SHTF Personal Combat skills

 

One aspect of prepping that is touched upon but never really detailed is personal combat skills, the ability to fight another human being. I’m sure this is because prepping is much more about food, water, shelter, heat and meds. I get that but I see so much about guns, guns, and more guns, and some ammo.
Ammo is finite it will run out especially if there are as many skirmishes as most experts project during a SHTF scenario. Therefore you need to have physical combative skills. Now of course most of don’t have the time or money to run out and start the journey from white belt to black belt. Having been in the Martial and combat arts my whole life I feel the best use of your time for learning Close Quarter Combatives is to learn knife fighting.
Why knife fighting? Because a knife can be fashioned out of pretty much anything, a broken bottle, a sharp piece of metal, even a sharpened stick will do the same job as a knife. The primary reason for bladed skills is that (sadly this doesn’t go for all blade fighting styles) the tactics for knife work and empty hands are interchangeable. The path that the knife stabs and slashes on should follow the same or at least a similar methodology as empty handed strikes. So in the event you drop or lose your blade you will still have solid close quarter combat skills and concepts to use.

The techniques you learn should work with a knife and without a knife. My personal opinion is that if you’re learning separate methodologies for your blade work and your empty hand skills you should reconsider your current choices. At Mayhem Combatives everything is interchangeable I want the system to be usable while under duress. Also it’s good to have a basic knowledge of anatomy. But don’t think you need to get your master’s degree in it. I think we all know a stab to the neck is not good. Multiple stabs are worse. So do not occupy your time with remembering the vocabulary of the circulatory system. All you need to know is that the pointy end goes in first. And if possible many many times.
Another reason for knife fighting skills is that most injury related shootings happen within a 7 foot space. Usually an argument or drug deal gone bad. Let’s say for argument sake that all weapons are concealed, a knife can be brandished and put into action faster than a firearm can be drawn. Some of you may know about the 21 foot rule.
The “rule” states that in the time it takes the average officer to recognize a threat draw his sidearm and fire 2 rounds at center mass, an average subject charging at the officer with a knife or other cutting or stabbing weapon can cover a distance of 21 feet. – Policeone.com The Force Science Institute was launched in 2004 by Executive Director Bill Lewinski, PhD
http://www.policeone.com/edged-weapons/articles/102828-Edged-Weapon-Defense-Is-or-was-the-21-foot-rule-valid-Part-1/

Aside from knife fighting a knife is one of the oldest and most important tools man has ever created. Having a knife with you at all times increases your chances of surviving in many situations like being able to cut your seatbelt in the event your vehicle ends up in a lake or ravine. Make a spear to catch fish or hunt, shaving wood to create tinder to start a fire, cutting cordage, cutting restraints (Escape & Evasion), cleaning fresh game to prep for cooking.
If you’re prepping or thinking about prepping, don’t prep from the couch get up, get out, and prepare now. If you’re in New England Check out Mayhem Combatives.

Mayhem Forward!
Sean Anderson

Great Article from Hock Hochheim’s Force Necessary

Who, What, Where, When, How and Why – On or About Hand, Stick, Knife and Gun Fighting Subjects

 Wednesday, February 18, 2015

A Knife is for Killing

This is a story from an Australian man, a friend of mine nicknamed Redcap. He married a Filipino girl and lives in the Philippines for part of each year…. – Hock* * * * * * * * * *I have had a long chat with my wife’s uncle Borino. He is the family “fighter,” the one with the rep. He also killed our pig the other morning for the big family reunion fiesta. (Photos not included, but if you ever want to learn how to kill and butcher a pig for Lechon, these follow it step by step).Anyway, he has some interesting opinions and experiences on knife killing (he uses the word “ihaw kill,” not “nagaway fighting”) that I have put into a draft article. Not sure where to place the article, though, a little too “reality based” for Black belt or Blitz.Anyway, here it is for discussion if you wish. Meanwhile, I gotta help Papa with the pigs still oinking for their supper! – Redcap

Tonacao Cuchillo – Ten Lessons In Killing With a Knife

Sixty years old, short, wiry with broad shoulders from decades of hauling in fishing nets, Borino Tonacao has a face like kamagong, dark brown and chiselled with character. He is also our family fighter. The uncle of my wife, Borino is the man who kills the pigs for fiesta in the barangay. He has taken lives other than those of pigs over the years, but he rarely tells unless the Tanduay or tuba are loosening his tongue.

