Kettlebell Life Protection System

[Bret S.]

My habits I still carry from my past have the opposite effect on my partner. It reminds her of the past & doesn’t make her feel safe. Things like having to reverse park the car everytime, state of paranoia with flat tyres(oldest trick in the book), gotta sit with back to the wall facing door at restaurants, hiding things I can use as weapons around house & car, always carrying something on me that can be used as weapon (pen even) & the list goes on. I’m working on it.

I suppose relocation might help but it's easier said than done. Time passed will also help but is no guarantee as some will wait 20 years for revenge. I don't envy your position and sincerely wish you well

 

[dc]

I suppose relocation might help but it's easier said than done. Time passed will also help but is no guarantee as some will wait 20 years for revenge. I don't envy your position and sincerely wish you well

I did relocate, I’m pretty sure I’m not in any real danger, it’s more the fact I’ve a lot of scars from my past & not all of them are physical.
Make no mistake, any anxiety or paranoia I carry with me today have been well & truly earned.

 

[dc]

We all have something to regret. Forgiving myself is the hardest for me

You summed it up perfectly here.

 

[Gary Music]

If I may, because life isn't just about self-defense.

And, because all other things being equal, stronger is better.

-S-[/QUOT

@Gary Music

If "It is all technique," why train to get stronger?

Adam sorry I did not see your question and it is an excellent question. My instructor and master instructor in this method did not strength train other than traditional martial arts training. They were the best in the world at this method.

I did this and also competed in karate and taekwondo tournaments so I have always weight trained and I also came from a younger generation than they did.

Now I look at my strength training in StrongFirst as a lifestyle. If I had to attach it to my martial arts training it would be for my offensive skills.

Hard question for me to answer but there you go

This method relies on defensive timing.

 

[dc]

Agreed...never again.

To be fair I had multiple potential boogies and instead of going erect I maintained casual posture - the guy that tagged me was not the guy I was keeping my eyes on, a lesson I won't forget.

That’s the difference between good & bad people, you waited. A bad person attacks first.
The old me would’ve kicked it off at the first sign, beer glass face if in that setting, gives me the chance of lowering the numbers & putting some fear into the others. Wouldn’t have stopped until I was stopped. Good people don’t want to hurt someone unless they have to, bad people don’t care who gets hurt collateral damage or not. It’s an ugly truth.

 

[dc]

@Gary Music is it hard to find the fine line between making the training as real as possible & not scaring off the inexperienced? I can imagine for some it wouldn’t enough & others to much? How do you balance this?

 

[Gary Music]

@Gary Music is it hard to find the fine line between making the training as real as possible & not scaring off the inexperienced? I can imagine for some it wouldn’t enough & others to much? How do you balance this?

We have two seminars we do. One is primarily for black belt members of our organization and guests and LPS seminars where we have experienced people mixed with first time. Sometimes the first time people are experienced in martial arts and then again sometimes they are not.

The seminar is broken into segments with assistants taking groups of different experience levels. I have five assistants lined up for the Victor, NY seminar if I need more there are some in the area.

The drills I teach are challenging and easy to progress. Then the individual either integrates it into their existing martial arts training or possibly in the case of students with no experience begin training in our system.

It is challenging. thank you for the question

 

[Gary Music]

@Gary Music is it hard to find the fine line between making the training as real as possible & not scaring off the inexperienced? I can imagine for some it wouldn’t enough & others to much? How do you balance this?

Yes it is. One of my SKTA instructors talks about the pain thermostat. He uses it more in a submission context as in applying the lock safely and turning up the intensity.

I also think of this when I turn up intensity on students. I don't hit the burner hot right away, some warm up quicker than others. Experience and working with fine instructors has helped me with this task.

 

[dc]

@Gary Music is your system purely bare handed protection or do you make certain recommendations for personal carries? Example being pepper spray as @North Coast Miller suggested or some form of non lethal minor weapon, that maybe handbag or pocket friendly? Or use of common everyday items such as cars keys etc?

 

[Brookes]

My girl thinks I'm crazy as I'm always checking out people, terrain and the general feel of my surroundings without thinking anything of it. I tell her I'm like a German Shepard on patrol at all times, she laughs but I think she digs it as it makes her feel safe.

I just showed this to my girl. She just rolled her eyes and meant "Great, there are more of you..."

 

[North Coast Miller]

That’s the difference between good & bad people, you waited. A bad person attacks first.
The old me would’ve kicked it off at the first sign, beer glass face if in that setting, gives me the chance of lowering the numbers & putting some fear into the others. Wouldn’t have stopped until I was stopped. Good people don’t want to hurt someone unless they have to, bad people don’t care who gets hurt collateral damage or not. It’s an ugly truth.

If you, solo, would have pre-empted a group of four or five young men walking down the sidewalk with no rationale that a "reasonable man" could have applied, that's just plain ill-considered and sure to end bad.

Sometimes the fight moves on down the line and sometimes its your turn. I finished on my feet with all my possessions intact, in some situations that's good enough.

 

[dc]

If you, solo, would have pre-empted a group of four or five young men walking down the sidewalk with no rationale that a "reasonable man" could have applied, that's just plain ill-considered and sure to end bad.

