I had the privilege of attending the IKFF Certified Kettlebell Trainer course this past weekend.  

What an awesome experience.  Steve Cotter and Ken Blackburn were incredible.  The course was structured, each technique was demonstrated and explained, and there was plenty of time for practice.

In my 24 years of training, this was the best certification program I have ever attended.  Outstanding job.  I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning the art and science of kettlebells.  

For more information, please visit www.ikff.com

As warrior trainers, we must ensure that our students not only possess a “win at any cost” mindset, but also a fighting system that has been pressure tested.  You must instill in them the skills that are going to work no matter where they are at or what they are doing.  I believe that training the “Gutterfighter Way” is your answer, and let me explain why.

Gutterfighting -  “The Mental Side”

Every day thousands of people train at a martial arts academy.  I think this is awesome!  The martial arts are great in 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 the following:  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?

Physical confrontations are brutal!  I have been in law enforcement for over 24 years, so I have seen my share of violence.  It is not a pretty thing.  It is your duty to prepare each student mentally for this.  Okay, let’s say one of your students has trained for three to four years, three nights per week for at least one hour per session.  Wonderful, I applaud them.  They have most likely achieved what is equivalent in most martial arts to a Black Belt rank.  Nevertheless, do they really know if the skills that they have paid their blood sweat, tears and earned money for will serve them when they most need them?  The student must be trained to recognize and accept the realities of violent confrontation.  Please do not fail in giving them this valuable knowledge.  They need your experience.  The question you must ask yourself is this: have I tested my techniques, my tactics, and my methods in a realistic environment and ensured that they will work?  If you do not know if your skills will work, how will your students ever know?

“Will this work so that I can use it instinctively in vital combat against an opponent who is determined to prevent me from doing so, and who is striving to eliminate me by fair means or foul?”

Lt. Col. Rex Applegate, Kill Or Get Killed

As you may know, when faced with a violent confrontation, must people will run (flight), attack (fight) or freeze.  When the mind and body have not been prepared together, it has been my observational experience that most people will do nothing when faced with a confrontation.  I have even witnessed seasoned law enforcement and military personnel display the “deer in headlights” expression because they had not developed the correct mindset to handle these stressful encounters.  They certainly had been trained in the physical skills, but they just had not received the correct mental programming.    

One can achieve the will to win through reality-based training.  Here are two simple examples of training that will make a world of difference for any practitioner.  For one thing, a very high percentage of physical assaults occur in reduced-light situations.  It is the perfect environment for the bad guy.  When is the last time you turned the lights down in your dojo or training facility and practiced your techniques in reduced light?  Secondly, when was the last time you practiced your self-defense skills in the clothes that you wear every day, and not the clothes that you wear to the training facility?  I rarely wear sweat pants, nor do I carry on daily activities in a Gi!  Practicing these two simple training drills, coupled with some true threat assessment and you are well on your way to winning.  I am all about winning.  Please begin training yourself and your students with reality in mind. 

Need more information.  Please visit Darren Laur’s Personal Protection System website locate at http://www.personalprotectionsystems.ca/home.htm.

This is one of the best Personal Protection site on the internet.  Be Safe!

Great experience this past weekend.  

Coach CJ Stockel www.teamgaweightlifting.org and 

Coach Dan MacDougald www.crossfitatlanta.typepad.com/crossfit_atlanta hosted a Crossfit Olympic Weightlifting seminar.  

The seminar was taught by the great Coach Mike Burgener (Burpees).  Coach Burgener was totally awesome.  

If you are interested in learning the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk, This certification course is the place to start.  Great weekend, great education!

Education is one of the keys to achieving an outstanding life. 

For those Warriors needing quality information on how to burn fat more efficiently.  I highly recommend Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat E-book. 

For more information or to buy this E-book.  Just click on the picture above.

Happy FAT BURNING! 

Erin has a great program to teach women self-protection.  Please visit her site at http://www.girlsfightback.org

I just got back from a four-day training seminar with the legend, Guro Dan Inosanto.  He is almost 72 and still teaching and training each and every day.  He is a true inspiration to all martial artists!  

“Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.” - Sun Tzu

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