In Honor of Mang Ben!

(This letter was written by Master Michael Ronal Ramirez and was published at Rapid Journal, vol. 7 no. 4 Book 26, 2003. This is an excerpt from a series of letters written by many of Mang Ben's students after his passing. Every January, from the time of his death in 2003, we, the LSIA community, remember the passing of the legendary master from Panay; GM Ben Lema. I posted this letter as my way of remembering the passing of the great man of arnis. May he rest in peace!)

"Every once in awhile I get to bump into some of the old arnis masters who studied under Grand Master Benjamin Lema and when I hear the stories of his exploits in the fiel of arnis, I still stand in awe and amazement despite the times I had spent with this great old man. It is sometimes said that familiarity breeds contempt, but my rendezvous in Lightning Scientific Arnis under and side by side with Mang Ben has enabled me to gradually form a growing but appreciative opinion of him, seperating the man into his image as a formidable fighter and into his ordinary down to earth humanity. My personal concept lay in the latter, and that is why the narratives I hear and the dedication and devotion of all his former students continue to puzzle me, but with a feeling of respect and nostalgia.

Stories of His Past.

Many arnis grandmasters love to tell stories about their adventures and conquests; whom they hve beaten and whom they had killed. But not so with Mang Ben, who was more of a doer than a talker, preferring to take a challenge or give one than talk about it or excuse himself form it. He was never wont to tell me about his World War 2 experiences as a guerilla under General Macario Peralta. Tales of his past would trickle slowly and only when he let them tumble out, and it was for this reason that his past was a jigsaw puzzle to be pieced together by all his relatives, students acquiantances, and friends, each of who had a story to tell.

He once mentioned to me that during his youthful days, he owned a carabao, as many land-tilling men in Capiz did before. Another farmer offered a challenge to let their animals battle it out and the owner of the losing brute would have to give the other owner a bottle of tuba, a real treat during those days.

Mang Ben, being the competitive person he has always been, accepted the deal and wisely sharpened the horns of his field-animal, and that was the beginning of the end of the carabao competition. Displaying one of the negative traits that characterize Filipino culture the other owner whose carabao passed away, in short notice, got pikon, pulled out a bolo, and hacked out a "chip" of Mang Ben's hair. (I mentioned "chip" because Mang Ben's hair was a bit hardened by some concoction, Valentino style, maybe pamode - that was the late 20's). Eventually, the farmer's leg got notched by the swift movement from the young arnis expert.

Then there was the "Battle of the GrandMasters" in which Mang Ben demolished in grand style a top, formidable fighter from Cebu.

Everyone Wants To Be Like July.

Two groups of people continue to amuse me: The Mang Ben wanna be's and those who claim to have beaten (or can beat) Mang Ben. Of the former, there are many; of the latter, there is now a growing number.

Mang Ben loved clothes and a spanking look was the image he always wanted to portray. Long sleeves, slacks, and leather shoes were his trademark in a field were camisa de chino and red pants, muslim garbs, and sporty outfits were the norm. To top it all of, he also wore a cap. At certain times, he liked the Mark Twain all-white look and this made him really stand out from the rest.

Nowadays, many arnis practitioners also wear semi-formal outfits, or caps, or even all-white clothes in arnis gatherings and exhibitions. Ay, Caramba! I see this not only among some of the practitioners of other arnis styles, as well. Moreover, some of Mang Ben's former students claim to have learned all the secrets of the old man and are the legitimate heirs becoming the new Mang Ben/s.

Outside LSAI is a growing number of men claiming to have beated Mang Ben into a bloody pulp in some far away province during the early times and would like to teach their style (for a fee, of course) to anyone willing to learn the secrets of it all! Mismo! Incidentally, no witnesses to any of these confrontations can be found.

Whatever impact thos may bring, I do see some good in them, but in a larger scale. Mang Ben has become truly the standard of arnis, the point of comparison for all practitioners, whether he is the arnis master to be emulated or the arnis master who had supposedly been beaten. Not only will those groups who exploit his name and memory benefit, but all other groups as well. Whatever martial art that has anything to do with such men as Bruce Lee, Tan Ka Hong, Sun Lu Tang, Morihei Ueshiba, Jigoro Kano, Helio Gracie or any other formidable grandmaster, is worth its salt and wothy promoting. In like manner, arnis will surely flourish because of the memory and legacy of Mang Ben."

Baston: The Great Equalizer

Many members of the LSAI community have often used the famous phrase "the baston (arnis stick) is the great equalizer". But, unfortunately, they failed to explain to the students of the art of Lightning Arnis the true definition of the phrase or the person responsible in coining the phrase. Often a student of theirs would always end up confused with their "own" definition, using "new age" philosophies, without even coming up near the mark to its true meaning. Master Ronald Ramirez, my mentor, would often describe them as "armchair philosophers"; all talk but no sense. Only a few knew that this phrase "the baston is the great equalizer" was actually coined by, none other than, Master Ronald Ramirez; founder of the Iron Viking Society.

