The Tactical Life

Off Topic
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Speaking for the mall ninjas, take your time and go to a few different rental ranges to find a pistol you like. I definitely wouldn’t start with a micro subcompact pistol, they are very hard to shoot well and you will probably end up frustrated and discouraged. Something like a Glock 19, or a Sig p320c is just about the smallest pistol you should start with. There are a lot of great pistols in the double stack compact carry gun size range. Depending on the laws where you live I would recommend buying used, that way you don’t lose too much on the transaction if you decide you want something else later.

The CCW class is barely the beginning of training, and the one I took back in the day had pretty shitty legal advice. Other concealed carriers will also give you really shitty legal advice. If you listen to podcasts, search for Andrew Branca, he has his own podcast and has been a guest on many others. He is a lawyer who specializes in self-defense and has written books on the subject. There is insurance you can get, but in the end you’re still going to be on your own.

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Info and insurance galore: www.uscca.com

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I have been seriously looking into them since one of my coworkers told me about them. I’m sure they would stand behind you. Saying “you’re on your own” was a stupid way of putting it.

What I meant was, getting insurance is only part of the equation. There are still many ways you could shit the bed before, during, and after a self defense shooting and end up in prison even though you’re totally innocent.

I know guys who say they’d rather be judged by twelve than carried by six. But, as husbands and fathers, how well are they going to be able to protect their children if they’re in a prison cell? But I also gather that these guys rarely if ever go to the range or dry fire their pistols. And they talk about putting a lighter trigger on their carry weapon, which is great fodder for a over zealous prosecutor.

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Great advise , as always. Saw this the other day, thought you might enjoy:

ART

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Pure truth brother, and (LOL) at the mall ninja. Here is a simple graph that always makes me laugh, but, it has a lot of truth between the lines:

enroll

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Massad Ayoob has been a police trainer and civil self defense expert for over 30 years. Your advise is spot on about your problems only begin after you survive the shooting. He has written numerous books and articles over the year. He writes a monthy column in the American Handgunner Magazine.

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Motivational Monday: You cannot change anything until you decide to do so.

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Make a decision:

By Rob Shaul

Day-to-day decisions.

Ninety-five percent of day-to-day decisions we make don’t matter: what to wear, what car to drive, what music to listen to, where to eat lunch. etc.

However, 5 percent do matter, and are significant. These are focused around safety, health, relationships and work.

Safety decisions include always wearing a seatbelt, not texting while driving, wearing a bike helmet.
Health decisions include flossing and brushing, diet, getting an annual physical, mammograms, prostate exams, not smoking, moderate alcohol use, no drugs.

Relationship decisions include treating family like friends, simple, easy acts of connection and kindness, saying you’re sorry and forgiving.

Work day-to-day decisions are job-specific and for our community can include checking and re-checking your gear before going on patrol, equipment maintenance, following tactical protocol and checklists, comms checks, always wearing a helmet while skiing and climbing, marksmanship and other job-specific fundamentals technical practice.

Important day-to-day decisions can become “habit-ized.” Putting your seatbelt on in the car isn’t a decision – it’s a habit … you don’t have to ponder it. Same with gear checks, comms checks, safety gear, technical practice.

The danger with these important day-to-day decisions is they can slip into mundane and conceptually lose importance with drastic, life changing consequences. That one time you text while driving can ruin your life.

What’s required is constant diligence, which is “hard.”

“Big Decisions”
“Big” decisions pit our “hearts” (emotions) versus our “minds” (objective thought) and we go round and round in endless decision loops.

“My heart wants me to be an actor, but my head says I should avoid poverty and become a banker.”
“My heart tells me to marry Billy, but my head says I’d be more secure with John.”

Another element often present in these big decisions, somewhere between the heart and the head, is integrity. Sometimes this is moral integrity in the classic sense. In other decisions it is keeping integrity to the person you really are or want to be.

Below are some tools and lessons I’ve personally used or learned in making my own “big” decisions and advising others with theirs.

