A question of mind-set - Page 2

darrianation · 04-28-2007, 04:38 PM

There is some truth in that article.

For instance anyone who comes into your field of view is suspect. Those closed doors over there harbors badguys, behind that window is a look out, that crumbling wall shields enemy movement. The car behind you is following too closely, that clump of weeds in the field conceals a sniper, and behind that rubble pile waits a guy with a PKM and another with an RPG.

Being suspicious (questioning everything) and keeping alert are your entry points to potential threats and impending ambush situations. Don’t be afraid to come off to strangers as an asshole. Your space is yours defend it aggressively.

A friend of mine has this saying: "Believe nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you see."

Tom Yum · 05-01-2007, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darrianation

I have said this before but when the difference between winning and loosing, living and dieing is measured in seconds, it is the guy who is willing to die for those precious seconds who is going to be the guy who wins that fight.

I do remember you saying something like this. It reminds me a little of something I read in the Hagakure.

..n.. · 05-01-2007, 03:41 PM

I understand the thinking that assumes all physical encounters have the potential to escalate and become a worst case scenario. I agree with this philosophy but find myself questioning the ramifications one may face legally if you pursue a confrontation to the end as if the assailant was armed etc… when in fact they weren’t. Assuming deescalation is not an option, you fight as if your opponent is armed looking for blood and has a cohort in the wings, you beat the living tar out of the person incapacitating them, and they have no weapon etc.. aren’t you potently liable and, if arrested, up for an assault charge?

Tant01 · 05-01-2007, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ..n..

I understand the thinking that assumes all physical encounters have the potential to escalate and become a worst case scenario. I agree with this philosophy but find myself questioning the ramifications one may face legally if you pursue a confrontation to the end as if the assailant was armed etc… when in fact they weren’t. Assuming deescalation is not an option, you fight as if your opponent is armed looking for blood and has a cohort in the wings, you beat the living tar out of the person incapacitating them, and they have no weapon etc.. aren’t you potently liable and, if arrested, up for an assault charge?

"Self defense" is a legal term to justify using force. It is YOUR responsibility to know when that force is "REASONABLE" and justified.

darrianation · 05-02-2007, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ..n..

I understand the thinking that assumes all physical encounters have the potential to escalate and become a worst case scenario. I agree with this philosophy but find myself questioning the ramifications one may face legally if you pursue a confrontation to the end as if the assailant was armed etc… when in fact they weren’t. Assuming deescalation is not an option, you fight as if your opponent is armed looking for blood and has a cohort in the wings, you beat the living tar out of the person incapacitating them, and they have no weapon etc.. aren’t you potently liable and, if arrested, up for an assault charge?

I think there are 4 basic reasons folks hesitate in a self-defense encounter. It can be any one reason, all four or any combination. This hesitation often leads to severe injury or death.

1. Startle reflex response
2. Uncertainty
3. Fear f legal consequences
4. Fear of injury or death

Hesitation is a lifetime when the difference between winning and loosing, living and dieing, is measured in fractions of a second.

One of the enemies in a fight is not being certain of what is going on, is this person an actual threat, what are his intentions, is he really doing what I think he is doing, etc? This combined with the body alarm reaction is called inertia.

Over coming inertia begins with the proper attitude, mindset, and situational awareness. Situational awareness is the hard scan procedures and pre-fight indicators for threat recognition. I think that those who are aware of their environment, the people around them, their behavior, and the immediate situation tend to engage the threat much earlier in the scenario, yet, another important component in a successful outcome.

If there is any uncertainty there will be hesitation because making a decisive split second decision isn't possible if you are unsure of what is happening. Combat is dynamic and therefore it is time-sensitive and even more importantly it is time-competitive. If you start from behind or you fall back because you paused before committing to an action or began to far down the aggression-force-scale you may not be able to catch up before you are taken out or overwhelmed. Conversely if you start from out in front of the curve or drag race to the front you can exploit the advantage over your opponent…and you always want to exploit any advantages.

In a time sensitive situation you have to act as soon as you recognize the threat either by avoidance (best) or by drag racing to tactical superiority. You have to interrupt and take control of your opponent's decision-action cycle. This takes into account recognition of the threat and immediate action and initiative. Hesitation will make it nearly impossible for you to do this and unless luck intervenes on your behalf you may find victory difficult at best or elusive at worst resulting in severe injury or even death. We will take luck when it comes along but we don't want to have to rely on it. Luck isn't part of our winning equation.

Remember hesitating gives the baddy a big advantage because while you are having an internal dialogue about what is happening or what you should do next he is acting and action is faster than reaction.

I think we need to formulate a well-thought out plan that takes into account those things that might make us hesitate. Such things as fear of legal consequences, fear of sever injury or death, when to flip the switch, winning mental attitude, self-examination, and emotional states management.

darrianation · 05-02-2007, 09:26 AM

Fear of the legal consequences-

After having won against the bad guy low life, you may fear and in some cases even expect to face certain judicial prejudice.

One component I believe you need to have is a plan of action for the post fight. It may look something like this: exercise your right to remain silent, have your lawyer present before being questioned by police---you should already have a lawyer on retainer or at least know which lawyer you would call in an emergency and have his phone number in your pocket (preferably an experienced criminal defense lawyer) --- and never talk to the media.

