(Disclaimer: The following tips on combat survival are not my own ideas. These are the combat tips Mr. Tim Larkin, founder of the system called 'Target Focus Training'. These are e-mail letters that I have received daily in my e-mail box. I hope the lessons that are imparted in here will help you be safe in the streets. Enjoy reading!)
Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying Alive
When 'Rules' Don't Apply
"Is It Necessary To Know How To Kill?"
******************************************************
"Violence is not always the answer, but when it is the
answer, it's the ONLY answer"
- Author Unknown
******************************************************
*********************
NOTE: I realize the subject of this issue is highly
controversial but urge you to read through this entire
issue before forming an opinion. I will revisit this
subject more in the future.
*********************
Lets start with a couple of questions:
1.) In this day and age, what could possibly be the
reason to teach someone how to kill another
human with his or her bare hands?
2.) Do I actually advocate instructing clients in
this very specific, lethal material?
The answer to the first question is that there are
MANY reasons why it is essential one get this lethal
knowledge. The answer to the second question is: not
only do I advocate teaching it, I ABSOLUTELY teach it
to all my clients.
So, what are my reasons for taking this very
controversial position?
First off, I've carefully laid out the principles
behind the training I advocate for life-or-death
situations. You have read in previous newsletters
about the disastrous effects of training with rules
against THE OTHER GUYS who don't observe those same rules.
It is very clear that using violence is appropriate in
very few situations. To use violence for any reason
other than hurting an other guy who would otherwise
harm you is extremely risky.
You see, with proper knowledge of the nervous system
of the human body one can effectively attack any
assailant, regardless of size, strength or athletic
ability.
So it is inconceivable that one could train a client
for self-protection yet ignore the subject of killing.
If faced with a life-or-death struggle you need
clear, concise information on how to systematically
shut down the other guy's central nervous system
(CNS).
This is especially true for male-on-female violence,
which females MUST treat as a lethal situation. Also
any fighter facing a potentially lethal attack by a
larger, stronger or faster other guy must be able to
immediately shut down that other guy's CNS.
Still, very few instructors directly teach this
knowledge. Why? It has been my experience few actually
have the skill and expertise to do so. To hide this
deficiency they state legal issues and spiritual
reasons for not teaching such principles.
Yet many of the techniques they show will directly
result in potentially lethal outcomes -- SOMETHING
THAT IS NEVER POINTED OUT TO THE CLIENT!
In fact, most clients go through training with no
clear knowledge of which strikes and techniques ARE
lethal and what the impact is on the human body from
these blows and manipulations.
I find it far more dangerous not to know how to kill
when you consider the flip side of that knowledge is
the fact that any time you put your hands on another
human being to inflict violence you have no idea
whatsoever how that person will respond to the blow.
A person built like Arnold Schwarzenegger may have a
bad heart and your punch to the solar plexus to 'teach
him a lesson' may, in fact, kill him. That is why I
stress the difference between EGO THREAT situations
and LIFE-OR-DEATH THREAT situations.
You probably heard about the 'Hockey Dad' trial in
Massachusetts. A man ended up going to jail
for manslaughter over an argument with his son's
hockey coach. By all accounts the smaller coach was a
real jerk and made the kids do some useless and
dangerous training on the ice.
This 'Hockey Dad' voiced his concern and the verbal
exchange led to a fight. 'Hockey Dad' ended up killing
the smaller coach by repeated blows to the head.
It was not intentional, both were wrong. But the one
common factor here was this: neither had any idea of
the effects of those strikes upon the other! Both
families lost their dads that day -- one was killed,
the other is in jail.
It is my goal with a client to give you ALL the lethal
knowledge necessary so you can make the decision on
whether or not it is worth the potential legal hassles
to fight over an EGO THREAT or to instantly be able to
destroy the other guy's CNS in a LIFE-OR-DEATH THREAT.