  1. If you know what you are doing now is wrong. Stop doing it, even if you don’t have something else lined up to take it’s place.

This directly applies to career/job choices and relationships. Stopping the wrong will force you to begin the journey to discover the right. Often people find themselves in a “rut” – they know what they are doing isn’t right, but it doesn’t hurt enough to quit.

Know that a “rut” is simply a grave open at both ends. Staying in these situations past their due – job or relationship – will lead to bitterness and deepening discontent.

Sometimes, especially on the career side, this “rut” has no obvious cause. You can have a great job, but just find yourself wanting to try something different or needing a new challenge. Know that we are not static. People change over time, including yourself, and what “fit” 5 or 10 years ago may not be appropriate for who you are now. Don’t deny this … this sensation if/when it comes. Recognize it, embrace it and move on.

As you move on, the next thing doesn’t have to be perfect. But it should be a step in the “right” direction.

2) Not making a decision, is a decision.

Putting off a big decision always comes at a cost, often in the form if declining options and missed opportunities. In this way no decision is a decision.

  1. Deciding against integrity always comes with a significant, painful cost.

On the classic moral integrity side, the cost can be an erosion of self worth, loss of respect, or simple guilt. On the “who I am or want to be” side, the cost is often a lifetime of regret.

The “right” decision for moral integrity issues is generally clear. This does not mean making the “right” decision is easy. Greed (money), ambition (career), envy (relationships) are all emotions we must struggle with daily and if they win, can lead to lapses in integrity.

In this I take Aristotle’s guidance to heart. The more often you decide with integrity – even small day-to-day decisions, the easier it becomes. The goal is not moral perfection, but constant improvement. When you mess up, see it clearly, own up to it, examine why, and aim to do better next time.

Personal integrity – in terms of who you are or want to be, is much more murky and the two – (1) who you are, and (2) who you want to be, can be different.

Here are two tools I use to help clear the murk.

First – look at actions, not words. See if there is a disconnect between who you say you want to be and who you actually are.

An example …. a personal relative all through his late 20’s and 30’s talked about starting his own company. He researched business names, looked at a couple locations, borrowed a little money, but never quit his corporate job and followed through.

In his 40’s he finally realized that he enjoyed his free time and simply didn’t want to work as hard as it would take to have his own business. This realization was liberating for him. There was a disconnect between who he actually was and who he “thought” he wanted to be.

Second – work to make sure your ladder is up against the right wall. We often put a lot of effort into a journey only to find out when we get there it’s not really where we want to be.

Going to law school because your Mom is an attorney? Becoming a soldier because your Dad was a soldier? Training in finance because you’re scared of being poor? These are easy examples of ladders up against the wrong walls.

  1. If integrity isn’t an issue, and it comes down to your “Head” vs. your “Heart,” always go with your Heart.

I’ve yet to meet someone who went with their heart and regretted it, but I’ve met several who went with their “head” and have.

Likewise, if it comes down to “safe” vs. “exciting,” always go with “exciting.”

  1. Don’t artificially limited your options.

This occurs often with career or location changes. We artificially limit our options, and miss the “in-between” space that can be the bridge to the best solution. Want to be a SOF-level tactical athlete but not move around with the military? Consider national guard SOF or LE SWAT/SRT.

Certainly there can be a cost of diminishing returns in terms of collecting more information and options. But in my experience, people too quickly put on blinders and fixated on just two choices when some more information collection and options development can open things up and make a hard decision, a much easier one.

Beware of just two choices.

  1. Set a Deadline.

That being said, always set a decision deadline. The mental strain of a big decision can take it’s toll, and often finally making it lifts a weight from your shoulders.

  1. The Happiness Formula

Three things make you happy ….

Doing work you love

Being around people you love

Living in a place you love

If you can get 2 out of 3 you’re doing awesome. Get 3 of 3 and you’ve hit the jackpot.

With 1 out of 3 you can still be content.

Zero out of 3 and you’re miserable. Change it.

