Boulder, Colorado now has a Reality Based School

[Brent Tibbetts]

Boulder, Colorado now has a Reality Based School. Beginning October 1st at The Mountains Edge Fitness Center I will begin teaching a brand new martial arts program. For kids we will focus on basic self-defense and progressive martial arts along with Bully Proofing and Stranger Awareness. For adults we will work on reality based self-defense using a holistic approach. Using scenario based training and verbal and physiological structures. We also use a progressive martial arts program with some Reality Based Concepts and Tactical Self-Defense, Filipino Martial Arts, Groundfighting and some modified versions of JKD and other martial arts. So anyone who wants come down for a two-week free pass and give us a try is welcome. We only focus on self-defense so......if it doesn't work we don't use it. Classes are Tuesday and Thursday. Kids classes are at 4:30 and Adults classes start at 8:15 PM.

Stay safe and take care.

Brent Tibbetts

[Kingston]

Dont mind me...

"if it doesn't work, we dont use it"

some things work in "scenario training" but not on the street.

sorry for cuasing trouble, good luck with your program, if i had the time/money i mite check it out.

happy holidays

[ryanhall]

some things work in "scenario training" but not on the street.

Please feel free to elaborate if you would... Enlighten me.

[Kingston]

you wanted it, you got it

ah, i always love to hear from you ryan

ok let me give you a potential scenario in training.

one defender and two attackers.
all of this would be in the dojo, gym or wherever this training takes place.

type of attack is first attacker greets you and the second would jump you from behind.

defender walks up, first attacker greets, second attacker grabs, first attacker starts the pumeling, defender learns how to escape from this situation.

both attackers are white male, about 30 years of age, around 6 ft tall and about 160 lbs. defend is about the same hight and build as attackers.

you practice this scenario over and over, different speeds, intensity, you end up being able to succesfully defend against the scenario practiced in training. Therefore it worked in training.

you leave confident that if a man distracts you and another jumps you from behind you can manage yourself.

then your walking down the street, perhaps in an unfimiliar neighberhood, you see this guy on the side of the street, hes a middle aged black man lets say. he asked you for a smoke, you say sure, you start to give him one, he attacks you first, at about the same time another man about 6'4, 200 lbs attacks from behind, but second attacker uses his extendo bat as a weapon to choke you from behind. Eventhough you are being attacked very close to the same fashion in the training, the people involved, the area it takes place, perhaps even your own feeling of health at the time. cold, sore muscles, the attackers appearance, the attackers size/strength, wether a weapon is used, what kinds of weapon are used, even if theres a disturbing odor in the air, how heavy the clothes are that your wearing, if your wearing boots instead of running shoes or bear feet, if its freezing cold, or a scorching hot day, all of this makes for little changes which will not allow your training to kick in as you were trained for it to do.

remember both scenario and real life dealed with two attackers, both had one greeter one jumper from behind, perhaps you are lucky enough to have them use similar tactics as was used in the training, also does your training incorporate what happens after initial encounter?

does it end only after both attackers are incapasitated and you can walk easily away, or does it end only after you escaped and are able to run... what if you have one broken arm, or just got a cast off and one arm is very weak.

what if you used a hair pull move in training and the attacker has no hair, what if the second attacker attacks from the side not behind?

all of these things could seriously screw a person up when they are already scared/exited, and trying desperately to remember how they were trained wile they are being punched kicked by attackers...even such things as the defenders personal fears or prejudices, the fact is most white people consider people of a minority to be more likely to attack them, if they are more afraid of black looking people then japanese looking people this could also throw them off.

a person mite be good at defending knifes, not so good at bats, seeing a club like weapon mite throw them off if they were expecting to see a knife.

there are just SO many different scenarios and variations to those scenarios that its imposible to cover them all, and by memorizing defences, for example if attacker #1 does this defender #1 does that, mite end up confusing the defender when attack #1 does something different then expected.

so im my humble opinion scenario training can set people up to expect something that may never happen, even if they do get into a similar physical confrontation.

