Toughen Up Self-Defense Training Tips

Hey Gang…

After 28 years “on the job” I recently retired from my career as a police officer.  It was a great run.  I saw and experienced a lot, learned a lot, and accomplished a lot, but it’s time to step aside an pass the torch to the new breed.  Law enforcement is only getting tougher.  I wish them the best.

Now I have time to blow the dust off of many of the Protective Strategies and Toughen Up projects that I’ve had on the back burner but, due to other commitments, didn’t have time to get to.

I have the time to dedicate myself fully and completely to my REAL passions: research, writing, consulting, training and coaching.

I am in the process of updating and improving the “Toughen Up Training Guides” (Power Punching, Heavy Bag, Focus Pads & Multiple Attacker Street Fights) as well as adding new one’s to the mix.

As you can well imagine, the topic’s are endless and the “spin” that I place on my programs and information products can be directed toward achieving a variety of goals, objectives and outcomes.

That’s where YOU come in.  I’ve set up a short survey below this post and I invite you to take a few seconds of your time to let me know your top training priority.

Its a bit of an experiment and one of many attempts that I will be making to hone in on exactly what YOU are looking to achieve in our own training.

Your input will help me prioritize the content of this blog and the development of various projects I have in the works.

Please take a few seconds and let me know what you’re after.

Online Surveys & Market Research

For the past several months, I’ve been searching, studying, reading and investing a ton of time and a small fortune acquiring information and resources that I can use to bolster my own training, the curriculum of my courses and seminars and the content and quality of my Toughen Up Training Guides.

In addition to punching and kicking workouts, I’ve been exploring, reviewing and “test-driving” various combat-specific and combat-compatible training methods that will not only increase your legitimate self-defense skills but improve your health, tone and strengthen your muscles, prevent or rehabilitate injuries, burn body fat and “turn back the clock” on age-related performance problems.

Allow me to refresh you memory about the “Toughen Up Training Philosophy,”

• to use combative training methods to improve health, fitness, functional performance and mental toughness, and…
• to implement conditioning methods that translate directly to your functional performance and fighting abilities.

Over the past several months, I’ve come across information and resources that have lead to a “breakthrough” in my own training and have DRAMATICALLY changed my understanding about training, conditioning and injury prevention.  (And don’t forget, I’ve been searching for stuff like this for almost 35 years!)

That being said, the absolute, hands down, BEST resources I’ve come across have come from a company called, “DragonDoor.com .”

I’ve bought and reviewed several of their books and DVD’s and, without exception, I’m thoroughly impressed!

It’s hard for me to write this without coming across as “pitchy” or like I’m trying to sell you something.  If you know me well, you know that I’m not like that… BUT…

At the risk of being blunt… If you want to get the most out of your combative workouts you want to:

#1 Buy my Toughen Up Training Guides. ;-)  The current guides provide you with the “building blocks” you need to design your own productive and safe self-defense workouts and…

#2 Checkout the ton of free conditioning information and products that I’ll be reviewing and recommending at DragonDoor.com .

In the future, I’ll be writing reviews about some of the Dragondoor.com products that I’ve studied and will be working much of the material and concepts into articles and training guides. (as well as information from other high-quality sources)

In the meantime, I suggest that you download a copy of Dragondoor’s “Hard-Style” Catalogue. 

Without exception, I’ve been thoroughly impressed by all of the products that I’ve reviewed. 

Download the free catalogue.  It’s loaded with excellent articles and training advice.  It will also give you a sense of what Dragondoor has to offer, what I’ve been studying and the direction I’m heading with my Toughen Up stuff.

If you’re interested in downloading a copy of the Hard Style Catalogue, you can do so at a link I’ve set up for you:

Dragondoor Hard-Style Catalogue

Go ahead and download the catalogue… It won’t cost you a thing to take a look and you might just find the articles to be the kind of thing you’re looking for. 

If you do, fire me back an email at Randy@ToughenUp.com with any comments or questions you might have and let me know what you think.

Take care, train smart and stay safe,

 Randy

“Toughen Up” is not about me, it’s about YOU, YOUR goals and what YOU can achieve through combative self-defense training.  That being said… a while ago, I conducted an email interview.  I responded to a number of questions put to me by a fellow self-defense instructor about my background and my views about self-defense training.  At the risk of “talking about myself” (which I’d prefer not to do) I thought I’d post the interview to give you a better sense of where I’m coming from, what I’m about and hopefully how I might be able to help you find the training advice, resources and results you are looking for.