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Thanks for all the good response gents, appreciate it.

In terms of “fit to fight,” I suppose I am reasonably well off in those regards. Now I am certainly no James Bond or anything along those lines, but I’ve got north of an 1100lb total, run a sub-9 1.5 mile (okay so I did it once on my last PT test…but It counts dammit), wrestled fairly competitively on the state/national level in high school, and currently roll BJJ and do a little MCMAP when I get the chance. I wouldn’t consider myself a particularly dangerous man or anything, but I can handle my own in a brawl now and then.

Training is absolutely something I need to get. I have some (limited) training with pistol platforms, but thats all based off of open carry in a more military security setting, which I feel has some differing factors than those that would present themselves to a CCW holder in a day to day setting. Fun fact, I’ve actually sat through about 50 NRA run CCW licensing classes for the state of Illinois, because I worked at a shooting range in high school and would always work the weekends when they offered the course. So although I have yet to formally take it, I could probably recite the damn thing at this point. (Also side note: The NRA instructor running the thing was EASILY 400lbs at roughly 6ft)

I tend to favor smaller pistols for two reasons. One being, I lead a fairly active lifestyle in a relatively sub-urban or urban area most of the time (I miss the ranch…), and I feel as if a larger pistol would be a hassle to conceal/move with in such a setting. Secondly, and this is based off of what I saw working at the shooting range, CCW holders who took the course with bigger pistols hardly ever were still carrying three months later, but it seems that the men with the smaller pieces tended to actually carry them. In my mind, an undersized gun on your person is far better than the perfect weapon left in your closet safe…

That being said, I have never tried to conceal carry a pistol, so frankly I have no idea what would or would not be a convenient system. I think I need to get my hands on a glock and try it out for myself. I have only had one experience with the brand, and it was absolutely horrible. Gun never went more than 3 rounds without jamming, and I couldnt hit with any reasonable degree of accuracy to save my life. That being said, it was also equipped with a massive suppressor that may have been the cause of such issues, so that may of unfairly left a bad taste for the brand in my mouth. Part of the reason I was looking at the Micro 9 is simply because of how much good experience I’ve had my with Kimber 45’s, so it is a brand I trust. Also use berretta a bit but…well, I have always hated those guns haha. In terms of raw specifications, the Glock 19 seems phenomenal, though the size seems like it may be hard to conceal. Anyone here run a glock 19 regularly that can speak to a realistic assessment on its ease of conceal-ability?

Insurance is probably a good idea…okay it is certainly a good idea. Honestly, I never really even thought about that, which probably just shows my naivety to the system. I am an NRA member already, but I definitely will check out all the links above for more info on that aspect. Thanks for opening my eyes to that.

Those aliengear holsters look perfect, though the clingerholsters have some very clean lines that I like… decisions decisions…

Thanks Gents, appreciate all the advice

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I carry a Glock 17 at work and I have the 19 but it usually stays home and I carry my 42 when I go out. You’re dead right about carrying a smaller gun.

My favorite holsters are the simple kydex ones that hold the gun with tension. No releases or extra movement and they’re lightweight. I bought a Galco one for my old M&P 9c and a co-worker made one for my 42.

I’d suggest the Glock 26. It’s smaller than the 19 but still gives you 12 rounds. It’s closer to the M&P 9c. The 19 is not compact. It’s what our department gives to people with small hands and they only lose 2 rounds.

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Omg that nearly gave me wood ha!

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I carry an Hk p2000, which is about the same size as the glock 19. I prefer hammer fired pistols over striker fired.

I like to carry in the appendix and strong side positions, and I feel like these offer a faster draw (need a shot timer) and would be easier to retain in a fight. Appendix is the most concealable, for me, but also the most uncomfortable when sitting in a vehicle, need to lose a few pounds. But it’s a compromise, and the decision depends on whether I am going to be driving more, or walking around more.

