Real Street Fighting Moves

Norm Bettencourt shows what a setting of a Reality-Based Fighting lesson.

Reality-Based Self Defense, also know as Reality-Based Fighting or RBF has a certain irony surrounding it. Most people do not have a clear distinction of it as one of 3 major categories of fighting, yet most people when they enroll in a martial arts class or strip mall dojo (as I fondly call a McDojo) believe that they will learn Reality-Based Street Fighting.

The same goes for those, who are duly impressed after watching a MMA fighting match with all of the intense “grounding and pounding” with emphasis on locks, throws and grappling, also go out and sign up with a school emphasizing MMA techniques – believing – that they too are about to learn things that are extremely applicable in the streets.

Traditional Martial Arts and Mixed Martial Arts, even put together, do not equate Reality-Based Self Defense. Sorry. I know this breaks the hearts of some of you, but it is a fact. The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.

Some Reality-Based Fighting Principles CAN Find Their Way Into Traditional Martial Arts Systems

Let me say that some reality-based fighting principles can find their way into the curriculum of some traditional martial arts schools. For example, I have seen eye gouges demonstrated in some Kung Fu schools, and this is fine. But the problem is that over time, perfectly good, simple and easy-to-learn street fighting techniques like this one get lost in a plethora of countless other competing techniques taught, some effective, and some not so effective, that soon distract the student from knowing which one to choose and what really works best in most common situations.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Does Not Emphasize “Street Smarts” – Because It Is A Sport!

I do not want to imply by any stretch of the imagination that a MMA guy is someone you should go around picking a fight with or that he is a pushover. This kind of thinking can get you a good “ass-whipping”. But let’s face it, a great deal of MMA guys are grapplers. What in the hell are you doing grappling on the ground in the streets! This is insane! The ground is NOT your friend!

On the ground, you lose peripheral vision, and you can’t see if and when your opponent has buddies coming to the left or right of you ready to stomp your head into the ground – until you are dead. And falling onto the hard and unforgiving asphalt concrete with a 200 lb guy on top of you is not the same as falling on a soft padded mat with the watchful eye of the referee ready to let you “tap out” when things get too tough.

A “sports mindset” is not the best preparation for a life and death struggle for survival. Let MMA for the octagon, and just watch it on TV.

What Characterizes Reality-Based Self Defense

• It Doesn’t Take A Long Time To Master – Where studying a martial art (as it should) may take you years and years to master and to a lesser degree so does sports and competitive fighting, Reality-Based Self Defense can take as little as 1 or 2 days of intensive scenario-based training where you are placed in simulated environments with your instructor. You would find yourself in a mock-alley ways, close-quarter rooms with plenty of furniture, or you may go outside to train on the streets – on the gravel, on leaves, on grass, on concrete or on snow.

• You Train For How And Where You Will Have To Fight – The idea is to go out of the usual temperature-controlled dojos and out into to realistic modern-day fighting environments. You train in your everyday clothes and in your shoes. You practice countering surprise attacks administered and directed by your instructor whose purpose is to induce within you the adrenaline rush that you will experience in a real street confrontation – and thus be comfortable with it.

One emotionally-charged weekend of good fight response experience with a good RBF instructor can change you so positively that your self-confidence and ability to respond will shoot through the roof, and this confidence will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Would you like to learn Reality-Based Fighting from a real RBF instructor?  Let me know, and I will see that you get the training that you need.  Thanks.

Charles Prosper aka “The Street Fighting Sifu”

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Knife self defense is made simply, easy, practical and ultra-effective when Norm Bettencourt is at the helm revealing real street fighting moves.

This is a very revealing interview that Norm gave me on how to really defend yourself against a knife attack.  Let’s hear what the master has to say.

Charles: How are you doing, Norm? We’re glad to have you here with us today. Can you tell us what is your background in fighting and martial art?

Norm: Well, I hold a black belt in karate, and my experience in security is that I have worked in the security field for 15 years, everything from bouncing to bodyguarding to doing regular security work.

