I'm in agony. There is a hot shooting fire running along my neck, exploding in my brain. I can't see anything, yet I know my eyes are open. I'm dizzy, but I know I'm lying on my side. I'd scream if I could move my jaw. My right arm kicks out smashing itself repeatedly into the ground, a silent acknowledgment that I quit, that I give up, that I can't take anymore. I know that despite the conditioning I've had, the resistance to pain I've developed that I would tell anybody anything. Especially the man who has the entire weight of his body focused on to his thumb, which is pressing into a pressure point located behind my ear.

The man is John Brawn, one of Irelands leading experts in Security and Self Defense. Standing over him is Dennis Martin, expert in World War
2 Combative's, the man John has invited to teach us his brand of simple lethality. Dennis silently watches as my world slowly turns black, and the last thing I coherently remember is that "I choose to be here…."

The pressure eases off and John helps me to my feet. I've got a new tool in my arsenal, and I've experienced first hand how it feels – I know what it can do and how to do it, so I go to practice it on my partner. And that, right there, is the key to Dennis Martin's Seminar and the secret of Combative's effectiveness. It took less then 30 seconds for John to demonstrate and teach that technique, and it took less than that for each for each of the enthusiastic participants to become proficient at it and be able to use it under pressure.

Simple Lethality

So what exactly is the Combative's system that Dennis teaches? Well for starters it isn't a martial art, at least not in the sense that is usually understood. It is simply what works in a fight. The primary techniques that form the Core of Combative's are easy and simple, such as an axe hand or tiger strike and can be taught to just about anyone in a matter of minutes.

Of course critics instantly pounce on this very fact – if it only takes a few minutes to learn, how can it be effective in a real fight?
That's an understandable comment, particularly if you've invested years training and perfecting precise and sometimes complicated movements. The truth of the matter is, that while it may take many years to master a martial art – it takes only a few hours to learn effective self defense as was made crystal clear during the anti-grappling seminar.

Before I discuss some of the incredible and important concepts of the seminar, let me make one thing perfectly clear – this article and review isn't about attacking any art, be it a striking style such as boxing or Karate, or a grappling style such as Judo or Brazillian Jujutsu – each martial art has something to offer and is of great value. I myself study Traditional Shotokan Karate and have trained in many other arts including grappling styles such as those mentioned above.

Would You Play Golf to Learn How to Defend Yourself?

In doing so one thing has become increasingly evident to me – Martial arts aren't good for self defense, and self defense isn't good for sports. The reason is because they are too entirely different concepts that should be mutually exclusive.  Let me explain.  Would you learn and study golf for self defense? No, that would be ridiculous right?
But a swinging golf club would be a useful tool for self defense should the need arise. It's the same thing with the martial arts – the training is great, I love it, but fundamentally has NOTHING to do with self defense, and what makes that painfully obvious is the training methodology itself.

During the anti-grappling seminar Dennis explained this with an informative and educational Power Point Presentation – yes that's right a seminar on anti-grappling and we started with a Power Point presentation, this already highlights the key differences in the training approach. The focus of the presentation was to clearly explain the precise aspects that would be covered and in so doing acclimatize the mind to what we would be physically doing later on.
One aspect that I'd like to reinforce that Dennis mentioned is that the purpose of the course isn't to beat a UFC fighter in an octagon, or a Brazilian Jujitsu Fighter in a ring, it's to win the fight for your life. As such the elements that are banned from training systems such as BJJ are the first and foremost priority of Combative's Anti-Grappling.

The Presentation finished we were introduced to another unusual training aspect – combat orientated fitness conditioning. Dennis took us through a series of drills to enhance our co-ordination and mental function over the next few days. This was followed by John teaching some of his specialized drills for conflict conditioning, speed, agility and quickness. This took me completely by surprise.

Fit to Fight?

I'm a top personal trainer with a resting heart rate of between 42-50 beats per minute. I'm cardiovascular fit and I'm very strong. I have a sub 10% body fat and a six pack, that's comprised of muscle, not beer.
John Brawn is a big guy, he doesn't look very fit….and he whooped my ass. After only a few minutes of John's special blend of calisthenics, weight training and co-ordination drills, I was breathing heavy, sweating heavy and physically fatigued. John was fine, showing only a light sweat and steady controlled breathing. As I would later find out, John isn't just fit, he's strong, capable of generating terrific force, a human articulated lorry bearing down on you at 100 km an hour.

