Category: Martial Arts

From Bullied to Blackbelt, by Anna Erishkigal

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This is the tale of a suburban mom’s journey to self-defense readiness. In the photo above, I’m sparring with my instructor. (I’m the one on the left.) Don’t let my karate instructor’s size fool you. This petite blonde woman can kick my @$$. My father was an abusive man, the kind who would hit you – again – when you came home crying after the neighborhood bully shoved your face into the dirt and stole your lunch money. It wouldn’t have been so bad if he had taught us how to defend ourselves, but his “lessons” on self-defense consisted entirely …


Leadership: Who Will Really Fight?, by J.D.

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As of late I have been pondering who amongst us –meaning Americans– will really be willing to pick up their rifles or pistols and defend their neighborhoods, homes, and families when it’s apparent that help, i.e. 911 is not going to be an option. I was recently at a large Christian campout that had a shooting range with a long table and roof. There was a large amount of brass on the ground and we were all having a good time sending lead downrange. Although I was encouraged to see the number of people that were exercising their second amendment …


Ready for TEOTWAWKI: What’s Bringing Us Along – Part 2, by K.G.

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Food for Health I am also working on growing and preserving my own food. This is another family project that my wife and children enjoy participating in. We do not have a large plot of land, so we need to make the best use of what we do have. We really challenge ourselves to see if we can get more than the preceding year. We have had some successes and some setbacks. We learn more from the setbacks than we do from the successes. When the divine hand of providence reaches down …


Ready for TEOTWAWKI: What’s Bringing Us Along – Part 1, by K.G.

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As we age, we need to understand our new limitations and be able to adapt to them, overcome the ones we can and add new skills commensurate with our abilities. The timeless adage “if I knew then what I know now” is quite applicable to my prepping and survival journey. The focus of this article will be on adding new skills that will complement our existing skill set so that we can still be of service and not just survive but thrive in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. The Importance of Family and Like-Minded Friends Having a wife and family members that …


Defensive Handgun Training, by B.E.

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Before taking a defensive handgun training course recently, I posted on Facebook that we were taking our trailer to to an RV Park for the weekend. My wife would be with the kids and grandkids during the daytime while I attended an NRA Intermediate Training course. That all worked out great! “Gun Fighting” Training; No One Wants To Be In a Gun Fight For me, it was three days of focused “gun fighting” training. Don’t take that wrong. No one at that class, including the instructors and me for sure, ever want to be involved in a gun fight. Thoughts …


Guest Article: The MVT Lite Fight Concept- Part 1, by Max Alexander

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This is a follow-up contribution to the two gear posts: The Practical Application of Tactical Gear, Load, and Weight Considerations and Gear System: Philosophy, Set Up, Use, Fitness & Mindset. And as such, it should be read in combination with those posts. Notice that I have updated the gear photo from the one that I used in those posts. There is not a huge difference between the gear displayed. There’s merely a different rifle and Lite Hydration Pack, plus I have added the helmet to the mix for purposes to be explained below. This illustrates the point that this post …


Guest Post: So Why Would You Do Tactical Training?, by David

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“So why do you do this tactical training stuff?” This is a question I get asked from time to time.  Sadly, the answer does not lend itself to a sentence or two.  Let me lay out my premises and then some conclusions. (This article comes from David, who is a multi-class MVT alumni. He is the organizer of the Idaho Classes in 2016 and 2017. And MVT says, “We have already scheduled Idaho May 2018.”) Assumed Role In our family, I am literally the last man standing of my generation.  Since I am no longer immersed in pursuing “the rat …


Letter Re: onPoint Tactical Course

Hugh and Jim, I won the opportunity to attend one of the onPoint Tactical courses through the SurvivalBlog writing contest. However, I knew my 23-year-old son would get a lot more out of it than I, and Kevin Reeve (owner) graciously allowed Luke to attend in my place. He couldn’t have been more grateful for all he learned in the Basic Scout course. He spent hours telling the rest of the family of all he learned, and we all practiced some of the skills. (Luke has practiced a lot more than the rest of us.) And Luke immediately started making …


My Defenses- Part 1, by Sarah Latimer

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So, in my last article, I referred to the young shepherd boy we read about in the Bible named David, who fought off a lion and bear while protecting his father’s sheep and boldly stepped into a one-on-one battle with Goliath who was taunting the Israelite army and mocking God. I am sure David had practiced his slingshot before engaging Goliath with only this one tool and no self-defense armor, and in the previous article I stated that we should be practicing our weapons also. Now, let me just say right up front that I am not a military or …


Know Your Limits, by Molon Labe

In these times, there are many activities that we must train to be able to do, many skills we must know, and many tasks we are forced to accomplish to sustain our lives and those who we care about. In the days ahead, there will be even greater and more difficult things that we will have to do should a collapse or failure of civility occur to any degree in our area. Many things that are abhorrent to us may become required in order to righteously protect what is ours. Taking lives in the defense of our lives, our property, …


Letter Re: Personal Notes of Application From SurvivalBlog’s “The Frog in A Slowly Heating Pot”

Dear SurvivalBlog Editor, Regarding the letter, Personal Notes of Application From SurvivalBlog’s “The Frog in A Slowly Heating Pot”- Part 1, by C.F., Saturday June 13, 2015, I always recommend to folks wanting to setup a sentry organization that they review the United States Armed Forces’ General Orders for Sentries. This gives the organization an excellent starting point for how to organize an effective watch program and insures that all participating are using the same vocabulary. Since the prosecution of George Zimmerman in FL in 2012, many folks would like for their sentries to be unarmed, but I encourage all …


Letter: Instinct Shooting

Pat: I have a question about instinct shooting. Several years ago I saw a video showing a technique called “index shooting”. This video had the shooter standing with his handgun arm locked at right angel and elbow locked to side with handgun approximately six inches out from lower ribcage. Wrist is locked and shooter swings torso to change radial firing direction. Off hand is held up toward chest with palm pressed to upper chest to keep it behind the muzzel. In the video demo the shooter was very accurate, but I have not seen this technique elsewhere and have lost …


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 9 of 9, by Pat Cascio

Chapter Seven Threats in the Future…Today? Some so-called “experts” believe that future threats to our safety and well-being will come from our children. In a manner of speaking, they are correct in their assumptions. However, you need only watch the evening news to see that the future has already arrived. Read on. Los Angeles, California District Attorney, Gil Garcetti, probably best summed it up when he said, “My God, this could happen to me . . . What is going on here?” Garcetti was in a news conference describing what was being called the “Wrong Way Shooting” of an innocent, …


Letter Re: Becoming A Warrior At Gunsite Academy, by J.H.

Hugh, There is no way a civilian can develop the proper mindset, skills, and base of knowledge required to be considered a “warrior” by attending a class for a weekend or even a week. Please do not misunderstand what I am trying to say. Classes like this can be beneficial to an individual as long as they do not leave the false impression that a warrior has been created. This false belief can lead someone to get hurt if they respond with inflated confidence during an actual life-threatening situation. There is no way to become a warrior, unless you make …


Street Combat – This Ain’t No Game! – Part 7 of 9, by Pat Cascio

Chapter Five I NEVER THOUGHT… I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people on t.v. news programs crying and saying, “I never thought it could (or would) happen here.” Excuse me, is anyone out there? Violent crimes can and do happen, right where you never thought they would or could happen. You must be prepared for the unexpected. If you’re prepared for the unexpected, then it won’t be unexpected. One of my students (a mother) objected to the fact that I was teaching gun and knife disarm techniques to her three children. Her children between six and eleven …