"It doesn't matter... it can"t" - [Damian Ross] – The Self Defense Company

“It doesn’t matter… it can”t” – [Damian Ross]

Home Forums Tactics and Training Questions SDTS Module 8: Weapons Defense “It doesn’t matter… it can”t” – [Damian Ross]

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    • #10664
      James Goolsby
      Participant

      Guys,

      Damian has stated over and over how your defense cannot change based on the opponent’s attack, i.e., no specific defenses!

      Case in point… without getting into to too much detail, I worked a case recently where an individual was stabbed several times, one even penetrating his liver. According to friends and witnesses, he — and I quote — “only thought he was in a fist fight.” In fact, it was not even until he was walking away and felt “wet” inside his shirt that he discovered what had happened. He actually thought he was just sweaty from the fight. This is why Damian is so hard on us about this point. Heres a guy who never even knew he was in a knife fight until it was all over. He never saw the knife, felt the knife, or even knew there WAS a knife until much, much later!

      Listen, I know at times I may come across as a Damian Ross “disciple” and put the guy on a pedestal. Of course, he would be the first to tell you he doesn’t belong there, but he’s just being humble. I make no apologies for it; the fact of the matter is that SDTS is the real deal. There is nothing “extra” in this system. If it works in the real world, Damian has included it; if it does not, no amount of begging will convince him to put in a crouching tiger, hidden dragon spinning back roundhouse knee to the temple just because it looks cool or he thinks he can make a buck from it. He and his company deserve to make money, of course, but if that was all he was after I can guarantee that SDTS would be a whole hell of a lot more than 12 modules. I have spent more than my share of time studying various systems over the last 30+ years and I can honestly tell you there is nothing better out there than SDTS… period! And trust me; I put my life on the line every time I put on a badge and gun and go to work, so I am not going to rely on anything that does not give me the greatest chance of seeing my family at the end of the day. SDTS is backed by the ultimate guarantee — my life!

      Please, for your own sake, listen to the man. Watch the lessons, work the drills, and study your manuals like your life depends on it. Because, like this poor fellow above, one day it just might.

      Stay safe.

    • #12868

      Thanks [James Goolsby].

      The only problem we face in “converting” people to the SDTS is that they haven’t been exposed to or even really thought about what happens during extremely violent attacks.

      In martial arts training you’re taught that once the knife touches you, you’re automatically dead. This is reinforced by Hollywood.

      That’s another reason I think SHOCK KNIVES SUCK.

      It conditions you to stop and react to ANY contact with the blade when in reality – you just have to ATTACK HARDER and HARDER!!

      It’s simple but it’s a hard pill for regular folks to swallow.

    • #12874
      James Goolsby
      Participant

      @Damian Ross said:

      Thanks [James Goolsby].
      The only problem we face in “converting” people to the SDTS is that they haven’t been exposed to or even really thought about what happens during extremely violent attacks.

      Exactly. It’s like that old saying in boxing:

      “Everybody’s got a plan… until they get punched in the mouth!”

    • #12898

      I gotta agree I used to watch krav gun and knife disarms an try to drill them only to realized that if shtf how am I supposed to remember this stuff. Then after listening to Damian it just make sense. Also I spoke with my father (former Air Force spec ops) and all he could saw was wow that was the exact same thing they told us when training with the SEALs in Vietnam. That’s when it hit me if it’s good enough for PJs and SEALs it’s gotta work in the street. In the street you have no time to think about specific movements, you just plow thru the assailant.

    • #12899
      James Goolsby
      Participant

      I agree with you, Archie. The only thing we’ve got to be careful of is throwing the baby out with the bath water. I think Krav, and even most traditional martial arts, have their place.

      Take Krav, for example. There are a ton of moves in there that are similar to SDTS. I’ve taken KM classes. I’ve got a ton of books and videos. It’s a decent system for what it is. But, I think where it, and most “arts”, fail is in the philosophy. They pretty much teach the same edge-of-hand, hammer fist, knee strike, etc. that we do. Where they drop the ball, I believe, is when they start to combine these things into “techniques”, i.e., specific defenses. They have a decent base, and one would do well to look over their material, but just don’t get caught up in the whole spinning-dragon-fist-of-fury nonsense. Damian has proven again and again that you cannot have one move for a wrist grab, another move for an arm grab, another for a lapel grab, etc. You’ll never remember all that when the adrenaline dumps. A friend of mine who studied Hapkido for years, after realizing his system taught him something along the lines of 300+ techniques to achieve his black belt, said, “So, what you’re telling me is I won’t know what the f*** to do in a fight!” In his defense, I’ve seen him in action and he rarely uses more than a half-dozen or so. Ironically, every one that he uses on a regular basis is covered in Mod 1 and 2 of SDTS. Here’s a guy who spent years perfecting moves that he would have learned in about 20 minutes and perfected in about two months here.

