Solo Training

Subject: Solo Training Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:22 am

Hi John,
What skills and drills would you recommend for someone who trains alone for self-protection purposes? Thanks pal...

Take Care,
Lito
_________________
The essence of true love is purposeful effort.

True happiness is attained through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

Winners take chances and perceive pressure as a privilege.

Whatever you believe, it's true.

Joined : 01 Sep 2007 Posts : 113

Training alone for self protection purposes- I would recommend that you people watch, look at how people stand, sit, talk, walk. Study their body launguage and moods. Become aware of the distance you prefer to be when in the company of strangers. Become aware of your surroundings by doing commentry walking, look around, above, behind and of course in frontof you. Use shop windows or mirrors to aid you. Look in the local papers what types of attacks if any, are taking place in you area. Get advise from specialists on how, why, when, where and who you could be attacked by and by what means. When you start doing these simple exercises you begin to become more socially aware, the key to good self protection. Remember how can you protect your self against that which you do not know of.

As for drills Learn how to keep a safe distance from someone by good use of of your own body launguage position for example: folded arms, splayed arms, the calm down hands position and learn to strike really hard from these positions with suprise and ferocity.

The hands are the most accessible technique when faced with an antagonist, and relatively simple to learn. start by throwing a straight right hand punch until you can do this smoothly and with power(take training lessons), then learn how to follow through with a continuous barrage of straight or hook punches stepping your bodyweight in behind each punch. I do some eyes closed routines and get a person to smack my back I then open my eyes and use the shock of the smack to make me fire in the punches more agressively(remember to get aggressive with your self to get a better perfomance). Whilst my eyes are closed I try to access the feelings of adrennaline to turbo boost my defensive attack.
more later
John

Subject: Re: Solo Training Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:54 am

Hi John,
Fantastic information my friend! I completely concur with your methodologies. I love how you simply, clearly, and effectively convey your empirical knowledge.

Thank you very much for sharing.

Looking forward to the next installment...

Take Care,
Lito
_________________
The essence of true love is purposeful effort.

True happiness is attained through fidelity to a worthy purpose.

Winners take chances and perceive pressure as a privilege.

Whatever you believe, it's true.

Joined : 24 Oct 2007 Posts : 56

John,
I think an important point you make is that the awareness exercises you do are part of training. I think most people, myself included, would have expected a response focused on the physical exercises. I agree that the awareness part is essential and use a lot of what you included in your response including looking around and using windows as aids etc. I think the newspaper is a great tool. I like to look at attacks of any nature, including things like school shootings, to think about what people could do differently in those situations and how I should react if confronted with those. The benefits I see are that I think it can put some options in mind should the situation arise and also make you consider the reality of the world in which we live. This can also be frightening when you think about being with family and friends in those situations - which I think is good too.

Joined : 01 Sep 2007 Posts : 113

Another important aspect of self protection is fear control the better you can control fear, the better you will be able to defend yourself. Take part in things that bring on adrenel secretion. One drill we use regualrly in our training is personel attack, basically you stand in front of your partner and push them once hard in the chest with either fingers or palm heels. This has the effect of clicking on the adrenalin. It can also be done by trickery making the person believe they are going to have to take part in something they really don't like. or standing in front of your partner just shouting obscenities or insults. Playing iwth adrenaline in this way is safe and allow's you time to analyse the feelings in a safe environment. Be aware of the language you use to each other, the closer to street speak the better. And have an agreement not to be offended no matter what is said. Doing it on your own is easy just use your imagination and think of something that scares you and live it in the mind. It is prudent after these types of drill to do some hard padwork to use up the adrenalin in the system, other- wise it can weaken you and stay with you all day.
Fear is definitely our friend our turbo booster learn to love it and use it wisely.
John

Joined : 01 Sep 2007 Posts : 113

Physical training is an integral part of my weekly routine. Hill running, hill sprinting, heavy bagwork. I get bored easily in training so i have lots of different workouts all designed to give me explosive power which is nessescary for quality pre-emption. I enjoy bench press, combinedwith medicene ball throws, clap press ups, pullups, explosive punches. Progressive Weight circuits on the multigym style equipment at my center to give me endurance and maintain speed.
I take part in training day usually once a week depending on my busines committments its an all over explosive pad work routine in the company of great hard trainers like peter consterdine and brian seabright- which incorporates full contact kickboxing techniques its a most superb.
Try and retain a youthful attitude it really does help your confidence. By youthful attitude I mean do stuff go out and be adventurous. Walk the hills, climb tree's, have fun. Above all always keep yourself fit and strong regardless of your age.
Try and acheive as much positive stuff as you possibly can in your life and encourage others to do so too.
have a great day.
John

Joined : 01 Sep 2007 Posts : 113

Tyre Flipping is great for building plyometric and endurance strength and you can do it on your own.
choose your tyre wisely
John

Admin Joined : 13 Aug 2007 Posts : 177

Wish I could have done those hill runs with you John, but I'm afraid the knee has gotten worse! Can't even do weight training with the legs anymore Sad

Joined : 01 Sep 2007 Posts : 113

Have you tried hill walking routines on the treadmill level 12 - speed 7 - don't run just hold on to the bar and walk. less impact and a great workout just do 15 minuets. Combined that with leg raises till filure and the plank or bridge which is; rest on your forearms and hands and raise the body off the floor by your toes, hold as long as you can or untill the body shakes, increase the time every time you do it! These exercises will strengthen the leg muscles in a none impactive way.
Your knee will improve if you stop focusing on it.
Take care mate next time we meet its the hills! Laughing

John

Admin Joined : 13 Aug 2007 Posts : 177

Tried it tonight John and WOW that was a good workout. My knee ached a little towards the end but tomorrow will be the big test to see how it feels!

next time we meet its the hills!

Eek! Shocked

Joined : 04 Jun 2008 Posts : 26

Hi John,

Before my disc went in my back I was walking with a pack on my back up and around a hill of about a 1000ft. Would you reccomend this type of training?
You're ok walking up hill but have to zig-zag down because of the jarring on your knees when coming down. Wiped me out though so it does have some benefits.lol
Oh this didn't cause the back problem.

john cmc