heh, i think iv covered everything i wanted to, if anyone has any other ideas, i always like to hear them.

what iv said is not fact, its just the impresion i get from what i have heard/seen.

thanks

[Kingston]

hmmm......

hmm, it seems that this topic has been posted on the fitness training forum as well, brent makes some good points....


hmm his examples of the scenarios he gave were better then i expected, didn't seem perfect, but i dont know the whole story.

thanks

[Brent Tibbetts]

I see what your saying and to a point I agree. I don't train to many specifics because as my friend Richard Dimitri says "It depends." There are no absolutes. Thats why we have to keep things alive in our training. Variable are the key to growth. The scenario will always dictate the action and level of force. I think your right when you say there are many scenarios to choose from. In most cases after awhile you start to notice certain threads of commonality. As long as people train in different enviroment, with and without weapons, work on failure or missing, etc.....etc.....you can develop a stronger game plan. When you break it down the more you expose yourself to options the more you realize it is better just to have a few things you can count on then to memorize a million moves to a million responses. Some of the greatest artist in history only used one medium and could create a myriad of different things. It might not answer everything, but your comming close. Violence is very predictable, the bad guy usually always plays somewhat the same role. Just my two cents.

Brent Tibbetts
Reality Martial Arts

[ryanhall]

Hey Kingston,

I was going to respond, but Brent pretty much made my point. The only thing I have to say is that you were pointing to physical tools and their effectiveness on different people. The situation dictates the tactics, so that should not be a problem. For example, don't try to KO a 250 lb crack head--you won't be able to do it. The importance of scenarios is that they make you think on your feet--not use some pre-planned death kata that will leave you hurting after your ninja attacker doesn't respond the way they are supposed to.

you practice this scenario over and over, different speeds, intensity, you end up being able to succesfully defend against the scenario practiced in training. Therefore it worked in training.

The idea is not to repeat the scenario over and over. If one does this, the drill loses its benefit. A scenaio should be spontaneous and free-flowing.

all of these things could seriously screw a person up when they are already scared/exited, and trying desperately to remember how they were trained wile they are being punched kicked by attackers...even such things as the defenders personal fears or prejudices, the fact is most white people consider people of a minority to be more likely to attack them, if they are more afraid of black looking people then japanese looking people this could also throw them off.

Your prejudices CAN hurt you. Aside from that, your point about the randomness of real life points to the futility of learning set defensive patterns and responses. "If he does A, you do B" is destined to fail. Always. A good reality based teacher will impart principles. There are few laws in combat, and trying to adhere to what Sensei said can get you in some trouble. If you want to see a scenario done right, take a look at Richard Dimitri of Senshido or Sammy Franco of Contemporary Fighting Arts. They are at the top of the reality field, and have a lot of very solid and valuable info to impart.

Ryan

[Brent Tibbetts]

Hey Ryan,

I agree Rich and Sammy rock. I am a big fan of their work. I also agree that the physical is only a part of the equation. Understanding the basics of emotional psychology, threat response (fight or flight), precontact cues and a few other core values will go a long way in keeping you safe. After that you test and review. I always tell people that there is no right or wrong in a street fight if you survive. Then again there might have been a better solution or tactic then the one chosen. If you get my drift. Moral, ethical and legal implications of you throwing a punch or kick is in full effect even if you don't connect. It's funny that people train for years only to freeze during an adrenal dump. Basic psychology, basic physiology, and common sense. I should bottle and sell it. LOL.

Take care Ryan I will probably see you on the Senshido website.

Brent Tibbetts
Reality Martial Arts

[ryanhall]

Brent,

Seems to me like you're definitely on the right track. Good luck with your school.

All the best to you and yours over the holidays,

Ryan

[Brent Tibbetts]

Thanks Ryan.........I have been doing this since about 1995 and I know I am only scratching the surface. Best to you and your family. Give me a holler if I can help in educating someone else. I know you are on point when it comes to this topic.

Brent Tibbetts
Reality Martial Arts