Showing posts with label sdts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sdts. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

How to Avoid Justifiable Failure

How to Avoid Justifiable Failure Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company Don't let your New Year's Resolution become a victim of another Justifiable Failure. Justifiable Failure is when you set yourself up to implode by manufacturing a "reasonab...

http://bit.ly/1kZckLk

Saturday, November 23, 2013

How to Protect Yourself against the deadly Knock Out Game

New "Knock Out Game" by Teens Kills People at Random Media Suggests the Wrong Self Defense Solution - we give you the right one. Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company There's a new game kids are playing it's called "Knock Out". How it works: a g...

http://bit.ly/IlJ5Ts

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The Seven Signs Your Instructor's a Pussy - Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company

The Seven Signs Your Instructor's a Pussy Anti-violent mantras from the mouths of  martial artists If you spent any time in a martial arts uniform, somewhere, someone along the line has told you to never use your art for violence. I call bullsh...

http://bit.ly/1e06apJ

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

How to Fight Drunk - Street Fighting Tips

How to Fight Drunk Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company Most fights involve alcohol it's the way of the world. You lose you inhibitions and judgment and before you know it, you're proposing to a house plant. If you have chosen a path of 100% s...

http://bit.ly/1aRylsx

How to Fight Drunk - Street Fighting Tips

How to Fight Drunk Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company Most fights involve alcohol it's the way of the world. You lose you inhibitions and judgment and before you know it, you're proposing to a house plant. If you have chosen a path of 100% s...

http://bit.ly/1aRylsx

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

New Jersey Mall Suicide

We Just Got Lucky America New Jersey Mall Suicide Could Have Easily Gone Wrong - Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company Last night, down the road from my house the latest cry for help was heard by some sick and twisted soul. While people are reli...

http://bit.ly/17KmUjY

Monday, November 4, 2013

Too Old or Injured for Self Defense?- Damian Ross, the self defense company

Too Old or Injured to Learn Self Defense? Fact: If you're older, injured and appear to be weaker you're more likely targeted as a victim. Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company Just like you see on the Discovery Channel - Predators Attack the W...

http://bit.ly/1a1f4ib

Too Old or Injured for Self Defense?- Damian Ross, the self defense company

Too Old or Injured to Learn Self Defense? Fact: If you're older, injured and appear to be weaker you're more likely targeted as a victim. Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company Just like you see on the Discovery Channel - Predators Attack the W...

http://bit.ly/1a1f4ib

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Tabata Training for Self Defense

"How I Cut My Cardio Training Down to Fraction of the Time and Burned MORE Fat with Self Defense Training." Tabata Training for Self Defense by Damian Ross High-intensity interval training (HIIT), also called High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise ...

http://bit.ly/19J5ZN5

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

How to protect yourself against the deadly Knock Out Game

New "Knock Out Game" by Teens Kills People at Random Media Suggests the Wrong Self Defense Solution - we give you the right one. Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company There's a new game kids are playing it's called "Knock Out". How it works: a g...

http://insider.theselfdefenseco.com/protect-deadly-knock-game/

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Hardest Thing About Self Defense

The Hardest Thing About Self Defense - When Should You Fight Back? Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company Real self defense is technically easy; simple, gross motor skills developed to cause more injury to your target than you sustain. The most c...

http://insider.theselfdefenseco.com/the-hardest-thing-about-self-defense/

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Fight Better Drunk

I just got on this on Face Book from a member of the SDTS Legion,

"Thank you Damian. I got robbed last night. I was pretty drunk after watching the fights, and two guys who knew it figured I'd be an easy target. Even stupid drunk, I remembered to keep my lead foot lined up between the feet of the attacker, hit him in the neck and head with the edge of hand blow until he fell down (From Module 1 of the SDTS), and then tried kicking the shit out of him. Then his buddy jumped on my back and choked me. They both pinned me down and took my money. Yeah in the end I lost my money, but I kept my pride. I was beating the fuck out of the one guy. Too bad I was too intoxicated to plan for the second guy." Corey, Canada

First, I'm glad you're OK and live to tell the tale. Second, I'm insanely happy you were able to leave your mark on these guys and stand up for yourself. You did what you had to do at the time with the information given to you and for that, you're awesome. So the other guy cleaned you're clock and you lost some $$$, you're story brings up a fantastic point. What happens if you're attacked while drunk?

