NOV. 1st Senshido Ground Defense Seminar Review By Big Rob

First this seminar was the best one yet and I have been to many. This was one of those events where you actually get to see if what you’re learning works during real full force violence.

We did some extreme drills and everyone got to bleed before the end of the day.

If you train full Contact, Full Power regularly (2 to 4 times a month) then you already know that when you first start training full contact, full aggression that you end up with scratches, burns, bruises, bloody lips and noses.

After a month of training this way you become harder, your skin tougher, your mind stronger, your will harder to break. You rarely get cuts and bruises with regular training, you really need to be pushed hard to reach your breaking point.
So when I train with people that cause me to be pushed so far that I get bruised, cut and bloody I know I have broken the mold. I know that I have been pushed beyond my current level of training and I’m now capable of performing at a higher level and I know everyone else who attended feels the same way.

We did a few drills that really pushed us beyond our comfort levels as well as gave us confidence in our abilities and our training.

Before I tell you about the ridiculously intense physical training I want to talk a little about the under rated mental training.
We did drills that taught us verbal de-escalation, we began to understand how to talk to an attacker, Rich explained how to control an attacker on an emotional level and lead the attacker to think in a way that is beneficial to our safety.
We learned how to pattern interrupt our attacker and how to use our language to set them up for pre-emptive striking. Rich taught us how to time our language and our attack in a way that was most effective. Then Rich made us prove it to ourselves and our training partners. We did a drill that taught us how to guarantee that we could hit someone as hard as we wanted and they could not stop us.
It was liberating for the defender and frustrating for the attacker. Imagine yourself actually demonstrating to your partner that they can not stop you from hitting them at anytime you wanted. It was very exciting to walk away with that kind of knowledge and experience.

On to the more physical side of things which in the end is always more of a mental test.

Rich taught us a great a 2 on 1 take down drill where 2 attackers have to take the 1 defender to the ground anyway they can, the defenders only job is to stay on their feet. This drill was intense and tiring.

And if that wasn’t bad enough Rich upped the intensity and asked us to perform the drill until the attackers submitted us. If I wasn’t tired before now I was exhausted.

Another drill was almost like the sucker punch drill but from the clinch. The attacker was wearing 4 ounce mma gloves and the defender was wearing a helmet. We started in a neutral clinch and when the attacker decided (at any time, no warning) he would assault the defender as hard and as fast as he could unloading punches, knees, elbows, take downs anything he wanted and the defenders job was to clinch and shred We did this 2 times per person. You can imagine the pain and suffering the group went through on this drill.

And when you thought it couldn’t get worse we did a ground and pound drill. The defender laid on his back and the attacker mounted him and pinned his arms to his chest. When the attacker decided (at any time, no warning) he would assault the defender as hard and as fast as he could unloading punches, elbows, submissions, anything he wanted and the defenders job was to utilize the shred to get up as fast as possible.

Towards the end, we broke out some metal training knives, a few guns and Rich started playing with some environmental props, however the fun had to end before we really got into playing with that stuff. I think we need to do a 2 day seminar next time to get all to the really fun stuff.

I can tell everyone enough how much I appreciate Rich coming down, every time I train with him I learn something new and not just about self defense but about myself. Rich is an amazing trainer and a great friend. I can’t wait till June I have some interesting idea’s for the next event.

I want to thank everyone who was able to attend it was great training with you. You’re all responsible for my soreness. Everything hurt. Thanks.

NOV. 1st Senshido Ground Defense Seminar Review By Papa Kilo

NOV. 1st Senshido Ground Defense Seminar Review By Zsolt

Even though this was my first experience of its kind, I must say that it was amazing!

As previously stated, we started out with some one on one's at a standing position. Which quickly led to the two on one's. The best part of these drills were the fact that we were constantly switching up partners, which allowed you to qucikly experience a whole range of different opponents.

Once that was finished, we began to do some one on one's from a kneeling start. This drill quickly evolved into shredding and target realization. Which was really helpful because it allowed new guys like myself to slow down for a second and realize all of my options for a counter attack or a defense. It also allowed me to distiguish between what actions worked and those that made my postitions even worse.

Then we went into some one on one back and forth, where you would make a move, and then freeze, which gave your opponent the opportunity to counter. Eventualy these freeze frames started to flow, and eventually developed into an all out shred fest.

We then proceeded to perform a variety of bad guy good guy scenarios, in which the good guy wears a mask, and the bad guy wears mma gloves. The objective here was to stop the designated bad guy from landing blows by shredding him into submission. This was an amazing sight, and an even more amazing experience. It felt real to the point where I thought of nothing more than survival. Personaly it was my favorite part.

