TARGET-FOCUS TRAINING STREET COMBAT SYLLABUS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT IS TFT STREET COMBAT? 3 COMPONENTS 4 Training Topics 4 Video Coordination Sets 4 Video Tutorials 4 Online Forum 5 Physical Dynamics 6 TRAINING 7 Structure 7 Client Notes 7 ASSESSMENT & CERTIFICATION 8 Overview 8 TFT Level 1 8 TFT Trainer 9 APPENDIX A: OUTLINE OF TRAINING TOPICS 11 APPENDIX B: ONLINE TRAINING MODULES 33 APPENDIX C: EVERY LITTLE BIT 36 APPENDIX D: FREE PRACTICE 101 39 APPENDIX E: GETTING THE MOST OUT OF COORDINATION SETS 43 APPENDIX F: ASSESSMENTS 46 APPENDIX G: GOING FOR TRAINER 51

WHAT IS TFT STREET COMBAT?

The TFT Street Combat program is for clients who do not have the opportunity to attend live training but desire, nonetheless, to learn to use violence as a survival tool. It is a comprehensive program that walks the client through all of the principles and physical skills that make violence work. The program consists of: - More than 60 video lessons - Supplementary video lectures & reading materials - Guidelines for physical practice to tie it all together Clients work through the material at their own pace, at home, gaining an ever-increasing understanding of what works in violence and why. Upon finishing the program, clients will earn a TFT Level 1 Certificate in recognition of their skill and understanding of the tool of violence.

COMPONENTS: Training Topics

The eleven training topics are the overarching backbone of the program. They contain all the various interrelated aspects of violence that must be understood, intellectually and physically, to earn TFT Level 1: 1. Injury, Penetration, Rotation 2. Targets 3. Reactions 4. Striking 5. Tools 6. Knife 7. Baton 8. Joint Breaking 9. Throwing 10. Grabs & Holds 11. Firearms A comprehensive outline of the training principles is presented in Appendix A.

Video Coordination Sets

Coordination sets are concrete, physical examples of the principles that underlie every violent act; each one shows you a different method for chaining multiple injuries together to put people down quickly, efficiently, and completely. Clients receive four new coordination sets every month for a total of 48 across a year.

Video Tutorials
- Defining Violence Intro The realities of violent conflict, what the winners do & what you must do to win. - Target Assembly Sessions Taking a very focused look at injuries to the eyes, neck, throat, collarbone, solar plexus, groin & ankle, with physical follow-along lessons to show you how to develop good targeting to cause those injuries yourself. - Taking to Non-Functional This is the essential linchpin that ties it all together--how to use all the information in the program, the target assembly & coordination sets, for physical training. - Leg Dynamics 4

All the ways to stand, step and move in violence while maintaining good balance and solid penetration, from the ground up. - Edged Tools The realities of the knife in violence, and how to use it. - Impact Tools The realities of the baton in violence, and how to use it. - Joint Breaking How to use your body as a joint breaking machine. - Weapons Coordination Sets and discussion utilizing the ancillary tools of violence--the knife, baton and firearm. - Maximizing Your Training How best to approach the material for physical training; avoiding common pitfalls and staying focused on whats really important: injury. - Grabs, Holds & Chokes Using the tool of violence for problem-solving when it comes to grappling--important concepts when it comes to injuring people who are holding onto you. - Striking A two-part lecture on the mechanics of using your body as a battering ram to break things inside the man. A list of all video sessions, and their arrangement in training modules, can be found in Appendix B.

Online Forum
An Internet discussion board, moderated by TFT Instructors, to get your training questions answered, find training partners in your area, and discuss the topic of violence with like-minded people from all over the world. In addition, the forum features weekly training articles by Master & Cadre instructors to keep you motivated, moving and learning.

Physical Dynamics
These are exercises for developing body awareness as it pertains to structure and balance in violence. - Leg Dynamics All the ways to stand, step and move in violence while maintaining good balance and solid penetration, from the ground up. - Free Practice Cultivating a reaction partner, a live human being, for weekly practice of the video coordination sets.

TRAINING:
IMPORTANT NOTE: The video tutorial Taking to Non-Functional contains all the guidelines and methods for physical practice. It is essential viewing to understand how to use the material contained in the program.

Structure
This is entirely up to the client, based upon their schedule and personal goals. An idealized plan looks something like this: On a Daily Basis - do Leg Dynamics Once through with each leg, about 1 minute total On a Weekly Basis - 1 to 3 Free Practice sessions: -- work with a real live human being--a reaction partner Ideally in 3 short sessions (no more than 1 hour) spread across the week -- work on the current coordination set Add the new skills and tools to the Kill Box Total Time - no more than 4 hours per week - small bits of work done regularly are better than marathon sessions; strive to make these things habitual

Client Notes
Once again, the above structure is idealized. Do what you can, as you will, working at your own pace. Its not a race, but rather a process of slow absorption. Slow and steady gets you there. See Appendices C, D & E for a complete overview of training goals and methods: Appendix C: Every Little Bit Appendix D: Free Practice 101 Appendix E: Getting the Most Out of Coordination Sets 7

ASSESSMENT & CERTIFICATION: Overview

TFT Street Combat offers certification of TFT Level 1. Clients who complete Level 1 with distinction can then go for certification as a TFT Trainer.

