Exposing Martial Art/Self Defence Trickery And Slight Of Hand

[Darren Laur]

Exposing Martial Art / Self Defence Trickery And Slight Of Hand


Before you read any further, please go to the following internet site first, http://www.ssmma.com/gallery_video.html# (Click on the live seminar Mass attack knock out and no touch knockout icon at the bottom of the page left side) and watch what this instructor is doing, and then read my post below. I think you will find it very interesting !!!!!!!!! I know this post might be offensive to some in this forum, but knowledge and the understanding of that knowledge is power !!!!!!!


Darren







Let’s expose this guy for what he is …….. a charlatan and an entertainer. What he is doing is nothing more that a techniques that is called “Waking Hypnosis” or “Hypersuggestability”. Since I have a background in this topic, I am a Certified Hypnotherapist and working towards my masters in NLP, lets break down what we have just seen in this video.


There are a number of ways to place a “WILLING and COOPERATIVE” person into a state of hypnosis, one of which is “waking hypnosis”. The best way to explain waking hypnosis is when a person in authority, such as a Doctor, tells you that you have only got two weeks to live, and then bang, you die in two weeks. You the client believe without question that the doctor must be right because he is the expert, so his “suggestion” you are going to die in two weeks must be correct and thus the conscious and more importantly the subconscious accept this “suggestion” 100%. Remember that the mind guides the body !!!!!!

In this video, the person in authority is the Instructor, who is demonstrating this “magical” technique to participants who want to be there and learn ( read WILLING and COOPERATIVE). In fact, you can hear the group calling him Sir, this now “anchors” to everyone, that he is a “person in authority” which is needed to make “Waking Hypnosis” work.

Next, lets look at how he “plants” the “suggestion” you will be knocked out, into the participants subconscious. First, the instructor obviously asked for volunteers. If a person volunteers, it tells the person in authority (hypnotist) that the person is definitely “Willing and Cooperative” and therefore more susceptible to suggestion. Although we did not see it in the video, I am also sure that this instructor conducted some very easy “suggestibility tests”, without letting the participants knowing of course, prior to his demonstration to ensure that he picked the right volunteers to demonstrate on. Heaven forbid he pick someone who would not respond to his suggestion, to do so would result in loss of face and more importantly loss of MONEY to him !!!!!!!!!


Next, The instructor prior to actually performing this “amazing” knock out technique, further “anchors” his suggestion to each participant, by slowly demonstrating what he was going to do to each student. He does this using a technique known as a “Hypnotic Equation”. A hypnotic equation is basically where the instructor is replacing one action with another. In this case, on the first three students, he suggests that when pain or pressure is felt by me striking you, you will go unconscious. This is a classic “Hypnotic Equation” He further anchors this suggestion by showing ( through demonstration first) what each student will do when he performs/applies his “magical” and “awesome” technique……… again give me a break !!!!!!!!


So now, lets look at the actual applications/techniques used by this Instructor. Prior to the actual demonstration, you will not that the instructor uses some humor ( says “ it’s over, did you see that”) to get the group, including his victims, to laugh. Why, because FEAR is one of the factors that can prevent an “induction” from taking place. This is a distraction technique that is used to calm people prior to an “induction”, in this case the technique of “Waking Hypnosis”. A calmer participant = higher suggestibility which = they will do what I need them to do.

Victim#1: Instructor first uses a technique known in hypnosis as a “misdirection”. A misdirection is used to increase a clients receptiveness a suggestibility due to the fact that the conscious brain is reaction as it should thus opening up the subconscious brain to suggestion. The misdirection technique is where the instructor first kicks the inside of the student’s right leg to get a pre-designated response that would happen. Because this worked, the students subconscious mind is now “wide open” to the instructors suggestion which he anchored earlier. The instructor now touches the student’s left side of the head (previously anchored hypnotic equation) at which time the student, “magically” and in “awe” of the group is knocked out and falls to the ground. What one should note, is that when in a state of hypnosis, a participant is still fully in control of his body. If you look closely, you will see victim #1 put his hand out to protect himself as he falls to the ground. If you compare this to an actual knockout, as you see in boxing, the body will fall to the ground like a marionette puppet whose strings have been cut. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN IN THIS CASE . Further, after apparently being knocked out and falling to the ground, you will hear the instructor state “back up” (suggestion) to victim #1, touches his head (anchor), at which time the student himself without any real help goes into a seated crossed leg position with his head up, just as the instructor “suggested” he do.


