Yes, it is. Just recently, while trying to board his Las Vegas-to-England flight, self-defense expert Tim Larkin was denied entry to the country passed on him being deemed a “security risk.”
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“I have a 12-year history of doing such seminars in the UK without incident,” he said.
Nevertheless, he was now prohibited from entering the country because of what the seminar attendees might do—specifically, use their newly acquired skills in riots.* (Black Belt Magazine)
Here on the Alex Jones Show, Tim discusses the details.
A big question, how are the self-defense instructors in the UK dealing with this and how might their business be affected?
There are many great teachers there such as: Geoff Thompson, Lee Morrison and Richie Grannon to name a few.
We welcome your thoughts on this matter. The lines are open!
The following story is transcribed verbatim from our 10 Question Interview posted on March 17th, 2011. The entire interview is available on our Youtube Channel (here).
Tim Larkin is the man behind Target Focus Training in Las Vegas, NV. (website)
The London Story
I was training in London in , I think it was 2004 or 2005, and this young lawyer – one of those Horatio Alger stories – 1st one to make it past high school in his family – lives in a nicer part of London, gets off the subway and decides to walk through the park, which, yes, it’s at night but it’s a pretty safe park – no big deal. He gets followed by two guys.
As they approach him they put knives to his throat, demands his watch and wallet. This guy engages them, gives them his watch and wallet, the jewerly, gives them the briefcase, gives them everything… and they take off. They leave.
And everyone loves that part of the story, because it worked. He did everything that they tell you to do in all self defense classes, and in law enforcement. (They say) “Don’t resist; give them everything. Engage them socially.” And it worked.
The second time, when they came back, their heads were down, their knives were drawn. He said, “Hey, hey! What are you doing?” And they stabbed him 47 times. He was heard screaming, “I gave you everything, I gave you everything!”
My goal in Target Focus Training is that you know the difference between the two. In the first engagement there was a chance you could use your social skills and there is a chance you can talk your way out of it and comply. The second time they weren’t engaging you socially. When the heads were down and the knives were drawn there is only one thing that’s going to work in a situation like that… the tool of violence. That’s the only way the kid had a chance at surviving at that point.
What probably happened as the guys were walking away is – one guy says to the other, “umm… you know what? He saw our faces. It’s probably not a good idea, we better go back and kill him.” They literally put no more thought in it than that. I can’t control what the other guy is about, I can only control what I’m about! If I’m worried about what he’s doing to me, I’m going to be behind the power curve. I have to sit there and make sure I have the best opportunity to affect an injury on that individual. And I need to be focused on those opportunities. The way I can do this is by understanding the difference.
[Remembering our ‘Discussion’ post (here) about Gunmen]
Larkin says… “I look at it from a different standpoint. We use our vision in two ways: focus vision & peripheral vision. I look at it from a reaction standpoint. If something’s happening now.. we’ll look mid-level on somebody. The reason we are doing that is because… like right now I’m look at you. You and I are engaged; my peripheral is disengaged and a lot of “social” happens in the fascial features and we get caught up in that. I show my students this all the time, and they don’t think that’s the case. I’ll watch them as they train and I notice a lot of time they’re “checking in” with each other before they go to their target area and put a strike in.
What I’ll do is I’ll give them all balaclavas and it takes away the face, so you just have the eyes going. It’s amazing the change in people. All of a sudden they’re not head-hunting anymore, they’re not social anymore, and it all just becomes available to them. They’re seeing the targets and their reaction time increases immediately.
So, I guess my answer to you is – I want my peripheral so I can pick up movement as fast as possible. So the last thing that I want is to engage the guy… but I don’t want to get into the psychological aspect of it… I don’t want to sit there and worry “oh jeez am I challenging him, am I doing this or any of that shit,” I just want my best ability to react to what we’re going on, so I can affect my injury at that point… if that’s what I think is going down.*
* The above question was transcribed verbatim from our interview.
Questions:
[ 00.10 ] Who are you and what is it that you do?
[ 00:38 ] How is what you different from what you see others teaching?
[ 03:24 ] What is the biggest obstacle for you in regards to instructing?
(additional question) –[ 07:42 ] Regarding media video “Use of Force”
[ 20:52 ] How do you deal with all the negative criticisms directed at you and TFT?
[ 27:15 ] Is there a difference between teaching men vs. women? If so, what should be emphasized for each?
[ 29:54 ] What are your thoughts on weapon training? Should everyone that studies martial arts & self-protection (in your opinion) also study weapons? If so, which ones and for what purpose?
[ 31:28 ] What is essential in the early stages of learning self-protection? Is it different if your teaching law enforcement or military?
[ 37:49 ] How important is physical fitness in self-protection?
[ 40:08 ] How does Tim Larkin like to spend his free time?
[44:21 ] Do you make New Year’s goals? If so, what are your goals for 2011?
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Yes, it is. Just recently, while trying to board his Las Vegas-to-England flight, self-defense expert Tim Larkin was denied entry to the country passed on him being deemed a “security risk.”
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