Things are happening...

My test for 3rd Class Brown belt was delayed until Tuesday. It was actually a very short test since I had basically been grilled previously on several components. I knew the curriculum better than I thought I did... and it helped that I'd been reviewing the material for over a month. I need to stay on top of the organization from now on. It will make testign for 1st Degree Black belt much easier.

In preparation for the stick training portion of 3rd Brown, I purchased an LAPD-style baton. I regretted the purchase as soon as it arrived. The quality is not that much of an issue... but I immediately discovered why Professor Steiner recommends (or prefers) a baton without grooves. So this first stick will be relegated to "dirty" duty. I recently ordered a Dymondwood baton from Robert Koga's school. It measures 29"x1.5". it will be on the 'large' side. I had a choice between 1 & 1/4" or the 1 & 1/2". I think that the thicker stick will assist in grip development.

I also have an in-person interview for the Costco testing job. It's been a long time since I've worked anywhere but Microsoft. I've interviewed outside once or twice since leaving security but I've always ended up getting the MS testing gigs. You never know how these will go but I'm working this time so hopefully that will give me a bit more confidence. Plus I've already spoken with their individual over the phone. I think that this may be more of a team meeting session.

As far as planning for training I'm beginning to appreciate yet again that one really needs to plan SPECIFICALLY towards a goal & not simply have an intention to "do some training". I am going to have to make SOLID plans to attend Sexton, EPI, VDI or even the Icon advanced course within 6 months (or less) and begin saving funds for that course without fail.

I may only have the one opportunity to attend this year. That is NOT optimal. I'm honestly hoping to get in AT LEAST two courses in 2012 but it's March already and I'm still farting about. (Well... getting dental work done among other things.) Attending the full EPI Ep & firearms course in October would be fabulous. I really do want to attend Sextons course however & though they haven't yet updated their 2012 schedule on the web site I suspect that they'll have an offering in Las Vegas in September or October. Also, VDI has driving courses in June through December but the SUV supplemental course will only be realistically available in October. That conflicts with the EPI course.

Much of this depends upon funding of course. If I remain at Microsoft, I'll be restricted as to how much I can scrape together over the next 8 months or so. This will probably mean limiting myself to a single course... or two "cheap" ones. VDI & Icon may end up being my workable options.

Unfortunately, it will not serve my purpose to save without a plan (that never works). It also won't be easy planning too far ahead when I have no certainty of what my employment is going to look like. One thing I miss about being an "a-" contractor... the 100-day break-in-service. Seriously... I'm beginning to miss that time off. It would have been perfect for this kind of thing. I would always have that block of time every year to take training. Oh well. That's irony for you. I worked there for years wanting to migrate to vendor status & now that I'm there I miss losing that 100 days of wages because I can't get time off when I really want it.

On another note...

Saturday I'll be testing for 3rd Class Brown belt in Combato. I've been prepping for this for the past two months... though it feels more like 6. I've had to re-learn most of the previous curriculum... not the techniques themselves but where they go in the system.

This is actually required for Black belt as well so we start working on it at 3rd brown because attempting to do so in preparation for 1st Black would make most people go insane and simply toss it in.

It would be nice to be able to reach 1st Black by October of 2012. Yeah... tough run that. I've been busy enough at the test review that I've essentially abandon the Spanish studies for right now. I'll pick them up again once I'm done with this. Pimsleur had been working fairly well up to that point. Now I'll essentially need to start over Green River also has their online Workplace Spanish & I was planning to enroll in that to augment the other tools. I'd like to have at least some basic Spanish skills before I relocate (more than cerveza & banos.

Icon sent me another invitation to attend the Advanced Executive Protection course in April in Minneapolis. I doubt that I'll be able to attend. That's short notice as it's already nearly march, it's $2k plus flight and hotel, I may be changing jobs & I need to fix my teeth & the car. :(

New job?

