Fighting Fighting

So, I spent the last three days getting my killing on.

Spartan Training Resources founders, John and Steve

This time it was at Spartan Training Resources' Tactical Pistol course. That is my brother, Steve, on the right. He and his buddy, John, started their own training company after running the firearms training for the  local police academy for the past several years.

This was their first class. They invited ten high-speed operators from around the county to attend their shake-down class and give them feedback before they open it up to paying customers.



*

Two-man tactics

*

wounded malfunction clearing

more team tactics

empty hand combatives

knife defense

the dishwasher working knees

Steve handing out some pain

***



I think they're going to do okay.




*


The three day class started with the basics- grip, stance, sight picture, trigger control, etc, and built on that foundation step by step, introducing movement, wounded drills, team tactics, combat mindset, close-contact shooting, all the skills necessary to prevail in a dynamic lethal-force engagement with a pistol.

Then on day three we went into the gym and pressure tested what they taught us, using airsoft guns and rubber knives and dedicated, live opponents to see if the shit really worked.

And it did.

We also got a basic intro to Krav Maga from Eric, who runs a Muy-Thai/Krav Maga/Jits dojo in town. Eric is a certified bad-ass, professional Muy Thai fighter, high-level Krav instructor, former Marine, academy trained, the whole shooting match.


He and his assistant Lisa kicked our asses but good.

Lisa working the tombstone bag with Eric

Eric's dojo, the Budo Ryu

*


There are lots of places you can go to learn how to run your gun, lots of places that will teach you how to shoot really, really well. There are places you can go to learn how to shoot and move, and think tactically, and win a fight with armed assailants. But they almost universally see the pistol as the be-all end-all tool for the fight. Not many schools are working at integrating empty-hand defense, knife defense, ground fighting, and striking into the defensive pistol curriculum. South Narc does it in his ECQC classes, which I took last year and let me tell you, that fucking opened my eyes.

But most places don't have the width and depth of experience in combatives and pistol work that my brother has. Gun guys tend to stick with guns, and combatives guys tend to stick with rolling and striking.

The future is in integrating the disciplines. Just like how mixed martial arts took a bunch of different styles of fighting and tested them against each other- it showed what worked against a dedicated opponent and what only looked good in a kata but broke down in the real world. Eventually a mix of stand-up striking and kicks, a BJJ based wrestling game with locks and submissions, and a ground-and-pound game emerged as the most functional and lethal combination, and that's what we see today in the fights. You can't just be a standup striker, or a jits player, or a kickboxer. You've got to integrate all the necessary skill-sets, and that is a completely different game.

That is what my brother is doing with Spartan Training Resources. I think in another ten years we're going to see a lot more of it. Especially in the .mil and LE world, it's just necessary. It's not optional. I don't think it will take off too much in the civilian world, just because it isn't as comfortable as standing on a range and poking holes in paper targets. It's hard, and it hurts, and most folks, even most gun folks, won't want to do it.

*


I love the fuck out of it, myself.


*


I am really proud of my little brother. He is a total stud. He can kill you just by looking at you, but he's the most easy-going guy you'll ever meet. I will never be as tough as him, but he gives me something to aspire to every day.

I love him like a brother.


Ha.


*



So, that's it from me. No art, no poetry, no cosmic deep-thinking, no food porn, no alcohol, no despair, no moodiness.

Just fighting fighting.


***



Namaste.



***