I can't tell you how many testimonials I get from
clients who have easily avoided the 'Hockey Dad'
scenarios by having the clear knowledge of the
appropriate use of violence. I value those
testimonials as highly as the ones received from those
who used the very same knowledge to save their lives
in a life-or-death scenario.
Truly knowing how to kill another human places total
responsibility on the trained individual, makes you a
far better citizen and, in my experience, far less
likely to use violence as an answer to any situation
that is not life threatening.
Until next time,
****************************************************
Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying Alive
When 'Rules' Don't Apply
"What Is The Ultimate Motivation In A Life-Or-Death Fight?"
******************************************************
"We must be eager to kill, to inflict on the enemy --
the hated enemy -- wounds, death, and destruction. If
we die killing, well and good, but if we fight hard
enough, viciously enough, we will kill and live. Live
to return home to our family and our girl as
conquering heroes -- men of Mars"
-- General George Patton
******************************************************
By this time you probably detect a theme in my
newsletters about the focus you need when faced by a
real life-or-death confrontation.
It's simply this: when faced with a life-or-death
violent confrontation where using violence is your
only option:
1. Don't hesitate.
2. Find your target and strike your target.
3. Keep striking targets until you have destroyed
the other guy.
Many clients come to me from other 'self-defense'
training where they are forced to deal with simulated
attacks. I'll pass on the quality of that training
approach and instead focus on the 'motivation' these
systems use to keep the client from freezing under
attack.
These 'motivators' revolve around fighting for your
life, fighting to go home to loved ones, fighting to
protect loved ones, or some variation of those themes.
But if you take a good look at those reasons they all
fall short for one critical reason: They are NOT what
truly gets the job done to focus yourself like a laser
in order to destroy the other guy. At best, they are
byproducts of the "ultimate motivation".
So what IS the ultimate motivation in a life-and-
death struggle?
-----------------------------------------------
AN ABSOLUTE FOCUS ON INFLICTIING AS MUCH DAMAGE
AS POSSIBLE TO THE OTHER GUY!
-----------------------------------------------
Pretty simple.
What allows you to go home to your loved ones, to
protect them or yourself during a violent attack is --
hurting the other guy.
Imagine this scenario: A mugger puts a knife to your
throat.
Now, two totally different responses...
The person motivated to 'protect' himself/herself
grabs the wrist and tries to wrest control of the
knife.
The person motivated to hurt his/her other guy shifts
their torso, penetrates forward and delivers a closed
fist punch to the other guy's Adam's apple.
Two totally different responses, with totally
different results...
The former runs the risk of losing control of the
knife and getting seriously injured or killed.
The latter, by focusing on hurting the other guy,
neutralizes the knife by punching the Adam's apple and
starts to shut down the other guy's Central Nervous
System.
The byproduct of the latter action is he/she gets to
go home, protect the vulnerable loved one with them,
or whatever other motivation they thought was the
reason they hurt the other guy in the first place.
The General Patton quote is pretty rough, but the
context was motivating his troops for war... literally
the same as what you're facing in a true life-or-
death struggle. He wanted each and every one of them
to come home, and he knew the best chance they had was
if they focused on inflicting as much damage as
possible to their enemy.
You'll notice... he didn't urge them to think of
their loved ones as a motivation to fight.
He told them that if they fought to inflict as much
damage as possible on the enemy, they'd return home to
them.
Take a second to re-read that quote. I think you'll
probably see it in a much different content.
Until next time,
*********************************************
Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply
"The Difference Between A Weapons Fighter And Fighting
With Weapons"
******************************************************
"Men have become the tool of their tools"
- Henry David Thoreau
******************************************************
Fighting with weapons is a subject that has generated
volumes of writing in the combat arts world. What is
interesting to note is that for the most part weapons
training is treated as requiring a completely
different set of training principles as opposed to
'empty hand' fighting.
In fact, there are whole martial arts devoted to just
training with a weapon. All this leads to tremendous
confusion from the client's point of view.
