Pyramid of Personal Safety

From Ryukyu Kenpo Kenpukan Dojo - an article that ties in well with our emphasis on Situational Awareness.

A short quote - 'With this in mind, safety can be viewed as a pyramid. Each level not only increases your safety, but builds upon the level under it to create a cohesive and consistent whole. This way you have a solid structure, rather than a patchwork of “do this for this situation and that for another.” Such a fragmented approach requires excessive work, inconvenience and, often, drastically altering your lifestyle. This pyramid is designed to work with your lifestyle, not change it."

Always be looking for ways to improve your skills. Life is constantly shifting and changing, ne information can be helpful. Avoid compalcency.

Update

Just an update, letting all know what is going on.

Working on the new Yacht Security website - www.floridayachtsecurity.com - stop by, have a look, become a member.

Finishing up my latest work session shortly - focus has been on daily yoga, stretching and maintenance of my gung fu sets. Playing with 9 Step Push and Ly Jik Bo from Omei Bak Mei, a Wing Chun Knives set, as well as YKM sets.
 
Also working in the Convict Conditioning progressions. I find the emphasis on small, incremental steps a workable solution for strength training - I don't think it is practical for combatives or my old line of work - but it is something a person could use throughout their lifetime.

Back feels really pretty good after all the training.

Upcoming events - some training in Oregon (unless catastrophe strikes), a bit of time in Tampa, catching up with friends and training partners.

Family time taking a priority there, too.

YKM Links

Sorry for the delay in posting - bandwidth is terrible here, in the middle of nowhere.

Here's a youtube link to an old Kung Fu theatre episode - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNFBv-KNVIo

Here's an article about YKM - http://www.plumpub.com/kaimen/2013/featured-schools-yau-kung-men/#more-10183

In semi-related news, the Yacht Security website/blog has moved (again) to http://www.floridayachtsecurity.com - stop by, have a look, leave a comment.

Take care everyone.

OnPoint Tactical

I was originally going to post an excerpt and link to another post, then decided the site is too good to limit.

onPoint Tactical (http://onpointtactical1.tumblr.com/) (https://onpointtactical.com/) provides series of articles on matters of modern self protection - a point I like to bring out in this and my other blog.

The latest two articles on their tumblr site are great sources of information. I appreciate that they take the usual platitudes (be more aware, practice situational awareness, etc.) and provide examples of how to actually do this, with the goal of incorporating these actions into your daily life.

As always, look for the principles involved, and adapt them to your situation.

Flash Launcher - an interesting self-protection tool

Phantom Services utilizes the FlashLauncher as a key tool in its non-lethal arsenal for Maritime and Personal Security.

The FlashLauncher system combines a flashlight and a pepperball launcher into one product. Its bright 100 lumen flashlight will illuminate your immediate surroundings (such as the inside of your vessel or your weather decks), and allows identification of man-size objects at target accurate range (10 m/30 feet).
I plan on training with one of these systems in the near future, and will write a more in-depth review. From an initial glance, it looks like it may be an answer to keeping attackers from a contact distance, enhancing your survivability. This particular system may also satisfy those who do not care for firearms aboard.

9 Step Push Video Review

The folks at Warrior Body, Buddha Mind have put out another video, this one on the set Gau Bo Toi.

Sifu Christer does the demonstrating of the form, and explains in detail how the body is supposed to move during the form.

This version of Gau Bo Toi is different than the one I have been taught previously (from Yau Kung Mun and CLC Bak Mei lineage). Neither is better – but there is definitely a different feeling in the performance of the form. It's movements, to me, are not as staccato as the YKM version – more of a continuous flow from one set of techniques into the next. Sifu Christer explains and demonstrates how to make the flow occur. 

If you already know the form from CLC Bak Mei or YKM, I still recommend acquiring the video and to treat it as a new form – there are similarities, but also enough new nuances to make it worthy of study.

I am eagerly awaiting the companion video explaining the applications.

Situational Awareness note

Was reading through the blogoshpere, and came across an article from Rory Miller (noted author of 'Facing Violence') - here's the link - Group Monkey Dance.

What piqued my interest is the following excerpt -

"Situational awareness is an over-used phrase.  Without specific education of the things you need to be aware of it’s only words.  Meaningless.  For this type of crime, what you are looking for are patterns of motion.  Groups moving purposefully together.  Groups that cease talking and laughing and split up after spotting a mark.  The patterns of a pincer movement or triangulation.  Staged loitering, where people lounge against walls but with unusual separation, so that when you walk past they are perfectly staged, one in front of you and one or more behind. 

Sometimes, in neighborhoods with experience of gang violence or where a violent group is creating trouble, you can read the flow of other people.  As a rule of thumb, if you’re in an unfamiliar place and all the natives clear the street, you might want to think about it as well."

Too often, we are told to be 'aware of our surroundings' - but rarely are we given examples of exercises/actions to take to actually do this. Mr. Miller's books help bring the theory into life.