WARRIOR TALK NEWS

Beating The Reaper!!! Volume 1: Trauma Medicine for the CCW Operator

Dr. John Meade

Director of Tactical Medicine

Suarez International

In 2010, I introduced a radically new class into the Suarez International curriculum: Trauma Medicine for the CCW Operator (TMCO). This class was designed to be a gunfighting class, not just a classroom first aid class like so many others teach. My idea was to teach how to respond to the potentially lethal encounter and be able to not only win the gunfight, but also avoid dying from wounds received during the fight. The class teaches both halves of the situation, the gunfight and the medical care, in an integrated fashion.

As obvious to me as it was that we needed the TMCO class, it was also obvious that we needed a book to accompany the class. While no book can replace the guided instruction of a class, having a text would be very helpful. The book could serve as material for preparation prior to the class, as notes so the student would be able to pay more attention during the class and as review material afterwards. The realist in me had to admit that everyone in the English-speaking world would not sign up for a TMCO class, so the book needed to be able to stand on its own, as well, and be able to provide lifesaving information for those who could not attend the class.

I am an experienced Emergency Medicine/Trauma doctor, and a member of a police SWAT team. I train SWAT medics, street paramedics and EMT’s, and oversee multiple EMS agencies. I decided that two brains were better than one for this project, however, and approached a friend who is an active duty Special Forces military combat medic to co-author the book with me. He has spent most of the last decade treating gunshot wounds and other traumatic injuries on overseas battlefields, and would be able to bring another set of experiences to the project.  Between the two of us, we bring a combination of civilian, military, law enforcement, hospital, and out-of-hospital perspectives.

The focus of this book is the same as the TMCO class: the “Average Joe” who finds himself suddenly in an unexpected violent encounter. This man certainly doesn’t consider himself to be a medically trained special operator. Instead, he is someone who realizes that, just as with his shooting skills, he needs to have skill to help save someone’s life, perhaps his own, in the aftermath of shooting or other traumatic event. We call that man the “CCW Operator”. He doesn’t have a team medic nearby. He must show the same self-reliance that got him through the initial incident.  The book, and the class, are infused with the same TCCC (Trauma Combat Casualty Care) principles that are now being taught to military medics. We believe that the skills and mindset needed by the average guy robbed at his local bank ATM machine are the same as those needed by the cop pinned down in an inner city apartment complex hallway, or a soldier caught in an ambush in Iraq.

 

The result of this joint effort is BEATING THE REAPER!! Volume 1: Trauma Medicine for the CCW Operator. It is available now exclusively at the One Source Tactical store. Topics in the book include tactics, hemorrhage control, shock, airway management, chest injuries and musculoskeletal injuries. We also discuss various pieces of medical gear that we strongly recommend, and other gear that we strongly recommend that you avoid.

 

We are already at work on Beating The Reaper: Volume Two. Volume 1 is appropriate to everyone, but especially addresses how to handle things when all you have is a pistol in a reactive gunfight. Volume 2 will focus on things that are more pertinent to teams, such as military, police, and even families that train together. Armor, more medical gear, and a higher level of medical treatment will be discussed.

Sign up for a Trauma Medicine class near you, and purchase the book now! I assure you that you won’t regret either one!

Not Without a Fight! Why Ladies' Fitness is Crucial for Self-Defense

Not Without A Fight - Why Ladies Fitness is Crucial for Self-defense

Corinna Coplin – Suarez International Instructor

 

 About two years ago, I realized that getting into my thirties I would have a harder time losing the weight I had accumulated in my twenties.

 I sat down with my husband at our annual goal setting session and talked over what we wanted to accomplish. I told him that I wanted to lose weight but most of all I wanted to get in better overall health - meaning better cardio, stamina and muscle tone.

In my classes I get ladies of all ages and shapes. When I get the questions about what else to do to be a better Warrior Lady here is what I answer: “ You need to increase your cardio and being able to stay in a fight, so the better the your fitness level the better for you!”

 My body will never be a very skinny one. I am a large chested, good bone structured German woman and as my grandma would say with “child-bearing friendly hips”.

I knew that starving myself to a certain weight was not the answer. I tried that once and ended up weakened physically with bone sticking out in odd places.  I had to change my life.  My eating, exercising habits and perspective on life.

