SPEAR Blog

PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM TONY BLAUER

It’s only February and we’re already off to an incredible 2009. Since January, we’ve already been to Fort Bliss; Fort Benning; Orlando for the Shot Show; Fort Stewart; Austin, Texas for the CrossFit Gathering; and we’ve held three courses at our facility! Our MTT is currently in Minnesota running a course and at the end of this month, we will be holding a ‘private’ S.P.E.A.R. 3.0 course for a DoD unit.

Currently we have 20 additional courses on the calendar, with several hosting requests in the works. Coach Glassman will be at our annual summer camp in August and we’re off to Europe and Japan next month.  We’ve had a record-breaking year in HIGH GEAR™ sales, we’ve opened CROSSFIT COMBATIVES™ and started an R&D division to create new training products.  Interest in HIGH GEAR™ and the S.P.E.A.R. System™ continues to grow in Europe, so much so, we are opening BTS EUROPE. We’ve also teamed up with some top-notch firearms trainers who have embraced our scenario system and will be offering integrated firearms & fighting courses in 2009. All these updates and more can be found in our newsletter and blog.

We are expecting our best year ever! But we want to get better. We need to dial into YOU. What topics would you like to see in the newsletter?  Would you like to learn more about certifications or specialty courses?  Do you have suggestions for new DVDs?  We want to hear from you.

Currently our newsletter reaches over 10,000 people around the world, but we want to share information and training opportunities faster.  To that end, we’re creating a separate TRAINING EVENTS mailing list that will allow us to update you directly by region. If you would like to receive course details and be part of the special database, click here and fill out a short survey.

I look forward to hearing from you or meeting you at a course in the near future.  You can also send me questions about training by emailing asktony@blauertactical.com.

Stay safe,

 

 

 

 

Tony Blauer
CEO

 

COACH GLASSMAN TO KEYNOTE AT BTS SUMMER CAMP

Just announced… CrossFit Founder Coach Greg Glassman will once again deliver the keynote address at Blauer Tactical’s 2009 Annual S.P.E.A.R. & PDR Summer Training Camp, August 14-16 in Virginia Beach, VA. Coach Glassman addressed over 125 participants last year in our kickoff event at the facility. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear Coach speak. As always, the weekend will be action-packed with Personal Defense Readiness™, CrossFit and S.P.E.A.R. System skills and drills. Register now!

 

S.P.E.A.R. INTEGRATED INTO SWAT TRAINING

For the past six years, Coach JT Goodman, a LT with a police department in central NC, has watched his SWAT team train on scenarios a patrol officer is likely to encounter, including ambush or use of force to effect an arrest.

[Read More]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CROSSFIT THRIVES IN BTS TRAINING FACILITY

Day in and day out, CrossFit Coach Brendan Gilliam offers CrossFit training to a growing audience of employees at ADS, Inc., one of the world’s largest providers of special operations equipment solutions. The popularity and excitement for the classes is continuing to explode as Coach Gilliam focuses on giving them the very best fitness in the world. So far the results have been profound.

“We have been successfully teaching everyone the fundamentals of human movement and real-life fitness, enabling them with the skills to not only become capable to do things physically they once were not, but to dominate at them.

Read more in Coach Gilliam’s own words.

 
FIGHTING SPEAR-IT

Over 40 trainers from the military and police community converged on the Blauer Tactical Systems (BTS) world headquarters in Virginia Beach, VA, for certification in the popular close quarter/counter ambush program, S.P.E.A.R. System™.

During the same week, the BTS training cadre conducted another custom program for a private military unit. Check out upcoming trainings.

[Read more]

 

UPDATE: UK WEAPON PROTECTION COURSE

The S.P.E.A.R. System: Weapon Protection Instructor Course, March 2-6, in Sheffield, UK is a must for Personal Safety Trainers, Firearms Instructors, AFO, members of the Armed Forces and Police Officers. Innovative, the course integrates our world-renowned startle-flinch research from the S.P.E.A.R. System into a variety of close quarter confrontations where your opponent is armed. This includes gun takeaways, grappling with an armed assailant, grappling while you’re armed, engaging an armed suspect while you’re unarmed and much more.

For BTS, there are some very exciting things happening in Europe in 2009, and this course is one of them, as we are in the midst of expanding our training division officially into Europe and rolling out a police ‘End-User’ program. For the first time ever, those suitably qualified will be endorsed to provide one-day ‘end-user’ programs in S.P.E.A.R. Fundamentals and HIGH GEAR scenario programs.

If you would like to participate in the BTS Regional Rep Program, and you reside in the UK, Europe or North America, click here.