Question: First a little about yourself.  You say that you have been training martial arts for 30 years.  Which martial arts do you know and teach (or did teach)?

I started my martial arts training in 1975 in a system called “Tiger Claw Gung Fu.”  My primary goal then, which continues to this day, was to explore and discover the practical, street-applications of self-defense and determine what does and doesn’t work in a “real fight.”

I expanded my search to include other martial art and self-defense systems, psychology, legal issues, personal development, sports theory and fitness concepts etc.  I trained, and travelled and read all I could get my hands on to gain a clearer picture of street fighting, self-defense and interpersonal aggression.  I wanted to understand the truth about self-defense training and performance and capture what I learned in a simple, functional and realistic format.

I continued to train, earned my “black sash” and ended up teaching martial arts full-time for a number of years.  I conducted one-on-one private lessons during the day and public classes in the evenings.

In 1982, I decided to get into law enforcement.  At the time, it seemed like a natural extension of my role as a martial artist and self-defense instructor.  As a cop, I experienced first-hand what violence, victimization and confrontation was all about and my career added a new dimension to my overall understanding of interpersonal violence.

I served as a patrol officer, detective, shift supervisor and SWAT team member.  I also spent almost half of my career doing two stints at the police academy as an use-of-force instructor and program manager.  My responsibility was the subject control, officer safety and street survival programs for a large, 1200 member police agency.

During that time, I developed numerous programs, was certified in several combative programs, developed policies and liability reduction strategies, provided expert testimony in court and taught 1000’s of law enforcement officers, high risk professionals and private citizens various aspects of self-defense and use-of-force.

Question: You state that you “teach a variety of short-term training seminars and courses.”  Is it possible for someone to attend these courses and attend instruction from you in person?  If so how?

I continue to conduct seminars and courses on various aspects of self-defense and confrontation management.  The majority of my training commitments are for government agencies, corporate clients or private groups.  On occasion I run “open to the public” seminars promoted by word of mouth.  I have never had to advertise.  The best way to attend a seminar is to contact me directly by email or telephone.

Question: Would your Power Punching Guide and accompanying manuals be beneficial to someone involved in a sport such as boxing as well as for self-defense?

The Power Punching Guide and Toughen Up Manuals are beneficial to ANY ONE in ANY KIND of striking sport or system.  They lay out the bio-mechanics of proper hitting and how to use various pieces of combative training equipment safely and effectively in workout sessions.

The Power Punching Guide was never intended to be an eBook.  In developing a number of self-defense courses I realized that many people lacked effective striking skills.  It wasn’t enough to simply teach striking skills if the person lacked the coordination and conditioning that comes from ongoing training.  Even experienced martial artists were developing bad habits and getting injured when using equipment such as heavy bags, focus pads and boxing gloves.

Either that or they “wanted” to follow up and build on their initial learning experience at a course or seminar with on-going combative training but didn’t know how to go about it.

The manual was originally intended as a supplement and resource to my seminar students so that they could use to continue practicing and building on what I taught them during our training sessions together. 

I knew from years of training that it wasn’t so much what they learned during the seminar but what they did with that knowledge AFTER the seminar that made the biggest impact on their health and personal safety.

 I also learned that I could dramatically improve the results I obtained with police officers if I provided them with a strong foundation of striking skills before covering more “job-specific-skills,” like subject control, firearm retention and baton skills for example.

Question: Do you think that someone that studies your mini series and your Power Punching Guide would be capable of effectively defending themselves against bigger stronger attackers?

Applying the concepts in the Toughen Up Combative Training Guides and building intelligent, consistent workouts around them will DRAMATICALLY increase someone’s ability to fight off an bigger, stronger attacker.

Not only will those workouts improve your health and fitness but also your legitimate ability to protect and defend your health and fitness from the violent actions of others.

Question: What is the single most important thing in self-defense?

TRAINING!  Without out a doubt, the “KEY” to getting the most benefit out of the study of self-defense comes as a direct result of the training process.

Knowing how to detect, avoid and defuse potentially violent situations is largely the result of effective mental skills but regular, intelligent, vigorous workouts will provide the biggest pay off for any student of self-defense.

Combative workouts will burn fat, build muscle, develop fighting skills and improve your health on several levels.  You’ll also find the self-confidence and athletic qualities of movement that you’ll develop reduce the potential of even becoming a victim.