Yup. It's that time again. Honestly... I wasn't even looking. I was simply attempting to maintain my sanity on this current contract. Insight Global only contacts me a few times a year. They only bother when they have something that's actually close to my skill set or previous job descriptions. (Unlike some other agencies that I could mention. That's a rant for another time though.)

They ended up submitting my resume` for a testing position with Costco's e-commerce division. The drive will be about the same though it may be quicker heading straight out I90 to Issaquah as opposed to having to deal with SR520 or 148th Ave traffic.

It's close to a 50% pay increase. :D I may have to adjust my training plans for this year but if I can manage to work this contract for a full 12-months this may actually be the end of my testing days. Again... :D

Potential Training for 2012

I'm looking at the following schools & courses for this year. Obviously I will not be able to take all of them but I'm currently trying to figure out how my schedule & budget will allow me to get in more than one course.

Vehicle Dynamics Institute:

I'd like to take the Protective\Evasive driving course. Icon has been working on getting a deal for alumni but I have not heard anything on the progress of this plan. They also offer a 3-day Surveillance Detection course which I believe may jibe nicely with the Surveillance Ops 5-day course.

Surveillance Ops

They have 3 & 5-day courses covering surveillance operations. I'm more interested in the 5-day as it is more complete & intensive.

Sexton Security

I want to take their 7-day Personal Protection Specialist course. (I would prefer to attend in Las Vegas because it cuts the air fare nearly in 1/2.) I'm not aware of any "advanced" courses offered by Sexton.

Executive Protection Institute

The EPI course and Sextons are similar. Both qualify the graduate to apply for a PPS license in VA. I understand that many of the Sexton instructors are EPI graduates. If I choose this option I would also like to attend their 6-day Protectors Handgun Training Course. They offer a discount if both courses are taken together.

Icon Services

I'd still like to take the Advanced Executive Protection course. This is actually directed more towards HE scenarios.

Trojan Securities

Trojans Advanced EP course is quite similar to Icon's. The two schools are still loosely affiliated. They actually have a 26-day block that I would LOVE to attend... but we're looking at roughly $8k which is basically my entire budget for 2012 so far. The advantage here would be getting a full course load completed at one facility & with one set of instructors. There's also an advantage as far as the networking prospects.

It is my understanding that Trojans driving course is approved by Vehicle Dynamics.

I also like the idea of having their surveillance course directed toward the high risk environment as this is eventually where I wish to be working. But again...

Tactical Weapons & Foreign/ Domestic Firearms Familiarization (2 Days) 5-6 October

Executive/ Close Protection (PSD) & Risk Management Hostile Environments (10 Days) 8-17 October

Kidnap Rescue, Executive/ Dignitary Hostage & Kidnap Awareness (5 Days) 18-22 October

Advanced Executive Close Protection Security Driving & Vehicle Anti-Ambush (3 Days) 23-25 October

Surveillance & Intelligence Operations Hostile Environments (6 Days) 26-31 October

If I manage to have my current contract extended, I may have a few thousand extra to dedicate towards training and relocation. Of course if I have to keep working here a few months longer I may go insane. I would prefer to be able to take at least one course in the Spring, then perhaps one or two this summer. I haven't mapped out whether I would be able to do that and also take the entire block at Trojan. It doesn't seem actionable at this point.

One final note I wish to add: There's an overriding concern here that the training be VALID and FOCUSED. I NEED most if not ALL of this at some point. Training is an ongoing aspect of the industry. However, there's also a need to be specific in selecting courses which will provide me with the skills necessary to secure entry-level positions.

There's little chance of being hired to work HE based on a 10-day HE course. I believe that I will be better served taking the PPS course curriculum augmented by surveillance & driving skills. Once this is reflected on my resume` I can begin adding the heavier weapons oriented courses. I'm far more likely to secure a higher risk position after having established myself within the corporate realm.

I still like the idea of focusing on surveillance\counter surveillance as not only will it allow me to augment EP employment with investigatory work, but it applies to HE as well as corporate.

