Friday 30 January 2009

Back to Normal and some thoughts from The British Combat Association

Hi guys,

Thanks for a good class last night despite lower numbers than usual, and hope not too many sore throats from chokes! and thanks to Steve R for kicking the class off.

I have finally had some sleep and feel back in the human race.

Classes back to normal next week so look forward to seeing you on Wednesday and Thursday.

I had an email from Peter Constandine the other day (Head of the BCA) which really confirms what we in UKM believe and I am sure he wont mind me copying some relevant bits below.

When I first started out on my martial arts career all those years ago I, probably, like everyone else who was looking for a way to protect themself, eventually believed that the 'physical'skills I had learned were the answer to all problems.
This was the myth of martial arts, reinforced by instructor, to instructor, to instructor created a blind obedience not only to the almost magical capabilities of their style over anything else,but to the very dangerous brain washing about the particular martial arts street effectiveness.
It was a myth. I had never fully bought into it for the simple reason that there were too many contradictions, even before I started working the doors. It was never explained why we practised stances, blocks and a whole host of techniques and then when we fought did absolutely none of them! I worked the doors solely to see how what I knew would stand up to the public, 'red in tooth and claw'.
It didn't without serious modification.There has been enough written about this, particularly the need for pre-emption to form the prime, tactical option and I like many others soon discovered this unassailable truth. That was my first wake up call; that an Eastern martial art with all its complexity and cultural baggage does not work in a Western,alcohol fuelled social environment. This is the problem with martial arts instructors who have no practical experience demonstrate in magazines so called self defence moves that wouldn't work against a ferret with a wooden leg and a bad attitude.


The second wake up call I had came when I became involved in the security industry, specifically the world of Close Protection and the Territorial Army. This could be summarised as the primary requirement for a permanent 'situational awareness'.


Till Next time

Train Hard......Fight Easy

Mark

Friday 23 January 2009

Buses, Classes & Stuff!!


Hi All,


Great two days training thank you for that and good to see repeat faces at Eastbourne and some joiners, I know a few couldn't make it, so next week we should be up in numbers again.


Dates for the buses is getting closer, if anyone want a lift up with me let me know and will do on a first come first served basis as we now have one too many for the "O'Neil Battle Bus".


Remember no class on Wednesday at 5 Ashes as I will still be skiing, but back for Thursdays but may be a bit late in which case Steve R will start the class off and do the warm up etc- so be gentle on him.


Till Next Time


Train Hard...Fight Easy


Mark

Thursday 15 January 2009

Eastbourne Up & Running!

Hi Guys,

Thanks to the Five Ashes crew for their support tonight at our new club in Eastbourne, it was much appreciated.

Great venue (thanks Tim) and another good bunch of people- hope you all enjoyed it.

Well done to everyone undergoing the rigours of a pressure test for the first time, there was some excellent retention of techniques there and real commitment to keep going which is what makes all the difference in surviving.

Will cover more next time on F. A. T. (Fitness. Aggression, Technique)

Don't worry if it all felt too much to remember we will go over these techniques again as we build over the coming weeks and it will become second nature as the muscle memory starts to kick in.

Hope to see you all back again next week and feel free to come along on Wednesday at Five Ashes if you would like to.

Till next time

Train Hard.................Fight Easy

Mark

Thursday 8 January 2009

About Last Night

Morning All,

Great first lesson back thank you, Hope Tim's back is OK and not too many black eyes (and t*t's)from sparring!

Have reserved 10 places for the buses at the moment.

Confirmed I have, Sonja, Steve B, Jim, Chris and Charlie with possibles for another 5, can I ask that if you think you will become a definite, that you let me know by the end of this week as we now have a waiting list from other clubs, and its only fair that we release places to them if our possibles cant do it. Happy to car share so if anyone want a lift up there with me let me know-first come first served but I can take 6 in my "bus"

Slide show of the test is now on the website for you to download and view at your leisure and I have asked the paper for a copy of the photos they took.

Till Next Time


Train Hard....Fight Easy

Mark

Monday 5 January 2009

New Year, New News!

Happy New Year All,


Thought I'd start my 2009 blogging with some update of progress in the UKM world.


News 1
Classes

Don't forget we are back to normal this Wednesday the 7th and the new club in Eastbourne launches 15th Jan.


If you have anyone who want to come along to this please ask them to get in touch with me first so I can review numbers etc.


News 2
Buses!

We have at last got a date for Self Protection and third party protection training on a range of London Transport Buses.

This will take place on the 8th of February at Plumstead Bus Station. We will arrive at 10:00 for a briefing and cup of tea(!) . With training starting at 10:30. We will probably work through till about 14:30. So a good solid 4 hours training with the course run by the Founder of Urban Krav Maga and one of the most experienced Reality Based Self Defence practitioners around, Stuart McGill.


The seminar is priced at £30 per person for SUKM members, so is less than £10 per hour for some pretty exclusive training that may just save your skin sometime!

We may be joined by our colleagues from other Urban Krav schools and our private students as demand for this type of training is, as you can imagine, very high, so places are strictly limited and on a first come first served basis, though our club has first pickings, so if you do wish to attend please email me as soon as possible, but by the end of the week at the latest please.



News 3
Urban Confidence.

Stuart McGill, Simon Jordan (The confidence King!) and I are also now working on a public seminar titled Urban Confidence, to expand on some of the techniques for building confidence that some of you have already experienced, along with how to project that in a self protection environment, techniques to use to get you out of trouble-verbal deescalation, pre-emptive strikes etc etc.

This is provisionally booked for the 28th of February and is open to all with more details (price, location, timing etc) to follow idc, again if this is of interest to you and your family then please do let me know so we can start gauging numbers.


Look forward to seeing you all again on Wednesday and working off those chocolate and cheese belly's!



Train Hard.....Fight Easy


Mark