Now of course, in between all these major drills, we did some other stuff which revolved around stance, I believe its called the passive stance (sorry, still new to the terminology).

Also we practiced trying to defuse a violent situation by using mere words and body language.

Being that I was new, I also had the pleasure of experiencing being shredded by Rich. Which was a real eye opener to how effective the concept really is. Thanks man!

All in all, this seminar was great, it covered everything that was written on paper, and so much more. I'm really loonking forward to the next one.

NOV. 1st Senshido Ground Defense Seminar Review By Warren

It was amazing seeing old friends and meeting new ones again...Good thing I wrote down the list of drills ( or what I remembered of them)we did on the train home bc frankly I was in a daze and my body hurt too much (expecially neck)..

The drill I found most enjoyable was the verbal difussion /first strike drill:

Where perp was given instructors not to attack if the "defender" didn't give a reason not to..and if the defender sensed that the verbal negotiations was not going anywhere, or perp had encroached that line in the sand to "put ur hand in attackers face"

Rich again never ceases to amaze again as he played the trash talking perp so well at one point I shifted my eyes a bit while think " ah crap, I can't think of anything to say" and was thinking about popping him with my left hand, but that would have defeated the purpose of the drill, so talked him down..Immediately after, Rich says something like "you were about to prempt me were u ? And you were going to use ur left hand ?"
My jaw hit the ground was like "how'd u know?...amazing Rich's reading of facial expressions and body lang. cues are almost telepathic "!

If he had not asked for feedback immediately, I would not have remembered that I had shifted my eyes off him and scanned around...amazing!

Yeah it was great to train with Big Rob again..How can someone so Big move so Fast?! Good control too Rob

Rick thanks for that cheapshot elbow while u were the "aggressor" ,big reminder that the bad guys are trained too and won't just resort to the flailing haymakers!
Ur friend Anthony was inspiring, as he was gassed out as the rest of us and had a bad RT shoulder rotator cuff but trooped on doing "handicapped" versions of the drills. I was pounding him but once he locked my head and started diggin 2 of his clawed fingers into my eye..everything after that was a blur...Psychologically I had been already turned prey!
..like someone at the semi said "Being shredded is like ...being wedgied REALLY hardcore, if you've never experienced it, you can't describe it"

John, happy birthday man! Let's get together you ,I and Rick once a month to train!

Zsolt's and learning and application of the shredder was amazing..on the ground,standing up..and to think he had no formal martial arts training! From his instinctive use of his entire body I had thought u had bjj or some form of wrestling training

Rick had a bloody nose, and I had one when right after successfully jamming 2 centerline face stabs with Rich giving usual aggressive energy, upon celebrating, I flinched ,closed and broke his knuckle with my nose !

Again, it was an amazing good time to see everyone again...Rich says that you sen guys in Europe and Canada are hard as nails , expecially Craig heh..looking to training with you and everyone
Warren

NOV. 1st Senshido Ground Defense Seminar Review By Banzai7

The seminar was a hoot, as usual. I got bloodied, and that always makes for a good time.

The use of the REACT / shredder concept was employed from the ground, as a means of escaping the ground & pound. A lot of time was spent on tool / target developement. There were two new guys, and the shred was explained and demostrated. And drilled. On the ground, on your back, on your knees, and standing from the clinch. BigRob is a merciless MFer, and hits like a ton of bricks. Glad he's on our side.

I'm friggin tired.

 NOV. 1st Senshido Ground Defense Seminar Review By Richard Dimitri

That was a blast! This wasn't a seminar at all, it was an informal training session between friends that I feel I really shouldn't have gotten paid for. Thank you guys for the kind words and I am really glad you all enjoyed the training.

Man, I must be doing something wrong though because people keep bleeding at my seminars. I mean hell, I managed to crack my knuckle on Warren's face and gave him a nose bleed and the seminar hadn't even started yet

Also, I am far from being a genius guys, believe me... far... though apparently there are a few in our field I just did the work... that's all... we've just gotten to the point in our societies that when someone is really good at something they stand out, and it's not because they are geniuses, gifted or anything else, it is because they did the work others didn't, weren't willing to do or were just too lazy to do.

It was great meeting Zsolt and Anthony, 2 warriors from very different walks of life without doubt, it was a pleasure andhonor to meet and work with them. Sorry that Pat had to leave early, no worries bro, your next semmi with me is on me.

A huge thank you to Rob, Warren, Rick and John... without you guys... you know... thank you so much. Here's to hopefully another session in June!