Charles: Wow! So you’ve had a pretty extensive, real-life background, I take.

Norm: Definitely. Definitely. Now, I teach full time.

Charles: Wonderful. Wonderful. Now, our subject here today is going to be how to defend yourself against a knife attack. And this is an important and very serious subject. Do you have 4 key steps or secrets or tips that can really help a person to defend themselves against a knife attack?

Norm: For sure.

• The First One would be Be Offensive.

Don’t go in defensive mode or else you’re going to get cut much more often.

• The Second One is when you are getting slashed or getting cut, realize that that is the reality of a knife fight, so you want to Protect Your Vitals.

So, use your forearms to block any slashes that are coming your way. As well you want to use your environment to try to disarm your attacker.

Charles: Would this be number 3?

Norm: Yes, it would be. So,

• Number Three would be Use Your Environment To Disarm Your Attacker.

Basically, pick up a chair. Use it as a shield between you and that knife, and beat your attacker with it or hit his hand that is holding the knife to disarm him. Next is

Once You Gain Control Of That Hand Holding The Knife, Never Let Go Until That Knife Has Been Taken Out Of His Hand.

Do whatever you got to do. Bite or whatever. Bite that hand to release that knife.

Charles: So, that would be the Fourth Tip?

Norm: Yes.

Charles: Wow! So then with this, this would be a realistic approach for someone to defend themselves against a knife assault?

Norm: Yes.

Charles: Very good, Norm. We thank you again for some real world advice that could possibly save someone’s life.

Norm: Thank you.

Without your comments and feedback, we would have no reason to be here.  Leave a  comment and  tell us what you think.  Thanks.

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Here master Andy Curtiss shows a counter and escape from a knife lunge.

Here is a very revealing interview that I had with Andy Curtiss on the secrets of knife self protection.

Charles Prosper: Andy, how are you tonight?  Now, in this interview, you are going to take us into the world of knife self defense.  And I think you’re going to give us 5 secrets of knife self defense.  So, take it away, Andy.

Andy Curtiss: Yeah, basically what I have for you are the 5 Principles of Knife Combat.

Charles Prosper: Okay.

Andy Curtiss:

Principle Number 1 – Expect To Get Cut - Basically, whenever you’re encountering anybody with an edged weapon, you have to expect to get cut. That will help you gain the mental edge in the event that you do get cut because you will, and it also takes the mental edge away from your opponent.

I like to bring up the term “shock” because the first time you get cut, the first time people see blood, they go into a state of shock.  And you know, in trauma, we always that shock kills.  When you’re hard-wiring yourself to expect the worst, you kind of take that shock factor out.

Charles Prosper: Wow.

Andy Curtiss:

Principle Number 2 – De-fang The Serpent - When I talk about de-fanging the serpent, what I’m talking about is actually is about disarming your opponent.  Everyone knows that the knife is nothing more than an extension of the hand – the empty hand.  And basically, I like to look at the limb or the arm as that of kind of a snake, and the knife being kind of like the fang.  So, once you expect to get cut, then right away the first thing you should be looking for is a way to either escape or de-fang that serpent.

Principle Number 3 – Time Is Of The Essence - Whenever you’re dealing with edged-weapon combat, the longer that your are in the situation, the more chances your have of being cut open and being bled out.  So, time is of the essence.  You have to act quickly.

Principle Number 4 – Control - You have to control yourself.  You have to control the situation.  You have to control the attacker.  Or any one of those in any order, but you got to have control.

Principle Number 5 – It All Boils Down To Survival - It doesn’t have to look pretty.  It hasn’t got to be fancy.  The bottom line is that at the end of the day, you’re coming home for dinner and you’re breathing because you did your job.

Charles Prosper: Wow.  So, that really takes it down to basics, and we can really see exactly how to do the five principles of knife self defense.  Thank you again, Andy.

Andy Curtiss: Thank you.