TFT Level 1
Level 1 represents at least one year of work and completion of all four online training modules (see Appendix B for a complete list of modules). We offer optional video assessments by qualified instructors upon completion of each module; a final video assessment is required to receive TFT Level 1 certification. PROCEDURE Upon completion of modules 1, 2 and 3 you are encouraged to post a video of your free practice to the Feedback Loop section of the TFT Street Combat online forum. Technical procedures for doing so are posted in that section--the most important bit is to keep the videos between three and five minutes in length. We really dont need any more than that to get a complete picture of your performance. FEEDBACK The best part of posting your video to the forum is the constructive criticism from the many Master, Cadre and TFT Instructors who frequent the site. You will also get helpful tips from advanced practitioners and those ahead of you in the program. Formal feedback will come in a written report, posted to the forum, with time-code notations so you can re-watch the video and see exactly what went right (or wrong). USING FEEDBACK - Re-watch the video of your performance, paying special attention to each of the time-coded incidents called out in the report. - Use each of the call-outs to make a bullet-pointed list of things to work on. - Bring the list with you to your next free practice session and pick two or three to focus on. Check them off when you feel like youve got it down. (Some changes may take awhile--its okay to keep it on the list if you want to work on it more at a later time.) - Work through the list in this fashion until you have everything checked off. FINAL ASSESSMENT FOR TFT LEVEL 1 -- VIA VIDEO

The final assessment, after completion of the fourth training module, is a little bit different
8

from the preceding ones. Instead of just three to five minutes of free practice, wed like to see: - Leg Dynamics (once with each leg) - Specific free practice examples: -- 3 turns using hands/arms ONLY -- 3 turns using feet/legs ONLY -- 3 takedowns/throws -- 3 joint breaks - 10 minutes of free practice, including knife & baton (For a more detailed breakdown of these items see Appendix F: Assessments.) Upon review you will be graded either PASS or FAIL. Regardless of the outcome, we will send you detailed feedback you can use for personal improvement. If you pass, you will receive your TFT Level 1 certificate. If you fail, you will have the opportunity to submit another video after working through your feedback.

TFT Trainer
A TFT Trainer is qualified to teach the curriculum of the online course. We will maintain a list of graduates on the TFT website, along with contact information, so interested people in your area can get in touch with you for classes.
TFT Trainer represents at least 18 months of work (at least six months beyond TFT Level 1) and completion of two additional online training modules (Modules 5 & 6), as well as a mandatory video assessment after completion of Module 5 and a final (live) assessment with a qualified Master, Cadre or TFT Instructor. (See Appendix G: Going for Trainer for specific information on what we expect from potential TFT Trainers.) ONLINE MODULES 5 & 6 Module 5 covers hip throws, as well as knee & wrist breaks. Module 6 introduces joint break throws and shoulder throws. FINAL ASSESSMENT FOR TFT TRAINER -- LIVE

The final assessment, after completion of the sixth training module, must be done with us
9

live, either at our training center in San Diego, or at any of our live seminars around the world. The test consists of: - Leg Dynamics (full set, four times with each leg) - Specific free practice examples: -- 4 turns using hands/arms ONLY -- 4 turns using feet/legs ONLY -- 4 takedowns -- 2 hip throws -- 2 shoulder throws -- 8 different joint breaks -- 10 joint break takedowns/throws - 20 minutes of free practice, including knife & baton (For a more detailed breakdown of these items see Appendix F: Assessments.)
We are happy to do as many video assessments with you as necessary to get you ready for the final test in order to make your trip a successful one. That said, you may need to stay a few days to work through any outstanding issues in order to pass the test (you may need to take the test several times during your trip in order to pass).

10

APPENDIX A: OUTLINE OF TRAINING TOPICS

11

1. INJURY, PENETRATION, ROTATION

1. The three features found in every successful use of violence

Injury 2. The goal of violence a. Injury must be the result of everything you do in violence b. Injury changes everything in your favor i. Injured people: 1. Move in predictable ways (spinal reflexes) 2. Have impaired function (cant see with a gouged eye) 3. Are helpless (spinal reflexes) c. Injuries cause spinal reflex reactions i. The bodys hard-wired response to injury 1. Involuntary 2. Occur in the spinal cord, not the brain ii. Spinal reflexes give you an unambiguous feedback mechanism for success in violence 1. If you see a spinal reflex, you know you injured him 2. No reflex = no injury Penetration 3. Body weight in motion is the base engine that drives all violence a. The driving force behind all injury i. Your body weight in motion produces the kinetic energy needed to disrupt human tissue (it takes a big wallop to break a knee) b. Penetration is you going through him i. Physical examples of ineffective, poor, and superior penetration 1. From where you are to in front of him 2. From where you are to him 3. From where you are through him (displacing him & taking his balance)

12

Rotation 4. Following all the way through is what drives injury home and makes it stick a. Humans move in response to force & negative stimuli i. Complete rotation ensures that he doesnt move away before youre done transferring kinetic energy into him 1. A strike that stops halfway through will allow him to move away before eating the whole thing b. Injuries occur when tissue is stressed beyond its elasticity i. catastrophically changing the shape (volume) of a body part (i.e., a stomp to the ribs making the oval cross-section of the ribcage look like a kidney bean will break things) c. Physical examples of ineffective, poor, and superior rotation

13

2. TARGETS
1. Targets are the vulnerable places on the human body where injuries occur

2. Assembly of each target area a. Location i. Underlying structures and function b. Effect of injury i. Immediate (associated spinal reflex reaction) ii. Short-term (impairments & side-effects) iii. Long-term c. Physical examples of destroying target from multiple orientations FRONT Head/Neck 1. Coronal Suture (top of skull) 2. Frontal Sinuses 3. Temple 4. Eye 5. Inner Ear 6. Nasal Bone 7. Zygoma (cheek bone) 8. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) (jaw hinge) 9. Pre-Mastoid (base of ear) 10. Mandible (chin) 11. Lateral Neck 12. Trachea (at Adams Apple) 13. Suprasternal Notch (base of throat)

