MAKING FEAR YOUR FRIEND

"When faced with just one opponent and you oppose yourself... you're outnumbered." Dan Millman

At this week's Personal Defence Readiness™ Class at Safe Space Gym, we brainstormed some of the cerebral self defence concepts and principals in the PDR/S.P.E.A.R. System™ on managing fear.

Our objective was not to go too deeply into any one of the principals (save that for another time), but to create and re-view a bigger picture mind-map of them within the system.

It certainly is one of the main reasons a lot of Self Defence and Martial Arts Instructors choose to get trained with Coach Tony Blauer of Blauer Tactical Systems. It fills that huge missing gap in conventional training... the emotional and psychological side of dealing with a confrontation.

"The Mind navigates the body!" Tony Blauer

We pulled out concepts that can be used with a friend over a cup of coffee to principals covered in the physical drills and force-on-force scenario replications..

You can see in the whiteboard photo, that there are quite a few blocks within the system. The beauty of these is that, like lego blocks, they connect and build upon each other in many different ways. It is a wholistic system that is three-dimensional. Not linear!

As a coach, it gives a lot of freedom to get creative when coaching an individual or group, based on their training needs! We can combine the ingredients in a particular way to move a student towards specific experiences, goals or results. It keeps training fresh, fluid and appropriate.

Fear is one of those subjects that seldom gets covered in any depth, which is strange considering that real violence is completely surrounded it. The powerful hormones of a highly aroused primitive state can either help us or it can hinder us, depending on our relationship to it. Training needs to blend Fear Management into the physical aspect and also as a performance enhancement tool, used before, during or after any challenges in life.

Being that fear is such a fundamental part of our everyday lives, these tools can be very useful to us in managing day to day life... a job interview, preparing for an exam, a family dis-agreement, a change in your career path, becoming a parent, and so on.

Personally I have used these tools in my own life and when coaching others, from mentoring a lady who has a phobia of flying on aeroplanes... to helping prepare a client for giving birth... to de-briefing a person involved in a knife attack.

Each one of these blocks can open a door to positive changes in a persons behaviour, that ultimately can and does save lives or at least enhance the quality of their everyday lives. Fear is such a powerful driver in life.

What I personally find fascinating is the depth of each concept, how you can continuously explore  each concept... the rabbit hole runs deep.

The physical drills within the SPEAR System™ manages to weave many of these principals into them, giving an experience that is truly three-dimensional in training and therefore better and more realistically preparing a person for any degree of confrontation. 


If you would like to find out more, then email us: info@safespace.org.uk

"The difference between the hero and the coward is what they do with their fear." Cus D'Amato

CAR-LIFTING HERO

Here is a video clip of a great real-life news story of someone using their strength and fitness to save another person's life.

http://bit.ly/l8wQpI

Timothy Kirkland was making repairs underneath his minivan, , when the jack collapsed, trapping and crushing him. His son and wife were trying desperately to lift the minivan off but without success! Time was critical. Enter Mike Treciak!

Mike Treciak sprinted half a block and proceeded to lift the minivan off Timothy. His son managed to pull him out whilst Mike held the minivan up, as Timothy was immobilised from the crushing injuries when the minivan fell on top of him.

That was a fantastic demonstration of fitness right there!

Running plus Deadlifts is a combo that is used and will be recognised by CrossFitters worldwide! I wonder why?

It is also an example of great mental attitude, will power and quick thinking. Mike reacted very quickly when he realised Timothy was in serious trouble. He also did not manage to lift the minivan up on the first attempt! Anyone who's tried Deadlifting for a one-rep max lift, will know just how difficult it is to succeed on that lift a second time, when failed on the first attempt!

Mike managed to lift the minivan successfully and literally saved the man's life!! Way to go!

This is what having a good fitness capacity and mental fortitude is all about! As CrossFit founder, Greg Glassman often quotes: " Preparing for the unknown and unknowable!".

For more info. on CrossFit: www.crossfit.com

BORN TO BE ACTIVE; SITTING KILLS!

