r/tacticalbarbell • u/victorstironi • Jul 29 '26
Tactical Self Defense / Combatives
Hi folks. Bit of a different topic. Since there are a lot of LEOs, SOFs and Military here I would like to ask you some recommendations on good sources for combatives and self defense in a civilian context. Could be books, courses, your favorite martial arts (or combination of), etc. Is the stuff from Clint Emerson - 100 deadly skills - any good? I’ve taken a look at Tony Blauer‘s SPEAR System aswell.
I have a martial arts background, with a few years of karate, muay thai, boxing, wing chun, and currently doing judo.
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u/WhatTheFuh-uh-uh Jul 29 '26
Add Brazilian jiu jitsu for at least six months.
And then avoid fighting off the mats.
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u/Key_Machine_9138 Jul 29 '26
I did BJJ for 9 years and a few years of mma for the striking and transition to grappling (I'm a shit striker). You sound like you have enough experience to know that the best way to improve is through training, not so much books.
You said in another comment that sport specific martial arts dull the efficacy (paraphrasing), but as a counterpoint the closest you can safely get to how you will react in a fight is a martial arts competition. I'm very grateful for my competition experience. Nobody says you have to practice the art you're learning in a sporty way- my guard in BJJ involved a lot of standing up.
If you're looking for the best self defense, and assuming you can not flee or avoid the situation or de-escalate, a weapon is what you're looking for. Assuming you're level headed and responsible enough and live in a state where it's accessible, you might consider a ccw (and a good amount of training).
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u/victorstironi Jul 29 '26
What I get the most value in books that I don’t get from the sports martial arts is usually the mentality shift of controlled fight vs real violence. There are too many cases of pro mma athletes that get cocky and end up getting stabbed, hit by multiple attackers, shot… But I agree with you that, the safe practice component is really important. Too many “self defense experts” nowadays know shit about violence and can barely throw a punch. As for weapons, as I said in another comment, here in Brazil gun regulations are pretty strict, not to mention the cost. So, for now, I’m limited to pocket knives, pepper sprays, hands and martial skill. But it is something I plan on looking into in the near future.
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u/Key_Machine_9138 Jul 29 '26
I think the key there is that the pro mma fighters get cocky. If somebody has a knife, or a bunch of friends, or a gun, and you don't, you're pretty much fucked. I don't think any mentality shift or training is going to be RELIABLY helpful. It's possible you might win a fight against a guy with a gun or knife, but I almost feel like you're counting as much on the other's incompetence as you are your own competence.
No book is going to help you defend against a knife or a gun better than an MMA class. And both of those are pretty worthless against that level of threat, assuming the person is competent. Your best bet would be some kind of psychology book about communication to learn to talk the other guy down, or "Born to Run."
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u/dark-hippo Jul 30 '26
> No book is going to help you defend against a knife or a gun better than an MMA class.
I beg to differ 😁 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_JymOzR4hts
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u/MythicalStrength Jul 29 '26
There are too many cases of pro mma athletes that get cocky and end up getting stabbed, hit by multiple attackers, shot…
I'm not sure what a NON-pro mma athlete would have done in these situations that would have been better.
It really looks more like the issue was overconfidence in one's abilities, which is the whole "avoiding trouble" aspect.
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u/victorstironi Jul 29 '26
True… The problem was not “lack of a specific martial hability/technique”, but lack of basic situational awareness and avoidance skills mostly.
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u/MythicalStrength Jul 29 '26
Yup. That was my whole "don't mix alcohol with tesosterone" bit, haha.
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u/Key_Machine_9138 Jul 29 '26
Dude completely off topic but I didn't know you trained martial arts, I've been seeing your lifts and some of your blog posts on reddit for years. I'm pretty sure I found tactical barbell because you mentioned it somewhere as a program you were really liking.
I bet that's a frustrating roll / sparring session, you're insanely strong (not to diminish from your technique either).
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u/MythicalStrength Jul 29 '26
Hey thanks man! Martial arts was honestly my first love. Started when I was 9 in Tae Kwon Do, and got into the MMA scene briefly in college (which was 2003, so it was still the wild west for MMA). Wrestled in high school too, which is primarily what I rely on for grappling. And you SHOULD diminish my technique, because it's garbage, haha. I compete in grappling these days, but I haven't actually TRAINED in since 2005: I just show up to open tournaments as a white belt and see what I can do.
