10 Questions with Hoch Hochheim

What got you into the martial arts?

That is a very long story, but even as kid, I was always interested in tactics and fighting. Maybe movies and TV spurred my interest? The how-to tricks. A vehicle to learn this stuff was martial arts, which I started in 1972 with Ed Parker Kenpo. I was about 18 years old? No kids back then. But martial arts were never my end goal, just a ways to learn those tactics and tricks. I personally find martial arts themselves to be distracting. All sorts of biases and things happen in this training process that gets one off the path of clean, unarmed and mixed weapon, generic fighting.

Incoming mob/crowd, you have 30 mins to teach a complete novice how to fight. What do you teach them? 

The suggestion in the question is – me and a group are about to be bombarded by a mob or group? My questions to best answer that question is who, what, where, when, how and why? The answer has to be customized for the situation. Who is the mob? What do they want? Where are we? When is this happening? How specifically will it happen? Why? If IO knew that? I could answer something.  It is so, so situational.

Short times? Generally, I almost never, ever do short, self defense training classes. I have to be really be pushed, coerced or “guilted” into doing one. Fighting info is too big and too perishable as it is for people in regular training. I know some people that like to do that but I don’t for that reason, I am just not geared up to cover short segments/deals. I do have do a speech on “Who, What, Were, When, How and Why,” though. A speech, nothing physical, that is pretty important for all to know and that speech can be squeezed into all kinds of very short or longer time frames.

As a self-protection expert, what do you consider to be under-taught or under-appreciated concept in the self-protection field?

The seamless mix of hand, stick, knife and gun training is way, way and foolishly under-taught. No matter where in the world you live, no matter the laws and rules, criminals and enemy soldiers use knives, sticks and guns. You fight them, you pick up their weapons. “We live in a mixed weapons world” is one of my opening mottos.

It is commonly taught that if someone demands your wallet or purse, you should throw it to the ground and run. Is this good, universal advice? If not, are there cues as to when we should do this or not?

Many instructors just say “always run away, which is “simpleton” advise. “Simple” better advice is “run away, if you can.”  Based on military and police history as in crime and war, you should pick and choose and gamble with just “turning around and running away.” Sometimes the mugger wants your watch and ring too, not just the wallet. They chase you. Then, they also chase you out of a predator instinct. The military once called it “The Caveman Chase.” And remember, you are easier to kill from behind, another long known concept that goes back as far as Alexander the Great. Easer to kill, not because you can’t see the attacker, but the attacker can’t see your face, doesn’t personalize you. Much more about this in my knife book. The goal is an “orderly retreat,” as a method to leaving, whatever that is situation-by-situation. Also, who are you leaving behind when you run? How fast and far can you run? How fast and far do you think the attacker can run? What clues do you have that you can run? Maybe the physical make-out the robber? I can’t answer that with any certainty.

A common argument in the self-defense community is that if you really want to protect yourself, buy and carry a gun. What are your personal thoughts on guns and conceal and carry?

Oh yes, on the handgun. But you just have to figure out and be trained on how and when to use it. Well, the whole who, what, where, when, how and why to use it. That goes for  any weapon for that matter. But I use the breakdown for training.

1. There/Not There – why are you “there” in the first place? Why can’t you leave?
2. Pull/Don’t Pull – When and if do you pull the weapon out?
3. Point/Don’t Point – Is the weapon out, or ready in some way and concealed in some way? Bladed body, etc. Or, do you point it at the enemy?
4. Shoot/Don’t Shoot – All of these require an essay to dissect.

If you look at the entire self-defense community, the majority of people learning to defend themselves are men. Men with little or no fighting experience are often concerned (apart from being harmed) with defending themselves and getting sued, taken to court and/or arrested. What do you tell your students/clients who are concerned with this issue?

In the end, remember that for citizens in modern times and civilizations, your willingness to fight, no matter how righteous and defensive your actions might be, may often end with you going to jail, with considerable legal fees and maybe with some added doctor bills to boot. You may well be vindicated later but at a physical, emotional, and monetary loss. You can very easily be arrested and you could be sued. Violence sucks. It’s a negative experience. But you are stuck in that nasty  vortex.

Regular people should fight criminals to escape (and a criminal could be your drunk Uncle Harry. Once he attacks you he is officially a criminal). So, winning for most, regular people is just fighting to escape. No over kill, no maiming, no killing unnecessarily. (My courses are called “Force Necessary”) You fight to win, but what is winning?. There are 5 ways to “win,” or to “finish” a fight, whether soldier, citizen, security or cop.

