Martial Arts, Self-Defense & Combatives

Become a Warrior
Walk with Confidence
Defend yourself and loved ones

Women's Self-Defense & Rape Defense
Group Beginner Self-Defense Courses
Combatives and Force Continuum for Law Enforcement & Corrections Officers
Seminars for Police Academy
Street Combatives for Adults
Jeet Kune Do for Adult Men and Women

Jeet Kune Do - Militarized

People train in Martial Arts for a variety of reasons; sport, fun, fitness, discipline and more. However, I have a different spin... I'm old fashioned you see, I still think that Martial Arts are for their original intent... surviving and winning violence. Not that we should be the aggressor mind you, but if we are forced to defend ourselves we need to be capable of emotionally and physically dealing with that violence and winning no matter what.

The Problem

Is it just me or have Martial Arts lost their... "martial" quality?

It never ceases to amaze me at the number of dedicated Martial Arts students dutifully lining up night after night in their uniforms, practicing kata and forms and throwing punches in the air with loud yells but never stopping to size their Martial Arts practice up against a hypothetical real situation.

Black belts get beat up, mugged and assaulted all of the time despite years of dedicated practice. You can't fault the black belt for his or her dedication and hard work; but what is lacking is the system they trained in? Was it realistic enough? Did it really prepare them for the reality of a violent attack?

After all, what good is a black belt in a real fight?

If this is your idea of a fight, you might be a martial arts redneck,
... and you might be in trouble if you ever need to defend yourself




This is what a real fight looks like

Now put yourself in this Deputy's shoes.

• Would you know what to do?
• Do you know why the gun jammed and how to clear it?
• Why didn't the pepper spray work?
• How could the suspect take a point blank range shot to the abdomen and keep fighting?
• What should the Deputy have done on the ground?
• How could the Deputy have stopped this aggressive man cold?
• Why was it so dangerous to be taken to the ground? (this Deputy got lucky!)

If you don't already know the answers to these questions then seek someone who knows the answers and can teach them to you.

"I am an emergency and sports medicine physician. I have trained with Brian in both kettlebells and self-defense for approximately 6 months. And I can say without question they have been the most effective and valuable techniques I have ever seen.

Brian's kettlebell & self-defense instruction is always professional, easy to understand and fun... and the results speak for themselves. Not only am I more fit from Brian's kettlebell training, but I feel infinitely safer and more confident from his self-defense training.
  If you want to feel safer & more confident about yourself, Brian is your man!"
- Dr. William E. Gottlieb, M.D.

When you train with Brian you will learn real martial arts so you can protect yourself against real violence.

Things like:

• Why having too many techniques can slow your reaction time

• How to disarm a gun wielding attacker super quick

• The best way to defend the sucker punch

• Stay in this range only if you like getting your face beat in

• Sport martial arts have weight classes, protective equipment and rules for a reason, don't go into a real fight with sport technique

• This simple footwork drill can make you almost impossible to hit

• Why you shouldn't stay long on the ground in a real fight

• Defeat a larger, stronger, faster opponent by doing this

• Destroy your attacker's punches and kicks easily with this move

• Identifying weapons of opportunity

• How to develop street savvy in your martial arts

• Sport fighter? Make these simple modifications and your sport martial art is now as effective in the street as it is in the ring

• Become a master of range and distance to own the fight

• Mixing Brazilian Jujitsu with Kina mutai for the ultimate in ground fighting

• Learn the most brutal and effective techniques for ending a fight right NOW!

• Why knife disarms DO NOT work in the real world and what to do instead

• Real-life lessons from the Navy's infamous SEAL Team Six on hand-to-hand combat

• Bruce Lee's principle-based system vs. style-based systems

• How to fight multiple attackers and win, do it the wrong way and you will lose, quick!

• Why you should always have THESE 2 things on you at all times

• What to do after a fight/attack

• What you say to the police and witnesses may determine whether you go to jail or are labeled a hero

• Last resort - you see your life flashing before your eyes, you better do THIS!

Too many Martial Arts schools have turned into an ego filled workout session. People leave sweaty with achy joints and sometimes black eyes but not always with effective fighting strategy. Even worse, many schools have no application of their techniques at all, no sparring, no drills, no scenarios, just technique practice in the air.

"I just wanted to say thanks for the excellent instruction that you provided
during the 6 hours of your Intense Personal Self Defense Training Course.
I thought you did a great job of breaking down each topic and working with
me until I had it down and I feel very confident in the concepts and techniques
that you taught me.

