Restraint, Control & Come-A-Long Techniques

with Alain Burrese

 Effective Arrest & Control Techniques for Law Enforcement and Security Professionals

This DVD set will be an excellent resource for anyone working in law enforcement, security, bouncing or related fields.  Additionally, this program is ideal for martial artists who wish to take the techniques and material learned in the training hall to practical applications in jobs that often attract martial artists – law enforcement, bouncing, and security.

The program includes a chapter on basic principles such as communicating first, using minimum force needed, your cone of power or power position, balance, three keys of joint locks, how to spin a person and combat breathing.

There are then chapters on Arm bars, the lower back wrist lock, goose neck lock variations, fingers up behind back locks, chicken wings, the standing center lock, the four corner throw, and figure four locks.  All of these chapters focus on how the joint locks and techniques can be used by security professioal and law enforcement officers to restrain, control, and escort subjects when they don’t want to comply with verbal commands.  Also included are ways to roll a subject over, pressure points, how to get a person to stand when they don’t want to, and some application scenarios.

Aiki Productions will be working to get the program edited and the cover designed.  The DVD set will be released this summer.

I want to thank Todd, Bryan and Eli for all their assistance in putting this program together.  I couldn’t ask to work with a better group of guys.  Here are a couple pictures taken after the shoot:

Todd, Eli, Alain & Bryan

While the book is nearly 400 pages long, it is not text heavy, so it does not take that long to read. There are ample pictures illustrating the techniques and concepts Christensen teaches. I would recommend a person read through the entire book, which again, can be done quite quickly. Then, go back and systematically practice the concepts and techniques with a training partner, or partners. It’s only through practicing these techniques that you will become competent and be able to use them in reawl situations.

The first section of the book contains chapters on the foundational principles, or nuts and bolts, which are thinking ahead, the value of reps, the elements of balance, crossing the gap, blocking, and weight training and aerobics. Section two focuses on joint manipulation and leverage control and contains chapters on finger techniques, the versatile wrist lock, wrist crank, elbow techniques, shoulder locks, and the bent-arm shoulder torque.

Section three covers hitting, and includes chapters on hands, forearm slams, elbow strikes, and kicking. Section four, vulnerable points, only has one chapter, get the point, and teaches elements of pressing vulnerable points and the applications. Section five, head and neck, has a couple chapters that address head disorientation and carotid constraint or sleeper holds. Section six has two chapters on ground fighting. The first on ground grappling and the second on ground kicking and trapping. Section seven has on chapter on the baton that teaches body mechanics of using this common weapon for police officers.

Section 8, arresting big guys, also contains just one chapter on facing a big suspect. It does cover things like if size matters, pepper spray, mental preparation, and other important things to consider when facing big guys. The final section, nine, contains some training and fighting concepts in one final chapter. These concepts include survival concepts, training concepts, fighting concepts, and concepts to take on patrol.

Over all, this is an excellent book for law enforcement officers, and it is also valuable for those in security, bouncing, and related fields. Additionally, it will help martial artists expand their knowledge of street techniques that Christensen has proven during his law enforcement career. Highly recommend as a training resource!

Click on picture for larger image.

The Sixth Annual Korean Martial Art Festival, held in Crestview, Florida, on April 20-22, 2012, was a fantastic weekend of Korean martial art training and camaraderie among dedicated men, women, and youths who came together for more than just time on the mat.  The incredible line up of instructors that Master Thomas Gordon brought together came from all over the United States, Canada, and Australia.  I was extremely proud to be part of this distinguished group.  Just look at this group and what they taught:

