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“DEFENSIVE POLICY of the US – does not alter PACIFIC POLICY of the US. Be as pacific as you please but don’t let the other guy catch you unprepared.” – Lt. General Bullard, 1911
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I’ve received some great questions from you folks! So I thought I’d pick 2 that are representative of many of the emails we see here at the office. Look to the end of this letter to see how to DIRECTLY contact me with your questions. Look forward to hearing from you.

OK here’s the first one:

Brian from Alaska writes:

Mr. Larkin: In reference to the person questioning your program’s use of learning anatomical targets, all I can say is that there are way too many “armchair experts”. As a Critical Care Registered Nurse with dan ranking in 6 styles, I think I am qualified to say that many people have absolutely NO IDEA what the implications of striking certain targets are. To simply say “hit them here and they will fall down” is absurd! I have knocked out a fellow Hapkidoist by striking his radial nerve hard with a palm strike. Causing a vagal reaction such as that has also happened when I have held pressure against the femoral artery both while sparring and in my role as a nurse to stop bleeding. So called “experts” practice and teach techniques that they do not understand fully in respect to the ramifications.

I believe in your system and to anyone who questions the validity of it I say…meet me on the mat!

My Answer:

Thanks Brian! Many people have written in regarding the TFT Mastery Program and its curriculum. The fact that we have our Mastery students study anatomy texts and relevant medical trauma texts has been applauded by many, like you, who have to use this knowledge to protect themselves on a daily basis.

Accurately targeting the 73 anatomically weak areas of the human body is THE gold standard of creating objective injuries on any human – regardless of the size and physical strength of the person targeted.

An ominous validation of this approach was recently written about in a major magazine. It seems a well-known and incredibly violent prison gang was requiring its ‘members’ to study human anatomy to better target their selected victims. To paraphrase the leader of this prison gang ‘when you only get 3 stabs with a sharpened toothbrush before the guards break it up you need to make every stab count!’ Pretty brutal stuff but then… effective violence is not a politically correct subject.

Richard M. writes:

Dear Mr. Larkin et al.;

I got your tape (just the basic one) and “workbook” recently and must say I was impressed with the ideas, and consider myself better off for having read/viewed them.

Having said this, and believing it would be true for almost everyone else who might view them, I hope you might go into more depth re. what would likely be a lethal situation and what would not. Below you mention a male on female attack scenario, yet – while I am no expert – I have heard statistics that females fighting back – with strictly non-lethal methods, mainly talking with confidence or screaming, or confidently pushing an attacker away – are much more likely to get out of an attack by male attackers than those choosing not to. Most women would be terrified of killing another human being (as would perhaps most men) and might avoid your type of training as such.

Perhaps some non-lethal yet disabling strikes along with a means of threat interpretation would be more viable in such a situation, or is it your understanding that the strong mindset (and resulting posture/language) gained by having trained in your methods would send the correct message that the woman is not to be messed with, and therefore save her from attack? Maybe this is dealt with in the other tapes?

I would honestly respectfully suggest that your scenario on your tape of a drugged out attacker likely to kill for money (vs. a non homicidal robber) is more of a minority situation than a majority situation, and suspect that this determination could be narrowed down a bit via the observation of certain signs, which, when in effect, would more easily justify the use of your lethal methodology (like a throat strike) in the mind of the person being attacked, which would make your tapes perhaps more marketable and less likely to invite legal action if interpreted incorrectly by potential viewers. Perhaps a discussion of drugs or serious psychosis would be a good addition? You are doing solid work, it would be a shame if some misinterpretation or over-jealous lawyer were to destroy it for lack of disclaimers or more in-depth discussion.

Anyway, just some thoughts, please correct me if I’m wrong. I would look forward to hearing from you if you were inclined to respond.