But, somehow, faith has conspired to make the author of the famous phrase unknown. Why? I have my theories but I will not divulge my thoughts as of now. Suffice it to say that I only wish to set the record straight and to, finally, give credit to where it is truly due by describing exactly why the baston is called the "great equalizer."

According to my mentor, Master Ronald, the real reason why the baston is the "great equalizer" is because the baston (arnis sticks) "levels the playing field." It "equalize" or neutralize any advantage the enemy has over you in a fight. It doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman, an adult or child, or weak or strong' it is all the same to an arnisadores expert. An arnis player, armed with the deadly sticks of his craft, can immediately gain a 50% or more advantage of winning and be victorious in the field of battle. It is an advantage that no other unarmed martial art can ever have. It is a boastful claim, one may say by those who are not familiar with the art, but it is the absolute truth in every sense of the word.

Let me give you an example to give you a clear idea of what I am saying. Imagine that you are a karate black belt expert, 5th dan, weighing 150 lbs., with a height of 5' 6". And then imagine your opponent is also a karate black belt, with the same style of karate as yours and a rank much lower than yours, but the only difference is he is 7 feet tall and weighing 300 lbs. of pure muscle. Who do you think will win? Isn't it obvious?! The one who is more stronger, and whose reach advantage is greater than he's enemy, who usually wins in this fight.

Let us try the same example, but the difference is both are arnisadores black belts and the smaller guy ranks higher in skill than the bigger guy. Who do you think now will win? Of course, obviously, the one who is more skillful than the other will win. Why? Because in a fight with weapons the one with the most experience and skill will always win since the fight is dictated, not by the strength of ones muscles, but by the players skill and strength of his/her weapon (baston). That is the reason why "the baston is the great equalizer."

Many of you may not believe my argument, for it is after all debatable, but still no one can argue that it does not make sense. Let's be truthful for once shall we? Isn't it true that no matter how strong you are, or skillful in fist fights, the man that holds a very powerful and deadly weapon always wins?! Even Mr. Tim Larkin, founder of the self-defense seminar called TFT (Target Focus Training), believes on these premise. And this is one of the many reasons why I studied and practiced the art of arnis de mano, the ancient combative art of our forefathers, in the first place.

Target Focus Training (part 6)

(Disclaimer: I do not own the philosophies and teaching of TFT. Everything belongs to Mr. Tim Larkin. This post is to inform only. Enjoy reading!)

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


Answering Your Questions About Target-Focus(tm) Training

******************************************************
"The more laws and order are made prominent,
The more thieves and robbers there will be."

Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu
******************************************************

1. From Greg in Key Biscayne, FL: I really enjoy your
newsletters but I am trying to figure out what makes
your Target-Focus Training different from any good
martial art or combat sport?

A: Focus is probably the main difference. I have made
the decision to only teach a fighting SYSTEM
specifically designed for when your life is on the
line. Much of the physical training includes strikes,
leverages, kicks, and throws that other arts or sports
teach.

TFT has specifically been designed around 2 "high
concept" principles that are supported by the 3
methodologies of strikes (punches, kicks etc...),
leverages (throws, joint locks) and physical dynamics
(maximizing the damage of the first 2 methodologies).

Most martial arts or combat sports focus only on the
physical end of training and rarely train for life or
death application. TFT teaches only in the environment
of your life being at risk. Anything less is a game.

2. From Josh in Butte, MT: Whom did you learn from and
how has that shaped your Target-Focus Training?

A: I've had a number of great instructors over the
years from the martial art and combat sport world as
well as the down and dirty approach from some of the
great military hand-to-hand close combat instructors.

My exposure to this wealth of knowledge is unique and
I've attempted to create a system of fighting that
clearly defines all the key principles that are
constant in good fighting systems.

I don't feel I've created anything new with TFT but
I've definitely created a different way to quickly and
effectively learn how to defeat a violent physical
attack that risks your life. How I present the
information is what makes TFT so effective.

You rapidly absorb the physical and mental aspects of
fighting for your life in a way many of my clients
with extensive M/A or C/S training have told me is
very unique and effective. My only goal is to have you
focus on what is really important:

***DESTROYING YOUR ENEMY BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY***

If I sound like a broken record, so be it. In my mind
there is no other purpose when fighting.

To understand what it mean to "destroy your enemy by
any means necessary" check out my TFT Striking DVD series
at: http://www.targetfocustraining.com/striking.html

It'll make you a 'juggernaut of destruction' regardless
of your size, speed, strength or skill.