 

In the following I will give you an idea of my fitness journey so far:

 At the beginning of 2010 I started with purchasing myself a pedometer (Omron) and watching what I was eating. I also wrote down each night how many steps I took or rather how many I did not. My goal was a baseline of 10,000 steps each day and that is sometimes easier said than done. With the pedometer I had no more excuses. Here it was, black-on-white, what I knew already but did not want to admit, that I was not moving enough.

As my husband always says the secret to weight loss is: “Eat less.  Move more.”

Watching what I was eating, doing, walking and some weight training, I was able to lose 10 pounds. Now, to some of you that might not seem like a lot but I was not planning to lose a bunch and then gain it all back if I fell back into my old routines so I was happy with the ten pounds.

In 2011, my husband and I wanted to take our fitness and overall health even a step further.

Not only did I watch my steps, we started talking daily walks. At the beginning we walked sometimes even twice a day for about 25-45 minutes each time. These were brisk walks at a pace of 3-4 miles per hour.  The terrain where we live allows up to switch up our tempo, uphill, downhill, streets and nature paths so that our bodies never got used to one motion.  Uneven terrain with rocks and varying footing helps to trick the body into staying active instead of getting neurologically complacent.  

We started our intensified program at the beginning of summer knowing full well that the heat will have us eat more fruits, vegetables and drink lots of water rather than indulging in breads, pastas and sweets. Don’t get me wrong, I love those things and they love me because if I am not watching it, they will stay forever.

 

Besides our intensified walking program, we changed our eating habits even further than already described. I found the free app “My Fitness Pal” for my phone and kept track of everything. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The app will ask you for your present weight and target weight and how long you want to take to reach that goal.  It will calculate how much calories you can consume for that to happen. You can enter all the foods that you eat, the liquids you drink and all the exercise you do. A lot of the exercises and foods are already pre-programmed. The main issue I had with any diet was eating in restaurants because it is hard to figure out calories there. This app has a ton of restaurant foods already pre-programmed, which makes it really simple to dine out.  Further, you can enter your own recipes and it will calculate the amount of calories per serving for you.

 

This app was exactly what I needed and has proven to be more helpful than I could have imagined. I can have my occasional sweet craving satisfied without feeling guilty or going overboard because I can track it.

The other beauty is that if you have a barcode on the food item you wish to eat, the app will let you scan it so no manual entry is needed and you save quite a bit of time. I still remember the look on my husband’s face the first time he caught me with the phone in the fridgeJ.  Just priceless!

 

Another app that is worth mentioning is the Nike Training Club, which will show you plenty of exercise. It is a big file size so might be better off on a computer than the phone.

 

We continued this program all year, watching what we ate, walked at least once a day, used kettle bells and weights and voilà: by the end of 2011 I had lost an additional 16 pounds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my classes I will give my students specific hints on exercised that they can do to get in better fighting shape so I will share them here as well:

 

1. The wobble-Board: Great for core and balance training. Try your presentation from the holster from the wobble board without falling off.
2. Kettle-bells or free weights: Start small with more repetitions at the beginning. Strengthen your upper arms and shoulders to handle recoil and to handle an attacker.
3. Grip-Master: Great for strengthening the muscles in your fingers
4. Pilates: Great for strengthening your core muscles, hip and back muscles which will help you with ground fighting
5. Squats: Strengthen those leg muscles which will help you if you have to fight an attacker on the ground
6. Elliptical: Gentle on the knees and joints but great for your cardio
7. Punch Bag: Great for realizing that a 30 seconds fight of punches can be really long!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I stated in the beginning, this endeavor was not only to lose weight, but mainly to increase overall health and fitness. The weight loss is a nice bonus but the best part is how I feel. I hope that this article will get you motivated and off your chairs to train to be in better overall health and shape. Start slow and do not give up!

DISCUSS ARTICLE HERE!

 

 

NOT WITHOUT A FIGHT! Why Ladies' Gunfighting is Critical

Why Ladies' Gunfighting is Critical -

by Corinna Coplin, Suarez Internationals Instructor

Part One – The Here and Now 

 

The traditional roles of male and female have the man being the defender of hearth and home while the female tends to the children and household.  This is a 20^th century tradition and not the way things have always been.

 

Previously, women had a much broader spectrum of responsibilities.  Sure, they took care of the children and home but they also slaughtered animals, worked in the fields and were often left alone for extended periods of time to defend themselves and their families.

 

Virtually no one would argue that women are inherently helpless or necessarily weak. 

 

However, as a society we have come to narrowly define women as being less capable of defending themselves or their children and of being physically and emotionally weak.  Wrong!