    The day he killed our pig for the family reunion, I watched him at work; then later, we talked. He carries his knife in a scabbard made from folded newspaper. It is a cheap kitchen knife, the blade is eight inches in length, and the handle of orange plastic. Razor sharp. He wears it stuck into his shorts on his right side, handle pointing to the left and he can draw it lightening fast. It seems at first the knife is pointing the wrong way for a right-handed draw into a reverse grip position with the blade down and the edge facing his body, but that is how he carries it; and through years of use, he deftly positions the knife that way in literally the blink of an eye.

Lesson 1
Getting the knife into your hand fast is his first lesson. “If it is not in your hand, it is not a knife; it is nothing,” he says. He tells of how he has been attacked and had to fight off his attackers empty handed until he could get his own weapon into action.

Lesson 2
“Keep moving! Yell and scream to summon your courage and to make your attackers scared of coming close. Do not stand still, or you will die.”

Lesson 3
I asked him about the type of knife he prefers, and he simply replied, “A sharp one, this size (indicating his own 8-inch kitchen knife) and in your hand when you need it.”

Lesson 4
The scabbard he uses he throws away when the paper deteriorates, then quickly makes a new one. “It is not important. The knife is important,” he told me. In the West, we fixate on the quality of the steel and the “rig” we carry it in. Here is a man who uses his knife every day, and he thinks only of having it long, sharp and in his hand when he needs it.Lesson 5
We talked about grip and position, and he says he prefers the reverse grip with the thumb on the pommel, or butt, of the handle. It adds power to the stab and stops the knife being pushed back through the hand if he hits bone or his victim struggles. The reverse grip is the most powerful for stabbing he says because he can put his back into the blow.The edge faces towards him so that once he has stabbed deeply he can again use his back muscles to draw the knife towards him, opening the wound, speeding up the killing and giving leverage against the struggling of the victim.

“Your arms and back are made to pull and lift, things I have done every day since a small boy when fishing and working the fields. It is stronger than pushing the knife away from you. The reverse grip is stronger than holding it in what you call a sabre grip. I would never use that, too easy to lose your knife inside him when he fights back.” He shows me what he means, easily demonstrating the leverage used to disarm someone holding the knife in a sabre grip. Even the more secure hammer grip gives something away to the defender.

Lesson 6
“To kill you must have power!” Borino exclaims. “You can’t half kill someone, be it pig or a man. When you kill, they will not lie there and let you do it. They will fight and scream and struggle, and you must be strong. Your heart must be hot but your head cold. You will see their faces and hear their screams in your dreams, and when you are awake they will come back and ask you, ‘why did you kill me?’ and you will feel shame if you did not kill quick and right.” By right, he explained he meant for the right reasons. Not murder, but to provide food if it is an animal and to save your life or your family’s lives if it is a man.

Lesson 7
We talked a bit more about killing, the why, the when, the who, and the how. Borino wasn’t bragging; he was simply telling it how it had been for him. “Killing is easy. Just stab the throat and work the hole. Open it wide and he will die. That is not hard. The hard thing is to live with it afterward. That is why you must kill right,” he said.

Lesson 8
I showed him some knife fighting training clips on a DVD I had. He said very simply and authoritatively, “these men have never killed with a knife” and nothing more. I pressed him for more detail and he replied, “They are playing with knives, not killing. You don’t do all this when you kill, even if he has a knife as well. You get in first and you kill quickly. If you can’t do that, then you wait. Keep him away until he has time to think of dying, when his blood is cooled. Or you escape and kill him when he hasn’t got his own knife. This is not a game. It is killing!”