Torso 14. Sternum (breast bone) 15. Clavicle (collar bone) 16. Heart 17. True Ribs 18. Solar Plexus 14

19. Liver 20. Spleen 21. False Ribs 22. Bladder 23. Symphisis Pubis (pubic bone) 24. Groin

Arms 25. Glenohumeral Joint (shoulder) 26. Brachial Plexus 27. Radial Nerve 28. Humeroulnar Joint (elbow) 29. Radiocarpal Joint (wrist) 30. Phalanges (fingers)

Legs 31. Hip Joint 32. Saphenous Nerve (inner leg) 33. Lateral Formal Cutaneous Nerve (outer thigh) 34. Patella (kneecap) 35. Knee Joint 36. Lateral Malleolus (outside of ankle joint) 37. Medial Malleolus (inside of ankle joint) 38. Ankle Joint 39. Metatarsals (foot)

REAR Head/Neck 40. Sagittal Suture (back of skull) 41. Mastoid Process 42. Medulla Oblongata (base of skull) 43. Cervical Vertebrae (C1-C7) 44. Vertebra Prominens (C7, base of neck)

15

Torso 45. Floating Ribs 46. Kidney 47. Lumbar Spine (L1-L5) 48. Perineum

Legs 49. Sciatic Nerve (back of thigh) 50. Popliteal Fossa (back of knee)

16

3. REACTIONS
1. Modeling the results of injuries

2. Physiology of spinal reflexes a. Injury trips threshold switch in spinal cord i. Eliciting reaction 1. To move away 2. Cover up 3. Prevent further injury to target

3. Benefits of understanding a. Feedback mechanism b. Taking advantage of involuntary movement/body position to cause further injury & get him to non-functional

4. Benefits of practice a. Gives training partners a realistic sight picture of what success in violence (injury) looks like i. Allows training partners to experience opportunities arising from injury

b. The better the reactions, the harder you can work c. Safety

5. Correct practice a. In general i. ii. iii. Head and hands to injury Rotation on axis of spine Below solar plexus bend forward, above move away

b. Specifics by target with physical practice i. ii. iii. iv. v. Head cluster Neck Sternum Clavicle Spine 17

vi. vii. viii. ix. x. xi. xii. xiii. xiv. xv. xvi.

Rib cage (heart, lung & true ribs) Liver/Spleen Kidneys Solar Plexus Bladder/Groin Perineum Knees Ankles Foot Broken Joints Nerve Targets 1. Arms 2. Legs

18

4. STRIKING
1. Using the human body as a battering ram

2. Striking is the primary method of causing injury a. Striking is NOT punching and kicking b. Striking is using your entire mass as a battering ram i. Striking is ALL OF YOU, ALL THE TIME

c. The base engine of striking - bodyweight in motion - drives all injury in violence, whether from direct impact, joint breaking, or throwing d. The mechanics of striking are universal, whether the end-tool is a fist, a boot, a knife, a baton, a car-door, or the ground

3. Bodyweight through target (penetration) step-by-step a. Starting with completed penetration i. ii. Drop weight by bending forward knee to displace him Moving him with body weight instead of muscular effort

b. One step back i. ii. iii. Step forward into completed penetration & drop weight as above No cheating, pushing, body checking Just step and drop weight to displace him

c. One step back with tool & target i. ii. As above, but with forearm extended (elbow in and down) Penetrate and make contact with target (solar plexus or throat, for example) and drop weight to displace him iii. No cheating, pushing with arm--elbow stays locked in and down

d. Add rotation i. As above, but extend arm and rotate torso once youve displaced him with body weight

4. Structure a. Leg dynamics i. All the ways to step, stand and move in violence so you are in balance and have structure 19

1. Being in balance means you can swing your body weight like a club 2. Structure means you can make it stick ii. Specific uses for each 1. Forward stance (& lunge) 2. Pivot between forward stances (with full stance in between) 3. Kick stance 4. Cross step 5. Pivot out of cross step 6. Full stance 7. Knee drop b. Upper body i. Elbows in and down 1. To maximize engagement of skeleton rather than muscles ii. Using the non-tool arm 1. To alter total rotation (follow-through) so you are truly striking with all of you, all the time

5. Knockdown a. Mechanics of balance i. ii. iii. Center of gravity Base Center of gravity must stay over base for balance

b. Strike so that center of gravity goes outside base without room for recovery = knockdown i. Drive body weight through target on an angle (with complete follow-through (rotation)) to get this done ii. Physical examples for practice

6. Multi-strikes a. Distributing your mass in motion across multiple targets simultaneously i. Increases efficiency 1. More injuries per motion b. Converging on a single point i. Driving through in a straight line 20

1. Double two-knuckles to liver and spleen 2. Knee drop to solar plexus and blade-edge heel palm to throat ii. Meeting in the middle 1. Downward hammer to back of neck & knee up into throat c. Radiating from a single point outward i. Claw to eyes & chop to groin

d. Other physical examples for practice

7. Rhythm a. Increases efficiency i. No wasted time

b. Lets you take full advantage of the effect state (reactions) i. Never letting him out of effect state--its just one injury right after another

c. Helps you keep your balance d. Metronome in your head i. ii. Each strike happens on evenly spaced intervals Physical examples for practice

8. Timing a. Making things happen when it would be most advantageous for them to happen b. Maximizes efficiency and power i. Boot to groin followed by uppercut to chin 1. The reaction throws his head into the next strike ii. Other physical examples for practice

