Lesson Five of the Self Defense Mini Clinic

Click here to see Lesson 4.

This lesson teaches you how to train and develop the skills and principles you’ve learned and will learn in the future from Fightfast.com.

But before we dive in, check out this triangle choke hold taught by decorated soldier and former Delta Force Operator Jim West.


Training Methods:

A complete review of proper training and conditioning methods for combat is beyond the scope of this book, however, I do want to point out that the average guy looking to defend himself on the street doesn’t need to endure a lifetime of training.

On the contrary, the entire purpose of my many DVD packages is to simplify everything. I’ve received emotional letters from dozens of customers who simply watched a certain program, did NO training, and were able to recall and use it correctly when they needed it. Doesn’t get much better than that. But if you’re serious about implanting this information deeply into your body, you’ll want to consider training it.

Street fighting does not require the same level or type of conditioning as sport fighting. Surprisingly, cardiovascular endurance isn’t a significant factor in a street fight. I know this is a controversial claim, but research and 20 years of study and observation backs it up.

Remember, true street fights (as opposed to mutually agreed combat) rarely last longer than 10 seconds. Understanding and employing the 4 D’s (Deception… Distraction… Disruption… Destruction), will trump cardiovascular conditioning.

So with that in mind, having the ability to initiate and maintain continuous explosive action for 8 to 10 seconds will give you a huge advantage in a fight. Design your training accordingly.

For street fighting focus your training on anaerobic conditioning (strength and power training). Eight to ten seconds may not seem very long, but try going all out on a heavy bag for that amount of time…it’s pretty tough.

The more realistic you train the better. This includes the emotional component as well. Here are some tips:

    • 1.) Practice initiating a pre-emptive attack and counter attack from multiple positions and stances. If you practice the 4 D’s you won’t be initiating the attack from a classic boxer’s stance. More than likely your hands will be up, open, and forward in an “I don’t want any trouble” submissive posture. This is the position you want to practice launching from.

self defense training focus mit

  • 2.) Practice maintaining a constant barrage. And if training with a partner, maintain constant forward pressure. Constant Barrage is more important than Strike Accuracy. Practice Target awareness. If working on a heavy bag, imagine different targets being made available, if working with a partner, make sure he or she offers you a variety of targets to attack.
  • 3.) Practice your verbiage as you initiate an attack as well as anything you might say during the attack. Make it as real as possible. If you are working with a training partner have your partner play the part; yelling, threatening, cursing, etc. His goal should be to drive up the emotional content as much as possible.
  • 4.) Develop a “Strike” mentality – Start hitting a heavy bag. A partner with “strike mitts” is even better, because it allows you to get used to movement. Practice striking with your hands, elbows, shoulders, head, and knees and mix up “Hi-Line” shots (at the head and chest) and “Lo-Line” shots (at the stomach, ribs, groin and legs).
  • 5.) Get a “Battle Cry” – As I just discussed, this does a couple things. First it throws off your adversary for a couple of crucial seconds at the beginning of your action sequence. His brain will be burning up valuable seconds trying to process what all the yelling is about (“what the hell…”) while your attack is under way. Very effective.The second function of the battle cry is to prompt your brain into action. There’s a big difference between thinking about taking action and actually taking action, and it’s easy for most people to get “locked down” in planning. Your brain needs a kick in the butt to transfer its energy from the thinking and planning mode into the action mode.

The battle cry is a verbal “go” that’s imperative to getting yourself moving forward. It’s nothing new, soldiers have been using this for thousands of years as a way to overcome freezing and to strike fear in their enemies. But you’ll want to use this verbal battle cry in training ONLY when you launch into an attack so that it holds power and is an “internal trigger.”

The next training principle is proper execution. Few moves require better execution than weapon disarms. In the following video, you’ll learn the correct technique to disarm an attacker with a gun. A situation we all hope to god we never find ourselves in, but one where the right technique is the difference between life and death.