When I showed him martial artists using a knife to wound or disarm their opponent, he got up, found his cigarettes, then sat down again. He looked at me in a way that made me feel childlike for even suggesting you could use a knife for anything less lethal than death. “A knife is for killing.” He said no more about wounding; he’d told me enough as it was.

Lesson 9
We talked about where to stab, and he said he only ever stabs the throat. If he can’t stab the throat, he will cut his way there. “It is best to kill from behind, like with the pig. Why give someone or something a chance to escape, to fight back and kill you? If you try to kill and fail, they will come for you when you are weak and they are strong and you die. What is the point of that?” Indeed, what is the point of giving your victims a fair chance to not only survive but to do to you what you plan to do to them? Again, this is about one thing and one thing only. Killing. Taking life, not pretending to be some kind of tough guy.

Lesson 10
Which led us to the big lesson. Lesson 10. Intent. To Borino, it is all about intent. He only kills when he intends to kill. He never intends to wound or intimidate. Those who know him know he will kill, and that is intimidation enough. Those who don’t know him are soon set straight by others who have no wish to see blood spilled. Borino has a reputation, but one earned, not made up by telling people how he served with some special forces military unit. Borino never served a day in the military in his life; he is a fisherman and the barangay butcher. He has been in tight spots and survived, and he has no hesitation to kill when killing is right; but when it is not, he feels no shame in avoiding death. Either his or, more likely, someone else’s.

When he kills, he does it quickly with as much power as he can deliver, and he does it definitely, no hesitation. It is not a game. It is life or death and, so far, he has always lived. I asked him if he ever worried that one day he would die like the pig he killed for us that morning?

“Maybe. But I am not worried. If I die that way, it will be quick. And I will take whoever does it with me to God.”

Email Hock at HockHochheim@ForceNecessary.com
Hock’s webpage www.forcenecessary.com
Facebook Hock’s CQC Group

The Filipino Windmill Training Video

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W. Hock Hochheim at 4:09 PM

 

Tell us about your Black Belts Test

We would all like to hear about your black belt test.  Was it a grueling 90 minute ordeal or was it 24+ hours of never-ending hellish fun?

My black belt test started in a Gold’s Gym as our instructor was a weight lifting fanatic.  We had the most intense workout of our lives, high reps, little rest.  We then went to the general area where our test would take place, after a cool day of hanging out and a great team dinner, we laughed, hung out till well past 2am and then hit the rack, at least we thought we were hitting the rack.  No sooner did our eyes close when we were abruptly… well violently woken up. I’ll spare you the details that grimy fish tank water played in that process.  We were shuffled into a truck with our gear and brought to the location…. the beach.  This place would always be known as The Beach.  This would be the place that would break the largest of men and ultimately transform everyone into warriors…. I’m not talking the kumbaya bitches that throw this word around, but real warriors.

I wont get into too many details but we were told to bring multiple gis and workout clothes, sneakers, sweat shirts, and pants, Gatorade, gallon of water, carb snacks energy bars, and an assortment of odd things that just made you think WTF? plus every weapon we could think of.  When we got onto the beach we were told to line up facing the water. It was beautiful, the early morning mist coming over the water.  It was truly amazing. We knew we were part of a very small group of people who pushed themselves…. I mean really pushed themselves to be batter. Were were then told to line up in full uniform for basics.  Not 1 minute into basics we were knee-deep in water.  Try throwing a roundhouse kick or rather any kick with gi pants on knee-deep in water facing the beach.  (My uniforms were always those freaking heavyweight gis, not the student weight gis handed out today)

After basics was a quick drink then time to start katas, eyes front, you cannot look down and oh yeah don’t step on the eggs in the sand all around your feet. Seems kind of silly, but when you knew what our punishments consisted of on good day then you can understand the gravity of the situation.  Eyes front! is all we heard. After that fun excercise came self-defense, face your partner one foot in the water one foot out.  This was actually a lot of fun.  But the best part has yet to be told.  After all of this being wet fully dressed covered in sand and having it places sand just shouldnt be, we were told to dry off and get dry warm clothes on.  Whew! what a relief…. or so we thought.  Once we were dry and had taken a quick break it was back to the water.  Now this is where it gets fun.

