Martial Arts Combat Training — Combat Sports & Conditioning, Reality-Based Martial Arts

Tactical Specific Physical Conditioning

by Scott Sonnon on October 8, 2009

in Combat-Fitness & Conditioning,Personal Development

What is the Mission of the RMAX TACFIT® Team?

RMAX International holds a two-fold mission: to promote tactical conditioning and integrated physical and morale training to professionals on a global scale, and to support our members in targeting the general and specific needs assessment of their team, company or unit. Our vision – “Surpassing ouRMAXimum Potential Together” – provides tactical conditioning specialists with a professionally tested and trusted, cutting-edge scientific resource to meet the needs of those who have the courage to move toward danger so that others may move out of harm’s way.

Core Values

Team-Oriented: We provide support for our members to both facilitate individual growth and foster group cohesion of our teams.
Global-Focused: We extend into most countries worldwide, and provides in-house as well as support abroad where our members need it most.
Integrity-Based: We concentrate on only the most expedient, effective and efficient.
Evolutionary: We remain up-to-date and on the bleeding edge of specific tactical conditioning solutions.
Integrative: Not a patchwork of parts, we are a synergistic unity of all of our research and development in the field of tactical conditioning science.
Adaptive and Improvisational: We use retro-tech solutions to hi-tech discoveries and remain free to use whatever resources we have at our members’ disposal to accomplish the task-at-hand.

Join Our Team

As a member of the RMAX International TACFIT® Team, you’ll be among the brightest minds in the field of tactical conditioning, and its founder, Scott Sonnon – the most-acclaimed martial arts conditioning coach in the world.

Consider why security, law enforcement, fire and military personnel worldwide enlist Coach Sonnon’s surgically-accurate training guidance. Overcoming physical, biochemical and psychological obstacles, he knows more than merely how to be fit: he knows first-hand exploiting his true strengths and mitigating his weaknesses until he transforms them into advantages as well. And named the “Coach’s Coach” – he teaches you how to replicate this process with 100% success, regardless of circumstances or pitfalls.

The RMAX International Faculty Directors, coming from all branches of tactical operations – military, law enforcement, security, intelligence – guarantees that you receive perfectly optimized training standards in the areas you need.

As a result, to ensure that you receive the correct educational platform, we offer you multiple levels of certifications:

Certified TACFIT® Field Instructor (Level 1)
Certified TACFIT® Team Leader (Level 2)

Departing RMAX International Certification, you will feel 100% confident that you possess a comprehensive toolbox to surpass youRMAXimum potential, and ensure that your teammates and clients do as well.

JOIN NOW OR GET MORE INFO HERE!

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Scott's array of patented equipment - such as the Clubbell® - have become legendary in their unique effectiveness. His Circular Strength Training® System and the global wellness society known as RMAX International can now be found in 58 countries worldwide and counting, earning Scott a place in the National Fitness Hall of Fame Museum and the Personal Trainer Hall of Fame.

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The Original Clubbell

by Scott Sonnon on October 8, 2009

in Clubbell Training

Scott Sonnon: As the USA Police Team Coach of the most brutal form of martial art created in the former Soviet Union – SAMBO, I took our national team to Lithuania for World Championships, and there we met the team from Tajikistan. Their wrestlers were incredibly well conditioned, and literally throwing their opponents off the mats.

Knowing that there was more than meets the eye, I investigated. They shared with me their strength training methods transliterated as zurhkane or zoorkhane – which means “The House of Power.”

One of the methods of this millennia old tradition originating in ancient Persia was “club swinging.” This confirmed research I had been conducting since the beginning of the 1990s into alternative conditioning methods of Russia, India and turn of the century North America.

The Clubbell® is the ORIGINAL COMBAT FITNESS TOOL specifically researched, engineered and implemented to target the rotary and angular/diagonal muscles, to target the grip, wrist and forearm strength, and to target enhancing shoulder synergy, to be used in sophisticating your movement as a conservative injury prevention, prehabilitation and post-rehabilitation tool, as well as sports-specific performance enhancement.

If You Want to Improve Your Appearance and….

Build A Wide Muscular Frame

Chisel An Imposing Masculine Physique

Dramatically Improve Your Posture

Develop Dense, Firm and Thickly Packed Muscle

Displaced Center of Gravity: With dumbbells, the weight can be supported by your skeletal structure, as if sitting on top of a column. With dumbbells your grip is located directly upon the center of gravity which remains constant throughout the exercise for the entire range of motion; a more gross action, power without coordination. The Unique Balance Scheme of Clubbells® forces athletes to use proper technique and concentrate on complex skills during the movement. The Displaced Center of Gravity forces you to keep the weight inside of its proper groove throughout the entire lift. At times having the weight pull away from you is desirable. For example, many people do not have the shoulder flexibility to do overhead squats. The Clubbell® will pull your arm into the proper position and keep it there.

Leverage Lifting Principle: The unique benefits of leverage challenge include a superior training effect. Decreased leverage of the Displaced Center of Gravity translates force more effectively to develop superior grip strength, as well as lower arm, upper arm and shoulder synergy, stabilization and dynamic flexibility. Additionally, Clubbells have specially engineered grip and knob design to provide a perfect purchase for the grip to facilitate easy of utility and maximize your ability to produce force. No other apparatus translates this amount of leveraged force!

Pendulum Swinging Principle: With Clubbells, your grip is at the end of an extension attached to the weighted center of gravity. As you go through the range of motion the weight moves in relation to the fixed point of your grip much the same as a pendulum swings from a fixed point. The leverage and the force constantly change position along with the strength of the pull throughout the range of motion creating resistance and stressing your muscles from varying angles. This gives a totally different dynamic effect to the exercise which is impossible to obtain with any other piece of equipment. This Pendulum Swinging Principle, used for centuries but lost to conventional training, has been reborn through the legendary Clubbell®, a patended breakthrough in combat sport specific training.

Micro-Loading Adjustable Grip: Clubbells® are a means of Incremental Progression. The special design of the handle allows minor increases in weight, never overloading your muscles but always challenging them. Micro-Loading Adjustable Grip is a special design function that uniquely promotes constant progress and strength gains. No other piece of equipment has this versatility!

If you Want to Become Athletic to…..