1. You leave. You escape from the opponent (using the “Orderly Retreat” concept), with no physical contact.
2. He leaves. No physical contact. You use threats, demands and intimidation to make the opponent desist and leave.
3. He stays. Physical contact. You inflect less-than-lethal injury upon the opponent. Injure and/or diminish to a degree that the opponent stops fighting and won’t chase you.
4. You and he both stay. Physical contact or verbal control. You control as in arrest, contain and restrain. You capture and, or escort the opponent. Or, you detain/capture the opponent and await the proper authorities.
5. He dies. Lethal methods. We fight criminals and enemy soldiers. Sometimes we kill them.

I get concerned that so many systems teach fighting like everyone you struggle with is a Nazi commando doomed to a neck break or scooped out eye balls. The system you train in, the things you say on the web, the tattoos you have, the names of the weapons you carry, your associates, everything can be used against you in court. I can tell you story after story about this.

Many self-protection specialists say that self-defense is more of a mental game than a physical one. Is this your opinion? Why or why not?

That is one of those intellectual hair-splitters that I don’t care to hair-split. I guess you need both but to what “exact” percentage at any given time, I can’t say. 50%-50%? You could be mean as hell in your head, but gas-out in 40 second fight. Then your mean/tough mind is in a skull on the ground getting bashed because you didn’t physically train enough. It’s both sides seamlessly working in unison. Why split it? Some folks got it, some folks can get it, some folks never will.

Women and children are the most victimized individuals in any society. Should women and children be taught differently than men? Why or why not?

“It’s a mixed person’s world” is one of my mottos. In many ways everyone should be taught differently. Every person is a different size, shape, strength, age, fitness level, job, situation, etc. with weak spots, ailments and laws to work around. There is no cookie-cutter fight system for all. In the end, it is the responsibility of each person to find their favorite things they can do well, for facing the problems they most likely will face. The instructor is supposed to facilitate that process, not make cookie-cutter robots. At some point you can teach statistically high “blanket” items like “hand striking” of course, especially in the beginning, but we can’t forget the eventual, necessary customization. And customization and prioritizing shouldn’t ignore lesser, probable events. Crazy stuff has  and can happen.

Another big concern and why so many people are doing jiu-jitsu now is the perpetuated line that “most often the fight will end up on the ground.” In your experience, do you find that this is true? Either way, what traits/abilities are essential in someone to adequately defend themselves?

Well, for starters, when I did jujitsu it was a different time. Lots of standing solutions and takedowns. Judo was the ground wrestling arena. Today, the Brazilians have utterly redefined the term, as well as advanced the ground chess game.

But I think that everyone should be able to up, down and fight everywhere. I don’t like to see Billy Bob’s Kick boxing school on one street corner, and “Big Ralph’s Wrasling” school on another corner. Fighting is fighting and you fight where you fight. Seamlessly. Standing, kneeling, sitting and on the ground. You fight where you fight, with and without weapons. That is the end goal for me and what I teach people to pursue. But, in order to amass an education in these subjects we must meet experts in each of these fields. Again, all sorts of biases and things happen in this training process that gets one off the path of clean, unarmed and mixed weapon, generic fighting.

A collaboration of criminal justice colleges years ago came up with the four common ways we hit the ground, as best they could from research.

1. We trip and fall
2. We are punched down (usually sucker punches)
3. We are tackled down
4. We are pulled down

The very fact that you can often land on the ground, is reason alone to worry about it. I am a big fan of generic, MMA-ish, fighting with an emphasis on ground and pound. MMA has become very clean and generic for it does. It wants to win and system borders be damned. Plus, nothing replaces ring time -to quote Joe Lewis.

We are now in the New Year. What resolutions do you have and/or goals for the year?

I am supposed to be retired, you know. HA! I hope to trim my seminar schedule down to one USA city a month, one international city a month and one Sunday a month in the Dallas/Ft Worth area where I live. Technically, this means I am home two full weeks a month, but I can already see this is stacking and packing up differently than I planned for 2017 already. But, I would like to teach way less, write way more, and just hang out with my wife most of all.

◊

Bonus Question – What book or resource (besides your own material) have you suggested or gifted most and why?

Oh man…DON’T get me started on THIS list, as I recommend a different book in every one of newsletters every three weeks for years, but here are just a few.

1. Smarter Faster Better : by Charles Duhigg. Tremendous, enlightening, myth-breaking into on performance
2. The Talent Code : by Dan Coyle
3. Streetlights and Shadows : Searching for the Keys to Adaptive Decision Making by Gary Klein
4. Anti-Fragile : by Nassim Talib
5. Bounce  : by Matt Syed

◊

For more information on Hoch Hochheim and Force Necessary please visit his website.

http://www.forcenecessary.com

♦

PLEASE FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, INSTGRAM AND/OR TWITTER

The Art of Aikido in these Modern Times

Over the last several years I’ve talked a lot about how I believe that the way aikido is taught falls drastically short of modern practicality. This has led to many misunderstandings. I’ve been accused of saying that aikido doesn’t work in modern times. That’s ridiculous. I wouldn’t waste 25 years of my life on something that doesn’t work. What I am saying is that I believe in the principles of aikido. Where today’s teachers fall short is in the presentation. If aikido is to survive, even to evolve we have to address the modern fighter. We have to train against hooks, jabs, uppercuts, knees, elbows, the groundfighter as well as modern weapons. I recently dug up an article discussing this and these next video clips will go along with those themes. 