Basically, you end up with 2 totally different sets
of principles in response to violent attacks:
1) One response for a hand-to-hand assault, and
2) A completely different response to a weapons attack
Now, on the surface you may think this is a very
logical way to view two, seemingly different, attacks.
But let's go back to my earlier point in Newsletter
#2. Remember what we talked about?
Your brain is your primary weapon;
your body is your secondary weapon.
If that works for you, as the fighter, then it is
equally true for the other guy... he just may not know
it!
Given this, what is your weapon-wielding other guy
most likely focusing on?
You got it... HIS OWN PHYSICAL WEAPON!
That's right. He's likely banking on the fact that
the intimidation factor of his weapon alone is
enabling him to do whatever he wants because you are
going to fear his weapon.
And if you are trained to believe there are different
rules when fighting against weapons versus hand-to-
hand... then he is probably correct.
That other guy is a good example of a 'Weapons
Fighter'.
The definition of a 'weapons fighter' is a person who
is solely empowered by his weapon in a confrontation.
His whole plan of attack revolves around the use of
the weapon. If the weapon is lost to him during the
conflict then he needs to change his fighting
principles to handle his prey.
In fact, without the use of the weapon, he may quit
the assault altogether and retreat.
This is not the way I train my clients.
Your fighting principles MUST be the same with or
without a weapon.
Fighting is fighting regardless of whether you have a
weapon, are facing a weapon, are on the ground, or are
assaulted by more than the other guy.
When you truly understand that your brain is your
primary weapon, your body your secondary weapon, and
EVERYTHING else (read knife, club, or weapon of
choice) is ancillary, you then become a person that
knows how to FIGHT WITH A WEAPON... rather than being
a 'weapons fighter'.
The former gives you unlimited options; the latter
limits you to the weapon in hand.
My clients achieve the former because they are taught
consistent principles that don't change whether they
fight with a weapon or against a weapon.
They understand how to properly use all weapons yet
remain focused on the fact whatever they hold in their
hands is just one of many weapons they command.
By understanding how to fight with weapons they also
understand how to defeat the 'weapons fighter'. This
significantly improves their odds when attacked
without the use of an ancillary weapon.
So what will you train to be --- a 'Weapons Fighter'
or a person who knows how to FIGHT WITH WEAPONS?
Until next time,
********************************************
Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying Alive
When 'Rules' Don't Apply
"Questions From You"
******************************************************
"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers.
You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions."
-Mahfouz Naguib
******************************************************
The response to this newsletter has been overwhelming
and I can't tell you how much I appreciate your
feedback. I thought this issue would be a good place
to stop and take time to answer some of the many
questions I've received from subscribers.
Please understand that I can't possibly answer each
question that is submitted to our site. Just handling
questions from my inner-circle training clients is
more than a full time job. So what I've done is tried
to pick some of the reoccurring questions. So lets
begin...
# # #
David from San Diego writes: "I am looking for a real
deal hand-to-hand combat school. I am not interested
in the sport fighting. How can I tell the frauds from
the real in terms of h2h combat?"
* * *
Tough one, frankly there are very few quality
instructors in hand-to-hand combat. There is so much
back-biting in the business that you can't go by what
others say but rather what they do for you. Do they
answer your questions? Do their methods work for you?
It'll take some work on your part to seek out good
instruction. Part of the reason I write this
newsletter is to give you some insights as to what to
look for when choosing an instructor.
Obviously I consider my live training the finest
available. Please check our website at
www.tftgroup.com/livetraining.htm for the next class.
# # #
Joe from Montreal writes" "I have really enjoyed your
newsletters and feel that you are "right on the money"
in your philosophy; can you recommend some specific
techniques that an individual can practice alone or
with a partner that you have found successful? I have
trained in martial arts for many years and have
narrowed my list of "effective techniques" down to the
following: palm heel to the chin, elbow strike to
chin, chop to the neck, single or double slap to the
ears, finger stab to the eyes, low kicks to the knee,
and knee kick to the groin or stomach; do you feel
these are effective or do you have any additional
suggestions?"
