© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – December 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
THIS may be a particularly appropriate piece of information now that the bustling and busy Holiday Season is upon us. With family and other social commitments, it may be the case that you are unable to maintain your normal schedule of physical training via comprehensive total body workouts.
When time is at a premium and you are next tempted to miss a scheduled exercise period, you will find the following abbreviated session a real convenience. While the workout we are about to suggest requires of you only two exercises, we assure you that these two exercises, properly done, will maintain your physical development and might even increase your strength.
The session of exercise that we recommend is a super-abbreviated program consisting of the SQUAT and the MILITARY PRESS. It is preferable to do these exercises with a barbell, but if a barbell is not available and you have only a pair of dumbells, that will do nicely. (Note: Because your pair of dumbells will almost certainly be a lot lighter when totaled than a barbell, we suggest — if this is so — that you use dumbells in a CLEAN AND PRESS, rather than in the simpler "military press" mode. The added work doing the clean with each repetition compensates for the lighter poundage being used. Naturally, if you train with heavy dumbells, this compensatory step can be omitted).
While we appreciate that some instructors might disagree with us, it is our opinion that it makes no difference whatever which of the two exercises you begin with. Our advice is: Do the two exercises in whichever order you fancy — just DO them!
Purely for the purpose of setting the schedule down for your reference, we select a "squat first, then military press" sequence.
Here is the mini-workout:
1. SQUAT — 1 SET OF 18-20 REPETITIONS, rest only long enough to get your breath back, then do 1 SET OF 8 REPETITIONS (being sure to add weight for this second set).
2. MILITARY PRESS — 1 SET OF 10 REPETITIONS, rest only long enough to recover your strength, then do 1 SET OF 6 REPETITIONS (again, adding weight for this second set).
While you must use heavy poundages, we wish to DEFINE precisely what that means, so that relative beginners and newcomers to sensible training are not misled: A "heavy poundage" is a poundage that makes YOU work hard, and that YOU feel is heavy. There is no arbitrary or objective standard (unless we were discussing competitive weight LIFTING, where specific records were being made and broken, according to fixed and known weight amounts). We are concerned with TRAINING; with WORKING OUT for all round development and conditioning, as well as to bolster our combative skills capabilities.
Always — A-L-W-A-Y-S — use weight resistance that you can properly work with. If it‘s heavy for you, then it‘s HEAVY. There is nothing competitive about this. Your goal is to build you up; not to lift or train with more weight on the bar than anyone else uses.
To be certain that you do this correctly, let us provide the correct pointers for training. Some of what follows is repetitive — BECAUSE IT’S IMPORTANT!:—
• Use weights that are heavy for you. Be certain that you are able to handle and work with whatever weights you use, properly. A good indicator that you‘re doing things correctly is when you feel the last one or two repetitions in a set to be a hard fight, ut the repetitions up them are simply "demanding". The last repetition or two should NOT involve "cheating", but should always be fought out in correct exercise form.
• Consciously focus on working each repetition through a full range movement and feel it all the way. No "bouncing" or "dropping" when squatting, and no "jerking" or "heaving" when pressing. If you cannot handle the weight that you are using in correct form, then USE A LIGHTER WEIGHT; you are NOT benefitting yourself by cheating!.
• Rest minimally between sets. The entire workout consists of only four sets, but when you do it you‘ll see that each one, done as we advise, takes a lot out of you. This means that you will not be able to "breeze through" the two exercises. Nevertheless, you are robbing yourself of valuable conditioning benefits if you rest too long between sets. "Too long" is resting beyond the moment when you feel that you can do the next set.
• Finish this mini-workout within 12 minutes if you possibly can. Do NOT allow yourself more than 15 minutes. If you can‘t do the workout in 15 minutes then you‘re using too much weight OR you are dawdling.