Always cooperate with the police as far as following their directions (get down on the ground, put your hands up over your head, etc), give them your name and identification and point out any witnesses. Stay on the scene if safe to do so, if not, contact the police from a safe location (don't make them come looking for you) and preferably after contacting your lawyer. Tell them you would be happy to talk to them but you would like your lawyer present. And have something in place to protect your assets in the event some self-righteously absorbed pencil-pushing libtard-coward comes looking for you. In other words know the law, know your rights, and have a plan. You should think about all this stuff before a situation happens and you should practice post fight scenarios as part of your role play during training.

Personally I think many people get too caught up in the fear of the legal consequences of a self-defense situation instead dealing with the here and now. I think it is important to know and understand the legal issues surrounding self-defense but when the moment of truth comes knocking at your door fear of the legal consequences must be put aside and aggressive action should be the theme of the moment. Yes, there are times when you have to weigh your best tactical options against the legal ones but that should be thought about in advance not at the time of the immediate situation at hand.

I believe that to be successful ridding yourself of the fear of the legal consequences at the moment of action you have to accept and come to terms with the possibility you may face legal or social persecution and possibly end up in court or even prison. That doesn't mean if the badguy turns and runs away that you chase him for three blocks tackle him to the ground and proceed to smash his brains into the sidewalk with a brick while he pleads for his life. Remember we still need to be smart.

darrianation · 05-02-2007, 09:54 AM

Fear of sever injury or death-

Another important factor in hesitation is the fear of pain, injury, death. Fear of death (or serious injury) can cause a great deal of trepidation and therefore hesitation. Unfortunately, you must understand and accept the possibility of your death. Believe me no one wants to die so you should do all you can to avoid a bad situation but it is important to accept that there exists the possibility that you may be killed even if you do everything right.

I think you should have all your affairs in order such as living a life so that there won't be a lot of explaining to do when you face your maker in judgment, having medical coverage and life insurance, a durable power of attorney, and a living will, etc, to protect your family from devastating financial loss and to help ease your mind somewhat if the unimaginable should happen.

I am talking about unhealthy fear hear. Healthy fear keeps you out of dangerous situations in the first place while allowing you to live a full and rich life. Unhealthy fear can cause you to live a dull and unfulfilling life and it will cause you to hesitate.

I think you have to be ready and willing to die in combat to be able to eliminate the fear of it. The goal should be to "WIN" period…not to die or simply survive or take the bad guy down with you. You have to be willing and unhindered to do whatever it takes to win.

It is the guy who is willing to bite and claw his way out of hell, the guy who is willing to give all and DIE for the single-minded purpose of destroying the guy in front him is the guy who is going to win...period.

darrianation · 05-02-2007, 10:07 AM

Rules of engagement-

You need to have some rules of engagement before you ever engage the enemy. This is what you will do and how you will do it. This should not be based on assumptions of social decency or political correctness or public politeness. This plan is designed to keep you alive in the event you become a target for real world violence and violence doesn't care who you are or what you believe in it will chew you up and spit you out irregardless of all that make nice political and social cowardice that is so pervasive these days.

First off, when do you flip the switch? What I am talking about is a mental trigger; a mental trigger is the criteria you use to say when! In other words it is when you decide to "GO" as in an all out asymmetrical assault on your opponent.

I keep my trigger light. For instances an uninvited intruder in my home gets no chances, no warning, no verbalization at all; he simply gets shot until he falls---Shoot him to slide lock reload and repeat as necessary. In my state you do not have an obligation to retreat or give fair warning.

Otherwise my mental trigger is tripped when someone who I have identified as having probable hostile intent refuses my command to "Back Off" on my first request it is “go” time.

Honestly I think too many folks take to long too throw the switch and explode out of the blocks on the offensive. They end up getting sucker punched or drawn on or even shot while they are trying to reason with the perp' or deciding what their next move should be.

What I say to those folks who talk too much is to shut the f@#$ up and hit him already. Give him a simple straight forward command such as “step back” or “back off” and if he (or they) refuse or ignore your command, crossing the line you have drawn in the sand, you can only assume he means no good and you have to take matters into your own hands to protect your personal space by force if necessary preempting his impending attack.

I think this is the best trigger to use (although there are other methods) and remember if you are attacked by surprise the decision is made for you and it is an all-out sprint to catch up and you must not only be brutally aggressive but you also have to have an integrated approach because you may be facing a weapon already drawn or find yourself under assault before you are even out of the starting blocks.

At the end of the day ultimately the combat mindset is the willingness to flip the switch and do unimaginable things to other human beings at a moments notice. And my rules of engagement is to go, go first, go hard, go fast, go often and "FINISH IT"! If you shoot the bad guy but he is still on his feet he is still a threat…shoot him, stab him, or strike him to the ground! There are no half measures in combat it is an all or nothing event. Always finish what you start!

When it comes to mitigating violence with violence Jeff Cooper had this to say: "One bleeding-heart type asked me in a recent interview if I did not agree that 'violence begets violence.' I told him that it is my earnest endeavor to see that it does. I would like very much to ensure--and in some cases I have--that any man who offers violence to his fellow citizen begets a whole lot more in return than he can enjoy."

Eliminating uncertainty-

Intent + Ability = Jeopardy. A threat is the combination of intention and capability (intent + ability). That's what makes a threat, those two things existing together in a situation or person/s.

