As warrior trainers, we must ensure that our students not only possess a “win at any cost” mentality, but also a fighting system that has been tested under pressure. You need to instill in them the skills that will work no matter where they are or what they are doing. I think training the “Gutterfighter Way” is your answer, and let me explain why.
fight the sewers – “The Mental Side” Every day thousands of people train in a martial arts academy. I think it’s awesome! Martial arts are great for helping to develop self-discipline, self-confidence, self-esteem, and physical fitness. So what exactly is the problem? Let me ask you a question. Take any student of karate, kung fu, kenpo, tae kwon do, or any other form of martial arts and ask them this: when was the last time you talked about the violence of a physical encounter? When was the last time you thought about the violence of interpersonal human aggression?
The physical confrontations are brutal! I have been in law enforcement for over 24 years, so I have seen my share of violence. It’s not a pretty thing. It is your duty to mentally prepare each student for this. Okay, let’s say one of your students has been training for three or four years, three nights a week for at least an hour per session. Wonderful, I applaud you. Most likely they have achieved what is equivalent in most martial arts to a rank of black belt. However, do they really know if the skills they have paid their blood, sweat, tears and earned money for will serve them when they are most needed? The student must be able to recognize and accept the realities of violent confrontation. Please don’t stop giving them this valuable knowledge. They need your experience. The question to ask yourself is this: Have I tested my techniques, tactics, and methods in a realistic environment and made sure they will work? If you don’t know if your skills will work, how will your students know?
“Will this work so that I can instinctively use it in vital combat against an opponent who is determined to prevent me from doing so, and who strives to take me out by hook or by crook?” Lieutenant Colonel Rex Applegate, kill or be killed
As you know, when faced with a violent confrontation, people must run (flee), attack (fight), or freeze. When the mind and body have not been prepared together, it has been my experience that most people do nothing when faced with a confrontation. I have even witnessed experienced military and law enforcement personnel display the expression “deer in the headlights” because they had not developed the correct mindset to handle these stressful encounters. They had certainly been trained in the physical abilities, but they simply had not received the correct mental programming.
One can achieve the will to win through reality based training. Here are two simple training examples that will make a world of difference to any practitioner. On the one hand, a very high percentage of physical attacks occur in low light situations. It’s the perfect environment for the bad guy. When was the last time he turned off the lights in his dojo or training center and practiced his techniques in low light? Second, when was the last time he practiced his self-defense skills in the clothes he wears every day and not the clothes he wears at the training center? I rarely wear sweatpants, nor do I go about my daily activities in a Gi! By practicing these two simple training exercises, along with a true threat assessment, you’ll be on your way to winning. I’m all about winning. Please start training yourself and your students with reality in mind.
fight the sewers – “The Physical Side” taught a system that borrows its name from the Defendu techniques developed by Fairbairn and Sykes. The name given to our system is “Gutterfighting”.
“When you’re caught, you’re down, and you’re lost if you don’t ATTACK… And remember, it’s ‘Gutterfighting’: any means, good or bad, to save your life.” we fairbairn
Our Gutterfighting system is a combination of Krav Maga, Filipino martial arts, WWII fighting, and grappling skills. Each of these fighting styles has certainly been tested under pressure in battle. Our Gutterfighting is all about “fighting” and “winning”. One of the most interesting principles of our fighting system is to quickly charge into the threat, get as close as possible, and finish it off before it can counterattack. Never wait for the attack. Once you spot imminent danger, attack with all the meanness of a caged animal and don’t stop until your opponent is no longer a threat.
I have gone to great lengths to ensure that our Gutterfighting has been designed to withstand the pressures and strain of an all-out confrontation. It is a collection of offenses and defenses where the smallest person can successfully take down a larger opponent. It’s brutally effective, easy to learn and retain. Gutterfighting is not about fighting pretty. It’s about going beyond just survival and truly winning over your abuser, which I believe and preach daily! We want our students to win from a legal, mental, and physical perspective, and our mission is to teach them to do just that.
Our Gutterfighting training practices combine the use of simple equipment and bodyweight exercises with focus glove striking exercises and Thai pads in a circuit training format. This method of this madness is to help us better prepare for the stress of a violent confrontation! We believe in being “Fit to Fight”. As stated above, violent confrontations are brutal; your students must have the stamina to stay in the fight until they have won. The great champion Muhammad Ali declared:
“Champions are not made in the gym. Champions are made from something deep inside of them: a desire, a dream, and a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little bit faster, They have to have the ability and the will. But the will must be stronger than the ability.”
Without a doubt, there are many great men who have led the way for Combatives, and they all deserve credit for their work. All of them have been an inspiration during the development of these fighting concepts.
fight the sewers – “Striking & BEAT Target Model” We do not teach sophisticated striking techniques. I think anything will work when applying the BEAT target model; however, here is a short list of some of the striking techniques we use: Ax Hand (Long/Short), Face Strike, Chin Jab, Headbutt, Straight Blast, Cupped Hand Strike, Elbows, Hammer Fist , Knee Strike and Shin. kicks.
We use the BEAT model in the application of all hitting techniques. BEAT is short for Brain, Eyes, Abdomen and Testicles. This amazing application model was adopted from Frank Albert’s great book One-Strike Stopping Power – How to Win Street Confrontations with Speed and Skill. This book is available at http://www.paladin-press.com.
All striking techniques are applied to one of these target areas and are used to distract your opponent long enough for you to move out of the threat zone or distract your opponent so that an effective takedown is applied to control follow through. . As you may already know, these punches will most likely not cause an instant knockout, but they will be a major distraction. Hitting these target areas will create a very short period of time where your opponent will not be thinking about you, but their own pain. That is your window of opportunity. Master it! Don’t hang around waiting for something else to happen. Use the distraction window to your advantage and continue the fight until your opponent is downed and out. You must fight “down and dirty”. Don’t give up until it’s over.
Many years ago, Forrest E. Morgan wrote a wonderful book called Living the Martial Way. In his book there is a very interesting quote: “If someone asked me what a human being should dedicate the most of his time to, I would answer ‘Training'”. Some might think this is a bit fanatic, but I disagree. Someone once said that “proper preparation prevents poor performance.” I certainly agree with this statement. Remember that as a warrior trainer, you must also set aside time each day to work on your own warrior skills; This is the only way you will grow and win! What are warrior skills? Simply put, they are life skills. Anyone who adopts the warrior mentality and prepares the body properly can handle life’s straight pitches as well as its curveballs.
So there you have it, the “Gutterfighter Way!” Prepare your mind, prepare your body, practice your physical skills and prepare for an all-out battle. Let’s hope the day you need these skills never comes, but if you do, BE PREPARED! Train with a Sewer Fighting mindset and practice all survival skills until they become second nature. “Train today for tomorrow’s battles.”