So-called "abbreviated workouts" such as this one were popularized by the late, great Peary Rader in his (then) marvelous periodical, IRONMAN MAGAZINE. Mr. Rader was one of the most sensible, honest, and realistic trainers in our Nation‘s history. The old IRONMAN reflected his wisdom and his immensely practical philosophy of training.
As Peary Rader pointed out, abbreviated workouts can be incredibly effective (sometimes triggering gains in individuals who found the usual full body workouts consisting of eight to twelve exercises to be too much). Normally, we recommend and prefer a comprehensive total body workout of between five and about ten or so individual exercises. Still, when well chosen, two or three exercises are enough — if you work them very hard — if a regular length routine is for the nonce not feasible.
The squat and the military press were the two exercises most responsible for developing Paul Anderson. Anderson was regarded as "The Strongest Man In The World", so don‘t worry about these two exercises not being effective!
For the dyed-in-the-wool training devotee who bitterly resents missing a workout or two (even if it is during the Holiday Season), and has no confidence in "short" workouts, we would offer some parting words of encouragement:
Peary Rader once noted that he was never able to see any difference between the physiques of men who took about an hour to train, and those who lived in the gym, and spent half the day at it.
Harry B. Paschall — one of our personal "heroes of the Iron Game", and a writer/teacher of matters pertaining to weight training, par excellence — always emphasized the value of REST as an aid to muscle building. In a classic article that he authored he once wrote that he never saw really outstanding development in those who trained compulsively and rigidly, but that he did see the best size and strength gains in those whose training was irregular.
We hope that we‘ve been of help to you here.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
So... Yeah...
Ahhh... a four-day weekend. Not the two-week, unpaid break that we'd been told to expect. It's bitter-sweet. On the one hand, obviously I couldn't afford to take two weeks off without pay. On the other... I'd already prepared myself to be broke and unhappy. Now I've had to shift gears. I'll be not-quite-so-broke... but still unhappy. We're not going to get enough hours to make up entirely for the days off.
The other thing that's got me down was that I was semi-psyched to use the off time to really crank on the Combato training sessions. I did manage to get started up again, during the first week of October. I've been averaging three sessions per week but was hoping to be able to get in six for during that two week break. Not happening now.
Of course, I'll be unemployed after January 18th... so it's likely that I'll have time to attend every class for a while. I'm almost ready to test for yellow belt already and I'd like to do that by the end of January. I'm stoked about that and anxious to get through it and begin the yellow belt training so I can hammer the green belt test in less than six months.
Right now I'm not sure if I'll wait out the break in service again and go back to MS or take a security gig and avoid the madness. The security job will mean working either swing or graveyard most likely.
I'd prefer graveyard. While this plays havoc on the sleep schedule, it means being able to attend Combato classes six times per week. Working swing means only being able to get in to the day-time classes which are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Then again... sometimes I feel like I don't get the house to myself enough... which would make swing shift more ideal.
The other thing that's got me down was that I was semi-psyched to use the off time to really crank on the Combato training sessions. I did manage to get started up again, during the first week of October. I've been averaging three sessions per week but was hoping to be able to get in six for during that two week break. Not happening now.
Of course, I'll be unemployed after January 18th... so it's likely that I'll have time to attend every class for a while. I'm almost ready to test for yellow belt already and I'd like to do that by the end of January. I'm stoked about that and anxious to get through it and begin the yellow belt training so I can hammer the green belt test in less than six months.
Right now I'm not sure if I'll wait out the break in service again and go back to MS or take a security gig and avoid the madness. The security job will mean working either swing or graveyard most likely.
I'd prefer graveyard. While this plays havoc on the sleep schedule, it means being able to attend Combato classes six times per week. Working swing means only being able to get in to the day-time classes which are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Then again... sometimes I feel like I don't get the house to myself enough... which would make swing shift more ideal.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Involuntary Occurrences In Combat
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – December 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
A correspondent who is involved in combat handgun training wrote that he wanted to know the scoop on correct trigger control. He had been told by an instructor at a rather well-know shooting facility that "one must squeeze the trigger and achieve a 'surprise break' when engaging an enemy in combat". We must add that this was taught in conjunction with the idea that, while applying this trigger squeeze, he was also to keep his eye on the front sight.