Thanks again

My Answer:

Richard’s email is typical of many I get from readers who seem to miss the point of what TFT is designed for – ASOCIAL criminal violence. We would all like to believe that we can probably get away from having to use violence if we just ‘resist’ but do no ‘harm’. The world is FULL of systems and trainers who will train you in the above methods. There are next to NONE who will teach you how to use violence against a determined asocial criminal who, if not stopped, will maim, cripple, or kill you.

The liability issues are not present at the POINT OF VIOLENCE the only thing that counts is SURVIVAL and in order to insure your survival you must INJURE the other guy! That is the only guaranteed way to change things in your favor where you can determine the outcome of the situation. We clearly define the rare occasions where violence is the appropriate response.

In fact, Target Focus Training receives much better insurance rates BECAUSE we clearly define this issue and the fact that TFT gives you the full information on not only how to properly create traumas in the human body but also clearly states the RESULTS of those traumas on the human body. This reinforces our main message that violence is rarely the answer in most circumstances.

As to the stats on using less than lethal or solely aggressive verbal strategies to deal with asocial violence those fall outside the focus of this newsletter and Target Focus Training in general. We are here to discuss asocial violence and how to use violence to survive these situations. Other subjects in the criminal justice arena or self-defense literature can better serve people with concerns OTHER than survival.

Until next time,

Tim Larkin Master
Close-Combat Instructor
Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training

PS. If you didn’t see my note earlier: I know many of you still have questions about the Target Focus Training system. To help answer these, I recently took 12 key concepts and discussed each in depth in 5 to 10 minute segments, then had these transcribed. Each is available on our website. You can hear or see these now by clicking this link: http://tinyurl.com/9z73r. Let me know what you think.

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“Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it.” -Unknown
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Here’s a question I got that I wanted to share with you all as I think my response will be helpful to many of you. The question is from Brian:

Tim:

I am intrigued by your system, but the information is very vague at best on your site. I have trained in various martial arts styles for over 28 years and have achieved several black belt ranks in many systems including Master ranks. I have always known that most martial arts techniques were useless in the street. I learned this first hand when working my way through college as a bouncer/doorman in a very rowdy bar where fights were a nightly occurrence. I started to study many so called street style self defense/self protection systems by people like Peyton Quinn, Marc “Animal” Young, The SCARS System by Jerry Peterson, Krav Maga, Hagahna, and the list goes on and on. All promised something new, something innovative, and something that was the ultimate testament to street survival. All however, were just recycled Bull Shit, that some where in my martial arts training I had already learned. I know for a fact that only gross motor skills type of moves/ principles work effectively in the street not fancy commercial/TV moves.

Tell me what your system has to offer me over the other systems that all said that they trained Special Forces, law enforcement, etc. like you boast. Make me want to spend my hard earned money to attend one of your training sessions. I have over 100 videos/DVDs from everyone out there, books, courses etc. I have trained with mixed martial artists; I have been a professional kick boxer, etc. I have been there done that. How are you and your system different than SCARS and Jerry Peterson, which is what your system seems to be to me? Principle based, every action has an equal and opposite reaction and thus by us knowing how the body is going to react to a blow, move, etc.. we can correctly circumvent any reaction of an assailant.

I am sorry to seem so negative or condescending but money is hard to come by now a days and bullshit is plentiful.

Convince me!

The Skeptic,

Brian Master Instructor ####

Well I answered Brian by saying that I felt that since he’d spent the better part of 28 years on the subject of self-defense and martial arts, maybe it was time to move on to something new. With the list of instructors he’s bought DVD’s from and the martial arts he says he’s mastered, there comes a point when you need to say, “Enough is enough.” I told him I had long passed the point of trying to convince ANYONE to attend a TFT Live training or buy one of our knowledge products.

As for being vague… I think between this newsletter, the TFT website and the recent 7-page article about TFT in Black Belt magazine, there is a lot of specific info on exactly what we do and how we differ from other programs. Sometimes it’s just hard to get people to see those things.

What I really believe a lot of folks are asking is: “I’m tired of believing the hype of other systems and being ripped off. You seem legit but I’ve been burned so often I’m just afraid to trust anyone.” I totally appreciate those sentiments and agree the current state of the self-defense industry is full of hype and often fails to deliver the goods. Unfortunately, I can’t control the industry.

