Category Archives: security training

arnis, control and restraint, escrima concepts, Eskrima, kali, knife defence, martial arts, security training

Self Defence, Blade Awareness & Security Tactics

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This is the last call for anybody interested in the escrima concepts seminar this weekend at Dublin’s Martial Arts Academy, Magennis Place, Pearse St.
Right opposite the DART station.

We are starting at 11am sharp on Sat morning and will be covering weapon and knife defence, blade awareness and self defence/self protection tactics for both civilian and the security industry.

The seminar runs Sat 1100 – 1700 and Sunday 1100 – 1500.
€50/day, or €80 for both days.

We will also be asking all the Irish FMA instructors to sit down over a pint and discuss the formation of the Irish Council of Eskrima, Kali, Arnis Instructors.

See you there.

Wild Geese
www.wg-fit.com
www.wildgeesema.com
any cause but our own

garda, knife defence, security training, self defence

Garda Stabbed in the execution of his Duty

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Read this:

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhojqlcwojey/rss2/

Reading things like this annoy the crap out of me. I know the papers only tell you half the story, but lets take the report as being 100% accurate.

1) Where was the training,
Even though the guy was armed with a knife and had caused injury to the first garda, the second garda should have had the training to wade in and disable the attacker quickly, if i make the assumption that Garda no 1 and the attacker were in the bath as garda no 2 arrived, no 2 would have had valuable seconds to make a decision. Anybody that has been involved in any confict situation knows full well that training takes over at this point.
I know that the Irish Police force (Gardai) receive no such training (or very little) so time was wasted, meaning that Garda no 1 was stabbed repeatedly.

2) The knife man was held down put not prevented from wielding his blade,
Again training, knife disarms are difficult and risky, however there are times and place when attempting a disarm is necessary. Watching your mate getting punctured is one of them.
Failing a disarm (and in order to secure a disarm) some form of restraint should be applied, ideally to the knife wielding arm, thee are too many joint locks and holds to list here, however it doesn’t take long to show, teach and practice the methods to attack a wrist, elbow or shoulder.
There of course is the option of just going for a knock out either by striking or Choke, the Garda, according to the article only held the guy down with one hand.

3) The Garda felt the need to use his PHONE to call for assistance,
Now come on! Is that just bollocks or what? In a serious encounter like this one Time is an enemy, every second counts. So what should take longer, pressing a button on the radio handset or fishing around for your phone, unlocking the keypad and dialling(even speed dialling). Enough said, except for why do the Irish Gadai (it’s not the first time I’ve heard this) feel that they are better of phoning the station on their mobiles rather than using their radio?

Now, while I admit I wasn’t there so I’m in no position to say whether the lads actions were right or wrong. They both survived a knife attack, and I hope they have fully recovered and continue with their lives with no ill effects.

I want to make it quite clear it is the system that is meant to support them has in fact let them down. I heard a comment from a trainee gard recently, he said “Unfortunately there are alot of people that are still very relaxed about their own personal safety”. This was about his fellow students and presumably instructors when he contacted me about training.

Why does the state feel justified putting officers on the streets in a world of increasing levels of violence and not properly preparing them for it.

i would like to hear some of your opinions. Let me know.

Wild Geese
www.wildgeesema.com
www.wg-fit.com
any cause but our own

arnis, Doce Pares, escrima concepts, Eskrima, kali, knife defence, martial arts, security training, Steve Tappin, wild geese

The Wrong End Of the Stick

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I often find that peoples view of the Filipino Martial Arts is somewhat inaccurate. I hope here to put it right.

FMA otherwise known as Eskrima, Kali or Arnis are the fighting arts native to the Philippines, and are a complete combat method. Unfortunately the popular view of these arts is that it’s just “Stick Fighting”.

This was illustrated most clearly by the owner of the Martial Arts Academy when he offered to make up posters to advertise our class. Guess what we got.

Yep, you guessed it. “Learn Stick Fighting”

Now while we do train with sticks, no argument there, we also fight with sticks. This is the start point for any new FMAer, learn to swing a stick. But that’s just the beginning.

As I said it’s a complete fighting system used throughout the ages to fight off rival tribes and invasions (including Magellan and the Spanish and later the Japanese in world war 2), would stick fighting cover this.

No. Most people fail to see the unarmed combat, the knife/machete use and defence. The Filipino method is to teach you to instinctively use any weapon that comes to hand to fight against any weapon that comes at you. Be it a punch, kick, blade or blunt instrument. It is this versatility that attracted notable martial artists like Ed Parker, Bruce Lee and Dan Innosanto to add elements taken from Kali/Arnis and add it into their respective styles.

Within FMA there are many areas to cover and masters do specialise, Momoy Canete specialised in longer range Espada y Daga, Cacoy Canete specialised in close range stick fighting. Antonio Illustrisimo specialised in the blade, Joe Borces uses “eskrido” a combination of traditional FMA and Aikido/Judo methods.
But these are the masters. Any student must be able to defend themselves against unarmed and armed attacks while they themselves may or may not be armed.