Human predators select their intended victims on their perception of your ability or willingness to fight back.  They don’t go after strong, confident targets.  That vast majority of people who undertake self-defense and martial arts training never have to put their skills to the test because the training changes the way they look and move and makes them less desirable to the bullies, rapists and muggers of the world.

Question: You say you are a veteran police officer. What besides learning the local laws can a person concerned with self defense do to get along with law enforcement?

Every violent encounter creates the potential for criminal and civil liability whether you “started it” or not.  Quite often in a street fight, the legal ramifications boil down to his (or her) word against yours.

It is important to first and foremost avoid an encounter if it is at all possible.  All street fights can be a major hassle whether you “win” or not.  If a physical response is inevitable, there are things you can do that will solidify and support your ability to justify your actions after the fact.

It is important to do what you can to solidify your role as the “victim” and not the instigator of the encounter.  If you are serious about self-defense, you should be crystal clear about your legal and moral rights to defend yourself long before you even have to.

In terms of “getting along with law enforcement,” here is the number one point I’d suggest to anyone.  Keep in mind that I’ve been to hundreds of violent encounters myself as a police officer.

When the police arrive to the scene of a violent encounter they do not know the details of what happened, who started it or who the “bad guy” is.  Their highest priority is THEIR OWN safety and their goal is to quickly assess the situations, identify the “players” and bring the matter under control.

As soon as they arrive, here’s what to do… CALM  DOWN AND SHUT UP!  As emotionally upsetting as the encounter may have been to you, it’s important to regain your composure and cooperate with the police.  They don’t know who you are or what your involvement was.

If you are upset, screaming and hollering, demanding that they arrest so-and-so etc. your behaviour is more likely to project that of the troublemaker, not the victim.  Keep that up and you’re the most likely candidate to end up face-down on the ground with the handcuffs on!

Remember too in a “your-word-against-his” incident, the more reasonable and intelligent you come off to the police, the more likely it is that their investigation will end up in your favour.

Question: If someone wants to buy your Power Punching Guide what other tools do they need to train?

The Toughen Up Combative Training Guides are intended to assist anyone in designing safe and effective combative workouts.  The equipment you need to do that depends on your goals, your budget and your training environment.

You can apply the advice in the Power Punching Guide with nothing more than your body.  Adding a pair of bag gloves, focus pads and a heavy bag can add a huge dimension to your training sessions.

My current projects are adding a “Power Kicking Guide” and a “Frequently Asked Self-Defense Training Questions Report” to the series of Toughen Up Training Guides.

With the existing and future training guides, I will be providing advice about a variety of different training methods and equipment:  sparring & boxing glove drills, Thai pads, kettlebells, free weights etc.

Ultimately my goal is to provide you with everything that you need to tailor your workouts specifically to what you want to get out of them.

Question: I read your “Reach Out and Punch Someone” article.  Do you think that taking up boxing and combative impact training would be a good idea for someone concerned exclusively with their personal safety?

Definitely, I think that “impact work” (hitting and being hit) is essential for anyone who is serious about self-defense and street fighting. 

For example, I teach police officers how to punch, kick, grapple and spar.  My intent is not so much to teach them how to “fight” as much as provide them with “building blocks” they need to participate in “Stress Inoculation” training.

Stress inoculation is a progressive training program designed to reduce their fear and stress levels in a violent or volatile encounter and, in doing so, allow them to remain more composed and effective during a critical incident.

Many people come into law enforcement with no previous exposure to or experience with violence.  They’ve never been in a fight before.  They’ve never been hit hard or had to hit someone else in a real world encounter.  That “lack of experience,” increases the potential of them extremely stressed and even “terrified” in their first knock down, drag out clash with a violent person.

That’s not good.  Stress inoculation training is intended to combat that and increase their “comfort level” in a critical incident.

It’s no different with ANYONE who wants to perform effectively in a street fight or self-defense encounter.  The more you can inoculate yourself to the fear and stress of a confrontation the more effective and successful you will be at defending yourself.
The training starts with a solid foundation in striking and hitting skills and then progresses through a variety of combative training drills that will not only develop legitimate fighting qualities but a more confident and composed mind set as well.

Question: Do you have anything new coming up at www.ProtectiveStrategies.com and www.ToughenUp.com ?

