat pop!  I'm the Oprah of throat pops" - Randy King 

The cool part of that is that it is a two way street.  I'm excited to work "Jits for Hits" turning most of the dirty dozen into the building blocks of chokes and neck cranks when I get to play with Randy and his crew in Canada next month.

Speaking of...
Shameless self promotion plug

Click this LINK to sign up for:

Violence Dynamics: Next Generation
Kasey Keckeisen, Dillon Beyer, Myron Cossitt, and Randy King

For the first time ever violence dynamics is coming to Canada!
Come and be a part of this historic event! We will be doing a 4 day seminar shared between 4 instructors for one low price!

Subjects covered:
Counter Ambush
Power Gerneration
Ground Skills
Social and Asocial Voilence
Rory Miller's: Conflict Communications
Knife Defense from Ambush
and much more!!!

When: July 28, 29, 30, and 31 2016 9-5pm
Host: KPC Self Defense
Where: KPC Self Defense 10826 124st bsmt

Contact: r.king@kpcombat.ca

EARLY BIRD PRICE ENDS JULY 1st

I'm very excited for the opportunity to teach in Canada.

Let me end by saying that I don't give compliments lightly.  When all is said and done all I have is my word and my integrity.

If I throw polite words at just anybody I happen to know, then my words hold no weight.
My recommendation means nothing.

If you like (fill in the blank) Judo, Aikido, Karate, what ever, and do it just for the fun of it, it really doesn't matter.

However, when you are talking about personal protection, or professional use of force then the stakes are much higher.  Lives depend on it.

There is an old saying on the tactical operations side of law enforcement.  If your wife and children were in mortal danger, who would you want kicking the door?  That is your team.  That is the minimum standard you hold yourself accountable to.  You want to be that guy for your crew.  That is the metric you judge others by.

For personal protection instruction I ask  - If not me, who would I send someone I care about to learn to protect themselves.  

Randy King is one of very few I would recommend with out hesitation.

The class he put on at Querencia Fitness was excellent, and reaffirmed my assessment. 

[Side note - thank you to the folks at Querencia Fitness for hosting the event and providing all the pictures I blatantly stole from their Facebook page for this blog post]


This post grew longer (don't get cute with that) than I anticipated.

So, yet another cliff hanger.

Tune in next week for the after action review of Cabot Welchlin's gun fighting class.

Until then, and in the spirit of cross promotion, check out Randy's Pod cast.

Click HERE
Randy discusses Cabot's class in depth on the podcast titled "Catch Up"

Train Hard, Train Smart, Be Safe