FUNCTIONAL COMBATIVES & FITNESS

Sunday, February 21, 2010

IT'S NOT WHO'S RIGHT; IT'S WHO'S LEFT



The title of this post is a maxim of Tony Blauer and it certainly applied to the last PDR Class, dealing with a rear choke. This is certainly an eye-opener and a great attack to pressure-test using a 'street' model.
There are many 'theories' to deal with this type of attack but many fail under stress.

The S.P.E.A.R. System™ makes sure we train and replicate human behaviour of the good guy and the bad guy in a real, violent fight, as accurately as is safely possible. It is 'gross-motor' skill based; not 'complex-motor' skill based!

The intention, energy, motivation, commitment, and movement is different in a 'death-match' as opposed to a 'sport-match'. It is an asymmetrical relationship, not a symmetrical relationship. There is no consent, no preparation, no timing, no referee! Simply the bad guy is trying to destroy the good guy in an instinctive and violent way, so we should use our natural, genetic reflex to initially survive the ambush and then transition to a specific tool, whether it is strike, escape, use of a baton (Police Officer), etc.

The rear choke is most definitely one of the worst situations to be surprised by and is certainly a life-threatening attack. Yes, we should be aware, but are we always fully aware, 100% of the time. This makes it the most dangerous aspect of self protection. Better to train it and not need it; than to need it and not train it!

Quote of the class: "I had the paradigm shift from how horrible the experience is, to how much you can do to protect yourself!"

Good work guys!

Friday, February 12, 2010

BAR RAGE


Karl Stone is currently taking the PDR Class in my absence (due to work). Karl has been training in the PDR & S.P.E.A.R. System™ with me since 2004 and is a good coach.

This week they focused on developing functional 'street' close quarter striking tools and introduced the 'Range Rover' drill. Also warming up with some startle-flinch conversion drills, they did the 'Emotional Climate Training' drill for developing pre-contact cues from the world-reknowned 'Haymaker', the most common of street attacks. Then after training very isolated parts of the whole scenario/fight, they did a BMF (Ballistic MicroFight™) - the Big Bang moment of the start of the fight, where all the skills come together. The scenario was 'Bar Rage' - spilt pint, Bad Guy makes verbal threats and then attacks Good Guy with a Haymaker, as the Primary Initiation Attack. Good Guy flinches (due to sucker punch/relative surprise) and converts it into a 'Stun & Run' response. (Gross motor skills into Complex motor skills).
Good work guys!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Upcoming FUNCTIONAL FITNESS COURSE At CrossFit Hove


There is an upcoming Personal Fitness course that aims to introduce you to the 'CrossFit' fitness programme, that is becoming forever popular with elite MMA athletes, cops, soldiers, firefighters but equally as popular with kids and grandparents worldwide!

SUNDAY 21st MARCH 2010
10.30-15.30
BRIGHTON
£50

The schedule of the 3 hour course will include:
  • Understanding what is Fitness?
  • Understanding what Is CrossFit?
  • How to create CrossFit programmes and understand the daily 'Workout of the Day' posted online each day -www.crossfit.com
  • Nutrition basics
  • Develop skill in the 9 fundamental functional movements used in CrossFit workouts (squat, press, deadlift, clean, push jerk, kipping pull up, etc.)

For more info visit:

Pre-booking is required.
To make a booking: Email a request for a booking form and return the payment by post or by hand.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Thanks.

Zeb Glover & Miles Key
CrossFit Level 1 & 2 Coaches