Actually I have a lot happening in relation to ALL of my web sites.  My “big picture approach” to self-defense is to produce seminars, information products and resource recommendations in three general areas:

http://www.ProtectiveStrategies.com/

Personal safety advice focused at understanding, recognizing, defusing and responding to threats of violence and victimization.  I’m laying out my Seven Components To Self-Defense Curriculum as a comprehensive self-defense solution.  This also includes Confrontation Management for people who come into contact with volatile situations in the course of the professions.

www.ToughenUp.com

Toughen up provides training manuals, advice and resource about how to design and conduct your own combative workouts for health, fitness and street fighting.  Whether your interests are in protecting yourself or just getting healthy and fit, the Toughen Up Training Guides will provide the information needed for safe productive workout sessions.

www.Street-Fighting-Strategies.com

This site, presently hosts my free multiple attacker mini-course but was developed to address the need of people interested in winning in a street fight.  I provides real-world, back-lane street fighting strategies intended to physically defeat attackers in a violent encounter.

There it is…  I hope this information is useful to you.   If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to write me at Randy@ToughenUp.com

Take care, train smart and stay safe, 

Randy

The Path To Self-Defense Mastery IS the ongoing training process. 

“Functional Fitness That You Can Bet Your Life On.” … That’s the tagline I use for my “Toughen Up Training Guides,” and the essence of my philosophy about self-defense training.  Its also why I consider combative training to be the best health and fitness investment you could possibly make.

As I lay out the structure of my “Seven Components of Self-Defense” curriculum, we come back time and time again to the fact that the “training process” is the foundation of achieving the powerful, life-protecting, life-enhancing benefits of self-defense.

Training is the “Path” to Self-Defense

If you’ve read much about the martial arts, you’ll see reference being made again and again about “the path” or “the way” of the martial arts.  Many people interpret this to mean something secret, elusive or mystical.  Thats not the case.

In his book “Mastery,” George Leonard wrote,

“What is mastery? At the heart of it, mastery is practice? Mastery is staying on the path.”

What he is referring to is the “training process” as being the key to unlocking the powerful, life-enhancing benefits of self-defense and the martial arts.

To sit passively and read an article or two about self-defense or perhaps take a weekend seminar on the subject is a step in the right direction. It’s better than nothing I guess.

However, it’s a far cry from making a legitimate impact on your ability to stay safe and protect yourself in the harsh and chaotic reality of the street.

Its true that a big part of your ability to stay safe involves the “mental skills” of avoiding, detecting and defusing volatile situations BEFORE they turn violent.

However, when the shit hits the fan and violence does occur, there’s no way around the reality that a “street fight is an athletic event.”

Whether you stand and fight or run like a rabbit, the biggest factor in avoiding a severe “shit kick’n” is your legitimate fighting skill and functional fitness.

What is Functional Fitness?

Functional fitness is exercise that conditions your body while developing useful, athletic qualities with a real-world application. Functional fitness, unlike cosmetic fitness (body building), will improve your performance in a fight for your life, a weekend tennis game or carrying your groceries up a flight of stairs.

Many popular forms of exercise DO NOT contribute to your real-world performance or your ability to protect yourself. You don’t “jog” away from a mugger.  You don’t “bench press or curl” a violent attacker.

Workouts built around bodybuilding concepts provide questionable benefits in a street fight. I’ve seen many people who have “pumped iron” for years and don’t have a coordinated bone in their body.

Many people I’ve trained can bench press 300 pounds but can’t punch their way out of a wet paper bag! (not until after I’m finished with them that is

What is Combat Conditioning?

Combat conditioning uses “fighting techniques” as the primary “exercise building blocks” to improve health, condition your body AND develop legitimate self-defense fighting skills.

Supplementary exercises that are designed to enhance your combative performance are also incorporated to provide a full-body workout system with real-world performance benefits.

Exercise is EVENT SPECIFIC.  If you want to get good at something, in our case street fighting and self-defense, then your workout program should “mimic” as closely as possible the activity you want to improve.

The best conditioning for an activity is achieved by doing the activity.  If you can get into great shape by doing the actual activity you are trying to improve, then do that activity.  Supplementary exercises should support and enhance the qualities not replace them.

The best way to improve your punching is by punching, not by lifting weights or jogging.  That being said, “the right kind” of supplementary exercise can enhance but not replace your punching practice.

A Combative Training Recipe

Here is a shopping list of what you need to know to design your own safe and productive combative workouts:

Master the Basics: Learn the fundamentals and exact body mechanics of the skills and techniques you will build your workouts around. Punches, strikes, kicks, shifting and movement etc.  That is exactly why I made my “Power Punching Guide,” the foundation of my Toughen Up Training Series.  If your body mechanics are not solid, proper and well-established combative training efforts become dangerous anbd counter productive.

