Hawking time!

 As you should be aware by now, I have a healthy dose of respect for anyone involved with serious martial training, whether traditional or modern aspects of it, i.e. looking for cultural preservation, sporting applications or functional combative skills. One rather interesting subset of the first category is the HEMA (historical European martial arts) community, but with an interesting specific feature. Namely, while the majority of Asian declaratively traditional systems are based on some kind of "living, unbroken lineage from the founder, the HEMA approach is actually mostly founded on the efforts toward reconstruction - trying to revive what is for the most part lost legacy from the historical manuals about the methods of use of the weapons and armory characteristic for the periods of medieval time and the renaissance. 

Oddly enough, the period(s) after that, which means once the firearms got into regular and large-scale use, are not really in the focus of this group. As a result, that leaves an implement that I find very interesting and still relevant on the margins of interest among the enthusiasts - tomahawk. Fortunately, over the past couple of decades it got some serious treatment from a handful of some superbly dedicated instructors, and their work gives us some excellent material to work from. Now, as is the case with my path in the overall fighting domain, the emphasis is on the functional application of the tool, with not much attention to the historical accuracy of the methods of use. That said, I will split this post into two mediums...

BOOKS

The absolute giant in this category, and deservedly so, is the late Col. Dwight McLemore, and if you have any interest in the tomahawk. His two books are seminal works, and they try to address the historical context of the weapon too, but when it comes to the utilization, it is not the main criterion. 

In the first volume, titled simply The Fighting Tomahawk, the author very ably covers all the necessary building blocks that form a good handling skill - in the first section of the book those are grips, stances, guards, deployment; offensive use of the 'hawk (cut, chop, punch, rake); and the defensive use (deflection, interception, blocks). The second section introduces the complementary use of a long knife in conjunction with the tomahawk. The third section presents additional training methods of engagements sets, either solo or with a partner, as well the throwing fundamentals and applications with a war club. 

The thing that gives all of this author's book a particularly enticing quality is the use of his own hand drawn illustrations to portray how to perform the material. And to be honest, after almost two decades of having these book, I keep coming back to them for the sheer aesthetic enjoyment and beautiful writing style, as much as the solid information. 

With the second volume, McLemore takes a bit different approach. Unlike the first book, which was organized like some kind of a course in the use of a weapon, this one is presented as a sequence of chapters (called Letters) each dealing with an individual aspect of the material in the previous volume, as well as some new stuff, such as the addition of punching and kicking, with special emphasis on training methods. What strikes me as a positive feature is that what we have here is not necessarily advanced methods, but rather deeper understanding of the existing material, hopefully leading to the advanced skill in applications. There are, however, some additions of the original topics, my favorites being the rough and tumble integration of tomahawk with other natural tools as part of chaotic, messy combative encounter as it naturally is; and the use of a long handle tomahawk/hatchet with its specifics that stem from the physical characteristics of the implement. 

In an attempt at succinct comparation, I'd say that the first book is a basic course in the subject matter, possibly taught in a class setting, while the second could be viewed as a selection of workshops to be offered along the way for those interested in those details. 

Sadly, being that the author is deceased and the original publisher of all his books defunct, the availability of these books may sometimes be a challenge, and they are pricey. But, with the combined heft of 650+ pages, I cannot recommend these enough. 

A bit more modern treatise of the tomahawk comes from the hands of Fernan Vargas. Right from the beginning it is obvious, and commendable, that he wasn't trying to compete with the above works in any way, shape or form. Interestingly, although having a strong background in the native American knife combat methods, Vargas is open and clear in stating that his tomahawk material is not rooted in that tradition, but rather an amalgamation of various methods and training experiences he got from a number of instructors and personal development. 

His book is titled War Hawk and although visually not so lavish as McLemore's volumes, it is full of solid information, with some important additions, too. Namely, Vargas opens all his book with an overview of the legalities regarding the use of force and the levels of conflict escalation. He then proceeds to cover the essential technical elements of grips, stances, footwork, offense and defense etc, but also offers insights into the combative realms of grappling, solutions for the situations when your attack has been obstructed, and probably most interesting in terms of material not seen in other instructional materials is the chapter on training drills and methods.

The content is clearly demonstrated through the use of text and photos, and while it may not make you enjoy the aesthetics per se, the instructional value is still great.

For the full disclosure - this volume has a LOT of overlap with the first one! I am not sure what is the exact reason for that, but there is an upside to such decision. See, being that the overlap includes the most essential material, you may get this book as a standalone resource and gain the information needed to develop a fairly good skillset. When it comes the techniques and tactics that are new, compared to the previous volume, I would rather label them as secondary than advanced, with a view to prioritizing the training time and focus. 