      The beauty of SDTS is that we teach primarily one “technique”: ATTACK THE MAN! Now, how we get there is pretty much the same as any other system. We punch, we kick, we bite, etc. It is Damian’s philosophy of combat that is important. If a person doesn’t grasp that, we could teach them the patented SDTS Edge of Hand Strike all damn day and it wouldn’t help them. It’s his methodology and the feral nature of the system that creates the magic.

      Martial arts aren’t “bad”; they’re just not self defense. Aikido, for example, is a fantastic “art”. Its grace and balance are unparalleled. It’s like moving meditation and I enjoy it immensely. Having said that, however, I can almost guarantee with 100% certainty I would not ever try to use it in a fight; it’s too damn complicated. Steve Seagull looks great in Under Siege, but he’d get his ass kicked in a biker bar!

      Just remember, self defense is self defense, everything else is, well, everything else. If you want to study BJJ because you think it’s a fun way to stay in shape, go ahead. If you want to take it a step further and compete, go ahead. Heck, I’m even kicking around the idea of taking Aiki-Jujitsu through work just because it looks fun and gives me some real opponents to throw around (Are they in for a shock when I hit ’em with the ol’ Hip Whip! Laugh) But remember, these things are sport. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just a different goal. The trick, and where most people fail, is to never confuse the two. Fun aside, for learning to save my ass, give me SDTS and a BOB any day of the week!

      Stay safe, my friend.

    • #12916

      [James Goolsby] Very well said my man. I completely agree with all your points. I’ve been in shtf situations before and kinda know how I react… It’s a tense sensation and I personally feel extremely confident with the techniques from mod one and two. There honestly convulsive at this point in training, my dog catches some edge of hands when I’m playing with him (not hard of course) and it’s just out of habit. And it also made me realize that this, to me, is not a blocking system. Like some martial arts. This is more of a strike and destroy system. The edge of hand can be used as a block and a strike at the same time, to plow thru the assailant.
      Yes, martial arts have their place for personal development and growth. I have nothing against them. Without them and some digging by Damian and others we wouldn’t have the SDTS Laugh

    • #13568
      gary
      Participant

      You are all correct on that. I train a little krav to just because I like it. But I only train the gun and knife disarm. But with that said well over 200 hundred times with a soft air gun I have yet been hit by the pellet… And trust me the gun will go off..so like Damian says attack the man with out the man the weapon won’t hurt you. But I am curious what Damian think about mark stutely pressure point fighting? Anyone who wants to be able to survive serious attacks against them or there loved ones I personnelly don’t think there is anything better then what Damian teaches you here if you listen to what he says TRAIN HONESTLY. I to have train in kick boxing, boxing karate and some wrestling growing up. And I don’t even bother with any off that no more.. This stuff is the real deal.. Thanks Damian…..

    • #13569
      James Goolsby
      Participant

      Gary,

      I cannot speak for Damian, however I can speak from my own experience for what it’s worth. Pressure point “fighting” is utter nonsense. Due to the very nature of how the pressure points are located on the body, it requires accuracy that you’ll never achieve in a real fight. Moreover, again in my experience, the only time it really works even if you do get it is with a complaint partner, like in a training environment. When a person is jacked up on alcohol, drugs, or even a high level of adrenaline, they simply won’t feel it. And don’t get me started on trying to get a psyche patient under control with it; it just ain’t going to happen!

      Stick to the basics. Even if pressure points worked the way they’re advertised, you’ll never remember all the locations, especially under stress. It is just better to remember Damian’s philosophy: Attack The Man! Just start hacking and chopping, biting and kicking, and you’ll get what you get. It’s not about specific targets. The whole point is to overwhelm your opponent and flip who is predator and who is prey as quickly as possible; get them on the defensive.

      Be safe.

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