Train Smart:  Learn how to regulate the frequency, intensity and duration of your workouts for maximum progress in minimum time and effort.

Don’t Waste Your Time:  Avoid wasting your time on “low-return” exercises that do nothing to enhance your athletic performance and fighting skills.  Concentration Curls, leg extensions, or any “isolation” exercise fall into the low-return category.

Use Equipment Properly:  Buy or borrow the best combative training equipment you can get your hands on and learn how to use it productively and safely.  (Heavy bag, focus pads, Thai pads, boxing gloves, kettlebells etc.)  My Toughen Up Training Guides were written to address this very topic.

Supplementary Exercises: Supplement your combative drills with full-body exercises that emphasis balance, coordination, core-strength, and other head-to-toe qualities.  “Train movements not muscle groups.”  Body building type exercises do very little for your fighting abilities and athletic performance.  That’s why so many fighters are turning to more functional equipment like kettlebells, full body free weight exercises, body weight exercises, medicine balls, “odd object lifting,” etc.

Mix It Up:  Continuously vary your workouts to keep them from getting stale and boring.  When your body adapts to the stress of a new workout program progress stops.  You need to change things up to keep improving.  Don’t stick with the same workout program for more than 4 weeks.

Don’t Hurt Yourself:… most importantly… the number 1 priority is to avoid the aches, pains and injuries of overzealous and improper training. If you need a hand with any of these ingredients, check out my Toughen Up Training Guides at http://www.ToughenUp.com/ .

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me…

Take care, train smart and stay safe…

Randy LaHaie

What Are The Seven Components Of Self-Defense?

Let’s begin our discussion of the “Seven Components of Self-Defense” with a bit of an overview of exactly what they are.

By way of background, I’ve been studying self-defense and personal safety since 1975 (ouch, pretty old eh?). I’ve read hundreds of books, logged thousands of hours training, taught and attended countless seminars and courses and built a career around teaching people how to deal with violent or volatile situations.  (Oh yeah… I’ve also been in my fair share of street encounters, and I’m still in one chunk!

I’ve studied and experienced the limitations of human performance in stressful, chaotic situations and the impact that training, knowledge and preparation has on that performance.

I’ve analyzed thousands of violent encounters, conducted detailed reviews and given expert testimony in court about such incidents.

Even as a kid, starting out in the martial arts, I’ve always sought “the truth” about self-defense.  I’m still seeking that truth… three decades later.

I gotta tell ya, I’ve come across a lot of bullshit.  A lot of theoretical hogwash being held out as gospel… A load of over-simplified or unnecessarily-complex crap about the way human beings are “supposed to” behave and a pile of mystical garbage that’s “guaranteed” to dispose of any attacker, regardless of his size or strength, and with little or no training or practice to boot!

We have a term for that in the legitimate self-defense field.   We call it “bullshit!”

My goal is, and has always been, to uncover the truth about violent and predatory behavior and to figure out what we can realistically do to prepare for, avoid, defuse and deal with it.

I’ve sought to uncover the real-world principles, strategies and tactics to help people recognize, avoid, defuse and deal with the real and legitimate dynamics of interpersonal violence.   But I’m babbling… Lets get to the point shall we?

Over the years I’ve discovered that ALL self-defense theory revolves around seven distinct components or categories.  Some approaches address some of them and exclude others.

I haven’t found many of them that integrate all seven… so I guess I’ll just have to do it myself!

I hold out to you that EACH of the components is important and work together synergistically to provide you with the most comprehensive and realistic approach to self-defense possible.

Before we get into the components, let me qualify what is to follow by saying to you, I’m not providing you with a “style or a system” of self-defense.  I’m not comparing one “fighting style” against another.  I’m not even saying that MY WAY is the only way or even the best way.

I am providing you with a “big-picture approach” to a total self-defense solution.  I’m giving you a personal safety framework that is applicable regardless of the style, system or discipline you might subscribe to.

You might be a martial artist or you might not. You might be a fighter or a pacifist, male or female, young or old, teacher or student.  It doesn’t matter.  This information can be adapted and used by ANYONE who wants to build a legitimate self-defense skill-set that will work in the real world.

(Don’t be confused if some of my terminology changes as we go.  They’re just words and subject to adjustment.  It’s the meaning and the principles we’re digging for here)

The Seven Components Of Self-Defense are as follows:

Component #1 - Self-Defense Psychology

The dictionary defines psychology as “the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity.”  I’ll take that a step further and include the emotional and personality-based impact of your self-defense efforts.