Be as it may, unlike McLemore's books, these are still easily available at a price that doesn't impose the imperative of choosing one or the other. I would recommend getting the first first, to se if you like the material and the presentation, and if you do...it's nice to have the whole set. 

VIDEOS

To me, the most natural choice of the first video to feature is, again, the set from Dwight McLemore. The short description would be "the book comes alive", because for the most part the video follows the layout of the book, but that's not all there is to it. Even if it were, it would be still an excellent source to have, especially in conjunction with the printed material. The additions make it superb.

Namely, the author takes the advantage of video format to better portray both certain technical and tactical aspects of the curriculum, as well as some historical ones. That provides a very nice contextual understanding of how he chose the material and why is he teaching it in that way. The content is essentially the amalgamation of the two books, with several interludes (his term) along the way, which discuss the topics that don't follow neatly in the progression of training. Like with the books, those interludes would cover some of the workshop-type approaches, some being historical, others practical. In that regard, there is a rather interesting, albeit brief, observation of the possible transfer of the material to other tools that are widely available in the present day. 

All of that is shown through phenomenal camera work and professional editing, and to make the watching experience even more enjoyable, some portions of the video are filmed with participants dressed in the costumes appropriate for the frontier era. That way, McLemore manages to give his stuff that extra quality, like it was the case with drawings in the books.

Our next featured author should be known to my regular readers. Marko Novakovic takes a similar approach to the Fighting Ax instructional as he did with his knife course. There are several things I like about the material. First, it is unapologetically practical, thus completely avoiding to be boggled in the issues of historical accuracy. As a result, it enables the second big plus - the author can bring in the technical and tactical elements from his previous experience in a few martial systems, but wringed through a lot of hands-on testing and experimenting. 

When it comes to the actual content, Novakovic touches all the necessary elements in the Intro section of the course (available here) - grips, stances and guards, angles and types of strikes, footwork, hand movement, targets, and ranges of fighting. He then proceeds to work on several solo practice drills in each of three ranges, where he also discusses defensive use; and finally the applications of the material, demonstrated with a training partner. 

The presentation is excellent! Although not shot with the budget and production level of the previous feature, the videos are well edited into bite-sized morsels of instruction, where efficient transfer of information is prioritized over aesthetic or entertainment value. Along with the author's avoidance of long rants and tirades, this makes the learning experience more focused and easier flowing than with other titles in this review, and in the day and age of tight time budgets, it is a huge advantage. 

Another highly recommended instructional package comes from Cold Steel knife company's head honcho Lynn Thompson, who made a 2-volume DVD set titled - surprise! - The Fighting Tomahawk. The fact that it is the same title as McLemore's could be a bit confusing, but it goes along with Cold Steel's other production in the series (Fighting Machete, Fighting Sarong etc.).

Besides, the overall layout of the material is also rather different. 

I mean, it is a VERY comprehensive source (over 4 hours in total), so of course it covers all the bases that the previous works do, but also includes some chapters not seen in the above titles. For example, the video starts with a very good overview of the advantages and disadvantages of tomahawk as a weapon, which is something one should have in mind. Also, being a manufacturer of some of the more popular 'hawk models on the market, Thompson's videos dedicate some time to demonstrate the ways to dismantle and put together your implement (with some quite interesting options, especially for the less than ideal circumstances), as well as how to (re)sharpen it after heavy use. Naturally being a Cold Steel production, there is the mandatory demonstration of the weapon's capacity for inflicting damage. 

Like I said, the authors strive to cover a lot of ground with this material, leaving no stones unturned, when it comes to the combative use of the tomahawks and light hatchets. It means that the historical background and accuracy are out of the picture as a concern, and the heavy stress is on all kinds of way that the tool can be put to use in an altercation. Such approach yielded a wider array of options shown than by other authors in terms of grips and holds, as well as the distance management options via footwork. A number of drills demonstrated will probably look more modern, borrowing from the sport science methods, and that suits the general atmosphere of the videos pretty well. 

The only downside to this set, compared to others is that the wealth of information might leave you scratching your head, wondering where exactly to start and how to follow the material in order to get a proper progression in training.

With that in mind, it is very useful to see how to make your own training tool required to take the full advantage of the training methods covered by the videos, which is another welcome aspect of this instructional product. 