 
CROSSFIT KETTLEBELL CERTIFICATION

Jeff Martone, a leading kettlebell instuctor, will be in our Virginia Beach facility, March 28-29 for a CrossFit Kettlebell Certification course, offering training to take your fitness to another level. Check out Coach Martone’s expertise at TacticalAthlete.com and register now for our course. You’re certain to learn new ways to test yourself.

 

 

 

THE “OVERKILL” MENTALITY

The ‘overkill’ mindset is probably the most critical concept we embrace in our training. Coach Blauer has written a provocative article on his ‘overkill’ theory. Click here to read the entire article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MUST SEE DVD: PDR FIREARM VIDEO

The Personal Firearm Defense: Personal Defense Readiness video is one in new series of PDR videos featuring Coach Blauer and Rob Pincus, along with other instructors. Coach B was selected because of the universality of the PDR system. In the video he explains the basis of the program and teaches the fundamentals for defense and close quarters counter-attack while demonstrating the effectiveness of the principles in real-world attack simulations. With more than an hour of instruction, the DVD is perfect for anyone who is interested in efficient, unarmed defensive techniques and capabilities.

The video retails for $29.95, but we are giving out free copies to the next 15 people who sign up for PDR Camp in August. Don’t stop at one DVD though, BTS has a complete video library.

 
THE S.P.E.A.R. TACTIC

PDR Coach Trevor Wilcox explains the S.P.E.A.R. Tactic of Tony Blauer’s S.P.E.A.R. System in Australia’s Blitz Magazine.

Why Should I Use It

The thesis statement for the S.P.E.A.R. System™ is “what does the body want to do prior to any training?” – it is based on instinctive responses making it the easiest, most natural way to learn to protect yourself. Utilising the in-built mechanisms already present in your body, the S.P.E.A.R. System™ converts the unconscious kinetic energy created by flinching into a combative tactic. Training in the S.P.E.A.R. System™ refines the flinch and evolves it into a tactic. This process cuts muscle-memory training by about 80%, allowing anyone to improve more quickly and with greater confidence.

[Read More]

Popularity: 10% [?]

The overkill mind set is probably the most critical concept we embrace in our training. “Overkill” means to do more than necessary. For your purpose, it is not meant to be taken literally. We don’t want to burn out or injure ourselves, etc. So think of overkill as doing more than your opponent; don’t settle for less than you deserve, challenge your limits.

My favorite story that exemplifies the totality of this mind set is this: Mike Tyson, when training for his Larry Holmes fight was being interviewed while running at 4:32 A.M. in sub zero weather. On his very early morning run the interviewer asked him something to the effect of, “Mike, why are you running at this ungodly hour?” Tyson smiled and replied confidently, “Because I know my opponent is still asleep.”

The message in the story is “overkill” It epitomizes the way I train, read, study, research and govern myself. Embrace it. It’ll add a new dimension to your “warrior” attitude. Though there are so many aspects of this mind set that can be discussed, I’ve created some doctrines and included some fundamental points that should get you started.

A: MENTAL RULES
1 Do more than your opponent does
2 Know more than your opponent does
3 Think more than your opponent does
4 Have more than your opponent does
5 Want more than your opponent does

How can you embody these rules? Remember, on judgment day, you will not be asked what you have read, but, rather, what you have done.
B: TRAINING RULES
1. Procedure/Purpose
2. Mechanics
3. Mind-Set
4. Fear
5. Pain
6. Stamina/Endurance

For every technique and tactic you practice you must be “the scientist”, you must start with a theory and then create an experiment and then you must refine. I use the G.A.R acronym to create action. G.A.R. stands for Goal Action Result. Set a goal, take action, and analyze the result. Redo it, move on, store it, and so on. But stop theorizing. Talking never translated into experience. And theorizing is not true knowledge. G.A.R. every challenge.

C: SYNERGY
Mind Body Spirit

Remember to use your whole being when you train. For every physical action there should be an accompanying, congruous, strategy; a reason to take this action. And for every plan there should be an emotional essence; what was your motivation for taking this action? This is synergy. This is training with integrity. The result of this type of training is unshakable faith. Too often we simply imitate movements and parrot philosophies. In the end there is little substance. For “overkill” confidence you must be able to answer the “why” question for every action. Why should I move my leg like this? (Biomechanics body). Why would I do this technique and when? (Strategy mind). What would be my motive for employing this technique? (Emotional fuel spirit)

D: DRILLS
• Pain: Work on pain tolerance for nerves and strikes.
• Fear: Getting Hit Drills (watch the shot: how does it enter? what does it feel like? Start real slow and build in speed and impact.)
• The Sucker Punch: Learn how to read every type of sucker punch.