21

5. TOOLS
1. A tool is the one square inch of you that plows through the target

2. Appropriate vs. inappropriate tools a. Appropriate tools cause injury--inappropriate tools injure you b. Inappropriate tools i. Loose fist 1. Broken fingers, wrist ii. Radial side of forearm (ridge hand, etc.) 1. Radial nerve at risk, hyperextension of elbow, broken wrist iii. Head butt 1. Concussion 2. Facial cuts from teeth iv. Biting 1. Mouthful of blood v. Stomping with foot turned out 1. rotation in knee will cause shearing injury vi. Striking with the top of the foot 1. Sprained ankle c. Appropriate tools and their jobs i. Hand 1. Tight fist (striking surfaces listed in decreasing penetration/increasing target area) a. One-knuckle b. Two-knuckle c. Four-knuckle d. Hammer 2. Open hand a. Claw b. Heel Palm c. Blade-edge of hand d. Poke e. Choke punch 22

f. Thumb g. Grab ii. Arm 1. Forearm (Ulna bone) 2. Elbow 3. Shoulder 4. iii. Legs 1. Knee 2. Shin iv. Feet 1. Heel 2. Ball of foot 3. Blade-edge of foot

23

6. KNIFE
1. As an extraneous tool (one that snaps on at the outer edge of the striking engine of your body) knives are labor-saving devices for killing by exsanguination

2. What a knife does a. Increases trauma i. Allow you to do things you can't do with your bare hands ii. Open up the circulatory system to make him bleed out b. Extends your reach i. Allows you to penetrate deep into the body

3. Structure a. Tight fist (the only way to hold a knife) i. Point up or down, edge either toward you or away--doesnt matter b. Driven into the body by striking with body weight c. How to use it i. Stab with the point ii. Cut with the edge iii. Hammer with the butt

4. The right tool for the job a. As a piercing/cutting tool, maximum effectiveness is achieved when the knife is employed the following targets: i. Solar plexus (liver & aorta) ii. Liver iii. Spleen iv. Kidneys v. Lung vi. Heart vii. Groin viii. Throat ix. Eyes

24

5. What if he has the knife? a. The brain is the problem, not the knife i. Shut the brain off while breaking the body through injury b. Vector problems i. ii. Solved with rotation, penetration and injury Physical examples for practice

25

7. BATON
1. As an extraneous tool (one that snaps on at the outer edge of the striking engine of your body) batons are labor-saving devices for killing by multiple blunt-force trauma injuries

2. What a baton does a. Increases trauma i. Allow you to do things you can't do with your bare hands 1. Break bones 2. Directly injure the brain b. Extends your reach i. Allows you to strike targets you couldnt otherwise reach (distance) ii. Increases your follow-through iii. Gives you greater leverage

3. Structure a. Tight fist(s) (the only way to hold a baton) i. In one fist or both 1. Like a baseball bat or with a fist near each end b. Driven by striking with body weight i. Ruined target moves away from baton, the baton doesnt move back off of the target--full penetration, full rotation c. How to use it i. Strike with the end (one or two fists) ii. Strike with the center (a fist at each end) iii. Hammer with the butt iv. As an added lever for joint breaking and throwing

4. The right tool for the job a. As a bone-shattering tool, the baton can be used against any target

5. What if he has the baton? a. The brain is the problem, not the baton i. Shut the brain off while breaking the body through injury 26

b. Vector problems iii. iv. Solved with rotation, penetration and injury Physical examples for practice

27

8. JOINT BREAKING
1. Joint breaking is striking applied intelligently to a joint a. Joints can be injured by using leverage--mechanical advantage--to break them b. There is only one way to break a joint--move it beyond the pathological limit, tearing the tissues that hold the joint together c. A joint has three degrees of freedom to take it to the pathological limit--a joint can be bent, twisted, or rocked to the side d. The three degrees of freedom, both forward and back, give rise to six base leverages e. All possible joint breaking techniques involve one or more of these six base leverages

2. Why break joints? a. Another way to cause injury b. Nothing below the broken joint can function properly

3. Joint breaking requires: a. Intent b. Prior injury c. An solid grip d. An isolated lever arm e. A vulnerable joint at the pathological limit f. Body weight in motion

4. Assembly by joint a. Neck 1. Base Leverage 2 2. Base Leverage 3 3. Base Leverage 6

b. Spine 1. Base Leverage 1 2. Base Leverage 2 28

c. Shoulder 1. Base Leverage 1 2. Base Leverage 3 3. Base Leverage 4

d. Elbow 1. Base Leverage 1

e. Knee 1. Base Leverage 1 2. Base Leverage 5 3. Base Leverage 6

f. Ankle 1. Base Leverage 5 2. Base Leverage 6

g. W rist/Fingers 1. Base Leverage 1

29

9. THROWING
1. Using the engine of striking--your body weight in motion--to make people fall such that they are injured upon collision with the ground a. Just another way to use penetration and rotation to cause injury b. The only way (absent a baton or firearm) to break the skull

2. Throwing requires: a. Intent b. Prior injury c. Body weight in motion

3. Manipulating the relationship between center of gravity and base a. Slips i. Making the base come out from under the center of gravity 1. Leg sweeps ii. Physical examples for practice b. Trips i. Making the center of gravity fall outside the base 1. Base-break throws a. Breaking his structure while accelerating him into the ground 2. Drop throws a. Standing b. Sitting/from the ground ii. Physical examples for practice

30

10. GRABS, HOLDS & CHOKES

1. Solving the problem of grappling with injury, penetration and rotation

2. The problem is the brain, not the hold a. Instead of breaking the hold, break him b. The correct answer is always going to be injure him NOW!