Finally, the last feature in this category is the one authored by another of our acquaintances, Mark Hatmaker. His is a very well done volume titled Battle Axe Secrets, and unlike his RAW series, it is produced professionally by TRS (hehe, remember those Black Belt "report" type ads?), but available directly from the author. 

As you may expect, since this work deals with a somewhat heavier and bigger tools that your typical tomahawk, the instructional is a bit different, with much more attention given to two-handed manner of wielding the weapon, but don't let that discourage you. Namely, the training methods are readily applicable to lighter tools, too, but it is another dimension that is at play here. One of the main reasons I like Hatmaker's stuff is his focus on the precise mechanics of delivery, and when you are dealing with an instrument that could easily lead to self-inflicted injuries (whether from misuse or overuse) it should be highly prioritized in your work. Plus, you get a really good workout! 

Another good reason to check this package is that upon ordering from Hatmaker's website, he normally sends you a document that delineates a training syllabus for you, thus providing a solid foundation for any future work. 

FINAL REMARKS

Now, I know this seems like a lot of material, and there is the question of where to start. Well, if you are into the historical study, go with McLemore's works. Need a quick start with functional skillset? Then opt for Novakovic and/or Vargas. Should you want a single, standalone product that covers all the bases - Thompson is your man. In case of being an analytical person with an eye toward a sustainable practice that has a lot of carryover to other training field, you won't go wrong with Hatmaker. Be as it may, tomahawks and hatchets have a certain nature that one ought to keep in mind when engaging in this kind of work.

There, you have it. Hopefully this sheds enough light on the domain to help you pick the right source for your needs. Oh, and speaking of needs, if you may be asking yourself, what is the relevance of this kind of information and training, besides possibly professional operative deployment work, I will offer more insights in one of the following posts. 

Modern mag for old school training

 Well, this was supposed to be my last article for 2022, but it wasn't meant to be. So, instead of ending the last year with a bang - here's to a happy and prosperous 2023!

Back in the 1990's, prior to Internet and Youtube, the only way to find out about new and interesting martial stuff out there was reading about it in magazines such as Black Belt. Otherwise, you would have to order a tape (yeah, VHS) from an author you had seen in an ad in those magazines. And those weren't cheap! At one point, the Black Belt actually came up with the idea of putting out a video magazine, and it looked exciting in their ads, but...at the time I just couldn't find the way of ordering to where I lived, and never got too see them to this day.

Fast forward a decade or so, and a gentleman named Pete Kautz, the founder of the Alliance Martial Arts decided to do a similar thing, but in a DVD format, featuring himself and James Keating as regular contributors in each issue, along with a guest or two being featured as well. Each issue focused on a single topic, and although titled Modern Knives, it wasn't dedicated solely to the edged weapons. Since I had already been a fan of their work, and been interested in what they had to show, as well as discovering new exponents, I ordered the first eight issues (i.e. all they had at that point) some 15 years ago. And guess what? I keep re-wathcing those somewhat frequently to this day. So, let's lee what they're all about!

First, a few words about the format and production. Typically, the DVD's are organized into chapters, where Keating usually takes the lead, followed by the featured guest, and then Kautz closing the instructional part. A first few issues also had a review of some instructional video's available, too - and, as you may imagine, I loved those. As the matter of fact, I ended up buying Blaise Loong's Sabungin Silat series after seeing the review in Modern Knives! Naturally, the reviews strived to cover the material that fits the topic of that issue. The video production is quite good, even if not always done with fully professional equipment, but both image and sound are clear, so the content is clear and easy to follow. Again, the videos have navigable menus with chapters, thus causing no inconvenience for the viewer. 

Oh, the only aspect that gives out the "homemade" nature of the entire publishing operation is how the DVD jackets are done. Still, it didn't bother me the least - the cover image is indicative of the theme, and the back cover gives the content outline, which even many professionally produced and published videos before and since then failed to do.

front...

...and back

The issue #1 is about the the Spanish Fighting Arts. Keating opens up with with some instruction about the often misunderstood and/or neglected topic of how to use the so-called Spanish notch on some of the bigger fighting knives out there (including his own design - Crossada). He also touches upon the utilization of the knife's guard for the trapping purposes in the clinch phase of a knife fight/duel. Obviously, this material is mostly applicable with big blades, but those are rather interesting insights.

The guest author in the 1st issue is James Loriega, best known for his promotion of the knife fighting methods using traditional navaja folding knives of Spain. To me, this was the most interesting feature, because it is (still) one of the very few possibilities of actually seeing Loriega's material in action. Namely, despite having a few books on the subject published, they are not very clear with regards of how the techniques are executed (maybe even deliberately?), so if you have any interest in this domain - this DVD should be on your list of priorities.