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

TRAIN RAGE

In this week's Personal Defence Readiness™ Class, we explored a Scenario which involved being seated on a train next to someone. When the Good Guy (GG) accidentally spills his drink, the BG gets upset and then escalates into violence. Due to the position and environment, the Bad Guy (BG) used an Elbow Strike as his Primary Initiation Attack.

The GG's task was to Convert his Startle-Flinch Response into something combative (S.P.E.A.R. System™), think Stun & Run, which allows him time to move away and escape the BG.

This week the training was done without any protective gear, so we could analyse and explore the BG's pre-contact cues and the use of Non-Violent Postures™.

Next week... we'll get everyone into High Gear™ so that we can get the reps done in real speed, real time!

Nice work guys!

GET LEAN & MEAN

After a discussion at last night's class, I thought I would post you all a couple of links, to some very cool people.

They will undoubtedly help you become better warrior athletes!

If you want to be lean and mean now AND in years to come, then get on it like a tramp on chips! :-)

1) NUTRITION:

The most important aspect of health/fitness. It changes you from the inside-out!

Eat like a caveman. Paleo

Two very good books are:

a) Robb Wolf - The Paleo Solution

b) Mark Sisson - The Primal Blueprint

They have a Blog which I recommend you follow.

Their websites are:

http://robbwolf.com/

http://primalblueprint.com/pages/Mark-Sisson.html

2) SELF MAINTENANCE:

Improve your Mobility. Stretch. Relax. Massage. Injury Prevention. Rehab.

Check out Kelly Starrett:

http://www.mobilitywod.com/

He posts a daily 4-5 min video on his Blog, which gives instruction for a 10 min Mobility Workout.

This varies from day to day and involves stretching, using foam rollers /balls to unglue tension, and so on.

It will improve the way you MOVE!

It is relatively new Blog and started last year. He's posted everyday since.

I would go find and watch the first few videos to get an overall idea of the concept and to understand WHY it's so important.

3) FITNESS:

We do some CrossFit at class.

We also hope that you do some in your own time too!

Fitness is fundamental. Use it or lose it!

At class we fore-mostly develop skill and mind-set. So make sure you keep your fitness... fighting fit! :-)

Resources:

Private lessons or classes at CrossFit Hove (Davigdor Road).

http://crossfithove.blogspot.com/

Benefit from being coached in the movements and have workouts scaled to your own level.

Contact Miles Key: 07779402991

For general CrossFit info:

www.crossfit.com

Enjoy!

Let me know how you get on...

THE BIG BANG!

This video shows some footage from our Thursday night class from earlier this week.

For a HD version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53oIPL2Kv-k

This is an advanced evolution of the training - so if you are new or thinking of starting... then understand that it's a process to get to this stage of training! :-)

The chosen Scenario to Replicate for this week, was that of an aggressive encroachment with verbal assault followed by a Grab & Multiple Punches, whilst the Good Guy was cornered (no escape route).

Objective: Prevail the Initial Assault; Stun & Run.

The start of the class began with the Fundamental S.P.E.A.R. Drills (Startle-Flinch Conversion) and then working the follow-up tools - C.W.C.T. (Closest Weapon Closest Target). Here we focused on getting back in the fight, even though the Bad Guy initiates the Attack. We explore various tools, targets and tactics.

After dissecting the chosen Scenario and analysing the various 'Pre-Contact Cues' of the Primary Initiation Attack, it's time to put all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together.

We replicate the 'Ambush Moment' with as much intensity and realism as safely possible.

Real Impact; Real Speed!

The whole scenario takes about 10 seconds, allowing for multiple repetitions of the 'BIG BANG' moment. This is some serious and useful Stress Inoculation, ultimately creating a better preparedness if 'Push turns to Shove'!

Nice work guys!

Train hard; Stay Safe!

GARROTTE DEFENCE

In a recent Personal Defence Readiness™ Class we replicated, analysed, dissected, explored and trained how to protect against a rear choke/strangle with a garrotte.