3. In general a. Injure him as soon as soon as you realize hes a threat b. Dont wait to see what kind of hold hes trying to get c. Keep moving d. Go for targets, no matter what i. Injury is the way out ii. Three targets that can be easily injured without body weight 1. Eyes 2. Throat 3. Groin e. Youre never trying to get away--youre here to injure him

31

11. FIREARMS
1. As an extraneous tool (one that snaps on at the outer edge of the striking engine of your body) firearms are labor-saving devices for killing at range by opening up the circulatory system and/or disrupting the central nervous system (spinal cord and brain)

2. What a firearm does a. Increases trauma i. Allow you to do things you can't do with your bare hands 1. Open up the circulatory system to make him bleed out 2. Directly injure the spinal cord and brain b. Extends your reach i. Allows you to injure from a distance

3. The right tool for the job a. Shooting center of mass greatly increases the chance of striking highly vascular organs (heart, aorta, lungs, liver and kidneys) and injuring the spinal cord

4. What if he has the firearm? a. The brain is the problem, not the firearm i. Shut the brain off while breaking the body through injury

b. Vector problems i. ii. Solved with rotation, penetration and injury Physical examples for practice

32

APPENDIX B: ONLINE TRAINING MODULES

33

EXCLUSIVE SEMINAR Defining Violence Intro 6 Sessions Target Assembly Sessions - Eyes - Neck & Throat - Groin - Ankle Taking to Non-Functional TFT LEVEL 1 MODULES: MODULE 1 15 Sessions Target Assembly Sessions - Solar Plexus - Collarbone Bodyweight Leg Dynamics 4 Coordination Sets

MODULE 2 15 Sessions Edged Tools Impact Tools Joint Breaking Maximizing Your Training Grabs, Holds & Chokes 2 Bonus Sessions on Striking 10 Coordination Sets

34

MODULE 3 18 Sessions 18 Coordination Sets - topics include multi-strikes, joint breaking, knockdown and firearms MODULE 4 16 Sessions 16 Coordination Sets - topics include neck breaks, shoulder dislocations, drop throws, and leg sweeps

TFT TRAINER MODULES: MODULE 5 11 Sessions 11 Coordination Sets - topics include hip throws, rotational knee breaks, and wrist breaks MODULE 6 12 Sessions 11 Coordination Sets - topics include joint break throws & shoulder throws

35

APPENDIX C: EVERY LITTLE BIT

36

Everyone, everywhere, can pick up a rock and bash another person's brains out. Or stab someone to death with a knife. Or shoot them dead with a gun. None of these acts require any training whatsoever. All they need is the all-consuming intent to get it done. (And with the firearm even the threshold of intent is reducedyou just have to have enough to point and squeeze a trigger.) The lesson here is that tools make up for a lack of training, and in the case of the firearm, even a lack of intent. By increasing the energies involved, the implacability of the material (meaning: stronger than flesh and bone), and thereby amplifying the trauma, tools increase the chances for serious injury and even death. Everyone knows stabbing someone is "more serious" than punching them. So what does this mean for training? Should you ignore training in favor of carrying a rock, a knife, or a gun? That's the quick and easy solution favored by the masses. The fact that you're in this program tells me you think otherwise, that you want more. Training to be the tool, to use your fists and boots like rocks, is the fundamental basis for every other application of the principles of violence. It informs the use of the rock, the knife and even the firearm. And, best of all, you never feel "unarmed" since you'll always have your mass, your skeleton, and your intent with you wherever you go. And everyone else will bring with them their targets, their inborn frailties and their hard-wired reactions to injury. The question, then, is how much training is sufficient for success? The answer is that every little bit counts. You don't need 10 years on the mats to use violence. You don't need three years, or even a month. Even a weekend seminar is overkill when you understand the reality of the first line of this essay. All you really need is to know it can be done, and be willing to pull the trigger on it. And that's what this program is all about. In the past my stock answer would have been: "One year of three one-hour sessions every week," or, by the numbers, 150 mat sessions, 150 hours of hands-on training (knocking people down and getting knocked down), 150 coordination sets to achieve baseline proficiency at violence. And by "baseline proficiency" I meant never being surprised by anything you saw in violence for the rest of your life. Of course, this level of knowledge, skill and ability turns out to be the equivalent of a master marksmanhandy, to be sure, but not necessary to empty a clip into someone at close range. So we're back to the original question again, how much to simply have the tool? If anyone can pick up a gun and shoot anyone else to death, what's the equivalent for using your body as the bullet?
37

Anecdotally, very little. We have had clients use the tool of violence successfully after: - Hearing about a "move" from a family member who was trained - Watching a video snippet of our training on YouTube - Doing nothing but watching our training videos (with no actual mat work) Much to my surprise. Not because it worked, but because they were able to get the job done with no oversight or practice. So it turns out the equivalent of "picking up the gun" in this training is simply knowing what can be broken, and the basic mechanics for breaking it. Using the thumb to dig out the eye, the forearm to crush the throat, the palm to blow out the inner ear and cause a concussion, stomping as hard as you can through a knee to break it. Knowing it can be done and how to get there, coupled with the will to do so. It's as simple as that. And that gets us to how you interact with this program. While I would love for you to get a reaction partner and hit the matshardthree times a week for a year, know that in practice every little bit matters. Just watching the videos, absorbing the information, seeing it doneknowing it's possible and how to do itcan be the difference between life and death. So many lives are lost for want of a little knowledge. The things that are against the rules, "unfair," dirty, unsavory, and just plain cruel turn out to be stupid-simple and awfully effective. And you want to make sure your killbox is full to the brim with them. The gold standard for training is to form your own group and meet up for mat work several times a week. If you are willing and able, I highly encourage you to go out of your way to do this. If this is not possible for you, don't despairit turns out that every little bit helps, and this program is nothing but information on getting violence done. Everything we teach is to get you into it, through it, and out the other side as the winner.
So open that spigot and fill your kill box with as much as you can in the coming year.