The short answer is: if you plan to get drunk you have 3 options:
1. Don't drink
2. Don't be alone when you're drunk in public
3. Learn to fight better drunk

You were and I'll use your words "stupid drunk." I have no doubt than any less drunk you would have remembered SDTS Cardinal Rule Number #5 but you were wasted. I know we envision most confrontations happening behind enemy lines fighting for truth, justice and the "Canadian" way. But that is simply not the case. Most fights happen when a little (or a hell of a lot)of alcohol is involved.

If you walk away with anything from Corey's story it's first, his attackers figured him an easy mark since he was loaded (See SDTS Cardinal Rule #2)and second, he still could successfully pull off the tactics he learned in Module 1. Even when he was blotto, our hero knew he was being set up and more importantly, defended himself while "stupid drunk."

I'll be the first to say that I do take the occasional drink and have had the experience to engage in use of force situations when my judgment and or ability to stand have been seriously impaired. Guilty as charged. But this is the world we live in and these are the lifestyles we lead. All it takes is one night out and one drink too many to make you vulnerable. Heck, it doesn't even have to be booze, you could just be tired, injured or just plain old....OLD. If you look like an easy mark you're going to be taken.

Think about this and seriously reflect on your lifestyle. When I use the sign off "Train Honestly" this is part of what I mean. e honest with yourself. We all have the image of who we want or think we should be, then there's the reality of who we are. We all want to be the person who brushes and flosses twice a day, but we are all the person who forgets to even rinse with mouthwash until we're halfway out the door. We all want to buy clothes for the thin, 15 pounds lighter you, not the right now you. Whether or not you think your tactics will work when you're sober, do you think you could pull them off drunk or even buzzed? Let's take booze out the equation, could you execute your defensive tactics if you were tired or injured?

Be realistic, be honest, if you're doing something that requires a tremendous amount of skill, concentration, strength and endurance and you enjoy a lifestyle that includes the occasional cocktail, then I urge you to re-evaluate your method of self defense. I'm not saying stop your current training, but look at it from a REAL LIFE defensive tactics perspective not from the perspective of the person you want to be or the image you want to project.

Defensive Tactics should fit your lifestyle. Other than the time dedicated to training, both physical and mental, you should be able to enjoy the things you enjoy. I'm not condoning alcoholism, though if you spent some time with my family you may consider "self medicating" a viable option. I'm talking about being able to go out with some friends, have a few drinks and loosen up. Heck, Corey was "stupid drunk" and he managed to knock a guy out. Imagine if he wasn't drunk!!

Train Smarter, Not Harder,
Damian Ross, CEO The Self Defense Company









Connect with Mr. Ross of Face Book

Damian Ross is CEO of the Self Defense Company and developer of The Self Defense Training System, the most lethal and effective self defense system in the world, The Guardian Defensive Tactics Police Combatives Program, 60 minute Self Defense and the Family Safe Program. Mr. Ross also founded the Self Defense Instructor Program that helps people develop their self defense business from the ground up. Mr. Ross is originally from Ridgewood, NJ where he was a High School Hall of Fame Athlete in football and wrestling as well as a varsity wrestling coach. He then went on to Lehigh University where he was a varsity wrestler and football player. Mr. Ross has 3 black belts, 4th Degree in Tekkenryu Jujutsu, 2nd Degree in Judo, 2nd Degree in Tae Kwon Do. In addition to his martial arts experience, Mr; Ross spent 8 years in the professional security and personal protection business. He is internationally recognized as one of the foremost authorities in reality based self defense.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

VIDEO- Combat Chokes vs. Sport Chokes- Damian Ross, The Self Defense Company



The first time I even heard of a strangle. I was about 13 when Hulk Hogan choked out comedian and Law and Order star Richard Belzer when Belzer laid claim that pro wrestling was fake. Watching Belzer get knocked cold from the sleeper hold was all it took, I wanted more.

Getting choked and learning to choke for the first time is a surreal experience. The controlled power of being able to strangle someone until they pass out is intoxicating to say the least. On the flip side being choked sucks. The claustrophobia, the ears ringing and the out of body experience of being put to sleep and getting 10 seconds of REM are off-putting at best.

In the beginning, I thought I knew how to choke. I put on the hold and in a few seconds my partner would tap. When I was choked, I did the same. That was until I started training in combatives.