Develop Shoulder Strength, Endurance and Flexibility through Extreme Ranges of Motion

Vastly Improve your Grip and Wrist Strength

Train Dynamic Shoulder Flexibility and Stability

Improve Timing and Coordination

Develop Tremendous Rotator Cuff Strength

Great for Sports like Rugby, Golf, Tennis, Swimming, Cricket, Baseball, Football, Squash, Cycling, Wrestling, Climbing, and Mixed and Traditional Martial Arts

Complex Training Effect: A Combination Routine is a series of two or more basic exercises woven smoothly together after having mastered each basic component. Combination Routines combine strength and speed/power in the same workout. The Complex Training Effect involves a grinding exercise followed by a similar, but ballistic exercise, or utilizing a ballistic followed by a similar, but grinding exercise. Athletes increase the high tension of the grind or the power of the ballistic exercise or both, and the increases will be greater than if the exercises were performed consecutively. The performance of a grinding exercise followed by a ballistic exercise elicits a neurological response that enables increased power, thereby creating a greater training effect. The Complex Training Effect augments your neuromuscular system by teaching it to fire at a faster rate. It develops strength, speed and technique simultaneously. What this allows is for the Combination Routines to be constructed in the ideal way to improve Specific Physical Preparedness for any particular sport.

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Unleash The Power Of Heavy Kettlebell Training

by Mike Mahler on October 8, 2009

in Kettlebell Training,Mahler's Aggressive Strength

Many people believe light to moderate kettlebell training is ideal, 53lb kettlebells for men and 26lb kettlebells for women. This line of thinking is a great way to miss out on the benefits of heavy kettlebell training.

For example, 53lb kettlebells are not challenging to me at all and if I based my training on 53lb kettlebells, I would not have the strength, size, endurance, and explosive power that I currently have. Moreover, my clients would not make the improvements that they have made if they stuck to light bells.

Even if your goals are cardio and muscular endurance, why not work up to heavier kettlebells for reps? Do you really think that knocking off ten double swings with two 88lb kettlebells will not be beneficial? Do you think that ten clean and presses with the 70s will not benefit you as an athlete? Of course both will. An athlete would clearly do better with do twelve clean and presses with two 70s than thirty clean and presses with two 53s.

If you can do thirty reps with a weight, it is too easy to have any dramatic benefit for athletic activities and strength (unless your sport is GS, a kettlebell sport), especially, for combat athletes. The heavier the kettlebells you can handle for muscular endurance, the more benefit you will have for your sport. Using Olympic lifting as a back drop, an athlete who can Power Clean 315lbs five times is going to have much more explosive power than an athlete who can Power Clean 135lbs fifteen times. Moreover, the athlete who can Power Clean 315lbs will be able to do far more than fifteen reps with 135lbs.

Heavy training improves light training, but not the other way around. So why even bother with light training? With the exception of working on form and back-off weeks, I would say do not bother. Personally, 70lb bells are the lightest ones I own and I only use them for GTG (Pavel’s Greasing the Groove in which you practice an exercise daily for neurological facilitation) for presses and sometimes high-rep Front Squats.

Recently someone asked me how many reps I can do for the ten-minute Snatch test with a 53lb kettlebell. I have no idea as I have never done the test. With all due respect to the test and the great people who have participated in the test (lots of impressive numbers by people who have taken the test), I’d rather have an athlete knock off twenty Snatches left and right with an 88lb kettlebell and eventually the 105lb bell. Sounds like too much? I can do 17 Snatches left and right with a 105lb kettlebell and I am far from a gifted athlete.

A few months ago I knocked off 50 reps per arm on One-arm Snatches with a 53lb bell. I am not breaking any records, and there are a few things you should know. I never train with light kettlebells; I rarely work on high reps (over ten reps per set), and the 50 reps left and right was easy for me. The power and endurance that I built with heavy kettlebells carried over very well to light weights for high reps. However, take a man or woman who can do 50 snatches with a 53lb kettlebell who has never trained with a heavier kettlebell and I promise you that he or she will not be able to do more than a few reps with a 105lb kettlebell. More than likely, he or she will not even be able to do one rep. If you are an athlete, light training it is not ideal for the majority of your workouts.

Once you have the technique down, ramp up the intensity. Heavy kettlebell training will do far more for explosive power and when done in high reps will develop muscular endurance that will transfer to your sport.

Now I am not blowing my own horn here or trying to convey what a great athlete I am. Again I am not a great athlete and certainly not a genetic freak. My anabolic hormone levels are good, but certainly not exceptional. Thus, I do not have tremendous recovery abilities either. I did not even start lifting weights until I was 18 and got pinned with 100lbs on the bench press when I first got started. I never played sports in high school or college. Thus, if I can work up to the numbers above, it should be no problem for gifted athletes. I am just an average guy who learned how to train smart, recruit the CNS, and use my own leverage points to handle heavier bells – more about leverage points later.

My point to drive home is that heavy kettlebell training is not just beneficial for size and strength, but for muscular endurance as well. The muscular endurance you build with heavy kettlebells is much more beneficial than light kettlebells for athletes. In addition, heavy kettlebell training engages the CNS more efficiently, teaches you how to master your own leverage points, and if used correctly, probably has a great benefit to optimizing anabolic hormones. Of course this is far more complicated than just training.

Let me make it clear by stating that I do not think heavy weight low-rep training takes the place of muscular endurance. That is not what this article is about. Of course you need to work with high reps and lots of volume or frequency to ramp up endurance, but you should not be afraid of heavy kettlebell training. If muscular endurance is your thing, have a goal of working up to some high reps with some heavy kettlebells on the Double Clean and Press, Double Swing, Double Front Squat (or Double Clean and Front Squat), Double Clean and Jerk (or Clean and Push Press), Double Snatches, One-arm Swings, and One-arm Snatches.

Heavy kettlebells are bells you can only do a few reps with, say 2-4. Start with low reps to get used to the heavier kettlebells. For example, if you can Clean and Press two 53lb bells ten times, do a few sets of two reps when you start working with the 70lb bells. Make each rep perfect. Once that gets easy, start building the reps. When you can do ten Clean and Presses with the 70s, get a pair of 88s and do the same thing.

One important thing to keep in mind is that training form needs to be modified as the bells get heavier. Let’s use the Clean and Press as an example. With light kettlebells, you can keep the body fairly loose and still maintain proper technique. You can easily keep your body upright as leverage is not a necessity. However, once you start doing Clean and Presses with heavy kettlebells, you are playing in a whole new ball game. You have to tighten up and apply more tension to have a solid foundation. You will have to let your back “sit back” and push your hips as far forward as possible for optimal leverage. Your breathing will change. Now you have to hold your breath or apply “power breathing” to keep the tension high to get the bells moving.