Grand Master Rudy Timmerman from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada; Grand Master Kenneth MacKenzie from Atco, NJ, USA; Grand Master Ian Cyrus from Philadelphia, PA, USA; Grand Master Geoff J. Booth from Liverpool, Australia; Grand Master James McMurray from Harker Heights, TX, USA; Chief Master Marlin Sims from Atlanta, GA, USA; Master Monty Hendrix from Greensboro, NC, USA; Chief Master Kevin Janisse from Clackamas, OR, USA; Master Steve Kincade from Brookhaven, MS, USA; Master Thomas Gordon from Crestview, FL, USA; Master Wesley Wing from Bonifay, FL, USA; Master Chris Dufour from Pensacola, FL, USA; Master Gregory Bledsoe from Crestview, FL, USA; Master Calvin Longton from Navarre, FL, USA, and myself.  So with that line up, you don’t have decades of experience, but rather centuries of experience.  Grandmaster Timmerman himself has been training since 1950.  (He was ten when he started.)  To have teachers of this caliber at one event is incredible and for all of them to share their knowledge in such a humble and friendly setting is something to be modeled after by all martial art events.  Also present was Grandmaster Shelton R. Moreland from Atlanta, GA, USA. While he wasn’t scheduled to teach this year, he was still out on the mat training and helping.  He has already committed to teach next year.

So what was taught?  What wasn’t? There were sessions on basics to improve your overall martial arts, joint locks, lock flow drills, application of sinewave, cane techniques, staff, leg locks, knife disarms, gun disarms, pressure points, dan bong or short stick, kicking, leg locks, martial principles, belt or rope techniques, my restraint, control, and escorting techniques session and much more.  (Including special sessions for the younger martial artists attending such as the circle of bullies.)  There really was more going on this weekend than I can write here, and the worst thing was that some sessions ran concurrently with others so you couldn’t attend them all.  The two things I hated most about the weekend were sessions running concurrently so I couldn’t attend them all and that the weekend had to end.  (However, I’m sure Master Gordon was glad to see it end as he dropped me off at the airport Monday morning.)

I say that because Master Thomas Gordon put in a tremendous amount of work to pull this even off.  I’m sure he needed a well deserved rest when everything was over.  However, he’s already called for commitments to teach next year and has begun the planning for the bigger 2013 Korean Martial Art Festival.  (Yes, I have committed to teach again!)

Personally, I so enjoyed seeing old friends Grandmaster Timmerman, Grandmaster Booth, Master  Janisse and Master Longton again.  It had been too long since I’d seen them or shared time on the mat.  I also thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of the other distinguished instructors as well as so many great people who attended the event.  (I have to mention HKD instructor Corey Ninneman who I trained with in several sessions as well as having him help me in my session on restraint and control techniques.  Great training partner!)

Alain Burrese teaching with Corey Ninneman’s assistance.

I also have to give special mention to Master Gregory Bledsoe and his delightful wife, Keitha, who opened their home to me and made my visit to Florida even more enjoyable and special.  The kinship found among martial artists is truly special, and I cherish the friends I’ve made through my martial art training.

Other highlights of the weekend include a couple private meals with Master Thomas Gordon and getting to know him better.  Wonderful host and a good man.  I look forward to seeing him again, and helping the Korean Martial Art Festival continue to grow and remain the outstanding martial art event it is.  Spending time with Master Gregory Bledsoe and his wife.  Truly wonderful people, and a dedicated martial artist.  I really enjoyed our late night talks and look forward to more in the future.  Checking out the antique car show with Grandmasters MacKenzie, Booth, and McMurray and learning about Grandmaster MacKenzie’s cars.  The group dinner watching the Jon Jones UFC fight.  Getting to know Grandmaster James McMurray in his class, my class, and over meals.  What a humble, knowledgeable, and dangerous man.  I look forward to training with him again, as I do many others who were there.  Seeing Chief Master Sims and Grandmaster McMurray “get” Master Gordon after lunch on Sunday.  (You had to be there.)

Alain Burrese teaching with Corey Ninneman’s assistance.  Grandmaster McMurray in the background.