I have an Alien Gear holster for small of the back carry and it is very well made for the money. But I don’t use it often because I don’t feel like it conceals well when out and about (that carry position, not the holster) especially when bending over to pick something up. For appendix carry I have a simple kydex holster made by a co-worker. I agree that extra snaps and gadgets for retention are unnecessary and unwanted.

I have shot a Glock 27 (same size as the 26), and it was very easy to shoot well, whether leisurely punching holes in paper, or from a draw, even without the pinky extension.

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Thought for the day: Slicing the pie

This will probably be redundant to most of you, since “slicing the pie” is one of the first techniques taught to all military assaulters, LEO SWAT, and patrol. When I spent some time training Iraqi SF and their version of SWAT, I ran them through a room clearing exercise first, in order to assess their awareness and skill. Slicing the pie was as foreign as southern bar-b-que.

I want you to view slicing the pie from a different angle: your own home. Unless you live in a single hooch like me, you more than likely live in a house, apartment, or even just rent a room in a larger house, take the time to “search” and slice the pie for any intruders.

Thou this may seem silly to some; but if you ever had to do the real thing, you will be glad you “mapped” out the interior of your home. If you live in a medium or large home, it may surprise you how hard it is to clear a room without exposing yourself, especially the bathrooms and closets, and a set of stairs into a basement or upstairs rooms has its own special set of problems. Learn the layout of your castle and what you can and cannot do. You may have to defend it one day.

pie

Another view:

Doorways, hallways and open spaces are not the only reasons to slice the pie. This can be done searching vehicles, corners of buildings, open areas with obstacles and so on. Each of these has a reference or axis that you will use for maximum cover/concealment before over-committing.

Upon approaching the area you are about to search, you should have already identified your axis. As the space/area opens up you should use distance to your advantage. The key is: “less of you and more of them”.

As you approach the area to be searched, find the reference point/axis and slowly move across the entry point or area given, when possible, having no less than 2-3 feet of distance away. You should be identifying anything that can be considered a person or a part of a person down to a shoe, sleeve, sock, eyeglass frame, pants, etc. When pieing a room from the door you should move slow and steadily across the doorway identifying any obstacles that will hinder you and your teammate upon entering the room.

Weapons should be up but lowered enough to see just over the front sight or optic. When the need to engage a target, when it presents itself, you should already be centered and only need to raise the weapon to center mass in a fraction of a second; which should be simultaneously the same time it takes you to move your selector from “safe” to “fire”. This tactic, when done properly, will lead up to an entry method such as the “Crisscross or Buttonhook”. Slicing the pie can be done with one or multiple persons depending on the situation. When using multiple people this is more of an advance movement which requires more training and coordination.

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Did they call it something different or did they clear a room differently?

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Their idea of clearing a room was throwing in a grenade then rushing in behind full auto fire. Nice if it is ISIS, not so nice for civilians and hostages. The also never stopped to consider IED’s and suicide bombers. When I asked about this lunacy, I always got the standard Iraqi answer for everything : " Inshallah". Well, my standard answer back to them was, “I dont work with idiots, so do you want me to kill you now or just wait for the enemy to do it?”

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Wednesday’s Weapon: The classic battle rifle, the FN FAL.

A true “rifle” and close to my heart, since, it was the weapon that was first fired at me for real. You will encounter them from Western Europe to the many countires in Africa, from Mexico to the tip of South Amerca. Dispite its weight both the rifle and carrying the ammo, it was reliable and damn sure did the job. I have not seen any over here. The last I saw was in a police armory in Erbil.

FN_FAL

Some history:

During the last half of the 20th Century, the Fabrique Nationale FAL earned the nickname “the right arm of the free world” and became a symbol of the struggle against Communism. It’s little wonder why it earned that name. Name a war, revolution or revolt during the Cold War that involved the British Commonwealth, Western European nations, or their allies and you found the FAL in the hands of the soldiers fighting the battles.

Created in the years immediately after World War II, FN eventually produced 2 million FALs (Fusil Automatique Léger or “Light Automatic Rifle”) that were used by the militaries of more than 90 nations. At one time, the FAL was the official battle rifle of most NATO-member countries and was even considered by the United States.