 

I can absolutely verify that women are not weak or helpless.  I see that in every Ladies’ Gunfighting class I teach.  These are strong and very capable women.  They are also nothing unusual or special.  They are just your ordinary housewives, girlfriends, mothers and grandmothers who have decided to make a commitment to upholding the tradition of women taking responsibility for their own and their families’ security.

 

How many women have their husband or boyfriend with them twenty-four hours a day?  Not many.  How often are women left alone or with children to care for without a man being present and ready to defend them?  Most women would fit this description.

 

We as females cannot make our security dependent upon the presence of a man.  They are simply not always able to be there and frankly, in all too many cases in our modern society, are not equipped for that task.  We must take our safety into our own hands.

 

While males are typically stronger in the upper body than women, there is little strength difference in the lower body.  Leg strength is pretty equal between the sexes. 

 

If you give a woman a weapon, you further equalize the strength disparity.  How much strength does it take to pull a trigger?  Or hold onto a knife?  Women use knives on a daily basis in the kitchen.  With a bit of training that kitchen tool becomes quite a force equalizer.

 

A pistol is a very logical and viable force equalizer for women.  A pistol is easy to conceal and transport.  It does not require the “bad breath” proximity that a knife does.  It requires little strength to use.  It can be used multiple and consecutive times.  A pistol can be a girl’s best friend!

 

Women learn differently than men.  They respond in uniquely female ways to the integration of new information and skill acquisition.  Because of this it would make sense for women to receive female-specific training.

 

It is often written that women comprise the fastest growing segment of the “shooting sports”.  While I do not view what we at Suarez International teach as being at all related to the “shooting sports”, it is encouraging to note that women are becoming more involved in shooting.  What would be even better would be for more women to take up the call to arms and train to defend themselves and their families.

 

On a very personal note, in my own family, two of the three females have been the victims of violent sexual assault.  I have no intention of being the third.

 

When we as women acquire the training and mindset to confront evildoers we can truly say to the bad guy that while you may choose to attack me I will not make it easy for you to prevail.  I am not your victim.  Not Without A Fight!

 

 Part Two – The Future

 

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

 

Coming from a country that has no Second Amendment, I can clearly see the profound implications that simple sentence has. 

 

This single sentence defines much of what is great and unique about the United States.

 

In my homeland of Germany it took only two generations for firearms to be essentially outlawed for private citizens and to become an object of derision and disgust.

 

Much of this had to do with the disarmament of Germany post WWII.  The political wisdom was to demonize the military and any weapons including firearms.  While there are still hunters in Germany, they are few in number and very strictly controlled.

 

When I talk to my female university friends in Germany about shooting, firearms training and self defense I get blank stares and a pretty universal reaction of, “Why would you want to do that?  Guns are wrong and unnecessary.  What a waste of time.”

 

If women in America are not involved in firearms training and learning how to defend themselves, the Second Amendment will be lost.  Women constantly tell me that they “will not allow a gun in the house’.  I find this to be ignorant and very shortsighted. Women are essential to the heritage of this country and the continued support and exercising of the “right of the people to keep and bear Arms”.

 

Remember, it only took two generations in Germany to completely change the public perception to being anti-gun.

 

Ladies it is up to us to make sure we are safe.  It is up to us to ensure the safety of our children and homes.  It is incumbent on us to convey the significance of our freedoms to our children and to make sure that we never lose them.

 

I see a change in the demographics of classes.  More women desire familiarity with firearms already in their homes.  Once they have training, they begin to choose their own pistols and other gear.  This is a good trend and needs to be supported by fathers, husbands and boyfriends.

 

When women are involved in firearms training in sufficient numbers we become an excellent support group and system for each other.

 

Train with firearms and other weapons.  Become actively involved in your own safety and that of your family.  It truly is up to us to let the cry be heard loud and clear, “NOT WITHOUT A FIGHT!”

 

 

Warrior Children and the Defensive Blade

Written by John Chambers - Suarez International Tier One Instructor

During a recent Defensive Knife class, my 14 year old daughter joined the class as one of the participants.  Now as her father, I knew that she would be able to hold her own in the class as she has almost 10 years of experience in the martial arts and does not know the meaning of the word quit.  But as the instructor I was very pleased to see her not only do well, but to see concrete proof that the defensive blade is major force multiplier for a trained child.  My observations of this class and others have proven to me that the knife is the ideal defensive weapon to help “predator proof” our kids.