An another example is the One-arm Snatch: When I do Snatches with a 105lb bell my form is much different than my form with a 70lb kettlebell. I drive through with much more power and pop the pelvis through and let my back sit back for more explosive power and leverage similar to what Olympic lifters do. As the bell goes overhead, I bend my knees slightly to get under the weight and catch it. When I return the bell to the starting position, I keep it close to my body for maximum control. I also do not swing the bell back as far between my feet as that also throws off the leverage. It is almost a completely different exercise all together than a One-arm Snatch with a lighter bell.

One final example is the One-arm Military Press with a 105lb kettlebell. At my bodyweight of 193, I can One-arm Military Press a 70lb kettlebell easily without having to shift my weight at all for optimal leverage. When I press an 88lb bell, I shift my weight a little bit. However, when I press a 105lb kettlebell, I need every leverage point that I can take advantage of. I kick my hip out under the bell; I take the bell behind my back so I can engage the lat more and acquire more leverage and stability. Then I shift my weight in the opposite direction similar to a side press to keep the bell moving, and once I have the bell moving, I shift my weight under the bell to finish the move.

I saw Steve Cotter, founder of Full Kontact Kettlebells, One-arm Military Press a 105lb kettlebell recently and it almost looked like a Kettlebell Windmill. Steve started the press from under the chin and quickly got the bell behind his back to reach the optimal leverage point. Some of you may feel that this is cheating. To retort I say you either weigh a lot more than Steve and do not need leverage to press a 105lb kettlebell, or you are not even close to pressing a 105lb. Do you really feel that mastering leverage with a heavy kettlebell is not beneficial to athletes? Isn’t that what athletes do all of the time? Judo and wrestling have a lot of techniques in which the ideal leverage is used to take the opponent down efficiently. In football you do not just ram into your opponent haphazardly, you go for a particular spot to do the most damage.

One of the strong benefits of heavy kettlebell training is that you ultimately have to master all of your leverage points to get the job done. Right now, I am working on the Double Clean and Press with two 105lb kettlebells. The only way that it is going to happen is if I apply my ideal leverage points. These are points I have not found yet as I have not needed to apply them with 88lb kettlebells and below. Regardless, I will find these points and I will press the 105lb kettlebells. It is only a matter of time and the learning process in and of itself is a lot of fun. I really enjoy the challenge. When I work up to a Clean and Press with the 105lb kettlebells for reps, you better believe that it will improve my numbers with the 88s and 70s. No doubt about it.

I will leave you with this. Even if you do not want to train with heavy kettlebells, if you want to improve your numbers with the bells you are currently using, get some heavier kettlebells. The 88lb kettlebells always felt heavy to me until I started training with 105lb kettlebells. Now they feel light and the 70s feel so light that when I went to do a Double Clean and Press yesterday, I almost ended up doing a Double Snatch by accident!

DEVELOP IMPRESSIVE GAINS NOW!

The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size and Strength e-Book

Kettlebell Solutions for Speed and Explosive Strength DVD

The Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss and Mental Toughness DVD

The Kettlebell Solution for Size and Strength DVD

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Mike Mahler is a fitness information provider based in Las Vegas, NV. Mike has been a strength trainer and kettlebell instructor for over seven years and has taught workshops all over the US and overseas. His current focus is on the field of hormone optimization via nutrition, training, and lifestyle. Mike is also working on a book entitled, "Live Life Aggressively! What Self-help Gurus Don't want you to know which covers how to carry the lessons that you learn from training to other areas of life.

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Breaking Into A Kettlebell Size and Strength Program

by Mike Mahler on October 8, 2009

in Kettlebell Training,Mahler's Aggressive Strength

Before I wrote several articles and came out with a comprehensive DVD on using kettlebells for size and strength, many trainees confined the benefits of kettlebell training to muscular endurance and fat loss. No doubt kettlebell training is a very effective component of an effective fat loss program (the other component being pushing yourself away from the kitchen table more often). In addition to fat loss and muscular endurance training, kettlebells can be used effectively for adding size and strength. However, many trainees are confused with how to transition into a kettlebell focused size and strength program. If you have been using kettlebells for endurance and fat loss, you have to gradually transition into high volume strength training for muscular development. Many trainees make the mistake of jumping into a 5×5 (five sets of five with heavy weights) paradigm or worse a 10×5 paradigm and go into an over trained state rapidly. A much better plan is to get used to the most effective kettlebell exercises for size and strength with a few sets and a few workouts per week. Once you get the hang of these size and strength exercises you can start adding some volume and intensity.

Lets start off with the exercises:

Primary Exercises

Double Kettlebell Clean and Press: In addition to being a full body exercise that will stimulate overall growth, the Double Kettlebell Clean and Press is an incredible upper body developer with particular emphasis on the shoulders and triceps.

Alternating Kettlebell Renegade Row: In addition to working the lats, mid back, and biceps, the Renegade Row works the core and oddly enough the pecs as well. The pecs have to work over time to keep your stable and do not be surprised if you wake up with sore pecs the next day. Thus, men with “breat envy” will love this exercise.

Double Kettlebell Swing: Great hamstring blaster that focuses on fast twitch muscle fibers which are by far the most important for developing size and strength. Great transfer to the “midnight move” as well. Hopefully, you do not need me to elaborate on this further.

Double Kettlebell Front Squat: It all start with a strong foundation and the Front squat will develop strong quads. Just make sure you hold the bells higher up like I do on my Size and Strength DVD to take the emphasis off of the shoulders.

Optional

Double Windmill or Turkish Get-up: Two great exercises for the core and shoulder stability and flexibility. Core work is no doubt important. However, you get a lot of it indirectly with the primary exercises so do not obsess about doing a ton of abdominal work. If you want a six pack, you need to have low bodyfat.

What about variety? I get bored with doing the same exercises over and over again? That is why you have a forgettable physique and strength levels that are far from impressive. Get exceptional at a few basic moves first and then add some variety down the road. Forget about variety for at least one month. Get good at the primary exercises and it will be much easier to transition into other exercises such as the Alternating Military Press, Sots Press, Double Bent-over Row, and Double Snatch. Yes this will require an attention span that most TV addicts will find painful. Too bad, life is about making sacrifices to win the prize.