I can only provide my info in the clearest possible form and offer the longest, most generous guarantees. That’s why we have very few product returns. Many people are stunned by my offer to attend an entire live training session — beginning to end — then if you don’t feel it lived up to everything I claimed, ask for and receive a full refund. No questions, no hassles.

If you still haven’t seen TFT in action, now we’ve gone even further… giving you a no-cost way to “test drive” us without ever leaving your house. We’re doing this with a DVD that let’s you experience the TFT difference. All you pay is a small $4.97 shipping and handling charge.

This isn’t some sales-hyped promo that teaches you nothing. It’s a content-full DVD taken from our Seminar Series product that gives you some great principles and methods to really see the core of TFT.

If you’ve never seen one of our knowledge products or attended a live training, here’s your chance to give us a spin on my nickel. Just click the link below to get your copy.

Get my free Self Defense DVD now

Until next time,

Tim Larkin
Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training
Target Focus Training for Self Defense

PS. My ‘Nuclear’ Weapons video series clearly defines all Target Focus Training system principles. Read more about it at: Weapons for Self Defense

PPS. In just one weekend you can learn to defeat any attacker using the Target Focus Training system. See how at: Live Self Defense Training

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“He, therefore, who aspires to peace must prepare for war.” -Flavius Vegetius Renatus
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Hey Folks, I seem to be getting a lot of questions like this one from Andrew in San Diego:

*** Hi Tim,

I want to first commend you and the entire TFT team on putting together the latest DVD series. “5 Seconds” is still blowing my mind months and several viewings later. It is truly a gold standard of self-defense. In fact, it was even given the approval of a very creditable critic.

Part of the reason I found TFT was because of an old friend who served 14 years in the U.S. Army. Six of those years were spent with 10th Special Forces Group as a medic, and with your background I’m sure you know the caliber of the Green Berets. So as I became closer to this friend I began to plague him with requests to teach me how to “kick ass”. Well for his own reasons which I respected I never got that much out of him other than a few grappling moves that taught me that carpet fibers were actually digestible. He then gave a recommendation to go and learn and perfect five moves and I would most likely never have any problems. (Of course I now know that’s dead wrong) And really I’m not sure he believed that as much as he probably wanted to shut me up. Anyway, I accepted that and moved on with my search which ultimately led me (thankfully) to finding the TFT website through a Pavel book.

After receiving my package I invited my ex-SF buddy over and we sat down and viewed the Principles disc. About half way through I got the half turn with a somewhat befuddled look as we continued to watch. Needless to say he was quite impressed and confided in telling me that this was the real deal and similar to some of the stuff he had learned while still a Green Beret. But one thing he said that stands out and finally leads me to my question was when at the end of the viewing he asked, “Where the hell did you get this”?

Are you worried in this day and age of streamlined information that TFT’s principles while ultimately create non aggressive egos will fall into the wrong hands? I have to say at the risk of sounding selfish that I kind of like the exclusivity of the knowledge of TFT. Don’t get me wrong, I would never have found TFT if it had been too exclusive, but the last thing I need is to wake up in a hospital bed or worse to learn that the good news is I’m lucky to still be alive and we caught the guy who did this to you, but the bad news is we raided his apartment and found these DVD’s and it seems that the local skinheads now have a new gold standard on assaulting incident people.

I personally am committed to sharing TFT with responsible friends and family only and maybe my question goes against the whole premise of TFT, but I was hoping you could further explain.

Thank you in advance should you find the time to respond,

Sincerely,

Andrew Russell San Diego

###

Andrew “Surviving The Most Critical 5 Seconds Of Your Life” is information about how to survive violence. Not self-defense. And often when a law-abiding client (such as yourself) views this material the first concern is “what if the bad guys get a hold of this same information?”