Intent-

The fighter must be able to quickly and accurately asses the subjects intent so he can make a judgment on the persons intended actions. Intent is something that is intended; an aim or purpose, the state of one’s mind at the time one carries out an action. In this case it means the intent to commit a crime---robbery, assault, rape, murder, etc.

Establishing intent: Intent can stand alone as the trigger or there maybe a precipitating event prior to the contact and interview stage. Intent can be direct such as in a situation where the subject is in the process of charging, attacking, refusing to comply with commands, going for a weapon, he is reaching for his belt line or inside a bag or backpack. Or indirect such as the equipment or clothing he is wearing. Is his clothing or gear appropriate for the environment, time of year, weather, or his purpose for being there?

Emotional state-

Body language (aggression, nervousness, uneasiness, paying unwanted attention), verbal threats and tone. Attention with a hostile content especially if that focus suddenly changes.

Trigging event –

An event that precipitates the physical encounter
The fighter continually assesses those he comes into contact with and those in his immediate environment. He confirms through observation those who are paying attention to him, were they are standing, positioning, and proximity, and most importantly there intent.

A more focused observation comes when the fighter recognizes something out of place or out of the ordinary. Action must be taken when the fighter recognizes he is being paid attention to, especially when that attention is with an emotional content, hostile in nature. The threat is when someone whom you noticed is watching/paying attention to you and there is a sudden shift in that attention.

Ability –

Recognizing ability is the fact that he has resisted or failed to comply with your commands and he continues to close with you. Or he has maneuvered to match your movements to cut you off or put himself on an intercept course with you. His proximity gives him the ability to strike.

Jeopardy –

Risk or exposure to or imminence of death or severe injury. He has already selected you for his victim, and when intent and ability are combined you are in Jeopardy. Any aggressive movement into our personal space is jeopardy. Anytime you see he is armed you are in jeopardy even if he is still at a distance.
Ask yourself this question “If I (or another innocent human being) don't ACT will I be hurt or possibly killed?” If the answer is yes you betting get ACTING.

darrianation · 05-02-2007, 10:18 AM

Winning mental attitude-

The winning mental attitude is not just for the in-fight it is a way of life, it is the way you conduct your business and personal affairs, the desire to win, your work ethic in training, and the never give up attitude. In combat the goal is victory period and the winning attitude in combat is the desire to win and the willingness to act and to do whatever it takes to win.

Self-examination-

Another component is to have an honest and accurate assessment of your own capabilities and attitude. You should always work within the confines of your abilities and limitations. Know what you can do and what you can't and design your self-defense strategies around your strengths.

You can only know for sure if you own the skills when you are repeatedly successful in unscripted force on force drills and scenarios.

Emotional states management-

I think one of the most significant "points" in unhealthy fear reduction and reducing the effects of the body alarm reaction is to get angry. Those who can illicit rage (how dare that mother f@#$ do that) will suffer fewer effects of fear, adrenaline, and pain; as well as unlatch any inhibition of hurting another human being. To eliminate the threat we have to do terrible and often unimaginable things. Your "emotions", as in "anger", is a way to manage ramping up for the fight from 0-1000mph in a hurry without a prolonged interval of building up to it (inertia).

This is another one of those things that makes the elite warrior elite. Having the ability to "switch on" his inner pit-bull at will and engage with stubbornness and rage is one of those immeasurable attributes. And remember this; you can't be afraid when you're angry, so what you end up doing is substituting fear for anger and rage.

darrianation · 05-02-2007, 10:21 AM

Fitness-

Although, many things aren't written in stone, one thing I do believe to be set in stone is that "Physical Fitness" is the foundation that all combative skill rely rather it is movement with or without full load out, shooting posture, dragging a wounded friend or family member out the kill zone, H2H, etc.

Conditioning is an issue; over and over again folks who are in poor physical condition end up quitting early or even unexpectedly. Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." >I find that fatigue zaps the ferociousness out of your fight and makes you more susceptible to injury.

Training-

First and foremost the basics win fights! To start off with you need to have a small arsenal of robust tactics and techniques that are reliable and repeatable across a wide range of possibilities. The basics are drawstroke, front sight press, smoothed out magazine changes, expeditious non-diagnostic malfunction clearance, use of cover, and cheek welds and front post focus for rifles. The unarmed basics look something like this. Have a few long range strikes, some short range strikes like the elbow, some low line strikes like the knee, be able to manage the clinch, and most importantly you need to be able to smoothly and safely transition from empty hands to weapons.

Training should be scenario driven with components of force on force against capable resisting opponents (partners) and unscripted sudden onset fighting situations. Shooting at the range will help build and develop proper live fire skills such as recoil management, speed and accuracy. Dry fire will help develop drawstroke, sight picture, magazine changes, stance trigger discipline, and even malfunction clearance. Airsoft (or sims- if you can train with a group that has them) will put it all together for you using resisting opponents under realistic conditions.

After the basics the "Immediate Action Drills" are your number one priority! Your immediate action drill is a default for that heat of the moment ambush situation when you are caught by surprise and need to protect yourself against any devastating losses before going on the offensive. In other words you better act now or you're dead. Keep it simple, keep it conceptual, keep it flexible, and stick to it. Practice them in multiple situations such in lowlight conditions, different ranges form the threat, dry fire, live fire, single opponent situations, multiple opponent situations, in confined spaces, and in or around your vehicle, etc.