  • 6.) Always practice proper execution: Watching countless videos of actual street fights as they happened has only cemented what my research has already strongly suggested that real-world fighting is sloppy. It is the rare exception for a fighter to properly execute a complex martial arts move.This is why it’s important to practice proper execution as you’ll be more likely to retain a percentage of it when “crunch time” hits. As expert shooter Bennie Cooley points out, if you can group your shots with 3 inches of each other during practice, you may just retain a grouping the size of a paper plate in real combat (which is considered excellent shooting in the real world). Or as Bruce Lee once pointed out: “I do not fear the man who has practice 1000 kicks one time… I fear the man who has practiced one kick 1000 times.”But Bruce was a little off in his numbers. Studies show that it takes about 2,000 repetitions of a move before it’s actually “implanted” into your brain’s neural pathway for easy recall even under stress. Now 2,000 sounds like a big number, but it’s not. The key is to practice a move correctly.Here is a proven method for developing your skills.Level 1:
    1. Practice a move in front of a mirror slowly. This allows you to “self correct” anything you’re doing wrong. Keep practicing until you are satisfied that your technique is correct.
    2. Practice the same move in front of mirror at full speed. Again… this allows you the opportunity to self correct.
    3. Try it again… this time in slow motion with your eyes closed. You’ll want to periodically sneak a peek in the mirror to see if you’re still on track with your technique.
    4. When your satisfied with your technique, perform it at full motion with your eyes closed. This will start hardwiring the move into your muscle memory.

    Self Defense Training Heavy BagLevel 2: Get your hands on a heavy bag… they’re not expensive and the exercise value alone that you’ll receive it is worth every penny.

    1. Now practice the same move on heavy bag – slowly. Use a mirror again if you can to periodically check your technique. If you see that it’s flawed, go back to Level 1.
    2. Practice the technique on heavy bag at full speed. Try to visualize how you’d use the move on specific target areas.

    Level 3: Practice with a partner. Now I realize not all of us have someone willing to act as your punching bag, but for those who are committed to taking their skills to an expert level, having a live person to practice on is important. For any specific move you want to:

    1. Practice with partner slowly… then when you’re both comfortable….
    2. Practice with partner at full speed.

Of course this is only a brief description of how to train. The DVDs will take you through specific moves and techniques in detail. But it’s important to remember to always be careful with your partner, especially if you’re just getting started. Make sure your partner understands how to “tap-tap-tap” on your side whenever they feel uncomfortable.

Most of the moves you’ll discover are ones that can be used “straight out of the box.” They’re almost always simple, easy to learn, and devastating, so you must use care during any practice. Avoid “showing off” your new moves to unsuspecting friends or family members as it’s easy to put them in the hospital or permanently injure (even kill) them.

That’s it for the free Self Defense Mini Clinic, but don’t worry I’ll still be in touch. I’ll be sending you chapters of the full length fight guide (this Self Defense Mini Clinic was a condensed version) and video tips from my blog every week. So keep your eyes peeled for more free fighting instruction.

Interested in learning brutal self defense right away?
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543 thoughts on “Lesson Five of the Self Defense Mini Clinic”

  1. That is the first time I have ever seen a video where the instructors assistance did the technique wrong. I do like the fact that it worked well teaching the technique as many people watching would have made similar mistakes. I have serious doubts about a woman or weaker man being about to do such a choke on a larger stronger opponent. Love the gun disarm. I teach that one and others at my school as well.

  2. This reminds me of my first aid trainning, after completeing the course, I, like all the others in my class, wamnted to go out and rescue someone in need of help. This makes me wanna go look for bad guys harming inocents!
    I still didn’t get lesson # 2

  3. Great stuff. I’ve been meaning to get back to a heavy bag and now I have one more good reason to do so. Thanks.

  4. I thank you for sending the five videos. They were very interesting/informative. While much of their content was familiar to me the revisit was worth the time viewing them.