Now lets go over a sample “break in” program.

Month One

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

A-1: Double Clean and Military Press 2×5
A-2: Alternating Renegade Row 2×5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of A-1 and A-2.

B-1: Double Front Squat 2×5
B-2: Double Swing 2×5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of B-1 and B-2.

Double Windmill 1×5 l,r (left and right)

Month Two

In month two go to three sets per exercise. Keep the core work (TGU and Windmill at one set). In month three, go to four sets per exercise and split up the exercises as follows:

Month Three

Monday-Thursday

A-1: Double Clean and Military Press 4×5
A-2: Alternating Renegade Row 4×5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of A-1 and A-2.

TGU 1×5

Tuesday-Friday

B-1: Double Front Squat 4×5
B-2: Double Swing 4×5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of B-1 and B-2.

Double Windmill 1×5 l,r (left and right)
Month Four: 5×5 Program

Month Four

In month four you are ready to start the 5×5 program and can start adding some variety to the program. For example:

Monday

A-1: Double Clean and Military Press 5×5
A-2: Alternating Renegade Row 5×5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of A-1 and A-2.

Turkish Get-up 1×5 l,r

Tuesday

B-1: Double Front Squat 5×5
B-2: Double Swing 5×5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of B-1 and B-2.

Double Windmill 1×5 l,r (left and right)

Thursday

A-1: Alternating Military Press 5×5
A-2: Double Bent-over Row 5×5

Do A-1 and A-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of A-1 and A-2.

Turkish Get-up 1×5 l,r

Friday

B-1: Double Clean and Front Squat 5×5
B-2: Double Snatch 5×5

Do B-1 and B-2 in alternating fashion and take ninety second breaks in between each set of B-1 and B-2.

Double Windmill 1×5 l,r (left and right)

Next, you can pick any of the other programs in my Kettlebell DVD E-book which comes with my Size and Strength DVD. Do not have it yet? Pick it up today at The Aggressive Strength Online Store and start making some real progress.

Also remember that without optimal levels of Testosterone and Growth Hormone you can forget about developing a strong and muscular body that commands respect. Have your Doctor test your T and GH so you know where you are at. Ideally, everyone at age 25 should have these levels checked but it is never too late to ascertain where you are at.

DEVELOP IMPRESSIVE GAINS NOW!

The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size and Strength e-Book

Kettlebell Solutions for Speed and Explosive Strength DVD

The Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss and Mental Toughness DVD

The Kettlebell Solution for Size and Strength DVD

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The Five Pillars of Kettlebell Training

by Mike Mahler on October 8, 2009

in Kettlebell Training,Mahler's Aggressive Strength

Many trainees often forget that kettlebells are weights and the rules of effective weight training apply to kettlebell training. Similar to traditional weight training, effective kettlebell training requires a balanced approach and an emphasis on the basic compound drill that provide the most bang for the buck. For most trainees, following a regimen with a strong emphasis on a few basic exercises is the way to go. However, putting all of your efforts into one or two exercises long-term is not the way to go. There are five areas that are worth focusing on for balanced development. Lets get going.

The Five Pillars:

Press
Pull
Squat
Lower body pull
Core

Whatever form of weight training you engage in, you want the five above areas covered. Now lets cover each area with kettlebells as the focus:

Press:

KB Military Press or KB Floor Press. This includes all of the variations such as the Sots Press, Double Clean and Press, Alternating Floor press, See-saw Press.

Pull:

Renegade Row, Alternating Bent-over Row, Double Bent-over Row, One-arm Row, Pull-ups with a kettlebell

Squat:

Double Front Squat, Hack Squat, overhead squat, one-legged squat

Lower body pull:

Double Swing, Double Snatch, One-arm Swing, One-arm Snatch, Double Clean, One legged Deadlift

Core:

Windmill, Turkish Get-up, Bent Press, Side Press

Covering the above five areas ensures that you build a strong and balanced physique. Many people tend to focus on what they enjoy and neglect what they do not care for. For example, people that like to press tend to spend a great deal of time on Military Presses and not enough time on pulling motions such as rows. When I first started training with kettlebells, I made the mistake of doing too much pressing work and pretty much no pulling work. Sure enough imbalances starting popping up followed by shoulder pain. Once I balanced the training with pulling motions, my shoulders felt better and more stable and my strength went up dramatically. If you feel that covering five areas is too complicated for you, then do not bother getting off the couch. Better yet, do not go out the door or drive on the road. You are a danger to anyone you come across.

Lets cover a few balanced kettlebell programs for different levels:

Beginner:

Here is a good program for a trainee that only has one kettlebell:

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

One-arm Clean and Military Press 2×5 l,r (two sets of five left and right)
One-arm Bent-over Row 2×6 l,r
One-arm Windmill 1×3 l,r
One-arm Front Squat 2×6 l,r
One-arm Swing 2×10 l,r

Take one to two minute breaks in between each exercise and work on technique.

Intermediate:

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

Double Clean and Military Press 2×6
Double Bent-over Row 2×6
Turkish Get-up 2×3 l,r
Double Front Squat 2×8
Double Swing 2×6

Take 90 second breaks in between each set.

Advanced:

Monday-Wednesday-Friday

Sot Press 2×5 l,r
Alternating Renegade Row 2×5 l,r
Double Windmill 2×5 l,r
Double Front Squat 2×6 (2 second pause at the bottom)
Double Snatch 2×6

Take 90 second breaks in between each set.

The possibility of combinations, volume, intensity, and workouts splits is endless. All of this really depends on what your skill level is, your conditioning level is, and what your goals are. Whatever you do, make sure you cover the basics. Imbalanced programs are fine for more advanced trainees. If you are someone that has a high level of pushing strength and a low level of pulling strength, you can place pressing on maintenance mode and focus on pulling. The same can be applied to any imbalance. Regardless, you are far less likely to create imbalances if you focus on a balanced approach to training.

DEVELOP IMPRESSIVE GAINS NOW!

The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size and Strength e-Book

Kettlebell Solutions for Speed and Explosive Strength DVD

The Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss and Mental Toughness DVD

The Kettlebell Solution for Size and Strength DVD

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High Frequency Training For Fat Loss

by Mike Mahler on October 8, 2009

in Kettlebell Training,Mahler's Aggressive Strength

DVD Combo – Fat Loss and Mental Toughness
PLUS Speed and Explosive Strength

Get both the Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss & Mental Toughness and Kettlebell Solutions for Speed and Explosive Strength DVD’s together for only $59.95 ($64.95 for International Orders).