Until next time,
********************************************

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


"Striking With Power And Quickness Versus
Blocking With Force And Speed"

******************************************************

"An attack must be executed with quickness,
not speed. Attack with power, not strength. There
is a great difference between speed and quickness,
power and strength. Think this through carefully.
It is the essence of strategy"

Miyamoto Musashi

******************************************************

Violence as your ultimate survival tool is greatly
enhanced when you employ POWER. Unfortunately many
continue to train using FORCE -- or strength -- as a
means of defending themelves.

It's the same with QUICKNESS, which is an essential
element in creating the necessary POWER in your
attack. Yet everyone focuses on SPEED (coupled with
FORCE) to try and defend or counter an attacker.

Ok... so what's the difference in POWER vs. FORCE, in
QUICKNESS vs. SPEED?

Am I headed off into some lesson in Physics?

Not at all.

You see, attacks using POWER don't rely on physical
strength. What they DO require, however, is an
understanding of the inherent weaknesses of the human
body.

Let me give you an example.

Imagine being backed up against a wall with a car in
front of you... racing its engine. The driver is about
to pop the brake and crush you against the wall.

Applying FORCE and SPEED to this situation you've got
2 choices: 1) You could try to jump up over the hood
(SPEED) or, 2) You could brace yourself against the
wall and push against the car (FORCE).

But now look at that same situation from an emphasis
on POWER and QUICKNESS. Here you: 1) Smoothly pop the
hood of the car (QUICKNESS) and, 2) Rip the
appropriate cables to kill the engine (POWER).

(OK, I hear all the protests from the motor heads but
cut me a little slack, folks... it's an exaggerated
example to help highlight a point.)

The point: if you rely on SPEED and FORCE then you've
ALWAYS got to be stronger and faster then everyone
else.

But by using POWER (being able to identify weak areas)
and QUICKNESS (think, 'timing') you can defeat a much
stronger and faster threat.

That's why I've built Target-Focus Training around
POWER and QUICKNESS because just like me, you WILL
face many threats that are bigger, faster, and
stronger.

The great Japanese warrior Musashi understood this
important strategic concept and lived to a ripe old
age after killing more than 60 men with his sword. Re-
read his quote at the top and really try to understand
it.

Until next time,

*************************************************************

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


Violence As A Game - The Illusion Of A Fair Fight

******************************************************

"One of the biggest reasons for failure on the
battlefield is not knowing what to do next... This is
the result of not having been trained thoroughly in
what to expect on the battlefield."

General Orlando Ward

******************************************************

Last week I was hanging out with a friend of mine, a
former NFL Defensive Lineman. Chuck had a reputation
in college as a brawler and never missed an
opportunity to use his fists to answer any
disagreement.

Chuck has definitely mellowed over the years and is
much easier to be around these days - but old habits
die hard. The conversation drifted towards my training
and he was giving me some feedback from a mutual
friend who attended a TFT seminar.

Our friend Tony loved the training and, since he
travels to some of the more dangerous parts of the
world, has unfortunately had to use his training. The
results were that he survived two unavoidable criminal
attacks using principles and methods from the TFT
Seminar.

Tony faced multiple attackers in one incident and a
knife in the other. Chuck was impressed that Tony
survived both incidents unscathed and then commented
on the side that had it been a "fair fight" Tony would
have lost.

I asked Chuck to clarify for me what he meant.

He went on to say that the three attackers were all
larger than Tony, as was the knife wielder, and that
in a "fair fight" Tony would have lost.

He pointed out that if Tony hadn't used all that
"unfair stuff" he got from my seminar he never would
of "won". Chuck said he was glad that Tony knew TFT
but that it really didn't prove he could fight.

Chuck went on to say that if it were just a "thumping
contest" -- "Ya know, Tim, a real fight" then the
bigger, stronger guy would always win. He was
disturbed by the fact that Tony had to kill the knife
wielder and that one of the multiple attackers had his
throat crushed by Tony.

That to Chuck proved it wasn't a "real fight" and the
fact Tony effectively used deception to disarm his
attackers before he attacked really disturbed Chuck.

"That's not fighting, it's just..."

"Violence?" I added.

"Yeah, it proves nothing about how good a fighter you
are," Chuck blurted out.

I know what Chuck was trying to say and it's sad when
I see anyone like him that has never gone beyond using
violence to dominate a social situation.

By choosing to use violence in a social situation,
guys like Chuck always run the risk of bumping into
someone who won't bother fighting a bigger, stronger
guy.

They'll just use violence in the only way it should be
used... as a survival tool.

Until next time,

Tim Larkin

**********************************************************

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


When You Finally Decide to Act -- Hurt 'em

******************************************************

"Just Do It."

Nike Ad
******************************************************

Ed B. recently wrote to say he really enjoyed my E-book
(http://www.tftgroup.com/products/ebooks/index.htm)

He described an event that happened in Miami years
back when he was thrown out of a 'disco' (jeez Ed,
this must have been in the 70's. Were you guys wearing
leisure suits?). Seems the fight that got them kicked
out of the disco was over a girl (big surprise
there, huh?).

