RMAX manual and various thoughts and queries as I move on in CST.

[Joshua]

I really found the TG manual describe closely the dissatisfation I have been experiencing for some time as I have worked on self protection material. It was really helpful in marking out the way ahead. I'm looking to facilitate a group initially once a month and see if we can increase that. Thankyou. Apologies regarding earlier questions! I have tried to follow some of the links recommended at the back of the manual but these have been subsumed into the new website and I'm not clear how to track them down. However I have begun a study of all the threads etc. I have also purchased the Intu-Flow® DVD's, Ageless Mobility®, Flowfit® 1 and 2 and the manual.
Goal one work through Intu-Flow® daily. Build in Flowfit® several times a week. Since the seminar I have been using it as a warm up and cool down or on a couple of occasions as a workout. I bought Ageless Mobility® with my mother in mind but found it personally really challenging particularly the lower back work. I'm not sure how to advise her to use it. Intu-Flow® seems more accessible. She is a golfer so that was part of the logic re AM. Any thoughts on this?
What I am enjoying as a 'newbie' is finding that other folk have asked the questions I have asked and are providing insights into possible ways forward.
Shalom

[Joshua]

Since I posted the above I came across a similar line of enquiry on another thread, regarding beginning with Ageless mobility as against starting with intuflow. I'm going to work on both and try and measure what they both offer. However as above any further advice welcome!
Shalom

[lorenzodamarith]

hello,

joshua, you mention in one of your posts "dissatisfation I have been experiencing for some time as I have worked on self protection material".

are you perchance pursuing the flowfighting material? if so, what can you tell us about it? very recently began investigating this material and it is very interesting.

also just began the cst material. very good material. easy to do and very portable. can be done nearly anywhere!

looking forward to hearing from you.

thanks

[Joshua]

Hi Lorenzo. No I have not purchased or seen any of the FlowFighting®® material , grapplers tool box etc. however what Ryan Murdock describes in the manual resonates with me. I am interested in self protection that is realistic and effective. Even some of the reality based stuff is technique based and requires quite a lot of practise to gain fluency and even then real fights just don't play out like that. I am exploring a range of things at the moment. The thing is that you need to read the situation well and preempt it if possible, physically if necessary but that would be a failure on my part unless it was a totally suprise ambush and even then that would be my failure!
What I am picking up from the manual is Ryan experimenting with his group until they found flow. The one real street fight I have experienced linked to a citizen's arrest I was making. I was attakced by the teenagers father. It was chaos for the first 5-8 seconds and then we arrived in a familiar scenario and I clocked him under the nose. The point being that injury broke the attack .So the key point is getting to the injury asap to interrup the attack flow. How i get there can't be bound by technique driven response only. i havn't got the funds to invest in the FlowFighting®® stuff currently however one consequence of this fight was I recognised the need to get stronger. So i began kettlebell training. That was two years ago and combined with body mech exercise has really helped. More recently I have purchased Flowfit®® 1 and 2 and the kettlebell foundation series. Point being if I am biomechanically fluid and strong I can deliver attacks more readily if, God forbid, necessary. Hope this make some kind of sense. Have you tried any of the FlowFighting®® stuff? If so what are your reflections!

[lorenzodamarith]

hello,

joshua, you bring up a very very important aspect of combatives that is often overlooked when training.

injuries DO tend to end fights.

along with this realization, you also noted a need to be stronger, so in that regard, at least you found something positive from your encounter.

so... yes, your post does make a lot of sense. as far as the FlowFighting® material, YES YES YES! it is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD stuff. just purchased a few items to get started and also attended a flowbox seminar this weekend by coachjones. granted, the purpose of flowbox is striking for mma, not streetfighting, but the principles are all the same.

the "innate genius" of FlowFighting® is that it seems to be "infinitely scalable". that is, the principles really don't seem to change no matter what you are applying them to.

a quick aside here for those reading who don't understand...

FlowFighting® is rooted heavily in cst. instead of training "rote techniques", one trains principles (or situations if you will). an example of what we (joshua and lorenzo) are talking about here would be "rmax powered bujinkan" by coachmurdock.

rmax powered bujinkan is a series of exercises designed to enhance "ninjutsu" training. however, the PRINCIPLES are all cst. with rmax powered bujinkan, coachmurdock attempts to teach us how to adapt cst to ANY martial art, or martial practice.

so back to you joshua... FlowFighting® will work for a boxer, kickboxer, stickfighter, streetfighter, cagefighter, bouncer, policeman, soldier, soccermom (footballermom for you limeys hahaha). what has been really great about investigating this material is that by focusing on developing sound mechanical principles, the teaching of specific techniques isn't really a big necessity. of course, techniques are useful as well, just not as a critical focus.

if personal protection is the goal, FlowFighting® seems ideally suited to your needs (not selling, just observing). as one progressess, one develops a personal approach, or, "game" much more quickly. in the heat of struggle, it should be far easier to implement what has come naturally to you, as opposed to trying to recall a drill or technique.

in personal practice, following the FlowFighting® guidelines has greatly streamlined the learning process. literally, from day 1, others noticed a significant change/improvement when rolling. especially takedowns. with a simple and rudimentary understanding of "triangle point", "hyperfunction", "gripping" and "joint-mass-center", it became easy to gain tactical and positional advantage over those with more experience (mind you, some are still out of reach, but only just begun here!).

the point being this: it is almost child's play to adapt to new situations as they occur.

incidentally, if anyone is interested, there is a video clip (in one of the forums, forgot which) of coach hothi in an mma match of sorts (they have weapons). check it out for an example of "scalable". granted, it isn't a real streetfight, but several of the elements are there. including an injury ending the conflict.

apologies for the "verbose nature of this long windedness". the material is very interesting.

thanks

[lorenzodamarith]

hello,

joshua, have you gained any insights into the similarities/differences between "ageless mobility" and "intu-flow"?

if so, let us know. would like to know what you have found.

thanks

[Joshua]

I think Intu-Flow® works well on a daily basis and Ageless Mobility® perhaps twice a week. However scheduling it has not been so straightforward. I have been dealing with a virus, I assume , for the past 2 1/2 weeks so have managed only Intu-Flow® occassionally in this. I intend to launch a 4x7 BER cycle when I'm feeling more normal!
Shalom