HFT is my favorite style of training for strength, muscle building, and fat loss. No need to add any cardio at all to the program. Focus on doing the strength training workouts well and you will be all set. Do not add more training to the mix. More cardio will not make the program work better and will screw up you’re hormone levels.

Start with four workouts per week as indicated in the beginner program. After a month, go to the intermediate program and train five times per week. Finally, in month three go to the advanced program and train six times per week.

Whenever, you are stressed or need more days off, go back down to four days per week. You can even mix and match the training. One week, workout four times per week and another week workout five times etc.

Every time you work out and avoid over training you get a GH surge and an increase in Testosterone. Thus it is important to workout as frequently as possible to maximize fat loss and muscle building. If you feel like having sex after a workout, you are doing great. If you are wiped out and beat up, you are working too hard and need to scale back. Reduce the sets to 1-2 for a while if necessary. Make sure you sleep well every night and have a solid diet and supplement plan.

Beginner Option 1:

Monday and Thursday

A-1: Double KB Clean and Press 3×6
A-2: Double Ballistic KB Bent-over Row 3×6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Double Suitcase Kickstand Lunge 3×8 l,r
B-2: Double Swing 3×8

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises.

C-1: Power Wheel Roll Out 3×6
C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3×10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Tuesday and Friday

A-1: Double Hang Clean and Military Press 3×6
A-2: Alternating KB Renegade Row 3×6 each side

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Suitcase KB Squat 3×10
B-2: Double KB Clean 3×10

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

C-1: Side Bend 3×8 l,r (left and right)
C-2: Double Overhead Walk 3 rounds

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Wednesday-Saturday-Sunday

1-2 mile walks

Intermediate (5 days per week)

Monday

A-1: Double KB Clean and Press 3×6
A-2: Double Ballistic KB Bent-over Row 3×6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises.

B-1: Double Suitcase Kickstand Lunge 3×8 l,r
B-2: Double Swing 3×8

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

C-1: Power Wheel Roll Out 3×6
C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3×10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Tuesday

A-1: Double Hang Clean and Military Press 3×6
A-2: Alternating KB Renegade Row 3×6 each side

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Suitcase KB Squat 3×10
B-2: Double KB Clean 3×10

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

C-1: Side Bend 3×8 l,r (left and right)
C-2: Double Overhead Walk 3 rounds

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Wednesday

A-1: Hand To Hand Clean and Press 3×6 l,r
A-2: One-arm Ballistic KB Bent-over Row 3×6 l,r

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Double Rack Kickstand Lunge 3×6 l,r
B-2: Double Swing 3×6

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

C-1: Power Wheel Roll Out 3×6
C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3×10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Thursday

A-1: Relaxed Military Press 3×6
A-2: Alternating Bent-over Row 3×6 each side

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

Double Clean and Front Squat 3×8 (one-minute breaks in between each set)
Finisher: Hindu Squat 50 reps

Friday

A-1: Double KB Clean and Press 3×6
A-2: Double Ballistic KB Bent-over Row 3×6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Double Suitcase Kickstand Lunge 3×8 l,r
B-2: Double Swing 3×8

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

C-1: Power Wheel Roll Out 3×6
C-2: Double Overhead Walk 3 rounds

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Advanced (6 days per week)

Monday

A-1: Double KB Clean and Press 3×6
A-2: Double Ballistic KB Bent-over Row 3×6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Suitcase Squat 3×12
B-2: Double Swing 3×12

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×15 on both exercises

C-1: Power Wheel Roll Out 3×6
C-2: Double Overhead Walk 3 rounds

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: 50 Pushups

Tuesday

A-1: Double Hang Clean and Military Press 3×6
A-2: Alternating KB Renegade Row 3×6 each side

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Clean and Squat 3×6
B-2: Double Swing 3×6

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

C-1: Side Bend 3×8 l,r (left and right)
C-2: Double Overhead Walk 3 rounds

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: Hindu Squat 50 Reps

Wednesday

A-1: Hand To Hand Clean and Press 3×6 l,r
A-2: One-arm Ballistic KB Bent-over Row 3×6 l,r

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Double Rack Kickstand Lunge 3×6 l,r
B-2: Double Swing 3×6

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

C-1: Power Wheel Roll Out 3×6
C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3×10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: Jumper Squat 50 reps

Thursday

A-1: Relaxed Military Press 3×8
A-2: Alternating Bent-over Row 3×8 each side

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

Double Clean and Front Squat 3×8 (one-minute breaks in between each set)
Finisher: Hindu Squat 50 reps

Saturday

A-1: Double KB Clean and Press 3×6
A-2: Double Ballistic KB Bent-over Row 3×6

Do A-1 and A-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of A-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of A-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

B-1: Double Suitcase Kickstand Lunge 3×8 l,r
B-2: Double Swing 3×8

Do B-1 and B-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of B-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of B-2. Long-term goal is to work up to 3×12 on both exercises

C-1: Power Wheel Roll Out 3×6
C-2: Slow and controlled Sit-up 3×10 (4 seconds up and down)

Do C-1 and C-2 in antagonistic fashion. One set of C-1, then a one-minute break and then a set of C-2.

Finisher: Jumper Squats 50 reps

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The Aggressive Strength Solution for Size and Strength e-Book

Kettlebell Solutions for Speed and Explosive Strength DVD

The Kettlebell Solution for Fat Loss and Mental Toughness DVD

The Kettlebell Solution for Size and Strength DVD

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Battling Ropes® Video Vault

by Coach Bruce Pahl on October 1, 2009

in Battling Ropes,Training Techniques

If you’re sceptical about how a piece of rope can give you the best workout of your life, check out these videos and see the Battling Ropes in action!