By working the techniques, the pain element and the fear element you develop the confidence to approach any situation with faith in your process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* This article is an excerpt from Tony Blauer’s “Personal Defense Readiness: Survival Philosophy and Psychology/Advanced Street Defense Fundamentals.” 

Popularity: 31% [?]

SWAT Update From JT Goodman:

Our SWAT team, who trains once a month, utilizes the S.P.E.A.R. training and teaching methodologies in what we practice. The scenarios that SWAT officers tend to encounter are execution of Search Warrants (primarily for narcotics, but can be for service of criminal processes on legitimate, or self-proclaimed bad asses). The basic skills that are such a strong part of the S.P.E.A.R. System are integrated into the scenarios, including Duck Under drills, mirror drills (vs. haymaker and tackle), Slapping S.P.E.A.R. and the S.P.E.A.R. and Clear/Adhere/Smear, all unarmed and armed. We then combine the drills, and work up to the actual scenario, utilizing everything we have just practiced.

What is great about working and training in our department is that we have 11 certified S.P.E.A.R. Instructors, six of which are on the SWAT team. That’s a big plus because they often play the OP4, and those intimately familiar with the S.P.E.A.R. System understand how important Being a Good Bad Guy is, right? The Bad Guy controls the fight, not only in real scenarios, but in training also.

We have been very fortunate to go to Ft. Bragg, NC for three days of training each year over the past four years. At Ft. Bragg we are able to utilize the training houses to create realistic scenarios that have sharpened our edge incredibly. About 99.9% of the entries we make are No-shoot situations, where we have to control Bad Guys while wearing 50+ pounds of protective/ballistic equipment and carrying an assortment of weapons. We have a large supply of Simunitions, both ammo and conversion kits for our handguns and long guns, so we are able to create training that is much more realistic.

The reason being, facing a Bad Guy who is armed and wanting to cause harm to you (i.e., shooting back), will change a shooting platform entirely, compared to paper hanging on a wall. (Where’s the ‘threat’?)

With the SIMS, we are using the 10 HIGH GEAR chest protectors coupled with the MCR helmets. That gives us a seamless transition from H2H to deadly force, without having to change out equipment.

One of the most fun and coincidently beneficial drills I have started to use over the past six months is Range Rover, both unarmed and armed. It has taken our previously ‘more than adequate’ fighting skills to the next level. (Check out Range Rover: Improved Speed, Spontaneity and Intensity and S.P.E.A.R. System: Range Rover Volume 2 in the Blauer Tactical online store).

Experiencing fighting, unarmed and armed, from crazy, off-balance positions, and utilizing the CWCT principles of the S.P.E.A.R. System, coupled with the biomechanically efficient movements taught in the Close Quarter Form is a priceless form of training. Thanks to the S.P.E.A.R. System’s research and methodologies, our SWAT team is better trained and better equipped, both mentally and physically.

What I’m alluding to above, is the fact that with a core group of 11 S.P.E.A.R. Certified Instructors who all have had their eyes open to the possibilities of training correctly, our department is able to create effective scenario-based training that is creating and developing a more competent and confident officer. Their skill level is constantly being lifted through the training. In the end, it’s all about making the officers safer and getting them home at the end of the shift. With S.P.E.A.R. System training we are able to accomplish that every time.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Day in and day out, CrossFit Coach Brendan Gilliam offers CrossFit training to a growing audience, and has trained dozens of employees at ADS, Inc., one of the largest providers in the world of special operations equipment. The popularity and excitement for the classes is continuing to explode as Coach Gilliam focuses on giving them the very best fitness in the world. So far the results have been profound.

“We have been successfully teaching everyone the fundamentals of human movement and real-life fitness, enabling them with the skills to not only become capable to do things physically they once were not, but to dominate at them.”

Read more in Coach Gilliam’s own words.

According to Coach Gilliam, CrossFit is an amazing experience for us all. Getting to the high level of fitness that our athletes are reaching is a task that requires determination and intensity in each of their workouts, but the fun, encouraging, and sometimes competitive environment that we set makes getting through them something we love.

As the popularity grows and the results of our athletes move even farther forward, we will grow right along with it. We plan on taking CrossFit into the future. We are strengthening our program on a daily basis and are committed to making sure we always stay ahead of the game giving everyone nothing short of the best.

Something new, in the next week or two, the facility will get four 20′ climbing ropes. One of the best exercises that you will never find in a normal gym these days is coming to us soon. Be ready for some crazy workouts that will require you to climb up to the ceiling for reps. If this sounds scary to anyone, you have nothing to fear. We have a system that can teach even our grandparents to do it over a little time and practice.

If you have questoins, are interested in giving Crossfit at Blauer Tactical a shot, or if you would like to take a free first class, contact me at brendan@crossfitobsession.com

Popularity: 16% [?]