Blog - Monthly Archives for October, 2014

 

As many of you know over the last two years I’ve had several discussions with manufactures who make martial arts training gear. These discussions started after conducting several US Fighting Systems self-defense programs at martial arts schools around the country.

In the process of using the gear they had on hand, some of their striking shields and small target shields failed to protect the person striking the shield as well as the person holding the shield.  The straps tore off, surface area broke apart, shields ripped open and in some cases even caused injuries.

I have over 30+ years of training and experience as a corrections officer, police officer and veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and since 1988 have been teaching self-defense and defensive tactics to police and military professionals around the world. During these years, I’ve broken my fair share of protective training gear and striking shields.

During the past 20 years, I’ve been using and helping in the development of training props and protective a suits from some of the leading manufacturers of training gear that is used for high level simulation training.

Unfortunately all my efforts and attempts to work with these manufacturers within the industry have failed.

So we decided to design our own gear, and why not? The current gear used not does not allow my team and I to train to the level needed with the current gear being made.

Most of this training gear is made outside the United States and, as a result, quality control issues occur. Unfortunately this is often attributed to the lower cost which is often what motivates the purchase.

We wanted to change that on all sides. US Fighting Systems partnered with Crown Gym Mats who are leaders in the industry to make gear that is designed and built right here in the USA.

This collaboration has resulted in designing some of the highest level impact protection available for a striking shields, small target shields and forearm striking shields. A new innovative griping feature gives the person holding the bag some added benefit and improves strength.

Since our real world based training is conducted outside with shoes and boots in a variety of weather conditions, we wanted our gear to last and not only protect the person hitting it, but also the person holding it without hurting your wallet!

So if you’re a trainer, martial arts school owner or self-defense practitioner and you use striking shields, small focus pads or other training props, give us a try.

I guarantee you it will be the last piece of training gear you will ever need to buy….

For more information on performance click on this link – http://www.cxl1.net/m/p/jTLRcdgG

And contact Dave Young at usfighitngsys@aol.com

 

 

Working out seems to have a different meaning for everybody. Their target goals for fitness are different, their levels of commitment vary and their results will either motivate or demotivate them based on one important fact.

Effort + Commitment = Results!

What is the main reason you are working out?

Some buy all the latest fitness apparel and just walk around the gym. The only reason they’re sweating is because they forgot to take off their jacket. Others carry their water bottle around spending more time on their phone than working out.

These are the people who go to the gym to look trendy or convince themselves they are improving their health.

Then there’s the person who works out at the stations and maybe even takes a few classes but gives minimal effort and sees no gain.

They forget that they need to put in the effort to get the results.

 

A workout with focus

I believe part of the reason some people don’t take their workout seriously is because they don’t have a clear goal to work towards. So I thought what better goal is there than being prepared to fight for your life in a physical encounter?

That’s how I got the idea to develop a different kind of workout program. One that was physically and mentally challenging and could potentially save lives.

To do this I knew that:

• it had to be for those who are truly dedicated to their workout
• it had to keep people in fighting condition
• it had to train people how to stay alive during a physical encounter

The workout also had to have several goals and objectives to instill confidence, power development, cardiovascular endurance, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, flexibility, as well as being emotionally challenging and mentally tasking.

What I came up with was Fight Fitness.

 

How Fight Fitness prepares warriors

If the workout was meant to keep people in the kind of shape it takes to stay alive in a physical encounter, then it also had to mentally prepare them for a fight.

To that end, Fight Fitness trains participants to recognize and combat the negative thinking process a lot of fighters experience that leads to someone quitting a fight.

The first step in the negative thinking process is what we call submission thinking. Submission thinking is rationalizing that you can slow down and still achieve your goal. This is the first lie, you tell yourself.

Then you start to compromise with yourself. We call this step surrender thinking. This is when you start to say to yourself it’s okay to stop. It keeps you from pushing your limits – both in the gym and on the street.

The last stage you go through before you give up and quit is called helpless thinking. This is when you put forth NO more effort to accomplish the task at hand. You’ve already talked yourself into quitting and now you physically stop pushing forward to change your outcome.