John Brookfield & Coach Bruce Pahl

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Title: John Brookfield & Coach Bruce Pahl
Runtime: 2:41
Views: 4,358

Battling Ropes Training System Synopsis by Dr. Mike Martino

Title: Battling Ropes Training System Synopsis by Dr. Mike Martino
Runtime: 4:11
Views: 7,667

Title: Battling Ropes Grip by Dr. Mike Martino
Runtime: 0:38
Views: 951

John Brookfield Demos the Battling Ropes

Title: John Brookfield Demos the Battling Ropes
Runtime: 1:38
Views: 41,086

Title: Hurricane Ingrid - The Workout
Runtime: 1:41
Views: 42,635

Battling Ropes Double Arm Wave by Dr. Mike Martino

Title: Battling Ropes Double Arm Wave by Dr. Mike Martino
Runtime: 0:51
Views: 1,971

Battling Ropes Outer Circles by Dr. Mike Martino

Title: Battling Ropes Outer Circles by Dr. Mike Martino
Runtime: 0:54
Views: 689

Battling Rope Training Karate College 2006

Title: Battling Rope Training Karate College 2006
Runtime: 4:55
Views: 490

Wrestlers Training w/ the Battling Ropes

Title: Wrestlers Training w/ the Battling Ropes
Runtime: 4:51
Views: 11,025

The Original Rope Training System http://frankdimeofitnesss.blogspot.com/

Title: The Original Rope Training System http://frankdimeofitnesss.blogspot.com/
Runtime: 3:15
Views: 5,246

Title: Wheelchair Rope Training
Runtime: 2:03
Views: 9,152

Title: Battling Ropes Coaches Seminar
Runtime: 5:05
Views: 495

Battling Ropes at the Arnold Classic 2008

Title: Battling Ropes at the Arnold Classic 2008
Runtime: 4:06
Views: 433

Title: Battling Ropes Tsunami
Runtime: 3:58
Views: 24,778

Battling Ropes Pole System DVD Clip - Climber

Title: Battling Ropes Pole System DVD Clip - Climber
Runtime: 0:37
Views: 2,827

Battling Ropes Pole System DVD Clip - Triceps

Title: Battling Ropes Pole System DVD Clip - Triceps
Runtime: 0:45
Views: 3,166

Title: Battling Ropes Pole System DVD Clip
Runtime: 0:58
Views: 3,972

Title: Battling Ropes 2
Runtime: 2:39
Views: 463

Title: Battling ropes 3 Iz and Craig
Runtime: 4:14
Views: 959

Title: Battling Ropes1
Runtime: 2:05
Views: 257

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Order Battling Ropes Now!

Popularity: 13%

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Bruce Pahl is the owner of Immortal Martial Arts & and Delaware Combat University. He is a certified Full instructor in Jeet Kune Do & Filipino martial arts under Paul Vunak of (PFS). Has a second degree black belt in Shorite Ryu Tai Jutsu under Dr. Christian Harfouche. He has a basic instructor cert. in Combat Ju-Jitsu under GM Michael DePasquale Jr. He earned his Black belt in 1997 in Chinese Kenpo Karate and was inducted into the Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame for excellence in teaching in 2007. He is a certified Battling Ropes® coach under founder John Brookfield, was certified in Circular Strength Training (Clubbells®) under Scott Sonnon, and is a certified instructor in FlexBands & Ultimate SandBag L.I.F.T,2010.

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Battling Ropes® Tsunami

by John Brookfield on October 1, 2009

in Battling Ropes,Training Techniques

The Battling Ropes® Tsunami is quickly becoming the wave of the future when it comes to a standard way to test an athlete’s ability to maintain and sustain velocity and power.

“This has been a great eye opener to a missing link in training, which is the ability to maintain and sustain velocity and power over time without the use of momentum.It has also been a humbling experience, to say the least. The results that can be gained with the Battling Ropes® Tsunami are purely amazing when it comes to being able to maintain intensity over time. This intensity over time will transfer into anything you do. It is my goal and passion to get this training exercise out to everyone wanting to improve their performance in sport or the battlefield. I know that the Battling Ropes® Tsunami will take you past the next level and safely push you to achieve your highest level in human performance!” John Brookfield, Founder Battling Ropes®

The Battling Ropes® Tsunami is simple in concept, however, extremely difficult to maintain for any duration of time. This technique was developed by Battling Ropes® creator John Brookfield.

Everyone who has tried the Tsunami, without exception, has been completely amazed by its effectiveness to test the individual’s ability to generate and maintain power and velocity. They have been equally amazed at the difficulty of the exercise when it comes to pushing the athlete to their limit very quickly!

One unique thing about the Battling Ropes® Tsunami is that the user must generate pure output without any momentum. When no momentum is used, the body is forced to perform at its highest level of performance. With all other methods of training, momentum is used as gravity takes over and this gives the body a slight chance to rest. When trying to train or test an athlete, this momentum factor is poison for the individual who wants to train their body to operate at its highest level.

The Tsunami technique is done with a rope and, as the name says, a tsunami or “powerful wave” is created by the person’s power and velocity generation on the rope. The only thing is that the person must create and sustain these powerful waves for as long as possible without stopping or losing the flow of the waves. It is important to understand that if the person is strong, but not fast, he will struggle with the technique. On the other hand, if the person is fast, but not strong, they will struggle to sustain the Tsunami.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers go at it on the Tsunami

You will also find that the user must have a great anaerobic threshold to maintain the Tsunami and score well on the test. Every muscle of the body and every physical and mental fiber must be used to maintain the Battling Ropes® Tsunami. The testing and training method will also quickly expose any weak link the athlete may have and start to improve the weak link. Even though the Battling Ropes® Tsunami is becoming a standard way of testing the athlete, it is also a way to train the athlete to produce tremendous results which will produce transfer into any sport or battlefield.

2" Anaconda

To train or test on the Tsunami…

You simply need a fifty-foot, two-inch diameter rope. The Anaconda (pictured) is perfect for the Tsunami! It is a thick, heavy duty Battling Rope® which is slightly over 2 inches in diameter and 50 feet in length. The “Anaconda” is also made of high grade manila and is treated for longevity and durability.

Please note that the “Anaconda” is slightly over twice the weight of the standard Battling Rope®. This thickness also plays a part in making the “Anaconda” much harder to grip and hang on to. This rope should only be used by the advanced and elite athlete. Different types of ropes are different when it comes to the weight of the rope. The manila rope is generally used for the training or testing.

Also, by using the manila fifty-foot, two-inch diameter rope you are equally able to make the test standardized and able to measure your performance against another athlete’s performance. You will also find that the surface can make a slight difference. However, your ability to sustain the Battling Ropes® Tsunami and maintain the waves over time will not vary much no matter what the surface.

Wrestlers going at it in the stadium

You can either have your rope stretched out in an outdoor setting such as a park, football field, playground, or your backyard, or you can use an indoor setting such as a basketball floor or large gym.