Training should be specific to range. Most civilian gunfights happen from 10 feet to contact range learn to access your weapons within this range. Learn to draw and shoot. Learn to move, draw and shoot. Learn to strike, draw, and shoot. Learn to shoot on the move (the ol' run and gun). And remember cover is your friend.

Tactics for the most part (generally speaking) are dependant on the distance you are from the threat. You should learn to fight at the different ranges from the threat. Even though most civilian gun battles happen within 10 feet to the bad breath range learn to fight out to 500 meters. You should be proficient from 1mm to 500 meters. This would also mean you should not only be proficient with a handgun but also with a rifle as well.

Most gunfights happen in lowlight conditions. Low light changes everything; too many folks spend too much time training in broad daylight. You should be doing a large bulk of your training at night or in otherwise low light conditions.

Combatives-

Real world combatives happens at very close range. Training in that range is critical to success. So that is where you should start.

Integration of multiple platforms and weapons systems and adapting to range problems as the fight moves from one range to another is the ideal goal, meaning you should be able to fight with your hands, on the ground, with a gun, with a knife, with weapons of opportunity, and transition from being unarmed to armed in a smooth safe way under pressure.

The number one most important components in Combatives are "integration and in-fight weapons access"…period! If your training doesn't teach this under realistic conditions then as far as I am concerned it isn't combatives!

Combatives training should be based on force on force training, testing principles and applications under realistic conditions.

Initiative is everything at these close ranges!

darrianation · 05-02-2007, 10:26 AM

Finally,

The non-politically correct socially abominable fact of the matter is winning in combat is about racing up the scale escalating the violence further and faster than your opponent. End story! Another libtard coward just rolled in his grave. Personally I like to think of "combat" as WINNING in a no-rules anything can happen environment where cheating is an advantage.

I believe if you have all these components that is the combative mindset combined with the necessary skills and proper training you will be that "perfect storm" opponent for someone else to have to deal with. Remember an elite operator "knows he has already won any fight he enters into", that is what makes the operator so formidable---anyone can possess these qualities who has a strong desire, dedication, and work ethic.

"Knowing you have already won any fight before you have entered into it" is about having an accurate assessment of your personal capabilities, winning attitude, and the willingness to ACT. The other important components are the willingness to cheat, false start, and having the proper tools for the job (weapons and gear) on your person and willing to not just use them but use them first.

Confidence comes from the knowledge that you will win because you will cheat, you won't hesitate to act with a high degree of force (instead of a low degree of force and having to ramp up behind the curve), and you know what your capabilities are and what you will do because you have been there before either in the real world or in past training experiences under realistic pressure.

If you lack confidence or question how you will perform on that fateful day when you face your final exam that terrorist or low life criminal…says something of the inadequacies in your current training model. Your training should put you in high stress situations against capable resisting partners that forces adaptations that make you "own it" and when you own it, you know it…of course you should always remain humble.

darrianation · 05-02-2007, 10:29 AM

I am going to be gone for a few days but when I get back I'll try to answer any questions.

Tom Yum · 05-06-2007, 02:30 AM

Darrianation, you're contributions on the topic are logical, detailed and comprehensive. Thank you for sharing!

lorenzodamarith · 05-12-2007, 02:00 AM

hello,

it seems the "invisible line" you are searching for is the recognition/reaction ratio. this is a little phrase coined to indicate the amount of force you deal out in relation to the threat you percieve.

you are correct in the idea that a majority of "combatives advocates" tend toward the terminal extreme.

actually, this subject is entirely a matter of mind set.

before any kind of scenario training, or weapons training... one should REALLY examine the idea of "fight". questions that should be answered are:

what constitutes a threat? this could also be known as "at what point does one act?"

how far would one actually go to end a conflict? this could also be know as "how much damage is one ACTUALLY willing to inflict?"

these are the two essential questions that many, if not most never reflect upon. this is not something anyone else can tell you. "attend my seminar and you will learn exactly what to do and how to do it!!!"

even those who have extraordinary levels of training in knifework or mma or anything like that find killing to be morally reprehensible and terrifying.

true, many might kill, if they are about to be killed. but even then, a moments hesitation is all it takes to loose ones life. the point of bringing this up, is simple. if you have already determined your actionable criteria, and you already know how far you are willing to go, it will greatly increase your confidence, speed of learning techniques and your reaction time.

but lsd, how can this be?

simple. have any of you ever been a kid? been in a standoff with another kid, about to fight? been scared out of your mind? any idea what you were afraid of?

you would be suprised how many are afraid because they are afraid of doing harm. many are afraid to act, because they are unsure of the boundaries. no decision has been made regarding the outcome. the fight is one large unknown. if you can add some known factors, you diminish the ability of fear to "run away with you". confidence.

when you know what you are training for, in as much detail as possible, it becomes easier to focus your learning efforts. (this next part is really gonna get some peoples undies bunched up). have you ever noticed that in jiujitsu, when someone is pursuing a belt level (like black) it takes x number of years? yet when they train for a goal like pan am champion, adcc champion, or whatever, it takes about half the time? ever notice that mma fighters are professional grade in about 3 years? if there weren't any shows (and therefore it became difficult to relate to) how long do you think it would take then? that clarity (for on reason or another) really speeds up the learning process.