In many ways, it was the West’s answer to the ubiquitous Kalashnikov. Albeit, an answer chambered to fire the heavier 7.62 x 51 mm NATO round instead of the AK’s 7.62 x 39 mm intermediate round.

hard-hitting, reliable battle rifle, the FAL saw combat all over the planet. For example, consider the Six Day War in 1967. There’s a common misconception that the 9mm Uzi was the weapon of choice for the Israeli Defense Forces, but in reality, Israeli soldiers carried more FALs than Uzis when facing Egyptian, Jordanian and Syrian troops.

In addition, the FAL is practically synonymous with the 1982 Falklands War, due to both sides using the weapon. The Argentine Army carried the full-auto version of the FAL, while British troops had the semi-auto L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle model of the FAL. When captured Argentine troops surrendered their weapons, the British infantry and Royal Marines often retrieved the full-auto FALs so they could spray more lead at the enemy.

FN_FAL_Vietnam

Vietnam is often overlooked when it comes to places where the FAL proved a success. The weapon arrived there in the hands of Australian troops who fought as allies of the United States under the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO).

More than 60,000 Aussies would serve in the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1972, including the 1st Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment. More commonly known as 1RAR, soldiers in the regiment fought in many significant battles during the war’s escalation in the mid-1960s.

During those the engagements, they often faced well-equipped Viet Cong who carried new AK-47s supplied by the Communist Chinese and East Bloc nations. Despite its weight and size (the FAL is one of the longest battle rifles of the 20th Century), 1RAR’s troops considered their weapon well suited for jungle warfare.

The powerful NATO round would punch through thick foliage, killing their concealed VC opponents. It was also a far more reliable weapon than the early version of the M-16 issued to U.S. forces. The FAL rarely jammed or misfired, two problems that plagued the M-16 for years.

Many considered the combination of the FN FAL’s design and cartridge to be the quintessential pairing of battle rifle and bullet during the 20th Century. The FAL went into production in 1953 and FN continued to produce the rifle all the way until 1988. Meanwhile, the M-14 fell by the wayside as the main U.S. battle rifle within a few years; replaced by the M-16.

In the end, with millions of FALs manufactured and internationally distributed, the rifle played a large part in making the 7.62 x 51mm NATO round an overwhelming success.

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Thought for the day: Greatness is the basics done flawlessly and on demand.

FIREARM INSTRUCTORS: TEACHING BIAS AND HYPOCRISY?

Another view:

(My comments in black)

As a student and an occasional firearms instructor myself, I find that some defensive shooting instructors out there are teaching shooting in a “MODERN” way that leaves much to be desired. (agree)

Some instructors go to classes that teach different ways of doing things that may be very effective on a static range where targets are not shooting back ( I see this shit way too often, especially with **NATO** allies) Then there are other instructors who are combat experienced who fail to analyze what they used in order to survive a gunfight. They continue to preach methods they never used and which are forgotten and even useless when applied universally ( especially in kill houses, you would think the average person is a Marvel hero)

There are tons of different issues I have with some instructors teaching so-called defensive shooting techniques. Instead of talking about EVERYTHING that I see wrong with teaching methods, I want to focus on a single important point of hypocrisy among many different instructors. This point of focus will be on the fact that many INSTRUCTORS lecture their students about how the fundamentals will help them shoot effectively no matter what firearm. I have seen that many of these instructors preaching their methods to be universal end up proving that they do not follow the advice or lessons that they themselves. _(**_Regardless of the basics, you must train on each on individual weapon to achieve any degree of skill).

It is on the instructor, in my opinion, to be a shining influence of how well you can shoot with any firearm if you apply the fundamentals. This includes the claim that the fundamentals work regardless of the firearm used. Many of these instructors, when they preach this, use modified firearms with red dot sights and hair triggers. This to me, screams hypocrisy. ( so fucking true, I have never taught third world students that had red dot sights and modified triggers and in the states, you better be carrying a stock gun or a defense attorney will eat you alive. An instructor (IMHO) should be able to fire an accurate group with a variety of handguns, including both semi-autos and revolvers).