Component #2 - Self-Defense Intelligence

Intelligence is the ability to learn, understand or to deal with new or trying situations and the skilled use of reason.  It includes the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment or to solve problems.  Essentially, this component deals with the skillful application of awareness, thinking skills and decision-making to self-defense.

Component #3 - Victim Selection

Victims of violent crime, bullying, and intimidation are seldom picked at random.  Human predators don’t select victims who they perceive, either consciously or subconsciously, will “kick their ass.”

Victims are selected on the basis of their personality, behavior and body language.

Likewise, “non-victims” project an image of being capable, willing and able to confront their adversaries.  As a result it’s unlikely that they will need to.

Knowing the characteristics of victims, non-victims and what you can do to affect your own profile is an important part of self-defense.

Component #4 - Predatory Recognition

I’m not particularly concerned about WHY someone is violent.  Whether its upbringing, genetics or the impact of booze, drugs or a mental disorder… I don’t care.

What I DO care about is the behavior of violent and predatory people, and in particular how it affects me and the people I care about.

Predators leave clues.  They have a “method to their madness.” They apply strategies and project behavior and body language that will reveal their intent to a trained observer.  By understanding your enemy and knowing his or her methods, you can anticipate and recognize a volatile situation unfolding.

Component #5 - Response Options

There is no “one way” to deal with a violent or volatile situation.  You need an inventory of response options if you want to respond effectively in a volatile situation.  A poor or inappropriate response can backfire or make matters worse.  A street-smart decision must be morally and legally right and have the greatest probability of success.

Combine this with the fact that your ability to think logically or creatively is impaired by stress (sympathetic nervous system activation or the fight or flight response) it makes pre-thinking and the proactive study of response options that much more important.

Component #6 - Prevention Strategies

I’m not a fan of memorizing dozens of “safety tips” and trying to build them into your life. Mainly because it doesn’t work!

What is more important is understanding the impact that “complacency” has on your personal safety and the degree that you feel you need to incorporate safety habits and preventative measures into your life.

If you understand the strategies of preventing and avoiding predatory or criminal situations, you can improvise proactive safety measures on-the-fly that are suited to your personality, lifestyle and circumstances.

Component #7 - Combative Training Methods

Combative or self-defense training methods are my favorite aspect of the field that I’m in.  In addition to the fact that ongoing combative training is one of the most enjoyable and functional forms of conditioning that there is, it also affects all of the other components.

The training process is the “glue” that binds the other components into a cohesive whole.  It is the process of improving your health and conditioning your body while learning functional street fighting tactics at the same time.

I’ve dedicated a specific web site and a series of instructional training guides for combative training at http://www.ToughenUp.com/

Ok, that should give you enough to chew on for now.  I’ll leave it at that get into more details about each component in subsequent posts.

Enuff said,

Randy

Unless you’ve been living in a cave all of your life, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the concept of “Yin And Yang.”  Even if you don’t fully understand it,  you will… The more you learn about self-defense (and life in general), the more you’ll come to understand how profound the concept of “complimentary opposites” is.

Now before I get a gazillion responses chastising me for my over-simplified use of this ancient and profound concept, let me clarify that I’m using it for discussion… not much else.

There are two basic approaches to self-defense. There is the “theory approach” (which I’ll associate with the “soft or yin” aspect of self defense) and there is the “training approach.” (which I’ll associate with the “hard or yang” aspect)

Neither approach is “BETTER” than the other. Neither is COMPLETE without the other.  In my opinion, only by integrating BOTH approaches will you have a realistic personal safety system.

The theory-approach involves understanding the dynamics of violent encounter.  How they happen, how to prevent and avoid them, how to detect and recognize them and how to deal with them if and when they do happen.

It involves the idea of protecting yourself from “outside threats,” in particular the violent or predatory actions of other people.

The “problem” with an exclusively theoretical approach to self-defense is that it does very little to improve your health or protect you from “internal threats” (such as the health threats associated to being out of shape, making poor lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive drinking and poor diet etc.)

Another pitfall about a theory-only approach to self-defense is that your “measuring stick,” the criteria of “success” is to use your knowledge so that “NOTHING HAPPENS.”

You know what boys and girls?  Dedicating time, study and energy for the achievement of “NOTHING” is not a huge motivator.

The training-approach to self-defense goes at things from a different angle.  Self-Defense training involves the regular, ongoing process of developing skills and developing “athletic qualities” that can help you deal with a violent situation. 

