The Martial Arts Back Breaker
In the Self Defense Training System, Module 4 is where we “break the back” of martial arts.
Martial arts teach a specific defense for a specific attack. If the opponent grabs your wrist, you do one defense, if he grabs your collar, you do another and so on and so forth until you have memorized dozens of reactions to dozens of different attacks.
The list goes on and the possibilities are infinite. As you know by now, your mind doesn’t work like that.
All of the tactics of the Self Defense Training System are broken down into distance, position, momentum and balance which we call the Four Pillars of Self Defense.
That’s it. In Module 4, we use these principles and apply them to front assaults, rear assaults and body grabs. You only need a handful of techniques to successfully annihilate anyone who puts there hands on you or even gets into your personal space.
Finally, the Self Defense Training System Module 4 trains you to react and not
MREs? Precisely What Are These Factors Issues?
An MRE Pouch
MREs, which are pronounced as separate letters M, R, E, stands for Meals-Ready-to-Eat. They were originally created to replace the old C and K Rations used by the military. MREs were also developed for use by U.S. soldiers in combat conditions and for humanitarian food missions around the world.
In the civilian world, MRE’s are used by backpackers, campers, hunters, and for home and business emergency food reserves. Unlike freeze dried foods and dehydrated foods, MRE’s require no water and there is no waiting for rehydration. The special flexible foil retort pouch used in making MREs is composed of multiple laminations of aluminum foil and plastic film. Because of their rugged durability and ease of stowing, the MRE pouch has earned the well-deserved nickname the flexible can.
Each complete MRE meal provides a generous 1200 to 1400 calories per meal. Most MREs meals currently offered on the market are civilianized versions and use a combination of both military MRE components, i.e, entree and side dishes, with the addition of commerical components such as snack items and accessory packet. The Civilianized MREs are much more affordable and typically cost about $6.00 vs. $10.00 each for the military versions. Most come packed 12 meals to a case.
Generally, each Civilian MRE Complete Meal Pouch includes the following things:
Soda type crackers and a spread, like cheese, peanut butter or jelly as an appetizer.
A main course entree, like Meatloaf, Chicken & Noodles, Turkey Tetrazinni, Veggie Burger, Clam Chowder, Egg Omlette, Western Beans etc.
A side dish such as fruit, rice, soup or potatoes.
A type of dessert, snack, or candy.
An accessory packet which includes: matches, spoon, wet wipe, salt, pepper, coffee and sweetener (some may include an alternative powdered drink, too).
How Long Will MRE’s Last?
Most MRE manufacturers state a shelf-life of 4 to 6 years. Actual shelf-life may vary from this estimate depending on a variety of factors. Like all storable foods, a key factor affecting shelf-life is the temperature of the storage environment. Storage at temperatures higher than 85°F may shorten the shelf-life of MREs. On the other hand, lowering the storage temperature will help extend the shelf-life. An NATIC study noted that nutritional value and safety value of the products often extended far beyond the normal time points.
In addition, freezing an MRE Retort Pouch will not destroy the food inside. However, repeated freezing increases the chance that the pouch may cause a pouch lamination failure. These pouches are made to withstand 1,000 flexes, but repetitive freezing does increase the failure rate by a small fraction of a percent.
What Specs were MRE’s Designed to Meet?
MRE pouches have been extensively tested by the U.S. Military and designed to a higher standard than normal store-bought foods. Here are some of the requirements they were made to meet:
100% survival rate from a military cargo parachute drop.
A survival rated of at least 75% in the event of a air cargo parachute failure.
Survive under the harshest of weather conditions.
Withstand extreme soldier field abuse.
Handle outdoor storage anywhere in the world.
Pass 7,000 individual pouch drops from 20 inches.
Be able to withstand a static load of 200 pounds for three minutes.
What do MRE’s Taste Like?
Opinions vary all over the map on this question. Just like store-bought canned goods, you either like them or you don’t. They do taste very similar to canned foods. Some people love eating MREs so much they have them for lunch several times a week. However, some soldiers say that MREs really stand for Meals-Rejected-by-Ethiopians. They are not gourmet foods, but hey, they still are very good overall. The convenience is tough to beat.
Are MREs Like Dehydrated Foods or Freeze Dried Foods?
No. MREs are totally different. Unlike dehydrated or freeze dried foods, which both require water to reconstitute them, MREs are precooked in the pouch and retain their full moisture like canned food items, just with a much longer shelf-life.