A credible instructor, in my view, should be able to use a variety of different stock firearms in order to prove their point. This could go as far as to use a student’s firearm to show how the firearm is not the issue, but the shooters ability to follow the steps required to hit right where they want to hit. ( I have done this many times, including one time with a Walther PPK .380, which I consider one of the hardest handguns to shoot and a POS anyway)

I have found a few instructors out there who will not teach a student how to effectively use any firearm other than a striker fired trigger system. ( Damn straight on this, its like no matter where you go in the world, you will always use a Glock or one of its clones or nothing else, Bullshit. Go to almost any country in Africa, South American, Central America, and Central Asia and you run into a cornucopia of handguns from old 1911/ HI-Powers to WWII Lugers and Nambus,to ever revolver known to man) Failure to understand and be able to use firearms with varying trigger systems does not speak well to the credibility of an instructor. Basically, this failure of theirs seems to leave a lot of students “hanging” when it comes to them understanding what they are doing wrong and how to correct the issue: (truth)

This is not to say that an instructor can not be allowed to modify their firearms, but I think the classroom is the last place they should use a firearm that is not stock **( agree )_** As I have always learned, it is better to learn the hard stuff and master it so the less difficult stuff becomes a breeze and you become more versatile _(ack to what I said about training on the weapon, if you cannot shoot a stock weapon, something is wrong with your training)

It is not much different from learning to drive and manual transmission when learning to drive. Master the stick shift and everything is open to you. If you understand the idea behind the manual transmission, learning to drive a big rig truck will be a less daunting task. This goes for combat and general firearms training too. Train yourself to be ready for the worst possible situation so that way you can be prepared for anything. When you train to a higher standard, the real thing becomes simpler. ( I have found this to be true with everything in the tactical life from the gym to the AO zone)

If an instructor learns to master several different guns, I think they will learn how to teach their classes in a more streamlined way. Not all guns are the same, but the instructors should be able to demonstrate that the fundamentals are always the same. ( agree)

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Motivational Monday: _Survival is the ability to swim in strange waters

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And keeping with the Spartan way of life. Thou the author sometimes comes off a little full of himself, there is is some good information for those who choose to train in a minimalistic format.

Another view:

So let’s cover the tools:

•Gymnastic ring – cost; 20£ ($34) – incredible tool and the most useful in developing upper body strength. In fact it is the single best tool for upper body ability – if you know how to use them and constantly progress elements. Look at a gymnastic rings specialist and aim for 10% of what they can do and you will still be a physical monster. As operators we need to move our bodies like liquid steel. You wont need to bench press 160kg but you might need to pull yourself plus an additional 20 kg up and over a wall fucking fast. If you get rings but only do chin ups, dips and pushups on them then yes, not such a great tool. But if you build to more complex elements then you are on your way to an elite capability using a tool that can fit in your pack and hang from anything, anywhere.

•Adjustable dumbbells – cost; 20-30£ ($34 – $50) – an adjustable pair up to 20 kg should be adequate for working on rotator cuffs, tricep health and mid low trap strength. As well as providing adequate resistance for upper and lower body weight exercises in the absence of barbells etc. Load and volume is not the only way to increase training stimulus. Leverage, TUT and complexity are other great ways for a tactical athlete to increase their abilities and physicality with little to no equipment.

•Doorway pull up bar – cost; 10£ ($17) – for small strength elements at home, the doorway pull up bar allows me to hang and brachiate to look after my shoulder health. To perform upper body strength like pull-ups, one arm pull-ups and their progressions, front levers, back levers, skin the cat variations and hanging leg lift variations. So much possibility when you understand the principles and tools available out there (which is another thing that makes our programs so unique – there are no programs out there designed by operators for operators that have these types of tools and physical educational back grounds available).