If you want more examples of aikidoka doing this, check out Lenny Sly A former Tenshin practitioner, Sly is advancing his own aikido with what he refers to combative concepts. It’s great stuff. A word of warning, his videos aren’t always safe for younger ears or if you are at work. Regardless, his stuff works.

–Sensei Gary Boaz

Reposted with Permission from Facebook

The other side of the coin to the traditional munetsuki kotegaeshi. Please don’t think I’m saying that kotegaeshi doesn’t work. That’s not what I’m saying. Quite the opposite. Apply the principles to a modern attack and see what happens. Get your butt outside the freaking box folks!

♦

With this article, we have reached 300 POSTS!!!

WE’RE ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & TWITTER

Controlling Your Attacker [Video]

In the Outfoxxed Program we have a technique that literally, “Keeps our attacker at arm’s length” – which is okay, as long as we have him under control.

If you haven’t seen, read or heard,… my wife Jennifer and I created a YouTube channel especially for the ladies out there in order to give them some strong tools, methods, and motivation.  Learning self-defense is important, especially for those most victimized [women].  If you like our channel, message and/or videos, please share.

Outfoxxed Program with Michael & Jennifer Joyce

Michael Joyce : CombativeCorner Founder

RELATED ARTICLES

10 Questions with Michael Joyce

Never Get Tied Up : Self-Defense Survival (special guests: Roy Elghanayan & Dr. Ruthless)

The Valkyrie – Attacking with Sword & Shield

To all our readers here at CombativeCorner.  We have two more videos to share with you to introduce you me (Michael Joyce) and my wife’s (Jennifer) new project, to share our Outfoxxed Self-Defense Program globally.  We’ve previously shared our introductory video, managing distance, 3 predatory types, and the Fence.  Now, it’s time to share one of our favorite movements of all-time, the Valkyrie.

Enjoy!

Outfoxxed Program Website

Outfoxxed Program YouTube

10 Questions with Lee Morrison

Lee Morrison is (in our opinion) one of the top instructors in the world when it comes to self-protection.  His no-nonsense approach, as well as his rich background in Combatives make him a favorite among many martial art and “combative”/RBSD students.  Lee is the owner and founder of Urban Combatives (link on the above image) and instructs both in his native UK and internationally.  It’s a real privilege and honor for us, so without any further ado… 10 Questions with Lee Morrison!
◊

When was the moment you realized you wanted to teach Combatives?

Initially I didn’t want to teach – I considered myself first and foremost a student and still do. I use to train with lots of Combatives guys, the late Peter Robins and of course Dennis Martin, among others, and they obviously saw something in me and always asked me to teach or present a module at our frequent events. So initially I’d travel to Combatives seminars and present my take on it.

Then I realized there was nowhere around training, in the way I wanted to so I hired a hall with a few like-minded training partners and we’d pressure test everything. Word got out then more people started to come and before you know it I was actively teaching a group class. This is how I started out but the real reason I decided to make it a career is because I found the main thing, above all else, that I could really do well and enjoy.

Obviously you’ve had some great influences and had the opportunity to learn from some amazing guys. Which individual had the greatest impact on what you are doing now and why?
Everyone I’ve trained with gave me something. In Combatives my main influence was Kelly McCann, particularly his early stuff. It was the immediate ‘in your face’ explosiveness, backed up with serious attitude that really suited my personality in regards to violence or counter/violence. Even as a kid I’d hit first and motor as fast as I could move to get it over with as soon as possible. I like the precision with which he presents material – also he is always totally prepared.

To be honest if your are talking about who has had the most influence on me that led me to my conclusions regarding ‘dealing with violence effectively’ that really in main came from the people I worked with on the door and also from those I’ve dealt with on the door and in the street. You want to learn how to deal with a predatory profile then study a predatory profile. My life, for better and worse sometimes, allowed me to rub shoulders with many such individuals and trust me when I tell you, I paid attention!

What is your background as a bouncer? (when did you step away from it, and for what reasons)

At 21 years old I went on the doors for the first time. Several reasons really, first I needed to earn extra money for my family, but I also like many, had questions with regards to dealing with the whole violence thing, in spite of the experience I had gathered growing up, I still found the feelings relating to violence, horrible and at times hard to deal with. Adrenaline can hit you hard and I wanted to get a handle on that.

