Sticks, Stones and Other Tools

Posted on June 7, 2010 by JD01

A good warrior looks at everything from the perspective of “how can I use this” if needed in a combat situation. My teacher taught me how to use circles and arcs to use just about anything as a weapon in combat. Sticks, stones and even water can be a weapon, but through the ages one weapon has always been by the warrior’s side and that is a knife.
I have had a lot of requests for combat knife or survival knife information, so here it is.
Everything we do in martial arts training is for a reason, because in combat, a warrior will fight the same way he trained. Despite what your instructor might have said, you don’t turn into some super killing machine when you get into a “for real” combat situation. Martial artists react in combat just how they trained and how they practiced.
That goes double for weapons training. Just ask any Special Ops or SWAT guy. They will tell you, “The weapon is only a tool. The warrior’s reaction and training is the weapon.”
With that understanding as the starting point, here’s what is important about a knife:
First and foremost are the legal ramifications of carrying a combat knife. Be very sure of the laws in your state. If you don’t know what they are, get on the internet (just type in “State Knife Laws” and you’ll get several good sites) and research the law. You always want to keep yourself out of trouble (at least with the law).
Every knife has a purpose, so choose your knife with that in mind. A combat knife is good for the military in combat areas, emergency rescue knives are for first responders such as firefighters in tough civil situations.
For everyday carry, you may just need a “gentleman’s pocket knife.” But I recommend you get a knife that can be used for multiple applications and is especially good in a survival situation. You need a knife that is practical and can be used for defense and survival if the world falls apart. (If you watch the news that may be sooner rather than later.) A survival knife (with good steel) is designed to stay sharp and can be used for any work needed in the field. . Remember the best knife in a bad situation is the one you are carrying. In a dire situation, a $10,000.00 knife is of no value to you sitting in a draw at home.
A few fixed-blade designs I like for survival:
- Mora – all models, a lot of value for the money. I particularly like the Mora 2000 . It has been field tested and passes with flying colors. The stainless steel blade is long enough to be used for combat if necessary. All Mora knives are under $50.00 and most under $20.00. Good tool for the money.
- Bark River Knife and Tool Company – great knives
- Cold Steel – their Seal Pup Elite model
- Becker
- TOPS – good knives and the Tom Brown designs
My preference for combat fixed blades:
- Spartan Knives – serious blades
- Almar Knives
- Mission Knives
- Bark River Knife and Tool Company – model Bravo 1 or STS 5
- Kabar Knives – hey, what can I say, I was a Jarhead.
For folders, I like:
- Mission Knives
- Emerson Knives –Super Commander model
- Cold Steel
- Gerber
- Buck
Plus, there are many great custom knife makers out there.
In the end, what makes a truly good combination is a quality, comfortable tool and an educated (well trained/safe) mind behind it.
I want to make a few points clear:
• In any situation, a knife is only a tool being used by an educated brain.
• Always use the tool designed for the work you are asking it to do.
• The more you know, the less you have to rely on tools, regardless of their design.
• Buy good quality tools with good steel. Don’t have to be expensive, just good.
• Make sure the tool fits you well. It should be comfortable in your hand.
• Stay away from fad designs and movie garbage. A tool must do its job. Looks do not count.
• Sometimes the biggest is not the best.
• Work with the tool a lot; make it second nature to use.
• Know what makes the tool safe for use in all situations.
• A sharp knife is a safe knife – keep it sharp!
There are tons of websites to argue every aspect of the knife and its use. Do your own research and find what fits you best.
By the way, I don’t believe in knife fighting, at least not in a non-military environment. You don’t hear about people actually knife fighting anymore. At least not in any sort of an “1800’s style knife dueling” sense. That’s because it’s a lose/lose situation. Even if you “win,” you’re going to get cut (maybe very badly) and you may go to prison. There are no winners in a knife fight.
Even in the hardest prisons they don’t “knife fight.” They do “prison stabbings or slashing.” They quietly walk up on you and stab/slash the shit out of you. There is no fighting to it. Watch the stabbings in any prison documentary. They are not face-to-face, knife-in-hand, mano e mano fights. That’s the movies.

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The Danger of Non-Violence in a Violent World

Posted on May 31, 2010 by JD01

Martial arts training and being a humble warrior is all about survival. Everything you learn is geared to help you survive. You learn and apply physical conditioning, good health, awareness and situational training.