•Sand bag – cost; 15£ ($25) – I used an old military canvas duffel bag I bought on amazon for 9£ and delivered to me in a few days. Then bought a sandbag shell and heavy zip tie for 5£ and dug up some dirt in the fields and filled my shell, tied it up, put it in the duffel bag and duct tapped it up. 80 kg odd object – check!!

•Small sandbags – cost; 20£ ($34) – I found some Thai fight training sandbags online for 9£ total and ordered 2. They came in a week, I filled them with pebbles found outside and zipped them up. One is 40 kg the other is 20kg. Sorted

•Jump Rope 20£ ($34) – A quality speed rope has allowed me to maintain a different form of mono structural training and to work on differing qualities like reaction, timing, tissue elastics and health plus more. Invest in a decent one it will last you a long time.

• Weight Vest** cost; 20£ ($34) – Online a cheap-ish one @10 kg is plenty of weight for what I need. I make up the difference with exercise selection and carrying an odd object with me for challenge.

That’s all the tools I need and for an affordable price, you can get away without the weight vest or speed rope and cut your cost by 40£ ($68).

Exercises:

  1. Forms of deadlifts and presses with bags.
  2. Sandbag swings, throws and sandbag get ups.
  3. Single leg squat variations (pistols, shrimp, dragon, cossack, hook, Hawaiian, etc.)
  4. Body weight and minimal hamstring contraction tools (Jefferson curls, RDL, Stiff legged good morning, standing straddle good mornings, harrop curls, single leg arch ups, etc.)
  5. Lower back strength (reverse hypers, gatherings, press handstands, cranks, RDL, kettlebell swings etc.)

Forms of deadlifts and presses with bags.

  1. Sandbag swings, throws and sandbag get ups.

  2. Single leg squat variations (pistols, shrimp, dragon, cossack, hook, Hawaiian, etc.)

  3. Body weight and minimal hamstring contraction tools (Jefferson curls, RDL, Stiff legged good morning, standing straddle good mornings, harrop curls, single leg arch ups, etc.)

  4. Lower back strength (reverse hypers, gatherings, press handstands, cranks, RDL, kettlebell swings etc.)

  5. Calf strength (2 leg and single leg calf raises, donkey calf raises, weighted and unweighted, single leg skips, stiff legged hops, depth drops, etc.)

  6. Upper body pulling (chin ups, pull ups, wide grip pull ups, false grip pull ups, archer pull-ups mechanical advantage archer pull ups, rope assisted pull-ups, one arm assisted pull-ups, rope climbs, one arm chin ups, one arm pull-ups, chameleon rope climbs, no space rope climbs, reverse grip rope climbs, behind the neck rope climbs, front levers tuck to full, front lever pulls, cranks, front lever pull ups tuck to full, yewkis and more and more)

  7. Upper body pushing (pushups, close grip pushups, ring pushups, dips, ring dips, upper arm dips, handstand pushups, headstand pushups, free standing full range handstand pushups, ring handstand pushups, planche tuck to full, planche pushups tuck to full, ring planche tuck to full, ring planche pushup tuck to full, pelican pushups, pelican dips, press handstand straddle- pike – stahlder and more and more)

  8. Balance (also known as equilibrium) – (handstands, elbows balances and low balances, rail balancing

on feet, precision jumps, object manipulation like juggling). An often-misunderstood art of equilibrium allows for a greater sense of awareness, object control around you and of yourself around objects. One balance is not equal to another which is why you have to train many types of balance to allow true control of yourself and the world around you. It’s a type of meditation and you cannot truly meditate without concentration and you cannot develop mental toughness without the ability to concentrate and clear the mind. Find me a high-level fighter or athlete without balance and ill show you the balance that you cant see because you don’t understand. You need it. Even as a warrior. So work it.