Well here’s the dirty little secret…

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…THEY ALREADY KNOW HOW TO USE VIOLENCE!
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Do they have all the principles and methods TFT offers you? NO! But they have no problem using violence to get what they want and they know the critical factor that makes violence work… INTENT!

As I’ve stated numerous times in my newsletter and DVD products – - to be successful with violence you need zero training but you must have INTENT. If you have years of ‘training’ and no intent, you lose every time.

So why study TFT?

Because we give you the methods and tools to get the MOST out of the tool of violence, and train you to develop intent. With TFT you’re given the additional advantage of specific targeting to end the situation immediately. The criminals you cite don’t waste time learning to use the tool better — they rely on intent alone.

Yes, this recent series I’ve released has created a fundamental change in the way good people go about truly protecting themselves. At first, for some, the information is uncomfortable, even shocking. But it rings true.

My job is not to worry that the criminals will get a hold of this info — I worry that people like you won’t get it.

You are the ones who truly need this program. All a criminal would do is look at it and nod his head in agreement.

Getting through to as many people as possible is my passion and goal with TFT. This newsletter helps but the industry is so full of systems and gurus pretending to offer you protection from predators that it’s easy for TFT to get lost in the mix.

I’m glad you found us and hope many more will seek us out if they are truly concerned with dealing with real violence.

Until next time,

Tim Larkin
Master Close-Combat Instructor,
Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training

And if someone forwarded this newsletter for you to read, be sure and sign up for your own personal copy at: http://targetfocustraining.com where you’ll also find out more about surviving a violent criminal attack.

PS. My ‘Nuclear’ Weapons video series clearly defines all Target Focus Training system principles. Read more about it at:
http://www.targetfocusweapons.com

PPS. In just one weekend you can learn to defeat any attacker using the Target Focus Training system. See how at:
http://targetfocustraining.com/livetraining

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‘Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another.’ -Juvenal
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An email came in a while ago from a client who had bought our TFT ‘Nuclear Weapons’ package. In it this client talked about how he loved the information, then he went on to say how he ‘…finally understood our approach to self-defense.’

He said it was the best ‘stuff’ he’d ever seen and explained how he now really knew the role of knives, clubs, and firearms in the world of asocial violence.

He told me he now felt so much safer, and was amazed how we were able to break down information on this intimidating subject and make it so clear and understandable.

Then he asked…

‘OK, so I get this TFT stuff. It really works great but what’ll I do if I get carjacked? Do you have a video on that?’

‘Here we go again,’ I thought.

I shouldn’t be surprised. We get emails like this on a regular basis from those buying one or two of our information products. If this had been from an attendee at one of our live training sessions… then I’d really be bummed. They know better!

See, I created TFT to educate clients on the PRINCIPLES for using the tool of violence.

When you are versed in principles, you’re prepared for ANY scenario.

It’s different from most approaches to ‘self defense’ and ‘reality’ training that use TECHNIQUES to respond to staged attacks.

Now, don’t get me wrong… other ‘self defense’ instructors using this approach are very well meaning… it’s just that their attempt to predict how asocial criminal violence will happen… is seriously flawed!

That’s because… violence is RANDOM. And to attempt to CONTROL random situations is very dangerous.

One of our instructor staff likes to drive this home by sharing a story of an attack he survived on the streets of Bogotá, Colombia.

I’ll paraphrase his experience:

‘I’d been in country for a couple of weeks and knew I needed to be aware of the potential of being targeted for asocial violence. I found myself attempting to imagine how I’d handle different scenarios as I walked the streets.

‘If they come at me this way, I’ll respond like this, or… if I am attacked from this direction, I’ll do this.

‘This went on in my mind during my travels in the city. It got to a point where I felt I was ‘covered’ for any eventuality.

‘Until it happened…

‘I heard the sound and felt the vibration of the attackers’ feet as they ran up on me but never suspected a thing until I felt the strike high on my back.

‘Then I was in action. I whipped around to see three attackers and I began striking targets. I had the first two down when the third helped the first one up and they all took off.