Another aspect of the training is the certification in terrorism awareness & Sexton includes this as part of their PPS course. I'm also investigating more intensive courses with CI CENTRE and the University of St. Andrews.

Interestingly the CI CENTRE & St. Andrews courses are inexpensive and very applicable to corporate espionage & terrorism threat scenarios. Both are recognized curriculum in the International corporate arena.

If Ever You Are Confronted By The Prospect Of Abduction

© COPYRIGHT 2011 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – February 2011 Issue

[Reprinted With Permission]

www.americancombato.com
www.seattlecombatives.com


ABSURDLY (in our opinion) this web site and our other (www.seattlecombatives.com) have been officially firewalled by our Nation’s
armed forces. We got this piece of information from one of our students who is
presently on active duty in our military. We can conjecture why this is so, and it leads to very unpleasant observations about the state of our culture and American society in general, in this 21st century.

Somehow, the idea that soldiers, marines, airmen, naval personnel and coast
guardsmen are peace keepers has crept into that which passes for our “thinking” today. This has led to a dangerous reduction in the capability of our armed forces, and also to a drop in the quality of the motivation in those who are now attracted to enlist in one or another of the services. A “social worker” or “police officer” mentality is not the appropriate one for a warrior whose responsibility is the defense of the nation against tough, hard, armed, aggressive, deadly foreign invaders. We knew this once. And when we did (i.e. at the start of and through to the middle of the last century) we won the righteous world wars in which we fought. American citizens were safe when traveling overseas. The very real threat of the MIGHT of America descending upon any who would dare to threaten a U.S. citizen meant that zanies, freaks, and fanatical killers of all types normally left Americans alone. People were attracted to the armed forces by appealing to their desire to stand up for and fight against the enemies of our Republic. Pride in their ability to attack, destroy, and kill when compelled to engage in a war was commonplace. Soldiers were taught to be proud of their prowess; not to apologize for it. The private citizenry was proud of our Nation’s fighting capability, hardly inclined to apologize for it. We had a WAR Department then, not a Department of Defense.

Failing to appreciate the need for and great value in being able to fight and fight well inevitably leads to weakness and to helplessness — in a nation or in an individual.

Let’s say it plainly: Decent human beings should possess the capacity and the
equipment to be a deadly threat to any who pose a deadly threat to them. Being
armed — with knowledge, skill, and weapons — is absolutely nothing to
apologize for, to anyone. In our opinion it is virtually an obligation upon every citizen to be so prepared; however “politically incorrect” the simpering, feminized weaklings may whimper to the contrary.

And they do whimper. Sometimes officially.

Whenever we teach members of our armed services (and we do so unofficially
today, when they come to us — as they often do) we teach them things that,
amazingly, contradict the policies that they are forced to obey as members of their
service. We never advocate the violation of whatever policies regulate these
people as members of our military, but we do hope that circumstances might
change and therefore allow them to make use of that which we teach them. Until
such time, of course, we simply teach them for academic purposes, only, and ask them to retain what we give them, in hopes that the command structure will issue a green light on behalf of that which we teach, in the near future. (Note: This is something like the situation that existed at the FBI when J. Edgar Hoover first became its Director. Special Agents were trained to use firearms, but they could not yet carry them and use them on the job, as the law had not yet authorized the arming of Federal agents. We give our marvelous fighting men our best — and hope and pray that sanity will intervene on high, and that that which we train them to do, they will be officially permitted to do!).

One thing we teach every serviceman is to go NOWHERE when serving overseas
without being armed with a reliable handgun and a razor sharp fighting knife.
Skill in the use of these crucial implements of personal defense is of course
mandatory. The snatching of our uniformed servicemen and holding them
prisoner by enemies of Western Civilization is not an uncommon occurrence. It
isn’t really all that difficult to accomplish, either. All too often our courageous
fighting men are forbidden to carry any weapons when on leave, abroad. Their present systems of unarmed combat are — in our opinion — laughably absurd and ineffective in the extreme. Thus, when on leave, those wonderful people who risk and lay their lives down to protect us are actually forced to be helpless, by official policy!