British Judo Great and World Champion Neil Adams once said, "...you haven't been strangled until you shit yourself mate." For years I really didn't understand this. I though that getting someone to tap was god enough and getting someone to tap in competition was even better, but that was only the half of it. My combatives training that would eventually lead to The Self Defense Training System brought my strangle skills to a whole new and frightening level.

Most people think they know how to strangle and technically I guess they do. They can put on a hold and get someone to tap or pass out. This usually takes several seconds in practice or competition which is fine, but against a person who's fighting for their life, that turns into forever. Forever is not an option.

I prefer more efficient means of strangulation. Believe it or not, I'm a little lazy and the thought of wasting energy and time doesn't appeal to me. This method of combat strangles is detailed in The Self Defense Training System. This system involves several different technical points that can be applied across the board to all strangles.

The first involves the point of contact as demonstrated in the video above. While it's common to see the elbow of the choking aligned with the chin and contact on both sides of the neck with the bicep and the forearm, you will discover that this creates gaps between your target's neck surface and your choke. Like a noose, you want to have 360 degree contact around the neck and throat. To do this requires you to move the elbow back and initial contact with your wrist on the thumb side. NOTE: The purpose of the seated position above is to demonstrate the strangle grip and not full execution. Full execution involves the use of gravity, body weight, your legs and core which I will describe later.

This new point of contact gives you some critical benefits. First, it's extremely painful on the throat. This may be mistaken as a throat crush, which it can be but your target will be passed out for the blood strangle well before you can crush the trachea. The pain will distract him while you set the rest of your body position. A lot of times in competition an opponent will tap just from this pain. The other benefit of this grip is that you trigger the gag reflex when you start to rotate your wrist up into position. This will cause your target to convulse, allowing you even deeper penetration on the choke.

The Devil is in the Details

The choke grip is only the conduit. The real strangle comes from gravity (ether using your weight or his weight), your legs and your core, depending on your position. For example, the rear strangle(s) above may involve rocking him back and compressing his spine while you lean your weight directly onto the strangle (Module 12 of the SDTS). You could also be on your feet and have him in a guillotine or front strangle and by "lifting him" instead of just squeezing him (module 3 and 12 of the SDTS)you will increase pressure and effectiveness of the strangle exponentially. You may also be in the mount and use your body weight in conjunction with legs and core to apply the choke (modules 3 and 12 of the SDTS).

Another little secret is breathing. Inhaling while you're strangling helps fill in the gaps and increase pressure. The inhale expands your chest and aids in filling in the gaps and creating more pressure.

when you're training chokes, the tap should be instant. Because in reality that instant will turn into seconds and seconds is all you have.

Train Honestly,
Damian Ross, CEO The Self Defense Company

www.selfdefensecompany.com Corporate Center
www.theselfdefenseco.com World's Most Lethal Self Defense
www.legaluseofforce.com Police Combatives Training
www.familysafeprogram.com Keep Your Family Safe
www.teachselfdefense.com Turn Your Passion into Profits
www.60minuteselfdefense.com Self Defense for Everyone
www.myselfdefenseresource.com Free Resource Material
FREE Training Forum http://theselfdefenseco.madmooseforum.com/

Monday, February 28, 2011

The Four Pillars of Self Defense

The Four Pillars of Self Defense are Distance, Momentum, Position and Balance.
Every possible situation you may find your self in, these four factors remain constant.

Distance is how far you are from a threat. your proximity to target effects your options, from escaping to engaging. This also impacts the type of tactics you would employ at a given distance be it a few paces away or in a clinch.

Momentum is the product of the mass and velocity of an object (p = mv). Like velocity, momentum is a vector quantity, possessing a direction as well as a magnitude. In self defense terms, you increase momentum by taking ground and continually attacking and injuring your target. Increasing intensity while you gain the advantage. The person with the momentum wins. Good street fighters know this and will take the opportunity to get the first shot in and consequently follow it up with more and more vicious and ruthless attacks. In module 1 of the SDTS we show you how to establish a safe distance and determine in an instant if you're going to be attacked. Then we train you to take advantage of this opportunity, gain momentum and win.

Position is where you are in relation to your target. You both could be standing, or one on the ground and the other standing (either at close range or far range- we detail this in SDTS Module 3). you could both be on the ground, either he's on top or you're on top. You're in the guard, half guard or mount or he has your back or you have his back.

