The SPEAR System: Tony Blauer Shows You 6 Self-Defense Moves Based on Real Street Fights
May 18, 2012
As an avid reader of Black Belt magazine since 1983, I have seen many changes in the martial arts industry. Now that the print magazine has caught up with the modern age and is online, they have been releasing free guides to all who visit their site. One such guide that caught my interest focuses on the modern approach of the SPEAR System, researched, developed and attributed to Tony Blauer.
"Predators look for victims they can surprise," says self-defense expert Tony Blauer, developer of the SPEAR System. "In real life, you don't know when or where someone's going to hit you."
That's why Tony Blauer designed the self-defense system he calls SPEAR - or Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response. The self-defense moves within this carefully crafted system take into consideration how real street fights cause an adrenaline dump that affects your breathing, your focus and your motor skills.
Cyberstalking, Cyberharassment and Cyberbullying Laws
May 12, 2012
I'm keeping this weeks post fairly simple but proving these valuable resources for Cyberstalking, Cyberharassment and Cyberbullying Laws for the state of Kentucky.
(Have a question or a topic you want covered in the blog? E-mail it toclydearnold@gmail.com)
Clyde Arnold has been studying the martial arts since 1983 and teaching in Northern Kentucky to both adults and youth since 1995. Coach Arnold is the Martial Arts Program Director at Top Flight Gymnastics in Crestview Hills, KY and also teaches private and small-group Personal Defense / FAST Defense to adults. More information about these programs are available at ClydeArnold.com and NKyMartialArts.com
Now this may sound like I advocate cheating at cards but in fact I'm not. I'm not even a good card player. (Every New Year's Eve, my friends can attest to this fact!) I'm referencing your training or back ground in self defense combined with the element of surprise.
If you recognize early in a situation that it is going to get physical, the worst thing you can do is get in their face and assume an aggressive stance and show that you have some sort of training. This provides the realization to your attacker that you know how to fight. This could make your attacker more aggressive, so you want to keep the element of surprise for as long as you possibly can. The best option is to keep calm, maintain a safe distance and apply de-escalation techniques.
De-escalate - Your primary goal, regardless of experience, should be to avoid conflict whenever possible. This doesn't mean to passively let people walk all over you. If you show signs of fear or resistance in the form of aggression you might be adding fuel to the fire. If you remain calm and relaxed while using choice language such as, "Hey, I don't...
Q: "Can you cover the topic of Personal Defense being your own responsibility? There's an old saying 'When seconds count...the police are minutes away!' " S. Johnson, Federal Security Guard, Kentucky
A: I sure can! I believe you are touching on a subject that many people fail to recognize. The vast majority of the general public has the perception that when something is about to happen, they can just call 911 and the police will arrive in a very short time to take care of the situation. What they need to understand is that LE officers have duties that extend well beyond the scope of just waiting and responding to your call. They cannot respond to every scuffle with lights blaring and at full speed. Some agencies are feeling the effects of a reduction in funds and forces.
All of this brings us to the immediate observation that depending on the situation, we may need to do everything in our own personal power to detect, defuse or de-escalate. This takes a certain level of skill which furthermore requires practice. You can't just read about it or think about it; it needs to be applied in a mock situation. Verbal skills are masterfully acquired through reality-based...
What follows are three explanations by experts in their fields on what fear is, the best way to handle it, what to do with it when it occurs and how it defines us.
According to the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary the definition of fear is: to be afraid or apprehensive: expect with alarm: an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.
Combative Coach Tony Blauer provides great insight into fear. He actually covers the subject with the following detail in his Ten Commandments of Street Survival.
IV ‑Thou Shalt Not Fear Fear.
More dangerous than your opponent is your mind. If it doesn’t support you you’re ¾ beaten before you’ve started. There are really only two types of fear: biological and psychological.
Fear (biological) has been generally described as the “fight or flight” syndrome for most of our modern history. This definition does not serve us once the physical confrontation is under way and is really not pertinent to your success. Though the adrenaline surge created by your survival signals is a component of success, it is the mind that ultimately determines the action you will take.
