What is CombatiX?

Before we dive in, let's start by defining exactly what CombatiX really is.

CombatiX is the application of knowledge collected from centuries of combatives. Having begun in the Martial Arts, our principles originated there; over time, however, these principles evolved into a more scientific approach.

What It Is Not

You won't find any jump or spin kicks. No fancy Kung Fu Theater moves that only work in the movies. No complicated moves that take years to master. You don't have time for that do you? I didn't think so! Neither do I!

Instead, you will learn techniques that are simple but devastating. Movements are fast and almost impossible to defend. Your opponent simply won't know what hit them!

Identifying Threats

Identifying threats and avoiding, or if necessary, neutralizing them, is a pivotal component of our training. This includes predator profiling, reading body language, as well as identifying common tactics and ambush methods.

By recognizing threats sooner, you are better prepared to respond to them correctly with more time to formulate your actions.

Anatomical Targeting

We first studied ancient fighting systems and how the originators of those arts studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) such as acupuncture as a basis for how best to attack the human body. Amazingly, these methods are extremely effective!

As we continued our study of the human body we looked at Western views of the body such as Anatomy and Physiology (A&P). While this expanded our understanding of "the why" of the targets we had discovered, it did not change the targets themselves. All we really did by conducting this research was expand our understanding. This allows us to speak in both Eastern and Western terms.

Enhancing Techniques

By studying these various combative systems, both ancient and modern, we learned to make our techniques several more times efficient. These principles include attacking the stance of the opponent, waveforms, harmonics, quadrant theory, and much more. Many of these principles, which we call "Players to the Game," yield as much as 10 x improvements in the effectiveness of your techniques, and response time has been cut in half and speed effectively doubled by applying this science.

Understanding Body Alarm Response

As our research advanced, we turned our attention towards understanding Adrenal Stress Response and how it affects the human body. This is important for two reasons:

• It affects you!
• It affects your opponent!

A fighting system that actually works has, to be based upon these principles or it will not work under real and stressful situations. Many techniques in use today will fail in real life! Many perceptual distortions and physical impairments occur under high stress. Techniques requiring fine motor skills are virtually useless at high heart rates.

Also, knowing how to cause this in our opponent or at least take advantage of these influences can mean the difference in life and death!

Improved Teaching Methods

A great fighting system is useless unless it is easily learned. As one of our founders, Rick Moneymaker, says "Knowledge is not power. Application of knowledge is power."

Our teaching methods are based on the most advanced scientific principles available. Our #1 commitment is to you as our standards and training partners!

Weapons

CombatiX is unique in that it combines various armed and unarmed fighting methods. First and foremost, empty-hand skills are essential. As much as we love weapons, your body is the only weapon guaranteed to be with you and accessible at all times.

For those times when weapons are needed, we strongly believe they have to be tightly integrated with your unarmed techniques. It is foolish to have a different set of stances, techniques, and principles for each weapon. That flawed thinking can get you killed! Regardless of what is in your hands, it should all be the same.

Our system will teach you to use the following weapons:

• The Human Body
• Pistol / Handgun
• Shotgun
• Rifle / Carbine
• Knife
• Expandable Baton
• Self Defense Keychain
• Anything else you get your hands on

The Continued Evolution of CombatiX

We never rest on our laurels. Violence is even present and predator tactics continue to evolve. As long as there are innocent people being victimized, we will never rest in our efforts to defend ourselves, and those we care about. Empowering citizens, Law Enforcement, and military to serve and protect their fellow men is what CombatiX is all about!

Is CombatiX Just Martial Arts?

CombatiX, while it incorporates aspects of various Martial Arts, is not technically a Martial Art itself. The reason for this is that it is an overlay approach that applies to any combative system, even those that are not technically Martial Arts. This is one of the things that make it so appealing to a broad spectrum of people.

Let's say, for example, that you are a practitioner of some particular style of Karate. While various systems perform their blocks and strikes differently, CombatiX will apply to them all. In my base karate system of Isshin-ryu, for example, we punch with a vertical fist rather than the traditional twist punch. Very few systems punch this way. In fact, Wing Chun is one of the few I know of that do. While other Martial Artists argue about which is better, CombatiX helps the practitioner by teaching when each is the preferred method. By helping each to understand the applications of their techniques and how to make them work more efficiently, both grow in their understanding.

Proponents of the traditional twist punch argue that the rotational torque of the technique exerts more power. Those who favor the vertical punch suggest that it is faster. Both are correct. In a system that focuses on a "one punch kill," power is preferred over speed, while a system that prefers multiple strikes quickly will inevitably choose speed. The problem comes in when one does not account for target.

Neither power nor speed is any good if the technique does not fit the target. Suppose the fighter attacks to the Xiphoid Process. Neither technique works as well as what the Okinawans call a Shizen Zuki, or 3/4 punch. As you may have guessed, it is a hybrid between a vertical punch and twist punch that is only rotated 3/4 of the way. This aligns the knuckles to strike the point, also known as CV-14, at the proper degree of fist rotation to allow the prominent knuckle of the fist to strike the target.

As a side note, have you ever heard it called the Solar Plexus? Look it up on an anatomical chart. I was surprised the first time I did! The Solar Plexus is actually quite deep into the body cavity. You have to almost punch to their spine to hit it! Maybe that is why we were taught to punch there, penetration!

Now, imagine a strike to the side of the neck in the Occipital Nerve at the base of the skull, also known as GB-20 in acupuncture. Hitting this with either a vertical punch, or even a 3/4 punch is difficult at best. As you may have guessed, a twist punch would fit the target better if one were choosing to punch there, though I typically prefer other strikes to the region.

If one were choosing to behind the corner of the jaw under the ear, named ST-6 in acupuncture, a vertical punch would fit nicely.

As you can see, no one method fits all needs. This is how all of CombatiX works. It is not dependent on which style or system you study, including those who do not even study Martial Arts at all!

Because the goal of combat is survival, the delivery mechanism, a.k.a. "style," is a moot point. Let's face it. There are only so many ways to punch, kick, grab, etc. In this way, hand-to-hand combat has changed little over the millennia.

What does change, however, is our understanding of the psychological and physiological components of combat.

Think about the goal of most Martial Arts training today. Many schools are commercialized to the point that they become a belt factory where the goal is to earn the next belt. When I was trying to grow my Martial Arts school years ago, I consulted with a friend of mine who owned a large school and I asked about the best way to get students excited about Self Defense training. He was shocked. His response was "You're not really teaching that stuff are you? No one wants to learn that! Drop all self-defense and play games, spar, and do things the customer wants." I don't know who was more shocked - him or me.

Well, I never grew my school very large. Unfortunately, it seems he was right. Most students weren't interested in learning to protect themselves. They wanted to feel good about themselves. What they didn't, and still don't, realize is that learning to protect life (and not just your own) is an extremely rewarding feeling. The peace of mind that it brings is invaluable.

I hope that is what you want as well...to know how to have that peace of mind. My goal during these training reports is to equip you to be a better Martial Artist, better officer, better soldier, or better citizen -- whatever path you take in life.

Get ready to have some preconceptions challenged. I promise during the course of these emails, you will be exposed to some things that at first thought, you will dismiss; but hear me out. I promise there is science to back it all up and I will show you.