HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

May all your dreams and efforts come true for 2010.

Train hard and stay safe!

"Concentrate upon and consecrate yourself wholly to each day, as though a fire were raging in your hair!" Anonymous Samurai

STRONG!

“Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general”. Strength Coach Mark Rippletoe

CAVEMAN VS MODERN MAN

Thanks to CROSSFIT Football for this interesting link:

Caveman vs Modern Man - Who Would Win Olympic Gold?

Just finished reading a great book called 'Born To Run' by Christopher McDougall.

It's a good read that includes real life adventure but also an in-depth look into the lost art of running.

If you run as part of your fitness programme then recommend that you do an internet search for 'Vibram Fivefingers', Barefoot Running' and 'Pose Running'.

It will enable you to run with far less injuries and develop a more efficient technique. Get rid of the trainers!!

Enjoy!

RANGE ROVER

Another good Personal Defence Readiness training session at last

night's class. Well done guys!

We warmed up with some reps of the 'Close Quarter Form' (used for developing close quarter tools) solo and with a Bad Guy. Then basic SPEAR Strengthening Drills to develop the conversion of the Startle-Flinch response when ambushed. We then focused on a brilliant drill called 'Range Rover' which helps create useful Mental Blueprints for selecting effective tactics in various ranges of combat. The twist in this drill is that the Bad Guy controls the range, not the Good Guy!! Finished off with a BMF (Ballistic MicroFight), replicating the Big Bang moment of an ambush, surprise attack. The Scenario chosen was to approach, make contact and deal with a seated person who needed to be removed from the chair. The Bad Guy ambushed at whatever point in time he chose. The Good Guy had to weather the ambush and counter to enable disengagement. Some wore High Gear and some without.

Everyone is progressing well. Keep up the good work!

L.A.R.D. DRILLS

Welcome to the new guys at the PDR Class last night. Good work, keep it going!

Last night we did some L.A.R.D. Drills (Live Action Response Drill), where we used a 'Primary Initiation Attack' and inserted it into different scenarios. This was to address decision-making and use-of-force options, therefore training not just the attack-specific but also the scenario specific aspect. The Scenario dictates the response!

Good to see Miles Key from CrossFit Hove get stuck in too (pictured driving a knee into Max)!

S.P.E.A.R. COURSE AT CROSSFIT HOVE

Well done to everyone that attended the PDR/S.P.E.A.R. Course last weekend! Fantastic!

It was very enjoyable working with such a motivated and fun group of people. Your level of functional fitness certainly showed and allowed you to pick up the drills and skills very quickly.

S.P.E.A.R. founder Tony Blauer often talks about the relationship between CrossFit and S.P.E.A.R. and was caught on camera in a fairly recent video posted on the CrossFit website. It has always been very obvious for me personally (Tony got me hooked on CrossFit in 2006) but to see a whole group of mostly 'crossfitters' in the same room doing the SPEAR drills, it was very cool! Seeing how functional fitness transfers and supports functional fighting!

As Coach Glassman says, we train in the gym to support the demands of life. In life to thrive and survive we need a level of functional fitness, the ability to swim and of course the ability to protect ourselves and loved ones! Fundamental life enhancers!

What Coach Greg Glassman is to the fitness industry Coach Tony Blauer is to the Self Defence community. Both amazing pioneers!

A big thank you to Miles Key for hosting the course and also to Masa for the photos and to my assistant instructors Karl and Max.

Be Safe, Feel Safe.

CROSSFIT INTRO COURSE

It was great to work alongside Miles Key at his 'box' - CrossFit Hove last weekend. The 'CrossFit Intro Course' is designed to share the basic concept and rationale behind the CrossFit.com workouts but more importantly coach people through the basic functional movements used in those workouts, such as the deadlift, squat, press, kipping pull up, etc.

Everybody that attended did a fantastic job, worked hard and made vast improvements in their skill sets.

If you have an interest in functional fitness then check out www.crossfit.com, it's certainly the way forward for fitness that transfers to everyday life whether you are an elite soldier or a grandparent. Seek out a certified CrossFit coach, so that you are learning the correct mechanics of movement, get consistent at them and then you are able to safely add the intensity that CrossFit is so well known for.

Miles Key has a fabulous set up in Hove with all the equipment and coaching that you'll need... thoroughly recommended! CrossFit Hove

Watch this space for more CrossFit Intro Courses coming soon!