then you know the following: the techniques, the actionable situations (if this, then fight), the terminal result desired, then the speed with which you can react and nullify the threat greatly increases.

the only thing left to do is learn threat recognition. sounds straightforeward, but it is a little deceiving. the overt stuff, like "gonna kick your ass" or picking up a pipe, is easy enough to recognize. part of threat recognition is learning how "bad guys" select thier targets, conceal weapons, initiate conflicts, etc.

tonyblauer (of blauersystems) worked for years to identify all of the factors that constitute threat and provide solutions. when you are "armed" with all these facets of knowledge, the notion of combatives changes. it becomes more personal and in doing so, becomes more useful. you are more likely to survive.

more to follow.

lorenzodamarith · 05-12-2007, 02:04 AM

hello,

apologies for the verbose explaination. but it seemed necessary to illustrate these points in order to fully address the concept "where do you draw the line and what do you do when it is crossed".

noone can "tell" you. that you must decide for yourself. be realistic. don't be impressed the flashy or famous. only you will ever really know what you are willing to do. by all means train and learn. you can even engineer "reality sparring" sessions. but this is just practice in controlled conditions.

hopefully this helps a bit.

thanks.

05-02-2007, 09:26 AM	#21 (permalink)
darrianation Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,161 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Fear of the legal consequences- After having won against the bad guy low life, you may fear and in some cases even expect to face certain judicial prejudice. One component I believe you need to have is a plan of action for the post fight. It may look something like this: exercise your right to remain silent, have your lawyer present before being questioned by police---you should already have a lawyer on retainer or at least know which lawyer you would call in an emergency and have his phone number in your pocket (preferably an experienced criminal defense lawyer) --- and never talk to the media. Always cooperate with the police as far as following their directions (get down on the ground, put your hands up over your head, etc), give them your name and identification and point out any witnesses. Stay on the scene if safe to do so, if not, contact the police from a safe location (don't make them come looking for you) and preferably after contacting your lawyer. Tell them you would be happy to talk to them but you would like your lawyer present. And have something in place to protect your assets in the event some self-righteously absorbed pencil-pushing libtard-coward comes looking for you. In other words know the law, know your rights, and have a plan. You should think about all this stuff before a situation happens and you should practice post fight scenarios as part of your role play during training. Personally I think many people get too caught up in the fear of the legal consequences of a self-defense situation instead dealing with the here and now. I think it is important to know and understand the legal issues surrounding self-defense but when the moment of truth comes knocking at your door fear of the legal consequences must be put aside and aggressive action should be the theme of the moment. Yes, there are times when you have to weigh your best tactical options against the legal ones but that should be thought about in advance not at the time of the immediate situation at hand. I believe that to be successful ridding yourself of the fear of the legal consequences at the moment of action you have to accept and come to terms with the possibility you may face legal or social persecution and possibly end up in court or even prison. That doesn't mean if the badguy turns and runs away that you chase him for three blocks tackle him to the ground and proceed to smash his brains into the sidewalk with a brick while he pleads for his life. Remember we still need to be smart. __________________ The law of tyranny: 1. Any power that can be abused will be abused 2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it. 3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail. Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

05-02-2007, 09:54 AM	#22 (permalink)
darrianation Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,161 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Fear of sever injury or death- Another important factor in hesitation is the fear of pain, injury, death. Fear of death (or serious injury) can cause a great deal of trepidation and therefore hesitation. Unfortunately, you must understand and accept the possibility of your death. Believe me no one wants to die so you should do all you can to avoid a bad situation but it is important to accept that there exists the possibility that you may be killed even if you do everything right. I think you should have all your affairs in order such as living a life so that there won't be a lot of explaining to do when you face your maker in judgment, having medical coverage and life insurance, a durable power of attorney, and a living will, etc, to protect your family from devastating financial loss and to help ease your mind somewhat if the unimaginable should happen. I am talking about unhealthy fear hear. Healthy fear keeps you out of dangerous situations in the first place while allowing you to live a full and rich life. Unhealthy fear can cause you to live a dull and unfulfilling life and it will cause you to hesitate. I think you have to be ready and willing to die in combat to be able to eliminate the fear of it. The goal should be to "WIN" period…not to die or simply survive or take the bad guy down with you. You have to be willing and unhindered to do whatever it takes to win. It is the guy who is willing to bite and claw his way out of hell, the guy who is willing to give all and DIE for the single-minded purpose of destroying the guy in front him is the guy who is going to win...period. __________________ The law of tyranny: 1. Any power that can be abused will be abused 2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it. 3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail. Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

