The Self Defence Expert.com

Peter Sciarra- The Dawn of a new era in self defence Training!

Andrew Holland — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:56:55 +0000

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The Best Self Defence Instructor in the world is a title that would be under dispute by many people. After all coaching self defence has many layers to it including he soft skills such as awareness and verbal de escalation to the physical skills of the actual fighting.

There are of course many people who could step forward to claim the title of the worlds best self defence instructor if there was to be a competition for it from Geoff Thompson, Peter Consterdine, Richard Dimitri, Tony Blauer, Mo Teague, Hock Hockenheim and many many others. Its probably right that no one has ever officially received that title because there are so many class acts out there. Yet despite this there are room for more and one such amazing talent is Peter Sciarra. However lets take a look at him in action before I reveal details of this amazing instructor

Like a lot of people I first heard of Peter from his youtube videos and was amazed at them, his speed and skill was simply awesome. Im not often blown away by someone because there is so much trash out there on the web in the world of self defence instructors, yet here I was watching the videos above and simply blown away at the skill level on display.

Now there are a lot of people who talk like they a good self defence coach, yet few out there that can deliver the goods on a physical level. Its a strange fact that in an era of keyboard and facebook warriors we have a guy here is has gained an International status as a great coach by simply showing what he can do. Actions can speak louder than words and Peters skills certainly speak volumes! There is something almost poetic about that. Someone in self defence who is a do'er and not just a talker.

Immediately I searched the web and discovered that Peter lives in the sunny land of Australia and I wanted to know more about this guy, what system does he teach and where did he learn such amazing skills? So I simply got in touch and thankfully Peter has supplied the following information but before I write any more this is what Hock Hockenheim had to say about Peter Sciarra:

"Peter is a fireball when it comes to fighting and combatives."

Peters Training in his own words:

In the mid 80s, I started training when I was 13 years in a system that Incorporated Wing Chan,Japanese ju jujitsu and Kick boxing.

I was introduced to integrating Martial systems right from the start, and I never did the traditional thing. Got my first black belt when I was 16.I was extremely dedicated,training up to 3-4 hours a day. This really set a solid foundation for future training.I also got into weight training form a young age. I even built my first gym set out of bricks and broom sticks when I was 12 years.

Having chronic asthma as a child and a stutter, I was often pick on school by bullies at school ,I was always sick and underweight.This was my initial motivation to train. Between 17-20 years old I competed in Body building competitions,winning a Junior Mr Australia title at 19 years old. At this time I began working in the security industry as a bouncer.I was involve in my fair share of violence, I quickly found out what worked and what didn't. This is when I really started to develop my own way of fighting.

I continued training in Muay Thai/Kick boxing for number of years.But my true passion was always realistic street self defence. The rules and limitations of combat sports always bothered me. In 2001 I discovered Hock Hochhiem's Close Quarter Combat System. I trained in Australia for a number of years,then made multiple trips to the U.S to train with Hock.I also did a quite a bit of wrestling and BJJ training. In 2006 I received level 10(black belt equivalent). I taught students mainly out of my garage for a while, then in 2010 I started ICS (Integrated Combat Systems). I liked name because it had no limitations and could evolve.

Being a unknown instructor,I put out a number of videos on youtube of me doing my stuff,this got a lot of international attention. As a result I have taught seminars in around Australia,U.S, New Zealand and Hong Kong and I will coming to Europe this year.

WOW!! What an honest article. Now I do not know if Peter is the best self defence instructor in the world but I can simply tell by looking at his combination of experience and skills he is among the best out there. My verdict is simple if you can get a chance to train with Peter then do so, he is available for seminars across the globe and his website is http://integratedcombatsystems.com.au/main/page_home.html where you will find all his information including how to contact him.

Peter is one of a few instructors out there who are ushering in a new dawn of self defence instructors who are able to mix grappling and striking, weapon work and awareness and avoidance into one amazing package. personally this is the direction that quality self defence training needs to go in and I think its fantastic that Peter has taken the brave step to put his stuff on the web and showcase his skills.