One at a time we were called up in front of the board.  Where one of the board members would come up and tie our hands behind our back.  Then walk us back into the water up to our waist.  The rest of the board surrounded us and we were told to defend our selves.  The beatings began.  What we found out quick was that falling down under water with your hands tied behind your back sucked, getting up was brutal.  I remember looking up out of the water without a full breath of air in my lungs for what seemed like minutes when actually it was seconds.  They wanted to see what we would do.  Of course the feeling of elation when you saw hands coming to grab you and pull you up was just incredible…. but again short-lived right back under we went.  After which we were taught how to get back to our feet in this situation.  The best tests are also the best class lessons.

After we all got to enjoy this beating, we were again brought up, knee-deep in the water and surrounded by the board.  Just this time they were holding BOs, staffs and one member had a fucking yari spear which he would accidentally of course and not knowing, hit me in a fresh hernia scar I had received almost 3 weeks earlier….. ahhh the pain, the glorious pain.  I’m told I giggled a little.  Well this went on for hours.  We were attacked in every manner by the board then we were untied and told to attack each other and that our test hinged on or efforts…. in other word “Don’t pull your punches”, every man for himself.  Don’t get me wrong I was never closer to a better bunch of guys in my life.  And I’d do it again.  It really was a field day for warriors.

After the fighting the beatings the water torture.. ahem.. water fun.  We were instructed to dry off get a 3rd set of warm comfy clothes on…. ahh to be dry and warm… it was nirvana.  But this was short-lived as it would end real soon. We went to one of the board members homes.  Where he had over his many years of training and weight lifting had amassed a brutal collection of weights that I’m pretty sure were outlawed.  We were using things that could give us tetanus for crying out loud….. lol not really but he will like the joke.

Once in his “Wild Bill” (Silence of the Lambs) type dungeon we would begin a brutal regimen of high weight and higher reps weight training then run out side to lie down facing uphill for leg raises and a freezing cold water hose on us constantly.  The tough part was when some guys got the cool idea to put shirts over our faces and water board us with the hose and buckets of water asking us questions to keep us mentally sharp and focused under such duress during the mayhem.  Mind you we were almost at 24 hours now.

Then once this was all done… again we were instructed to dry off get on our 4th set of comfy dry clothes and then lined up in the driveway and told to hold what we were given, which was a large log, a cinder block, or large rocks.  Then instructed to follow our runner guy who ran like Forrest Fucking Gump, through the woods up hills just a tough run, I mean we were already delirious and exhausted.

After the run they walked us down to the dock, yes the house was on the water.  Where we played a game of the most violent water chicken imaginable.  At first we thought oh cool some fun stuff to lighten the mood…. Nope we were instructed to fight.  I don’t know who had it worse the guy carrying or the guys fighting, either way we all got hit.

Bruised, battered, completely drained of all energy and just fighting to maintain mental clarity, we were again told to dry off and get warm dry clothes on.  At this point we didn’t enjoy it cause we thought we would be back in.  All we had now was the will to fight and survive this day.  To our amazement they announce that there was one last part, the candle.  We were told to punch out the flame of a candle without touching it.  If you have never done this it takes focus and snap.  If you can’t snap your gi you won’t blow out the flame.  This was great we were allowed to be less formal and got to again laugh and hang out as brothers just like we started.  And yes we were all eventually successful at extinguishing the flame.