Having been a personal, certified student of the late Jeff Cooper (who promulgated the ideas which this shooting school is touting) as well as a student of the late Col. Rex Applegate and a student of a man who had trained personally under William Fairbairn, during WWII, I know the fallacy inherent in what my correspondent was taught at the shooting school.
The method of handgun employment that Jeff Cooper promoted, and that is still in some circles being promoted, is a competition, sporting method. It was in fact DEVELOPED DIRECTLY AS A RESULT OF COMPETITIVE SHOOTING EXPERIENCE, NOT AS A RESULT OF STUDYING OR PARTICIPATING IN COMBAT. The method taught by Fairbairn and Applegate (which Applegate personally certified us to teach) WAS developed directly as a result of experiences in and studies of real world close combat handgun shooting.
In actual close combat one cannot "squeeze" a trigger, deliberately. One PULLS the trigger. One cannot "focus on the front sight", either. NOT AT CLOSE RANGES, WHERE ACTUAL ENCOUNTERS USING HANDGUNS OCCUR. Focusing on the sights and squeezing the trigger while breathing slowly is appropriate for deliberate aimed and sighted DISTANCE firing — of both handguns and shoulder weapons. But in combat at ranges of about 20 feet or less, one‘s organism functions in a manner that precludes certain actions from being employed. Competition shooting (just like competition unarmed sporting "combat") DOES NOT CORRELATE IN THE LEAST WITH ACTUAL COMBAT.
Professionals know this, and while others continue to believe that what one can do and accomplish on the mat or on the range is identical with that which is suitable to BATTLE, the truth remains true. You cannot function in close combat using fine motor articulations, elaborate and complex movements, or actions that assume conditions and circumstances that can only be assured in a sporting or in a competitive venue.
We do not now see, and have never seen, that any conflict need exist between sporting training and participation, and combat training. However, many continue to feel that it does. This misleads a lot of people who are led to accept that what they train in for competition (armed or/and unarmed) translates into what ought to be developed for close combat and self-defense.
Nothing could be further from the truth, and the widespread belief (encouraged, unfortunately, by the mainstream periodicals which exist solely to sell magazines and advertisers‘ products) that "competition" prepares one for "combat" remains NONSENSE.
Please remember when you train that the following occurs INVOLUNTARILY in a close combat situation. It does not occur until or unless the organism feels itself to be in imminent serious danger. And while in many instances no heed need be paid whatever to the following factors during controlled practice (unarmed and hand-to-hand work, or armed range firing or practice drill with knives and sticks, etc.) unless one accepts their reality when selecting which methods to train in, one will not be able to use those methods for real.
1. In any hand-to-hand and close combat situation one loses the ability to employ fine motor skills. Only gross body movements are possible.
2. One invariably locks on visually to an enemy in close combat. and can see nothing else. Psychologists call this the "peripheral optic dysfunction phenomenon".
3. Adrenaline surges through one‘s system as one‘s blood pressure soars. This precludes doing ANYTHING complicated, but facilitates anything of a gross muscle nature being employed. Example: One would not be able to dial the phone for assistance while a home invader was charging one from a distance of three feet. But one WOULD be able to pick up the phone and smash it into the invader‘s face!
We always elaborate upon these and other factors when teaching, and the articles that we post on www.seattlecombatives.com emphasize these and other relevant points, constantly. For right now, PLEASE, just appreciate what we‘re saying. We speak not merely from our personal lifetime of study, training, and experience, but from and for that which hundreds of real world combatants (in military, law enforcement, protective service, and intelligence functions) have documented.