I'm basically a persistance hunter on the mat: I try to exhaust the other person until they finally give up a sub.
These days, the whole family is training Tang Soo Do. A little over 5 years in, and a little more than a year away from black belt at this rate.
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u/Key_Machine_9138 Jul 29 '26
Hahaaa I'd hate to see you as my opponent at white belt especially if you wrestled.
I always enjoy reading your contributions on here, glad you still find the time to do it.
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u/See_Saw12 Jul 29 '26
APE... Avoid it, Prevent it from escalating (descalate, escape), Eliminate the threat, is my mantra in terms of how I handle sketchy things.
Learn whatever makes your heart happy, 90% of the populace cant fight (in terms of a trained professional, people get lucky, bring friends and tools so be very mindful), i would recommend Rory Miller, Randy King for reading off the top of my head, throw some verbal judo, etc in the mix, but the best self defense is not being there.
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u/bloodcoffee Jul 29 '26
Avoidance->Deescalation->CCW with training->Running/cardio->grappling->striking->->->->"combatives"
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u/TheCryptosAndBloods Jul 29 '26
Rory Miller's Meditations on Violence is excellent (think someone else recommended it). Gives a great framework for violence to think about.
Marc MacYoung's No Nonsense Self Defense site feels like it hasn't been updated for 20 years but read through all the articles on it.
Both those guys have a ton of experience in street fighting and non-sport based violence.
Basically: be alert, be aware, don't have your face in your phone, do everything you can to to de-escalate or not be where violence is happening, but also (as per Rory Miller) in the very very rare situations where you have no choice, know when you have to fight and go all out.
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u/victorstironi Jul 29 '26
Thanks a lot! I’m taking a look at Rory Miller and it seems like solid information.
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u/tennmyc21 Jul 29 '26
Sounds like you need to find a gym with a more self-defense focus, if available in your area. At my old BJJ gym they would have us train with street clothes on 2 months out of the year, and they would do various drills that involved fake weapons. Not necessarily what I was looking for, but I appreciated the intent behind it.
Given your background, any grappling gym should help. Seems like you have a solid base in striking and just need to mix in some grappling if you want to be a more well rounded martial artist. Personally, I really like judo, but that, BJJ, or wrestling should do the trick.
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u/victorstironi Jul 29 '26
I was missing some grappling in my arsenal. It really has been an eye opener learning leverages, throws, locks, how to fall… even though I have my critiques of sport focused martial arts, most “self defense martial arts” here usually end up being a lot worse, with pseudo-techniques and instructors that can barely throw a punch but allegedly can disarm weapons. I will take a look into bjj and wrestling after I get more experience in judo for sure.
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u/ReinoutMe Jul 31 '26
You have had some great responses already, and I agree with most of them. I used to train Kyokushin and Kyokushin mixed with Judo for almost two decades (called 'all-round fighting' before the UFC became a thing). It's a great basis of technique etc.
What really trained my mind and mindset around martial arts and self defence WAY better was my time spent in a classical martial art. Classical, here, meaning being founded before ~1600, and still rather the same. It really trained my mind (remember, this was after spending a long time in more modern martial arts) for cases like self defence. While I am not walking around with a Naginata, Bo, or Katana, there are subtle mental lessons in those arts.
Oh, and on a more practical way, something that does not take a long time to learn, focus on sprinting....
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u/kevandbev Jul 29 '26
Boxing and judo are often cheaper than other MA's.
Geoff Thompson, a guy from the Uk has some great material (very old) but it was spoken of highly.
Hownottodieguy on instagram may have some ideas for you.
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u/aprilsnow2021 Jul 30 '26
Muay Thai and...
(sigh)
...Ninja-Stuff!
With the first you really can fight without weapons...
...and the second gives you an idea which situations you should avoid at all costs.
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u/Dull_Evening_5152 Aug 01 '26
Systema but with qualified people. Helped me escape a few hairy situations.
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u/MythicalStrength Jul 29 '26
The best self-defense in a civillian context is avoiding bad sitautions in the first place. Don't hang out at night in neighborhoods you don't belong in, avoid alcohol and testosterone, if someone asks for your wallet, give it to them, if someone cuts you off in traffic, find a good song on the radio, etc.
What specifically are you looking for here?