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Roy Harris Woman’s Self-Defense Seminar August 29, 2015 At So-Cal Martial Arts Center

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Roy Harris will be teaching a hands on woman’s self-defense seminar at  So-Cal Martial Arts Center​, 5080 Bonita Rd, Bonita, CA 91902 on Saturday, August 29, 2015, from 12pm to 2pm. The cost will be $25.

I highly recommend any class from Roy Harris.  If you’re a woman who is interested in your safety or you have a female love one, please take the time to attend this workshop.  Roy Harris has an easy going style of teaching and is without ego. This is going to be an informative and possibly life saving workshop.

 

V-Max Weighted Vest Review by Fighting Measure

It’s another sunny and hot day in beautiful San Diego. A perfect day to do a mixed bag workout with one of my favorite training aids the V-Max Weight Vest by Weightvest.com.  I’ve been using the vest for a year, apart from the sweat marks, the vest shows no signs of wear and tear 

When I first looked for a weight vest, I had three conditions that needed to be met. 

  • The vest needed to be a “jack of all trades” vest. I needed a running, weights, circuit training, and bag work vest.
  • Comfortable.
  • Mirror the weight and feel of my on duty vest.

I checked on Amazon and found the Mir Short Style adjustable weight vest.  The Mir vest matched my criteria  and cost $99.00. I then found Weightvest.com and viewed  several of their vests, including their top of the line V-Force rig and the one size fits all Box vest.  


The features of the 30 pound V-Max Short Vest seemed to match my conditions and was possibly better made than the Mir. Made with 1000 denier nylon and coupled with a lifetime warranty, the V-Max was the clear winner. The made in the USA put the V-Max vest over the top.

 

V-Max Short Weight Vest 30lb.

V-Max Short Weight Vest 30lb.

 

I purchased the V-Max for $149.00 with free ground shipping.  You might say, “Dude that’s pricey!” I say “Sure bro”,  but you get what you pay for and I don’t mind saving up for quality equipment that will last for years.

Another great feature when ordering from Weightvest.com is the ability to customize the vests.  WIth 17 colors to chose from and two shoulder width sizes, you can fit your style and comfort level with the V-Max.  I chose the steel color (dark gray) and the narrow 3 ¼” shoulder width. The narrower shoulder gave me the ability to have shoulder mobility while sacrificing a minimum amount of comfort.


I received my vest and found that the workmanship of the V-Max was excellent.  The overall build quality from the stitching to the materials used was impressive, and I realized that the vest was worth the price point.  I opted to buy the removable sweat liner which keeps the stinks away (well worth the extra money) and helps to keep the vest snug to my body.

My vest came with twelve 2.5 pound cast iron weights which could be removed individually to customize the weight of the vest.  I put the V-Max  on my body and found it to be extremely comfortable.  My first test comprised of short runs and time on the heavy bag.  The vest remained snug during the runs and very little bounce from quick boxing movements. I found that  even with the  smaller shoulder width on my vest, my shoulders remained comfortable and ache free.

Having used the V-Max for prolonged training throughout the year, the vest remains almost as new as the day it was purchased.  The inner sweat liner was a great addition and has stood up to many wash cycles (cold wash and hang dry).

The V-Max vest has become one of my favorite tools for gaining explosive movement and overall body conditioning.  While at work, I carry a daily load of approximately 25 pounds on my body, the V-Max can simulate that load during my workouts and I’ve found it an invaluable tool for functional fitness.  While the V-Max is more expensive than most weight vests, the build quality and lifetime warranty is unmatched. You will not be disappointed.

 

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Tell us your experiences with weighted vests and what brand you like to use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TKD VS. MUAY THAI

This is a well choreographed fight between Shane Fazen and Micah Brock that shows the awesome attributes of both fighting styles.  Check out the kicks, punches, combos and overall movement of Muay Thai and Taekwondo.

 

Photo credit: Sharon & Nikki McCutcheon / Foter / CC BY

Martial Arts Training On A Budget

Martial Arts Training On A Budget I’ve searched for ways to budget my time and money when it comes to martial arts.  Monthly memberships, seminar registrations, equipment costs, and purchasing martial arts media can take a toll on your pocket book.  I would love to have the resources to travel to the Philippines for Escrima…

DTL: Guro Dan Inosanto

Dream Training List: Dan Inosanto.  I was lucky enough to have met Guro Inosanto at a Train With The Legends Seminar several years ago.  He was numero uno on my DTL and I look forward to attending future seminars at the Inosanto Academy located in Marina Del Rey.  I recommend to anyone to please take time off of your busy schedules and attend one of his seminars or visit his academy because you will not be disappointed.  Check out this footage of MMA Legend Anderson Silva training with Guro Inosanto.