‘I pursued them like a maniac but couldn’t catch up. It was only as I ran after them that I felt the warm wetness under my jacket.

‘When I saw blood on my hand as I pulled it from under my coat I realized… I’d been stabbed.’ ……

I share this story with you because it hammers home to our live training clients how the attack he survived was unlike ANY scenario he had PREPARED for in his mind.

None of the ‘techniques’ he ‘created’ for these scenarios would have ‘worked’ on the RANDOM violence that he had survived.

What saved his life… and allowed him to survive that attack… were the PRINCIPLES he KNEW!

The cops told him the attackers were definitely out to murder him and take what they wanted.

The cops made it clear… had he responded ANY other way… he would’ve been gutted on the streets of Bogotá like so many other nameless victims of street violence in that country.

The fact that his first response was to find a target and cause an injury on the other guy SAVED his life.

He didn’t waste time thinking about what ‘technique’ he needed to use when being struck from behind on his upper left torso.

He didn’t worry about whether they had ‘weapons.’

He didn’t consider using a ‘multi-attacker technique’ because there was more than one of them.

He simply applied the PRINCIPLES he knew for using the tool of violence to survive a violent confrontation.

He used his training… and it saved his life.

I don’t sell you techniques… I educate… with principles!

Because we at TFT know you can never predict how violence will enter your life.

If you get our TFT Seminar tapes, Nuclear Weapons package, Joint Breaking, or our upcoming Striking products, you will be educated not ‘trained.’

Each product instructs you on the principles of the specific subject matter and NEVER strays from incorporating this new knowledge on top of what you already know about using the tool of violence for ANY event.

Does this mean I’ll never create a ‘TFT Car Jacking’ DVD?

Nope, not at all. But I’ll use that type of product to answer once and for all the ‘scenario’ question… and drive home the REAL answer to dealing with violence under ANY scenario!

Yeah, I know… I’m a sneaky bastard!

Until next time,

Tim Larkin
Master Close-Combat Instructor
Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training

PS: I can’t change human nature. People will always be drawn to ‘violence scenario training’ and the self-defense techniques to ‘deal’ with them.

But I’ll be damned if I won’t take these training opportunities to educate you, to FREE you from reliance on that dangerous solution to RANDOM violence.

Want to see the difference, to feel what’s it’s like when you REALLY know how to handle ANY violent situation?

Then click on the following link and register today for the next TFT Live Training.
http://targetfocustraining.com/livetraining

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“It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!”-Emiliano Zapata
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Are you a Sheep, Wolf, or Sheepdog?

According to a recent article written for law enforcement officers by LTC. Dave Grossman, author of “On Killing” (a book I strongly recommend), most of you are in the ‘sheep’ category.

There is no shame in that designator; Grossman defines a sheep as a productive, valuable member of society that would only hurt another sheep by accident.

Violence has no part in the life of the sheep and there is a strong tendency of sheep to live in denial. They deny the existence of those individuals actively using violence to mercilessly prey upon the sheep to fulfill their needs.

Grossman designates those individuals, who mercilessly prey upon the sheep, as ‘wolves’. These are that two percent of our society where the criminal sociopath lives and breathes.

These are the repeat offenders, who prey upon the denying sheep to get what they want using fists, clubs, knives, or firearms to beat, rob, rape, or murder their chosen sheep. These are your basic nightmare scumbags who in short order can irreparably destroy the world of a sheep.

The wolf embraces violence and uses it without regard to satisfy its needs. He has no hesitation to maim, cripple, or kill if it helps to satisfy his immediate cravings. If you choose to be a wolf you will find yourself constantly being hunted for your vicious attacks by the last member of Grossman’s group, the ‘sheepdogs.’

These are people he describes as having the ‘gift of aggression’… able to meet violence with violence in order to protect society.

They have the rare ability to use force against the wolves but never the sheep. Any sheepdog that attacks the herd is put down fast.