Balance: maintain yours and break his. If he is off balance he will not be able to strike, stab or even shoot. If you're target can't plant hiss feet and generate force, he can't create power. Plus when you are driving him and pushing him back in the real world he will eventually stumble, trip and fall, or at least run into something. If he's off balance, he's all but useless.
In the SDTS you learn to do this by taking ground and training combat convulsive attacks that cause maximum injury to your target and minimum if injury to yourself.

In order for you to survive and win in combat you must control the four pillars of self defense.


Train Honestly,
Damian Ross, CEO The Self Defense Company

www.selfdefensecompany.com Corporate Center
www.theselfdefenseco.com World's Most Lethal Self Defense
www.legaluseofforce.com Police Combatives Training
www.familysafeprogram.com Keep Your Family Safe
www.teachselfdefense.com Turn Your Passion into Profits
www.60minuteselfdefense.com Self Defense for Everyone
www.myselfdefenseresource.com Free Resource Material
FREE Training Forum http://theselfdefenseco.madmooseforum.com/

Friday, January 14, 2011

The "Quick Fix" for Self Defense

The Self Defense Training System has been called the "quick fix" of martial arts. I'm assuming by traditional martial artists since when you post "anonymously" I really can only assume.

NOT AN SDTS MEMBER (though he probably would be if he knew what he was getting into)

First off, The Self Defense Training System (SDTS) isn't martial arts. It's not a sport or cultural exploration. There are not any forms to learn or uniforms to wear. There isn't a required time period or number of lessons. There aren't any sporting techniques or complicated movements. Quite simply, it's tactics and techniques that can be mastered in the shortest amount of time and recalled under extreme stress. It should go without saying that the methods are designed so that you inflict the most damage to your target while incurring the least amount of injury to yourself.

So, is it a "Quick Fix". I say HELL YES IT IS. It also happens to be the ONLY FIX, the quick fix is the correct fix. The alternative...the long fix is not really a viable self defense alternative at all.

Listen, before I start ruffling feathers, martial arts has it's place. Fitness, character building, community building and self confidence and you can get those benefits from martial arts or any other sport activity under the right coaching. The only thing martial arts provides that sports don't is a chance for the below average and average participant to receive proper instruction since sport coaches tend to focus on the better athletes. Plus, as an adult, there really aren't too many activities other than yoga, pilates and martial arts.

The SDTS isn't pilates and it isn't martial arts. So that begs the question:

Why do martial artists still sipping the kool-aide hate me so much?

It's simple, if I'm right (which I am), then the self defense benefit claimed by martial arts is done like dinner. After MMA they climbed on the self defense band wagon and started saying what we've been saying for years "MMA is a demanding combat sport, not self defense." This is true, but memorizing pre-arranged dance moves and sparring in plastic booties isn't self defense either.

If you're a smart martial artists, you know the difference. But if you're claiming that you teach sport, self defense, grappling, mma and traditional martial arts you're a snake oil salesman (which I have been accused of). The average martial artist trains between 2 and 5 hours per week. Listen, you can't do all that in that limited amount of time. It would be like trying to be a painter, carpenter, engineer and architect. There just aren't enough hours in the day.

To run a successful martial arts school you need students enrolled longer. On the back end you will find testing fees, contracts, private lessons and upsells into other programs. The more complicated it is, the longer you will have to stay. The longer you stay, the more you spend.

Don't get me wrong, if you're enjoying your martial arts experience and you think it's worth it, great- who am I to tell you what you enjoy. But if you think that you have to spend 5 years and thousands of dollars to learn how to protect yourself....you're sadly mistaken.

All you need is the will to survive, something to hit and the proper instruction. Most people training in the SDTS see results in a month. After about a year...you're good to go. Two years to become an instructor. Like I mentioned before, no fancy moves, sport sparring, kata's or forms frees up A LOT OF TIME!

Hell is takes a soldier 6 weeks of basic training to get in shape and learn how to shoot a weapon. Let's say basic training is 12 hours a day (I'm including chow time), That's about 432 hours. If you did 6 hours per week (1 hour a day for 6 days a week) you would see similar results in 18 months. This includes any physical training as well. So in a year and a half you could learn how to kick ass and be in boot camp style shape. But no, your local martial arts guy brags that it takes someone 5 years to know what you're doing. Hell, lawyers take less time (insert lawyer joke here).