So you say you went 1 and a half hours at your test…. Cute!  Do tell……

 

To my brothers who fought with me that most excellent of days, I honor you, even if we fell out of touch you will always be my brother.  Thank you for the memory that few will ever experience.

(If I left something out as I’m sure I did please share, people should know the path we walked that brought us to where we are.)

 

Mayhem Forward!

Access your inner Predator

Mayhem Combatives is a journey to combative truth.

Combative Truth is the innate knowledge that you have found what works. In your mind the search is over and you are so sure about it that you dedicate your training time to it 100%. Combative Truth is attained through a dual process by which we teach ourselves through our own experiences and maintain a student’s perspective by training under someone we know and trust. This way we create and get constant feedback from our instructor.

* Throughout my 35 years of training I have had to face many trials, or rites-of-passage both in the dojo an out in order to gain a better understanding of what is truly needed to survive a life or death encounter. I could have simply believed everything I was taught then ignored my gut feelings and experiences and possibly enjoyed a life of teaching and climbing the ladder to success.
* Over the years and having had many experiences I learned that violence is an unpredictable animal. I wanted to be sure I could handle myself when facing extreme violence. This led me to seek my combative truth. I jumped at every opportunity to train with people who had the skills and experience I was seeking.
* Every time I got into an altercation I found myself training harder attempting to right what I felt was wrong with my fighting skills and practicing what worked.
* After coming up through the ranks and attaining my first black belt I was disappointed that I didn’t feel “It”. “It” being the inner knowledge that should somehow comfort me and put me at ease, the ultimate in confidence. At this time I worked in a job that required me to confront and apprehend drug addicted thieves and violent criminals almost daily. I found myself searching even harder for combative truth.

Mayhem excels in the use of extreme violence in combat.

* Over the years I amassed volumes of techniques and concepts. I applied them as well as I could but always found flaws or better options. Even though I had learned other fighting styles I knew in my heart I was still no closer to my goal.
* What I eventually discovered was that the only way to fight violence is to be more violent. To embrace the horror of close quarter combat and use it as a tool to survive. I had to develop the mindset of a predator.
* The major benefit of a predator mindset is the built-in intention of completely destroying your opponent. To set your mind on being invincible if only for that moment in time when you are engaged in combat.

Our methodology begins with embracing our inner predator. We bring the fight to the attacker.

* As a teen my friend and I would talk about getting so skilled that we would bully the bullies as we became adults it changed to being bigger assholes to assholes. Then it evolved into preying on predators. This is when I realized that in order to deal with a predator we had to be better trained predators. More importantly we needed the predator mindset.
* The difference between the 2 types of predators is simple. Criminal predators prey on the weak for criminal gain. We trained to turn the tables if attacked by a predator we decided we would make them the victims.

Students learn the importance of “Flipping the switch” from surprise to predator.

* An attack is less like a mutual fight and more of an ambush. Surprise and shock are the 2 key components to an ambush. Therefore it is critical students learn to deal with the shock factor of an ambush and learn to use that as an automatic “flip of the switch” to turn the tables and become the predator.

All of this may sound difficult at first but all it takes is time and consistent training.  You can train as few as 2 nights per week and see gains in the skill of Mayhem Combatives.  The system is based on simplicity of movement, we will not confuse you with pre-formatted regurgitated material.  Mayhem is constantly evolving and therefore will never be outdated.

Workshops and networking your community

If you recall I wrote a post about workshops and the benefit of schools bringing in guest instructors.  I’d like to expand on this subject.  While driving into work this morning I was thinking back to my days when I used to own a formal martial arts school.  Back then we had hired a company called United Professionals.  Some of you may remember them they were pretty much like NAPMA, these are companies that consult martial arts schools on how to run a more successful business.  They offered photo ready ads and tips and ideas on starting new programs. They made the bulk of their income by handling the billing for schools.  The point is they are business built around helping martial arts schools increase revenue.