* * *
A lot of you have sent me this question along with
your favorite targets or techniques. Now don't get me
wrong, Joe listed some very effective targets and
techniques but the thought process is way off.
Don't limit yourself to 'favorites'; there are
approximately 70 anotomical areas of the body that
provide over 200 specific targets on the human body
that can maim, cripple, or kill.
Which one is the 'best'? The one I can easily strike
with my body weapon of choice. Then I continue to hit
targets until I have destroyed the other guy. Simple as
that. Any other way of thinking limits you.
# # #
Bill from New York writes: "I enjoy receiving the
newsletters. I would like to see you archive them on
your website so that I may share them with others who
have not subscribed from the beginning. I would also
like to see you write on some of the target areas to
shut down the CNS in a non-lethal way. I would not
want to kill someone when not intending to do so.
Thank you for your valuable advice. I hope to one day
take your course. Do you teach in New York?"
* * *
Good suggestion on the archiving. I'll forward that
to our Webmaster. Non-lethal attacks on the CNS? I
think you'd have to check your reason for getting into
the altercation. I write about life-or-death
application when using violence as a response. That is
very clear-cut. You take action or you die.
'Teaching someone a lesson' by attacking the CNS is
risky at best. I do instruct my clients on non-lethal
targeting but point out immediately that any time you
strike someone you never know their true physical
health. Any trauma visited on the human body can
trigger an unwanted response. What if the loudmouth
you just hit to the solar plexus had a genetic heart
condition that your strike triggers? Was it worth the
ego satisfaction to cause the legal problems and have
to live with that? I try to instruct my clients to
think beyond the immediate.
And New York? Yes, I am regulary train in New York City.
Watch the website for dates as these courses fill very
quickly.
# # #
Well, just 3 questions and I'm way over my limit
trying to keep these issues brief. Periodically I'll
do these, so keep sending in your questions and again,
thanks for your time.
Until next time,
*********************************************
Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply
"The Importance Of Mind Games"
******************************************************
"Everything I ever really need to know I learned in
Kindergarten."
- Robert Fulghum
******************************************************
One of the most revealing training exercises I ever
conducted occurred while working with a law
enforcement unit assigned to protect a high profile
politician from another country.
In this particular country assassination was a very
real threat for this politician. The law enforcement
unit was comprised of some very sharp ex-military spec
ops members that had outstanding training and real-
world credentials as part of an aggressive counter-
terrorist unit.
The problem we had with this unit was their inability
to properly anticipate ambushes or potential
assassination attempts in the exercises we designed.
We knew it wasn't a lack of intelligence, training, or
ability.
So what was the problem???
What we finally determined was...
* * * * * * * * * *
They had adopted a defensive state of mind!
* * * * * * * * * *
Yeah I know, by this issue you probably already
guessed that was the case.
But I mention it because my staff and I had gone into
the training assuming mindset wouldn't be an issue. In
fact some of my guys had worked with members of this
group when they were in the military and were shocked
by this change.
How did we fix it?
We basically got them to do a role reversal. We
actively encouraged them to think like assassins. The
actual methods were more detailed and elaborate but
the concept was essentially just a change in how they
looked at the problem.
This resulted in an amazing increase in the unit's
ability to anticipate and counter assassination
attempts long before the politician was ever in
danger.
In debriefing this unit we learned they felt that
since they were now in a unit designed to "protect
someone" that somehow they now needed to be defensive.
In fact even the name of the unit affected this
change.
Using English language for illustration purposes,
their old military unit was a 'counter-terror' unit
whereas the law enforcement unit was an 'anti-
terrorist' unit.
In simple terms a counter-terrorist unit mission is to
'hunt' down terrorists while an anti-terrorist unit is
designed to 'defend' against a terror assault.
It was very enlightening for me to once again see the
power 'words' can have on performance. Even very
seasoned operators fall prey to that trap.
So how does this relate to your day-to-day mindset?