Most sheepdogs are found in the military and law enforcement community and often make the sheep uncomfortable because they remind them that the wolves are out there.

Sheepdogs are often targets of ridicule from the sheep that get uncomfortable seeing their weapons, or as Grossman writes, “They have fangs like the wolf and fur like the wolf and they are constantly looking for the opportunity to engage the wolf in battle… the very thing the sheep fear.”

I definitely live the life of a sheepdog.

First in my military life and now as a close-combat instructor, I spend my time, along with my instructors, preparing people for battle with the wolves.

I have felt the scorn and discomfort from the sheep when I bring up the topic of asocial criminal violence.

I see the horror in their eyes when I show simple, brutally effective measures to deal with even the most dangerous wolf. They are often repulsed by the very idea of the sheepdog.

Now, if you choose to be a sheep that is your choice. But as the article notes, that means you and your loved ones may very well die if there is no sheepdog around to handle the wolf.

It doesn’t have to be that way!

Regular citizens have stepped up to be sheepdogs when necessary. Grossman cites the passengers on the American Airlines flight that rose up against the terrorists heading for Washington, DC during the 9/11 attacks.

Also we have the everyday heroes who fight the wolves when the professional sheepdogs are not there to fend off the wolves’ merciless attempts to attack. They are those rare few who risk life and limb to thwart the muggers, rapists, and murderers who prey on our communities.

Those are the few among us I want to train. Because if you are going to take on the wolves — I want you to get the most out of the tool of violence when you chose to wield it on the bastards.

It’s rare enough to find a sheepdog these days amongst the complacent sheep. When we do, we at TFT make sure we arm you to the teeth with the most effective methods and principles to prey on the predators. This is not superfluous talk, just the cold hard facts needed to get the job done.

So the question bears asking again: Are you a Sheep, Wolf, or Sheepdog?

Until next time,

Tim Larkin
Master Close-Combat Instructor
Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training

PS: If you are a Sheepdog who wants to sharpen your skills for dealing with the Wolves then hands down the absolute best way is by attending a live training session.

Each session continues to get high marks, like this one from Dr. Viatcheslav Popovsky, Former Associate Professor & Chief of Pedagogical Practice, Lesgaft State Physical Culture Academy, St Petersburg, Russia, Researcher for the elite U.S.S.R women’s volleyball teams and 1980 women’s gold medal Olympic Team:

“The program is led by world class experts on the subject of violence…During this educational course you experience, in a very short time, a transformation of mind, body, and spirit. I became calmer, more knowledgeable, and happier, being 50+, with an average level of fitness conditioning, and without any martial arts experience.”

Or Marcelo Corpuz of Menomonee Falls, WI who wrote:

“Anyone can learn to do this, and you don’t need to be a world class athlete with superhuman strength, speed or agility to make it work. I worked with women in the class, and please believe me when I say that what they did to me during free-fighting made me a believer that you don’t need to be strong or big for this to work…I really believe you are offering an invaluable service that no one else is offering right now.”

You can register for the next event by going here now:
http://targetfocustraining.com/livetraining

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“It is by no means self-evident that human beings are most real when most violently excited; violent physical passions do not in themselves differentiate men from each other, but rather tend to reduce them to the same state.” Thomas Elliot
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I’ve been traveling outside the US for the last month and have really enjoyed the military and civilian seminars I’ve been doing in the various countries. Traveling gives you a real perspective on how others view the US and it is interesting to see how US citizens conduct themselves in a foreign land.

We’ve all heard of the ‘Ugly American’ syndrome but I’ve noticed the ‘Ignorant American’ as being more prevalent. I’ve often said that we in the US live in a ‘Fantasy Island’ situation when it comes to violence. Even though the world views us as a very violent nation we ourselves have the illusion that staying in our neighborhoods gives us a safety zone that allows us to be rude to each other.

By assuming we are dealing with other members of society that cow-tow to threats of invoking the legal system on any perceived slight some people in the US are emboldened to push their verbal and non-verbal aggression to the max with little fear of facing a physical beating.