He ended up out on the street with his 3 buddies and
about 15 guys wanting to separate their heads from
their shoulders. Doing the only prudent thing, the 4
decided to run for the hills; 2 went left and Ed and
his buddy went right.

Unfortunately about ten of the other guys decided to
run after Ed and his buddy. Not knowing the
neighborhood they ended up running around a corner and
down an alley smack into a high chain link fence with
barbed wire at the top -- DEAD END.

They had a choice: wait for the 10 to come around the
corner and see what would happen -OR- take action. Ed
decided to take action. He spotted a 4' pipe in a
trash heap along with a 2x4. He grabs the pipe and
tosses the 2x4 to his buddy (good choice Ed, I'd have
opted for the pipe also).

His buddy is dumbfounded and asks incredulously, "What
are we going to do?" Ed says, "We're getting out of
here" and runs towards the corner where they had made
the bad choice of streets. The first guy chasing them
is just turning that corner to "get them".

Ed catches him cleanly on the elbow with his pipe as
the guy tries to put on the brakes. Suddenly -- to
everyone's surprise -- the tables are turned! 2 guys
are chasing 10 down the mean streets of Miami, and Ed
survives what could have been a very different
outcome.

Ed asked if I'd agreed this was using "Cause State"
(there's a long interview transcription on Cause State
in the ebook noted above).

I have to agree: the decision to act and the effect
caused were the keys to their survival.

Notice the focus wasn't to DEFEND themselves, it was
to HURT the other guys -- pure and simple. I've
covered this before. Anything less and this becomes a
disaster.

Great job Ed!

Until next time,

Tim Larkin

Target Focus Training (part 5)

(Disclaimer: I do not own the philosophies and teaching of TFT. Everything belongs to Mr. Tim Larkin. This post is to inform only. Enjoy reading!)

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


"Defining Effectiveness"

******************************************************
"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."

- Harriet Martineau (1802 - 1876)
******************************************************

Effectiveness seems to be a reoccurring theme in the
questions sent to me by my newsletter readers. Typical
questions run along the lines of:

1. Tim, what are the most effective targets for me to
hit?

2. Tim, how can I make my punches more powerful, and
is a fist or palm more effective?

Again there are over 170 viable targets on the human
body that can cause a predictable response when trauma
is delivered to the target. So what is the most
effective to strike?

... THE ONE YOU CAN
===================

Yeah, it really is just that simple.

Again, you never want to limit yourself to a specific
set of finite targets because you are attempting to
predict what will be available to you in a violent
conflict. That is one factor that will always vary.

If you understand that the principle is to cause a
spinal reflex reaction (an involuntary or autonomic
response) in the other guy then you have a principle
that works regardless of the targets presented.

So the "high concept" here is to not limit your
targeting options... and thereby increasing your
effectiveness.

Next, let's deal with how to make your punches
(strikes) more powerful and effective. Here's a good
first step:

... FOCUS ON HITTING YOUR TARGETS
=================================

Yeah I know, sounds like a broken record, right?

Well I can't believe how many of you spend hours
attempting to get stronger or faster yet breeze over
the targeting aspect.

If you pay attention to the military actions taken in
the last year by the US you keep hearing the same
thing over and over...

TARGETING
=========

Why? Because the military has found that it can be
more deadly, more effective, and take out enemies much
faster... the better they can target and deliver their
munitions.

And here's the kicker -- they are often able to do
this with less overall power (less bombs, firepower)
because they can target the specific threat and focus
all of the weapon's power into that exposed area.

So yes, there are ways to get more effective but I
would have you explore the first 2 options above
before I help you with the physical dynamics of
increasing your strength and power.

Until next time,

***************************************************

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


"The Four Horsemen Of Response"

******************************************************
"No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its
powers of acting and reasoning as fear."

Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
******************************************************

People often ask me about the "Fight or Flight"
response when it comes to responding to a violent,
imminent threat of physical attack. When I tell them
that there are actually four responses to this type of
threat I usually get a confused looked.

As a life-long student of violence I constantly
research sources from the academic and literary world
that deal with this very controversial subject. Some
of my research has led me to the fallacy of people
assuming "Fight Or Flight" is the response regardless
of the threat. So lets clarify:

"Fight Or Flight" is a viable response but only when
the threat occurs between 2 different species. If you
are walking through the woods and a Kodiak bear starts
to rush you, you would quickly either fight if you had
a weapon or run (flight) if you did not. Yes, you can
use the other 2 responses but for the most part the
meeting of 2 different species results in "Fight Or
Flight".