If, may God forbid, you ever find yourself embroiled in a life-threatening situation where you must employ close combat an self-defense skills to save yourself and perhaps a loved one, you will then know the truth of that about which we speak, teach, and write.
Please don‘t wait for that to happen.
Sword and Pen – December 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
A correspondent who is involved in combat handgun training wrote that he wanted to know the scoop on correct trigger control. He had been told by an instructor at a rather well-know shooting facility that "one must squeeze the trigger and achieve a 'surprise break' when engaging an enemy in combat". We must add that this was taught in conjunction with the idea that, while applying this trigger squeeze, he was also to keep his eye on the front sight.
Having been a personal, certified student of the late Jeff Cooper (who promulgated the ideas which this shooting school is touting) as well as a student of the late Col. Rex Applegate and a student of a man who had trained personally under William Fairbairn, during WWII, I know the fallacy inherent in what my correspondent was taught at the shooting school.
The method of handgun employment that Jeff Cooper promoted, and that is still in some circles being promoted, is a competition, sporting method. It was in fact DEVELOPED DIRECTLY AS A RESULT OF COMPETITIVE SHOOTING EXPERIENCE, NOT AS A RESULT OF STUDYING OR PARTICIPATING IN COMBAT. The method taught by Fairbairn and Applegate (which Applegate personally certified us to teach) WAS developed directly as a result of experiences in and studies of real world close combat handgun shooting.
In actual close combat one cannot "squeeze" a trigger, deliberately. One PULLS the trigger. One cannot "focus on the front sight", either. NOT AT CLOSE RANGES, WHERE ACTUAL ENCOUNTERS USING HANDGUNS OCCUR. Focusing on the sights and squeezing the trigger while breathing slowly is appropriate for deliberate aimed and sighted DISTANCE firing — of both handguns and shoulder weapons. But in combat at ranges of about 20 feet or less, one‘s organism functions in a manner that precludes certain actions from being employed. Competition shooting (just like competition unarmed sporting "combat") DOES NOT CORRELATE IN THE LEAST WITH ACTUAL COMBAT.
Professionals know this, and while others continue to believe that what one can do and accomplish on the mat or on the range is identical with that which is suitable to BATTLE, the truth remains true. You cannot function in close combat using fine motor articulations, elaborate and complex movements, or actions that assume conditions and circumstances that can only be assured in a sporting or in a competitive venue.
We do not now see, and have never seen, that any conflict need exist between sporting training and participation, and combat training. However, many continue to feel that it does. This misleads a lot of people who are led to accept that what they train in for competition (armed or/and unarmed) translates into what ought to be developed for close combat and self-defense.
Nothing could be further from the truth, and the widespread belief (encouraged, unfortunately, by the mainstream periodicals which exist solely to sell magazines and advertisers‘ products) that "competition" prepares one for "combat" remains NONSENSE.
Please remember when you train that the following occurs INVOLUNTARILY in a close combat situation. It does not occur until or unless the organism feels itself to be in imminent serious danger. And while in many instances no heed need be paid whatever to the following factors during controlled practice (unarmed and hand-to-hand work, or armed range firing or practice drill with knives and sticks, etc.) unless one accepts their reality when selecting which methods to train in, one will not be able to use those methods for real.
1. In any hand-to-hand and close combat situation one loses the ability to employ fine motor skills. Only gross body movements are possible.
2. One invariably locks on visually to an enemy in close combat. and can see nothing else. Psychologists call this the "peripheral optic dysfunction phenomenon".
3. Adrenaline surges through one‘s system as one‘s blood pressure soars. This precludes doing ANYTHING complicated, but facilitates anything of a gross muscle nature being employed. Example: One would not be able to dial the phone for assistance while a home invader was charging one from a distance of three feet. But one WOULD be able to pick up the phone and smash it into the invader‘s face!