Victim#2: again instructor uses “misdirection techniques” by touching/blocking both arms. He then lifts both hands directly above and to the front of the victims forehead. This technique is known as an “Eye Fascination”. If I can get a person to do an eye/lid lift, it places one’s brain activity into a state of “alpha”. When the brain is in a state of alpha, a person becomes more suggestible. Instructor then strikes the victim in the chest with both hands ( anchored hypnotic equation) at which time the victim falls to the ground unconscious. Again notice that as this victim falls, he puts his hands out to protect himself from the fall. Also how once again the instructor goes over to this victim once grounded, again touches him (anchor) and then says “head up” at which time the victim immediately does as he is told.

[Darren Laur]

Victim#3: again instructor uses “misdirection technique” and then uses and “anchored hypnotic equation, by striking the subject to both side of his neck. Again watch how this victim falls, and also note how the instructor again touches the subject after this knock out.



Victim #4: This is a very interesting one to watch, and more importantly to break down. Again the instructor uses a misdirection technique ( has the student grab him with two hands) but this time the instructor does not use a physical touch of any kind, but places his hands above the victims forehead about 3-4 inches away (eye fascination technique) and through some kind of “magical force” causes the person to go unconscious. What happened here was that the instructor used a technique known as “compounding” to anchor his earlier hypnotic equation that the person would be knocked out. The victim in this case, watched three separate students be knocked out by the instructor. Because of this fact, each time the student saw the instructor knocking someone out, his subconscious mind was being compounded with the “visual fact” that he would be knocked out too, no matter what this instructor did. As well you will note how the instructor causes the person to move his upper body and head backwards. To the unconscious brain, it equates this motion to falling backwards, and with the previously anchored suggestion, and the fact that the student had seen three other of his colleagues go unconscious, the instructors suggestions were “compounded” thus the knockdown. This is the same technique that a lot of “Pentecostal Ministers” use when they touch a person’s head and yell “your healed” at which time that specific member of his flock falls backwards in what others see as an unconscious state.



What I did not share with you, is that I am a Bruce Siddle PPCT (Pressure Point Control Tactics) Instructor. For the past ten years, I have been teaching PPCT techniques to police officers in my department. I have also deployed these same techniques in “real world” scenarios. In fact, I can remember knocking a guy out with a full force fluid shock Brachial Plexus Strike. So can a person be knocked out with PPCT techniques? , given the proper context and opportunity, absolutely!!!! But when people get knocked out with a PPCT technique, they do fall like a marionette puppet who’s strings have been cut, not like the guys in the video who were able to control their fall. How these students fell, were identical to those who are placed into a hypnotic state. I have seen, experienced, and applied both, so can comment on this observation. The fact remains, watch the video frame by frame, and watch how these participants are falling, the proof is right there before your eyes !!!!!


This video proves nothing more than the fact that the instructor is very skilled in the area of hypnosis and suggestibility, period, full stop !!!!!!! Teaching this to students in a self defense context is both misleading and negligent, period, full stop. It is because of these charlatans who promote this garbage to uneducated people for nothing more than the old mighty buck, that people are getting seriously hurt or even killed when attempting to use this s**t in the real world.

What you saw in this video, I can replicate time and time again. The ONLY reason this instructor was able to make things work for him was because he had WILLING and COOPERATIVE subjects to work with. On the street I’m pretty sure that your attacker will not be so WILLING and COOPERATIVE, Period, full stop.


This instructor is both an entertainer and a CHARLATON who is not teaching self defence (as he had advertised), but rather “self defeat”. Remember, there is the art form of Martial Arts, and the reality of street combatives/self protection. It is my opinion, that this video shows the “art form” and nothing more. To even attempt this stuff in the real world would likely get one seriously injured, or even killed



I know that this is a heated topic amongst those who believe in this stuff, and skeptics like me who see something else other than what is presented before their eyes. This is why magicians are so good at what it is they do. Until recently, the art of magic was a closed shop, no one else could see what the actual trick was. It was not until a few years ago, when the FOX TV network started airing “magic revealed” (presented by a masked professional magician), that those of us not in the know began to understand the parlor tricks behind the magic. Professional magicians went nuts. Why?, because their tricks were revealed. I am starting to see a direct correlation between the mystical part of the martial arts, and the reality of empirical and scientific research !!!!!



Remember, Knowledge and the understanding of that Knowledge is POWER. It is with such knowledge that we can effectively educate others about these entertainers and what they are actual doing !!!!


Strength and Honor


Darren Laur
Integrated Street Combatives
personalprotection@shaw.ca

[Braden]

Good post.