05-02-2007, 10:07 AM	#23 (permalink)
darrianation Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,161 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Rules of engagement- You need to have some rules of engagement before you ever engage the enemy. This is what you will do and how you will do it. This should not be based on assumptions of social decency or political correctness or public politeness. This plan is designed to keep you alive in the event you become a target for real world violence and violence doesn't care who you are or what you believe in it will chew you up and spit you out irregardless of all that make nice political and social cowardice that is so pervasive these days. First off, when do you flip the switch? What I am talking about is a mental trigger; a mental trigger is the criteria you use to say when! In other words it is when you decide to "GO" as in an all out asymmetrical assault on your opponent. I keep my trigger light. For instances an uninvited intruder in my home gets no chances, no warning, no verbalization at all; he simply gets shot until he falls---Shoot him to slide lock reload and repeat as necessary. In my state you do not have an obligation to retreat or give fair warning. Otherwise my mental trigger is tripped when someone who I have identified as having probable hostile intent refuses my command to "Back Off" on my first request it is “go” time. Honestly I think too many folks take to long too throw the switch and explode out of the blocks on the offensive. They end up getting sucker punched or drawn on or even shot while they are trying to reason with the perp' or deciding what their next move should be. What I say to those folks who talk too much is to shut the f@#$ up and hit him already. Give him a simple straight forward command such as “step back” or “back off” and if he (or they) refuse or ignore your command, crossing the line you have drawn in the sand, you can only assume he means no good and you have to take matters into your own hands to protect your personal space by force if necessary preempting his impending attack. I think this is the best trigger to use (although there are other methods) and remember if you are attacked by surprise the decision is made for you and it is an all-out sprint to catch up and you must not only be brutally aggressive but you also have to have an integrated approach because you may be facing a weapon already drawn or find yourself under assault before you are even out of the starting blocks. At the end of the day ultimately the combat mindset is the willingness to flip the switch and do unimaginable things to other human beings at a moments notice. And my rules of engagement is to go, go first, go hard, go fast, go often and "FINISH IT"! If you shoot the bad guy but he is still on his feet he is still a threat…shoot him, stab him, or strike him to the ground! There are no half measures in combat it is an all or nothing event. Always finish what you start! When it comes to mitigating violence with violence Jeff Cooper had this to say: "One bleeding-heart type asked me in a recent interview if I did not agree that 'violence begets violence.' I told him that it is my earnest endeavor to see that it does. I would like very much to ensure--and in some cases I have--that any man who offers violence to his fellow citizen begets a whole lot more in return than he can enjoy." Eliminating uncertainty- Intent + Ability = Jeopardy. A threat is the combination of intention and capability (intent + ability). That's what makes a threat, those two things existing together in a situation or person/s. Intent- The fighter must be able to quickly and accurately asses the subjects intent so he can make a judgment on the persons intended actions. Intent is something that is intended; an aim or purpose, the state of one’s mind at the time one carries out an action. In this case it means the intent to commit a crime---robbery, assault, rape, murder, etc. Establishing intent: Intent can stand alone as the trigger or there maybe a precipitating event prior to the contact and interview stage. Intent can be direct such as in a situation where the subject is in the process of charging, attacking, refusing to comply with commands, going for a weapon, he is reaching for his belt line or inside a bag or backpack. Or indirect such as the equipment or clothing he is wearing. Is his clothing or gear appropriate for the environment, time of year, weather, or his purpose for being there? Emotional state- Body language (aggression, nervousness, uneasiness, paying unwanted attention), verbal threats and tone. Attention with a hostile content especially if that focus suddenly changes. Trigging event – An event that precipitates the physical encounter The fighter continually assesses those he comes into contact with and those in his immediate environment. He confirms through observation those who are paying attention to him, were they are standing, positioning, and proximity, and most importantly there intent. A more focused observation comes when the fighter recognizes something out of place or out of the ordinary. Action must be taken when the fighter recognizes he is being paid attention to, especially when that attention is with an emotional content, hostile in nature. The threat is when someone whom you noticed is watching/paying attention to you and there is a sudden shift in that attention. Ability – Recognizing ability is the fact that he has resisted or failed to comply with your commands and he continues to close with you. Or he has maneuvered to match your movements to cut you off or put himself on an intercept course with you. His proximity gives him the ability to strike. Jeopardy – Risk or exposure to or imminence of death or severe injury. He has already selected you for his victim, and when intent and ability are combined you are in Jeopardy. Any aggressive movement into our personal space is jeopardy. Anytime you see he is armed you are in jeopardy even if he is still at a distance. Ask yourself this question “If I (or another innocent human being) don't ACT will I be hurt or possibly killed?” If the answer is yes you betting get ACTING. __________________ The law of tyranny: 1. Any power that can be abused will be abused 2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it. 3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail. Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

05-02-2007, 10:18 AM	#24 (permalink)
darrianation Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,161 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Winning mental attitude- The winning mental attitude is not just for the in-fight it is a way of life, it is the way you conduct your business and personal affairs, the desire to win, your work ethic in training, and the never give up attitude. In combat the goal is victory period and the winning attitude in combat is the desire to win and the willingness to act and to do whatever it takes to win. Self-examination- Another component is to have an honest and accurate assessment of your own capabilities and attitude. You should always work within the confines of your abilities and limitations. Know what you can do and what you can't and design your self-defense strategies around your strengths. You can only know for sure if you own the skills when you are repeatedly successful in unscripted force on force drills and scenarios. Emotional states management- I think one of the most significant "points" in unhealthy fear reduction and reducing the effects of the body alarm reaction is to get angry. Those who can illicit rage (how dare that mother f@#$ do that) will suffer fewer effects of fear, adrenaline, and pain; as well as unlatch any inhibition of hurting another human being. To eliminate the threat we have to do terrible and often unimaginable things. Your "emotions", as in "anger", is a way to manage ramping up for the fight from 0-1000mph in a hurry without a prolonged interval of building up to it (inertia). This is another one of those things that makes the elite warrior elite. Having the ability to "switch on" his inner pit-bull at will and engage with stubbornness and rage is one of those immeasurable attributes. And remember this; you can't be afraid when you're angry, so what you end up doing is substituting fear for anger and rage. __________________ The law of tyranny: 1. Any power that can be abused will be abused 2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it. 3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail. Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