As a citizen of the United States of America we resent this and see it as a
disgraceful imposition upon some of the most wonderful young people of each
generation. We want our fighting men safe. We want them ready, willing, and able
to fight back and win, and to be able to save their lives and assist their fellows
under any and all conditions. And we could not care less if this bothers anyone or makes them uncomfortable.

We have no power or authority to influence or to alter “official policy”. However,
we do have the power and the authority to influence and to alter our students’ personal survival and self-defense policies. We hope also to be able to influence our readership — those who visit this site. I.e. Y O U!

The problem of abduction (kidnap) is a very real and serious threat. Perhaps it is a
bit more of a threat for females, but it would be the height of folly to ignore the
very real fact that males are also targeted for this form of violation.

It can happen to you; it can happen to a member of your family. This is but one good reason to make learning close combat and self-defense a priority. And if and when you do finally get off your duff and learn how to use your natural and any available manufactured weapons, applying what you learn by remembering the following tactical principles should make you a very hard individual to abduct:

1. Basic Rule: Never allow yourself to be transported away from the scene of the abduction attempt. If it is humanly possible for you to put up a ferocious battle then and there, do!.

The objective of abductors is to abduct you, not to kill you; and so even when they are armed it is not their intention to use their weapons against you lethally then and there, but rather to coerce you into following their orders, or permitting them to do whatever it is their intention to do (tie you up, gag you, shove you into a vehicle, etc.). You are safer resisting abduction efforts at the scene of the attack than you will be later on, if they successfully manage to take you away.

2. If you find yourself being rushed or seized suddenly, without warning, react immediately and as lethally as your capacity permits. Deadly force is legal, moral, and necessary in order to prevent a determined kidnap attempt from being successfully carried out. This is not the time for hesitation or halfway measures. Use deadly force and any weapon — manufactured or improvised — that is available to you! Your ferocity and animal determination to kill and to get away no matter what you must do must be made evident by your growling, grimacing, and relentless efforts to attack and attack and attack!

[Photo: Female executing chin-jab with bracing arm against male assailant.]

REACT LIKE THIS AND YOUR CHANCES OF THWARTING AN ABDUCTION ATTEMPT ARE
EXCELLENT!

3. If you are confronted by one or more weapon-bearing abductors who have
managed to approach you closely before you realize their intention, pretend
complete submission. Give up. Tell him/them that you will do what they want. Plead, “Just don’t hurt me!” Convincingly assure them, if there is time, that you will offer no resistance. THEN ATTACK WITH DEADLY FORCE WHEN YOU PERCEIVE THAT THEY ARE CONVINCED THEY’VE “GOT YOU”.

4. What you must not permit to be done to you:

• Be handcuffed or tied up
• Be locked in the trunk of a vehicle
• Be proned out or made to kneel on the ground
• Be taken aboard a plane or vessel

Murderous resistance must begin — preferably by surprise — when it is clear that any of the foregoing is about to happen.

[Photo: Female bound to chair & gagged.]

ONCE THIS HAPPENS, FIGHTING BACK BECOMES JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE. THE IDEA IN LEARNING HOW TO THWART ABDUCTION IS TO MASTER SKILLS AND ACQUIRE THE
MINDSET THAT ENABLES YOU TO PUT UP FIERCE, LETHAL RESISTANCE BEFORE YOU ARE
RENDERED HELPLESS.

5. Should you be driving and suddenly encounter a roadblock and attack, or
realize that you are being pursued, DO NOT STOP YOUR VEHICLE. (Obviously we are not now referring to police roadblocks, or to the awareness that a police officer is signaling you to pull over!) Keep driving! Place your hand on the horn and blast it constantly as you drive. Never stop your vehicle. So long as it is in motion you are far safer than when it is stopped. In an urban area, drive to a fire or police station.