[Cranestyle]

again an excellent post.
sheds some informative light upon the comon 'Jedi Mind Tricks' used by a lot of 'masters' to prove how effective their art will be on the street. i just hope that no one actually DOES try any of this kind of divvy hypnosis to defend themselves.

[guohuen]

Actually, I hope they do.

[Black Jack]

Great post

Guohuen....

[cagey_vet]

first off, thanks for your post. thanks for exposing another
fraud and charlatan.
but answer one thing that needs clarification for me:
working on your masters in NLP (neuro linguistic programming)? whats that all about... i know precisely what NLP is, just not
where you can seriously pursue it in academia...
what academic institution provides one?
theres only one place that REALLY pops into mind.
are you one of Ross Jeffries Speed Seduction adherents?

[rogue]

Hey I posted this link on the main forum a couple of weeks ago. Get you own links to pick on Darren!

These days I hear or see the words "reality", "street fighting", "used by law enforcement", "pressure points", non-lethal", "control", "SEALS" and "self defense" in an ad I head to the hills. Too much crap being passed off out there to get people injured.

[rogue]

Not to be rude Darren but what's Bruce Siddles background that his company is "A leader in research based training for criminal justice and military agencies." What kind of previous experience does he have in the field that we should listen to him?

Thanks in advance.

[Darren Laur]

Rogue:

I like people who don't take things at face value. Bruce Siddle and his company PPCT are known throughout the law enforcement and military community as leaders in the field of tactical training. Siddle has surrounded his company with the who's who of the Tactical community and backs up all his training and research with medical and scientific data. He has several PHD's and M.D.'s on staff. Here's his web site, have a visit:

http://www.ppct.com/index.htm


With regards to the issue of all the Buzzzzzzzzzzz words in the self protection field to sell their "system" as street effective, I have this to offer:


The street is a very ugly place, and one in which "politically correct" methods, techniques, and theories do not belong.

In a street confrontation, if I cannot talk or walk my way out, I will "Penetrate and Dominate" my opponent(s). Offensive mind set, warrior spirit, killer instinct, whatever you want to call it, this must be something that is embraced, harnessed, and used to one’s fullest advantage. You have to be just as violent as your attacker (or even more violent), if not, you will likely loose. Not very politically correct, but a realistic and modernistic view in today’s real world. My goal is to totally overwhelm my opponent, and to hurt him to the point that I, or a loved one, can escape as safely as possible. In the street, winning or losing CAN mean the difference between life and death. Having a respected athlete die in your arms as a result of a street predators tactics, does change one’s perspective on the reality of it all. Combine this personal experience, with the victimizations that I see on a daily basis in my job, from the result of street violence, can give one a clear and present understanding of what the consequences are if you do not WIN the street fight !!!!!

What I find extremely troubling and down right negligent, is some of the stuff that people are promoting as “street” self-defence:

· No touch knock outs
· Combat Ki
· Catching punches in the air and turning them into arm locks, wrist locks.

Give me a break !!!!!! What these people are teaching is not self-defence, but rather self-defeat. Acid test everything first. There is no such thing as reality, but reality itself. As trainers and students of combatives, we can acid test what we do in dynamic scenario based training to replicate reality to a point, but never to the point of 100%. Question, and question again, what you are learning or even teaching when it come to street combatives. Never get caught up in a “system” that advertises that they have the answer to everything. It has been my experience that these charlatans prey on the sheep of the martial arts community for nothing more than the old mighty buck.


For those who say they teach their system of fighting to SEALS, DELTA, FBI, RUSSIAN SPECIAL FORCES, and any other spec warfare or elite police Emergency Response Teams HTH Skills ( in an attempt to promote their style of fighting as street effective), good for you, but in most cases, these warriors aren’t the predators you will be facing on the street who use totally different S.O.P’s than those listed above (remember know thy enemy). Think about this one for a moment. As well, talk to any grunt on one of the above-mentioned teams, I know I have, and they will tell you that the last thing they want to do is to go toe to toe with an enemy/opponent. That is why they are given warrior tools such as guns, grenades, and knives. Do these teams run into HTH combative situations? Yes they do. But this is the “rare” exception and not the rule. What these teams do possess and which needs to be understood and harnessed by those of us teaching combatives is “Warrior Spirit”. I truly believe that this one very important attribute is what makes these units, and warriors serving in them, so formidable and dangerous.



The reason for this post, “Modern Realists” need to be heard, even if what they say is a bitter pill to swallow by those who are more “traditional”. Violence is not a politically correct beast, dealing with it effectively can not be either.



