Paco

I am new to the area of "combatives." Have practiced or taken "tactical" seminars, but I don't consider myself a "combatives" practitioner. I pose the question: we see a couple of names out there all the time- Hockheim, Wagner, Keating- who is really worth the time and money to train under? Has anybody taken some of their courses? Are there other people we should look at?Any suggestions appreciated.

Tant01

I can't say I've had much in the way of formal training but I have been around the block a few times and in my opinion there are a number of decent resources on the modern cqc type RBSD instructors. The thing you need to look for is not so much technique but mindset.

What we have come to know about the response to serious threats (adrenal response ) is as important to understand as the technical skills to dispatch the threat or tactical skills to avoid it.

What you'll come to see is that there are still a small number of instructors in the RBSD industry, that number is growing but most of these folks know each other or OF each other by reputation (good or bad).

Some are noteworthy others notorious so I hesitate to mention names but I personally tend to stay away from the hype and politics.

I have read a couple of books by Peyton Quinn. He has a website.

I have exchanged e-words with Bill Kipp... he's a good guy.

No one will deney that folks like Mark (the animal) Mac Young have made great contributions to the field

Don Rearic has a good website...

From these you can find others and if not there is always Google...

Not to forget the folks right here.


Thanks to Tim Mousel you can enjoy a free membership to this forum and find answers to the questions you have about self defense and the martial arts.

Look them up, it will be worth the effort.

__________________

"In all countries where personal freedom is valued, however much each individual may rely on legal redress, the right of each to carry arms - and these the best and the sharpest - for his own protection in case of extremity, is a right of nature indelible and irrepressible, and the more it is sought to be repressed the more it will recur."

James Paterson

BoarSpear

Keating's conceptual gold series is about the best 75 bucks you can spend on self defense related video...his reverse grip knife fighting (also known as drawpoint) is great especially the first volume...

HERQ454

Geoff Thompson in England.Also Paul Vunak,Matt Thornton and Demi Barbito from the JKD side of things.These guys are a good start for Street stuff.Peyton quinn is also another I've heard about but have yet to see anything of his.Tony Blauer should be checked out.But for no bulls**t stuff Thompson would be it.Dont know if he does seminars but books/videos would be a start.

johnj

I have read and/or seen material, attended a few seminars and trained with some Combatives & RBSD instructors. As Tant01 pointed out, the techniques are nothing new. It is simply the training methodologies and mindset that make their approach so effective and easy to learn. And that is what counts!

Military Combatives such as the WWII methods aka defendu has its roots in Combat Judo and other traditional arts so the techniques are a lot more rigid in execution i.e. shuto, chin jab etc. but no less effective cause the principles are always emphasized. I was fortunate to train with Carl Cestari and his Close Combat Group in NJ and found them to be some of the most hardcore players in Combatives today. Senior instructors Clint Sporman and Ralph Grasso are top notch in hand-to-hand. The goal is simply to “take your enemy out”. This goal is mutually shared with RBSD instructors as well. However, I found there are significant differences in training methodologies and even philosophy. RBSD instructors tend to educate more on adrenalin stress, fear management, legalities, the psychology of violence and incorporate many more contact scenarios. You will not find de-escalating or diffusion exercises in Combatives, when it comes down to throwing down …they will strike first and strike viciously.

Here is my pick of some instructors:

WWII Hand to Hand
Charlie Nelson
Carl Cestari

Modern Combatives
Jim Grover (aka Kelly McCann)
Bob Kasper
Bill Wolfe

RBSD
Rich Dimitri
Peter Conterdine
Geoff Thompson
Tony Blauer
Peyton Quinn
Marc MacYoung

Good luck in your endeavors!

JohnJ
www.swacom.com

johnj

I have read and/or seen material, attended a few seminars and trained with some Combatives & RBSD instructors. As Tant01 pointed out, the techniques are nothing new. It is simply the training methodologies and mindset that make their approach so effective and easy to learn. And that is what counts!

Military Combatives such as the WWII methods aka defendu has its roots in Combat Judo and other traditional arts so the techniques are a lot more rigid in execution i.e. shuto, chin jab etc. but no less effective cause the principles are always emphasized. I was fortunate to train with Carl Cestari and his Close Combat Group in NJ and found them to be some of the most hardcore players in Combatives today. Senior instructors Clint Sporman and Ralph Grasso are top notch in hand-to-hand. The goal is simply to “take your enemy out”. This goal is mutually shared with RBSD instructors as well. However, I found there are significant differences in training methodologies and even philosophy. RBSD instructors tend to educate more on adrenalin stress, fear management, legalities, the psychology of violence and incorporate many more contact scenarios. You will not find de-escalating or diffusion exercises in Combatives, when it comes down to throwing down …they will strike first and strike viciously.

Here is my pick of some instructors:

WWII Hand to Hand
Charlie Nelson
Carl Cestari

Modern Combatives
Jim Grover (aka Kelly McCann)
Bob Kasper
Bill Wolfe

RBSD
Rich Dimitri
Peter Conterdine
Geoff Thompson
Tony Blauer
Peyton Quinn
Marc MacYoung

Good luck in your endeavors!

JohnJ
www.swacom.com