We always elaborate upon these and other factors when teaching, and the articles that we post on www.seattlecombatives.com emphasize these and other relevant points, constantly. For right now, PLEASE, just appreciate what we‘re saying. We speak not merely from our personal lifetime of study, training, and experience, but from and for that which hundreds of real world combatants (in military, law enforcement, protective service, and intelligence functions) have documented.
If, may God forbid, you ever find yourself embroiled in a life-threatening situation where you must employ close combat an self-defense skills to save yourself and perhaps a loved one, you will then know the truth of that about which we speak, teach, and write.
Please don‘t wait for that to happen.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Fight Science
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – December 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
[Blogger note: The episode mentioned is Fight Science: Fighting Back]
ONE of our Black Belts called our attention to a new edition of a show called "Fight Science". Segments may be accessed on the National Geographic Channel. We googled the Show and thought much of what was presented to be quite good (with the sole exception of what appeared to us to be a rather misguided "defense" against a drunk, by a UFC fighter). Blows that were advocated by the defense experts in this Show were excellent, and on the money. The ear box, smashing the throat, attacking the eyes, biting — all excellent and very reliable material.
It is obvious to all — save possibly those with all of their irons in the MMA/Cage/UFC fire — that vicious and powerful BLOWS to the body‘s most vulnerable and vital target areas constitute the way to go for real world combat and defense. One need only see how absurd , when juxtaposed to the striking and gouging methods, the grappling demonstration was. At least this is our personal opinion. We realize that no one amongst the True Believing New Breed Of Grappling/Competition-Is-The-Way-To-Go crowd would or could ever permit themselves to see our point.
We‘re writing, as we always have been, to the real world oriented MINORITY.
Check out that Fight Science presentation. It‘s worth watching. There are two male instructors and one female, plus a Navy SEAL, who are very impressive.
We applaud the producers of this excellent Show.
Sword and Pen – December 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
[Blogger note: The episode mentioned is Fight Science: Fighting Back]
ONE of our Black Belts called our attention to a new edition of a show called "Fight Science". Segments may be accessed on the National Geographic Channel. We googled the Show and thought much of what was presented to be quite good (with the sole exception of what appeared to us to be a rather misguided "defense" against a drunk, by a UFC fighter). Blows that were advocated by the defense experts in this Show were excellent, and on the money. The ear box, smashing the throat, attacking the eyes, biting — all excellent and very reliable material.
It is obvious to all — save possibly those with all of their irons in the MMA/Cage/UFC fire — that vicious and powerful BLOWS to the body‘s most vulnerable and vital target areas constitute the way to go for real world combat and defense. One need only see how absurd , when juxtaposed to the striking and gouging methods, the grappling demonstration was. At least this is our personal opinion. We realize that no one amongst the True Believing New Breed Of Grappling/Competition-Is-The-Way-To-Go crowd would or could ever permit themselves to see our point.
We‘re writing, as we always have been, to the real world oriented MINORITY.
Check out that Fight Science presentation. It‘s worth watching. There are two male instructors and one female, plus a Navy SEAL, who are very impressive.
We applaud the producers of this excellent Show.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Holiday Cautions
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – December 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
WHILE Christmas is the most beautiful time of year, and it is difficult for many to believe this, it is nevertheless a fact that at this time of year crime — especially violent crime — often tends to escalate. This is because of the deep-seated discontent of so many people who are embittered by their personal situation. Christmas time, when many people have loved ones and friends with whom to share the holiday experience, can be a lonely, sad, and very frustrating time for many. Some of those "many" lash out.
The present horrific economic situation that we ALL are in has affected some people much more than it has affected others. Hopelessness, which many, unfortunately, have been made to feel by that which is transpiring, can be an enraging feeling. Often, when people feel hopeless and a knowing sense of "what‘s the use" they see no reason to contain, control, or even make any further effort to understand their rage. They do not want to see others happy. They feel resentment toward others who are happy, and they want to attack.
