# June 15-17 SYSTEMA Handgun Seminar in Sarasota FL



## Marc Bresee (May 20, 2007)

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*
*FROM: *
*Marc Bresee*
*Russian Martial Art *
*Sarasota, Florida*
*941-504-7767 cell*
*941-355-2591 office*
*marcbresee@gmail.com*

Amigos, ComradesBrothers,
-and those that are far away, though I knew you may not come, I wanted say hello and let you know we are alive and kicking (and punching) out here.

*It is now time to put a unique study opportunity on your calendar!*


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*Friday June 15-Sunday June 17*

The tactics and methods of handgun use taught to elite military and law enforcement personnel will be presented in a comprehensive manner during the two day intensive workshop, taught by *Sonny Puzikas* and *Ken Good*. Most of you know the caliber of these instructors from their reputations in the Systema community and their resumes below agree. How unique an opportunity it is for us to train with either one of them for a day.now we will have both together for a weekend. 

This Seminar will be begin on Friday June 15 at 5:00 and end on Sunday June 17 at 5:00

The workshop will explore the essence of close quarters gun fighting in urban setting. Movement, platform, cover, cornering and many other topics will be covered and extensively drilled in high stress force on force setting using paintball guns. The material presented will allow participants to understand and learn the most important elements of fast paced close quarters armed combat. Since this is the first and possibly only time that Ken and Sonny will be teaching this material together to civilians, there will be some focus on team tactics and specific entry techniques for confined space work and room clearing, reading, recognizing and using angles to maximize your advantages and limiting your opponents options, movement and shooting platform issues, low light tactics and techniques, weapon retention, and close quarters immediate action drills. 

In order to facilitate more advanced work on Saturday and Sunday, a Friday evening class will be offered that will be designed to gain familiarity with the equipment and practice its use in a less stressful environment (ie no one shooting back at you). Topics that will be explored to illustrate general principles of force on force training. The Friday class will be held from 5:00 until 8:00. The rest of the evening will be a poolside BBQ with Shaslik, potato salad and cold beer.

MATERIALS?
Unlike most seminars, there is a material cost. To save time and make life easier, paintballs and CO cartridges will be provided. 

GEAR?
Paintball markers and ammo, face masks, CO cartridges will be provided. 
Wear comfortable clothing. No body protection. 
Bring flashlight for night time training if you have one. Wal-Mart makes one for around $20 that is lithium battery, extremely bright, and has a rear activated switch.

BRING YOUR OWN GUN?
We have a limited number of guns (8) and face masks (8). There are enough to train with effectively, but to maximize your experience (and to continue personal training on your own) it is recommended that you have your own gun. Also not a bad idea to have your own goggles if you are able. 

I have tried and owned quite a few different paintball gun models: I would recommend a couple without hesitation. Both are available at a discount (check other prices on the webthe P99 goes for about $225!) if you order immediately. I will put orders in on May 14 so get back to me ASAP if you want a new gun waiting here for you when you arrive. These will also be available at seminar rate for those who are not attending. 

You can see a short Demo at http://zenixstudios.com/f.php?f=aqxq (click on DOWNLOAD). Forgive the quality (it was a hurried production and shot with a small camera sitting on a can of paintballs. J)






*MEALS? *
Friday night will be good high protein dinner (the poolside shashlik, a traditional russian shiskebob) with beer to provide some carbs. 

Fruit and drinks will be provided during the day.

For Saturday dinner you will be on your own. A generous break will be given for a meal and recuperation besides that, on Saturday evening we need to wait a bit for it to get dark for the night work. There are a dozen restaurants within a mile (No kidding: Applebees, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, Arbys, Outback, China Garden, a English pub, three Italian restaurants, a great sushi restaurant, a Chinese buffet, Friendlys, Subway, MacDonalds, a Mexican restaurant, Panera, and probably a couple more that I forgot.) 

*COSTS?*
Pre-registration deposit of $100 required by June 1 please.

