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