Kautz goes into what is possibly the most evidently Spanish influence in FMA, i.e. the espada y daga approach to using a long and short blade simultaneously in combat. He presents the material along the lines of the so-called cinco teros (5 strikes) method of instruction, and offers what is probably one of the best available introductory lessons on this manner of armed fighting. 

The video review in this issue is about the La Verdadera Destreza school of fencing, as presented by maestro Ramon Martinez. 

The issue #2 deals with another geographical region - South East Asian Fighting Arts. Keating shows a very interesting method of using the kerambit knife, based on his Hellbows material. What I really liked about this is the conceptual nature of instruction, that integrates the defensive and offensive applications of the moves, doable without the weapon, too. 

The legendary Kelly Worden is a featured guest instructor in what is actually a segment of his seminar on the FMA knife. A portion of his material is shown with Worden's patented Travel Wrench tool, and I liked it for the crossover applicability with other small palmstick-type tools and improvised weapons of similar characteristics.

Kautz teaches the triangle thrusting drill of the FMA and its variations, adaptations and applications. Again, in accord with his conceptual overall approach, he goes beyond the most obvious purpose of the drill and shows us how to see deeper into the work. These insights are meant to teach you how to get more mileage from any other type of drill and training method you may be using.

The review is focused on the above mentioned Sabungin Silat DVD series. 

The issue #3 is closes to the title of whole series - Modern Knife Concepts. In it, Keating goes into the specifics of use with his signature Chinook folding knife made by Spyderco. It is always interesting to see and hear what a knife designer had in mind when coming up with his or her personal model, and this is no exception. Probably my favorite part was the use of a small, folding knife for back cut technique typically associated with much bigger weapons. 

As the guest instructor, ninjutsu instructor Dale Seago does a rather interesting feature about the defense from an unexpected knife attack. I particularly appreciated how he connected cultural and philosophical layers of his art with the tactical and technical applications. That said, the very idea of training/drilling something unexpected is somewhat paradoxical, but there is still quite a bit of value to be gained from this chapter. 

Finally, Kautz offers an excellent segment on the extensions and variations of the Comtech Drawpoint method of the knife used in the reverse grip manner. Now, this portion of the material is very useful when taken on its own, but even more so if you have also seen and worked on Keating's original material. It is also a brilliant example of how practitioners can take what they had learned and then put their own flavor to it, and how do do it right!

This is NOT a clip from the described DVD, but gives a fairly good taste of how Kautz does his material there.

The issue #4 is about the Western Martial Arts. This time, instead of being geographically specific, the focus is more on the historical research of the combat methods of Europe and America. Interestingly enough, Keating features a niche kind of material here - single action revolver twirling. Now, if you are not into firearms this may not be of interest at all, and if you are, you may wonder about the practical value of the stuff shown. The way I see it, attempting this material is aimed to achieve developmental effects, i.e. working on your attributes, and particularly the frequently missed benefits to honing one's neural connections and coordination. 

Featured guest Bob Charon gives a presentation of the dagger fighting methods from the late medieval manual of Fiore Dei Liberi, i.e. Flos Duellatorum from 1410. It gives us insight into some of the time tested and confirmed principles of combat, regardless of the place they were used in. Also, should you be among the folks who believe the whole HEMA things is just a bunch of guys and gals involved into some sort of glorified costume-wearing reenactment play, it may open your eyes to practical benefits of studying this kind of material. 

In the footsteps of the previous chapter, Kautz shows more dagger from another medieval master - this time a German one, Andre Lignitzer. Again, this is not so much about historical accuracy, but more looking toward how it can still be researched to find the worthwhile aspects for our day and age. 

The issue #5 stays with the previous theme to a degree, and gives the viewer an incredible amount of information, since it deals with the American Bowie Knife. Now, Keating has long been recognized as one of the leading authorities in this domain, and once more he goes one step further than most other instructors. Namely, the bowie is most often perceived as a dueling implement nowadays, but back in the day it was probably seen more as a great backup weapon/tool, which is where Keating's treatment of the knife in tandem with a revolver is a unique value. Weapon deployment, retention and transition are the name of the game here, and the implications to footwork, distance and angling are as important as any other element. So, don't skip this part!

