The following is a review I wrote back in 2005 upon the re-release of Geoff Thompson's book "Dead or Alive". This book remains a constant on my recommended list for basic self-protection seminars. If you enjoy the write-up please order your copy using the Amazon link at the end of the article. Thank you – Jamie Clubb Perhaps we shouldn't, as the old cliché goes, "judge a book by its cover" but, having just read Geoff Thompson's "Dead or […]
07.06.20 Sunday saw the second part of what has evolved into CCMA’s standard Soft Skills Webinar trilogy. Last month we focused on attitude and awareness. This time we put the spotlight on deceptive and aggressive pre-incident indicators, the effects of stress/fear in a crisis situation and the options presented at the crisis point. Sources such as Desmond Morris, Geoff Thompson, Peter Consterdine, Gavin De Becker and Dave Grossman were cited throughout the webinar. My thanks to Keiryu Practical Karate for […]
10.05.20 Last Sunday Keiryu Practical Karate kindly hosted me for a personal security webinar. We had attendees across the UK and Europe. The current lockdown situation that has necessitated training happens via video links is a very suitable environment for delivering soft skills lessons. We took full advantage of the situation, screen sharing a presentation and taking questions and answers. I was able to go deeper into certain areas than I would normally have done in a more comprehensive lesson. […]
Recently I have had an idea for a podcast concerning social circles of bad influence. A good part of personal security is an awareness of people. In fact, it is a vital component of situational awareness. Just as different people will change the dynamic of any situation, friends and associates can help determine an individual’s future. We are often judged by the company we keep. Coming from a circus background I know this fact only too well. Certain groups of […]
19.11.19 My second evening lesson was my teacher consultancy where we continued to discuss material for a children’s self-protection achievement programme, a specific programme for teenage girls in Varanasi, northern India and also a brief overview of this Saturday’s clinic on MMA ground-fighting. The achievement programme is layering in information from Dave Kovar’s Aware programme on anti-bullying. This is something my client is bringing in to provide simple skills for youngsters to help provide more information on bullying. We then […]
17.09.19 Tuesday began with a half an hour live video discussion with Brian Inwards from Australia. Brian kindly bid and won our discussion in an auction set up by Eric Parsons’ “Karate 4 Life Life Foundation”. Our discussion revolved around the use of headgear for pressure testing. Our discussion took us into the relevance of scenario-based training, various forms of sparring and the history of bareknuckle fighting. Recent changes in Olympic Boxing have led to headguards being removed from […]
12.09.19 Tonight I was invited to give a talk on self-protection for Shipton-Under-Wychwood Women’s Institute. The entire presentation was geared towards avoiding physical violence, options for dealing with physical assault and the legal side. However, various tangents and questions at the end highlighted other areas. The talk began with my biography, providing my background and links to where I gained my knowledge/experience on the material being covered. We then moved onto defining both self-protection and violence. Self-protection […]
18.04.18 Today’s first lesson was the beginning of a special course I am teaching for a term at Kingham Hill School. The students in attendance were between the ages of 16 and 18 years of age. The course was trialled last term with a good response. The agreed content was self-protection moving into Mixed Martial Arts. Today we addressed the legalities of self-defence, including when it is permitted to use a pre-emptive strike as well as other soft […]
06.02.18 The second lesson of my client’s second course on Western Boxing for Martial Arts Cross Training brought us up to the two and a half hour point. We are continuing with our theme on head movement, this time concentrating on bobbing and weaving. The lesson began with mirror footwork, including various cornering and drawing drills. This was followed by line-work, moving forwards, backwards, switching stances and angling off. We then revised the slip/jab/overhand work we did in the previous […]
Back in 2006 I produced a four-part series on training children in self-protection. I had started my own club the previous year and it struck me that a huge area was missing in the so-called reality-based world. Adults had been woken up to the big problems in martial arts training, which had seemingly been addressed by a new tribe of martial arts going under the banner “Reality-Based Self-Defence”. However, children, who made up the majority of martial arts classes to […]
20.07.17 Tonight’s lesson brought my client to 10 hour point of his course, completing Basic Muay Thai for Martial Arts Cross Training. This is where I like to bring clients back to the self-protection line and look at ways to integrate their attribute training into this area. This time I looked at one aspect of the fence – a posture termed “the pleading fence” by Geoff Thompson. I mention it briefly on my “Cross Training in the Martial […]
06.05.17 Today’s lesson on Basic Western Boxing for Martial Arts Cross Training brought my client up to the four and a half hour mark in his scheduled 10 hour course. We primarily focused on the hook punch, but also revised previous lesson techniques and introduced the uppercut. We began with our standard boxing footwork warm-up using agility markers and partner training. We then moved onto the focus mitts and drilling jabs, crosses, bobbing and slipping. Modern western boxing […]
08.04.17 Today’s double lesson finished off my client’s 10 hour course on Basic Self-Protection. The material mainly consisted of primal/combat grappling and post-fight strategies. Grappling is not normally selected for frontline civilian defence. In a high risk situation the priority is usually not to become entangled and to create/maintain distance. However, the civilian needs supporting plans when the striking range deteriorates and anti-grappling is not a viable option. Besides, in order to be able to operate efficiently at […]
11.03.17 Today’s double lesson was with a new client. He has a background in rugby and traditional martial arts. He has decided to begin his training with me on the 10 lesson basic self-protection course. As covered in the lesson and in previous diary entries on the same subject we began with a discussion on defining self-protection. Self-protection can be divided up into soft skills that we call “personal security” and hard skills we call “self-defence”. Soft skills cover attitude, […]
12.11.16 Today’s double lesson concerned joint locks with a request for a particular focus on the clinch range. We are currently working around a recent operation. A strong feature of the coaching and teaching I offer is the ability to adapt. Geoff Thompson and Mo Teague have been strong influences on the importance of adaptation. Fighting is rarely convenient. This is why training through a range of inconveniences from simulated injuries and around less than ideal conditions are crucial […]
20.07.16 Tonight’s second lesson saw the beginning of my new client’s course on Personalised Martial Arts Cross Training. This is a course advised for individuals with pre-existing martial arts experience that are looking to expand their personal skillset. It is at the heart of what I teach and puts the individual firmly in the centre position. We began with a look at natural proactive postures for combat. These generally fall into a type of staggered stance […]