But there’s another kind of conditioning going on in our country—and that’s the conditioning to be non-violent. People aren’t supposed to defend themselves or stand up for themselves. If you get in a shouting match, you may get accused of making “terroristic threats”. God forbid you should punch somebody in the face.

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Instructors versus Teachers

Posted on May 26, 2010 by JD01

The other day I had a conversation with an old friend who has trained in martial arts in the Far East and lived the life. He is in his 70’s and loves the arts.
He talked about the difference between an instructor in martial arts and a teacher. In the beginning martial arts was “a way of life” and not a way to pay for a life. Schools were humble small affairs run by monks who offered only good honest training and the fulfillment of basic needs. If fact, the monks didn’t want or need much more than the basics of life. Martial arts were taught for the sake of the arts and to achieve personal perfection (a way to transform in God’s eyes).
They were teachers who worked hard every day and sought to give their students the principles of that perfection. They knew how to teach each student in an individual way, a way that made the most of what that student had within. Each class and each action was from the heart; it was a reflection of the martial arts spirit of that teacher. It was his training and story from within being painted in each of his students. The best of teachers painted masterpieces in their students and changed their lives forever in a good and honorable way.
Instructors are another matter. Many of them are just in the “business” of martial arts. They fill their gym with lines of students and teach them all the same way. They worry more about counting dollars than developing well-trained martial artists. Their students lack depth because they aren’t taught the principles of martial arts. Instead they learn runs of kata and strings of punches and kicks. Have tests for belts and levels that cost the student money but don’t give them much value.
Where have the principles gone? Why aren’t students taught why an action works? Students aren’t taught the principles of power, how they work or how they are applied. They aren’t shown how to use body dynamics to adjust the principles to the size of their own circles. It is not just the students who lose. Martial arts as a whole loses because we don’t get the good work these instructors could give if they took the time to be teachers.
I had an art teacher once who told me, “It is hard to paint a masterpiece when you are only there to paint a fence.”
So I say to all the instructors out there: Treat your arts like the gift that it is and paint your own masterpieces. The world and your students will honor you for your work.

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The Art is in the Timing

Posted on May 23, 2010 by JD01

Yes, I am alive and well. Sorry for the break in blog posts – I had to complete a project that was a time-eating monster. I will try to get back to regular posting again. It always comes down to time, doesn’t it?
Time is our most valuable asset, and everyday something wants to rob you of it. To martial artists timing or cadence is one of the most important things you need to understand. The use of cadence showcases the skill of the martial artist and his understanding of the principles of martial arts power.
Have you ever watched true martial artist masters in combat? They are so graceful and they move with almost no energy. They appear to control time, and in a way, they do. They have learned over long years of practice that moving as fast as you can is not always the best way. These martial arts masters understand that real power and skill come from letting the circles of energy do the work for you. Then all you have to do is apply a small amount of force to multiply that action or reaction. The basic tenet is: The size of the circles dictates the speed of the movement.
When a punch gets thrown at you, is the best approach to block it and then hit back as fast as you can? Not always. You nay hit your target and maybe even hurt your opponent. But is it your best punch and is it placed in a position where it does the most damage? Where is the advantage of the opponent’s weight and movement circles in the configuration of the punch arc? Where are your circles when you hit the target?
Power comes from applying force to multiply your power and not by just hitting faster.
Look at a simple punch/block situation: Your opponent throws a back hand punch at your face. If you push the punch past you and let his body continue to move along his punch arc, then you can hit him with a direct short hard punch. This is the best form of a “force on force” counterattack.
Take it one step further: Allow a hesitation in your punch. This lets the opponent’s body dynamics almost complete his punch arc. Just before he starts to pull back, use your back hand to hit him with a short side-and-up punch arc to his head. What happens here is his body cannot move fast enough or give enough to deflect any of the energy of the punch. So the opponent takes all the force directly to his body frame. This greatly increases the power of your punch while using the same amount of force. And all you did was relax and time the return punch. This multiplied the energy and focused it down to a smaller area of impact.
Other tips: Never set up a single cadence in a fight. And never use the same speed or movement three times in a row. If you do, that sets a cadence for you, and your opponent will take advantage of it (if he’s any good!).
Play with your cadence, and you’ll find that it opens up many advantages. Change the size of your circles and watch your arcs control what you give to your opponent. Try using a cadence change to cause a break in the action (sometimes called a “break state”) that will distract your opponent and upset his cadence. Remember, every fighter or group of fighters has their own cadence. Find it and use it to your advantage.

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A 4-Foot Portion of Bamboo and a Serious Lesson

Posted on April 18, 2010 by JD01

I have been asked many times to define what a martial arts principle is. The simplest way for me to define a principle is tell you how my Teacher taught me.
My Teacher got a 4-foot length of bamboo that was 1-1/2 inches in diameter. He set it down in front of me and asked me to study it. After a while he said, “What do you think this 4-foot portion of bamboo is?”
“It is a jo stick,” I said, but I suspected it was another one of my Teacher’s famous trick questions.
“No,” he said with a little smile, “it is only a lowly 4-foot portion of bamboo.” I was right, it was a trick question, and I knew the lesson wasn’t over.
My Teacher asked me to write out everything I could make with this 4-foot portion bamboo or use it for. I took some time and wrote down all the uses I could put to this bamboo and all the things I could make with it. Here are a few of the items on my list:
• Cane
• Staff or bo
• Jo stick
• Wooden sword
• Fishing pole for kids
• Closet rod
• Make a flute
My Teacher then asked me to write down why the bamboo could be used in that way for each item. Here’s what I wrote for the first few items:
• Cane – It is strong enough to support a person’s weight and about the right length to be used as a walking cane.
• Staff or bo – Although the bamboo is a little short, it’s long enough to use both ends in typical bo techniques.
• Jo stick – I can use it like a staff or a wooden sword because of its length, size and strength.
Finally, he asked me to write down what movements would give each use value. I won’t bore you with all the movements I described, but trust me, it was quite a long list.
So how does all this relate to the definition of principles? Principles govern the use of the 4-foot bamboo. Those principles are determined not only by the size, strength and length of the bamboo, but by your size, strength, individual body dynamics, and perspective on the world.
The 4-foot portion of bamboo can be many things depending what functions you see in it. What you see depends on your training and perspective. A martial artist will see a jo stick or bo; a musician will see a flute.
But in every case, in the hands of a human being, the bamboo can only be moved in a few definitive ways. It is limited by the movement principles and physics of the human body. (My book Maximum Combat covers principles in far more detail than I’m able to do here. Click on the “JD’s Book” tab.)
If you understand the principles of movement and power within the human body, you can judge the interaction of the bamboo and the body. Then you can use it—if you’re a martial artist—to apply greater force and power.
My teacher pushed me to understand the mechanics of body dynamics and the principles of power, because they are fundamental to every action you take. I have to know the underlying power principles to deduce what techniques will work with the bamboo in my hands. For example, using the bamboo as a jo stick or wooden sword, the basic principle is deriving power from centripetal and centrifugal forces from a center pivot point at the hips. Then you apply the principles of motion—speed, power, movement—to a specific target.
That’s just one set of principles. There are hundreds more.
During training, my Teacher was fond of saying, “Just because you can swing a 4-foot portion of bamboo does not mean you understand how to make it an effective weapon.” He usually added, “Now do it again.”

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Why teach the principles?

Posted on April 8, 2010 by JD01

I was taught to think of martial arts as a way to bring growth to the “Triad of Power” in each warrior. I cover this concept in depth in my book Maximum Combat. If you haven’t read it, here’s a quick overview. A person is made up of three parts: Mental, spiritual and physical. Martial artists try to grow each element and find a balance within. But in truth you don’t want a complete balance; one element should always be a little better. That unbalanced feel (ever so slight) makes you want to learn more to catch up the other two elements up with the first. This spurs on more growth. The growth moves in cycles and is dictated by your own body rhymes, environment and training style. Everything that makes us warriors is based on how we learn and use the “Triad of Power.”

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4. How to use the circle system to make multiple attackers work against each other.

Posted on March 30, 2010 by JD01

When you are being attacked and the world is moving a thousand miles a minute, it’s hard to think. You begin to simply react. You go “combat blind”—tunnel vision—seeing only what comes at you and trying to deal with it. You are just reacting and not controlling. That’s not the best way to handle it, but being truthful, most trained people fight in this way because they’re used to fighting a single opponent. But you can’t fight this way—using a single point of focus—with multiple opponents. It could get you killed.
There are a rare few who are trained to think and fight at the same time: professional warriors. They are taught to understand and use the stress, adrenalin-elevated senses and a broader focus. They know how to keep combat in perspective and get things done. They understand they are on a mission.
Professional warriors continually make judgment calls on the battlefield—before, during and after a conflict. This is one of the tactics that keeps them safe. They never stop assessing the situation, not until they are completely out of area. Then they do “after action” debriefs and learn from the mistakes they made.
You have a mission, too, and it’s to stay alive. Learn to think like a professional and you’ve got a better chance of accomplishing your mission.
The law of averages says that our opponents are fighting from their own position of tunnel vision. They are zeroed in on trapping you and hurting you—and that’s a single point of focus. They’re not looking at their position or the environment or how those two things can be used against them. They’re overconfident because there are several of them and only one of you. Their lack of a bigger perspective can be turned into a weapon against them.
So how do you use your circles (and theirs) to make the attackers work against each other? The answer is twofold: (1) Know the working size of the circle bases, and (2) use the limited space around you to make your opponents’ circle bases work against them.
In the introduction to this set of blogs, I said I wasn’t going to talk about technique, and I am holding to that statement. It’s more important to talk about the strategic use of the circle sizes and space/distance. Here are some points you need to consider:
• Know your circle size and your reach!
• Understand your movement size and fighting area or defensive position.
• Know your distances so you can accurately judge how far away your opponents are.
• KEEP MOVING. Never stop and never hold your ground. In a multiple opponent situation, if you hold your ground, they will surround you and take you down. Moving will keep them off you.
• Always watch the blind spots at the edge of your peripheral vision. This is a serious weak spot. Street thugs know this and will try a “cheap shot” for a knockout!
• Keep one opponent between you and the other bad guys. Think human shield. Don’t let them box you in. In fact, try to keep them lined up so they have to go around each other. Make them fight each other’s circles.
• Attack first! Think surprise and overwhelm. Then move again!
• The more opponents, the smaller your circle of options becomes.
• The more opponents, the more reactionary you have to be.
• Always try to keep some distance to react and counter.
• You must try to incapacitate each opponent with as few punches as possible. One is great. Do not engage only one opponent for any length of time. Hit and move.
• There are no fair fights with multiple opponents. Use anything you can.
• AMP UP YOUR ATTITUDE. Get very aggressive and do not stop.
• Try to use counter punches and low kicks to keep your distance.
• Don’t do anything fancy. KEEP IT SIMPLE!
• Always move the fight to an egress position. You are fighting to get the hell away.
• Do NOT think about winning. You survived a life-or-death ordeal. You stayed focused, you accomplished your mission, you’re safe. Now, get the hell out of there.
In this series of blogs I’ve discussed some strategies for fighting multiple opponents. If you want some information on ways to deal with this issue, check out my book, Maximum Combat: Finding the Power in Ancient Martial Arts Principles. It’s available on this site (click on “JD’s Book” tab), or you can get it on www.Amazon.com or www.BarnsandNoble.com

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3. What elements should you consider when planning your basic strategy?

Posted on March 20, 2010 by JD01

If you watch martial arts movies, you get to see one guy fighting off tons of mean killer dudes. It looks so easy, and hell, you don’t even have to look back when you walk away. It’s just another day’s work. But in a real combat situation, your mind and body are racing. And it’s not all in a day’s work…now you’re fighting for your life. If you want to survive, you have to have a strategy for survival.

As I’ve said before, your fight strategy with multiple opponents should be very simple – stay calm and try to relax, stay on your feet, try not get seriously hurt, and get the hell out of there when you can.

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2. Determining the number of opponents—there may be more, or less, than you think there are.