Can MREs be Eaten Cold?
Yes. The main MRE entrees, such as Beef Steak, Chicken with Noodles, Turkey Breast, etc., require no cooking prior to eating. Each MRE entree can be eaten cold, directly from the pouch. Eating MREs cold is just like eating from a store-bought canned food item. They are always better when warmed up.
MREs? Precisely What Are These Factors Issues?
Self Defense Offers No Style
Today, I received an interesting email from Damian Ross. In it he talked about self defense and the development of the Self Defense Training System. Here is the email:
Self Defense doesn’t have a style, it has criteria, and the criteria are simple. We call them the 8 cardinal rules of self defense. These are the same criteria we used when putting together our own training. This was before there was a training center. Before the Self Defense Training System. And before anyone sold a video or taught this system.
We were selfish back then. We just wanted to know what worked the best for us. At the time, I was doing a lot of security work as a bouncer and I had a tendency towards a certain lifestyle that had me hanging around Harley Davidsons and 1%-ers. I was leading a double life. Suit and tie by day, biker-bouncer-bodyguard at night. I was in my 20′s. What can I tell you?
I liked martial arts but realized they were useless beyond the sport stuff. My habits forced me to spar or wrestle. This put me in a vulnerable position because when I was going for a takedown, I should have been ending the fight. When I was putting my hands up, I should have been ending the fight. There were a few times when I locked up with somebody and his friends would jump in. To be honest, I was lucky. Damn lucky.
Finally in 1989, I connected with a training group who were only interested in one thing: anything that worked. From there, criteria were developed by which we evaluated every system and tactic we came across.
Here are those criteria:
Will it work against someone bigger and stronger? Chances are you will be attacked by someone larger than you.
Can I do this when I’m sick, injured or older? You will most likely be attacked when you appear to be an easy target.
Do I have to remember specific self defenses or wait to be attacked? Action is faster than reaction. Having to recall specific defenses to individual attacks wastes valuable time and it’s all a good
Ground Competing Isn’t The Same While Grappling
In Module 3 of the Self Defense Training System, you will learn a valuable lesson. Ground fighting is not the same as grappling.
Grappling is a skill that involves subtle maneuvering and positioning. It requires years of practice and a lot of dedication in order to become proficient. Ground fighting involves doing whatever it takes as fast as you can do it to end the fight or at least to improve your position.
Never choose the ground. It limits your mobility, it limits your striking power and ability and most of all, it leaves you vulnerable to get stomped by friends of your attacker.
Also, the ground hurts. There are broken bottles, debris, rocks, stumps, concrete and just the cold, hard ground itself will wreak havoc with your body. Did you know that concealed weapons (we show you that in Module 9 of the SDTS!) can be pulled and used from any grappling position?
When you are in a fight, the clock is ticking. It is in your best interest to end the fight as soon as possible. Methods that teach you to wait and look for an opening are not tactically sound and might get you killed.
Sports like Wrestling, Judo, Brazilian Jujitsu and Mixed Martial Arts
Ground Competing Isn’t The Same While Grappling
Stop Using Your Fists
I haven’t been the observer of a lot of street and bar fights, but the ones I’ve seen all start the same way. With the fists. I suppose people have been watching boxing matches for so many years that they think they can do that too. Of course now, there’s MMA, and a lot of people think they can do that because they’ve watched it on TV.
Damian Ross, CEO of the Self Defense Company, and creator of the Self Defense Training System, feels that fist-fighting is just a way of opening yourself up to injury. Here’s a recent video he did on the subject.
Damian Ross’ thoughts on using fists in a fight
Here is a recent blog post he wrote on the subject. I thought you might be interested to read it:
In any military based system, the use of a fist is impractical and dangerous. Any system that advocates using a fist and is taught as self defense or in a military context should be re-examined as to it’s authenticity in real world situations.
The reason that ko-ryu (old school) systems that were used to train samurai in hand to hand combat never used a fist and relied heavily on grappling and joint locks combined with limited edge of hand and heel of hand strikes when it came to hand to hand combat was because the person they were fighting was most likely wearing armor and the risk of injuring your fist to the point where gripping a weapon was impossible was a risk they did not take. Modern warriors both civilian and professional, should do the same.