 

Photo credit: AlicePopkorn / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Joe Rogan: Be The Hero of Your Own Movie

Joe Rogan is best known for his UFC commentary, but did you know that he’s also an accomplished martial artist?  Enjoy this motivational video from Joe Rogan and Onnit. [efb_likebox fanpage_url=”pagesFighting-Measure152332791563″ box_width=”250″ box_height=”” colorscheme=”dark” locale=”en_US” responsive=”0″ show_faces=”1″ show_header=”0″ show_stream=”0″ show_border=”0″ ]

The Easiest Way to Improve Your Self Defense Skills

The Easiest Way to Improve Your Self Defense Skills

I can show you an easy way to improve your self defense skills without ever having to take a martial arts class.  Sound too good to be true? Well it’s true, and it begins with something that we take for granted in a busy, self absorbed world. The one thing you can do now to improve your self defense skills is to increase your awareness.

Take a look at the following video.

Whether it’s the “knockout game”, a robbery, or any other criminal act, many victims are caught unaware.  Not paying attention to your environment leaves you vulnerable and open to violent attacks.  Add cell phone usage to the equation and your chances of being a victim increases.

How many people do you see on a daily basis texting with their heads down or walking while chatting on their cell phones?  According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey, 53% of the people surveyed reported having been on the giving or receiving end of a “distracted walking” incident. These people were accidentally hit by a distracted walker or have accidentally hit other people while being distracted themselves.  That high percentage could translate over to crimes where “distracted walking” was a factor in being a victim.

 

While training defensive tactics with Sifu Roy Harris, he told me something that has influenced me me to this day.  We stopped training for a moment to talk about Bruce Lee’s intercepting fist.  Sifu Harris told me that there was one step before the intercepting fist and that was the intercepting eye. Even before intercepting the attack, your eyes should intercept your opponent’s intentions.

Sifu Harris explained that looking at your opponent’s physical gestures will show their plan of attack.  For example, you are contacted by a man who tells you to give him your wallet.  You see his left hand grabbing the front of shirt at the waist band and his right hand moving towards the same area.  You become aware that those movements are indications of a potential attack with a gun or knife.

Here’s a more casual example of how awareness and the intercepting eye will advance your self defense skills.  You are walking alone and see a group of boisterous men coming towards you.  Since you weren’t texting, you now can avoid these men or at least prepare for a possible altercation.  These scenarios both based on awareness, have now given you multiple pathways to safety.

I’m in no way advocating hyper vigilance at every moment, leave that to police officers. What I’m advocating is improved awareness in the now. Here are ways to develop that awareness and to keep you or your loved one’s out of harm’s way.

  • Pick up the hobby of people watching. Watching people is one of my favorite things to do, not only is it entertaining but it also  keeps me aware of my environment. Just don’t be creepy about it.
  • Use your cell phones at safe locations and when you’re stopped. This is probably the hardest one to master.
  • Be confident and alert when you’re in public.  Keep your shoulders high and your head on a swivel.  Think of the animal kingdom, the wolf searches for the weaker prey and steers clear from the sheepdogs. You are the sheepdog.
  • Practice “what if” scenarios in your head.  Think about all of the bad things that you could encounter in everyday life.  Look up crimes caught on video and think about what you would do in those situations. The point to this mental exercise is to rehearse what you might possibly do when faced with similar circumstances. For example, how would you fight multiple attackers? Check out the Fight Smart video below and think about what you would do.


You will now watch people more closely, use your cell phone smartly, be the sheepdog and practice mental preparedness. Are you now more confident and better prepared for defending yourself on the street?  Whether the answer is yes or no, I would be happy if part of your answer was, “I’ll at least be more aware.” Because awareness is the key to better self defense.

Now that your self defense skills are bit sharper, add to your total package by finding a school, gym, or dojo that will teach you ways to deal with an attack that can’t be avoided. Be safe out there and let us know some of the things you do to keep aware on the street.

References:

Smith, A. (2014, January 2). More than half of cell owners affected by ‘distracted walking’. Retrieved June 22, 2015.