I talk about the Cause-State but still I find many
of my clients go through a day in Effect-State.
Why?
Because you get caught in the trap that to be a law
abiding citizen you have to wait for something to
happen before you can take action. This results in a
very poor use of your 'primary' weapon. You'll always
be one step behind the aggressor.
It's easy for me to get my clients that hunt to
understand this. That's because when they're out in
the woods hunting their prey, they have NO fear. In
fact, there is eager anticipation as they try to find
where the prey may be hiding. Using this thinking,
it's easy for me to get them to adopt the Cause State.
For those of you that don't hunt, think about when you
were a child, playing hide and seek. When you were
looking for the 'hiders', there was NO fear in you.
You were actively engaged in your environment to seek
out and capture these 'hiders'. In fact, if you were
good at the game, you found yourself role playing,
asking yourself where you'd be hiding if it were your
turn.
Well, that same 'state' you learned in Kindergarten is
now a key tactic in controlling your fear and
hesitation in life. You can actively engage your
surroundings during the day without affecting your
daily business.
Role reverse and play the criminal in your mind.
Rather than wonder, "Who's around that corner?" just
ask yourself how you'd attack. Try this and see the
difference in the way you feel.
Until next time,
**********************************************
Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply
"Generating Maximum Power"
******************************************************
"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.
We do not act rightly because we have virtue or
excellence, but we rather have those because we have
acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."
- Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)
******************************************************
I was watching the Bruce Lee classic, "Enter The
Dragon", with my young son the other night. He loves
the choreography of the fight scenes and the rapid
rate that the fighters deliver the strikes.
I have to admit those movies are fun to watch. We
also enjoy watching "The Three Stooges" for the same
reason ??- the speed of the strikes, although the
"Stooges" do it for comic effect.
I remember for much of my youth my martial arts
training revolved around speed. I was always trying to
punch and kick faster. Often you were judged on how
many strikes you could deliver in a given amount of
time.
In this newsletter, we've already discussed the
importance of striking a specific target on the
other guy's body, so lets talk about speed. Where does
it factor in when you fight?
First a little physics is in order -- Force x
Velocity = Power. Most instructors in the combat
sport and martial arts world focus on just one aspect
of the equation... Speed. (Speed is how fast an object
moves, velocity is how fast an object moves from point
a to b.)
Why?
Because most of those disciplines are taught in what
TFT(tm) terms the Effect-State(tm). The Effect-State
revolves around you reacting to an event that already has
occurred. In fact, it can be argued that most of
society operates in this defensive state of mind.
That subject would require a separate newsletter
altogether.
In a fight it is natural that if you operate in a
Effect-State you will try to compensate for your
waiting to see what the other guy is doing -- with
speed.
Problem is... speed without force is only a portion
of the equation, and even if your targeting is accurate,
you strike with static force. In fighting, a static-force
strike would be a punch using only your arm speed to
strike rather than putting your entire bodyweight
behind the punch.
Essentially, in the context of fighting, a speed-
only response equals FEAR. I'm not saying it can't be
effective sometimes, just that you are counting on
ALWAYS being able to be faster than the other guy. I
don't like those odds.
TFT was developed with the idea that you may not be
faster or stronger than the other guys but you
compensate for those realities by operating in the
Cause-State(tm), striking with dynamic rather than static
force.
I've touched on operating in the Cause-State in
earlier newsletters so lets explore using dynamic
force.
Dynamic force allows you to strike with the full
power equation, putting your bodyweight behind each
strike to maximize damage and minimize the length of
the conflict.
The key to generating dynamic force is understanding
how to properly lock your body and transfer your body
weight into each strike. This can be accomplished
quickly with some basic exercises and on-the-mat
training at a TFT seminar.
Although it is beyond the scope of this newsletter
to try to instruct this method, I will say that one
way to start the process is to SLOW DOWN your free-
fight sessions, hit your targets, and leave your body
weapon on the target until your opponent MOVES AWAY
from your body weapon.