Simply take your fifty-foot, two-inch diameter rope and lay it on the ground while stretching it out so that the slack is taken out of the rope. Once the rope is in this position, have a partner or friend stand on one end of the rope at the very end.

If you are training or testing yourself without a partner, you can simply place a couple of heavy weight plates on top of the very end of the rope to stabilize the rope. Another way to stabilize the rope if you are by yourself is to tie the very end of the rope around a pole to secure it. However, you must understand that you are creating the Battling Ropes® Tsunami with the entire fifty-foot rope. So, if you tie the rope around a pole you must tie the very end so that you are not losing much length of the rope. This way you can train and test yourself equally with others.

Also, as mentioned earlier, we generally use the fifty-foot, two-inch diameter manila rope for the testing instead of the poly ropes. Even though the poly ropes are popular for training indoors and you can certainly train on the Tsunami with a poly rope, it is important to understand the fifty-foot, two-inch poly rope is lighter than the manila. This, of course, will make the Battling Ropes® Tsunami somewhat easier and will make your performance slightly better than if you were using the manila rope.

Once you have your rope in place and properly anchored, you are ready to begin!

Be sure to have your coach or partner have an accurate stop watch on hand. If you are by yourself, I suggest using a large clock where you can easily see the time. Now, with everything in place, grasp with both hands the opposite end of the rope which is anchored. You can either use an underhanded or overhanded grip with one hand in front of the other. Get a good tight grip and start to force the rope up and down powerfully and quickly. This will start to create the wave action or “Tsunami” effect which will make the rope start to flow.

With enough force, you will be able to create the wave (or Tsunami) going all the way to the other end of the rope. Please understand that your goal is to keep the Tsunami rolling nonstop without slowing all the way to the opposite end of the rope. In simple terms, it’s like waves constantly crashing or rolling onto the shoreline. You will quickly understand that you must maintain constant velocity and power output to keep the Tsunami going. Your goal is to last as long as possible without the Tsunami stopping or not making it to the other end of the rope. You will also notice that the more output you create the faster and more waves you create in the Tsunami.

Once you lose your flow of the rope and the Tsunami is not making it to the other end, you are finished as far as the testing goes. Once again, be sure to measure the time that you are able to keep the Tsunami rolling to the other end. I’m sure that you will find that this training or testing will work and push you to the utmost. There is also no way to gain advantage on this drill — you can either keep the Battling Ropes® Tsunami going or you can’t!

The Battling Ropes® Tsunami has quickly made believers out of everyone who has tried it! Read the testimonials!

Order Battling Ropes Now!

Popularity: 13%

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John Brookfield is a multiple world record holder and author. His books include Mastery of Hand Strength, The Grip Master’s Manual and Training With Cables For Strength. Despite the fact that John has just turned 50 years old, he has continued to improve setting new records that require strength, endurance and mental toughness. After using the Battling Ropes for his own personal goals, John decided to show the basics to a few of his friends. They thought that this system was simply the best due to the incredible results that the system produces.

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Fooling The Body: The Jeet Kune Do of Working Out

by Izzy Barish on September 29, 2009

in Combat-Fitness & Conditioning,Personal Development

If you are an athlete that is training for a sport the best thing to do is train for that sport by practicing that sport. If you are a golfer play golf and practice specifically the basics of teeing off, chipping and putting and playing golf games. If it’s tennis you practice your back hand, serving etc along with playing the games. If your idea is to improve your bench lift you add more weight as time goes along. The body will adapt and get stronger in the bench lift to the demise of other areas of the body. If you are a Martial artist you practice your art. The body gets better at what ever it is asked to do by the practice of that specific sport. No great revelation there. The old adage is true. Practice practice practice to get better at what you want to get better.

However, if you are not training for any specific sport, but just for health and strength then an issue can arise by the repetition of the same set of exercises. The body will natural become efficient at what it is asked to do and overall gains over time will decrease. Through the repetition of theses exercises there can be an imbalance in the body as you practice a set of skills and ignore other parts of your body. If you vary your exercises so the body does not know what to expect it has to work harder. That is what we need for health benefits. We need to fool the smart intelligent body and not let it become complacent in it’s movements due to it’s self efficient ways of learning how to do things better. Not that we work harder but that the body works harder by being challenged from many approaches.

As mind and body are one the challenges of a varied workout will also work the mind, but it is the body we are discussing here. If a new demand is placed on the body by a varied routine the body will not become accustomed to what is demanded of it. If you do the same thing all the time there are diminishing returns. One could say that progressively adding weight to the same lifting routine challenges the body, but the movement is the same. It is movement along with added weight that needs to be varied. You need to move with intelligence and knowledge to protect the body from harm. This is why it is good to learn from many instructors various forms of exercise.

There needs to be a holistic approach to strength and conditioning. Don’t just run for cardio or Lift weights for strength, stretching for limberness. Yes you do lift weights for strength, but repeatedly the same exercises all the time and just increasing the weight lets the body lock itself knowingly into the same movement. You can bench 400 lbs, but can you scratch your back without aid of an implement. Lifting weights the old fashion way where you isolate parts of the body to push a lot of weight thereby getting little muscle tears that in the long run will cause most of the shoulder and back issues people have. Using machines that restrict movement of the body can also be damaging as too much strain tends to be put on one area of the body. You need to be WELL ROUNDED. Do many things and vary what you do for strength and condition. And don’t forget the joints. There are many exercises that will work the joints and don’t even require any implements

You need to increase strength of large and small muscles. Work the stability muscles and tendons. Most people don’t work the breaking muscles (Muscles that stop a movement) when they push weights as they are doing a slow grinding push. Doing fast controlled movements with lighter weights and halting the action quickly will work the breaking muscles. This will give a different kind of strength to the body by working the tendons from a tense – to relax – to tense action. A karate performer will move quickly and stop quickly using breaking action to develop power and not need an over muscled body to do some amazing things.

How do you keep the body guessing and working hard? Use many tools. Kettlebells, Clubbells/Indian clubs, Sandbags, Balance exercises, Core exercises, Yoga, Pilates, Body Weight exercise, Battling Ropes, Joint Mobility exercises Martial Arts, Free Weights, Aerobic exercises, all in a balanced and progressive way. Do not become attached to any one methodology.