 

No nonsense

Before creating Fight Fitness I reviewed, participated in, and researched every fitness program on the planet. While they all make you sweat, drop some weight and build muscle, NONE of them prepares you to fight for your life – and win – if someone ever tried to take it from you!

This is the purpose of Fight Fitness. The five levels of Fight Fitness are to build and release the inner warrior inside you!

Your coach will be with you along the way with no music and no special equipment; just you and your coach. We will teach you how to control your emotions by pushing your limits and stretching your limitations by managing your mental conditioning and increasing your physical abilities.

You do not need any special footwear or apparel to participate in this workout.  You will need a mouthpiece, an open space and positive thinking, and you can adjust your Fight Fitness rounds to fit your schedule.

This is the ultimate fitness workout to prepare you for the time when you may have to save yourself or others and ensure you’re emotionally prepared, mentally conditioned and physically capable of defending yourself when your life depends on it the most!

For more contact me at usfightingsys@aol.com

-Dave Young

Founder of US Fighting Systems

 

 

Having the opportunity to watch students test on the material you have spent over 30 years developing and field proving is a humbling and outstanding privilege.

To watch the dedication in their eyes, the confidence in their movements and the execution of the techniques under stress is something every trainer should experience.

Thank you Master Jay Lee, Master Sammy Pejo, Master Sonny Kang and my outstanding demo partner, Master Johney Kang!

 

Very few people have the right or authority to speak about your life or the lives of others. And when you are asked to speak about that during a ceremony, it is an amazing honor that is bestowed upon you.

It doesn’t matter how many people. It doesn’t matter whether it is a graduation of hundreds moving on to another chapter in their lives, a single person on the battlefield, a person having a problem in their lives or when your own child says, “Dad, I need your help.”

 

Belt testing

Tomorrow is just another day for most. But for many martial artists, family, friends and teachers at the US Taekwondo Centers, it is a very special day.

Tomorrow in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the U.S. Taekwondo Center I have been asked to address the students, their families, instructors and Masters for belt testing.

It is a very important step in their journey when they need to reflect on their failures in order to appreciate and celebrate their successes and recognize their accomplishments.

 

Courage and Encourage

Their ages, height, education level and their physical abilities all vary between each other however one of the MANY common traits they share is “Courage.”

In my life I have heard the word courage being used to express many things; from a person having the courage to stand up for themselves or others, or the courage to overcome obstacles and triumph above all odds. And even though the word courage is often used, there is another word that is used to inspire courage.  That word is “Encourage.”

The ability to encourage ones self – to pick themselves up dust themselves off and get back into the mix, day in and day out takes courage.

But without the people to encourage us, it will only suppresses the courage inside of us. In some cases this person is only you. There are no others, no friends, family, mother or father, no role model.

The love from your family when practicing at home, the support of your friends, and the mentoring of your teachers combined with the confidence in yourself are the ingredients to accomplishing the goals we set in life and why we are all here today.

 

To a new chapter…

Today is a day of celebration of our accomplishment, the love of our family and the support of our friends and the outstanding mentoring of our Teachers and Masters. So today ends one more chapter in your lives and tomorrow you will take another step towards demonstrating your courage by continuing to encourage the people around you!

Be safe and God bless!

-Dave Young

 

I am amazed by the things that happen around us.

As I travel around the world I have the opportunity to meet some exciting, motivating and dedicated professionals. This traveling also allows me to witness things people do that just amaze and concern me with their apparent disregard for personal safety.

Like the woman who leaves her purse on her table and goes to the bathroom with no one else to watch it. Or the parents that send their small four and six-year-old into the bathroom by themselves unattended. Or passing the guy in the parking lot in his late 60s in the open counting large hundred dollar bills as he walks to his car.

All of these are great examples of people that live in the world I always talk about; the world that it won’t happen to me and then I’ll be shocked when it suddenly does.

Being safe and sound has nothing to do with being scared. It has everything to do with being ready and aware of the things around you and understanding the world in which we live.

It’s not a question anymore of if it will happen, it’s a question of when. And when it does, will you be ready to defend your personal safety? I know I am!