Out of all the cool tips and advice they gave nothing got the adult students more pumped than a workshop.  Whenever one of my instructors would come in to teach a workshop the excitement level for the adults was off the charts and attendance for the next few months was high.  I guess what I’m saying is that school owners today should open up to the idea of offering seminars and workshops taught by specialists, (Of course I want that to be me….) there are few really talented people out there who specialize.  The point is martial arts schools need to stop being islands and start being more like the local chamber of commerce.  Extend your reach to your community.

Keep your students engaged and pique the interests of your community by offering workshops regularly and offering community based events you will develop a stronger reputation of being a solid business, your networking will make you a more popular member of the community.  Some teachers base their reputation based on who their teachers are.  Well sadly no one knows them.  These people are only known within the martial arts.  Your goal is to become known throughout your communities.  Not just within the martial arts.

You can have the best teachers in the world, but that alone will not bring in students.  You need to be a facilitator for all things martial arts in your community.  Another benefit to bringing in guests to teach seminars and workshops is that you will not be seen as “Up selling” your current students.  It’s difficult to offer your services as a karate teacher, charge them a fee then charge another fee to have you teach them something just a little bit different.

The growth of your business is as important to people like me as it is to you.  It is schools like yours that make it possible for me to teach and share my knowledge.  Focus on creating a partnership with a specialist that can teach workshops at your school.  At Mayhem Combatives we focus on developing contiguous workshops that feed off of the previous workshop.  This becomes a skill set the students can learn and keep as part of their arsenal. Mayhem also draws correlations from the traditional arts to the modern combatives that we teach.  The whole idea is to build up the martial arts not draw lines separating them.  Specialists like Mayhem Combatives need martial arts schools, we only want the best for yours.

After all, the schools are where the action is.  I have said this many times and I will keep saying it. “If it was not for school owners like you I wouldn’t be able to do what I love, teach. I sincerely thank you.” Now let’s develop a plan for your school and your community.

Mayhem Forward!

Sean Anderson

Scenario Training

When I think about scenario training and my experience with it years ago I remember scenarios built around definitive principles. There will be 1 to 3 attackers. They want to hurt or kill you. You must bust some badass karate moves and save the day. These are familiar to all of us. These scenarios are fun and add excitement to our classes. But there are other scenarios that must be addressed. These are decision based scenarios.
In these types of scenarios the student must make snap judgments about the situation they are in and then decide on an action and execute that action all in a fraction of a second. These drills are focused not just on the attack or the defense but on the pre-attack and post-attack scenarios as well.  Some attacks can be avoided in the pre-attack stage by using avoidance, eye contact, or even preempting and take the attacker down before they can launch an attack of their own. Then of course we have the second fight we will all have to deal with and that is the fight in a court of law, fighting for our freedom. Sure we know we had to defend ourselves and that violence was a necessity but now we have to answer to the court and a jury of our peers.
The post-attack stage is where you need to be able to communicate and properly articulate what it is you did and why. You will need to illustrate the various stages of the assault from pre-attack to attack to post-attack. If you are unable to communicate these stages appropriately then you could find yourself in a lot of trouble, possible even incarcerated for defending yourself. Remember the “self-defense argument” is not cut and dry.
Police officers have a tool called the “Use of Force Continuum”. This is a tool or guide that aids an officer in articulating his or her actions. It also gives them a means by which to decide on the level of force necessary for the threat they are facing and take the appropriate action. We are accountable for our actions even when we are the “Good guy”. Educate yourself on your local laws and your states use of force and self-defense laws.  There are a lot of students I have met over the years who do not know when to fight. They do not have the training that prepares them for a confrontation or even to initiate the event. When I was young and coming up through the ranks this was a big stumbling block for me. I was not the type of kid to just start a fight with someone. There was a lot of anxiety in making the decision to fight especially if I had to preempt.

