Average Guy
Member
I don’t know him personally, but I can tell one thing from looking at his Web site and DVD: Demi Barbito doesn’t know the meaning of “half-assed.â€
I have been interested in firearms and martial arts for a good portion of my life. My firearms training has far outpaced my martial arts training, which has been piecemeal and, I’m sorry to say, decidedly half-assed. I began with kung fu San Soo in the mid-80s; started my firearms training in earnest in the Marine Corps; and had my latest foray into MA studying kickboxing in a mixed martial arts studio. Over the years, it occurred to me that firearms and martial arts did not have to be mutually exclusive—Chuck Habermehl’s video Entry Team Combatives, for example, addresses the possibility that an armed operator may need to take someone to the ground, yet if memory serves, firearms aren’t central to his solutions—but there seemed to be no place to study a firearms-integrated martial arts “system.†Until now.
Demi Barbito, director of the Center for Self Preservation Training (CSPT), has, in classic “Of course—it’s so obvious!†style, effectively incorporated firearms into mixed martial arts training. Just as a martial artist can use a knife, stick or other hand weapon, he or she can also add firearms to the fighting “toolkit.†Likewise, a gunfighter can add empty-hand martial arts techniques to his or her repertoire. And if you’re like me, you can stand to study in both areas at the same time. I will be visiting CSPT in the near future; until then, there’s Fire Power.
I am particularly critical about training videos, because I know how little effort is usually put into a typical firearms or martial arts training tape, and how little additional effort is needed to make one that stands out. Most cost $40 and last about 30 minutes, and the quality is usually abysmal: shot in one take during a regularly scheduled class with an old VHS camcorder, poor lighting and worse sound.
The first thing that appealed to me about this DVD is that it encompasses two hours of material for its $39.99 (plus shipping) price. In the training-video niche, Lenny Magill leads the pack in video quality, setting the standard that other producers should strive to meet (but seldom do, to the detriment of the genre). Although Fire Power isn’t quite up to that level, it comes damn close. This is a quality production, standing head and shoulders above all the overpriced, badly shot commercials for someone’s training facility. It’s even more impressive that Barbito wrote, directed, edited and scored it himself.
Admirably and refreshingly, Fire Power is a dedicated training video, not simply a videotaped record of a CSPT class. A major problem with typical training videos is that first-time students are often shown practicing techniques as the instructor explains them. The danger is that unless the student is performing at the same level as the instructor—which is highly unlikely—viewers will be watching and learning imperfect technique. Barbito avoids this by demonstrating all techniques himself, with high-level students or fellow instructors playing only opponents.
The training program is very thorough, starting with the basics (safety and safe handling) and progressing through handgun and shotgun techniques (two separate full-price videos from anyone else). Even though much of the first few chapters are beginner level, a refresher never hurts. Additionally, Barbito introduces some techniques that I’ve not seen in other firearms training that are worth considering. Although CSPT materials refer to “using no way as a way†a la Bruce Lee, and Barbito doesn’t explicitly say that it’s “his way or no way,†I don’t recall any discussion about “what works best for the individual.†In that respect, the training treads uncomfortably (if softly) close to dogma. For example, my brother uses the same fighting grip on his Glock that Barbito does (I’m currently of the support-thumb-up school), but keeps inadvertently holding the slide stop lever down, preventing the slide from locking back on an empty magazine. So now what? There are few absolutes, especially in martial arts—adaptability is key. I say, discover what works for you.
Barbito comes across not as a know-it-all tactical guru, but as a caring teacher confident in his knowledge. He is an excellent speaker, talking very quickly but distinctly. As we are able to take in information faster than people normally speak, viewers should not miss anything. The training pace is brisk; there’s no time to get bored. (I put on the first disc just to see if it worked and ended up watching the whole thing.) His message is direct and straightforward, with very few verbal errors and virtually no “uhs†or “ums.†The man knows his material.
In terms of incorporating a pistol as a martial arts weapon, Barbito’s four basic gunfighting positions are great. Keeping the left arm up to protect one’s head from a knife, stick or punch—so simple and seemingly obvious, yet so overlooked. (My own San Soo-derived close-contact block might have protected my head from flying brass, but not a swinging baseball bat. No longer.) He stresses maintaining visual contact with your opponent and keeping your field of vision clear: When you’re slicing the pie, it’s good to not have a low-ready position blocking your view of the floor.