Psychological fear, on the other hand, is an emotional state. Therefore it...
Even though this link to a story in the Louisville Courier-Journal applies to gun laws, it is open to other interpretations of the law that a non-gun homeowner can do the same. If there is a break-in and the alleged thieves are armed with, let's say in this example, knives, the homeowner would have no obligation to retreat. If the homeowner picks up an object in an attempt to strike for a disarm and it hits the alleged thief in the neck and accidentally kills them, then the defense would have a responsibility to show just cause and that the homeowner did so 'in fear of his own life' and as a part of the no retreat law. There is no negligent homicide, or manslaughter or any unjustified use of force at all present!
Personal Defense isn't just learning how to punch and kick. It's acquiring the skills and confidence to handle the situation before it even gets to the physical part. This also means knowing the law where you live. Crossing state or national boundaries change the rules altogether. It can actually make for an entertaining read and be done in an evening. Take the time to know the law,...
Personal Protection vs. your emotions, values and belief system
April 8, 2012
(Editor's note: This particular blog entry is an excerpt from my book, Personal Defense. I'm currently in the process of researching this particular subject and I can foresee that there is much editing to be done in the future revised edition.)
This means taking the time to contemplate these three elements. When I instruct clients on being emotionally detached from the tools of self defense and mix in chaos and killer instinct and nasty fighting and biting, I often get challenged immediately, “How can all of this be done while being emotionally detached?”
Emotions will frequently cloud your mind and reduce your reaction time. There is an old adage: A lost temper is a lost battle and a lost cause. Learning to control your emotions will give you an upper hand. The average street fighter has no concept of this whatsoever.
Values and your belief system may be what prevent you from certain physical violence. Take the time to discuss these with your training partner. Use reason and talk various scenarios. Justify your actions and reactions.
Clyde Arnold has been studying the martial arts since 1983 and teaching in Northern Kentucky to...
I cringe when I see schools teaching defensive measures and the bad guy just stands there. If you are clawed in the face or gouged in the eye, the body will have a natural response to bring the arms up and pull the head back. If punched or kicked in the stomach, there’s a bending forward. If grabbed or kicked in the groin, it’s a sudden lurching forward. In short, ‘bad guys’ should put some thought into being on the receiving end of the training and react accordingly. In turn, this brings everything into the correct ‘real’ perspective.As you’ve already read about role-playing a certain degree of realism in your training lends itself to truth in combat. Any military person will tell you about their own experiences of ‘train the way we fight’. But this should be analyzed further. Real world attacks mean exactly that. The typical martial arts school has partners pair off and take turns attacking and defending. THAT is what they are calling self defense training! An attacker does not helplessly stand there and allow you to deliver blow after blow without any movement. The key to realistic training is reacting with realism as well. You...[More]
I'll confess that I'm going to be lazy with today's post, but not without good reason. For years I have followed Tony Blauer and his psychology of combat, his SPEAR, his primal and effective flinch response, there is so much more. Many martial artists are inspired by others. I started because of Bruce Lee, with influences from the TV series Kung Fu, the Karate Kid movie (the original, not the remake), and the ninja craze of the late 80's and early 90's. But now as a modern martial artist with a family, I'm inspired but this new modern day pioneer.
Personal Defense (also known as self-defense to the everyday consumer) is the process of developing and improving the knowledge and skills required to recognize, avoid and/or deal with conflict or confrontation. It is NOT synonymous with martial arts. Most people use the terms interchangeably but there are more differences than similarities.
The only similarity may be the fact that parts of the body can be used as a weapon. The differences are the practicality of personal defense over martial arts. Another difference may be that the amount of time to acquire effective personal defense skills are usually minimal compared to the years of practice invested to acquire the coveted black belt in the martial arts. If taught correctly, personal defense should address much more than just the physical aspects. It should also include external and internal awareness, as well as nonviolent and nonphysical methods of escape.
Personal Defense comes in many formats. Some instructors teach it in a workshop that can take place in a day or a few hours, others offer it over the course of a few weeks. Regardless of how long it is, when someone makes the decision to finally take a personal defense course certain...
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