# Tony Blauer



## MJS (Dec 4, 2007)

Came across some cool clips of Tony Blauer. I'm going to post a few here, and then I'd like to hear everyones thoughts on what he has to say. I think that the spear and flinch response that he talks about is pretty interesting, and it seems very effective as well! Does anyone use these methods or something similar?

Startle/Flinch Response

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Training For The Ambush

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Pre-Contact Cues

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The Bridge To Your Next Move

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Hicks Law

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## terryl965 (Dec 4, 2007)

I think training for the ambush is right on, so many SD orientated school teaches you how to get out of hold but never really go over what you should be doing before someone gets you in the hold.

I will look at rest of them later.


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## Blindside (Dec 4, 2007)

Blauer has excellent material, I've been collecting his stuff since he was producing vids through Panther.  I consider his flinch response and SPEAR entry to be in the top 5 concepts I've learned in martial arts.  As a kenpoist, my personal Five Swords, starts with a SPEAR.

I disagree with some of the things he says in the Hicks Law vid clip, and its application to physical attack, but that does not detract at all from the concept he is teaching.

Lamont


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## Brian R. VanCise (Dec 4, 2007)

Tony has some good stuff!


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## Guardian (Dec 4, 2007)

_From what I've heard and see on these, I'd have to say he's got some good material out and his act together._


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## redfang (Dec 4, 2007)

Good vids. For me, you maximize your ability to respond to an attack in time by 1. Always expecting that there may be a potential attack. 2. Keeping your hands above your waist and free to move (The old 'interview stance') and 3. Don't let a suspect or any other potentially hostile (all of em) subject get too close. If you're uncomfortable by someone's proximity, make them move back, not the other way around or you'll find yourself backed up against something. If they don't move, put out and arm and firmly help them. If you feel threatened, tell them, "I feel threatened, move." And if an attack comes, these things along with a SPEAR type of response will greatly increase your chances of surviving. (Another thing I tend to do is to pre-plan what my primary response to an attack might be based on my initial assesment of a person. I can always go with a different response, but having something in mind will decrease your odds of doing nothing.)


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## SensibleManiac (Dec 4, 2007)

Tony Blauer is very well spoken and some of his material is very well thought out and effective. But there is also alot of speculation involved in his material and some of that can backfire in a real situation. 
His tendency has always been to overanalyze situations and not look at all the factors involved. 
Also I, as well as most people who have known and trained personally with him will tell you he can be blinded by his ego and isn't always in it for the right reasons. 
One of his major flaws and that of his material is that he thinks he owns the truth. 
He suffers from the same that alot of martial theorists do. His stuff works on paper but take it into the street and you will notice many flaws. 
It's one thing to apply his principles wearing padded gear and another to experience real violence.
I have seen many better trainers who offer more realism and sincerity in what they do.
This isn't all to say that he has nothing of value to offer. 
It's just that you should be wary of those that think they own the truth and have all the answers.


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## morph4me (Dec 4, 2007)

I think if you apply the principles he's expounding, rather than getting hung up on the technique, most of what he says is valid. 

Much of what he's saying assumes an individual familiar with technique, otherwise you've flinched and closed and you end up in grappling range with no idea what to do next.


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## KenpoTex (Dec 6, 2007)

I feel that the principles he's addressing are extremely important.

I'm a big fan of the "Default response" or as Tony calls it "flinch response" idea.  I feel that you have to have something that you do in response to an unexpected or ambush style attack.  There are other instructors out there who use different methods (Lee Aldridge of Reality Based Fighting Conceps, Jerry Wetzel of Centerline Gym, Richard Dimitri, "SouthNarc," etc.).  Each method (as with any technique) has strengths and weaknesses but you have to have something that will take care of this part of the problem.  
Granted, these "default responses" do not protect against every possible attack but they will protect against the more common methods of attack and give you the opportunity to formulate a response.  If you try to diagnose an ambush attack and respond with the presribed technique, you're already behind the curve and will not succeed.


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## Clapping_tiger (Dec 13, 2007)

I have not trained with Tony Blauer, but I trained and taught in a school where my instructor and a police officer who was a student took his course to be allowed to teach his stuff. I gotta say you can compliment any MA you are in by incorporating his material. The spear technique works real well once you have it ingrained into you. The drills (and if your lucky enough to have some of the suits which we were) can bring your training to a whole new level. It doesn't matter what art your in, you can blend this stuff in. You do have to be willing to manage a bit of pain though, which isn't for everyone.


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## MJS (Dec 13, 2007)

Clapping_tiger said:


> I have not trained with Tony Blauer, but I trained and taught in a school where my instructor and a police officer who was a student took his course to be allowed to teach his stuff. I gotta say you can compliment any MA you are in by incorporating his material. The spear technique works real well once you have it ingrained into you. The drills (and if your lucky enough to have some of the suits which we were) can bring your training to a whole new level. It doesn't matter what art your in, you can blend this stuff in. You do have to be willing to manage a bit of pain though, which isn't for everyone.


 
Those suits are great!!  However, they are not cheap.  As for the idea of the spear...personally I think its great.  Having your hands up, as he shows, in a non threatening manner, allows you to blast into the person, should they become aggressive.  

And you're right...his stuff blends in very well.  Nothing fancy about it, just quick, simple and to the point. 

Mike


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## Blindside (Dec 13, 2007)

MJS said:


> Those suits are great!! However, they are not cheap. As for the idea of the spear...personally I think its great. Having your hands up, as he shows, in a non threatening manner, allows you to blast into the person, should they become aggressive.


 
My kali instructor is also a certified instructor of the SPEAR curricullum.  He had an interesting take on it as a kalista.  That the flinch to the front mimics the hand position in a standard roof block, the flinch from the side (someone from your side yells "duck! or heads!" what do you do?  Head tucks, same side hand covers the side of the head, far side hand starts coming across your body) mimics the outward roof block (payong) hand position.  This gives you starting points to initiate your response from a kali reference point.

Lamont


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## MJS (Dec 13, 2007)

Blindside said:


> My kali instructor is also a certified instructor of the SPEAR curricullum. He had an interesting take on it as a kalista. That the flinch to the front mimics the hand position in a standard roof block, the flinch from the side (someone from your side yells "duck! or heads!" what do you do? Head tucks, same side hand covers the side of the head, far side hand starts coming across your body) mimics the outward roof block (payong) hand position. This gives you starting points to initiate your response from a kali reference point.
> 
> Lamont


 
Hey, thats pretty cool!  I didn't even think to look at it that way!


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## Drac (Dec 13, 2007)

Not real crazy about his techniques..His training suits are EXCELLENT...


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## samurai69 (Feb 28, 2008)

theres a load more Tony Blauer clips on here

http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html#Combatives


i like some of his concepts and he was one of the first to use some of the base techniques (flinch, spear etc)


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## vforcesfc (Feb 29, 2008)

Since I am in the same field I would have to say Tony is a great guy and I agree with a majority of his stuff and he doesnt get enough credit....Good Post and Find on You Tube...


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## MJS (Mar 1, 2008)

vforcesfc said:


> Since I am in the same field I would have to say Tony is a great guy and I agree with a majority of his stuff and he doesnt get enough credit....Good Post and Find on You Tube...


 
Glad you enjoyed the clips! 

Have you ever had the chance to work with him in person?

Mike


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## vforcesfc (Mar 4, 2008)

Hey Mike,

I am in the process of getting him to come and do a seminar at my facility...I have yet to see someone explain fight science like he does...He is a very intelligent man...I am hoping to hear back from him later this week...I will keep you guys posted......


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