38

APPENDIX D: FREE PRACTICE 101

39

Here's a mental checklist for workout partners that includes what to do when it's your turn (you're the one doing the hitting) and when it's not (you're the one getting hitthe reaction partner). Working within these parameters will enhance your sessions and allow you to get the most out of your training. Disregarding them will lead to unsatisfactory, frustrating sessions that can end in actual injury. Remember always that we are walking a razor's edge between efficacy and safety, e.g., you want to correctly practice that neck break, but not so 'correctly' that it actually breaks... WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN - Look at your target - Touch your target - Follow all the way through - Work at the rate at which you are constantly in balance/control -ALWAYS - take care of your partner - know what is going to happen next WHEN IT'S NOT YOUR TURN (REACTION PARTNER) - Relax - And then relax some more - Pay attention - REACT - Breathe -NEVER - Anticipate the technique -ALWAYS - Take care of yourself NOTES: WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN Look at your target This increases your likelihood of hitting the targetit's simple hand-eye/and foot-eye coordination. Looking at what you are doing also decreases the likelihood of accidental injury, both for you and your partner. So keep your eye on the ball and your head in the game. (And any other Little League exhortations you want to throw in here.) Touch your target This is basic targeting. Look at it, touch it. Touching the target gets you a bunch of positives you'll be more likely to destroy that target on the street if you practice actually making contact with 40

it and it tells your reaction partner what reaction you expect. (In general, don't touch the eyes, throat, or groin; very light contact only with neck, spine and knees. It's just too easy to slip up and wreck your partner with a small mistake on these targets.) Follow all the way through More basic targeting to complete the mantra of 'look at it, touch it, follow all the way through.' Following through forces you to practice completing the strike, a crucial component for distorting tissue far enough to disrupt it. (The only way you're going to reliably break ribs is by changing the shape of the ribcage faster and farther than it's rated for.) Following through also helps your partner with the physical displacement portion of the reaction. Work at the rate at which you are constantly in balance/control This is the only real limit on how fast you can go. For this stuff to stick in a useful way from training session to training session, you must work at the rate at which you can constantly maintain your balance. And even then, if you're highly coordinated, you must work at the rate at which your partner can give reactions. Going any faster means they're going to get caught off guard and zig when you zag, which, more often than not, results in things going spectacularly right (from an operational point of view) with a serious injury. As both the giver and receiver of accidents of that type I can tell you it's nothing you want to be involved in. Bottom line: Take your time to do it right, safely. Take care of your partner Their life is literally in your hands. Do not try to surprise them, get the drop on them, or put one over on them. And this is the big one: KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT I can't tell you the number of times I've watched someone throw their reaction partner, seemingly on purpose, into a wall or someone on the ground, etc., and then look mortified with surprise at the results. Know what you're doing; know the effects you're causing.

WHEN IT'S YOUR PARTNER'S TURN (REACTION PARTNER) Relax You need to loosen up and go with it. Whether it's a joint break, a throw, or a simple striking sequence, you need to be soft, supple, and gently malleable. Resistance will lead to injury. In fact, that's how it works on people on the street. No one wants this stuff done to them so they tense up, resist and break that much sooner. Joint breaks work best on a tight joint. Throws work best on a rigid body. As a reaction partner, you don't want any of these things happening to you so relax, go with it and flow. Pay attention This one seems obvious, and yet, I see it being forgotten all the time. When you are the reaction partner, keep your eyes open and be aware of what is coming and/or happening. The only way you're going to be able to react surely and safely is to know what's going on. REACT This is the Big Oneyour one and only job for the duration of your partner's two turns. Go out of your way to give the best, most honest reactions you can. Reacting is in many ways an art form, 41

a precise dance. You will master it, become known for the artistry of your faithful reproductions and so serve your partners well. It's also going to keep you from getting royally smacked. Breathe Sometimes people hold their breath. This is going to make you tense up and get hurt. A big part of relaxing into your reactions is breathing, exhaling with each reaction, and especially with your break-fall. Do not anticipate the technique This isn't at odds with the pay attention stuff above; this is about second-guessing your partner as to which way he or she is going to throw you, or break your joint, or where that boot is going. This is zigging when your partner zags. Another way of stating it is: Don't try to get ahead of the person whose turn it is. They are in the driver's seatyou're just along for the ride. Don't anticipate anything. Just pay attention to what is happening and go along with it. Follow your partner's lead. Failure to do so will almost always end in tears. Take care of yourself Move with your partner, tuck your own head for rolls, slap out on your break-falls. Remember that your partner should be taking care of you as well, but make sure you're also looking out for number one. This means that two people are actively taking care of the person in the most dangerthe reaction partnerand chances are good you're going to make it to your next turn alive.