I was very comfortable the entire time and I thought you did a great job of
keeping the sessions relaxed, yet very focused especially when considering
the subject matter. Initially, I was a little worried that the training I received from
you would conflict with what I learned in Krav Maga; however, the training I received actually supplements or enhances what I learned in my Krav classes.
One of the best things about the system is that I was able to easily incorporate techniques that I learned previously and I really like how you encouraged me
to choose the techniques that worked best for me instead of taking a “one size
fits all” approach. Likewise, I’m still amazed at the simplicity and effectiveness
of the system and the fact that it works for everyone from high school cheerleaders
to Navy SEALS. I’ve already recommended you to some friends and co-workers
and I will continue to encourage others to train with you. Keep up the great work!"

- Kevin Colbert

The Solution

We need a simple principles-based system to allow our martial arts to have practical application to real-world violent situations.

You must learn:

1. How to fight on your feet
2. How to fight on the ground
3. How to fight with and against weapons
4. How to fight multiple attackers
5. Gun disarms and how to use them after you take them away
6. Special scenarios such as hostage escapes, car jacking, ATM mugging, etc.
7. Lethal techniques when your life is in danger and non-lethal for when it isn't
8. How to size up the appropriate amount of violence to use
9. The only good reason to fight is to defend life or limb, check the ego at the door!

Here is my instructor Paul Vunak demonstrating some of the
concepts and techniques that might be used in a real fight

Our Core Beliefs

There are many styles of martial arts, as a general rule, styles force the individual to conform to the style. Jeet Kune Do is a system, a concept and a philosophy. The style adapts to the individual, this was Bruce Lee's concept of Jeet Kune Do from the very beginning. After all, a 6'1" 195 lb police officer might have different goals and tactics during a fight than a 110 lb female being attacked by a larger man. The style or system needs to adapt to the individual.

I train people with disabilities including the blind and believe me, the martial arts must adapt to their unique attributes and limitations.

Our system of Jeet Kune Do is based upon some core beliefs:

• Martial arts must conform to the individual
  • As already discussed
• Real combat is ego-free
  • Ego gets us into trouble, keeping our cool keeps us out of trouble
• Prioritize Injury Before Trauma
  • Some people can take your best shot... you need to know how to injure them to stop them for good... remember the Deputy who pepper sprayed and shot his attacker?
• Be More Violent Than Your Attacker
  • Gentle passive moves don't work in the real world, violence must be defeated by greater violence
• If You Aren’t Cheating You Aren’t Trying to Win
  • Nice guys finish last is never more true than in combat
• Hesitation is Your Downfall
  • Hesitation and doubt will ensure your defeat, statistics prove that those who strike first usually win
• Combat is Won or Lost in the Mind First
  • You must believe in your tactics, techniques and yourself
• “The Will to Win Compares Little with the Will to Prepare to Win,” Coach Paul Bear Bryant
  • I love this quote! Get your reps in!
• Apathy and Denial Ensure You Will Lose
  • Burying our heads in the sand about real violence is not the responsible adult thing to do
• Never Quit Fighting!
  • Losing might mean your life or the life of your loved ones, so fight!!!
• Do Not Telegraph Your Intentions to Your Opponent
  • Don't let them get prepared for your attack, be like a cobra who's strike is felt before it is seen
• Fear is the Mind Killer
  • Combatives expert Tony Blauer says that fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. In other words, you see your opponent as super tough and yourself as weak in comparison... that is your mind playing tricks on you. Strike the targets that hurt ANY human being and it does not matter how tough they are.
• Do Not Neglect Any Aspect of Training
  • The ground, your feet, with and against weapons, physical attributes such as strength, speed, endurance, mobility, vision, reaction time, your ability to sprint in case you need to get away, etc.
• Threat Modulation, Threat Inoculation
  • I don't expose students to more than they can handle but the goal is always to increase their ability to deal with progressive levels of resistance so they can be innoculated against violence the way one takes a vaccination shot
• Lifelong Process of Improvement
  • I can teach you real nasty stuff pretty darn quick, but to be a well rounded martial artist you should be committed to the journey
• Practice Makes Perfect… Or Does It?
  • What makes the best people in the world the best at what they do?
  • Crappy practice makes crappy, good practice makes good, amazing practice makes amazing!
  • Don't just practice martial arts, practice to really get better
• "Be Like Water" – Bruce Lee
  • If you opponent is fast be powerful, if your opponent is bigger be fast, don't fight their game, make them fight yours
• Closest Weapon, Closest Target
  • Efficiency wins, he who strikes first and hits their target wins

Our System

While Jeet Kune Do concepts is not a martial art style in and of itself, we borrow from many other styles and take the best techniques, tactics or concepts and modify them for our own use.