An additional plus for the weekend was the attendance of Stace Sanchez of Kickpics.  He was set up to take photos, and since I’d provided him a couple of my Paladin Press pictures back around 2002 or 2003, I was glad to finally meet in person and arrange a photo shoot with him.  I’m still waiting on the CD full of photos, but when I get it, some will be posted for sure. I’ve also already thought of some photos I want him to take next year.

What more can I say?  This was a fabulous event.  You won’t find this caliber of instruction with such a humble and giving group of martial art grandmasters and masters anywhere, especially for the low fee that was set for attending. Some may think that Crestview is hard to get to, and yes, it is.  But believe me, it is worth it.  The 2013 event is already being planned, and I’d suggest that all martial artists also start planning to attend.  See you there!

2012 KMAF Instructors

Stratton, who’s previous works include “Backyard Brawl,” “Chasing the Rodeo,” and “Boxing Shadows” as well as writing for many magazines provides a well researched chronicle of the life of Floyd Patterson, the Gentle Gladiator. This tribute to the peek-a-boo stance fighting and soft-spoken warrior of the ring is an honest portrait of a complex and misunderstood champion who pioneered many firsts in the sport of boxing and helped carry the civil rights flag during the height of its battle.

Many have forgotten Patterson’s accomplishments, and this book by Stratton does a great job of reminding us just how significant they were. They include that for decades the 1952 Olympic Gold Medalist held the distinction of being the youngest heavyweight in history; he was the first to win the heavyweight title twice; he fought in the first championship bout in Las Vegas, which shortly thereafter became the mecca of big time boxing; he was the first heavyweight with lightweight hand speed; he was the first world champion who trained and managed a world-champion son; and maybe most important, he was the first black heavyweight champion to use the prestige of his title to speak out against bigotry and to demand the seating of his fights not be segregated by race.

This is an interesting and important book that provides a look at the life of a distinctive and important champion that has been sometimes overlooked and often forgotten when people focus on the sport of boxing and those who excelled in the prizefighting ring. I recommend this book to all boxing fans who want to learn about this “invisible champion” as well as to those who are interested in Patterson’s place in the battle for civil rights. I thank Stratton for his tribute to this underappreciated heavyweight champion.

The teaching is done in a studio, with an Asian setting. (There are just a couple scenes of O’Shea outside doing Qigong exercises.) The lighting and sound are good, and the DVD is easy to watch and listen, hearing and seeing what is going on. O’Shea speaks clearly and obviously has a lot of knowledge and practice with the topics she’s teaching. Most of the video has her talking, or teaching to the camera. For other parts, she has an assistant, or two, and teaches them and the camera so you can follow along and learn with the assistant. I felt it was an effective way to present the information on DVD.

The program consists of a number of chapters that are easily found with the chapter menus. I’d suggest watching the entire program, over a couple sessions if three hours is too much to watch straight through, and then you can go back and review and practice those sections you wish to focus on.

The introduction goes over basic Qi healing theory and topics such as Qi sensing exercises, Qi blockages, and a brief explanation of Western/Chinese Medicine. In the Qi Development section of the program, O’Shea teaches about dantian meditation, Rising Lotus Medical Qigong, and Qigong self-massage. Demonstrations assist with the instruction.

There is then a section on self-healing Qigong, followed by partner-healing Qigong. This instruction will have to be viewed more than once, and with practice, the viewer will discover the benefits of this Chinese healing practice. My Qigong training and experience has all been by myself, and the partner-healing was new to me. Very good introduction and instruction on this area of Qigong. There is then a short conclusion and a brief bio about O’Shea.

I would recommend this DVD to anyone practicing Qigong, and anyone wanting to learn alternate healing methods based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and practice. While you won’t become a master by watching a DVD, I do believe you can learn a lot from this program. And if you follow along and actually practice what O’Shea teaches, you will be surprised at just how much you can learn and benefit from self-study with this DVD.

I’m proud to be presenting a workshop on mediator ethics at the Montana Mediation Association annual conference: The Mediator’s Code of Ethics.