When it comes to scenario training you should build your scenarios around making decisions not just the Hollywood fight everyone method. Put thought into it set specific goals for the students as they take their turn in the hot seat. One student’s goal may be to escape, another student may have to talk their way out and deescalate the situation, and another should have to preempt based on visual cues.  Don’t get me wrong the physical part of fighting and the challenge it provides is exciting and useful, but you will see the satisfaction in your student’s eyes after making the proper decision and then taking action. This is self-defense.

Mayhem Forward!

Sean Anderson

Mayhem Combatives

Mayhem at Strike First Krav Maga, Allston Ma. 3/7/15

 

 

Don’t miss this event.  We had such a good time last October we just had to go back to see Adam and Ilya and the Strike First crew.  A great bunch of students and lots of people from the area showed up for the last knife fighting event as well.  This one will prove to be much more intense.  The action will be insane and the techniques will be mind numbing lots of ripping and tearing will be going on.  Hopefully we will see a lot of the same people and new faces as well.

Please share and spread the word that Mayhem is coming to Allston Ma. on Saturday March 7th 2015 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. Call 857-212-6216 for details

Thanks,

Sean Anderson

 

Libre Knife Fighting Certification Course: New England

REMINDER:

 

This certification program is unlike any other knife program around. This program will only run from end of January 2015 until June 2015, that seem like a lot of time but it is not. This will take a commitment on your part but it will be worth it.
You will learn something new every class. After the first class each class will be a quick review of the previous week’s material and you will learn new material. After a few classes we dedicate one class to a complete review of what we have learned up to that point and then apply the techniques in drills to give it that “Street Edge” that you want.
Consider this Special Ops training for civilians. This same material is being taught to military and law enforcement all over the world. We know you do not want to waste time doing push-ups and jumping jacks in your combatives class. Don’t worry you won’t. This class is designed to learn and drill material… THAT’S IT.
This class is being held in 3 different locations choose the location that’s best for you. The class runs once each week. Please contact us ASAP. We need a minimum of 10 participants per location or that location will be cancelled. So let us know right away, no commitment is needed at this time just let us know you are interested.
Start Dates:
January 24th at Crossfit SBF in Dedham Ma. 12:00 to 2:00pm
January 25th in Warwick RI. 12:00 to 3:00pm
January 26th in East Bridgewater Ma. 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Mayhem Forward,
Sean Anderson
Mayhem Combatives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last month I announced that something big was coming in 2015.  Well here it is.  For those of you who know me and followed my “Quest for Combative Truth” videos you know I am a huge supporter of Scott Babb and his Libre Fighting System based in San Diego Ca.  If you know the Libre System then you also know they offer a Distance Learning Program called the LFDLP (Libre Fighting Distance Learning Program).  It’s an incredible course lots of great material and what I like best about it is that it is a solid foundation from which to build from.  If you are new to this or a veteran martial artist you will be proficient in the use of the blade.

Recently I got the idea to contact Scott Babb of Libre Fighting and asked if it would be ok to put together a Libre Knife Fighting course that would be open to the public, he agreed and now we have set a goal to be finished and certified by the end of June 2015.  This means we have from the end of January to June to learn and internalize the Libre Knife Fighting Distance Learning Program.  Libre is known globally I have witnessed Libre’s growth over the past 6 years and believe me when I say it is astounding how far it has come.

The course is currently offered in 2 locations Warwick RI. and East Bridgewater Ma.  The classes will be once each week for 2 to 3 hours each.  Please contact me directly for information on start date, fees, and which location you will be attending.  As an added benefit you will have the freedom to train at the other location(s) for extra training and practice.

If you own a school, club, or business and can get a minimum of 10 participants we will include your location as well.  I hate to sound like a salesman but this is time sensitive offer as we are in the Holidays and January is just around the corner.  But it is not impossible.  Call me and we can discuss setting up a Libre Cert Course at your place.

Please fill out the contact form below to receive more information.

Certification is optional.  You are not obligated in any way and can opt our whenever you want. But why the hell would you?

Brotherhood to all!