Let's roll the clock back a bit on traditional karate. In it's infancy, Okinawan Karate was primarily two techniques (reverse punch and front kick). Sure there are more techniques but your primary focus was on these two techniques. You did a ton of hand conditioning, makiwara training and over all physical fitness. The goal was ikken hitsatsu (one strike, one kill). The purpose was to develop those skills to the point that you destroyed everything you hit. Sparring contests were extremely boring by today's standards where two combatants would stalk each other until the perfect moment to strike. This mind set and method came directly from came from the samurai way of dueling.

Those two techniques could then be adapted to any combat situation. Is the answer to combat that simple? The truth is yes it is. When you're training for combat you only care about one thing: what works. It was later that martial arts became commercialized. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just the way things are. By the time Karate hit the US, it was already WAY OVER HYPED thanks to WWII and the prowess and folklore of the Japanese soldier. Westerners played no small part in perpetuating that hype and in some cases, making it more brutal than it was in previous years. But unfortunately you can't earn a living being brutal. In reality only a small percentage of people are willing to subject themselves to rigorous training. And even those people are prone to injury.

The modern business model for martial arts studios includes a lot of aerobic and kickboxing activity coupled with calisthenics. This is all fine, but very little is focused on self defense or even the building of those skills. Most fighting skills are centered around sparring that has little to do with actual street fighting. MMA is even more convoluted since the time is split between striking, grappling and submissions. The fact is even at 5 hours per week, you will never be able to be seriously proficient at any of those skills for several years. Grappling is by far the hardest to master (ever wonder why the vast majority of MMA studs are elite wrestlers?).

What is called self defense by martial artists is a series of unconnected, choreographed movements that are based on the action = reaction principle. That means, he does this, I do that. If laws of physics teach you anything is that Action s always faster than Reaction. So if you think some guy is going to grab your throat and wait for you to do something...good luck with that.

The SDTS is not a reaction based system of self defense. It's position and distance based, just like firearms. It does not contain a huge quantity of techniques to master. It's funny, years ago I remember receiving a return from a woman who said, this is very repetitive. My answer was simply...No Shit. I know, not very corporate of me, but then again, I ditched the suit and tie a long time ago.

Listen, it's simple, it's quick and it only takes between 8 to 14 months to become awesome. Physical conditioning not withstanding. FACT: the better in shape you are, the better chance you have to survive but if your time is limited would you rather learn to beat the piss out of someone or do 20 minutes on the treadmill?

Quick fix, yes it is, but IT IS A FIX IF NOT THE ONLY FIX. Listen, I could have given you martial arts repackaged with a cool name, but I didn't. Why didn't I just give you karate, FMA, Judo or AIKI JUJUTSU, BJJ, Wrestling, TKD or an MMA style program to cash in on what's already popular. I'm clearly qualified to do so. I could put out anything I want. The reason I didn't is simple, this is what works and it's not that complicated. Anyone who tells you you need to spend several years training to become proficient in self defense (not martial arts or sports) is either trying to get your money or has not idea what they are talking about.

Here's Your Quick Fix CLICK HERE

Until next time, Train Honestly,
Damian Ross, CEO The Self Defense Company

www.selfdefensecompany.com Corporate Center
www.theselfdefenseco.com World's Most Lethal Self Defense
www.legaluseofforce.com Police Combatives Training
www.familysafeprogram.com Keep Your Family Safe
www.teachselfdefense.com Turn Your Passion into Profits
www.60minuteselfdefense.com Self Defense for Everyone
www.myselfdefenseresource.com Free Resource Material
FREE Training Forum http://theselfdefenseco.madmooseforum.com/

Monday, May 24, 2010

I Get Hit in the Balls a lot

Let's get one thing straight to the women in the audience. To men, their balls are the most important item on their bodies. Take for example when soccer players line up for a free kick. They have a clear choice: protect my nuts or protect my head. 100% without fail, they choose balls over brains. They will take a ball kicked at 100 mph to the face before they will even chance a graze to the nuts. On the list of priorities,the testicles are numero uno.


This is because it causes us the most pain and will cripple any man regardless of size, strength or will. This is a universal truth. Look at every combat system in the world from the Zulus to the Aztecs and you will see the balls are number one on the hit list. Our balls have been under attack since the dawn of time. There is no doubt that before Cain hit Abel with a rock he kicked him in the nuts first.



Recently I've done what most 40 year-olds do when they decide to stop having kids and the condom is NO LONGER an option...I got the big V (that's vasectomy to you young bucks). After almost 40 years of battle, my boys have been put out to pasture.