Enhancing your performance IS a legitimate solution to many of the problems we face in staying safe.  Make no mistake about it, a fight is an “athletic event.”  The more skilled you are, the better shape you’re in, the more confident and mentally prepared you are, the better you’ll do.

The “measuring stick” is health and self-improvement.  “Success” IS when something happens. The ongoing process of working out and developing your self-defense skills will get you into great shape.  You’ll look better, feel better, be stronger, leaner, and in general much healthier.

Which is pedal on a bicycle is “better” the right or the left?  Which is better inhaling or exhale? I think the “answer” is not one or the other but BOTH.  Thats my point, BOTH knowledge and training are important in gaining the most out of your self-defense efforts.

There’s not much sense developing a healthy attractive body if you some “shitbag” cranks you over the head, drags you into the bushes and victimizes you.  Nor is there much logic to building a life around worrying about and avoiding that “shitbag” when chances are you’ll never encounter him any way.

Learn to protect yourself from the inside and out. Combine the study of personal safety with the regular practice of conditioning and training.

Enuff said,

Randy
www.ToughenUp.com

“Functional Fitness That You Can Bet Your Life On.”

… That’s the tagline I use for my “Toughen Up Training Guides,” and the essence of my philosophy about self-defense training.  Its also why I consider combative training to be the best health and fitness investment you could possibly make.

As I lay out the structure of my “Seven Components of Self-Defense” curriculum, we come back time and time again to the fact that the “training process” is the foundation of achieving the powerful, life-protecting, life-enhancing benefits of self-defense.

Training is the “Path” to Self-Defense

If you’ve read much about the martial arts, you’ll see reference being made again and again about “the path” or “the way” of the martial arts.  Many people interpret this to mean something secret or mystical.  It doesn’t.

What it is referring to is the “training process” as being the key to unlocking the powerful, life-enhancing benefits of self-defense.

To sit passively and read an article or two about self-defense or perhaps take a weekend seminar on the subject is one thing.  It’s better than nothing I guess.

However, it’s a far cry from making a legitimate impact on your ability to stay safe and protect yourself.

Its true that a big part of your ability to stay safe involves the “mental skills” of avoiding, detecting and defusing volatile situations BEFORE they turn violent.

However, when the shit hits the fan and violence does occur, there’s no way around the reality that a “street fight is an athletic event.”

Whether you stand and fight or run like a rabbit, the biggest factor on avoiding a severe “shit kick’n” is your legitimate fighting skill and functional fitness.

What is Functional Fitness?

Functional fitness is exercise that conditions your body while developing useful, athletic qualities with a real-world application. Functional fitness, unlike cosmetic fitness, will improve your performance in a fight for your life, a weekend tennis game or carrying your groceries up a flight of stairs.

Many popular forms of exercise DO NOT contribute to your real-world performance or your ability to protect yourself. You don’t “jog” away from a mugger.  You don’t “bench press or curl” a violent attacker.

Workouts build around bodybuilding concepts provide questionable benefits in a street fight. I’ve seen many people who have “pumped iron” for years who don’t have a coordinated bone in their body.

Many people who can whip of a set of bench presses with a 300 pound barbell, can’t punch their way out of a wet paper bag!

What is Combat Conditioning?

Combat conditioning uses “fighting techniques” as the primary form of exercise to improve health, condition your body AND develop legitimate self-defense fighting skills.

Supplementary exercises that are designed to enhance your combative performance are also incorporated to provide a full-body workout system with a real-world performance benefits.

Exercise is EVENT SPECIFIC.  If you want to get good at something, in our case street fighting and self-defense, then your workout program should “mimic” as closely as possible the activity you want to improve.

The best conditioning for an activity is achieved by doing the activity.  If you can get into great shape by doing the actual activity you are trying to improve, then do that activity.  Supplementary exercises should support and enhance the qualities

The best way to improve your punching is by punching, not by lifting weights or jogging.  That being said, “the right kind” of supplementary exercise can enhance but not replace your punching practice.

A Combative Training Recipe

Here is a shopping list of what you need to know to design your own safe and productive combative workouts:

• Learn the fundamentals and exact body mechanics of the skills and techniques you will build your workouts around. Punches, strikes, kicks, shifting and movement etc.
• Learn how to regulate the frequency, intensity and duration of your workouts for maximum progress in minimum time and effort.
• Avoid wasting your time on “low-return” exercises that do nothing to enhance your athletic performance and fighting skills.
• Buy or borrow the best combative training equipment you can get your hands on and learn how to use it productively and safely.  (Heavy bag, focus pads, Thai pads, boxing gloves etc.)
• Supplement your combative drills with full-body exercises that emphasis balance, coordination, core-strength, and other head-to-toe qualities. Training “movements not muscle groups.”
• Continuously vary your workouts to keep them from getting stale and boring.  When your body adapts to the stress of a new workout program progress stops.  You need to change things up to keep improving.