Most people strike and quickly take their body
weapon off the target. This does not allow for the
force of the blow to penetrate the other guy's body. It
is the other guy that should move from the force if you
want to generate maximum power. This also gives you
feedback as to whether you are in balance when you
strike.
You may do this at slow speeds and get the feedback
without injuring your training partner. Quickly, you
and your training partner can increase your speed AND
deliver maximum power.
So let Hollywood entertain you with SPEED but make
sure you TRAIN for POWER.
Until next time,
*****************************************************
Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply
"More Of Your Questions"
******************************************************
"The real object of education is to have a
man in the condition of continually asking
questions."
-Bishop Creighton
******************************************************
Thanks to every one of you who stepped up and made the
effort to attend my last TFT training seminar. This
newsletter was designed to reach those people who I'd
probably never be able to instruct. Yet some of you
decide to ignore that fact.
I'm constantly amazed by the persistence some
individuals demonstrate when they decide to seek out
my services. It was a pleasure to train you.
As for the rest of you I have another set of questions
my staff has assembled for me to answer generated by
this e-zine of mine, so here it goes:
David from Auckland, NZ writes: I've read all your
issues to date and want to know when you're actually
going to give some instruction? Your subjects are
great but you don't specifically instruct on how to
use your methods? Is this leading up to a sale?
Videos? Training? If so get on with it?-
*** Well David speaks for that small percentage of you
out there that think there is no free lunch. So hear
you go:
Do I sell videos?
Yes.
Do I conduct live training?
Yes.
Would I like you to buy from me?
Absolutely, I like making money.
Is this newsletter designed to instruct you in hand-
to-hand combat?
NO!
It's designed to make you THINK... to get you to ask
questions and demand from any instructor that you
receive the absolute best from him if you choose to
invest your valuable time and train.
I'd love to train each and every one of you but it's
not possible. So the next best option for me is to
pass on some principles and methods you need to be
familiar with in order to get what you need from such
training.
Dakota from Encino writes: How can you get such
incredible results in such a short amount of time when
most people need years of training to become
proficient?
*** That can be answered by this analogy. Learning to
ride and train a horse for competition takes years and
you need an instructor to teach you the method. If you
stick with it you can get very good at riding a horse.
That is how most martial arts approach self-protection
training.
Whereas if your main goal is transportation --
learning to drive a car is far more efficient. TFT is
like learning to drive a car.
It takes much less time to learn and will beat even
the most accomplished racehorse. Most people don't
have to be able to build a car in order to drive and
operate it.
My instructors are all master mechanics that can
design and build the car for you. They've put in the
years so you can get the critical principles in mere
hours.
Will in Detroit writes: I saw you said in an interview
that working out on a heavy bag is counter-productive.
Why?
*** Going back to the first issue you find that I
stated you do what you train. Bags have very limited
use in TFT training. Any training aid I use needs to
replicate the human body.
The cylindrical shapes of heavy bags are not shaped
like humans therefore you code incorrect information
in your brain regarding targeting.
Also most people kick or punch a bag repeatedly
standing in the same place whereas if you inflicted
that type of trauma on a human the human would react
and move and you'd have to dynamically move with the
other guy to strike them again effectively. A bag does
not provide for dynamic movement. Those are just 2
reasons but you get the idea.
Kevin from NYC writes -- I live in a really bad
neighborhood and am constantly getting attacked. I was
wondering if you could give me a few tips on how to
beat these guys up?
*** This is a question I get a lot from people and I
have to go back to the reason I write this newsletter:
to discuss the principles that make up a great combat
fighting system. It would be irresponsible of me to
try and give you some tips on how to beat someone up.
I do sell videos and give live training seminars. That
is a far better format for you to get specific
information on how to learn my system. I'll leave it
to other less responsible 'instructors' to dole out a
couple of 'tips' and send you back to the street.
Again, great questions everyone -- see you next issue
and keep them coming.
Until next time,