Peter is a down to earth person who I look forward to training with one day. Without doubt its easy to say this:

"Peter Sciarra simply is one of the best self defence instructors in the world. Just watch his videos and see real skill in action!"

Keep safe folks.

Andrew Holland

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Primal- What is it?

Andrew Holland — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:56:04 +0000

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What is Primal?

We are all on a journey within martial arts and self defence and I must say that I am very happy with the one that I have been on yet I have made a few mistakes along the way. When I started this blog/site I did so because I felt that my knowledge, experience and skill would benefit others. Having taught numerous versions of self protection I decided to launch Primal. This is a physical system of self protection that is a full and complete study into self defence and at its heart is a system of tactics and techniques that I feel make this product unique.

However there has been a desire for more information on this product so here it is.

Primal- The new Fighting and Self Protection System

primal [ˈpraɪməl]

adj

1. first or original

2. chief or most important or:

The launch of primal has been very well received with huge feedback from our video that can be seen below yet many questions have arisen of which I will attempt to answer them here: (of note I personally do not see the terms self defence self preservation, personal safety and self protection as different. Therefore I use them all to describe the study of learning to keep and stay safe against physical threat)

What is Primal?

Well primal is a complete study into self protection and a training system for this study. The goal was to create a true self defence syllabus that engages a person to enjoy every aspect of self defence. This includes avoidance, awareness, legal, fitness,weapons,striking and grappling. The idea is that self protection and its training can be done weekly or more, yet to achieve this you need something that has many layers to it. The end result is not a martial arts system but a system of education, a way to learn self defence and keep learning.

Now this may of course sound easy, but there is a reason that MMA and BJJ clubs are full and self defence clubs are not. There is a reason that Zumba pulls in people and why the average self defence club sees numbers dwindling. This is down to something simple I will refer to as the 'recipe'. Some products get it and some don't. Unfortunately the self defence world has struggled to crack the recipe. Primal I feel has the right recipe to succeed.

The major problem with self defence is how to deliver such a subject. It is such a huge and engaging study that people tend to get lost amongst such a vast subject. I often find the study of self defence to be like getting lost in a fog, they see something in the distance and grab at it, this could be learning to strike in a Thai boxing class or grappling in a BJJ class. All fine however once training has finished the student is again lost in the fog wondering how to make their techniques street effective. People simply get lost in both the training methods and the educational side of self protection.

To deal with this issue Primal has come up with a method. We have developed a complete strategy around self defence that once studied shows the person what to do to stay safe, when to do it and how to deal with violence if those steps fail.

This is not surface level knowledge either, we are talking about a product that has been developed from research and experience of real violence. This truly is an experts product, taking the student from beginner to expert over a period of time.

To sum up, Primal is an educational system. One that teaches people to stay safe, protect themselves and their loved ones and if needed fight for their safety!

Who is Behind PRIMAL?

There is a team of experts behind Primal however at the moment the public figure behind this is myself Andrew Holland

However I am sure you want to know a bit more about me. I am 34 years of age and considered by many to be a leading authority on self defence. The reason for this is my unique background in martial arts.

As a childhood victim of bullying I became fascinated with martial arts and would buy every book I could get my hands on and even then make notes of the various fighting systems. Due a limited number of local clubs I decided to start training in boxing. I did this for a number of years however I still spent my time researching fighting arts as even then as an 11 year old I realised there was not one martial arts system that was complete. All had gaps in their systems which made learning a complete self defence system able to provide me with the skills to deal with all ranges of combat virtually impossible.