The late distinguished author Dwight McLemore focuses on one of the bowie knife signature moves - the snap cut - but specifically how do defend against this deceptive and destructive tactic. Like the previous chapter, this is they kind of instruction that is hard to find elsewhere, thus making the DVD that more valuable. 

As if the above was not enough, Kautz demonstrates the application of historical sabre fencing techniques with the bowie knife, hence elucidating on some of the highly probably sources of this knife material in the first place. On top of it, we see done the techniques used against the bayonet attacks, which is, again, how the bowie was probably often used in its original environment. 

But, there is even more! To give you even more insights into the phenomenon of this legendary blade, we are given a glimpse into the forging of a true fighting bowie under the hands of the legendary master blade maker Bill Bagwell, as well as the suggestions for the every day carry options from the sheath maker Mike Sastre. All in all, one heck of a great and informative DVD!

The issue #6 takes a step away from the blades and is concerned instead with Filipino Stick Fighting methods, and here we have a 2 DVD set. Keating leads the way with a series of options of using the stick as a tool for LEOs, i.e. teaching the locks and releases to control the opponent, where simply using the baton as an impact weapon may not be appropriate. 

Dr. Remy Presas, the son of the legendary master Remy A. Presas of the Modern Arnis fame, is shown in a fragment of a seminar, teaching the counter for counter methods and tactics of his art. I liked that the editor (Pete Kautz) chose the material that really fits well with Keating's, and the viewer should probably try investigating how they could be combined. If this is your field of interest, you should be able to spend a long time in discovering modes and options of use with these. 

Another guest instructor is Ken Smith, and his chapter is maybe my favorite here. Namely, he goes into Sibat, the long staff material, and for some reason I have always felt some primordial pleasure when handling this tool. Smith demonstrates a two-ended staff approach in his segment, showing how some well known FMA drills and exercises, normally done with a regular stick, can be adapted to and used with sibat. 

Finally, Kautz delivers another phenomenal instructional package with his explanation of how to functionalize siniwali (double stick) material. Like before, he teaches us how to see "behind the curtain" of simple movements and movement patters, and into the driving engine behind them. And this not another set of interpretations of the meaning/applications of the already familiar mover, like with so many other FMA instructors. No, Kautz deconstructs the mechanics of strokes, their lines, trajectories and sectors, and then shows you how to come up with your own patterns and applications. In other words, he does not give you a vocabulary of words, but the actual grammar that makes one fluent in "speaking" siniwali. Highly recommended! 

The issue #7 is another "deviation" from the topic of knives, but this time it is about the Grappling Arts. OK, with Keating's segment it does not entirely stray from knives, because this segment, taken from his legendary training camp Riddle of Steel held in 1992, shows how to integrate grappling with the blade work. As in some of the previous issues, he shows that there is a wide scope of possible strategies and possibilities to be researches, if you are a "lifer" with a serious and deep commitment to martial training. 

Dr. Les Moore was one of those unexpected gems that I hoped to find in this type of publication, as mentioned at the beginning of the article. He shows a number of exercises and drills, some of which I have never seen elsewhere, primarily coming from the catch-as-cath-can wrestling of yesteryear. There are some preparatory/conditioning exercises and then several grappling techniques and tactics taught that make this issue well worthy of your time and money.

Guess what? We have another "double trouble" issue with two guest instructors here, with Mark Hatmaker as the second one. His topic is one very dear to my heart - dealing with grounded aspect of a fight, which means when you are down and your opponent still standing. I am always curious about various asymmetrical scenarios of combat, and Hatmaker's  feature is excellent in this regard. He shows several solid approaches and responses to the challenges faced in this situation, and if your interest in grappling goes beyond the sport arena and with an eye toward the street-savvy solutions, this is a great place to learn something valuable. 

In his manner, Kautz shows us grappling options and applications of hubud-lubad, one of the bread and butter drills of FMA. He focuses on what is called lock-flow sequences, which is an interesting way to see how on the higher levels of combat the finality of some techniques may be a relative thing, depending on your training and preparation. From the standpoint of MMA and BJJ this will probably look unrealistic, but like before - it should be looked at from the developmental angle... Plus, adding a weapon to the equation may change your view about the practicality of the exercises. 

The issue #8 is one of my favorites, even though I really love the entire series. Probably because its subject is the one of Combative Drills & Skills. In my personal opinion, adequate drills are too often a missing phase between simple technique acquisition and sparring. In this DVD we are shown a few approaches to drills and exercises that should help in bridging this gap. Keating works on one of my pet topics - solo drills. In this chapter the developmental benefits mentioned earlier are really in the forefront. He demonstrates several drills done with a rope, unlike anything else I have seen. Now, for the best results, Keating's stuff requires you to put your thinking hat on and dig deep, in order to reap the fruits. Maybe, this clip will help you understand his approach a bit.