42

APPENDIX E: GETTING THE MOST OUT OF COORDINATION SETS

43

If we take a look at our training spectrum from least chaotic to most chaotic (or, from simple to advanced) we have: Leg Dynamics Coordination Sets Mat Time Each piece is a physical reminder of what you should be doing in mat time, as well as preparing you for the next step up. So leg dynamics get you ready for coordination sets and coordination sets get you ready for mat time. And mat time gets you ready for violence. In this spectrum coordination sets are the first place where we add in the other guy. Because they follow a set pattern, youre free from having to worry about all the multitude of variables that can make mat time crazy. You can focus purely on building the single, highlighted skill inside the coordination setwhether its a striking sequence, a joint break, throw or other unique physical concept. You have the time and space within which to work that one problem, without having to worry about everything else you may be having difficulty with at the time. So what were going to do now is show you how to use the coordination sets to your best advantage: Pick one per session. Not ten. Not five. Not even two. Pick one to work on at your next mat time session. If youre going to be working for, lets say, an hour you want to start with at least 15 minutes of free practice before you work on the coordination set. Once youve got mind and body all oiled up with the lube of violent action, now you can work that coordination set. Watch it on a lap top, or have it otherwise prepped ahead of time. Review it, hash out the basics, walk through it a couple of times to make sure you and your reaction partner both have it. Now its time to get to work. Grind it out on your turns. When youre taking your two, both of those are going to be the coordination set. You partner will do the same. Work it until it starts to feel like youre going on autopilot, then flip it as below: Mirror-image it. Now work the mirror-image of the coordination set, flipping right for left and vice-versa. This will yank you out of your autopilot feeling and force you to have to think about what youre doing again. This also ensures that you coordinate yourself equally, right brain/left brain, instead of favoring one side over the other. When this mirror-image feels like its running on autopilot, step it up as below: Grind it both ways on your turn. You get two turns, so do it in one orientation on your first turn, then the mirror-image on your second. This is the big power play, in terms of training. What you are telling your brain is that it doesnt matter which orientation you are presented with at the startthis particular technique can be done both ways. In other words, this keeps you from thinking that a particular hip throw always has to start with a right claw to the eyesyou are training yourself to get it with a right or a 44

left. And because you only have one of each, youre going to become an ambidextrous, anything goes operator instead of a wait, stand like this kind of fighter. Do this until its just too easy both waysyoure on autopilot for both your turns. Or, as can happen, youre reaching your limit on the frustration its causing you. In either case, its time to bag it and get to open mat time. Go to free practice & look for opportunities to plug the new stuff in. This is going to be a slower free fight, to give yourself the space and time to see options and take advantage of them. If, for example, the core skill in the coordination set was a particular takedown, look for places to execute that takedown. Dont worry about the exact strikes/injuries that preceded the dump, or the injuries delivered as a finisher. The important part is making that core skill, whatever it is, a part of your standard repertoire. It doesnt matter how you get into it, or what you do afterward. Its making it an obvious, natural, almost accidental addition to what you would normally do. This is you, getting better at violence. End the session with at least 10 minutes of anything-goes free practice. That last bit is you not worrying about a damn thingits just you doing what you love to do best. If the core skill shows up, great--if not, dont sweat it. If youve worked things correctly it will show up at some pointif not right now, then later, on another day, when you least expect it. If you want to gain the skill inside the coordination set, work it as Ive outlined aboveyoull end up owning it & it will just be another part of who you are as a fighter... each one like an extra bullet in your clip.

45

APPENDIX F: ASSESSMENTS

46

Members are eligible for optional video assessment after completion of each training module. This assessment consists of a three to five minute video of your free practice. You can take the appropriate assessment any time after you complete a moduleyou don't have to do it right away, though it is recommended that you do so sooner rather than later so you can incorporate the feedback to improve your performance as you go forward. In addition to the three optional assessments there is one mandatory assessment required to earn TFT Level 1 certification: - After completing Module 1, optional video assessment - After completing Module 2, optional video assessment - After completing Module 3, optional video assessment - After completing Module 4, mandatory video assessment: Final Assessment for TFT Level 1 - VIA VIDEO - Leg Dynamics (once with each leg) - Specific free practice examples: -- 3 turns using hands/arms ONLY -- 3 turns using feet/legs ONLY -- 3 takedowns/throws -- 3 joint breaks - 10 minutes of free practice, including knife & baton (See details in What Were Looking For, below.) Prospective TFT Trainers must complete an additional two online training modules and a further two mandatory assessments to earn TFT Trainer certification: - After completing Module 5, video assessment (three to five minutes of free practice) - After completing Module 6, live assessment: Final Assessment for TFT Trainer - LIVE - Leg Dynamics (full set, four times with each leg) - Specific free practice examples: -- 4 turns using hands/arms ONLY 47

-- 4 turns using feet/legs ONLY -- 4 takedowns -- 2 hip throws -- 2 shoulder throws -- 8 different joint breaks -- 10 joint break takedowns/throws - 20 minutes of free practice, including knife & baton

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Leg Dynamics Proper foot & leg positions, in control of your body weight, smooth transitions, braced for impact, vertical spine ('standing at attention' from the hips up). Specific free practice examples Each one of these is just like taking your turn in free practice, but without the chaos of full-blown mat time so you can focus and attend to giving your best example of the work. X turns using hands/arms ONLY We want to see how you use your hands, forearms, elbows and shoulders as blunt-force trauma tools. We'll be looking to see whether you're using them as independent flails or truly screwing them to the front of your truck and running him over, in other words, if you're using arm strength (bad) or body weight (good) to strike. Next, we're looking at your targeting. Is it really one square inch of you through one square inch of him? And is that one square inch a real target? We're also looking for good penetration and rotation. Are you displacing the man, ending up where he was standing? (Or, at the very least, having your mass push through him.) Are you following all the way through to make the injury stick? In conjunction with complete rotation we're looking at your capacity for rhythm and timing. Are you using your follow through as the natural wind up for your next strike? X turns using feet/legs ONLY As above, but with your hands behind your back. We want to see how you use your feet, shins, knees and hips as injury tools. 48

