Brian Jones
Moderator
- Joined
- Jan 17, 1999
- Messages
- 7,560
So you all know where Im coming from, Im going to share a couple things about my experiences and motivations for training in martial arts, fighting (two different things BTW), and wilderness survival. First, I believe in being strong and self-reliant, to protect my family and friends. Also, I always strive for ways to test and surpass my self-imposed limits. Self-development and growth motivate me to train. Plus, Im an admitted adrenaline junky anyway. I like to exceed my own and others expectations. I started this path training in martial arts, sport-oriented, rules-based ballet movements where the dancers sometimes bang into each other. I thought I was learning to fight, and I thought the strict settings were teaching me mental and emotional growth and discipline. I was a good full-contact tournament fighter. I was confident. Then I got my ass kicked when I was a bouncer in a bar at 18. As soon as the fight turned on me, and the other guy wasnt doing proper choreographed techniques back at me, I froze. Guess my mental discipline wasnt really developed after all. I just thought it was. Delusions are dangerous, I learned. Hmmmmm
. Also, friends of mine geting killed also drove me to get better training. Guess it was time to re-evaluate what I was doing, and try to find ways to really toughen myself up and become a better person. I found that the only way (for me) was to put myself into do or die situations, and evaluate my fight or flight responses, and my mental and emotional endurance capacity. Improve my weaknesses, and capitalize AND improve on my strengths. That meant any training I did had to be as close to reality as possible, and come from those who had applied their skills for real, rather than reading something in a book and repeating it, or just dancing in the dojo. I was looking for those who had survived and thrived because of their experiences in hell; people of good character, who had nothing to prove, because theyd been there and done that. Since 1981, Ive only found a small handful. I had to weed through many fakes and frauds along the way, many who were even just fooling themselves, to find the gems. I became a very cynical and tough judge of teachers. When I find one of the gems, I rejoice. Well, Im rejoicing again!
Ive just added CJ Caracci to my very, very short list of the gems as instructors. We in the civilian world are very fortunate to have someone like CJ share his working, tested knowledge of self-protection, and be so generous in doing so. He is the real deal, for reasons which you know from his background, and reasons I observed during the tomahawk seminar. (Bet I got CJ curious about what Im gonna write now, eh?
) Hee Hee
Much of this review will not describe techniques in any detail, as I find that trying to describe them in words is like trying to describe what being in a tornado feels like to someone who has never been in one. So, Ill highlight them, but a lot of this will seem a bit cryptic. CJ was kind in sharing this stuff with those of us who made it to train with him, and I dont feel that its my place to break the confidence and divulge everything he taught. I wouldnt be able to do it justice anyway. If CJ wants to expand or describe details to people here, Ill leave it up to him. If youre curious to learn these things properly, I believe the ONLY way is direct training with CJ. Period. 
Now that Ive thoroughly bored you, lets get on to the seminar itself! (yeah about time, huh?) This is all a list/brainstorm kind of coverage, so bear with my writing style here, please this is only part one of the report.
CJ started off talking about the general attitudes and mindset of successful warriors. Why some won, why some lost. Why the physical skill in itself was less important than the will to prevail. Yet how diligent physical training, with concentration, was the key to developing and improving that willpower, and confidence. How he and others in the SEALs and police teams applied it, and proved it to themselves. (Ah, real life examples!). We all listened carefully. It was heady and informative stuff.
He talked about the powers of observation/awareness, of how physical and mental control of yourself is first necessary before you can have control and awareness of your environment. We learned how to see big things in a small way, and small things in a big way.
He got into physiology of the human body, center of gravity, and points on the body which will unbalance even the strongest opponent. How people orient themselves, usually on the major compass points and which angles of attack and defense are most unsettling to them, and therefore effective. Funny, those angles also take perfect advantage of the human physiology, too. Cool . He described and demonstrated proper movement and balance for yourself (and had us all doing it, too). What the tactical advantages were of proper movement in every direction. He taught us that muscle memory is dangerous for us (too automatic, and not applicable to everything), so hence the need for control at all times. He illustrated every point so it was proved to us, rather than just something to take at his word.