Barbito’s emphasis on movement is vital, and reflects his martial arts training. You don’t just stand toe-to-toe with your opponent and duke it out; you have to move. Because we fight like we train, getting out of the square-range mentality is something we should all think about (and do) more often.
While most training videos or classes teach police- or military-style room-clearing and -entry tactics, Barbito’s emphasis is decidedly upon civilian homeowners’ concerns. He admonishes viewers to avoid a fight if necessary, while teaching the proper tactics one needs in order to prevail in an in-home encounter with an intruder. The chapter entitled “Capture†is extremely valuable, not to mention eye-opening. Too often we approach every training scenario as a “shoot;†rarely do we think about what to do after we’ve found we don’t have to shoot. The “Force On Force/Simunition® Scenarios†chapter is simply fascinating, showing just a few of the potentially limitless “bad scenes†you’d hate to face in real life. It’s a beautiful way to wrap up the program.
Overall, Fire Power is unquestionably a worthwhile investment. But because “a bitchin’ Marine is a happy Marine,†I do have a few gripes: The DVD is actually two DVD-ROM discs in clear jewel cases, and not pressed on one "real" DVD in a keep case. My two-year-old Philips 825 (the heart of my home entertainment system) won't play them, which means I have to watch them on a newer player in the bedroom or on my computer. Neither area is conducive to watching with a group of people. Also, because Barbito mentions “this tape†a few times, I surmise the DVD was transferred from a tape master. As a result, perhaps, in many scenes the color constantly shifts from cool blue to warm beige and back. It is very distracting and detracts from an otherwise professional presentation. Finally, I would like to see him use the video medium more effectively with close-ups—particularly for properly teaching such techniques as indexing rounds—and reverse angles, particularly in the force-on-force segment (I want to see the bad guys’ reactions, too). Next DVD, perhaps?
Chapters are divided nicely and the ability to jump to chapters is invaluable. Maybe I’m spoiled, but the opening titles could have been a little less “cable access†and a little more dynamic, and the menu screen needs some spice. It’s basic, but it works. And how about cutting together all of the shooting scenes so we can watch them all at once?
My admittedly minor gripes aside, this training program is quality. For once, I have absolutely no buyer’s remorse. Don’t be half-assed about your training: This DVD is a bargain at $39.99 (shipping is fast—I received mine in two days) and should be in the library of every student of modern martial arts and firearms.
©2003 Curtis E. Gropp
Available from www.demibarbito.com
I have been interested in firearms and martial arts for a good portion of my life. My firearms training has far outpaced my martial arts training, which has been piecemeal and, I’m sorry to say, decidedly half-assed. I began with kung fu San Soo in the mid-80s; started my firearms training in earnest in the Marine Corps; and had my latest foray into MA studying kickboxing in a mixed martial arts studio. Over the years, it occurred to me that firearms and martial arts did not have to be mutually exclusive—Chuck Habermehl’s video Entry Team Combatives, for example, addresses the possibility that an armed operator may need to take someone to the ground, yet if memory serves, firearms aren’t central to his solutions—but there seemed to be no place to study a firearms-integrated martial arts “system.†Until now.
Demi Barbito, director of the Center for Self Preservation Training (CSPT), has, in classic “Of course—it’s so obvious!†style, effectively incorporated firearms into mixed martial arts training. Just as a martial artist can use a knife, stick or other hand weapon, he or she can also add firearms to the fighting “toolkit.†Likewise, a gunfighter can add empty-hand martial arts techniques to his or her repertoire. And if you’re like me, you can stand to study in both areas at the same time. I will be visiting CSPT in the near future; until then, there’s Fire Power.
I am particularly critical about training videos, because I know how little effort is usually put into a typical firearms or martial arts training tape, and how little additional effort is needed to make one that stands out. Most cost $40 and last about 30 minutes, and the quality is usually abysmal: shot in one take during a regularly scheduled class with an old VHS camcorder, poor lighting and worse sound.
The first thing that appealed to me about this DVD is that it encompasses two hours of material for its $39.99 (plus shipping) price. In the training-video niche, Lenny Magill leads the pack in video quality, setting the standard that other producers should strive to meet (but seldom do, to the detriment of the genre). Although Fire Power isn’t quite up to that level, it comes damn close. This is a quality production, standing head and shoulders above all the overpriced, badly shot commercials for someone’s training facility. It’s even more impressive that Barbito wrote, directed, edited and scored it himself.