Sometimes the fight moves on down the line and sometimes its your turn. I finished on my feet with all my possessions intact, in some situations that's good enough.

Agreed....
But drugs tend to make people do irrational things, & it has ended badly for me on a number of occasions, I really shouldn’t be here. Just giving some insight on how the other side thinks.

 

[Gary Music]

@Gary Music is your system purely bare handed protection or do you make certain recommendations for personal carries? Example being pepper spray as @North Coast Miller suggested or some form of non lethal minor weapon, that maybe handbag or pocket friendly? Or use of common everyday items such as cars keys etc?

Yes we have lecture on those subjects. Reneta does that part at the beginning of the day, students are given a handout and also a book recommendation. The seminar is largely devoted to empty hand protection. Our training is presented as progressive in nature and students are encouraged to continue training. This would be a first step for many.

 

[Kozushi]

Agreed....
But drugs tend to make people do irrational things, & it has ended badly for me on a number of occasions, I really shouldn’t be here. Just giving some insight on how the other side thinks.

Your input is very much appreciated. Some of what you say is what I had assumed based on logic, and some things are definitely eye-opening new pieces of information to me (like attacking first - I would NOT consider that unless I really were a "cornered rat", absolutely clearly beyond a doubt!) I'm a "good person", hehehe.

My first rule which abides by the same stuff my instincts work on is to avoid creepy people - men or women I don't care. This is by instinct, but if I had to put a proverbial finger on it, people who take an interest in me or mine for no clear reason is one thing that jumps out at me.

Rule two - I am a vulnerable "good person" and so I need to keep the heck away from "bad people".

Rule three - I will either overreact or underreact through inexperience - again, a good reason to stay the heck away from creepy people.

Rule four - weapons are deadly and more than likely concealed. Using my hands against a weapon will likely not end well for me, conversely, using a weapon against an unarmed person will also not go well for me legally.

Distance. Keep away from creeps.

 

[North Coast Miller]

Distance. Keep away from creeps.

I am first to admit my radar is not what it was back when I was carrying a handgun 24/7, but I am mostly on the lookout for odd behavior. Anyone asking for stuff from a stranger that makes no sense - someone asking for a light if they have no cigarette in their hand, asking for the time when they have a phone on their belt or sticking out of their pocket. Out of place, acting, delaying - you can't grow eyes in the back of your head but you can take in odd behavior and movement. Per @dc, anyone approaching me with big smile out of the blue is a serious attention getter - it creeps me out to see that come rolling up in my direction unless I'm in a store and they have on a name tag.

Some of my old instinct s still programmed - a spare a glance at a stranger's face and then drop focus to the base of their throat. Grooming hands. Small step back with one foot.

Is extremely helpful to look into your local laws as well. Stateside, the regs re use of physical force are pretty standard state to state, but it doesn't hurt to spend a few hours reading appellate decisions. Many law schools now have online searchable databases filled with scenarios and subsequent rulings. You can preempt a lot more often than one might think as long as you can articulate the hypothetical "reasonable man" would have done the same.

I was never a bad guy, but I used to kill a few beers with some from time to time.

 

[dc]

I was never a bad guy, but I used to kill a few beers with some from time to time.

You’d pass for one.
I think I mentioned it in another thread.
Your profile picture reminds me of some of the animals I use to role with.

 

[Kozushi]

I am first to admit my radar is not what it was back when I was carrying a handgun 24/7, but I am mostly on the lookout for odd behavior. Anyone asking for stuff from a stranger that makes no sense - someone asking for a light if they have no cigarette in their hand, asking for the time when they have a phone on their belt or sticking out of their pocket. Out of place, acting, delaying - you can't grow eyes in the back of your head but you can take in odd behavior and movement. Per @dc, anyone approaching me with big smile out of the blue is a serious attention getter - it creeps me out to see that come rolling up in my direction unless I'm in a store and they have on a name tag.

Some of my old instinct s still programmed - a spare a glance at a stranger's face and then drop focus to the base of their throat. Grooming hands. Small step back with one foot.

Is extremely helpful to look into your local laws as well. Stateside, the regs re use of physical force are pretty standard state to state, but it doesn't hurt to spend a few hours reading appellate decisions. Many law schools now have online searchable databases filled with scenarios and subsequent rulings. You can preempt a lot more often than one might think as long as you can articulate the hypothetical "reasonable man" would have done the same.

I was never a bad guy, but I used to kill a few beers with some from time to time.

My pre-empting is to pre-emptively get out of there. Hmmm... didn't/doesn't always work that way though... But, that's the goal.

 

[North Coast Miller]

You’d pass for one.
I think I mentioned it in another thread.
Your profile picture reminds me of some of the animals I use to role with.

I gotta take that as a compliment.

Most of the time I just look like an older guy with a bad haircut, but with overhead lighting and a pump I can still represent

 

[Kozushi]

I try my best not to look scary. I'd rather not provoke people or police. This is also why I have no tattoos - they tend to mark you out as possibly in the "creepier" element to some.

 

[Adam B]

@Gary Music

Thanks for the reply. Makes sense about the system using defensive timing.

In general, I find that strength always helps and that the stronger an opponent is, the higher discrepancy of skill is necessary to overcome them, so I would be curious to see how that plays out with your system.