That being said lets look at the "Four Horsemen Of
Response" when two members of the same species meet
with one side posing an imminent threat. The other can
respond as follows:

1. Fight - The challenge is assessed and the
response by the target is to fight back.
2. Flight - The challenge is assessed and the
response is to evade the threat and run.
3. Posture - The challenge is assessed and the
response is to feign or posture aggressively with
the ultimate goal being to avoid having to fight
or flight.
4. Capitulate - The challenge is assessed and the
response is to freeze, lie down, and hope that by
submitting to appease the aggressor.

Most are familiar with the first two options but lets
explore the latter two options. How many times have
you seen a person issue a threat and move towards
someone aggressively and that person's response is to
yell back and strike an aggressive, threatening
stance?

This is very common in social violent situations where
there is much posturing for dominance. Often the real
objective is to get one side to back down, with verbal
threats and aggressive postures used to convey
dominance. That is a classic example of the Posture
Response.

This is a dangerous gambit for both participants
because it delays the fight option and often wastes
valuable opportunities to end the situation with the
Fight Response.

The next response to explore is the all too common
Capitulate Response. This is where an aggressive
threat is met with complete and immediate submission
to the threatening party.

This response is very dangerous when used to avoid
getting harmed because it literally puts you at the
mercy of an aggressor. You rely on their moral code to
respect your capitulation and have that be a
sufficient way to satiate their desire to aggressively
dominate you. Very risky.

However, when used properly the Capitulate Response
can be an extremely effective manner to get your
aggressor into a vulnerable position to execute the
Fight Response. Basically, you're getting the
aggressor to expose vulnerable areas of his body to
attack by your feigned capitulation.

Other newsletter issues have dealt with how to take
advantage of these opportunities but it is instructive
to have a complete understanding of the "Four Horsemen
Of Response" to round out your fighting knowledge.

Until next time,

****************************************************8

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


"Are You Bored With What Works?"

******************************************************
"The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and
the only reason a warrior fights is to win. Otherwise,
why be a warrior? It is easier to count beads."

-Miyamoto Musashi
******************************************************

I get invited to a lot of different training events
and try out lots of new weapons that are used in the
special operations arena.

Recently I shot a modified weapon that is currently
all the rage in some of the personal protection
circles. It is a large caliber assault rifle that is
making the rounds in some of the current "hotspots" of
the world.

I thanked the guys who let me use the weapon but came
away with a nagging feeling that it was really not
that effective for the mission. The special technology
needed to use the weapon system seemed to me not worth
the expense and hassle.

Sure enough, I called a friend (with extensive combat
experience) who recently retired from a counter-terror
unit and is currently working as a highly sought
'consultant' and asked him if he agreed with my
assessment.

He told me that not only did he agree but that there
was a better option that the US Army had developed in
the late 60's.

He went on to explain the superior aspects of the
already developed, less expensive, readily available
technology that had better ballistics, better power,
and better accuracy.

He ended the conversation by telling me some people
just get bored with what works.

That hit home.

I get tons of questions about weapons technology
(which firearm is best, what knife should I carry, is
it better to punch or kick, etc) but the questions are
always about a tool rather than a principle.

I can't tell you what the 'best' combat folding knife
is on the market, 'best' firearm to carry, what
caliber is optimum for your needs, whether you should
use a punch or a kick in a given circumstance.

What I'm more interested in is what can you do with
those tools? Can you hit your target? Do you
understand the effect of the trauma you can inflict
with those tools? What is your focus when using your
tools?

If your focus is to DESTROY YOUR ENEMY BY ANY MEANS
NECESSARY then the tools will work their way into the
mix.

As for me I don't even carry a knife nor would I know
which knife is 'best'. Me, I have an aluminum pen that
the security people gladly hand me as it goes through
the weapons check at the airport.

Doesn't look very cool; in fact it's kinda yuppy-ish
looking. But it writes well -- and I have a sneaking
suspicion it'll help accelerate the trauma I want
to inflict should I need to fight.

Yeah, it's boring -- but it works.

Until next time,

News! News! News!

Yesterday afternoon was the passing of one of LSAI's prominent practitioner, Master Lito Torrefranca. My teacher, Master Ronald Ramirez, informed me of his passing. He will be sorely missed. To those who know him well I send my condolences. May his soul rest in peace!

Target Focus Training (part 4)

(Disclaimer: I do not own the philosophies and teaching of TFT. Everything belongs to Mr. Tim Larkin. This post is to inform only. Enjoy reading.)



Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply

"Controlled Violence: the Surprising Catalyst to a
More Enjoyable Life"

******************************************************

"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."

-W. Edwards Deming

******************************************************

I was watching an Instructor Class the other night
with one of my great friends from the fighting world
and we discussed how difficult it is to talk about
fighting to most people.