S.P.E.A.R. INSTRUCTORS COURSE FOR UK POLICE & NHS TRAINERS

Just got back from assist instructing a S.P.E.A.R. System™ Instructors Course for the UK Police and NHS Trainers. It was a fantastic week, working alongside other Blauer Tactical trainers from the USA and UK. The course was the busiest yet, with over 50 people in attendance. Everyone did a great job, with varying levels of experience in the system, from complete beginners to trainers who have been on the course several times before, refreshing their skills and knowledge.

It's always an honour to work with like-minded people who's main purpose is to enhance their students survivability. The S.P.E.A.R. System™ certainly will help with that!

INDOOR FIREWORKS!

Some great training last night guys! Good work!

We focused on some Multiple Assailant Drills & Tactics, incorporating various pre-fight rituals, an ambush moment and typical primary initiation attacks.

STREET PSYCHOLOGY

Have a read of Coach Tony Blauer's words of wisdom on the link below...

Street Psychology and The Forgotten Close Quarter Range of Training

CROSSFIT & SPEAR VIDEO

Check out the video preview posted today on CrossFit.com main site. Coaches Tony Blauer and Freddy Camacho discuss the relationship and similarities of the S.P.E.A.R. System and CrossFit training. The full version is available in the CrossFit Journal.

Here's the link:

SPEAR & CROSSFIT VIDEO

MODERN MAN IS A WIMP

Check out this review of a new book called 'Manthropology'.

Looks like an interesting read...

Modern Man Is A Wimp

CROSSFIT - Functional Fitness Intro Course

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 15TH NOVEMBER 2009

12.30-15.30

BRIGHTON

£20

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:

www.crossfit.com

www.safespacegym.org.uk (news section)

Pre-booking is required.

To make a booking: Email a request for a booking form and return the payment by post or by hand, before 7th November.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Thanks.

Zeb Glover

CrossFit Level 1 Coach

Upcoming Personal Defence Readiness™ & S.P.E.A.R. System™ Course

Upcoming Personal Defence Readiness™ & S.P.E.A.R. System™ Intro Course.

Saturday 21st November 2009

12.00pm - 4.00pm

Hove

£25

Those who wish to attend the advanced courses in Tactical Ground-fighting, Weapons Protection, Multiple Assailants, etc. must attend the basic course first.

This course is an introduction into the basic theory, drills and skills of realistic Self Defence.

The schedule will include:

S.P.E.A.R. Theory & Rationale:

Confrontation & Fear Management

Performance Psychology

Theory on the Startle-Flinch concept

De-mysifying the street-fight

Physical Skills and Drills:

Startle-Flinch conversion Drills - addressing the common street ambush attacks

Strengthening & Sharpening the Startle-Flinch response.

Tactical positioning with 'Non-Violent Postures™

Support Tools

Scenario Replications.

This system is used worldwide by many Police, Military, Security and Martial Artists.

It is simple, realistic, using genetically wired reflexes to effectively yet appropriately keep you safe.

For more info visit:

www.safespacegym.org.uk

www.blauertactical.com

Pre-booking is required.

To book: Email a request for a booking form and return with full payment before 14th November.

The joining instructions will then be sent to you.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions:

info@safespace.org.uk

Thanks

Zeb Glover

How To Protect Yourself From A Violent Drug Addict

Last night's Personal Defence Readiness™ Class in Brighton, we focused on using a real life incident caught on camera, where a person was thrown to the ground and stamped upon. Unfortunately they died! All because of some drug addict needing a next hit! It's a very powerful clip to watch and learn from. Comments after students watched it were such as: "There was nothing they could have done!" "They had no awareness!" etc. It opened up some good discussion and re-framing of the incident. We then started analysing it, breaking it down, drilling isolated components and then building up to replicating it in real speed, real time in the High Gear™ Suits (for the advanced students). The guys did a great job last night and seemed like they were having fun getting a good workout whilst benefitting from practicing from 'off-balance to on-balance' positions' to develop realistic confidence and competence in making sure they will not become prey for some psycho drug addict.

Thought Of The Week

"If one is the master of one thing and understands one thing well, one has at the same time insight into and understanding of many things."

- Vincent Van Gogh

Welcome

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the new Safe Space Gym Blog!

Check here for information on upcoming events and courses that relate to Reality-Based Self Defence and Functional Fitness.

There will also be photos and video of our training classes and course, as well as other relevant material.

Thank you and enjoy!

Zeb Glover

PDR & S.P.E.A.R. System™ Coach

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer