The Equalizer - What role do weapons serve?

Okay. I have to ask. I normally wouldn't ask or even care about this, but it's relevant because you're trying to sell a package and your goal is, as you say, to create a total combatives system. What makes you think you have the knowledge or skill to do this? I mean, you admit to not knowing much about weapons, but have a weapons video. Are you keeping something to yourself? I just don't get it.

 

I have officially studied hand to hand combat, mordern knife and gun combatives, and ground fighting. That is what is what I teach.

And I have had formal training in nunchaku and ropedart

 

Out of curiosity, what do "officially study" and "formal training" mean?

 

Under strict teachers and guidelines. For instance in Taekwondo I studied under a 5 dan and spent years in diligent training. That I also hold "official" rank. Tgat is what I would classify as "official study" or formsl training.

What I would not classify as such would be my training in Kali. Although I have trained in Kali for a couple of years, I have not learned in an official settimg with a consistent teacher. So, although I have greatly benefited from Kali. I would not count it "official" or "formal".

I hope that helps.

 

Hi
What does your formal training in hand to hand combat and ground fighting comprise of?
I ask because I'm not sure that TKD covers either of these fully
Thanks
D

 

Ok, understood.

For hand to hand I have trained in both ITF and Wtf Taekwondo, Shotokan and Kanzen Karate, and Muay Thai. I've also train in hand to hand techniques from Kali.

As for ground fighting it's all Jui jitsu and Krav Maga.

 

That's great!
You have trained in MT, Kali, BJJ and Krav to the level where you can teach?

 

MT yes. Considering the fact that I am not teaching Kali, BJJ or Krav Maga, I not not need to be instructor level in those to teach hand to hand combat. I do borrow form the styles yes. But I am not pretending to be a master of those systems and giving out rank in those systems. I think they have aspects that fill in the weak spots of the styles I am at instructor level in. And example would be BJJ, I am not teaching BJJ, but I am teaching mixed martial arts. Therefore since Taekwondo, Muay Thai, and Karate lack extensive ground work and I gave trained in BJJ I will add the BKJ techniques I am proficient in to the curriculum and fill in those areas that need to be complete.

When you think about it, lots of instructors in various styles do this to some extent. Maybe its subtle changes in a block or self-defense technique.

There is no problem with pulling from other styles if you are not an instructor in that style. The problem arises when you get these guys that have no training or never even reach the rank of instructor in ANY style that go and take Aikido for a couple of months and then think they can teach Their own ground fighting system.

 

Your website has some nice design but the black writing doesn’t pair well with the dark red wallpaper. I would try going more in depth in your blog posts, and making the writing a bit bigger so people can read it.

 

Thanks Ivan!

I'll definitely look into that!

 

Why do you twirl every weapon?
I watched most of the videos, I think in some areas needs more practice such as Kenjutsu. I do not think what you said about Musashi is completely accurate in your interpretation unless you study the Ryuha among other things when reading texts from those time periods.

 

As for the twirling...

I have engaged in sword sparring, knife sparring, staff sparring, and a couple of the other weapins, but I've never been good at shadow fencing.

Not having anyone to exchange blows with I simply twirled them around.

It's a sorry excuse I know.

I'd love to study Kenjutsu! Just don't have a local school.

 

I am not sure exactly where you live, but a lot of people are doing zoom classes, a lot of people are having good results with them. It might give you a better understanding of the Japanese sword.

 

Northern Missouri.

I'll look into it.

 

Put the weapons down. You have a little skill with the rope-dart, and you can do some tricks with nunchaku, but everything else was, simply, terrible. Take the video down, and do not represent yourself as being in a position to teach these weapons.

 

I really do not know how far that is from you.
WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI

Most Koryu guys know who is who in the area even people outside our areas it just goes with part of joining a koryu. There are some Bujinkan guys, Fma guys, and may be some Chinese artists all can teach properly. Then there are zoom classes though not ideal compared to a live teacher they will provide feedback. The other weapons like rope dart, nunchaku I am not qualified to judge since I do not train them but sword and bo staff I think needs more training. I think the price is high comparing to say
If we are discussing weapon only based training
Buy full course - Iaido online
JOIN

I think Defense lab is only $10
Sami is like $70 a year
Evolve and Tiger Muay Thai is $10
Old school grappling is $5
Catch ninja and Zog $10
Wing chun online $10
Adam Mitchell's Budo hall $100 lifetime

What I am saying is all these guys are top of the game and offer a lot of material and a lesser price so as a consumer why should I choose your program over theirs? It is something to think about.

 

I don't represent myself as someone who can teach those weapons. I DO teach Nunchaku and rope dart. I do not teach anything else.

If you paid attention to the YouTube series or why the video is in the article, you will notice that I am merely taking about the basic weapons out there.

I have also had people ask me if I teach sword to which I tell them that I don't.

 

Thanks!

I'll check into those!

 

i think people are being hard on you, they seem to have a down on people who invent their own style and combatives in general,

 

I would consider myself a combatives guy and I don't seem to get much crap for it.
I also have two of my own styles, one is traditional and one is combatives. I dont feel I get crap for it.
So maybe it's not about what someone does but how qualified that person is when they claim to be something.123