As I breezed through recovery I realized my nuts are pretty tough. I had heard horror stories from balls swelling to the size of grapefruit to non-operational equipment. Regardless of the warnings of my fellow man, this procedure was midnight run. Of course, putting my most prized possession out to pasture has caused me to reflect on the years of service my testicles have provided and I came to one startling conclusion...I get hit in the balls a lot.

It started with my older sister. She began ballet at the age of 5 and was no older than 10 when she realized that the best way to get a boy under control was a battement technique to the family jewels. For those of you who don't know, a battement translates into "beating". This is a generic term for various movements in ballet by which the leg is extended and then returned repeatedly (add fast and hard). My sister mastered this with awe inspiring accuracy. This was also he time I realized my balls were the "chink in the armor". The pain one feels the first time they are hit squarely in the balls is excruciating. Ladies, don't talk to me about child birth..which sucks and defies physics, but you don't run the risk of experiencing that feeling during every physical confrontation.

By age 7 I started wrestling and there was no rest for my little nuggets. While some kids opted for the protection of a plastic cup, I chose the cool kid option to go "sans protection", leaving the fate of my boys up for grabs so to speak. Unfortunately my "devil may care" attitude was not without a price. That fateful day was the day we wrestled the "Purple Wave" from Garfield, NJ.

The first time someone grabs your nuts is really an unforgettable experience. One would hope it would be in the back seat of your dads Oldsmobile, but in my case it was on the wrestling mat with another kid. We were wrestling Garfield and after the first few matches we realized that those kids had a penchant for nut-grabbing, my opponent was no exception. I was on the bottom to start the second period. When the whistle blew I remember trying to stand up when he kid literally reached from behind and squeezed my grapes. What happened next, shocked both of us.

Feeling a foreign hand on the holiest of holy part of my body was like getting hit with a bolt of lighting. I literally launched myself from his grasp. The force I used can only be compared to that superhuman strength that a mother gets when she lifts her car off of her trapped child. Needless to say, I needed no more motivation to finish the match with a victory. There was NO WAY that kid was getting another chance at an impromptu hernia exam.

As I grew, I put my nuts in greater peril. Football, baseball, wrestling and the frequent playground scraps started to condition my juevos to "take the pain" a bit. In high school the hits got bigger and the guys got stronger. During the Region 1 wrestling finals my junior year, that guy spent more time in my crotch than my girlfriend. After the match I felt he should have at least bought me dinner first.


When I was 15, I started karate and not a night went by that someone was in the fetal position gasping for air and writhing in pain. The first thing you discover in karate is that being able to kick high is not really an advantage. When sparring someone who kicks lower than you, they will always kick you in the balls. Take the round kick for example. While you're throwing a high, graceful kick to the head of your opponent, they're frantically trying to return the favor with a kick of their own whch will end up right in your nuts. Because you're extended leg literally will guide their low kick, right into your nuts and if you're cup is not in the right place..you're going down.

Now, let me tell you about people who can't kick high. They're nervous because they can't kick well. Since they're nervous the try harder. Translation: they kick harder. I have fielded more kicks to the crotch than I care to remember. The end result: you may score the point, but they won the fight since you are lying on the ground trying to uncross your eyes. So much for kicking high. I haven't kicked high since 2000.

Later in college I started to work security and get into the trouble that accompanies those types of endeavors. The worst I can recall was the time I was literally picked up by my nuts and slammed down on the sidewalk by a mountain of a guy. That left a mark and introduced me to the effectiveness of frozen peas.

Judo was another torture my gonads were forced to endure. A popular throw is called Uchi Mata or "Inner Thigh Throw". As the name suggests, this throw is MEANT for the inner thigh, but any judoka will tell you it's more INNER than THIGH. People learning this particular throw really try hard. Like most newbies, they adopt an "if its not working throw harder" attitude. Here's the rub, an effective counter for this technique is to advance towards them and jam them with your hip this works against a good fighter since bending over or backing away is NOT an option. Against a poor fighter it puts your balls on the front line. Now you won't get thrown, but something far worse will happen, a calf in the nuts. So you have a choice to make: train for the good fighters OR protect your nuts against the poor fighters. You can only guess I opted for greatness and sacrificed my balls to every inexperienced judo player to attempt the uchi mata.

