The Multiple Attacker Equation Part 1

The idea of dealing with multiple attackers is an idea that many arts overlook. It is tough to teach, tough to learn, tough to deal with and an abstract concept to write about. But it is probably the single most important thing to learn and one of the most likely scenarios you will encounter in a real world situation (if no the most likely).  When facing multiple attackers it is likely that you will be facing a group or groups of 3 or more so we must start there training, dealing and discussing 3 attackers.

Combat and Chaos...Reality Based Drills Utilizing Chaos Theory

            Chaos theory  (also known as the butterfly effect) is the study of the confluence of seemingly random and unpredictable occurrences that result in a deterministic outcome. So what does that mean? Well, in combative terms it means "shit happens" and from all angles. It means that no matter how much you train and how many rehearsed moves and techniques you do you can never be fully prepared for any given situation that you might encounter. What we can do is incorporate chaos into our training regimen and drills.

An Ode To My Attacker....

An Ode to My Attacker......

I don't need to be the strongest, just strong enough. I don't need to be the fastest just fast enough. I don't need to be the toughest just tough enough. I don't need to be the most skilled just skilled enough. So when you come for me and want to play rough. I will have what it takes to hurt you enough!



"Real Violence Needs Real Solutions" 
M.U.C.T

Shock and Awe...Pain Saves Lives

Go and get punched in the face...you heard me! Go get punched, kicked, slammed, choked, smacked, kneed and elbowed. Pain is an important part of martial arts training. Knowing and dealing with pain is even more important than knowing how to dish it out. Without ever experiencing pain you can't learn to fight through it! As your experience with pain increases your sensitivity to it will decrease. The end goal is to be able to turn off the pain, to power through it.

Unexpected pain or the fear of pain can cause a person to freeze. Freezing is what will lead to more pain, to loss, to death. The fear can be paralyzing. Learning to except pain and even relish it, is the only way to overcome the fear of pain. Once you except that pain is inevitable in a physical confrontation, and that pain can't and won't kill you only sub-coming to  it can. Once you realize that pain is learned and can be controlled and over come, then fear and shock can be bypassed. It is important to understand pain and the realization of pain. Think about how many times you cut yourself and don't realize until you see blood, your brain doesn't register the pain until you see the wound. Because pain is something that we learn at a young age it is almost impossible to unlearn but can be put out of the brain, turned off. Turning off the pain, moving past it is something that takes practice and focus, there are many systems, ideas and studies to accomplishing this task  but the first thing is to experience what it is that you need to overcome. So go and get hurt, get beaten, get thrown around it could save your life! Remember if you wanna stay clean you gotta fight dirty.

"Real Violence Needs Real Solutions"

M.U.C.T 

Multiple Choice Martial Arts...Choose Your Weapons

When I was very young I noticed something, that something is that no two people are a like. People come is all sorts of shapes and sizes, tall and short, fat and thin, lanky and stubby etc. So it puzzles me when I see two people of differing dimensions and proportions executing the same technique in exactly the same manner. Further more it boggles my mind why some instructors insist on the rigidity of executing a certain technique a certain way. Are we all the same? Are we all fighting the same person?

I have come to understand that martial arts needs to be tailored  to fit the individuals needs. When an instructor tells you to step forward or back or side to side do they mean my step or their step. I as a man of 5'5" am not going to have nearly as long a stride as a man who is 6'5", so why on earth would we follow that stride with the same strike. Doesn't it make sense that he would be closer to the opponent then I would be, which would naturally imply that he should use a closer range weapon, say an elbow when I would use a punch. But so many stick to doctrine and try to fit the individual into the mold of the system as opposed to tailoring the system to fit the individual. I always tell my students and training partners that while the numbers may change (in this case reach and distance) the equation stays the same, it is just like doing math. Really martial arts and self defense is math, you have a problem that must be solved and you need to employ calculated movements and equations to solve this problem. You have to take into account all the factors and then plug them into the equation to reach a desired outcome which is your solution. So instead of teaching doctrine why don't we teach equations? Instead of set techniques why don't we teach theory and idea's?

The reality of Knife Defense...

I was a little reluctant to write this as it was similar to an earlier post that I had written but felt compelled after hearing a conversation today about "reality" training and viewing some reality JiuJitsu techniques. Now before I start and as someone who has studied JiuJitsu in the past I DO understand that not all techniques and teachers are equal and WOULD not label anyone style as deficient, it just happened that it was a JiuJitsu instructor teaching and he repeatedly called them jiujitsu techniques. The thing that was blatantly obvious when watching these techniques is that they were empty hand techniques, and NOT designed for a blade defense, as on more than one occasion had it been a real blade the instructor would have slit his own wrists. Again not saying anything bad about the system just the techniques that were being taught. OK now on with the show.

Finding A Good Instructor....(The most important technique)

A good instructor is what will make or break your training. The instructor you choose is far more important than the art you pick, don't get me wrong the style you pick should suit your needs but a good instructor is what will make the style you choose understandable. So what makes a good instructor, what should you look for?

The Secret of Martial Arts!!!!!

Today is a short one but this doesn't need much saying. Lets talk about the "secret" you know the one I am talking about the thing that people look for the first time they walk into a martial arts school, the magic bullet. Well here it is the secret is that there is no secret....the way to become a "Master" is to master the basics. Fancy and flashy do not win fights. It is really a matter of repetitions, practice what will be important and discard all the rest of the crap. Do 1000 punches everyday, 1000 kicks everyday and 1000 blocks everyday, practice your techniques and train your body and mind to be strong and agile. When you can reach this level you will have learned the Secret. Now of course you can not just go out and do all of that non stop and even when you reach your goal you will still continue to improve, remember there are more than one kind of kick, punch and block. So train hard and be ready. Now that you have learned the "secret" share it with someone else.

Remember Real Violence Needs Real Solutions
M.U.C.T