6. Should you gain the upper hand during your resistance effort, get the hell out of there! Do not attempt to remain and continue fighting, or to remain and call for help, or anything. Get away, and as fast as you are able to do so.

7. In your home common sense can prevent a successful abduction. Be armed. Be
prepared. Be willing and able to greet any forcible entry to your home with
immediate deadly force.

[Photo: General James Lee Dozier - U.S. Army]

Note: NATO’s Deputy Chief of Staff, General James Lee Dozier, for those who
are old enough to remember the incident, was abducted successfully from his
apartment because he opened the door to the kidnappers when they knocked.

GENERAL DOZIER. EVEN THOUGH A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL SOLDIER —
RANGER QUALIFIED (SEE FLASH ON THE GENERAL'S LEFT ARM) — COULD DO LITTLE
AFTER CASUALLY OPENING THE DOOR TO MEMBERS OF THE RED BRIGADE, WHO
PROCEEDED TO KIDNAP HIM. KNOW WHO YOU ARE OPENING YOUR DOOR TO!

8. While, ideally, you should always be armed — with a razor sharp fighting knife and a powerful handgun (servicemen; and whenever lawful and feasible,
private citizens, too!) — unless you can bring your weapon into play before
physical contact occurs, you need to create distance, time, and space, so that you can effectively bring your weapon into play. Thus you MUST have unarmed combat abilities, and they need to be really good; no “martial artsy” bullshit or competition technique.

9. Ignore completely any injuries that you sustain as you resist. Knife or gunshot wounds are rarely fatal, and only certain death will result if you pause to assess any injuries. Get away, and then you can get to a hospital. Remain at the scene, and you’ll likely end up in the morgue.

While many will doubtless wince or raise their eyebrows in disdain for the advice
that we have presented, this remains some of the most valuable, authentic,
reliable, and practically usable LIFESAVING advice you’ll ever receive. In fact it parallels such instruction that we have given to the highest priority military and intelligence personnel employed by our Nation.

If an abduction attempt can be prevented by security measures — human and
technological — that is of course ideal. But we are now concerned with the last
ditch option: That of resisting an abduction attempt that could not be avoided
through detection, surveillance, and/or security procedures.

Might you not be killed when attempting to resist, for instance, a terrorist or other abduction? Yes, certainly. However, your “chance” of being killed becomes a near certainty if you do not resist. Besides — let’s be frank — is it not better to die quickly fighting for your life, than to die under torture, perhaps being beheaded on the internet? Is that not a preferable manner for you to die, too, as far as your loved ones are concerned? Which manner of death that you suffer — i.e. an immediate death, or a protracted, public, and tortuously prolonged death — is more likely to haunt those who love and who care about you, for the rest of their lives?

Yes, this subject is hardcore and unpleasant. That’s what real world self-defense
generally is.

We will consider describing some methods for escape and evasion if this present editorial discussion has not turned too many off with that which it has doubtless caused to be conjured up in their minds. (We have, for the time being, only described some principles for coping with the immediate abduction attempt.

Suppose you are in fact a captive? What then?)

To be continued then, at some future time.

Experts Tend To Agree Substantially

© COPYRIGHT 2011 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – January 2011 Issue

[Reprinted With Permission]

www.americancombato.com
www.seattlecombatives.com



WHILE the mythology of MMA and contest “fighting” as the “ultimate” in self-defense and hand-to-hand combat continues to dupe the gullible, it is worth
remembering — for those interested in the truth — that real close combat and self-defense teachers tend to agree virtually across the board regarding what does and does not work in actual combat, and what should and should not constitute the “last of learning” when studying the arts of armed and unarmed individual battle.