Sean Anderson

Mayhem Combatives

 

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Does lineage = Skill?

Through the years I have met various types of martial artists.  There are some who gauge their skill level by who their instructors are, those who gauge their own skill level by who their instructors teachers are, and those who base their own skill on how much work they put into their own training regardless of who their teacher is or was.  These same people are the type to take chances and risk serious bodily injury in the pursuit of combative truth and are the embodiment of “Blood, sweat, and tears”. I was once told that “It is not the style, It is the student.” I always liked that saying.  It offers a certain freedom and open-mindedness that in some circles is severely lacking.

It allows me to be able to learn from anyone without being clouded by wondering who their teacher is or what is the popularity of said teacher. It allows me to stay in the present moment and truly listen to what I am being taught without judgement.  You can then truly see what is being taught to you and whether or not to accept it or disregard it.  You are able to see that person and discover whether they are passionate about what they do or simply running through the motions.  (Side note, be careful there is a big difference between passion and desire) Make sure you know which is which.You would be amazed at what you can learn once you approach your martial path with this mentality.  Keep an open mind and use your common sense before judging someone’s skills and abilities, and remember you may have to see them a couple times to be able to develop a real opinion about them.  Don’t get me wrong there are some people who you just know right away are either the real deal or a real phony.

Now I am not saying don’t be proud of where you came from.  I have a tremendous respect for my teachers and am honored to be able to train under them.  But I do not judge my skills based on their popularity.  It is based on my ability to perform the skill-sets and the concepts then be able to teach them as well.  So I ask does lineage = skill?

I can answer that for me I do not care about your lineage, I care about what you can do.  I am interested in your concepts your thoughts and your understanding of the combative arts.  You do not automatically earn respect because your teacher attended the school-of-hard-knocks. You must be an alumni as well, and more importantly demonstrate it via knowledge, passion, and open-mindedness.

 

See you on the path,

 

Sean Anderson

Mayhem Combatives

Tribe – Camaraderie – Community

I like this article. I read another one on the same blog titled “Am I a member of a Tribe?” I didn’t
really agree with it. I don’t think simply because you like a something like Diet Pepsi that you’re in the
Diet Pepsi tribe. Thinking like this devalues Tribal culture as I see it.
To belong to a tribe you must be a participating and supportive member in some way. You don’t
have to attend every group session just simply support it. You can support it on FB or other social sites,
you can support it by talking about it to friends. Part of being in a tribe means participating and helping
to grow the tribe.

Some Tribes you know of:

• Sports teams
Martial Arts/Combatives/FMA
• Police Dept
• Fire Dept
• Motorcycle Clubs
• Church Groups
• Departments within a corporate office

In ancient and even modern tribal cultures they have a “Rite-of-passage”. An event that takes
place signifying an important life change. That is the one thing missing from society in the modern
world. Without a rite-of-passage how do kids become adults? How do we break old destructive habits
and announce our new positive habits to our community?
It is these rites of passage that change something within us. Anyone who has ever undergone
such an event will tell you it is life changing. You feel totally empowered to take on any challenge life
has to throw at you, you grow personally and become stronger mentally.

Modern Rites-of-passage that some of you can associate with:

• Earning your black belt
• Graduating college
• Bagging your first deer (or whatever animal you are hunting for)
• Getting “Jumped into a gang” (not for all but still a significant event that will strengthen the
bonds of camaraderie.) I know of only 2 martial arts style schools to use this description to
explain what their black belt or equivalent tests are like, I was in one of them and just started
with the other.)

I’m sure there are a few others but sadly there are almost no rites-of-passage for teens, young
adults, and even adults in our politically correct BS society. And of the ones I mentioned only a
very small portion of the general public knows what it is to experience such a life changing event. Which is sad because even
just remembering the events I went through still gives me strong feelings of pride and a sense of
accomplishment.

To the Tribe!

Sean Anderson
Mayhem Combatives