This difficultly lies in the fact that my definition
of fighting is very different from most "fighters".
When someone tells me they know how to fight, that
triggers in my mind numerous examples of specific
methods of inflicting trauma on the human body with
the goal being the destruction of other guys.

In the rare instance when I decide to speak about
fighting in a social situation, I usually regret doing
so. Quickly I see that most people are uncomfortable
with my very calm descriptions of the effective use of
violence.

Most people get caught up in the surreal aspects of
violence that permeate society today... the WWF or
video game fake violence... as opposed to learning how
to methodically deliver systematic strikes to
vulnerable parts of the human body with the goal being
the total destruction of the other guy.

People always comment on how friendly and
approachable I am -- as well as my instructors. They
are confused, I'd guess, because most of the martial
arts and combat sport world is dominated by aloof
personalities who seem more concerned you recognize
their 'rank' rather than answer your questions.

I tell clients all the time that the more trained
you are to deal with real violence, the more
emotionally relaxed life you live... and the more you
get to enjoy life experiences and people.

There's much less need to use false aggression in
your demeanor to give off that 'I'm intimidating'
message. That is an Effect-State(tm) (and fear-based)
protection mechanism that is mildly effective but
takes a huge emotional toll to pull off.

This is yet another reason to seek out competent
training in hand-to-hand combat. By facing the fact
violence exists and learning how to effectively use
violence, you truly free yourself from unnecessary
fear in your day-to-day living.

----------
One note: look for future emails about once every
7 days.
----------

Until next time,

**********************************************

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


"Are You Learning To Fight... Or To Dance?"

******************************************************

"In our peacetime tactical training we should use
difficult, highly imaginative situations and require
clear, concise and simple orders. The more difficult
the situation the more simple the order must be. Above
all *** Let us Kill everything stereotyped; otherwise
it will kill us ***"

- Adolf von Schell, Battle Leadership, 1933

******************************************************

I saw a commercial for one of those dance instruction
programs that guarantees you'd be able to dance as
well as any member of the most popular boy-bands.

The program showed a group of students following the
instructor step-by-step to learn some pretty complex
moves, choreographed to perfection. The result was
that by memorizing the steps and combining the moves
you could mimic the formerly difficult routine.

It reminded me of watching a Wushu team practice their
show. For those of you that aren't familiar, Wushu is
a Chinese martial art that is delivered via a stage
performance. The fights are very elaborate and it
takes a great deal of practice to put on a convincing
show.

As I watched the team practice it was interesting to
note that whenever someone wanted to screw around all
they had to do was execute a move different from the
routine. Literally you would be watching a fight scene
you'd swear was pitting two highly trained fighters in
mortal combat when all of a sudden one of the guys
would move differently... maybe slap the other guy in
the face like the Three Stooges used to do.

Everyone would laugh, then take a break.

But that slap also woke me up out of the dream state I
was in as I watched the performance.

I realized that this was exactly the method in which
most martial arts or combat sports are instructed.
Especially when they train "self defense".

Basically there are set patterns you memorize in
response to various staged attacks. Memorize those
responses and you can look pretty impressive.

But what happens if you vary the attack?

Most students freeze.

Why?

**** BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER TAUGHT TO FIGHT ****

Nope, they basically were taught to 'dance' and as
long as everything went according to the 'routine' you
could do okay. But we all know things never go exactly
as planned.

Fighting is no different -- whether you are on the mat
at your training center or on the street locked in
mortal combat with the other guy(s). The only
variation is that when you fight with your training
partner you don't actually maim, cripple or kill. You
still target and simulate those exact strikes, just at
a pace your partner can handle.

If, however, you're operating in a 'training' mode
where you are memorizing a 'set' response to an
attack, you are learning nothing but a 'dance' move.
In TFT such training is viewed as "coordination
training" not fighting.

If you don't know the difference, you can easily fall
victim to the "now it's for real syndrome". That's
where you face an imminent attack yet hesitate... as
your brain tries to accept the fact that "this is for
real".

Contrast this to the well-trained fighter who simply
sees all this as merely fighting and proceeds to: 1)
find his targets and 2) strike. The only difference to
the fighter is the fact he can now strike with full
power.

That's because the well-trained fighter never sees
himself as 'training' -- he's always fighting.
Understand this concept and you'll always be
prepared... no matter what the situation.

Until next time,

*******************************************

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


"Often When You Try To Teach Someone A Lesson, You're
The One Who Ends Up Getting Schooled"

******************************************************
"It's all fun and games 'til someone loses an eye"

- Mom
******************************************************

I was meeting with one of my master instructors and
some business associates the other day. We were
hashing out the schedule for the coming year and
elaborating on the requirements for the new TFT
Mastery Program. This program allows clients the
ability to expand their skills, even achieving the
status of Trainer (a level of fighting education
unavailable until now).