Even the Okinawa fighting arts known for their development of the fore fist in the use of the reverse punch, avoided striking the head. Even though they advocated heavy fist conditioning, punching to hard areas of the body were ill-advised due to risk of severe injury or worse, infection. Before antibiotics and decent dental hygiene a cut on your hand from shattering someone’s teeth may wind up turning septic and killing you. Even to this, traditional knock down karate restricts punching directly into the face. I realize that the modern reasoning for not punching the face has more to do with safety and sport, traditionally punching above the neck was avoided due to the a fore mentioned reasons.
Even western culture bare knuckle boxers from the Greeks and Romans forward would not only condition there fists by punching gravel and sand, but would go as far as to brine them to toughen the skin. The results were still not spectacular and the development of hand protection began to emerge to extend the careers of both the guy getting hit and the guy doing the hitting. After all, what good was a soldier who couldn’t hold a spear if he broke his hand in training?
Once the glove came about, the physics of the punch changed completely. As glove technology evolved along with the use of wraps, punching became safer and became the number one mode of self defense in western worlds due to it’s prevalence in modern sport. We live in a sporting society. Boxing, kick boxing and MMA all drink from the same fountain and to be honest, in the ring, with gloves, punching is the superior method. But in the street or in combat, it’s a
Twenty Year Old Food Storage Established To Become Great
I was going through some of my food storage recently and pulled out some of the oldest to use. I am replacing this older food with new supplies.
The oldest I currently have is 15 years old. It is a small food unit composed of bulk items, freeze dried food, and dehydrated food. The food was packed in nitrogen in #10 cans. I took very good care of this food and was pleasantly surprised. Well, not really surprised. I’ve been working in long term food storage for nearly 20 years, so I knew it should be okay. Still, it was nice to have confirmation.
I sampled the powdered milk, whole wheat, beans, cheese powder, dehydrated vegetables, and freeze dried meals. Everything tasted great. The freeze dried meals were Mountain House and they tasted great. I am saving some of the Mountain House to put back in storage to keep it for another 10 years. It will then be 25 years old, so I will experience first hand if Mountain House stores for 25 years. I’m not really worried, it’s just
Twenty Year Old Food Storage Established To Become Great
Self Defense Training System – Defense Versus Rear Naked Choke
As mentioned before, the Self Defense Training System (SDTS) has some of its roots in the close combat fighting arts of the military. For example, let’s take a look at a common technique, the rear naked choke.
In the video below, Damian Ross, CEO of the Self Defense Company, demonstrates a Defense vs. Rear Naked Choke.
Notice in the video that Damian turns to the inside as he executes his defense.
Now for contrast, take a look
Self Defense Training System – Defense Versus Rear Naked Choke
Forbes Reports U.S. Buck Is Collapsing Nevertheless U.N. Has An Option
Forbes magazine is reporting that the U.S. dollar is collapsing. Quoting from the article:
“The U.S. Dollar has reached its lowest point against the Euro this year due to a myriad of forces including rising global stocks and commodities prices, low interest rates, and investors diversifying out of Treasury debt and into other assets including U.S. stocks.”
“The dollar’s fall follows a United Nations report released Monday calling for a reduced role of the dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency. This is not the first time the U.N. has called for this, but it’s the most recent.”
“What the U.N. may be trying to do is eliminate global dependence on the dollar. However, more details would be needed on the mechanism for adjustment to judge how it would affect the global currency markets.”
Okay, the U.S. Dollar is collapsing. No surprise. You can not use deficit spending to fix deficit spending. The U.N.’s solution is to encourage other countries to drop the U.S. Dollar as their reserve currency.
Bloomberg News has reported that the current commitment to the Bank/Business Bailout is around $23.7 Trillion. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the U.S. last year was around $13 Trillion. Tell me how a country can commit almost twice its GDP in a year’s time and still survive? It can’t. The U.S.
Forbes Reports U.S. Buck Is Collapsing Nevertheless U.N. Has An Option
Recently Written
- The Martial Arts Back Breaker
- MREs? Precisely What Are These Factors Issues?
- Self Defense Offers No Style
- Ground Competing Isn’t The Same While Grappling
- Stop Using Your Fists
- Twenty Year Old Food Storage Established To Become Great
- Self Defense Training System – Defense Versus Rear Naked Choke
- Forbes Reports U.S. Buck Is Collapsing Nevertheless U.N. Has An Option