Admirably and refreshingly, Fire Power is a dedicated training video, not simply a videotaped record of a CSPT class. A major problem with typical training videos is that first-time students are often shown practicing techniques as the instructor explains them. The danger is that unless the student is performing at the same level as the instructor—which is highly unlikely—viewers will be watching and learning imperfect technique. Barbito avoids this by demonstrating all techniques himself, with high-level students or fellow instructors playing only opponents.
The training program is very thorough, starting with the basics (safety and safe handling) and progressing through handgun and shotgun techniques (two separate full-price videos from anyone else). Even though much of the first few chapters are beginner level, a refresher never hurts. Additionally, Barbito introduces some techniques that I’ve not seen in other firearms training that are worth considering. Although CSPT materials refer to “using no way as a way†a la Bruce Lee, and Barbito doesn’t explicitly say that it’s “his way or no way,†I don’t recall any discussion about “what works best for the individual.†In that respect, the training treads uncomfortably (if softly) close to dogma. For example, my brother uses the same fighting grip on his Glock that Barbito does (I’m currently of the support-thumb-up school), but keeps inadvertently holding the slide stop lever down, preventing the slide from locking back on an empty magazine. So now what? There are few absolutes, especially in martial arts—adaptability is key. I say, discover what works for you.
Barbito comes across not as a know-it-all tactical guru, but as a caring teacher confident in his knowledge. He is an excellent speaker, talking very quickly but distinctly. As we are able to take in information faster than people normally speak, viewers should not miss anything. The training pace is brisk; there’s no time to get bored. (I put on the first disc just to see if it worked and ended up watching the whole thing.) His message is direct and straightforward, with very few verbal errors and virtually no “uhs†or “ums.†The man knows his material.
In terms of incorporating a pistol as a martial arts weapon, Barbito’s four basic gunfighting positions are great. Keeping the left arm up to protect one’s head from a knife, stick or punch—so simple and seemingly obvious, yet so overlooked. (My own San Soo-derived close-contact block might have protected my head from flying brass, but not a swinging baseball bat. No longer.) He stresses maintaining visual contact with your opponent and keeping your field of vision clear: When you’re slicing the pie, it’s good to not have a low-ready position blocking your view of the floor.
Barbito’s emphasis on movement is vital, and reflects his martial arts training. You don’t just stand toe-to-toe with your opponent and duke it out; you have to move. Because we fight like we train, getting out of the square-range mentality is something we should all think about (and do) more often.
While most training videos or classes teach police- or military-style room-clearing and -entry tactics, Barbito’s emphasis is decidedly upon civilian homeowners’ concerns. He admonishes viewers to avoid a fight if necessary, while teaching the proper tactics one needs in order to prevail in an in-home encounter with an intruder. The chapter entitled “Capture†is extremely valuable, not to mention eye-opening. Too often we approach every training scenario as a “shoot;†rarely do we think about what to do after we’ve found we don’t have to shoot. The “Force On Force/Simunition® Scenarios†chapter is simply fascinating, showing just a few of the potentially limitless “bad scenes†you’d hate to face in real life. It’s a beautiful way to wrap up the program.
Overall, Fire Power is unquestionably a worthwhile investment. But because “a bitchin’ Marine is a happy Marine,†I do have a few gripes: The DVD is actually two DVD-ROM discs in clear jewel cases, and not pressed on one "real" DVD in a keep case. My two-year-old Philips 825 (the heart of my home entertainment system) won't play them, which means I have to watch them on a newer player in the bedroom or on my computer. Neither area is conducive to watching with a group of people. Also, because Barbito mentions “this tape†a few times, I surmise the DVD was transferred from a tape master. As a result, perhaps, in many scenes the color constantly shifts from cool blue to warm beige and back. It is very distracting and detracts from an otherwise professional presentation. Finally, I would like to see him use the video medium more effectively with close-ups—particularly for properly teaching such techniques as indexing rounds—and reverse angles, particularly in the force-on-force segment (I want to see the bad guys’ reactions, too). Next DVD, perhaps?
Chapters are divided nicely and the ability to jump to chapters is invaluable. Maybe I’m spoiled, but the opening titles could have been a little less “cable access†and a little more dynamic, and the menu screen needs some spice. It’s basic, but it works. And how about cutting together all of the shooting scenes so we can watch them all at once?
My admittedly minor gripes aside, this training program is quality. For once, I have absolutely no buyer’s remorse. Don’t be half-assed about your training: This DVD is a bargain at $39.99 (shipping is fast—I received mine in two days) and should be in the library of every student of modern martial arts and firearms.
©2003 Curtis E. Gropp
Available from www.demibarbito.com