Advantages of the Defensive Knife for Children

Weapons are an equalizer, with proper training – For many years we have preached to any who would listen that a weapon helps even the odds for a woman who has to face a larger and stronger attacker.  Children are already at a size and strength disadvantage when compared to adults so the benefits that a weapon gives a child over a larger and stronger attacker are even more evident.  Since the knife has at most a simple manipulation to deploy a folding blade it is very well suited to smaller and weaker hands.   And when you consider this in the light of the trouble that some females have with running the slide on a semi-auto pistol and it is obvious that an easily accessed and deployed blades make a lot of sense for younger warriors. 

The knife does not require strength, power is in the edge and the point – This fact plays to the advantages outlined above.  Anyone who has taken a Defensive Knife class from Suarez International or Michael Janich is familiar with the “pork man” demonstration of a knife’s destructive capability.  The key take away for students from this demonstration is that it does not take a huge amount of muscle power to inflict devastating wounds to an opponent with a good blade.   Look at the gaping wounds inflicted on the “pork man” by my 14 year old daughter in a recent class.  She is a little taller than the average 14 year old, but she is in no way as strong as an average adult.  But with a blade and skill, she is able to inflict damage on an aggressor far out of proportion to her size.   Nobody will be dragging her into a van with his arm dissected and a four inch comma cut in his quadriceps!

The knife rewards speed and surprise – Have you ever spent time with a martial arts class of young teens who have been training for a few years?  I have been sitting in on my kids’ class on a weekly basis for a few years.  I am continually amazed at how these students are just plain FAST!  Most of them have at least two years worth of training behind them and they are quick and move extremely well.   Their reaction time and coordination is much better than the average large adult.  If a child combines these attributes with the unexpected deployment of a blade you have a very effective response that a child predator will NEVER forget.

Stealth – The knife is a very easy weapon to carry without detection and it excels in the Non Permissive Environments that all too often are the places that children tend to be gathered.  Unless there are metal detectors to be dealt with it takes no great effort to have an effective knife on your person at all times.   At the same time, even though the carry method is stealthy, with practice one can deploy the blade in a moment.  For example, appendix carry of a small folder is very low profile, but it allows quick access to the knife.  With proper practice it is just a fast to draw the blade from appendix carry as it is from the more commonly encountered pocket carry.  In conjunction with the practice of the “speed draw” there should be an equal amount of practice in the stealthy deployment of the knife.  It can be a very handy skill to have when you want to have the blade in your hand, but you do not wish to be noticed.

Legal to carry – Unlike a firearm there is little to no regulation about a minor carrying a knife, as long as it is within the weapon laws that cover knives.   Obviously, there a places that it may not be legal for a child to carry a blade, i.e. schools.  That being said, I personally see NOTHING wrong with training your children from a young age to ignore victim disarmament laws.  I carried a folding or fixed blade knife throughout my youth and learned about “concealed is concealed” before I could drive.

The Knife is Deniable and Disposable - There are times when it is of paramount importance that a specific weapon cannot be tied to the owner.   The “use it and lose it” methodology has been discussed and it is a valid option in some circumstances.  On the other hand, it can also be desirable to be able to dispose of, or hide a weapon in order to escape detection, or draw the unwanted attention of the “man.”  The knife is not only easier to ditch because of its smaller size compared a firearm, but the lack of serial numbers is not a hindrance either.   It is also easier to recover it if the opportunity or need to do so arises.  At the same time, if it needs to be left behind for any reason, it does not break the bank to replace it. 

Characteristics of “Defensive Knives for Kids”  -  There are many good choices but they all share similar features:

1.  The grip and the blade must be smaller in order to fit a smaller user.  The blade should also have a plain edge and a good point. 

2.  Easily concealed.   It can be either a folder or a fixed blade, with the folder being the more practical choice due to size constraints.  Good examples of acceptable folders are the Spyderco Delica, the Cold Steel Mini AK47, and the Blackhawk Be-Wharned.  Good fixed blade examples would be the Cold Steel Kiridashi or the Ontario RAT3.

3. The knife should be of good quality, but it should not break the bank.  Remember, it should be disposable if necessary.

 

To conclude, training to use the knife is something that parent and child can do together, at home and in class.  This is self explanatory if you think about it.  You don’t need a range or a lot of space.  You just need to be willing to get off the couch and work.  Partner drills?  No problem.  Flow drills?  Ditto!  Defensive knife is also the perfect class for a parent and child to attend together, not only to build skills but memories too.  Obviously, the parent needs to make a realistic assessment on whether their son or daughter is ready to participate in this type of training.  But if they are ready, there is NO reason that you cannot take the class together!

