First of all, Happy New Year and this year I resolve to complete this Blog much more assiduously this year.

It’s going to be a very busy time so let’s kick off with the highlights for the early part of the year:  

Events in 2009

There’s a lot happening in the early months of this year. I’m doing:

a seminar for the Chinese Community Assocition in Limehouse on the 17th of January which, given the Martial Arts Tradition in that community, is a nice honour;

a general/instructor training seminar in Northern Ireland on 24/25 January which has attracted interest across the 6 Counties

A repeat of the successful training on a Bus seminar, probably on 8th February. This is done in conjunction with the police in South East London, takes place in Plumstead bus depot and covers primarily how to defend yourself if attacked when sitting down and/or trapped in a confined space. Limited spaces on this one so let me know as soon as possible if you’re interested.   

Also..

Urban Confidence Seminar

We’re doing a seminar on 28 February with Simon Jordan, the UK’s top Confidence Coach: see his website here: http://www.simonjordan.com/index_old_bakup.php called Urban Confidence.  There’s some interesting connections between what he and I teach in terms of approach and intent so this should be very interesting. Details to follow – again, please let me know as sson as possible if you’re interested.

Instructor Training/General Seminars

For the first  group  this year the weekend training sessions will be:

13-15 March (the 13th is a Friday, we train from 7pm –10pm)

20-22 March

And a final weekend, dates yet to be confirmed, probably 4 - 6 April. Will be finlised very quickly.

These dates will also be open for people wishing to attend on a general seminar basis. They’ll be tough but you’ll learn a hell of a lot. Again, space limited so let me know if you’re interested when you can.  

Team Minotauro UK

I’m delighted to say that my friend Leo Negao is back from Brazil.  Leo is a top Brazilian Jiu Jutsu practioner and Mixed Martial Artist. I’ll be resuming my very painful training with him amd will be helping him to establish Team Minotauro, Antonio Noguiera’s world-renowned MMA organisation – in London.

I hope 2009 is a good one for you.

Cheers,

Stewart
http://kravmaga-centrallondon.co.uk/index.htm
http://www.urbankravmaga.com/

0791 261 6361   

The dates are going to be:

Aberdeen

24, 25, 26 October

London Fight Factory, Bethnal Green:

Weekend 1; 7,8,9 November

Weekend 2 (Test Weekend for all): 14, 15, 16 November

Please call if any questions, including if you wish to attend any of the courses on a “seminar” basis i.e. you don’t wish to become an Instructor, just train.

Stewart

 

  

The second phase will begin shortly, I’m just in the process of finalising dates etc. Check out the information below and if you’re interested at this stage or want to look at doing something in 2009, call me on 0791 261 6361.

Basic Criteria for Entry

Basically 4 years experience in a recognised martial art/fighting discipline, though this criterion will be relaxed if a candidate is known to and recommended by a Certified Urban Krav Maga Instructor. Prior to acceptance on the course, candidates who are not known to a Certified Urban Krav Maga Instructor will be required to attend a training session at an appropriate venue to confirm their suitability for the course.

 

Some Feedback on the Course

After training in several martial arts over many years, including Wing Chun and several other styles of Krav Maga, I’ve found what I’m looking for in Urban Krav Maga; a fully developed fighting system using proven techniques. I wish I’d found you years ago.

I would reccomend anyone interested in the reality of going to the ground in the street look at the groundwork section of UKM.

 

Mark O’Neill – Urban Krav Maga Instructor

 

As a novice to ground work I was not looking forward to this weekend,but thanks to Gershon & Andy’s training methods,knowledge & personalitise the weekend was incredible & despite the brused chest,ribs,neck,shoulders & ears I came away buzzing. I would also like to thank every one else on the instructors course, a great bunch of very talented guys, for all their support & help.Thanks every one. Would not change a thing.

 

Jonathan Saunders – Urban Krav Maga and Tae Kwan Do Instructor

 

Great course, great team.

 

Ben Hockman, Chief Instructor Beyond Fighting

 

These weekends seemed like a doubled edged sword. While continuously leaving the gym battered, bruised and physically and mentally shattered I thrived on the fact that I was drilling this system inside out.

I thought that although there was a hell of a lot to cover (due to the breadth of the system), everyone taking part did a fantastic job taking it all in and did excellently on the final weekend. Personally, after Gershon and Andy’s weekend I feel a lot more able when it comes to ‘rolling’.

 

Geoff Roberts – Urban Krav Maga Instructor

 

Structure/Content of the Course

 

These courses are open to people that wish to become instructors and to those that wish to do some intensive training over a weekend or weekends. Candidate Instructors must attend all parts of the course; others can attend any weekend that they wish though it should be noted that the Final weekend will be dedicated to revision and testing for the Candidate Instructors.    

What the course will cover: 

COMMON STREET ATTACKS

These are listed in frequency order.

•  One person pushes, hands to chest, followed by the pushee striking first to the head. STUDENTS WILL LEARN 4 PRE-EMPTIVE MOVES AGAINST A POTENTIAL ATTACKER TO AVOID THIS PUNCH TO THE HEAD
• A swinging punch to the head.
• A front clothing grab, one handed, followed by punch to the head,
• A front clothing grab, two hands, followed by a head butt.
• A front clothing grab, two hands, followed by a knee to the groin.
• A bottle, glass, or ashtray to the head.
• A lashing kick to groin/lower legs.
• A broken bottle/glass jabbed to face.
• A slash with knife, most commonly a 3 to 4″ lock blade knife or kitchen utility knife.
•  A grappling style head lock.