  5. I appreciate the videos, A lot of these moves I have never seen but I think I would have a good chance of recalling something that would help me if I’m ever attacked. Thank you very much.

  6. During a life or death situation, these guidelines will keep you alive. Only simple works in the real world for the average person. Appreciate these tips!

  7. I really appreciate all of your help. I would love to order some of your DVD’s but I’m a single father taking care of my son on my own. I can only find part time work right now and just can’t afford them. So all of your free help is making a big difference in our lives. Protecting my son is an up most priority for me. I do not teach these moves to him yet. I’m afraid he’s just not ready for that kind or responsibility so its all on me. So again I thank you.

  8. Now these are great tips we practice these same principles.. Hand position is excellent too up palms forward doesn’t look aggressive to eye witnesses, should always have hands one level above theirs. Action is faster then reaction. Keep enough distance so that they have to shift their weight to strike you. That’syour que to preemptive strike and keep attacking till the threat is no longer a threat then get out of their as quick as possible call 911… Great advice in this one guys… Should line up in their center line and keep moving forward take their balance maintain yours. All these tips you have here are great. A point should mention is know your local self defense laws. If you keep attacking when the threat is no longer a threat you maybe considered the aggressor. Same as if you chase a home invader out of house and you keep chasing catches up and beat him silly even though deserving it. You very well may sit in jail. These are laws in Canada. So knowing some of your laws would be an asset. Again great tips

  9. VERY INFORMATIVE!!! JUST LOVE THIS STUFF!!!

    BECAUSE YOU CANT CARRY A GUN EVERYWHERE YET!

    MOST OF THIS I CAN DO EVEN BEING AN OLD FART!!!

    THANKS AGAIN!!

  10. defintly correct on dojo fighting vrs street fighting having a blackbelt dosnt mean crap all the fancy cool kicks and moves you wont even remember when it comes down to the real deal learned it the hard way when i was suckerd punched and knocked out knowing when its on has to be one of the most important things you could learn and they teach you this here at fight fast never learned that in my studio lessons learned here on computer in 15 min

  11. what they teach you here about the emotional side and how to control your fear and not being afraid of hurting that person attacking you is so true learning teckniques is great only if you can do it when its on they teach you this right away here might be the most important thing in these 5 lessons im serious

  12. The Comstock gun disarm: simple quick and effective, one of the best videos I have seen for personal protection. Thank you!

  13. This has helped me so much now that I have been practicing and I was taught and I teach my children 3 boys this. You never start a fight but if someone starts trouble with you always finish it. We don’t start trouble but we got to no how to protect ourselves. Thanks again send me more training.

  14. This is awesome but I suggest that every member remember. We don’t start fights. We know how to defend, protect our families and finish what was started. Be wise there’s always a choice before ever action.

  15. Really I have been enjoying every of your free training tips and videos and am building with confidence every day but I don’t know how to get the real stuff(DVD)because am all the way in Nigeria west Africa.I would love to have study them and also become an instructor cause am in the palamilitry over here.THANKS.

  16. All this videos have helped me find confidence in me. Now I know how to protect myself in case of any dangereous situations. Keep sending videos. This is amazing!! Now im teaching my children some of this techniques and they feel thankful. Thank you fightfast!!!

  17. Thanks for all the videos. They are great. Just wanted to also let you know I checked out some of the archives off the right panel of the page. Lots of great articles to read and get a feel for what is really going thru your mind when the SHTF!!! Thanks again and keep sending the training info and videos!!!!!

  18. Thank you so much for these tips! I have a “Don’t Mess with Me” attitude, but being female and generally smaller and less strong than someone who might accost me, I love knowing there are ways I can bring someone down before he can do harm!

  19. Great 5 free lesson course. I learned a lot and hopefully will remember some of them if the time ever arises. Most free courses just put out sound bytes never giving away any information without having to buy the whole course but not here, it gives me more trust in a company like this that the material is worth purchasing. Thank You!