This is a dark and often unacknowledged side to the festive Christmas Season, and we do not call your attention to it in order to dampen whatever happiness, joy, and satisfaction may be your personal blessing at this time of year. We raise this point in order to assist you in that which it is our mission to assist you on doing: PROTECTING YOURSELF, YOUR LOVED ONES, AND YOUR PROPERTY.
Robbery escalates at this time of year. Shoppers must be very careful when they park, exit, lock up, and later return to their vehicles. Here‘s a tip for lady shoppers:
ALWAYS KEEP A LARGE MAN’S HAT WITH YOU WHENEVER YOU DRIVE ANYWHERE, ALONE. PLACE THAT HAT CONSPICUOUSLY OVER THE WHEEL OR THE DASHBOARD SO THAT ANYONE GLANCING INTO THE VEHICLE IS IMMEDIATELY LED TO BELIEVE THAT A BIG MAN IS THE DRIVER. This can prevent some forms of crime that involve violence against women.
Do not leave anything on the seats or anywhere in your vehicle that might tempt any punk to pull a "smash and run".
Always LOCK YOUR VEHICLE DOOR the moment you enter. Always visually inspect the inside of your vehicle BEFORE you enter it. RUN if anyone is inside — NEVER attempt to confront any criminal when you do not have to do so.
Try to always park your vehicle as near as possible to the mall or store entrance. You do not want to walk any significant distance burdened with packages.
It is certainly our sincerest wish and hope that you and yours encounter only pleasant and joyful situations during this Christmas Season. But it never hurts to be cautious — just in case.
Sword and Pen – December 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
WHILE Christmas is the most beautiful time of year, and it is difficult for many to believe this, it is nevertheless a fact that at this time of year crime — especially violent crime — often tends to escalate. This is because of the deep-seated discontent of so many people who are embittered by their personal situation. Christmas time, when many people have loved ones and friends with whom to share the holiday experience, can be a lonely, sad, and very frustrating time for many. Some of those "many" lash out.
The present horrific economic situation that we ALL are in has affected some people much more than it has affected others. Hopelessness, which many, unfortunately, have been made to feel by that which is transpiring, can be an enraging feeling. Often, when people feel hopeless and a knowing sense of "what‘s the use" they see no reason to contain, control, or even make any further effort to understand their rage. They do not want to see others happy. They feel resentment toward others who are happy, and they want to attack.
This is a dark and often unacknowledged side to the festive Christmas Season, and we do not call your attention to it in order to dampen whatever happiness, joy, and satisfaction may be your personal blessing at this time of year. We raise this point in order to assist you in that which it is our mission to assist you on doing: PROTECTING YOURSELF, YOUR LOVED ONES, AND YOUR PROPERTY.
Robbery escalates at this time of year. Shoppers must be very careful when they park, exit, lock up, and later return to their vehicles. Here‘s a tip for lady shoppers:
ALWAYS KEEP A LARGE MAN’S HAT WITH YOU WHENEVER YOU DRIVE ANYWHERE, ALONE. PLACE THAT HAT CONSPICUOUSLY OVER THE WHEEL OR THE DASHBOARD SO THAT ANYONE GLANCING INTO THE VEHICLE IS IMMEDIATELY LED TO BELIEVE THAT A BIG MAN IS THE DRIVER. This can prevent some forms of crime that involve violence against women.
Do not leave anything on the seats or anywhere in your vehicle that might tempt any punk to pull a "smash and run".
Always LOCK YOUR VEHICLE DOOR the moment you enter. Always visually inspect the inside of your vehicle BEFORE you enter it. RUN if anyone is inside — NEVER attempt to confront any criminal when you do not have to do so.
Try to always park your vehicle as near as possible to the mall or store entrance. You do not want to walk any significant distance burdened with packages.
It is certainly our sincerest wish and hope that you and yours encounter only pleasant and joyful situations during this Christmas Season. But it never hurts to be cautious — just in case.
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