The primary difference between the real experts and legitimate teachers
themselves (concerning hand-to-hand and unarmed combat, and the combative
employment of personal firearms) pertains more to minutiae. That is, they agree
on core principles and even on basic techniques and skills. Their difference lies in small variances in how they, in their personal interpretations and practical applications of the solid, proven realities of the individual combat phenomenon, seek to achieve the same result. For example: There is no authentic teacher of close combat who does not recognize, accept, teach, and emphasize the low, lashing side kick to an enemy’s knee. Some, like ourself, emphasize the heel of the foot as the contact point. Others drill in the side edge of the foot as the point of impact. Still others — often with previous backgrounds in the Chinese ch’uan fa (“kung fu”) arts — stress kicking with the bottom of the foot. This last derives from the Chinese “tiger’s tail kick” which the external Chinese “boxing” systems tend to stress.

Every legitimate expert in our field also recognizes the comparative undesirability
of using clenched fist punching in close combat, while stressing the open hand — most particularly the chop, using the side of the hand, and the smash using the heel of the hand, etcetera. The exact formation of the chopping hand might vary between teachers; but there is no one who is worth listening to at all, who does not teach its use, and recognize its superiority. Ditto for the heel of the hand smashing blows.

Experts know that blows prevail over holds and throws in real hand-to-hand combat. Evidence of this is abundant. With initial backgrounds in the grappling arts, giants such as O’Neill, Fairbairn, Begala, Brown, Cosneck, and others, literally dumped grappling as the frontline technique for real combat, and stressed striking, kicking, gouging, clawing, kneeing, elbowing, butting, biting, etc. when closing with an enemy in lethal combat. The blows that these experts personally favored may have varied slightly, but not much. And on no account did any of them ever suggest even remotely that pinning, mounting, or striving for a groundlock of any kind made even peripheral sense when the engagement is for real.

Practice methods and drills vary between the close combat/self-defense authorities
of merit, but all disdain “freestyle sparring” and “match” events, since every real expert needs no reminder of the complete difference between doing battle
according to any rules (and ALL of the competition methods have lots of rules!) and going full bore any way one can, in order to knock out, maim, or kill — before the other guy does it to you.

Some legitimate teachers do include training in control methods (i.e. “holds” and
“locks”), but none suggest that these can be used or ought to be attempted against any form of real attack. These skills are to be relegated to law enforcement and security officer uses; maybe, on occasion, to school teachers, “doormen”(i.e. bouncers), and others with a definite peacekeeping responsibility (something that no private citizen acting in self-defense need bother with, and certainly no soldier should care about).

Modern weapons are universally advocated by legitimate teachers of close
combat and self-defense, and the reason for this should be obvious. The antiquated
weapons of the martial arts are not suitable for modern use in self, family, and
home defense — or for street police work or military warfare. Which specific
weapons are advocated by which individual teachers may vary. Some may prefer
the Remington Model 870 12 gauge shotgun (as we do), while others advocate the
excellent and reliable Mossbergs. No major tactical difference. But you won’t find
a legitimate professional claiming that throwing stars ought to be used instead of a
shotgun against home invaders.

DESPITE HIS TV AND MOVIE ACROBATICS, THE LATE BRUCE LEE RECOGNIZED
THAT LOW KICKS, AND ONLY THE SIMPLEST, MOST DIRECT ACTIONS COULD
BE DEPENDED UPON IN REAL COMBAT.

JOHN STYERS (PROTÉGÉ OF ANTHONY J. DREXEL BIDDLE) ADVOCATED THE
EDGE-OF-THE-HAD BLOW, ALBEIT NOT WITH THE “THUMB UPRAISED” HAND
POSITION TAUGHT BY APPLEGATE AND FAIRBAIRN. OUR VERSION OF THE
BLOW — THE “HANDAXE CHOP” AS WE CALL IT — IS TAUGHT DIFFERENTLY
TOO. BUT THE ESSENTIAL ACTION THAT ALL OF US TEACH IS
FUNDAMENTALLY THE SAME. YOU’LL NOT FIND ANY LEGITIMATE CLOSE
COMBAT EXPERT WHO DOES NOT STRESS THIS BLOW!