One of our associates had difficulty comprehending
our clear-cut definition of when to use violence as
the solution to a dangerous problem. For us it's
simple, the situation needs to be criminal in nature
and "life-or-death serious", meaning... if you don't
take action you are going to be harmed.

This associate kept bringing up various social
situations where someone is verbally (even mildly
physically) aggressive but where the physical threat
is unclear. In other words, at this point you'd be
hard pressed to fight for any reason other than to
"teach him a lesson".

I was just about to handle this issue when my master
instructor jumped in and gave a great example of the
dangers of "teaching someone a lesson".

Seems his older brother (while not at the trainer
level, still an excellent fighter) had a roommate who
caused numerous problems for the other 3 in his house.
Apparently the problem child (we'll call him 'Joe')
was a large person, and both verbally and physically
aggressive. The other roommates had nominated my
instructor's brother (lets call him 'Tom') to give
'Joe' his walking papers.

Although *much* smaller than 'Joe', 'Tom' was
confident that with his extensive fighting training he
could easily handle the situation.

As 'Tom' explained to 'Joe' that he needed to move
out, 'Joe's reaction was to get verbally combative and
use his larger frame as an intimidation factor.

As he moved closer, 'Tom' felt it was time to let
him know he wasn't intimidated and met him with a knee
to the groin and a short punch to the jaw. 'Joe'
doubled over and moved away from the strikes but he
was still standing because 'Tom' hadn't followed up
his strikes since he was only half-heartedly "teaching
him a lesson".

What happened next was a nightmare.

Wondering if 'Joe' was all right 'Tom' moved closer
but 'Joe', now in a violent rage, charged and knocked
him viciously to the floor, then jumped over his body
and began repeatedly kicking him in the temple with
his heavy work boots.

The end result: 'Joe' was arrested and 'Tom'
required numerous MRI's just to insure he had no
lasting brain damage.

Now whenever they instruct class, both my master
trainer and his brother use this as a perfect example
of why, in a violent threat, there can only be one
response... and it's never an attempt to "teach
someone a lesson" or simply an ego boost.

If you are not prepared to leave the other guy in a
non-functioning state, you are not committed to fight.
You're just playing with social violence. But in a
truly violent situation, the other guy IS going to be
committed to *really* hurting you.

In this case 'Tom' used violence to "teach a lesson"
and 'Joe' responded with a lethal attack. You can
never know a person's response to violence. If you use
it to "teach a lesson" (i.e., treat violence as a
game) you may very well find yourself missing an
eye... just like Mom said!

Until next time,

*************************************************

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


You Never Know How Many People You're Fighting
Until You're Fighting Them All

******************************************************

"You can have a life plan or a fight plan, but when
the action starts, you're down to your reflexes --
your training. If you've cheated on your training in
the dark of the morning, you'll be found out under the
bright lights."

- Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joe Frazier

******************************************************

I've hammered home the importance of the cold hard
fact: "you do what you train". Anything you do in a
training environment is exactly how you are
conditioning yourself to respond in a life-or-death
situation.

Most of my clients understand this principle in
applying trauma to the body. They are careful to
insure that they strike with a tight fist or make sure
that they complete the rotation of their body to
deploy maximum force upon the given target area of the
other guy.

So where do problems occur?

Most people train for a one-on-one confrontation.

They are excellent at handling the one guy but add in
another guy... and watch the meltdown occur.

I was training a well-known counter-terror unit a few
years back and let them see first-hand the danger in
this oversight.

They had been training heavily in a well-known ju-
jitsu system prior to my course. This was a combat
sport-based system that is very effective in the ring.

But it does no good to tell people that what they
trained may have problems associated with it because
often they have a strong emotional attachment to the
training. Better to let them see a gap and then offer
a solution.

So I asked for the best grappler of the group to don
his field gear and go to the end of the training hall.
I then grabbed 3 other members of the unit and had
them do a simple "sacrificial lamb" attack. This is
where one guy engages the prey and locks him up, then
the other 2 swoop in for the kill.

Well, sure enough, the first guy engages and is
quickly taken to the ground by the fighter and put in
a very painful arm-bar. This guy was amazingly good at
ju-jitsu and would be a terror in the ring -- except
this wasn't a ring, and there was no ref.

In fact, no sooner had the arm-bar been applied than
the other 2 were upon him, had his weapons and could
have "killed" him at any time.

This simple gangbanger attack easily defeated a highly
trained operator because he had handled a multifight
like a sport competition. In fact, the unit later
confessed that they had never trained with their
weapons on the whole time they trained "hand-to-hand".

The focus had been more to see who could make the
other "tap out" first. This is a dangerous way to
train for a lethal criminal confrontation.

You must always treat every confrontation as having
multiple guys. You need to be instructed how to be a
"360-degree" fighter and to be aware of your
surroundings at all times.