I have faced real violence on numerous occasions and that has forced my martial arts training take on new meaning as I was facing aggression from people who were very dangerous and often stronger and bigger than myself. As a result of my continued research I began to train in numerous other arts along with my boxing. These arts included but were not limited to Judo, Jiu Jitsu both traditional and Brazilian, wrestling, submission grappling, Keysi Fighting Method, Russian Sambo, Vale Tudo and its modern day variation Mixed Martial Arts. My studies have seen me train with world Champions and Olympic medallists. I have trained with UFC fighters, boxing champions and experts in self defence. This has seen me learn and refine what works when faced with the threat of real life aggression.

I now hold a Judo black belt, have won various boxing and Judo events and have appeared on BBC radio 2, Martial Arts Illustrated and have been an Inspector for the British Boxing Board of Control. In addition I am also a qualified fitness instructor.

The other experts will be revealed over time and more are coming on board and looking to become part of Team Primal.

What are the Training sessions like?

The Primal model of training has been tested on several closed door workshop groups and events, it is under continuous review and work. After all life evolves and so do many things. Nothing is set and if changes need to be made then this is done. However in basic terms each Primal training session will be very different.

We use a series of carefully devised drills, exercises, games and training methods to get a student to become more skilful in defending themselves against attack. This is not about pounding each other, getting injured or hating to come to training. This is about learning in a fun but focused and challenging environment.

Drills in grappling, punching and 'live' training against resisting partners are all part of a a training session along with technical work. Sessions last no more than an hour.

What Techniques do you use?

There is nothing new out there, everything ever able to be taught has been done so throughout history. What changes is the method of presentation. The result will be familiar techniques to many, some alterations to make them street effective. We only teach what works.

Some have called what we do a mixture of Judo and Boxing, others say it is the Judo version of Krav Maga. I will take these as compliments but let me be clear about this. There are no magic formulas in martial arts and self defence, there are no tricks or shortcuts. Only through study and hard work is skill achieved and I am a big believer in fundamental skills. So expect to find techniques that deliver powerful strikes and strong grappling, along with the use of the environment. One of our sayings is

Train Hard, Train Intelligently=Fight Easier! Because in self defence there are no easy fights, all conflicts come with the most serious risks. Primal training simply increases the chances you will both avoid conflict and if left no options, survive the conflict without serious injuries.

We use a full range of techniques, from closed fist, grapples, take downs, combat gripping, power slaps, forearms. If its effective we use it and teach it. So the end result is that we teach what works for real. This never has been about taking the dojo into the street or trying to make martial arts work in self defence. This is a case of reverse engineering real combat. We look at what works and build from there.

You will find the answers to violence by looking at violence and not at martial arts!

Is this for Women or older people?

Yes, it is designed for every person, this is not about size or strength it is about individuals finding what works for them. So you are small, well you will learn to focus on your strengths not your weaknesses. If you are older then you will devise and work on things that you can do. It is about developing your own way. Remember we are training people into experts, if you learn via your training that you have an amazing straight right punch. Then you will learn from our unique tactical system how to make the most of this, how to develop strategies on how to best deliver this technique. At the end of your studies you will have knowledge that will allow you to be free of 'systems' or set techniques. Primal is an educational system.

Are you selling Instructor Courses?

NO! If people want to learn Primal and the demand is high enough we will run instructor courses. However this is not now! I do not believe in training instructors, I believe in training educators. Our coaches will be experts and as such this is not a small undertaking. Yet I understand that some people will want this and if this demand is high enough then we have a way forward for this when the time is right.

However, in a world where a new fighting and self defence system seems to come out each week I know and would expect people to be sceptical about this product. So we are conducting small workshops or seminars. So if you have a club or organisation and like the sound of what we are doing then consider running a workshop. Get in touch via our seminars page

I believe in social proof, I believe in word of mouth, I believe in creating good feelings. Take a look at some of the comments so far:

"well done a great system really enjoyed it can't wait for more "

"I had a great session on Sunday. The whole seminar was well planned, very well presented and fast-paced. As a man in his mid-fifties, I am happy to report that Primal is not just for young shaven-headed, super-fit men but can be utilised by the average man or woman in the street. Clearly, much thought has gone into its creation. I would recommend Primal and Andrew to anyone, or any group interested in self protection "

"Enjoyed it very much"

"Really enjoyed the seminar today Andrew"

This is just from one workshop that lasted 3 hours! We only visited the very tip of the Primal structure. Imagine what the whole system is like.