There are, of course, many other points of evidence that prove that those who
know what they are about in this field of close combat and self-defense advocate
very similar skills, tactics, and attitudes. Another example pertains to the
importance of strength.

The importance of strength — raw physical strength — is denied only by fools,
insofar as serious hand-to-hand combat is concerned. Like ourself, many other
professionals urge weight training. This might be regular training with adjustable
barbell and dumbbells, or it might be — or include — work with Nautilus
machinery. But every bona fide teacher who knows anything about the subject
pushes progressive resistance exercise. Some interesting fellows prefer “log P.T.” (somewhat quaint, and reminiscent of WWII commando training) and there might
be some friendly quibbling over whether dumbbells or kettle-bells ought to be employed. But no one — no one — who understands anything at all about real hand-to-hand combat discounts the importance of physical strength and fails to urge strongly that students of close combat build their strength to its maximum.

If you are unable to train with us, personally, you might wish to shop around for a
teacher where you live. There are relatively few, compared to the classical
traditionalists and the competition oriented, but certainly there are some. You can test the authenticity and value of that which they offer, from the standpoint of combat and self-defense, by checking to see if the doctrine espoused approximates that which have been discussing here.

Teachers and schools do vary somewhat; but there is no combat/self-defense
school anywhere in the world that disputes war and street proven doctrine and principles, and that deviates from a core, fundamental focus upon that which we all, who do this for real , know to be axiomatic.

Mixed Martial Arts Is Nothing New

© COPYRIGHT 2011 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – January 2011 Issue

[Reprinted With Permission]

www.americancombato.com
www.seattlecombatives.com

GENUINE martial (i.e. combat) arts have always been “mixed”. That is, if an art can be said to be a “combat art”, or an art that is “of or pertaining to war” then it literally must possess a mixture of techniques THAT WORK, and not be limited or restricted to only one, specific type of skill (i.e. say, throwing).

Fairbairn’s System is “mixed”.

Applegate’s System is “mixed”.

O’Neill’s System is “mixed”.

American Combato (i.e. our System) is “mixed”, etc.

But long before the above listed systems ever came to be, there was ancient Greek
pankration. There was Chinese/Mongolian wrestling, there were variants of the Hindu or Indian form of hand-to-hand fighting called varmannie, and of course there were the many Chinese “boxing” or ch’uan fa forms — today popularly but erroneously referred to as “kung fu”. Several of these forms — notably the ones being promulgated today under the heading of Chin-Na — were the arts that formed the basis of that which the Japanese “borrowed” and renamed ju-jutsu.

And, if you look at the real ju-jutsu that was taught for combat, rather than the esthetic or the so-called “sport” ju-jutsu (this last being really a contradiction in terms; but that doesn’t seem to bother anybody) Chin-Na was once referred to in China as CHI-CHI SU. It was this that became, upon their acquisition of some of its doctrine, the “Japanese’ art of ju-jutsu”. None of these fighting systems were in the least restricted in what they taught. Their emphasis in different arts was on different specific skills, but their curriculums were — as they needed to be for combat — all-inclusive. For the most part, out of practical necessity, arts remaining “pure combat” forms, placed a major emphasis upon blows.

No restrictions or limitations were, however, a part of these arts in their original
(i.e. their combat) forms.

There are five major schools of karate in Japan: the Shotokan, the Shudokan, the Shito-ryu, the Goju-ryu, and the Wado-ryu. Every one of them includes techniques not normally considered “karate” techniques . . . i.e. throwing, holding, and strangling, at the upper black belt levels. The Wado-ryu, which frankly blends ju-jutsu with karate is evidently well “mixed” as a system, even for complete beginners. (Note: Oyama’s extremely hard karate style, the Kyokushinkai, is world renown, is headquartered in Japan — is probably not regarded as a “Japanese” karate system because its Shinan [Founder] was Korean, and the Japanese are, regrettably, inclined to ethnic bias of a rather strong kind — but is absolutely a “mixed” martial art, nevertheless).