The guest instructor Ed Lawson teaches a couple of of muti-purpose and multi-layers drills from his Combat Escrima curriculum, inspired by the Pekiti Tirsia Kali, from what I was able to see. His presentation is really good, and if you are into FMA, you will probably like this portion of the DVD. 

Kautz shows a simplified path of learning the use of stick in fighting, via his Figure-8 Method. True to his conceptual approach, Kautz applies a progression of drills to demonstrate his material, and to me an even greater value lies in trying to utilize his method of teaching to other stuff you may be working on in our training. Still, even if you just stay on what he shows, you will be satisfied for having acquired a functional fighting skillset that is fairly easy to maintain. 

Now, since my buying this series of DVDs (and Mr. Kautz was so great that he threw in a set of Sharkee training knives that I still use regularly) there have been another three issues published (9 to 11), but for some reason I have never got them (that happens when family and children get into picture, lol). Although, obviously, I haven't seen those and cannot comment on the actual content, from the experience with the first eight issues, I feel comfortable recommending those as well. 

In the end, there is one more element of Kautz's work on this video magazine that shows what a class act he is. Namely, instead of using some random/generic royalty-free music for the opening and closing credits, he actually goes with music from the demo bands that he likes, and then gives them full credit and some exposure by including footage of their performances. 

Thank you sir Jim Keating and sir Pete Kautz for doing this awesome body of work!

Thinking in the...Black Box

 

You ever find that some things in your life and doings are inexplicable, almost mysterious? I sure do. One of such conundrums is the fact that I have been a real fan of work and instructional material of one Mark Hatmaker for almost 25 years now, and despite his prolific output to my liking, I don’t have any of it reviewed here. How did it happen is beyond me… Although, I once did a thorough review of his Outer Limits Drills video for the Raven Calling magazine, it is about time to rectify the situation on this blog.

To that end, instead of tackling a single product, I would like to point your attention to his Black Box Project. If you’d prefer reading what the author himself has to say about it, check out the overview at his website. But, here is my summary:

Back Box is a series of DVDs from his RAW library, issued monthly, that addresses the grey area of combat methods – the approach that relies as much on the athletic physical attributes required in modern sports as it does on the “old school” technical work that is both ring/mat proven and street savvy. In broad strokes, the material presented belongs to the categories of standup striking, upright and ground grappling, weaponry work (what Hatmaker call frontier tools, i.e. tomahawk and trade knives), and physical preparation.

The interesting part is, however, that he did a huge amount of research to find, test, filter and apply predominantly the training methods used by the yesteryear generations of folks who had to use it in real life, and did not have access to the facilities and gear that modern professional fighters do. In other words, what you will find is the stuff that will work for common people like you and I, who have daily jobs and limited financial resources to invest in enhancing your fight game. On top of that, he focuses on the type of training that minimizes the risk of injury typically caused by following professional regimes without the professional support of coaches, massage therapists, nutritional supplementation etc. Plus, there is a cool addition of written outline of contents in each DVD, along with suggestions on how to conduct the training, delivered either in hardcopy or electronic format with each volume.

Now, as you could see, the production style is of the homemade tradition, which might seem lo-fi to some viewers, but I actually like it for its authentic feel. The sheer quality of the material is further enhanced by Hatmaker’s excellent presentation. In line with the values of the old-timers, Hatmaker is a rather eloquent gentleman, well read and able to articulate his thoughts and advice very nicely. To get a taste of his worth in this domain, I wholeheartedly recommend that you pay a visit (or several) to either his audio podcast or written blog (or both) according to your preferences.

After several months into his material, I can honestly attest that Hatmaker’s Black Box stuff is excellent! The combative techniques and tactics presented make a lot of sense, and with a little work can be integrated in any existing program that you may be partaking in. And while that portion is top notch, to me the physical training (culture) material contained in the Unleaded sub-system of the Black Box has been a real blessing! It has enabled me to get rid of some nagging injuries and discomforts that had been hindering my daily training for a while, while also boosting my performance ability in other areas.

As if all of the above was not enough, Mark happens to be a true gentleman and enjoyable fellow to converse with, and inspires people to do good work and live good life in the best way possible – leading by example. All in all, digging into his offerings might turn out to be one of the best investments (time, money and effort) you could possibly make.