Posted on March 14, 2010 by JD01

Back when I was a young man only 17 years old, I went late one night to a coffee shop with a friend. As we were walking in the front door, I noticed a group of rough-looking guys standing around the cashier’s counter, talking very loudly. All of a sudden, with no warning whatsoever, they went off like bomb. They started punching people. They slapped the waitresses. They even threw one guy through the window.
I later found out they were trying to get out of paying their tab. They must have thought I was a staff member trying to keep them from leaving, because two of them attacked me! We were fighting in the restaurant, slamming into the walls, and then somehow we bounced out the front door.
Then things really got bad.
All three of us fell down as we came through the front door. Which means I violated one of the most important rules when fighting multiple opponents: Don’t go to the ground. I did, and I got my ass kicked. I had four or five guys punching and kicking me. All I could do was lie flat on the ground just trying to cover up.
More customers started coming out of the restaurant, and some of the dirtbags decided it was time to leave. That created an opening, so I tried to get up. Big mistake. Just as I started to lift myself up off the ground, a guy wearing motorcycle boots kicked me square in the face. Because my head was up off the ground, it was like the guy was kicking a teed-up football.
I spent almost a week in the hospital.
I had already been training for years in martial arts, but all that martial arts training did me almost no good. I thought about that a lot while I was in the hospital. Here’s what went wrong and what I did wrong:
1. Expect the unexpected—even in the most benign situations. I failed to remember that anything can happen at any time. You have no way of knowing who will do what or when.
2. Be aware. I could tell there was an argument going on, but I failed to accurately evaluate the situation. You have to look for things that are not normal. You have to be aware of things that feel out of place. The thugs in the diner were too intense and there were too many of them arguing over the bill. I should have noticed that. I didn’t heed the warning signs, so they didn’t pay…but I did.
3. Determine how lethal the threat really is. The demarcation line is whether the situation is lethal or non-lethal. In the military, it’s all lethal. But in the real world, you have to determine if it’s a life-or-death conflict. You don’t want to kill somebody who’s drunk and started a fistfight—even if there are several of them. You don’t want to seriously hurt or kill anyone who is not involved or who is not actively trying to kill you.
4. Determine where the primary threat is coming from. In most situations, you can’t take the time to count how many people might get into the fight. Nor can you take the time to judge who is a combatant and who is not. You will see people running in to help their buddies and people running in just to watch. You may have people running in to help you. And usually you have no way to tell who is who. It’s hard to make judgment calls about people’s intentions. When a combat situation is in full go mode and you are dealing with multiple attackers, focus on anybody who is close enough to put their hands on you.
5. Take out the primary threat. Often your best bet is to take out the biggest guy or the loudest guy who is closest to you—and take him out in the most dramatic fashion possible. More times than not, that will stop the fight right there. Next, take out anyone who is blocking your egress. You’ve got to plan for your escape because you can’t keep fighting forever, especially with multiple opponents. Do not let words or non-threatening actions draw your guard. Watch your back and work the combat closer to an egress point.
6. Be especially aware of sudden big changes in the environment. If a sudden large opening appears in a crowd, someone or something is making that happen. Some kind of forceful threat is causing that change. The police have arrived, or somebody has pulled out a gun. (Guns always cause people to move real fast.) Whatever it is, be aware and if possible use it to your advantage.
7. Don’t pursue any of your attackers. Never chase after one of them, because you will get tunnel vision and lose your overall focus.
8. Always keep yourself in a position where you can move. This is critical. If you are in good physical shape and can keep the fight going for a time, you can make it out of these situations. Don’t use fighting techniques that comprise your ability to move. Period.
Having told you the embarrassing diner story, let me redeem myself by telling you a story where I did handle myself well.
Back when I was in the Marine Corps, I was driving home to Tucson one payday weekend (a 96) to visit my family. About 3:00 in the morning I stopped for gas in a little town in Arizona. While I was putting gas in my truck, when I noticed a car pull in with three guys in it. They didn’t even glance in my direction, and they didn’t get gas either.
When I got done getting gas, I walked back to the restroom on the side of the gas station. I was washing my hands when the three guys walked in behind me. They all stood behind me waiting to use the sink. I immediately had an adrenalin rush. I mean, what are the odds of three guys all just wanting to wash their hands at 3:00 in the morning?
I turned quickly in full combat mode—just in time to see one of them pull a knife. I was ahead of them because when I felt something was wrong, I acted. When it was over, one was face-down in the urinal and the other two were on the floor. Well, actually one was in the sink, but the sink was on the floor. I’d shoved him right through it. I took the knife home as a souvenir. (In fact, it’s now part of my survival gear.)
I didn’t call the cops—in fact I didn’t stop until I was in Tucson. This time my skills made short work of these scumbags. I was ready and I didn’t hesitate.
And I got a cool knife.
Next: Fighting Multiple Opponents, Part 3 — What elements should you consider when planning your basic strategy?

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Why control is your best weapon

Posted on March 8, 2010 by JD01

Fighting Multiple Opponents – 1. Why control is your best weapon
In a multiple-opponent situation, it is essential that you control the fight. There are a number of elements you need to control, but first and foremost, is whether to fight at all. This is no time to make a statement. Don’t let your ego get in the way—the tendency of alpha males is to fight at all costs, but sometimes that’s just not the right approach. Being a good warrior means not only being able to pick when, where and why you fight—but being able to decide whether to fight or not. Prove you’re the better warrior by knowing when to leave so you can fight again tomorrow.

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