05-02-2007, 10:21 AM	#25 (permalink)
darrianation Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,161 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Fitness- Although, many things aren't written in stone, one thing I do believe to be set in stone is that "Physical Fitness" is the foundation that all combative skill rely rather it is movement with or without full load out, shooting posture, dragging a wounded friend or family member out the kill zone, H2H, etc. Conditioning is an issue; over and over again folks who are in poor physical condition end up quitting early or even unexpectedly. Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." >I find that fatigue zaps the ferociousness out of your fight and makes you more susceptible to injury. Training- First and foremost the basics win fights! To start off with you need to have a small arsenal of robust tactics and techniques that are reliable and repeatable across a wide range of possibilities. The basics are drawstroke, front sight press, smoothed out magazine changes, expeditious non-diagnostic malfunction clearance, use of cover, and cheek welds and front post focus for rifles. The unarmed basics look something like this. Have a few long range strikes, some short range strikes like the elbow, some low line strikes like the knee, be able to manage the clinch, and most importantly you need to be able to smoothly and safely transition from empty hands to weapons. Training should be scenario driven with components of force on force against capable resisting opponents (partners) and unscripted sudden onset fighting situations. Shooting at the range will help build and develop proper live fire skills such as recoil management, speed and accuracy. Dry fire will help develop drawstroke, sight picture, magazine changes, stance trigger discipline, and even malfunction clearance. Airsoft (or sims- if you can train with a group that has them) will put it all together for you using resisting opponents under realistic conditions. After the basics the "Immediate Action Drills" are your number one priority! Your immediate action drill is a default for that heat of the moment ambush situation when you are caught by surprise and need to protect yourself against any devastating losses before going on the offensive. In other words you better act now or you're dead. Keep it simple, keep it conceptual, keep it flexible, and stick to it. Practice them in multiple situations such in lowlight conditions, different ranges form the threat, dry fire, live fire, single opponent situations, multiple opponent situations, in confined spaces, and in or around your vehicle, etc. Training should be specific to range. Most civilian gunfights happen from 10 feet to contact range learn to access your weapons within this range. Learn to draw and shoot. Learn to move, draw and shoot. Learn to strike, draw, and shoot. Learn to shoot on the move (the ol' run and gun). And remember cover is your friend. Tactics for the most part (generally speaking) are dependant on the distance you are from the threat. You should learn to fight at the different ranges from the threat. Even though most civilian gun battles happen within 10 feet to the bad breath range learn to fight out to 500 meters. You should be proficient from 1mm to 500 meters. This would also mean you should not only be proficient with a handgun but also with a rifle as well. Most gunfights happen in lowlight conditions. Low light changes everything; too many folks spend too much time training in broad daylight. You should be doing a large bulk of your training at night or in otherwise low light conditions. Combatives- Real world combatives happens at very close range. Training in that range is critical to success. So that is where you should start. Integration of multiple platforms and weapons systems and adapting to range problems as the fight moves from one range to another is the ideal goal, meaning you should be able to fight with your hands, on the ground, with a gun, with a knife, with weapons of opportunity, and transition from being unarmed to armed in a smooth safe way under pressure. The number one most important components in Combatives are "integration and in-fight weapons access"…period! If your training doesn't teach this under realistic conditions then as far as I am concerned it isn't combatives! Combatives training should be based on force on force training, testing principles and applications under realistic conditions. Initiative is everything at these close ranges! __________________ The law of tyranny: 1. Any power that can be abused will be abused 2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it. 3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail. Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

04-28-2007, 04:38 PM	#16 (permalink)
darrianation Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,161 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	There is some truth in that article. For instance anyone who comes into your field of view is suspect. Those closed doors over there harbors badguys, behind that window is a look out, that crumbling wall shields enemy movement. The car behind you is following too closely, that clump of weeds in the field conceals a sniper, and behind that rubble pile waits a guy with a PKM and another with an RPG. Being suspicious (questioning everything) and keeping alert are your entry points to potential threats and impending ambush situations. Don’t be afraid to come off to strangers as an asshole. Your space is yours defend it aggressively. A friend of mine has this saying: "Believe nothing of what you hear, and only half of what you see."

05-01-2007, 03:41 PM	#18 (permalink)
..n.. Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Baltimore Posts: 39 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	I understand the thinking that assumes all physical encounters have the potential to escalate and become a worst case scenario. I agree with this philosophy but find myself questioning the ramifications one may face legally if you pursue a confrontation to the end as if the assailant was armed etc… when in fact they weren’t. Assuming deescalation is not an option, you fight as if your opponent is armed looking for blood and has a cohort in the wings, you beat the living tar out of the person incapacitating them, and they have no weapon etc.. aren’t you potently liable and, if arrested, up for an assault charge?