Why do this?

Well I believe we can live without fear of violence, reducing violent crime and avoiding conflict However a lot of this comes down to sensible decisions and behind that is having the confidence to make those decisions in the face of perhaps serious threat. Confidence comes from knowledge and training.

Primal is the system I will teach my children and if no one else but them learns this I will live to be a happy man, however I believe that this product is so good that it will benefit a lot of people. I have built it and will now see if they will come.

This system of education may not be for you. It may not be what you want. If not that' is cool. I wish you every success. Yet, if this interests you then get in touch. Exciting times are ahead. I hope you are with me on this Primal journey.

Please find two videos below from a recent workshop.

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Primal- The New Fighting System

Andrew Holland — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:36:46 +0000

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Its been a while since I have posted anything and to be honest there have been several reasons behind this. However among the largest has been the launch of my own personal training and fighting system called simply Primal.

This had its first glimpse to the world at Solihull self defence when I was booked to do a short 3 hour workshop. Now the reason I like 3 hours is because it is cheaper for all those who attend, it is fast paced and it gives people a chance to get an idea about what we are about. I'm a big fan of 3 and 4 hour workshops!

What is Primal?

This is an interesting question which I get asked a lot. The truth is quite simple. It is a complete self defence system designed for one purpose: To teach people how to deal with violence and protect their loved ones from serious physical attack! It is not a low level product this is serious stuff for serious situations (I do teach low level self defence strategies and techniques for those less able or inclined in my Stay Safe talks). So Primal is a very complete self defence programme that has ALL aspects of modern self defence included.

However before I tell you more please watch the video below for the clips from the workshop

If you like what you see then please share!

Now before people start the usual by saying "nothing new there" let me add this. There is nothing new at all in nay system or art, we all are human beings and are limited by movement and our muscles and bones. Humans have been doing martial arts for a long long time and everything has been tried and tested before. However what is important is what is and what is not included. The way we train and what we are actually training makes the difference after all there are a lot of ways to train the straight punch, some are effective and some less so but its still the just the straight punch.

Building on Instinct

I'm a big believer that we are all in our own fights! This isn't about being the best in class but its about being the best you can be and Primal is focused on not delivering just a series of techniques but actually training the individual. This is a concept missed from a lot of martial arts who are very heavy on syllabus and techniques and gradings. Instead I sought to borrow a lot of training elements from boxing where the student or boxer is being trained to fight. It is not about the system its about getting the person ready for combat.

As you can see form the clips we are about fast explosive movements which are powerful as well as technical. Its not about "grab here, then here and this happens". Things go wrong in real violence and as a result we train to deal with whatever is happening. Its a process designed to bring out your fighting instinct.

But lets take a look at some of the feedback we have received from those who were there

"well done a great system really enjoyed it can't wait for more "

"I had a great session on Sunday. The whole seminar was well planned, very well presented and fast-paced. As a man in his mid-fifties, I am happy to report that Primal is not just for young shaven-headed, super-fit men but can be utilised by the average man or woman in the street. Clearly, much thought has gone into its creation. I would recommend Primal and Andrew to anyone, or any group interested in self protection "

"Enjoyed it very much"

"Really enjoyed the seminar today Andrew"

Now many of you will be think , yes its just another self defence system there are so many. However let me say this, I felt I needed to create Primal because there really wasn't a serious option out there for people looking for high level self defence training. With the collapse of Keysi (I know it still exists in a new form) the market really had only a few options from Krav Maga, Defence Lab and FAST but after that there really wasn't much around in the UK and everywhere else. None of those really did it for me based on my own experiences.So I sat down and made what I feel is the PERFECT self defence system.