I have my students fighting 1 on 1, 2 on 1, 2 on 2, every man for themselves and many other combo’s.
I have an unarmed guy fighting against a knife man, or a single stick fighting against double stick. We allow disarms but expect the fight to continue so a fight er becomes used to loosing a weapon but carrying on unarmed, or to suddenly find a weapon and instantly use it.

The competitions may be about “stick fighting” but FMA is about surviving by using whatever comes to hand. It’s about assuming the other guy is armed. It’s about adapting to any scenario.

We are lucky to have had coverage on the recent TV shows. Our own Doce Pares HQ in Cebu was visited in the BBC’s Mind, Body & Kick ass Moves and the History Channels Human Weapon. While Fight Quest remained in Manila showing Pekiti Tirsia and Modern Arnis. Where different aspects of our arts are being shown. But for more info come and visit us, look on you tube (Rapid Arnis have some good clips).

We are also hosting FMA master and Security Expert Steve Tappin in May. Expect to see how FMA is truly effective on the streets of Europe as Steve regularly travel to the worst spots in Europe to train their respective police and security forces.
I almost feel sorry for the criminals, almost.

Come to Steve’s seminar and see how your own training can be enhanced by the Filipino martial arts.

Wild Geese
any cause but our own

control and restraint, escrima concepts, garda, Karate, kenpo, knife defence, police, restraint, security training, Steve Tappin, wild geese

May Control & Restraint Course now taking bookings

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If you work in the security or Law Enforcement industries you will from time to time have to get hands on and physical with some very uncooperative people.

The Wild Geese Control and Restraint course addresses this.
Learn simple, easy to retain and real world effective joint locks, pain compliance, takedowns and weapon disarms.

There is no fluff or BS, the classes are informal, the information is relevant, tried and tested and questions are encouraged.

The course runs from 12noon to 1430 on the 11th, 18th & 25th May. €100/person.

We require a 10% deposit by Fri 25th April to hold your place.

Call (087 672 6090) or email info@wildgeesema.com

Don’t forget the upcoming Steve Tappin seminar, if your interested in control and restraint, work in the Security industry or just enjoy practical martial arts, you’ll benefit greatly from this man.
Expect to learn how to deal with edged weapons, blade awareness and practical self protection tactics, all from a man who is in great demand throughout Europe to instruct elite Police units and security agencies.

More info on the seminar click here, or to visit Steve Tappin’s Homepage click here

Wild Geese
any cause but our own

martial arts, pinnacle gym, restraint, security training, wild geese

Restraint Training for Security Personnel

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Here in Ireland there is no provision for the hands on aspect of the security industry. So while you’ve passed a course to get your Door licence, it won’t have taken into account the very reason you’re employed in the first place

I visited the Irish Security Expo last year and spoke to various people at the top of the industry and asked about the provision of physical training. I was quite gobsmacked by the responses. The general viewpoint is to bury the head in the sand. These are the people that put together the Door Supervisors Training Syllabus, the guys that the government listens to.

Speaking to the head of one of the largest security training companies (who is also an aikido practitioner) I was told that yes, he recognises that there is a need, but he and his contemporaries didn’t want to be the one’s to address it.

The funny thing is, I have a couple of Garda (police for those of you reading this from outside Ireland) training with me, they relate stories of the time they spent at the training college. The self defence and arrest procedures training is a standing joke amongst the fraternity. Just ask a copper to show you “Avoid 1”

Where am I going with all this?

Lads working on the font line be it walking the beat or on the doors, even the lads patrolling the isles of the high street shops, will at some point have to get hands on and physically restrain somebody.

If the first thing that comes to mind in this situation is a right cross, you’re going to land yourself not only with a criminal charge, but probably with a law suit amounting thousands of euro. You just can’t get away with it any more.

So some form of training is necessary. To be able to enter, hold, takedown and effectively restrain a non compliant person long enough for assistance to arrive or to get the cuffs on, with the minimal of fuss and violence. A respected doorman with a history of working some of Dublin’s worst Bars said to his manager “If all the lads learned this, nobody would ever get hit again, there wouldn’t be any more claims”.

The Garda Baton training is also extremely basic, with no refreshers or follow up courses. I showed two or three very basic non striking and low impact baton techniques to an experienced copper, his eyes were like saucers and his comments were “we should be teaching that s**t back at the college!”

It seems the only people who would disagree are the bureaucrats.

If your a forward thinking club manager who employs door staff, or you work in the industry, get in touch and either come to or class at Pinnacle or get on one of the Control & Restraint courses we run.

We’re bringing over Steve Tappin in may. Steve trains Police and Security across europe in some of the most up to date tactics available. He’ll be in Dublin for a two day open seminar, but be aware places are limited.

Wild Geese Martial Arts
any cause but our own