What’s more, the Korean arts (most notably Kuk Sool Won, Hauk Sool Won, Hapkido, and the Tang soo do systems) all teach throws, strangulations, holds, locks — in short, a “mixed” curriculum of skills. When we ourself were a student of ChungDo Kwan TaeKwonDo (1960’s), this Korean karate style (rooted in the same original foundation as Japanese Shotokan) included some throwing, as well as a hold or two every now and again. But Young K. Lee who taught taekwondo at the time never advocated the System as a “sport”, or as a form of recreational competition, or “match fighting”, etc. It was a military combat art. And as such, it contained mixed elements of hand-to-hand technique.

So what’s our point?

The sport that goes by the designation “mixed martial arts” (or MMA) today is based upon an idea that is not at all unique, or new. However, in an effort to be “all inclusive” in a sporting form of so-called “martial art”, the MMAers have produced and participate in what some might observe appears to be mere “brawling with sport-oriented techniques”. The techniques are not sharp, powerful, crisp karate blows; nor are they well-executed, bone-jarring ju-jutsu throws. The “holds” are of a submission (rather than a “control him and kill him”) variety, and the chokes are straight from sport judo. There’s a bit of Western wrestling in there here and there; but never done in a manner that a Master Wrestler like, for example, Gene Le Bell would render it. And several of our acquaintances who are real boxers have noted that the smattering of that which is passed off as “boxing” in MMA is, to be kind, somewhat underwhelming. It isn’t good, solid boxing, they assure us.

Okay, so are we criticizing MMA? Only insofar as some might be misled into believing that MMA prepares one for hand-to-hand combat or actual self-defense.
The same mistake that is sometimes made regarding the UFC, cage fighting, etc.

We have no quarrel with anyone who enjoys any of these sports, and we have
not the slightest desire to persuade anyone inclined to be a “champion”
competitor in any of them to abandon his goals. If you enjoy these types of
sporting/competitive venues then go for it! Good luck to you, and we hope that
you achieve the satisfaction and the success as a competitor that you are
seeking.

There is not, however, any correlation between sporting competition and serious individual combat. The danger in attempting to utilize any sport as preparation for hand-to-hand and close combat is that, necessarily, the techniques that you employ to win your matches are and must be “safe” — diluted, watered down, and nonmaiming or killing actions. While this is as it should and must be, it also defines one of the major differences between sport and combat.

MENTAL ATTITUDE/MINDSET , is also (and, to combat veterans, obviously) an enormous difference. The mindset of the sports competitor who is determined to win is not related to the mindset of either the violent felon or enemy soldier determined to kill his adversary however he can do so; nor is it related to that adversary’s mindset, which is equally determined to stop his enemy by any means conceivable — in order to prevail and survive.

The absence of weapons, the nature of the terrain, the absence of multiple
attacking enemies, etc. etc. go further to prove the huge difference between
competition and combat; but sensible individuals will have gotten the message by
now.

To make it even clearer by example:

A “mixed martial sport” might see the champion soften his opponent up with a few punches, use a throw to get him down, and then go for a submission hold.

A combatant would smash into his adversary with chops to the carotid artery, finger thrusts to the eyes, or/and potentially neck-breaking chinjabs. He might then bring his enemy to the deck by breaking his knee with a side kick (or perhaps by applying a cross-buttock — combat-effective — “hip throw”), Then he would conclude the encounter by kicking his downed enemy’s head in or crushing his sternum with a heel stomp. He might even jump on his with both heels.

All hand-to-hand fighters use “mixed” martial skills. Nothing new about this. It is the way it has always been. But the sporting form of unarmed contest that is known as MMA today is NOT hand-to-hand combat.