05-02-2007, 10:26 AM	#26 (permalink)
darrianation Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,161 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Finally, The non-politically correct socially abominable fact of the matter is winning in combat is about racing up the scale escalating the violence further and faster than your opponent. End story! Another libtard coward just rolled in his grave. Personally I like to think of "combat" as WINNING in a no-rules anything can happen environment where cheating is an advantage. I believe if you have all these components that is the combative mindset combined with the necessary skills and proper training you will be that "perfect storm" opponent for someone else to have to deal with. Remember an elite operator "knows he has already won any fight he enters into", that is what makes the operator so formidable---anyone can possess these qualities who has a strong desire, dedication, and work ethic. "Knowing you have already won any fight before you have entered into it" is about having an accurate assessment of your personal capabilities, winning attitude, and the willingness to ACT. The other important components are the willingness to cheat, false start, and having the proper tools for the job (weapons and gear) on your person and willing to not just use them but use them first. Confidence comes from the knowledge that you will win because you will cheat, you won't hesitate to act with a high degree of force (instead of a low degree of force and having to ramp up behind the curve), and you know what your capabilities are and what you will do because you have been there before either in the real world or in past training experiences under realistic pressure. If you lack confidence or question how you will perform on that fateful day when you face your final exam that terrorist or low life criminal…says something of the inadequacies in your current training model. Your training should put you in high stress situations against capable resisting partners that forces adaptations that make you "own it" and when you own it, you know it…of course you should always remain humble. __________________ The law of tyranny: 1. Any power that can be abused will be abused 2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it. 3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail. Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

05-02-2007, 10:29 AM	#27 (permalink)
darrianation Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,161 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	I am going to be gone for a few days but when I get back I'll try to answer any questions. __________________ The law of tyranny: 1. Any power that can be abused will be abused 2. Abuse always expands to fill the limits of resistance to it. 3. If people don't resist the abuses of others, they will have no one to resist the abuses of themselves, and tyranny will prevail. Welcome to the Socialist States of Amerika . Coming soon Jan 20th 2009!

05-06-2007, 02:30 AM	#28 (permalink)
Tom Yum Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Here and there. Posts: 11,307 Groans: 1 Groaned at 4 Times in 4 Posts	Darrianation, you're contributions on the topic are logical, detailed and comprehensive. Thank you for sharing! __________________ Love it, leave it or fix it.

05-12-2007, 02:00 AM	#29 (permalink)
lorenzodamarith Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 365 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	hello, it seems the "invisible line" you are searching for is the recognition/reaction ratio. this is a little phrase coined to indicate the amount of force you deal out in relation to the threat you percieve. you are correct in the idea that a majority of "combatives advocates" tend toward the terminal extreme. actually, this subject is entirely a matter of mind set. before any kind of scenario training, or weapons training... one should REALLY examine the idea of "fight". questions that should be answered are: what constitutes a threat? this could also be known as "at what point does one act?" how far would one actually go to end a conflict? this could also be know as "how much damage is one ACTUALLY willing to inflict?" these are the two essential questions that many, if not most never reflect upon. this is not something anyone else can tell you. "attend my seminar and you will learn exactly what to do and how to do it!!!" even those who have extraordinary levels of training in knifework or mma or anything like that find killing to be morally reprehensible and terrifying. true, many might kill, if they are about to be killed. but even then, a moments hesitation is all it takes to loose ones life. the point of bringing this up, is simple. if you have already determined your actionable criteria, and you already know how far you are willing to go, it will greatly increase your confidence, speed of learning techniques and your reaction time. but lsd, how can this be? simple. have any of you ever been a kid? been in a standoff with another kid, about to fight? been scared out of your mind? any idea what you were afraid of? you would be suprised how many are afraid because they are afraid of doing harm. many are afraid to act, because they are unsure of the boundaries. no decision has been made regarding the outcome. the fight is one large unknown. if you can add some known factors, you diminish the ability of fear to "run away with you". confidence. when you know what you are training for, in as much detail as possible, it becomes easier to focus your learning efforts. (this next part is really gonna get some peoples undies bunched up). have you ever noticed that in jiujitsu, when someone is pursuing a belt level (like black) it takes x number of years? yet when they train for a goal like pan am champion, adcc champion, or whatever, it takes about half the time? ever notice that mma fighters are professional grade in about 3 years? if there weren't any shows (and therefore it became difficult to relate to) how long do you think it would take then? that clarity (for on reason or another) really speeds up the learning process. then you know the following: the techniques, the actionable situations (if this, then fight), the terminal result desired, then the speed with which you can react and nullify the threat greatly increases. the only thing left to do is learn threat recognition. sounds straightforeward, but it is a little deceiving. the overt stuff, like "gonna kick your ass" or picking up a pipe, is easy enough to recognize. part of threat recognition is learning how "bad guys" select thier targets, conceal weapons, initiate conflicts, etc. tonyblauer (of blauersystems) worked for years to identify all of the factors that constitute threat and provide solutions. when you are "armed" with all these facets of knowledge, the notion of combatives changes. it becomes more personal and in doing so, becomes more useful. you are more likely to survive. more to follow.

05-12-2007, 02:04 AM	#30 (permalink)
lorenzodamarith Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 365 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	hello, apologies for the verbose explaination. but it seemed necessary to illustrate these points in order to fully address the concept "where do you draw the line and what do you do when it is crossed". noone can "tell" you. that you must decide for yourself. be realistic. don't be impressed the flashy or famous. only you will ever really know what you are willing to do. by all means train and learn. you can even engineer "reality sparring" sessions. but this is just practice in controlled conditions. hopefully this helps a bit. thanks.

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