By Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato Action is always faster than reaction. That is a law that must be understood by every student of self-defense and close combat. It becomes especially important when training in the martial arts of Asia, where “never make the first move” and “karate begins and ends with blocking” dominates the...
Category: TRENDS IN SURVIVALISM by Bradley J. Steiner
Post
WHEN NON-VIOLENCE AND PASSIVITY ARE EVIL
Years ago we had a fine student who at the time was a detective and SWAT officer with the Washington State Patrol. He has since left that Service and works for the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Protection Service. A fine athlete and swimmer, he made Brown Belt before relocating to his new job. One incident...
Post
ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES
By Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato The NY Daily News online carried a story back in December (Christmas Eve, in fact) about a man who, in a bar fight, punched another. It was an imbecilic, meaningless argument, of course. The serious, civilized, intellectual discussions take place in settings other than neighborhood taverns. In any case,...
Post
KNOWING WHAT TO USE AND WHEN
By Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato A martial art, if it is truly martial (that is, “of or pertaining to war”) encompasses unarmed combat and armed combat. We see unarmed combat and physical readiness as the foundation upon which physical and technical skills are built. In fact, this is nothing new; it is exactly how...
Post
JUSTIFYING BRUTALITY
By Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato There can never be any justification, rationalization, excuse, or alibi for initiating violence against someone who is not himself placing you in danger or in some way commencing violence against you. If you start trouble with someone because you have poor impulse control, because you are “angry,” because they...
Post
THE REAL ANSWER TO VIOLENT CRIME
By Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato Understandably citizens living in virtually every major city in America are deeply concerned with criminal violence. (We are well aware of problems in England, France, Italy, and elsewhere, also. However, we know the facts about violent crime here where we live, and so we speak of the situation here...
Post
USE ANYTHING AT HAND TO ASSIST IN YOUR DEFENSE
By Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato We have for decades urged our students to carry a handful of aquarium gravel in their outer pocket to have something to disorient and distract any possible assailant with. Walking to your car, leaving work, out for a stroll, etc.—having a handful of gravel arms you for an unexpected...
Post
HUMANE SELF-DEFENSE
By Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato We are not in the least troubled by those who choose to disdain the kind of serious, vicious and brutal attitudinal and technical approach to self-defense that we and our Associate Teachers espouse. Just don’t expect us to sanction, endorse, support, or accept it. We approach self-defense in the...
Post
FAIRBAIRN, SYKES, APPLEGATE, O’NEILL, CARLIN, LEATHER, BIDDLE, STYERS… WHAT’S WITH US?
by Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato Over the past 20-30 years we have caused a few people to wonder what, exactly, is it that “gives” with us. We incessantly refer to the teachers listed in the title of this piece as though they were the be-all and end-all of close combat and self-defense. Are we...
Post
USE ADULT JUDGEMENT FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE!
By Bradley J. Steiner, American Combato A recent news story reported that a woman producing a handgun and leveling it at another woman over a dispute regarding—of all stupid things—the armed woman’s alleged refusal to apologize to the other woman’s 15 year old daughter after bumping into her! Look, if you bump into someone (or...