Then we moved on to technique training itself, learning short, uncomplicated movements that would actually take longer to write about than learn and execute. It should be noted, that many of the eager participants, myself included were already tired and fatigued, our muscles lightly shaking from the previous intense workout – yet we trained through it. As Dennis pointed out, it's an excellent way to simulate the stress and adrenaline of real street combat. In a state like that, complicated and fine motor movements, such as a joint lock would have been ridiculous to attempt – the body just wouldn't comply.
Simple, devastating, gross motor skill strikes such as those we were learning, that works.

The course was taught in a systematic progression, again utilizing advanced teaching and learning systems , so that each technique allowed us to build into the next, applying the same core principals to an area of situations. Seamlessly we moved through basic grappling counter measures, including Striking, Dirty Tactics and Joint Attacks (again these aren't those taught in yr average BJJ class, these are disabling, crippling techniques). This was continued through assessments of standing positions, into a transition where one man is on the ground, either you or your opponent and then finally with both men down.

Within minutes each participant was quickly and easily applying the techniques in full force and full speed scenario conflicts. It's not rocket science. The techniques are kept simple for reason – complicated movements are hard to perform under the stress of a real assault and unnecessary, a fact both Dennis and John leant during their years of experiences working on the doors of some of Ireland and the UK's worst clubs.

Method of Madness

So what is it that separates Dennis Martin and John Brawn from the pack? As Dennis said himself, there are only so many ways to teach and axe hand or tiger strike, it's easy to learn and easy to teach. What separates Dennis and John from the pack is the same thing that separates Traditional and Modern Martial Arts from Self Defense – the teaching methods.  Rather than practicing on thin air, a compliant opponent, or someone trained to fight in an anticipated manner, Combative's place's you in unfamiliar situations against unfamiliar opponents. You're continually off balance, constantly assessing and reassessing the situation, and, as a result, constantly learning. The training simulates the reality, you wear the same clothes you normally would, you fight in a similar environment and you train with a similar aggression.

This was highlighted mostly on the 2nd day where Dennis brought us through his accelerated Neural Based Training. This is where I became really impressed. The day opened with John giving us a run down of the fitness concepts, books and DVD's he recommends. Names I'd be very familiar as being on the cutting edge of the fitness industry such as Charles Poliquin, Alwyn Cosgrove and Christian Thibaudeau (who recently featured me in an article on abdominal training) were all top of the list. These guys are among the finest experts in terms of strength and conditioning and they aren't many martial artists utilizing the same principals these men advocate to build incredible athletes. Perhaps this explains John's superb conditioning?

Taking these principals John integrated them into an advanced Tabatha style routine designed to heighten our reaction times, speed and co-ordination. All with astonishing effect. Dennis then took over and brought us through a systematic progression of Accelerated Combative's. First introduced to the principals of Neural Based Training by Marcus Wynne of the US Air Marshals, having seen the radical improvement in retention and effective implementation of technique and combat principals Dennis adapted the cutting edge techniques of the NLP and the JEDI Program.  Utilizing these teaching methods Dennis is able to teach the key attitude and mindset necessary to implement the level of aggression that makes effective self defense.

Intent to Implement

A fundamental fact of self defense is that in order for the techniques taught to be effective, one must be willing to implement them. Often the fight for survival comes down to who is willing to what the other won't first. That willingness is powered by controlled aggression.
This attitude and mindset is the true heart of Combative's and I've seen it taught by the very best of instructors, from Dennis Martin to Lee Morisson.

The training is intense but remarkably efficient at levering aggression levels in response to perceived threat.  Combining State Management and Anchoring techniques each of the participants learnt to draw on terrific levels of strength and resolve by mastering aggression.  Beyond fatigue, beyond pain, beyond numbers each one of the participants including a female participant, the celebrated Catherine "KO" Costigan, was able to fight on.

I've trained in many systems of combat, and am myself a Level 2 Reality Based Combat Instructor…yet I still left with a new array of skills, techniques and a refined attitude. When I walked away from the
2 Day Dennis Martin Seminar, I left sore from a devastating workouts that challenged me in ways I'd never considered before. I left educated in what I need to learn and improve on to be a more complete fighter, and most importantly I refined that attitude, so crucially important in Realistic Combat Training. I left knowing that which Dennis continually reinforced through the Neural Based Training. I left knowing that I will do whatever it takes to win the fight.

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About the Author

Paul J.O'Brien, is a fully qualified Acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medial Practitioner. He is also a certified in Western Clinical Medicine, and holds additional qualifications as a Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer, and Whole Body Vibration Trainer. He is currently a Reality Based Combat Instructor and dedicated martial artist having studied Shotokan Karate and other martial arts for over
15 years.

John Brawn is a professional Instructor with Te Self Defense Company (www.theselfdefenseco.com). You can reach him through his website www.johnbrawn.com