Besides internal mindset, he demonstrated, very well, how to project your intention (intensity) and aura/attitude towards others in order to capture their mind and defeat their will to fight, even before physical conflict. When you are on the receiving end of this, and you FEEL it from CJ (like I did during our freeform sparring match more on that soon), you know he aint talking like some yoga guru. It worked on me. Damn. LOL! He told us stories of when the SEALs were rescuing hostages, and their intensity was so great before they even entered, that hostage-takers were jumping out the windows in fear, not knowing why, but feeling that the Grim Reaper was coming for them. Cool This kind of ability only comes from confidence developed via diligent training.
At all times during the seminar, CJ exuded all the qualities, and demonstrated all the attitudes and techniques beautifully. In other words, he walked his talk -- always.
Well, Ill stop at this point, and get into the tomahawk parts of the seminar. This wasnt just a seminar on tomahawk CQB it was an overall lesson on becoming a fighter/warrior. Let me know if you want me to continue Ill get into grips, empty hand vs. holding a weapon, knife vs. tomahawk, how to properly train yourself to learn techniques, and other gems CJ covered
All the Best,
Brian.
Ive just added CJ Caracci to my very, very short list of the gems as instructors. We in the civilian world are very fortunate to have someone like CJ share his working, tested knowledge of self-protection, and be so generous in doing so. He is the real deal, for reasons which you know from his background, and reasons I observed during the tomahawk seminar. (Bet I got CJ curious about what Im gonna write now, eh?
) Hee Hee
Much of this review will not describe techniques in any detail, as I find that trying to describe them in words is like trying to describe what being in a tornado feels like to someone who has never been in one. So, Ill highlight them, but a lot of this will seem a bit cryptic. CJ was kind in sharing this stuff with those of us who made it to train with him, and I dont feel that its my place to break the confidence and divulge everything he taught. I wouldnt be able to do it justice anyway. If CJ wants to expand or describe details to people here, Ill leave it up to him. If youre curious to learn these things properly, I believe the ONLY way is direct training with CJ. Period. 
Now that Ive thoroughly bored you, lets get on to the seminar itself! (yeah about time, huh?) This is all a list/brainstorm kind of coverage, so bear with my writing style here, please this is only part one of the report.
CJ started off talking about the general attitudes and mindset of successful warriors. Why some won, why some lost. Why the physical skill in itself was less important than the will to prevail. Yet how diligent physical training, with concentration, was the key to developing and improving that willpower, and confidence. How he and others in the SEALs and police teams applied it, and proved it to themselves. (Ah, real life examples!). We all listened carefully. It was heady and informative stuff.
He talked about the powers of observation/awareness, of how physical and mental control of yourself is first necessary before you can have control and awareness of your environment. We learned how to see big things in a small way, and small things in a big way.
He got into physiology of the human body, center of gravity, and points on the body which will unbalance even the strongest opponent. How people orient themselves, usually on the major compass points and which angles of attack and defense are most unsettling to them, and therefore effective. Funny, those angles also take perfect advantage of the human physiology, too. Cool . He described and demonstrated proper movement and balance for yourself (and had us all doing it, too). What the tactical advantages were of proper movement in every direction. He taught us that muscle memory is dangerous for us (too automatic, and not applicable to everything), so hence the need for control at all times. He illustrated every point so it was proved to us, rather than just something to take at his word.
Besides internal mindset, he demonstrated, very well, how to project your intention (intensity) and aura/attitude towards others in order to capture their mind and defeat their will to fight, even before physical conflict. When you are on the receiving end of this, and you FEEL it from CJ (like I did during our freeform sparring match more on that soon), you know he aint talking like some yoga guru. It worked on me. Damn. LOL! He told us stories of when the SEALs were rescuing hostages, and their intensity was so great before they even entered, that hostage-takers were jumping out the windows in fear, not knowing why, but feeling that the Grim Reaper was coming for them. Cool This kind of ability only comes from confidence developed via diligent training.
At all times during the seminar, CJ exuded all the qualities, and demonstrated all the attitudes and techniques beautifully. In other words, he walked his talk -- always.
Well, Ill stop at this point, and get into the tomahawk parts of the seminar. This wasnt just a seminar on tomahawk CQB it was an overall lesson on becoming a fighter/warrior. Let me know if you want me to continue Ill get into grips, empty hand vs. holding a weapon, knife vs. tomahawk, how to properly train yourself to learn techniques, and other gems CJ covered
All the Best,
Brian.