Such styles include:

• Rapid Assault Tactics (the Navy's SEAL Team Six system)
• Force Continuum (a law enforcement based program)
• Behavioral Response Training
• Brazilian Jujitsu
• Mauy Thai boxing
• Western Boxing
• Jun Fan - Bruce Lee's personal style of fighting often called Original Jeet Kune Do
• Wing Chun trapping
• Dumog - Filipino grappling and control techniques
• Kina Mutai (Filipino martial art of uninterrupted biting and eye gouging, last restort stuff when you really need to survive!)
• Escrima / Kali -based bladed and blunt weapons concepts
• Krav Maga -inspired gun disarms
• Law Enforcement -inspired handgun drills for after disarms
• Judo, Sambo, Wrestling and Systema inspired take downs
• Fencing
• We discuss and prepare for the human autonomic nervous system and how you will actually feel and respond while under the "fight or flight" response
• and more

While all of these styles/techniques are trained in one capacity or another, we place a strong focus on simplicity in actual combat. All of these styles/techniques are only to create appropriate reactions and build competence when "the plan goes wrong."

"Simple? Yes! Effective? For sure! Brutal? Well yes, but we are talking about learning how to deal with potentially life threatening encounters here.

Over the years I've studied Karate, Jujitsu, Muay Thai, Systema and more
recently Krav Maga and each has something unique to offer, but who has the
time to learn several martial arts? The system Brian is teaching condenses the
best, most effective techniques from a myriad of different martial arts into one
system that gets right to the heart of the matter; namely - recognize the threat,
deal with it, and get the hell out!

And if you're thinking brutal self defense system must mean brutal training,
then don't worry; Brian's classes are very safe, relaxed, and even fun! You
won't be going home covered in bruises, sporting a black eye, though what
you will take with you every time is a little bit more knowledge and expertise
that might one day help save your life!"

Cheers,
- David

Master Paul Vunak says that practicing a violent martial art is an enigma. The fact that you can become spiritual and less violent by learning violence is a puzzle for a Zen master to solve.

The fact of the matter is that the more empowered you are and the more violence you are capable of creating, you end up walking around with a confidence that is unexplainable. When some dumb drunk picks a fight you will be able to walk away. When someone cuts you off in traffic you will be able to smile and drive away calmly avoiding road rage violence.

But if you are ever faced with a true asocial violent maniac you will have the tools and mentality that you need to protect yourself and your loved ones.

This is Brian's gift to you, the gift of confidence and capability.

"A daughter, recently out of college, living in a apt complex was brutally killed
by another tenant. Two teens, not yet 20, date raped within their first two years
of college. These three girls, whom I know personally, join too many others
who are hurted or killed by someone else. Do I want my children to have to
fight-no. Do I want them to hurt someone else-no. Do I want them to know
what to do if they are scared or attacked-Yes! Brian's self defense class is not
finesse, it's not fitness, it's not a sport. He provides practical actions and reactions
so that if you are ever attacked, you know what to do to get away. I recommend
this class for all teens and adults. He couples the escape and defense ideas with responsible situational awareness, and is careful to point out that we all are responsible for using the least amount of force required to defuse a situation.
It's a combination that will serve us well."

- Janet

Reading about how to defend yourself won't cut it, you actually have to go practice it... Yeah, crazy huh?

Your Next Step

If you are finally ready to learn real martial arts and become a warrior here are your options:

You need to contact Brian for the best option for you from the following list:

Private Training - 1-on-1 personalized to your needs (gender, age, fitness level).

Semi-Private Training - You and your family, friends or coworkers can learn in a comfortable environment and have personalized training to your needs.

Jeet Kune Do (self-defense/combative/martial arts) Group Classes - Small cozy groups of like minded people. Classes are always kept safe, fun and are catered to the skill level of each individual.
- These classes are open to the public and are for all skill levels but you must contact me before joining one.
- These classes typically contain an even amount of men and women of various skill levels and ages, we have some law enforcement officers, the rest are regular folks.

Beginner-Level Self-Defense Course - This is my course for non-martial artists who want to learn real fluff-free self preservation skills for the street. Topics covered are awareness and avoidance, rape prevention, surviving and winning on the ground, verbal diffusion, posturing, mental and psychological aspects to winning, distance and appropriate reactions, quickest ways to stop an attacker, injury vs. trauma, and more.
- Beginner courses are usually 5 or 6-weeks long, I hold only a certain amount per year... contact me for the next available class.

Workshops or Seminars - Need military, law enforcement, corporate or other group training? Contact me with the details.

Contact me to find out which option is best

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