As warrior trainers, we must ensure that our students not only possess a “win at all costs” mentality, but also a fighting system that has been tested under pressure. You need to instill in them the skills that will work no matter where they are or what they are doing. I think training the “Gutterfighter Way” is your answer, and let me explain why.
fight the sewers – “The Mental Side” Every day thousands of people train in a martial arts academy. I think it’s impressive! Martial arts are great for helping develop self-discipline, self-confidence, self-esteem, and physical fitness. So what exactly is the problem? Let me ask you a question. Take any student of Karate, Kung Fu, Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do or any other form of martial arts and ask them the following: when was the last time you talked about the violence of a physical encounter? When was the last time you thought about the violence of interpersonal human aggression?
Physical confrontations are brutal! I have been in law enforcement for over 24 years, so I have seen my share of violence. It is not a pretty thing. It is your duty to mentally prepare each student for this. Well, let’s say one of your students has trained for three or four years, three nights a week for at least an hour per session. Wonderful, I applaud you. Most likely, they have achieved what is equivalent in most martial arts to a rank of black belt. However, do they really know if the skills for which they have paid their blood, sweat, tears and earned money will serve them when they need them most? The student must be trained to recognize and accept the realities of violent confrontation. Please do not stop giving them this valuable knowledge. They need your experience. The question you need to ask yourself is this: Have I tested my techniques, tactics, and methods in a realistic environment and made sure they will work? If you don’t know if your skills will work, how will your students know?
“Will this work so that I can instinctively use it in vital combat against an opponent who is determined to prevent me from doing so, and who strives to eliminate me by hook or by crook?” Lieutenant Colonel Rex Applegate, kill or be killed
As you may know, when faced with a violent confrontation, people must either run (flight), attack (fight), or freeze. When the mind and body have not been prepared together, it has been my observational experience that most people do nothing when faced with a confrontation. I’ve even witnessed experienced military and law enforcement personnel display the expression “deer in the headlights” because they hadn’t developed the right mindset to handle these stressful encounters. They had certainly been trained in the physical skills, but they just hadn’t received the correct mental programming.
One can achieve the will to win through reality-based training. Here are two simple training examples that will make a world of difference to any practitioner. For one thing, a very high percentage of physical assaults occur in low-light situations. It’s the perfect environment for the bad guy. When was the last time he turned off the lights in his dojo or training center and practiced his techniques in low light? Second, when was the last time he practiced his self-defense skills in the clothes he wears every day and not the clothes he wears at the training center? I rarely wear sweatpants, nor do I go about my daily activities in a Gi! By practicing these two simple training exercises, along with a true threat assessment, you’ll be on your way to winning. I’m all about winning. Please start training yourself and your students with reality in mind.
fight the sewers – “The Physical Side” taught a system that borrows its name from the Defendu techniques developed by Fairbairn and Sykes. The name given to our system is “Gutterfighting”.
“When you get caught, you’re down, and you’re lost if you don’t ATTACK… And remember, it’s ‘Gutterfighting’: any means, good or bad, to save your life.” We Fairbairn
Our Gutterfighting system is a combination of Krav Maga, Filipino Martial Arts, WWII fighting, and grappling skills. Each of these fighting styles has certainly been tested under pressure in battle. Our Gutterfigthing is all about “fighting” and “winning”. One of the most interesting principles of our fighting system is to quickly charge into the threat, get as close as possible, and finish it off before it can strike back. Never wait for the attack. Once you see imminent danger, attack with all the meanness of a caged animal and don’t stop until your opponent is no longer a threat.
I have gone to great lengths to ensure that our Gutterfighting has been designed to withstand the pressures and strain of an all-out confrontation. It is a collection of offenses and defenses in which the smaller person can successfully defeat a larger opponent. It is brutally effective, easy to learn and retain. Gutterfighting is not about fighting pretty. It’s about going beyond simple survival and truly winning over your assailant, which I believe and preach on a daily basis! We want our students to win from a legal, mental, and physical perspective, and our mission is to teach them how to do just that.
Our Gutterfighting training practices combine the use of simple equipment and bodyweight exercises with striking exercises using focus gloves and Thai pads in a circuit training format. This method of this madness is to help us better prepare for the stress of a violent confrontation! We believe in being “Fit to Fight”. As stated earlier, violent clashes are brutal; your students must have the stamina to stay in the fight until they have won. The great champion Muhammad Ali stated:
“Champions aren’t made in the gym. Champions are made from something deep inside them: a desire, a dream and a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little bit faster, They have to have the ability and the will. But the will must be stronger than the ability.”
There are undoubtedly many great men who have paved the way for Combatives, and they all deserve credit for their work. All of them have been an inspiration during the development of these fighting concepts.
fight the sewers – “Striking & BEAT Target Model” We do not teach sophisticated hitting techniques. I think anything will work when applying the BEAT target model; however, here is a short list of some of the striking techniques we use: Ax Hand (long/short), Face Slam, Chin Jab, Headbutt, Straight Blast, Cup Hand Slam , Elbows, Hammer Fist, Knee Strike and Shin. kicks.
We use the BEAT model in the application of all hitting techniques. BEAT is short for Brain, Eyes, Abdomen and Testicles. This amazing app model was adopted from Frank Albert’s great book One-Strike Stopping Power – How to Win Street Confrontations with Speed and Skill. This book is available at http://www.paladin-press.com.
All hitting techniques are applied to one of these target areas and are used to either distract your opponent long enough for you to move out of the threat zone or distract your opponent for an effective takedown to control follow-through. . As you may already know, these strikes will most likely not cause an instant knockout, but they will be a huge distraction. Hitting these target areas will create a very short period of time where your opponent isn’t thinking about you, but about their own pain. That is your window of opportunity. Master it! Don’t keep waiting for something else to happen. Use the distraction window to your advantage and continue the fight until your opponent is down and out. You must fight “down and dirty”. Don’t give up until it’s over.
Many years ago, Forrest E. Morgan wrote a wonderful book called Living the Martial Way. In his book there is a very interesting quote: “If someone asked me what a human being should dedicate the most of his time to, I would answer ‘Training'”. Some might think this is a bit fanatical, but I disagree. Someone once said that “proper preparation prevents poor performance.” I certainly agree with this statement. Remember that as a warrior trainer, you should also set aside time each day to work on your own warrior skills; This is the only way you will grow and win! What are warrior skills? Simply put, they are life skills. Anyone who adopts the warrior mindset and properly prepares the body can handle life’s straight shots as well as its curveballs.
So there you have it, the “Gutterfighter Way!” Prepare your mind, prepare your body, practice your physical skills and get ready for an all-out battle. Hopefully the day will never come when you need these skills, but if you need them, BE PREPARED! Train with a Sewer Fighting mentality and practice all survival skills until they become second nature. “Train today for tomorrow’s battles.”