I worry about the “who, what, where, when, how and why” questions. In my courses and should be in your courses too, part of the “Who Question is “who do we fight?” Well, we fight three “enemies.” Your “drunk uncle” Criminals Enemy soldiers 1: Who? Drunk Uncles: “Drunk uncle” is a metaphor that means … Continue reading Who Do We Fight? Drunk Uncles, Criminals and Enemy Soldiers!
Our tenement apartment building was ravaged by a fire two days before Christmas way back in the 1950s. This put us homeless on the streets of Union City, New Jersey. I was about five years old. Our apartment had been two rooms, a kitchen and a living room. No walls. One big open area. My … Continue reading You Who’s on Fire!
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? (Or how I learned to not wear a baseball uniform when practicing Tennis…) (If you are happy camper doing classic martial arts in classic uniforms? Gis. Barefoot? You are just drawn to the idea? Then ignore me. What do you care what I think? This is just a personal rant.) I … Continue reading WHAT are you Wearing?
“Harvey … give me the shotgun, or ELSE!” (and other Harvey tales.) That was the time when cops usually got killed, I reminded myself, looking at an angry Harvey Wilson with a 12-gauge pump aimed at me. But I thought since I knew him, I could talk him down … I thought…. The first time … Continue reading Harvey, Give Me the Shotgun, Or Else!
I wonder…has the de-escalation fad sort of died down? It seems like it was all the rage a while back. Everyone was preaching it in seminars like they were doctors of psychology (you just need to be a doorman, right? Who needs a psychology degree if you were a…doorman?). That subject, and the secret tip-offs … Continue reading Calm Down About Calming Down!
“It’s a Brother Thing?” There was and is always a lot of talk about the various feuds between Remy and Ernesto through the years. How friendly were they? Could they work together? We have covered some of these stories on the Facebook Presas Tribute page, But, I can write about what I think was one … Continue reading Remy Presas and Ernesto Presas – It’s a Macho Brother Thing
Binge and Purge – The Martial Arts – Or, How I Learned Not to Need Subsection 3B of the Ukulele Islands Miasma Fighting System I was watching medical doctors discussing things in a lecture and one said, “Remember back in med school? They told us that 50% of what we are learning will be disproved … Continue reading Binge and Purge – The Martial Arts – Or, How I Learned…
Ben Mangels died in 2015. Age 78. I lost touch with him about 2013. His wife got sick and he kind of dropped off the grid, so to speak. If you’ve been to some of my seminars his name comes up periodically as important to me. He left South Africa decades ago for several reasons … Continue reading Ben Mangels, African Commando
The Equal Opportunity Stabber. Saber or Reverse Grip? I am an “equal opportunity stabber.” Sound weird? Hear me out. I’ve heard the knife whisper. Have you? About the secret “best grip tip.” You know the one, “If you see a guy hold a knife like this (reverse grip) watch out! He really knows what he … Continue reading The Equal Opportunity Stabber, Saber or Reverse Grip?
Interview or ambush? You walk up to trouble, or trouble walks up to you! So, if it’s not a stone-cold, surprise, physical ambush, you are in a developing encounter-interview with someone who- is picking a fight with you for whatever the reason, yelling and arguing with you. is probably about to commit some sort of … Continue reading Maneuvering In, Out and Around a Stand-Off Confrontation