This is based on information supplied by Law Enforcement; instructors will set up scenarios for students that mirror the top 10 street attacks; students will be taught to understand the dynamics of the situation as well as the techniques that can be used to deal with them.

In addition to the tai sabaki and hand/arm movements necessary to defend these attacks students will learn:

Pushes

·       Grappling/striking responses to an aggresssive pushing attack prior to a fight

 

Punches/Strikes 

·       Left jab

·       Right cross

·       Left hook

·       Right hook

·       Left/right uppercuts

·       Left/right uppercut/horizontal elbow strikes

·       Use of all the above singly and in combination with appropriate footwork

·       Defences against all the above: singly, when thrown in combination and with appropriate footwork.  Counter-strikes following the defences with appropriate footwork.

Knife Threats

·       Defending/disarming against knife threats from the front to:

·       Throat;

·       Side of neck;

·       Abdomen.

·       Rear threats to lower/upper back and kidneys

·       All threats with/without control from attackers non-weapon wielding hand.

Striking

·       Side kicks

·       Jumping side kicks (to the knee)

·       Low/high Roundhouse kicks  (high kicks for learning defenses only)

·       Straight finger jabs     

·       Appropriate use of hands, elbows, knees, feet and shin in combination.

 

Knives

·       Knife Threats to the rear, all around the body with control from attacker’s non-weapon wielding hand. Threats with point and edge of weapon

·       All Slashing/stabbing knife attacks; defend and take the weapon 

·       Take-down defence against knife when attacker holding shirt/ lapel with one hand and stabbing with the other; dealing with knife threat in similar situation.

·       Appropriate use of ‘knee shoot’ against slashing knife attack

·       Knife threat, blade held horizontally to throat, attacker pushing you against a wall.

·       Knife threat to rear, blade held under armpit

·       Knife threat from rear: knife held to left side of throat, attackers arm under your right armpit and vice versa

Free knife fighting i.e. defending against attacker aggressively attacking with knife and use of improvised weapons where possible 

 

Guns

• Defending gun threats from “hands up position”
• Response to gun threats when attacker pulls the weapon back quickly
• Gun threats from ‘hands down’ position
•  Rear gun threat head forced against wall

Defending stick attacks

Defending Chain Attacks

Garrotte Defences

                                    

Groundwork

This will focus on the concepts that are key to defending yourself in these situations and drilling these concepts in action. Main areas covered will be:

 

 

 Takedowns

·       Setting up a takedown

·       Effecting a Takedown

·       Follow-up to a takedown

·       Defending against a takedown

 Escapes 

·       Attacker in full mount punching/choking

·       Attacker inguard choking/punching

·       Application and defences against scarf hold

·       Attacker in mount  pinning both arms down

·       Rear, front and side chokes-inside and outside

·       Rear stranglehold

·       Clinch, attacker striking with knees

·       Defending kicks when on the ground and getting up safely

 ·       Appropriate use of arm bars on ground and defending against application of arm bar

·       Defending full mount when attacker high up your body, i.e. knees in armpit

·       Use of half guard

·       Defending Side Mount

·       Defending Rear Naked Choke on ground

·       Applying and defending Full Nelson   

·       Appropriate use of arm bars on ground and defending against application of arm bar

·       Defending full mount when attacker high up your body, i.e. knees in armpit

·       Use of half guard

·       Defending Side mount

·       Defending RNC on ground

·       Applying and defending Full Nelson   

Application of and defence against:

·       Americana

·       Triangle chokes

·       Kimura

·       Omoplata

·       North/South hold

·       Heel Hook

·       Ankle Wrench 

All instructors must, at least:

• teach successfully at least 5 techniques to instructors and students – correction/coaching, set drills etc.

 

 

• undergo 10 minutes pressure testing being sequentially attacked by 4 others – attacks covering all the above levels

• Demonstrate appropriate sparring skills on ground/floor and free fighting  

 

 

Costs

 

Candidate Instructors

 

£1,200 for the full course. There are no recurring fees after this; to maintain your licence Instructors need to train for 4 hours during the course of the year – 2 of which hours must be consecutive- with a member of the Urban Krav Maga Technical committee.

 

If Candidate Instructors fail the course they will be able to re-take at an appropriate time and location with no additional cost.

 

Candidates can attend and pay on a modular basis but to gain their licence they will need to have attended all sections of the course within a calendar year. 

 

Non-Instructor Candidates 

 

£150 per weekend, payable in advance

 

Duration of Course and Location

The course will be held at London Fight Factory, near Liverpool Street Station in London. See:

http://www.londonfightfactory.com/contact/contact_us.html

For all weekends the timing will be:

 

Friday	7pm –10pm
Saturday	8am –6pm
Sunday	8am-6pm

Dates of Next Course to be advised very shortly.    

Many thanks to Gershon and Andy for taking the 9 candidates through the grappling module of the Instructor training course this weekend. Their methodology of focusing on grappling concepts and putting them into action worked excellently - better than I expected I have to admit. This was in no small way down to the application and talent of the 9 guys who attended: they did a great job of both applying the techniques and teaching them when they were asked to.

Again, I wasn’t wholly sure how it would work having a whole weekend dedicated to grappling but I thought it worked very well and will look to keep it for the next round of Instructor training. Comments from the guys who have attended the Instructor training courses so far will be appreciated - including suggestions on how we can improve the process next time.       

I’ve stuck some clips up on youtube - check them out here.

cheers,

Stewart