I knew that frequent exposure would help so I got the chance to work the doors and continued to do so for the next 14 years. I left in the end because I realized I had the conclusions I needed. I worked with some really great people of veteran experience and learned a lot from them. My goal or end game at that time was to make a living teaching full-time, so as soon as I made that possible via profile and consistently working the International circuit, I left.

What was the worst situation that you can remember when working the doors?

There were many that I considered myself truly tested. I’m not really a war story- kind of person; I only use live examples when it is relevant to the module I’m teaching. To be honest those that talk a lot about this kind of thing with a smile and a yarn give the impression of glorifying violence, to me I always found that distasteful. The truth is I have always hated violence, I just learned how do deal with my share effectively enough to share my conclusions with others that maybe need it.

As an instructor/coach/teacher, what (in your opinion) is the most important concept to understand when it comes to self-protection?

Avoidance where possible, along with the cultivation of awareness and early threat cue recognition. Also the importance of developing a confident body language profile.

There are lots videos in which you talk about the approach, the tools at your disposal and intent behind your attacks.  What is your method when dealing with a knife-wielding maniac?
That’s a silly question really, if you are unlucky enough to meet such a person the advice is clean cut, fucking run! If you are totally unable to escape and now you are facing anyone armed or unarmed that represents a significant threat to your existence, the most important thing before anything physical happens from your end, is where your head is in that moment.

You’ve got to cultivate the kind of mentality that absolutely refuses to be victimized. How you think or train your pre-fight perspective is EVERYTHING! In a physical sense once the total acceptance and willingness to engage with everything you have is present, shut down his head/main frame with as much impact as you can muster and keep fucking going until it’s over! Do so with an attitude that dictates your very life depends on it!

It is obvious to many that women are the most “in need” of this material- does your teaching approach or methods change when you address a different gender (and how)?

My teaching in the main will adapt when I’m specifically working with a women’s-only class. Even if there are women present in a group class or seminar I will often adapt certain specifics for them. Before offering solutions to any student regardless of age/gender it is important that you understand the problem. So if I am teaching Anti-grappling for example I would first talk about how we got here before any counter response – do you see?

So with any subject it is the same. If we are looking to teach women, we must understand that the main threat to women comes from men! Then understand how the threat is two-fold as most assaults on women take place from men known to them within a relationship/family circle. Of course street attacks from those unknown to women also occur, as do blind dates that suddenly turn bad. But the fact is such situations are less frequent than what was previously mentioned.

In terms of physical skills, women can innately rip, claw and tear effectively, thus creating possible tissue trauma injury which may indeed lead to the option of escape or a follow-up with something more significant. So I focus first on making them better at what comes naturally before giving them more impactive tools such as elbows and knees. Not all women can generate enough power to shake the brain into unconsciousness with a palm strike alone.

So I will adapt the tool for impact and tissue trauma. I will also focus more on primary targeting especially the eyes/throat and groin as opposed to the more generic targeting of hit the head hard to shake the brain in the more male-orientated classes. But eventually both methods will be employed.

America has and probably will always maintain a fascination and obsession with guns.  What is your stance on guns, their use, and/or gun laws?

Well I agree that it is people that kill people, take a gun or a knife and lock it in a safe for fifty years it won’t hurt anyone. It takes INTENTION to turn any said tool into a weapon. To be honest I love to shoot and do so when abroad at every opportunity. With that said sanctions on gun law are of course necessary but let’s be honest there are enough black market weapons around for those of bad intention to lay their hands on. In the UK everything construed as a potential weapon is outlawed but this simple fact does not apply to the criminal, who will of course carry regardless.

Personally I think all women in the UK should be allowed to carry OC spray for Self Defence but of course that will never happen and I think that if you are stringently checked and checks are maintained, and you have had proper training which is maintained for skill retention, then you should be allowed to keep a firearm under correct conditions of safety for home defence, but again that will never happen here.
What are some of the things you dislike about the self-protection industry today?

Internet forums full of “keyboard Commandoes” with absolutely no experience of dealing with violence, then slating others. Also wankers that bitch and whine about whose using whose material.  Bottom line is if you pay for the training, you drill it under testing conditions until you own them – how you use anything is your fucking business. No one owns anything – it’s all been done before by bigger and better people so deal with it!

When Lee Morrison isn’t teaching or traveling for work, what does he like to do for fun/recreation?
Spend time with my kids, family is very important.

Bonus Question:

If you could pit any two athletes together (in their prime – dead or alive), who would you like to see fight?

William Wallace and King Leonidas of 300

Published:  JAN. 20, 2014

COMBATIVECORNER.COM

DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER

Lee Morrison is the owner/founder of Urban Combatives, one of the top internet resources on Combatives.  Having trained under Dennis Martin, Kelly McCann, Geoff Thompson and Charlie Nelson (to name a few) – there is no doubt that Lee is the real-deal! For more info, click his pic on the left.

*Pic courtesy of Neal Martin’s website CombativeMind.Com