Consumer’s Guide to Reality Based Training
Can I really learn how to protect myself from a video?
Introduction
The subject of this article concerns some guidelines on how to select, and effectively train in, reality based hand to hand (H2H) combat (or shooting) on your own using written and video products. The assumption is that effective training of this nature is not available to you at the local level. Some reality-based systems are making inroads and being offered locally. Most notable is the Israeli system Krav Maga. The most important consideration is the instructor. In many of these systems you can get an instructor certification in a week. This means it could just be the local Tea Kwon Do guy with an accountant day job moonlighting as a reality based instructor. The theory is most who go for certification will have an extensive military or law enforcement background and lots of training in various reality oriented things. A week-long instructor certification for these people is plenty due to their backgrounds and they are the ones you are looking for.
Let’s get started…First, I’ll give you Jim Wagner’s definition of “Reality Based” personal protection since he first coined the term around 1999. “Training and survival skills based on modern conflict situations that the practitioner is likely to encounter in their environment (their “reality”), in an accordance with the use-of-force continuum of that jurisdiction.”
http://www.jimwagnertraining.com/
So, we are talking about real world survival skills that owe no allegiance to any tradition or sport, though there certainly may be overlap in effectiveness of some traditional or sport martial arts techniques.
Live training is the best format to learn this, or any subject. I will operate under the assumption that the readership understands this and time and/or money considerations are what will prevent it from always being an option.
One potential downside to live training is that there is a temptation to become intellectually lazy and just go through the motions. This is of course under the control of the trainee. When learning by distance, this isn't as likely because nobody is there to spoon feed you answers, you must use the material and your common sense to answer all your own questions. This can lead to a very good understanding of the subject matter.
While we are talking about distance learning advantages, here are a few more. The absolute top instructors in the world are available to you. Many of the top firearms instructors and H2H trainers have training material out there at a fraction of the cost that elite units, agencies and individuals pay them for live training. You can review the material anytime and from angles not available to you at live training events. You can train for low cost anytime, anywhere and try out many different systems and methods by slowly building up your library as time and money allow.
How to get the most out of your distance training products
In order to learn effectively, you have to understand the material before you try to train it. Watch the entire video through a few times and read all the written materials. Good written materials should compliment what is presented on the video, not merely re-hash it in written form.
Plan your training session. Review the techniques you are going to focus on and jot down notes to reference during the session.
Pay close attention to what the instructor is saying on the video. Because we are so visual, video training is a double-edged sword. You will often miss important spoken information because you are caught up watching the action. In a good training video, 90 plus percent of the answers to your questions were probably covered and you missed it.
One series of training videos I have came with an optional audio cassette series. Not the audio to the video, but additional information. I could mentally visualize each technique in my head (having seen them on video) and the additional information was very helpful. A technique, since most stuff won’t have added audio bonus material, is to play the video and listen to the audio without watching it (turn the screen off) after you’ve seen it a few times. I bet you will hear something you didn’t before.
Finally, save up the money to attend a live training session. You will probably be surprised at how on track you are, having only a few misconceptions (and those should be minor) in spite of no instructor feedback. If you are even somewhat self-disciplined and have trained the material semi-frequently, you will likely be amazed at how good you are compared to everyone else. There may be phone or email support and possibly an opportunity to send a video of yourself to the instructor for feedback in rare cases.
A note on costs; I rationalize the cost by comparing it to what the info would cost locally, if it were available. Typical Martial Arts lessons are $50-$100 per month plus uniform and test fees. So, 12 months at $60/month plus some fees equals around $800/year. You can get more training material than you could effectively train in two years for that price. That would buy a heck of a start on a good DVD training library. Of course the level of quality instruction I’m talking about won’t be available locally, that’s the point.
The biggest challenge
In 12 plus years of training H2H and defensive shooting, mostly on my own, the biggest challenge hasn’t been in understanding and applying the material. The biggest challenge has been finding motivated and reliable training partners. Most people only value what they decide to pay for. It is the rare person that can recognize the true value of top quality training information when it is free to them. The best method I found is not to try to recruit training partners. You talk ‘em into it, then spend a lot of time getting blown off or having them re-schedule because something is always more important to them.
The best method I’ve found is to just wait for self-defense to come up in a conversation. Discuss your knowledge in the matter, be a little low key but confident. When they ask what you train, say just a little then point them to the website of whatever system that is. Don’t try to sell it to them. If they are truly interested, they will check it out, come back to you impressed and eager to train. I did this once to a 1st Sergeant in one of my units. The conversation went something like this.
1SG: “I hear you do a lot of H2H training.”
Me: “Yeah, I train this stuff “system x” their website is “systemx.com.”
Any resemblance to a real “system x” is purely coincidental. ;-)
I didn’t hear anything for at least 2 weeks, figured he wasn’t that interested. Then he comes into my office very excited, says he bought everything they had and couldn’t wait to train! He was my best training partner ever.