This is an advanced evolution of training and not for beginners due to the high level emotional impact factors.

However for students that have a fair amount of exSPEARience, this becomes a very interesting scenario/attack to train and replicate.

The attack itself is obviously of high risk to the Good Guy (GG) due to:

• High likelihood of severe harm (unconsciousness/death)
• The speed of the effectiveness of the attack
• Because the attack is from behind.

As the attack is from behind, meaning relatively ‘low GG awareness’ the challenge is great, as the SURPRISE aspect is so high.

Many people will promote the idea that as a ‘WARRIOR’ we must be 100% aware, 100% of the time. Ideally… yes! Realistically… doesn’t happen ALL the time, depending on the scenario. Also not everyone has a job as a police officer, military, bodyguard, etc. so naturally an average person’s awareness is perhaps lower. Does this mean we can’t protect ourselves if we are surprised or ambushed? Of course not, we have a highly developed, genetically-wired protective mechanism via reflex actions that ensures we survive most of the time.

“It’s not that we WANT to Flinch, it’s that we WILL!”

So… we train the MURPHY MOMENT (the what can go wrong) so that we are more prepared and also more likely to survive, if something in our general Self Protection STRATEGY goes wrong.

When training this attack/scenario, it can become a highly emotional/psychological experience and one of the main objectives when training this, is the benefit of the ‘STRESS INOCULATION’ (acclimatisation) that happens on an emotional level.

On the PHYSICAL level, we are not concerned with a TECHNIQUE that is complicated, complex and ‘cute’, that although we could make happen in training, if the BG was non-resistant and not truly fighting the GG, with real speed and aggression.

We ARE concerned with SURVIVAL, by using simple procedures, based on ‘what your body wants to do naturally’ (Genetically Wired; Behaviourally Inspired™). In this situation, keeping it simple and gross-motor skill based, so that it is more likely to be successful under stress in a real attack.

The STARTLE-FLINCH factor is so important here and we aim to develop the ability to use that reflex response to your advantage, so that you fight back very quickly. The reaction time here is very critical, as you have a very short time to prevent yourself from going unconscious (3 secs or less).

A good friend of mine is a Police SCENES OF CRIME OFFICER, who has seen forensic evidence of how people actually try to protect themselves from this type of attack, due to the ‘defensive wounds’ and other forensic signs.

To summarise this information would be typically those that died… PANIC! There is a loss of focus on knowing what to do first (to prioritise) and lack of knowledge and experience on how to achieve that goal quickly.

There is no MAGIC martial art TRICK here, just trying to use your physiology to your advantage. If through training you create a MENTAL BLUEPRINT (plan) for dealing with this attack, then at least you have a RESOURCE to rely on, rather than a PSYCHOLOGICAL VOID’ where you have to figure out a best response whilst under extreme duress (NO RESPONSE).

Conditioning this PHYSICAL response of converting your Startle-Flinch into something Combative is Part One. This is a physical plan and resource.

Part Two is learning to use this response under a gradually increasing more realistic replication of the attack, with increased tension, speed, strength and aggression. This helps create that EMOTIONAL RESOURCE to counter the effects of the SURPRISE AND SHOCK from such a savage and dangerous attack. This is probably the most important stage of the training.

The guys in class will probably be in agreement with me here, that it is often ‘uncomfortable’ training this particular attack, when pressure-testing it. However, it is a case of ‘becoming RELATIVELY more comfortable, with being uncomfortable’ and staying on track to ensure you protect yourself, as best you can.

Personally to me, it is a similar experience to CrossFit workouts, where if you are training with intensity, they always suck! However, you do get used to being in that zone/state and dealing with it, whilst being grateful of the BENEFITS of becoming fitter.

What are the BENEFITS to PDR™ / S.P.E.A.R. System™ training?… You are much harder to kill! AND you get home to enjoy your family and friends!

Also, like CrossFit it may be challenging but it is FUN too!

Train hard, stay safe!

Zeb Glover