The key words being:

Progression – Increase weight, complexity, time,

Foundations – Build a foundation of knowledge on which to progress from

Control – Move with a controlled purpose of movement

Variety – Vary things up all the time

Commitment – Commit to a regime of staying in shape and stick with it

Intelligence – Learn things and do the smartly.

Diet – Lets face it this might actually be the most important EAT HEALTHY.

Popularity: 3%

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Izzzy Barish is a contributing writer to Martial Arts Combat Training. He is a retired Martial Arts Instructor-Karate Do & traditional weapons and a Certified American Kettlebell Coach. Izzy is also a practitioner of Pilate’s & Yoga and is 58 years old & the grandfather of four. Visit him at http://www.izzybarish.com/excersises.htm & www.izzybarish.com

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The Truth In Combat

by Coach Bruce Pahl on September 24, 2009

in MMA/Mixed Martial Arts,Reality-Based Martial Arts

The Truth in Combat is a martial philosophy and concept. This truth mindset is crucial because most people only think about their personal reality and experience and not truth.

The word reality is being used all the time now in martial arts and combat but most people only have a partial understanding or a perception of what is really true.

When mixed martial arts (MMA) events first started in the U.S. many spectators including myself thought that the striker would just knock-out the grappler and not be taken down and submitted. Well this was not a true assumption.

The reality was that in the close quarter closed cage/padded ring environment the grappler had the advantage. This advantage was due to the fact that the striker had a false mindset, underestimated their opponent’s abilities and were unprepared for the strategy of the grappler. Improper conditioning also played a major factor also.

Fast forward to today’s MMA competitions and we see that striking is the most common way to defeat your opponent or that striking is used to set up a takedown for ground-in-pound or submission. It’s the integration or mixing of these styles that make for a true mixed martial artist.

The truth is that only a mixed martial artist (someone who knows striking, grappling, conditioning, fight strategy and has a finishing mindset) can prevail in today’s events. Cross-training and mixed martial arts have been around for thousands of years. The Greek Pankration events from the early Olympics and Greco-Roman is a great example of blending cultures and fighting styles. Russian Sambo and Systema are also hybrid systems taken from European and Asian cultures and modernized for today’s sport and military combat needs.

What is the difference between reality and truth?
Reality is truth and truth is reality, but reality is subjective and truth is absolute. We can have a perceived reality of something but this does not make it true. We can also believe that something is true but in reality it is a false belief.

“And isn’t it a bad thing to be deceived about the truth, and a good thing to know what the truth is? For I assume that by knowing the truth you mean knowing things as they really are.” (Plato)

Definitions of truth: (Dictionary.com)
A. Actuality or actual existence
B. Conformity with fact or reality
C. That which is considered to be the supreme reality and to have the ultimate meaning and value of existence.

Definitions of reality: (Dictionary.com)
A. Resemblance to what is real
B. Something that constitutes a real or actual thing, as distinguished from something that is merely apparent.
C. The state or quality of being real.

Combative truth:
Following are a few examples of how people’s realities can be self deceived.

A. Most people when asked, think they are good looking and attractive.

B. Most people believe they can sing well. (If you don’t believe me, just watch the first few episodes of American Idol).

C. Most people believe they have lots of friends but the truth is, when you are really in trouble and need help there will only be one or two people that you can truly count on. This is where the term “true friend “comes from.

D. Most people lie to themselves and don’t want to know the truth.

E. When people are asked to give their eye witness testimony about what they saw many times the reports conflict with what actually happened.

Reality is subjective:
Some people argue that what you believe is real, is real for you. This is perceived reality or false reality, but that does not mean that it is actually true.

Truth is based on facts, evidence and collaborating witnesses but reality many times is based upon perceptions, false beliefs and traditions. Many times people believe something to be true but after they gather more information or practical experience they come to the realization that what was real to them was actually false.

Summary:
There are many misconceptions in the martial arts world today and we must be clear about what our objective for training and study is based upon. If we are studying a sport based MMA or traditional sport based art like Tae Kwoon Do then we must understand that our training is for the cage, dojo or arena and this is fine but let’s not deceive ourselves and believe that our Kickboxing or grappling will be effective against multiple attackers or a weapons attack.

Just like the striker against the grappler we must not under estimate our opponent or over estimate our training and abilities. A Karate practitioner or full contact boxer who does not condition their hands against impact or who only spars with protective gear will be in for a rude awakening when they hit with maximum power and break their hand against an attacker’s skull. Or when an experienced wrestler or Ju jitsu man goes to the ground and gets stabbed in the gut or head kicked by a bystander or accomplice.

The solution:
We need to base our training on what is true and real and not let false information such as advertising, the movies, certain so-called experts who recommend submission ground fighting for the street or sports competitions that make us believe otherwise.

If you are looking for effective truth based, real life street self-defense then Paul Vunak’s “Enigma” DVD will give you all the tools needed.

Here’s what Paul Vunak had to say. “I put together my lifes work into a two-DVD set entitled The Enigma. This set encompasses all the material on my fity one previous tapes and adds all new material never before seen. Also there is a candid interview with me.”

With my previous material tweaked and all the new stuff I share with you in The Enigma, this set makes all my other videos obsolete. Here are a few highlights:

The exact curriculum I teach 13 government agencies.
I have condensed 20 years of Brazilian Jujitsu down to my 10 favorite moves.
My secret Golden Goose principle of One million techniques.
Bruce Lees six most effective Wing Chun moves.
For the first time ever I show you what I teach specialized assault units known as quick kills.
Defense against a knife that will improve ones odds 100% guaranteed.
Why most disarms will get you killed. I show you what works.
Military technology adapted for women and children.
In five minutes I show you how to increase your chances of surviving a carjacking or home invasion 100%.
How to fight more than one person and win.
The simple yet effective defense against a large wild man charging you.
The three ways to get a large man off you and come to your feet.
I will show you the escapes to use in a fight against a headlock, armlock, ground pin, bear hug, rear naked choke and many more.
I reveal the rare Filipino art of Kinimutai — the art of uninterrupted biting and eye gouging.
The incredibly brutal leaping face bite.
The primate groin bite.
My top five Escrima techniques. (Filipino Stick fighting)
Finally I will share the single most important fact in Martial Arts which happens to be the reason behind the title The Enigma.

Popularity: 4%

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DEVELOP IMPRESSIVE GAINS NOW!

The Battling Ropes® Tsunami is quickly becoming the wave of the future when it comes to a standard way to test an athlete’s ability to maintain and sustain velocity and power.

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