Don’t get fooled by the “Hype” or the “Heat”
On the Internet, which H2H system is “best” (whatever that means) is more hotly debated than the worst 9mm vs. .45 or revolver vs. auto flame fest ever. That is a fairly valid comparison too. A person new to guns and concealed carry would be well served by any quality auto or revolver by any major manufacturer designed for duty/carry use in any caliber from 38special to .45ACP. Sure, some designs are more efficient and better for certain purposes than others. Some calibers are more effective than others are, but a person starting out with any decent carry gun doesn’t need the confusion of Glock vs. 1911, they just need a good gun now. They can refine their decision later.
Reality based H2H systems are like the above gun example. Any good one will be suitable for a beginner and likely far better than the local martial arts Dojo or a sports-based art. I’m not criticizing those; my comments are based on their design and purpose. To continue the gun analogy, it would be like recommending a target pistol for defensive use. It will do many things well for defense, but is not the most efficient tool for that application.
Don’t let silly flame wars sway your decision anymore than the 9mm vs. 45 debate. At least most in the caliber wars have shot them. Most participants in the H2H flame wars haven’t trained the systems they badmouth, just seen some video or worse, just parroting what “everyone else” on the Internet knows. The best H2H systems have about 90% of the ingredients (principles and techniques) in common. Like Mexican food (same ingredients), they just differ on the priority, order, amount and emphasis of those fairly common ingredients.
As far as advertising, hype is very popular in all areas of advertising these days. Just separate what is relevant from what isn’t. I don’t care if Navy Seals used, or use it. I only care how effective it will be for me in my expected circumstances. I look for endorsements by people with a lot of relevant experience for me. For example a testimonial by a Delta commando should mean less than one written by a SWAT veteran…if you are in law enforcement.
What is effective for a 4 man elite CQB team might not work for the lone, outnumbered civilian facing 3 gang bangers. What works for police officers with backup available and a duty to try to apprehend a suspect without harm…again might not be best for you. The difference in systems originally designed for elite combat units and what is presented to you should just be that it is tailored to a civilian circumstance. They aren’t holding back “classified info” (No H2H info is currently classified to my knowledge) just not showing stuff that doesn’t apply. Knowing how to effectively execute a 2-person prisoner snatch or a sentry stalk isn’t what average Joe needs.
Pick one already and get started
So, just research what’s out there, order some DVDs and get to training! You are the consumer and it’s your life on the line. You owe no allegiance to anyone and can try lots of different stuff incorporating the best of each.
Here is a short, by no means exhaustive, list of reality-based systems and instructors to look into. I have no affiliation with any of them, but have trained with, or own some products from many of these sources. Others, I hope to train with soon. The rest look pretty good to me, but I don’t have time and money to check everything out. In keeping with the spirit of the “hype and heat” section, these are in no particular order. Yes, I feel strongly that a few of these instructors/systems are better than others…but only to the extent I feel my SIG P226 is better/more efficient for CCW than a snub revolver. This is meant to just be a start in your research, some very excellent instructors have no doubt been left out.
Jim Wagner
http://www.jimwagnertraining.com/aboutrealitybased.html –since he coined the terminology I’ve chosen to use in this article…I’ll give him 1st billing. Look for his excellent monthly column “High Risk” in Black Belt Magazine.
Tim Larkin “Target Focus Training”
http://www.targetfocustraining.com
Very educational system on how to effectively use the “tool of violence”. Excellent free newsletter.
Mike Kanarek HAGANAH
http://fight2survive.com/default.aspx Israeli inspired H2H system with some unique insights on how to execute fighting techniques under stress.
Tony Blauer
http://www.tonyblauer.com “SPEAR” system…based on using natural startle response to channel into effective action.
Vladimir Vasiliev “SYSTEMA”
http://www.russianmartialart.com Former soviet Spetsnaz soldier, Russian martial art. Some very unique movements.
Jerry Peterson “SCARS”
http://www.scars.com One of the original “Learn to fight like a SEAL” systems. Very direct, violent and efficient.
Bennie Cooley “Fighting Mindset I & II”
http://www.trsdirect.com/product.php?sku=HI-77 Primarily deals with the subject of fighting with a handgun. Vol. II covers realistic scenarios and incorporation of handgun strikes.
A note on the company TRS. This website is very dangerous! (To a H2H training junky like me) There are many, many H2H/Weapon videos here, 51 different instructors! Some excellent, some...not so good. Caveat emptor. If something catches my eye, I wait for them to have a sale, then pick it up for around ½ price. They have a no questions asked refund policy. However, I’ve always felt I at least got my 40 bucks worth (or whatever).
“SouthNarc”
http://www.shivworks.com Undercover cop in the Southern US. Outstanding common sense methods for dealing with extreme close quarter situations, hands, knife and gun. Hurricane Katrina ruined my planned 3 day training course with him (kept him busy too)…I’m gonna fix that when I can.
Well, that’s it. If nothing else, training from these sources and more can at least give you the ability to answer the Internet forum “What would you do if…” type questions with a lot more confidence. Stay safe.
) I whipped up on how to get the most out of some of the excellent H2H and firearm instruction that is available on video or DVD.
) and actually train on a regular or semi-regular basis. Do this and it will be extremely effective.