X takedowns A takedown is anything that gets him from standing to on the ground. It can be as simple as a stomp through the ankle or knee or as (semi) technical as a T-Leverage, buckling the hip or kicking his leg(s) out from under him. As a complete turn this should start with as many injuries as you like, execute the takedown and then take him to nonfunctional. X throws While a takedown tends to go from standing to straight down, a throw has some kind of flight or hang-time element in it. Another way of looking at it is both feet leave the ground while the body's in the air. Drop, hip and shoulder throws all fall in this category. The throw should be part of a complete turn as above. (Start with injury(-ies), throw, then finish him.) X joint breaks As it says. Injure him, break a joint, finish him. X joint break takedowns/throws This is the advanced skill of seamlessly turning a joint break into a takedown or throw. Again, as a part of a complete turn from start to finish. X minutes of free practice (including knife & baton) This is the heart of the test, and is the most heavily weighted. We're looking at everything all at once: targeting, body dynamics, displacement, timing, rhythm, aggression and even how good your reactions are. PREPARATION For general recommendations in preparing for assessment, see Appendix G: Going for Trainer. Everyone is also encouraged to participate in the Feedback Loop section of the online forum upload a five-minute clip of your free practice and get some pointers for improving your performance. This is a very good idea especially as you get close to being assessed: better to hear it ahead of time and fix any problems than at the time of the test. In addition, we'll tell you if it's good enough to pass. PROCEDURE The first five assessments are done by video. Record your test, following the format listed for each test, and then either upload it as per the instructions in the Feedback Loop section of the online forum.

49

The final assessment for TFT Trainer must be done with us live. This will require you to travel to our training center in San Diego or one of our regularly scheduled weekend seminars (Las Vegas, Dallas, NYC, London, Sydney, etc.) where we will set aside time to assess you in person. There is no additional cost for assessment, other than travel and lodging for the final one. PASS OR FAIL Whether you pass or fail the assessment, you will be given a detailed step-by-step on what, exactly, you need to work on to improve your performance. You may retake the assessment at any time, though I recommend you do so only after incorporating the feedback into your regular sessions. Train hard and remember: I'd say good luck, but luck has nothing to do with it.

50

APPENDIX G: GOING FOR TRAINER

51

The training program on this website is the culmination of more than 20 years of work20 years of training thousands of people, figuring out, often by trial and error, what makes people 'get it' and what just gets in the way, what is important to know right now and what really doesn't matter. It is a representative primer in everything that's possible in violence combined with the best way to train for it. In many ways it's the culmination of my life's work. Anyone can interface with this information, and take as much time as they'd like to do so. We present it here because knowledge kills fear, and this kind of knowledge has been proven to save lives. I think it's as important as knowing how to swim. Certification, on the other hand, is not casual. It requires a much more serious engagement with the material, putting in the work on a weekly basis and building the skill for yourself. We could have easily set this up as an online certificate mill and simply have a computer mail you one when you hit the end. It would sure be less work for us, and probably more lucrative, tooyou'd be surprised how many people just want to pay us for that piece of paper. But I feel strongly that you wouldn't want to hang something on the wall you can't be proud of, that you can't live up to. Instead, I want you to feel it every time you see it hanging there, representing your hard work, your dedication, your knowledge and skill. You earned it. If that's something you're aiming for, if that's why you're here, then you're going to want to follow the program to the letter and maximize your learning by doing the following: Leg Dynamics every day. Okay, you can take weekends off if you want to, so five days a week. It'll take you five minutes a day, tops, so there are no excuses in getting this done. Make it a habit, part of your day, part of who you are. Just walk through it four times with each leg. That's it. It's not about marathon sessions of thisit's about building the muscle memory so you're braced properly when you're striking people. It's about having this practice follow you onto the mats and into the street. Any given strike, joint break or throw is only good from the ground up. Leg Dynamics ensure that you have at least the first half right. Mat sessions at least twice a week. Get a reaction partner, get them trained up enough to work with and then get busy. You can't learn how to swim without getting wet and you're not going to get good at violence without the Object of Interest: another human body. In a perfect world you'd have five or more reaction partners hitting the mats for an hour three times a week. Most of us are not that lucky (believe me, I've been where you are right now), so you want to shoot for one, meeting twice a week. This is really where you want to be to make good progressyou can do it with less, say one hour a week, but it's going to take you longer. Anyone can learn the informationand get respectable resultsby watching the lessons
52

and going through them physically with another person from time to time, but if you want to be certified as a Trainer you're going to have to do the work... and get into the TFT lifestyle groove where mat sessions are locked into the calendar, and it's just what you do. (As an example, I have no idea what's on TV on Wednesday nights; I haven't seen it in more than 20 years because Wednesday has always been a training night for me. Everyone in my family knows it, and that's just the way it is. I was on the mats last Wednesday, and I've been hitting Monday, Wednesday, Saturday since 1988.) For those two mat sessions you're going to want to spend the first one of the week working through the current coordination set, and then a little free practice; the second session is pure free practice fun for an hour. When I run assessments I can tell how much mat time someone got (or not). In this regard clock time is far less important than calendar time, meaning that the person who crams a 10-hour session into a Saturday will not be nearly as good as the one who has five weeks (of two one-hour sessions each) under their belt. While not required, I highly recommend picking up a copy of the TFT SourceBookit is our live training bible and lays out, in detail, every facet of human physical violence. Read it, ask question, then read it again. Keep it as a constant reference. Remember that the assessments are optional. They are not required to participate in the online course, or to learn the material. They're not even required to get really, really good. That part's up to you. But they are required for certification because we need some way of knowing you put the work in on your end. You can't hope to share the skill if you haven't built it for yourself. But I guarantee that if you follow the guidelines of the course, and my advice above, you will be that good. And that's something you can take pride in.

53