Friday only: training, materials, dinner $50 
Saturday only: training, materials, w/night class $175
Sunday only: training, materials $130
or
*ALL: Friday-Sunday: total $300*


A 10% discount will be offered to Systema Instructors

Make funds (for seminar and guns, magazines, and paint balls) payable to: 
Russian Martial Art LLC 
1795 Desoto Rd
Sarasota FL 34234

*LODGING*

Helmsley Sandcastle on Lido beach is a favorite for those who have attended past seminars.(www.helmsleysandcastle.com ) because of its proximity to the beach. It is not the cheapest place in town but a decent price for staying on the water. It is 10-15 minutes from the training area.

A closer location and more reasonable rate will be found atKnights Inn, 5340 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. This 1.5-star archetypical roadside motel gets near-decent reviews and is probably the closest motel to the training location. Rates probably under $75. There is a pool. It is a fairly easy walk from the airport if you have a backpack and dont want to wait for a cab. Considering the training schedule and the busy nights, you will not be at your hotel much at all. I would probably opt for this less glamorous choice. It is only a couple miles away and is shown on the map below. If you like to get up early and run or walk on the beach (and dont mind the extra bucks) then Helmsley is your best choice.

*TRAINING LOCATION (http://www.pbase.com/marcbresee/gunfight_2) a mini-seminar that we did last year*


Located within minutes of the Sarasota airport, the training will be held at 2618 51st St, Sarasota, on 2.5 acres (where I live). There are bathrooms, outdoor shower and a pool there, and an outdoor kitchen. It will be hot weather, so you can plan to swim at any breaks. This location is a few blocks from the Systema Academy.

*TRANSPORTATION *
*There will not be any official transportation provided. *

*Sharing rented cars is probably easiest, but local students here may be bribed for rides. The worst that can happen is a two mile walk somewhere. As you can see by the map, things are in fairly close proximity.*



*INSTRUCTORS*
*(Info from Kens website at www.strategosintl.com)*

SONNY PUZIKAS http://www.strategosinternational.com/pdfs/SonnyPuzikascv.pdf






Mr. Sonny Puzikas is a highly skilled operator gaining his experience from the special purpose unit (Spetsnaz) in USSR MVD. He has received extensive specialized training in small unit special tactics, urban and mountainous terrain warfare, crowd/ riot control, small arms (domestic and foreign), demolitions, survival in hostile environment and armed/unarmed CQB. Extensive training on subject of physical security of top level military nuclear installations and specialized instructor course on subject of terrorism and anti-terrorism. Participated in several special operations. 




*KEN GOOD*

http://www.strategosinternational.com/pdfs/kengoodcv.pdf







*Mr. Ken Good*, a former Naval Special Warfare operator brings doctrines of small unit tactics, communication procedures, use of weapons, demolition techniques, employment of pyrotechnics, land, sea and airborne operations, parachuting, closed and open circuit SCUBA diving.

Ken Good graduated from Operations Specialist "A" school as the honor graduate. He formed up with Class #105 for UDT/SEAL BUD/S training and was the honor graduate for class #105. Shortly thereafter he attended Scout/Sniper school and was one of a few who received and instructor rating following that training. 
Ken Good was also selected to be a member of the highly competitive U.S. Naval Pentathlon Team (CISM) and set the world points record during his second tour with the team.

Mr. Good operationally deployed to the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and South Korea.

He is experienced in the administration of classroom and practical instruction for the federal government and private industry. Topics include threat types and tactics, terrorist threats, boarding and securing vessels, refugee recovery, levels of force, small unit tactics, team training and leadership, tactical communications, area search procedures for explosive devices, use of the baton, crowd control, prisoner search and handling, hostage situation management, individual and team movements, room entry techniques.

His military experience also includes the instruction of techniques and doctrine to members of foreign militaries. He has trained thousands of military, law enforcement, and security personnel over the last twenty years. Mr. Good has pioneered new methodologies for maximizing human performance in the tactical environment. 

Mr. Good is currently is a guest instructor at many notable tactical firearms training institutions. 

Mr. Good has also been a feature columnist for American Handgunner magazine and his articles are frequently published in Law Enforcement, Security, and Martial Arts publications.