And if that wasn't enough, I actually purposely "toughened my boys" to take the pain. Check out Module 6 of The Self Defense Training System (SDTS) and you'll see me take the fellas through a little conditioning session (this actually works real well).

In the end, despite my best efforts, I was still able to father two children and lead a happy and productive life. At this point, I would like to thank my balls for putting up with my behavior over the past 40 years and let them know that without them none of this would be possible. I hope they enjoy their retirement and I will see them lounging poolside in Miami.

Some people say I have brass balls, but now you know, they're just tougher than most.

Damian Ross
The Self Defense Company
The Self Defense Training System
Self Defense
Martial Arts

Monday, March 22, 2010

When you exhaust all other options, then what?

The following was inspired and borrowed liberally from the Gun Rights Roundup
by Buckeye Firearms Association

In Toledo Ohio, a thug has gone on an ugly and violent crime spree.

His technique is to prowl parking lots looking for an unlocked car he knows to be owned by a woman. He hides in the car then pounces when the woman gets in, robbing or threatening to rape the victim at gunpoint.

The advice from police? Lock your car doors.

That's sensible advice, but it doesn't address the central issue. What happens if the thug jumps you in the parking lot? Or what if he pulls out a gun while you're in a fast food store? This particular thug has done both.

The real message from Toledo police is that they can't protect you or prevent a crime. Your personal security is up to you.

Security experts will tell you to be aware of your surroundings and listen to your gut. If you see someone who appears out of place or threatening, you should take evasive action. That's fine as far as it goes, but if you're serious about security, you have to ask yourself an important question: "Then what?"

If you're aware of your surroundings, see a threat, and do everything you can to avoid a confrontation but can't, then what? If you lock your doors and turn on your security system and a bad guy breaks in anyway, then what? If you dial 911 and the operator tells you police will arrive within 10 minutes, but a criminal is threatening you now, then what?

Even if you own or carry a firearm, you must still get to your weapon. And if it's not in your hand, then what?

The don't ask, don't care mentality.

Police, government and corporations will NEVER advise you to use force to defend yourself. READ: NEVER. The last thing these organizations want is the liability of advising citizens to use force of any kind. Because of one simple reason: they don't want to get sued. Even if they're right, they will spend $495 per hour on lawyers to defend even the mere suggestion of taking a self defense course. In the end your safety is compromised because of their potential exposure for a law suit.

You are left on your own to sift through the confusing world of martial arts and self defense an industry more concerned with enrollment and sport than defensive tactics.

This is one reason that the Self Defense Training System (SDTS) is such a vital piece of the security puzzle. Once you accept the fact that your security is up to you, not the police, and after you take ordinary precautions to lower your risk, you must ask yourself, "Then what?"

This is also why we decided to let you try the program FREE for 30 days!No matter where you are, in your home or a deserted parking lot and encounter a violent criminal, the Self Defense Training System (SDTS) offers you an immediate and effective answer to the question "Then what?" And it doesn't take years to master and it will allow you to channel your will to survive.

The powers that be want to prevent you from having a good answer to "THEN WHAT?" question. They assume we're trying to turn people into violent killers. That couldn't be farther from the truth. We just want to make sure you have all available options by giving you simple and effective answers to tough situations. Whether you choose to use them is up to you.

It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Let the decision to become a victim be your choice and not the person pointing a gun in your face at 3 a.m.

Damian Ross
The Self Defense Training System
SDTS
The Self Defense Company
Martial Arts
Self Defense
Close Combat
Defensive Tactics

Monday, May 4, 2009

Mujaheddin REAL hero, play around with The Self Defense Training System


While visiting one of the CounterNarcotic Police Headquartesrs in Norhthern Afghanistan I was able to give an impromptu class on Self Defense. The Afghan I was working with was a former Mujaheddin Col who fought against the Soviets. Though small in stature, this man commanded respect from those around him. Wounded four different times in action against the Soviets, this was one warrior I was thankful was on my side.

S/F
Darren

The Self Defense Company

Darren Poesel
Damian Ross
The Self Defense Training System
SDTS

Monday, February 2, 2009

Middle Eastern Potholes



This footage was sent to us from SDC Instructor LtCol Darren Poesel USMC currently in Afghanistan. It's of an IED (or an old landmine) detonating as a convoy of the good guys rolls through.

I m sure you will agree, it is chilling to say the least. The soldier's commentary says it all.





close combat
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the self defense company
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darren poesel