The Flash Mob Attack - How To Defend?

 

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - All eight suspects are in custody after a brutal attack in Five Points early Monday morning which left the teenage victim in critical condition, according to Columbia police.

CHICAGO, IL (WLS) -- The recent series of mob-style attacks on Chicago's Near North Side mark the first major hurdles facing Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago's new police superintendent Garry McCarthy. The latest attack happened Tuesday night. A witness tells WGN 15-20 teens beat and robbed two people at Chicago and Wabash

AKRON, OH -- Out of nowhere, the six were attacked by dozens of teenage boys, who shouted ''This is our world'' and ''This is a black world'' as they confronted Marshall and his family.

NO. VIRGINIA -- Three people were beaten by mobs in Northern Virginia in two separate incidents that occurred within five minutes of each other on Saturday night, authorities said.

These events have consumed the discussion at most self-defense focused websites in the last few weeks.  Accompanying the discussion is the usual hand wringing regarding what to do if one is beset by a gang of thugs bent on your destruction. Well, I have my views on this which will no doubt shock the senses of the Doodley Doo Rights of the gun world.

First, this was not some group of young teenaged honor students.  In all cases it was a group of urban thugs.  Second, they were not there to practice for their debate on the ills of capitalism.  Third, they understand only one thing...violence.  So understand who they are and be ready to speak their language.

1).  Don't go to stupid places with stupid people to do stupid things.   Simple but often ignored.  Listen, we do not live in a fair world where everyone respects everyone else.  Nor where everyone gets along.  You may in fact be totally color-blind in a socio-ethnic sort of way, but not everyone is.  So even if your liberal sociology professor thinks it is a cool thing to take a stroll at midnight through a ethnically homogenous part of town (different ethnicity that you), it is still a stupid idea. 

 

 

2).  Always have a method to defend yourself.  Even if it is not socially acceptable, or in line with the rules of the day, having some sort of weapon is essential.  Right about now, some of the Doodley Doo Rights are screaming that I am telling people to violate the law.  Well, go and google these stories.  Look at the faces of the victims...specially the one on life support right now.  Put yourself in their shoes.  Your choice is to arm yourself in violation of the rules, or to take the raping, beating and robbery?  What would you choose?

3).  Avoid if you can.  If you are standing around and see a group of twenty young urban thugs about two blocks away yelling, "kill whitey", and looking at your reflection in the store window, realize that you have not been in the sun in a while, here is my advice - "RUN".  If it looks like trouble, it probably is.  The gang is not there to debate the effects of american corporate expansion on the development of the urban neighborhoods with you.

4).  If you cannot avoid, attack...brutally and viciously.  This is not the time to worry about some goofball fear monger's articles about being sued, nor about anything of the sort.  It is time to deploy your weapons and attack the leaders.  Listen folks, there is disparity of force by the sheer number against you and the knowledge you have based on these prior flash mob events. 

If you have limited yourself by the rules and only have a knife, be certain you know how to use it.  Make it big enough that it will cause extreme pain and bleeding when you stab the attacker.  This is not the place for a legally carried tomato peeler that is two inches or less.  You need a fixed or folding knife that is at least 4 inches long. 

When the time comes, do not flash the knife like you are some crocodile dundee type guy ("that's not a knife").  Stab the first man deep and hard in his face and move to the next guy and repeat the exercise.  Do the same to anyone within reach.  When their buddies reel back, screaming in horror and pain, holding their bloodied faces with eyeballs hanging out, it will create hesitation.  Use that time to disengage. 

If you have a pistol, please make sure it is a modern high capacity weapon with a couple of spare magazines in your belt.  The Suarez International company gun, a Glock 17 with three magazines, yields a sum total of 52 rounds.  Figure three rounds per man, and you can reduce an angry mob of panga swinging killers into a fleeing group of bloodied bad guys.  Draw it and yell, "Get The F*** Back!" If they do, run away.  If they do not, shoot the first man in the face. The rest will take care of itself.

It really is very simple.  Might you get into trouble?  Sure, but being in jail because you stabbed three guys on the street is far better than being in the hospital having holes drilled into your head to relieve the pressure on your brain while the female members of your party are getting HIV exams in the next room.  The only way to defeat brutality is with extreme and greater brutality.

Keep that in mind, arm yourself properly and if it comes, be brutal.