.That about sums it up. Give me a call if you have any questions or there was anything I missed. Thanks for your time in considering this training opportunity. Please pass it on to others that might be interested. This is not limited to the Systema community: new students are very welcome.

Marc Bresee
marcbresee@gmail.com


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## Marc Bresee (May 21, 2007)

I just bumped into this pertinent essay on the topic by Gabe Suarez -


The URGENT Need For Force On Force  

Imagine a class of students studying the art of swimming. The instructor, ostensibly an expert swimmer with credentials and such, calmly walks up to the class and begins lecturing. The environment is totally comfortable and dry, the students are clothed in typical business clothing and notes are being taken as they sip water or coffee. The lecturer goes on to describe the need to float, and to move the arms and legs in unison, this way and that. He discusses passingly how to breathe and what water temperature may do to the technique. He shows films of swimmers, and analyzes the techniques. Finally, the class understands the concept of swimming. Then they retire to their respective swim couches and practice their strokes incessantly. After a while they very good at this and can whip out a back stroke or breast stroke or even a dog paddle like the expert in class. They are given Swimmer Diplomas and sent out ready to swim....should the need arise.  Eventually these would-be swimmers begin discussing the merits of pumping the arms more than the feet, or of holding the breath or the theoretical need to get the head up out of the place the water would be, if in fact they were swimming in water, in order to breathe. Minutia upon minutia are analyzed and discussed to perfect "the couch swim". But nobody ever gets into the water. The water is a fearfull place. One actually gets wet. "There be dragons" seems to be the attitude. "The water is not safe", some say. Others say that the mere suggestion that one would have to test the Master Swimmer's Theory Of Swimming to be a disloyal and unfaithful act.  "Analytical swimmers do not need to get into the water", others murmur as they grind through their swim katas every day. The discussions on minutia and the unaswered questions persist. Yet if one of them dared to wander into the murky wetness, all the questions that they have spent hours and hours bemusing would be answered in one instant flash of sudden understanding. 

I'll let you in on a secret. It is a dark and ugly secret that has been kept hidden like a national security issue for decades. The master swimmer does not, in fact, know how to swim. He can teach you the technique for making swimming motions on a safe couch, but he knows nothing of the water. The couch swim doesn't work in a pool, much less in the ocean. His students would drown.
That is a fact he would kill to keep hidden, because he has invested so much in his teaching methods and technical presentation.  Quite an illustration isn't it? Much the same can be said for many other things in life. One of them is Gun Fighting. I (Gabe) get students from range-based schools, and their satellites all the time. These guys and gals have been drilled into the indoctrination of how to stand, how to draw, and of course, how to use the sights to carefully fire a nice pair into a piece of paper. They have previously spend their training time perfecting their stance, or focusing more on their front sight, or reacting to the first tone of the whistle or tone. Slight changes in holsters, or triggers, or other incomprehensible irrelevancies filled their study time. These things do not last more than the first few minutes of our class. 

If only people would simply get into the water...into the Force on Force crucible, all things would be known immediately like the dripping swimmer who has just completed his first pool workout. In a handful of chaotic and often intense seconds, the force on force student knows more about gunfighting than the untested range instructor who has been shooting groups all his life. 

Stop being the theoretical dry couch swimmer and jump into the freaking pool. Heck, just think of all the time and money that will be saved once you have the "secret" knowledge that so many are trying to keep from you. 

Put down your range bag, grab a paintball or airsoft pistol and a training partner and step into the light


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## Marc Bresee (Jun 24, 2007)

Friends,
Re: Last weekend's FORCE ON FORCE seminar at our place:

For those who attended, don't miss these links. For those of you who couldn't make it, a review of the recent seminar is evolving on Vlad's forum at:
http://www.russianmartialart.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3010

Also, I posted links to photos taken. Be sure and check them out.  http://www.pbase.com/marcbresee/force_on_force

If you are interested, check back. People will add comments, observations and hopefully more photos over the next couple weeks.


Best wishes, Marc


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