And… most importantly… the number 1 priority is to avoid the aches, pains and injuries of overzealous and improper training.

If you need a hand with any of these ingredients, check out my Toughen Up Training Guides at http://www.ToughenUp.com/ .

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me…

Take care, train smart and stay safe…

Randy LaHaie

About the Author:

Randy LaHaie is a trainer, consultant and author of the ” Toughen Up Combative Training Series.” He has been studying and teaching self-defense for over 30 years and has instructed thousands of people in dealing with dangerous, volatile and violent situations.

The goal of Toughen Up is to develop strategies and methods of becoming a “tougher” person.  The information that you’ll gain from this blog, my web sites and Toughen Up Training Guides will create “Toughness” on several levels and in various forms.

 Tougher means more motivated and deliberate.

The essence of Toughen Up and the pursuit of martial arts is not about acquiring a collection of techniques and concepts.  It’s about integrating a deliberate plan of action to move you toward your goals and being the person you want to be.   It’s about “TRAINING.”  The person who sits on the couch hoping for something different in life is not tough.  The tough person is knows what he or she wants, knows what he or she has to do to get it (or is willing to find out) AND is willing to invest time and energy on a consistent basis to move in the desired direction.

Tougher means more resilient emotionally.

Dr. Jame’s Loher in his excellent “Mentally Tough” book series, talks about the about the connection between training (exercise, nutrition and recovery) as having a dramatic effect on your emotional resilience.  He describes Toughness as: “to become more flexible, responsive, strong and resilient - emotionally, mentally or physically - in response to stress.” A focus toughen up training is to expose you to “waves” of stress and recovery and in doing so developing emotional toughness through physical exercise.

“Physical and emtional stress share common biochemical and neurochemical foundations, and becasue of this, physical toughening often leads to autmatic increases in emotional toughening.”  The circut/interval nature of Toughen Up combative training is idea for optimal not only physical development but also in increasing your mental/emotional toughness.

Tougher means more resilient physically.

I can’t count the number of people who engage in an training and exercise program with the best intentions only to be sidelined by an injury because of overzealous or improper efforts.  I know many, many martial artists and contact athletes who have virtually crippled themselves by failing to acknowledge proper body mechanics and injury prevention as a top priority.  From nagging aches and pains, to torn muscles to hip replacements and shoulder surgery the consequences if bad training habits are more the norm than the exception.  Toughen up strategies place injury prevention as a top priority by ensuring that you avoid self-destructive training activities.  Much of my focus is in improving the strength, resiliency and health of your body.

Tougher means you can fight if you need to.

The metaphor of Toughen Up is self-defense.  The fitter you are, the more successful you are likely to be in a violent encounter.  Toughen Up combines functional fighting drills that will develop skills AND fitness.  The supplementary exercises are also intended to not only contribute to your health and fitness but also to enhance your performance in a fight. 

Tougher means becoming a “Tougher Target.” (An unlikely victim)

My research reveals time and time again that the people most likely to be victimized by bullies, rapists or muggers are those who project an image of being either unwilling or unable stand up to or fight back against their attacker.  The potential of you ever becoming a victim is largely in part of your self-confidence, the way you move, and how aware you are of your surroundings.  Toughen Up training prepares you for a fight.  You can’t “fake” endurance, strength or coordination.  The athletic qualities that you will develop through Toughen Up training will dramatically decrease your “victim potential,” even if you don’t know it. 

 Tougher means being more functionally fit.

Dedicating your life to the sole purpose of “beating people up,” is a pretty superficial goal.  Combine that with the fact that you will probably go through your entire life without ever encountering a violent situation it’s a pretty hollow endeavor.  That being said, the combative training drills and supplementary exercises are designed to develop full-body, functional fitness that will serve you in ALL areas of life.  The lifting, carrying, bending, twisting actions that you do on a day to day basis will all be enhance by a well- rounded approach of Toughen Up.

 That’s just scratching the suface of the benefits I’m after in the Toughen Up training programs.  Hopefully you’re starting to see that there are many qualities of toughness that the right training activities have to offer.