MtMA_Conference_Flyer_2012

Montana Mediation Association

Larry has created a new program “A Year of Success.”  Click the link below to check it out.  It might just be what helps you take your life to the next level.

I’ll post more on this later, but check it out!

Learn about the event and all of the instructors and registration:

2012KMAF

I hope to see you there!

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of meeting Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton.  He was in Missoula to present the key note address at the Community Medical Center’s Voices of Hope conference.

Before his speech, I noticed him walking down a hall of the hotel.  I told a friend of mine, we walked over the the hallway and had the opportunity to talk with him a bit. I mentioned that I liked his appearance on The Celebrity Apprentice, and he laughed at being fired.  I also told him I enjoyed his book, and that I’d brought the review I posted on amazon for him.  (See The Great Eight by Scott Hamilton at amazon)  He was a very nice and down to earth person, and we enjoyed laughing with him.  We took a couple pictures with him, and then he had to leave to mic up for his presentation.  We went back to our seats to watch, listen, and be genuinely moved.

The speech was great!  He told his story, of his life of ups and downs, including winning the Olympic Gold Medal and his battles with cancer and a brain tumor.  (You can read more about his speech at the Missoulian’s write up of the event.)  I really enjoyed his talk.  He was funny, serious, motivating, and inspirational.  He talked over an hour, but I think everyone would have gladly continued to listen for another hour or more.

When he finished, we went out and joined the line for the book signing.  The boxes of paperback copies of The Great Eight were sold out, so I was glad I’d brought my hard cover edition from when it first came out a couple years ago.  He signed it, and a small program that has a quote of his, “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”  I also took another picture with him.

While it is nice to have another signed book for my collection, it was even better to hear his motivating story in person, and have a chance to talk and laugh with him.  It was a great night.

Alain & Scott Hamilton before the speech.

Below is Alain’s review of The Great Eight.

The Great Eight by Scott Hamilton, reviewed by Alain Burrese, April 2009.

I was impressed with Scott Hamilton when I saw him on “Celebrity Apprentice” recently, even though he was fired by Donald Trump after making a poor name choice while acting as the project manager for his team’s task. After reading “The Great Eight: How to Be Happy (even when you have every reason to be miserable)” by Scott Hamilton, I’m even more impressed. This book is an easy read, but full of practical advice on staying happy and optimistic, illustrated with Hamilton’s successes, struggles, and setbacks and how he has kept smiling through the tough times, including cancer and then a brain tumor.

In “The Great Eight,” Hamilton uses stories from his career and personal life to describe eight secrets that have helped him stay optimistic and that have kept the Gold Medalist smiling even when not on the first place pedestal.

Hamilton introduces the book by sharing a little about wanting to give people a way to be happy and optimistic, just as he remained even with a brain tumor. As a skater, he explains the importance of learning figure eights on the ice and why he chose eight “secrets” to being happy. These “Great Eight” have been taught before, but not with the personal experiences of Hamilton which really make this enjoyable and helpful.

Secret One: Fall, Get Up, and Land Your First Jumps. When you skate, you are going to fall down. Hamilton shares that he has fallen when skating, in business and many other things. With stories about his childhood illness and how he started skating, Hamilton teaches how learning to get up applies to athletics, business, romance, health, academics, the arts, and anything else. I like that Hamilton teaches that no one is going to do it for you, you must work hard and do it yourself.

Secret Two: Trust Your Almighty Coach. There are places in the book where Hamilton shares his faith in God, but this chapter has the main focus on that faith. Hamilton shares some of his personal journey toward faith and how to trust his Almighty Coach, using examples of the importance of having a coach in athletics.

Secret Three: Make Your Losses Yours Wins. Life can really stink, and stuff happens. Hamilton has had his share of tough situations. Friendships going away, failed relationships, cancer, a brain tumor. He battled them all with optimism, just as his mother battled her cancer. He also shares business losses and how you must turn losses into wins to be a champion.