This is a training programme you could study for the rest of your life! It is that in depth but at the same time it delivers results very quickly.

Now I will be posting more on Primal but we are getting booked already and will be in London soon. So if you would like to see what the hype is all about then book me for a seminar or workshop via our seminars page. It is not a bolt on to anything, it is a complete system of self protection that is not some hand me down from the military. It has been purpose built and I assure you you will be blown away. For more information please get in touch.

Andrew Holland

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ken Shamrock Leg Lock Seminar

Andrew Holland — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:29:56 +0000

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This post is sponsored by the BJJ Manifesto, click on the image for more information on the book recommended by Royce Gracie

I grew up watching Ken Shamrock in both wrestling and MMA and I was a huge fan so when I saw an entire Leg lock seminar out on You Tube I just had to bring it to you.

So here it is

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Insanity Workout Review

Andrew Holland — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:11:12 +0000

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Insanity Workout Review

Kron Gracie- Techniques of a Champion

Andrew Holland — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:00:50 +0000

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This post is sponsored by Pedro Sauers on line training, click the image to learn more

THIS POST LOOKS AT SOME OF THE AMAZING VIDEOS OF KRON GRACIE

Kron Gracie is son of the legendary BJJ fighter Rickson Gracie. Check out his technique. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did

This post is sponsored by Pedro Sauers on line training, click the image to learn more

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The Wolverine- Trailer

Andrew Holland — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:44:43 +0000

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Folks here it is. Looks amazing. Hope you enjoy The Wolverine official trailer!!

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MUAY THAI STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CIRCUIT

Andrew Holland — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:19:47 +0000

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SPONSORED BY THE ULTIMATE MMA WORKOUT, CLICK HERE TO LEARN THE SECRETS OF HOW TO GET AN MMA FIGHTERS BODY

Ok folks this is a pretty cool Muay Thai workout video. Enjoy the video. If you like this guys stuff which I do then check out his products by clicking the link above. However for now enjoy the video, its a great way to add a new training session to your gym or class.

SPONSORED BY THE ULTIMATE MMA WORKOUT, CLICK HERE TO LEARN THE SECRETS OF HOW TO GET AN MMA FIGHTERS BODY

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The Worlds Best Martial Artist is……….Find out now

Andrew Holland — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:35:44 +0000

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The question about who is the worlds best martial artist has arisen time and time again. So I believe that it is about time this site gave a winner to the world.

To decide this I have looked at a variety of factors that include competition success, teaching, attitude, and the amount they have give the martial arts world in terms of effort and education. So after several months of investigating The Self Defence Expert.com has decided to give the title to a person we feel deserves the crown more than anyone else.

So without delay. The worlds Best Martial Artist is

NEIL ADAMS M.B.E.

Neil Adams is a household name in the Judo world. Not only due to his fighting ability but because of his teaching ability. Neil achieved so much as a fighter that to anyone else his achievements on the mat would be enough, however Neil Adams deserves the crown of the worlds greatest martial artist partially because he has trained and developed more Judo players than anyone else. His seminars are always packed out and even now with the new IJF Judo rules that have come out he is the person out there teaching others across the globe about the new rules.

Career

As a Judo player Neil won The Judo World Championship in 1981 (shown below) and two Olympic Silver medals. Numerous British titles and he has coached the British Olympic squad and the Belgium National Team.

Watch below Neil Adams win the world championships in 1981

However since retiring Neil has coached a variety of athletes and created his Neil Adams Effective Fighting company teaching Jiu Jitsu and MMA Fighters across the globe.

So based on his coaching ability, his amazing career, just what he has given back to martial artists in a range of styles it is with ease that we call Neil Adams MBE the worlds greatest and best martial artist. To finish we have a range of videos of Neil in action you will enjoy.

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Iron Man 3 Official Trailer

Andrew Holland — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:19:17 +0000

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Iron Man 3 Official Trailer- Check it out below

Im sure you agree that this looks amazing.

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