  1. Coordination – I use juggling, object timing drills from boxing and fighting, skipping protocols, even things like dance can help you if you’re man or woman enough to try. I did 2 years of ballet, lyrical dance and contemporary dance in conjunction with my other training. It was the most powerful and athletic my lower body has ever been even with a 200kg back squats, pro-level rugby etc. etc. I was coordinated, strong and fast (got free conditioning) and could still choke you out from any position (due to mobility, speed, endurance, self awareness and coordination). BJJ, Krav, MMA? They will all improve with work on these elements. Box, dance, skip, juggle etc. Do it and watch.

  2. Mobility – I use dynamic movement work (I call it small chain movement) from dance, martial arts like Muay Thai, Wushu and rock climbing to name a few as well as a form of loaded progressive stretching that develops long term physical adaptations to ranges and builds connective tissue strength and resilience. We teach it customisable to each person as each person requires different things. Not everything needs to be stretched and not everything needs more stability – it’s case by case.

  3. Energy systems – Speed, endurance etc. need to be harnessed as an operator and human. Can I run 5 miles at the end of a workout or sprint up a muddy hill for 200 m on and off for 20 min? Yes. Why? Because I work it into my training sensibly and with principles behind it.

  4. Reaction speed, coordination, mobility and awareness – my favourite ways: using soft acrobatics and tricking and Capoeira style Florieo. Not for everyone and can take years to develop the advanced stuff, but the basics are accessible to all, and the benefits are way beyond your resistance band wood chops and star diagram lunge series. Want to be a warrior and capable in ANY scenario – best have the capacity to move like one.

Summary

In short this is a glimpse into my own training approaches and my current access to equipment. I train mainly outdoors in sub 10 degree wet weather in the mud, parks and fields as I get mental toughness and realistic environments for my work.

My training is not special and not brag worthy – there are plenty of people stronger than me, more capable than me and fitter than me – but I have a VERY capable athleticism that requires no specific or boring training and is something that improves my mind and learning ability not just my physicality. It is also a method I can maintain into old age as its built around looking after my body and having things work well.

If someone says you are wasting time training this acrobatic complex shit, odds are they cant do it and have no way of teaching it to you in a methodical programmed approach. If you don’t have one either then yes it is a waste of time. However if you have the means (us) and the will (you) then these tools and approaches will give you more than traditional forms of training alone.

Elite physicality doesn’t have to be boring, complex or expensive.

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480

Loved that diagram.

Have you ever been punched in the face? Why yes, yes I have. That’s the most tacticool thing I’ve got going for me. Lol

481

Thought for the day (1):

Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant. Horace

If you are first responder, then you have no choice but to be in the best physical condition you can be, no explanation needed. However, everyone is basically a “first responder” in this age of terror attacks, active shooters, and natural disasters. A couple of years age , I worked with a shooter from a very rural area. Today, he is a local deputy in his area and he sent me a detailed Email yesterday about a school shooting plan they had recently uncovered. Thankfully, they got there first, but, the amount of planning, weapons, and logistics these two 17 year olds had obtained, if excuted, would have resulted in many deaths.

My point being, that no matter where you live or where you work, from admin to aviation from CPA to DEA, you may be called upon to either save yourself or save another. Dont let “I will start tomorrow” be you guiding force in life. work, just work.

train

482

**Thought for the day (2):

** Classical art stands for form; romantic art for content.

Robin G. Collingwood_

If you get involved in the tactical / shooting world, it will not be long before the name " Wilson Combat" gets your attention. They are the pinnacle of 1911 craftmanship.

Wilson Combat turns 40 years old this year. To celebrate this milestone anniversary, the American gun manufacturer is issuing a limited run of special edition commemorative CQB Elite models. The Wilson Combat CQB Elite run is limited to 400, with specialized serial numbers WC40-001 through WC40-400.
Wilson Combat gives an accuracy guarantee of one inch at 25 yards for the 40th Anniversary CQB Elite.
This model of the CQB Elite is available in .45 ACP (with an 8-round capacity), 9mm, and .38 Super.

Enjoy a true work of art:

wilson

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