In TFT, all fighting is against multiple guys even in
a one-on-one training session. This means as I take
out my current victim I'm aware of my surroundings and
SEARCHING for my next victim.

The training methods we use are beyond the scope of
this newsletter. But if you've never really trained
for multiple guys then you've never trained for life-
or-death confrontations. Don't make that mistake.

Until next time,

*****************************************************

Free Combat Training Principles -- Secrets For Staying
Alive When 'Rules' Don't Apply


Two Different Types of Violence

******************************************************

"There is never a convenient place to fight a war when
another man starts it"

- Admiral Arleigh Burke

******************************************************

It's funny listening to men recount their experiences
with violence.

I've noticed there are 2 distinct experiences -- those
that survived a true life-or-death confrontation and
those who participated in social violence.

The first group usually never speaks about the
subject. When they choose to share the experience, you
notice that they are usually brutally honest by
stating they often they were scared and were forced
into action because there was no acceptable
alternative.

There is no gloating over their surviving the
experience and though many acted heroically they don't
see it that way. They see themselves as being
fortunate to have survived and they hope never to be
in that situation ever again.

Participants in social violence, however, often revel
in retelling the exploit where "they kicked his ass".
Some enjoy telling every part of the "fight" and speak
derisively of the other party.

They also give the impression they are ready to
participate again should they ever be called upon to
defend their honor, wife's honor, a spilled drink, or
receive an unwanted off color remark from a loudmouth.

Why the 2 different responses? The first group came in
contact with that ultimate spectre - unavoidable life-
or-death violence. No choice, no retreat, simply fight
or die. In this situation you only survive it, and get
on with your life.

The second group chose violence. They took a situation
that was not life threatening and chose to respond
with violence. This group enjoyed the domination of
using violence (often the recipient was deserving) and
it produced a base human reaction of control over
another in the pecking order.

This is not to say that the 2nd situation could not
have rapidly escalated to a lethal situation but using
violence, as a response, was a deliberate choice.

People choose to use violence when they let their egos
rule the situation. The unavoidable use of violence
produces a very different outcome -- the desire to not
participate in it again.

When we train people in TFT(TM), we train them for
unavoidable violence. We give them the tools to
survive the situation using lethal, brutally effective
methods. Many times those that stated they wanted this
knowledge are those who have the hardest time dealing
with the raw violence.

I notice a lot more talking during the more direct
lethal techniques. I equate talking with fear -- fear
of this knowledge. Fear of really having to pull the
trigger in a situation where they aren't choosing to
use violence but actually forced to do so or die.

Raw violence is not something I wish on anyone but I
teach its use and methodology because when you need it
you can't have enough knowledge of the subject. And
quite frankly the more competent I make you in that
subject the less likely you'll waste your time
choosing to use social violence.

Seek out the difference in the 2 types of violence and
you'll live a better life.

Until next time,

Martial Principles of Master Ronald Ramirez

(Note: The following words written and posted here are some of the martial wisdom imparted to me by my teacher, Master Michael Ronald Ramirez. Unfortunately, most of these teachings have been used and abused by most members of the LSAI Clan. Furthermore, no one gave my master the credit that was due to him as the maker of these words. I am now here to set the record straight once and for all. My teacher always admonish me to always give credit to where it is due even to your enemies. Since no one is going to do I might as well do it myself. I also included in here some of the wisdom imparted by the late Grand Master Ben Lema himself.)

1. When you execute your strike and make it powerful; an unstoppable blow, you must draw your power from the ground let it flow from your body towards your "baston" (rattan stick). One can accomplish that by pressing your blow down and drop your body down.

2. The baston is the great equalizer.

3. Whenever you execute a strike one must always remember to straighten the arm and lock ones elbows.

4. Whenever you're engage in a fight one must bring the battle to the enemy.

5. Words are like stone. Once you throw it you cannot take it back. Once it hits the calm waters of the pond it will cause a ripple that disturbs the calmness.

6. (GM Ben Lema) Pagnagtapat ang baston natin malalaman ko kung mahina ka o malakas, kung saang direksyon ka pupunta o kung ika'y natatakot o hindi. Dahil dito, madali kitang matatalo.

- (English version) The moment our bastons made contact with each other I will know if you are weak or strong, in which direction you will go or if you're afraid or brave. It is because of this that I will have an easier time to defeat you.

7. When someone ask me how I became good in my art I will always tell them to go back to their basics.

8. (GM Ben Lema) Kapag buo ang iyong isip, buo ang loob at malakas ang iyong kumpyansa sa iyong dunong kahit sino pa ang iyong kalaban; kahit lima, sampu o isandaan sila, kahit kailan ikaw ay laging mananalo.

- (English version) When you're mind and heart is whole and you have unbreakable trust in your knowledge in combat no matter who your enemies are, or whether they are many, who will always come up victorious.