Strength and Honor

Darren Laur

[Internal Boxer]

Good Post. From my viewpoint I certainly think that there are knock out points ie. on the neck ST9 is one that is used by doctors, there is something called the baro receptor which controls the blood pressure to the brain, a skilled doctor can massage this point to bring down the bood pressure of a patient. If struck it can also be used as a knock out point, as the blood pressure drops and the person faints.

However it can cause long term problems for the person if they are continually being struck, it only needs minimal force to strike this point and in some of the clips he did appear to be hitting this area, which is very irresponsible. As for empty force and hypnotism these have no place in self defence. Even if someone is skilled in the use of dim mak points, you need to be an excellent fighter to actually get near to a skilled opponent without him breaking your face open. It is funny how you never see any of this stuff in the UFC probably because like you guys said before these people are using their own students without testing it with a uncooperative partner such as UFC.

[The Willow Sword]

Now i am not an advocate for mind tricks and slight of hand stuff in fighting,HOWEVER< i have found a technique that TRULY WORKS, it is not as grandious as what we have seen on that sight and it isnt even very scientific and technical. first let me state that techniques such as these do not work all the time, and the reason that is ,,is because the person trying to execute the technique has no idea wtf they are doing.

there is a term in japanese martial arts that is called "cutting the center" since we all must recognize that we have a center to our body and being we must ALSO acknowlege that this center can be cut or disrupted,,and i am not just talking about fighting.
in laymans terms it is just a "distraction" but i will bet that most of you here have been "distracted" before and fallen on your butt.
do you know how you would "cut" a persons center and throw them off gaurd? before i explain the technique that i know let me share with you the technique that most everybody uses or knows about,,,,the "KIA". ill reply with more when i get response

many respects,,,, the willow sword

[dnc101]

But first, Mr Lauer- excellent post.

Now, Willow- any force applied externally which acts on the opponents spine can disrupt his center line and unballance him. If he can move he may be able to regain his center/ballance. Joint locks may prevent this or may cause him to move to a position of disadvantage. Strikes executed in the right direction dureing this moment of susceptability will topple him. And so on.

Internally, the mind/body will react to anything it thinks (whether real or just perceived) is happening or about to happen to its center of gravity (a point, not center line). Ground him, he'll float. Try to unweight him, he'll ground. Trick him into thinking you are doing these things, he may disrupt his own ballance and fall or stumble. My guess is this is what you are talking about, Willow.

Then there is the triangulation point. This point lies about a shinbones lenght behind the opponents heels. Force applied to the torso and directed at that point will topple your opponent. Of these three, this would be my pick to have the best chance to work in the real world, if you don't try to get too fancy with it. A counter attack using compounding angles and acting against this point can be devastating.

The concept of "penetrate and dominate" is key regardless of what 'technique' or 'method' you use. Don't just take his ballance, occupy his space and take his spirit. I'd rather have his spirit than his ballance any day. Dominate him physically, mentally, and emotionally and you have more control than any locks or even devices/adjuncts. For example, I know first hand (I was there at the time) of one man, about 130 lbs. of rage, who had been restrained in a straight jacket. He was in the Provost Martials Office and five MP's were trying to put him in a cell. One of the MP's was angry because this guy had called him a (person of African descent). So, while they had this guy down and pinned to the floor, the MP walked over and kicked him hard in the face. When they tried to pick him up, the guy tore free and drove his shoulder into the black MP's abdomen, forcing him back into the wall. The MP lost every breath he'd took that day in one whoosh, and this guy litterally destroyed the MP. Still in the straight jacket, he used only feet, knees, head and teeth- and this with the others litterally beating him senseless. You could say the guy lost, but he smiled all night and the next day he leered at the MP's. They were all p!ssed, and the last I saw/ heard the one MP was taken, groaning and whimpering, to the dispensary. They had controlled everything but his spirit, and they got trashed.

[The Willow Sword]

[The Willow Sword]

its pretty simple:
as you face your opponent you quickly swipe in a downward cutting angle to the body's center ie:tan tien or 3 inches below the navel, with your two fingers (index and middle)
you dont even have to touch the opponent at all,,just make sure it is a clean swipe downward,,after you do that immediately and i mean immediately attack. you will be amazed a the results.
its kind of like a sword blade cutting at a downward angle to the centerpoint of the body, you can be a foot away when you do this or even 2 ft.
trust me it WORKS.

Many Respects,,The Willow Sword