Secret Four: Keep The Ice Clear. Hamilton learned that he didn’t have to sacrifice his own happiness to make others happy, and shares how you can “clear the ice” to better your own relationships with others and remain happy yourself.

Secret Five: Think Positive, Laugh, And Smile Like Kristi Yamaguchi. Hamilton has been called many negative things by critics, and he comes right out in the beginning of the chapter to say while dumping back on critics might make you feel better for a few seconds, it won’t make you happy in the long run. He shares how you can rise above negativity and the positive power of a smile that he learned from someone who has a beautiful smile, Kristi Yanaguchi. Learning to forgive yourself, looking for the light spot, laughing at yourself, and never say never are some of the other lessons in this chapter. I especially like that Hamilton can laugh at those who have assumed he was gay. He is happily married to a beautiful woman named Tracie, and they have two children, Aidan and Max, and rather than be insulted and get upset over the incorrect assumptions based on his size and career choice, he laughs it off and can even write about it humorously.

Secret Six: Win By Going Last. Hamilton relates how the advantage of going last in a figure skating competition relates to putting other people before yourself. He shares how you can win as a “number two.” Very good lesson on how you will be happier by making someone else’s life better.

Secret Seven: Learn A New Routine. Life is full of change, and in this chapter Hamilton shares how he has dealt with changes throughout his life. I felt the discussion about turning fifty and how he was not the same physically now as he was when he won the Olympic Gold Medal was extremely poignant and should be read by anyone facing a “mid-life crisis.” According to Hamilton, being willing to change course as things change is the mark of every champion of happiness. I think he is right.

Secret Eight: Stand In The Spotlight. Hamilton’s final secret is to stand in the spotlight and to skate your best, to incorporate all you’ve learned and to do the work it takes to look at life like an optimist. Remember how to get up and commit to the process and enjoy your life.
The above paragraphs give a good description of what this book is about, but the chapters themselves provide much more. This really is an enjoyable book on how to think like an optimist and be happy. Fans of Scott Hamilton will thoroughly enjoy this text, and those unfamiliar with Hamilton just might become fans now if they give this book a read. We can all use a healthy dose of optimism in our lives. Read “The Great Eight.” You’ll be happy that you did.

I enjoyed the book. It was a engaging action yarn with characters I liked reading about again. Just as I enjoyed “Dead Or Alive.” There have been many criticisms of the last three Clancy novels that have been written with co-writers. I agree they are not the same as some of the earlier Clancy novels, which I thoroughly enjoyed, especially those that focused on John Clark. However, I’ve also had fun reading these newer books. (I think “Against All Enemies” was the weakest of the lot, and I enjoyed these two that came after it much more, but that is also because of the characters.)

In a nutshell, this book continues with Jack Ryan’s quest for a second term as President of the United States, something that seems a shoe-in before some history of his relationship with John Clark threatens to derail the campaign. While Jack Sr. is occupied with his campaign, Jack Jr. and other campus members are working hard to, what else, save the world. Absent veteran leader of the team, John Clark, who is dealing with his own past and circumstances that he must correct not only to live, but to save Ryan’s Presidential run.

There is a lot going on in this book, and at just over 850 pages, it is what you expect from a Clancy novel. The action jumps between these main plots with descriptions of what the bad guys are doing mixed throughout. (Sometimes I wanted to get through these “bad guy” chapters faster so I could be back with the main characters I like.)

It’s a fun action tale, but does contain more of Clancy’s political views than some of his earlier works seemed to. (This is sort of a trend in some action thrillers these days.) I didn’t mind this, and it didn’t take away from the story for me, but I could see how some readers would object and would not like the book because of this.

The book does set up another book in the series. I’m not too sure I like how it was set up and where some of the story may be going, but because I like these characters, I’m looking forward to reading the next chapter in their tale and seeing what unfolds.