It is funny when you see this US approach backfire in international waters!

A friend recently told me of a caustic uncle who traveled to Corsica for a vacation. He checked into his hotel and strolled over to the scenic marketplace to buy some fruits and nuts for his stay. His 30-year-old daughter (who was living there) was with him and warned him to not cross the street until the traffic light was green.

He ignored her and promptly stepped onto the street and was nearly run over by a nicely dressed man in an Audi A6. The uncle ran up to the car that was now stopped at the light and started screaming at the man with expletives flying. He then kicked the passenger door and waved at him with ‘one finger’ (this ‘uncle’ by the way is a 62 year old, distinguished looking attorney from Connecticut).

The response from the driver? He calmly got out of his car, walked up to the now emboldened uncle (who continued to spew invectives as the man approached) and without warning hauled off and smashed the uncle above his upper lip with a hammer fist (pinky side of the fist) instantly flooring the uncle and popping out 5 of his upper teeth. The man then calmly walked back to his Audi and drove away. By the way this was done in front of a crowd.

The police took the report but chastised the now toothless old man saying that in Corsica we don’t speak to each other that way unless we expect to fight. His daughter knew that no effort would be made to find the man in the Audi.

The uncle probably had responded to slights in his safe little enclave in Connecticut like that numerous times throughout his cantankerous life. Maybe his new dental work will be a reminder to be more civil. He was lucky he just lost some teeth.

So now I sit here at the Madrid Airport at a café across from 2 US soldiers. How do I know they are US soldiers? No, they aren’t in uniform, nor are they dressed like Americans. If it weren’t for the fact that they both are sitting in broad daylight looking at their US Army Service records, no one else would know they were US servicemen either. But every passerby has taken notice of the manila folders these two soldiers are poring over aimlessly.

I have had to bite my tongue not to chastise these young kids. You’d think with the bombings and threats in Madrid over the past year they’d be a bit more security conscious. I mean they could easily blend in with their civilian dress. But they just don’t think anything could ever happen to them. It’s always the other poor sap.

Well, these are just 2 examples I wanted to share with you of people needlessly exposing themselves to potential violence. In one incident, violence occurred. The other — so far, so good. When traveling it’s a good deal easier to see lapses in judgment regarding personal security.

Ask yourself what risks have you taken in the last 30 days in your little world. Leave your doors unlocked? Take a risky short cut? Use an ATM after dark? Think a bit on that one…

Correct these and you’ll go a long way to never having to use the methods and principles I teach about “Surviving The Most Critical 5 Seconds Of Your Life”.

Until next time,

Tim Larkin
Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training
http://targetfocustraining.com

PS. PS. Speaking of “Surviving The Most Critical 5 Seconds Of Your Life”… I’ve now put up a few video clips from this new Seminar Series as well as more of the initial customer comments (we knew it was good but wait until you read what others who’ve watched it had to say):
http://targetfocustraining.com/video.html

PPS. In just one weekend you can learn to defeat any attacker using the Target Focus Training system. See how at:
http://targetfocustraining.com/livetraining

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Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege. -Unknown
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Internet chat rooms are interesting arenas.

I received an email the other day from a client who forwarded some comments made about the TFT Mastery Program from one of these “chat” forums. TFT Mastery is a program designed to educate and train clients who desire to become TFT trainers.

The program has rigorous physical and academic standards. It is designed as such to produce trainers who can instruct the system physically and explain the physical trauma accurately. The physical part of the training occurs at the live seminars held throughout the year. Training time is logged and candidates are tested at every juncture to gauge their progress.

The academic portion is done online in between the seminars and, again, lessons are given and knowledge is tested. One of the tools I use is the “Anatomy Coloring Book” which is a standard text most medical schools use to quickly train students on the human body and its components.

The method of color-coding different bones, joints, and nerves has proved to be a time-tested method for rapid assimilation of this information as well as providing long-term ability to recall the information.

A TFT trainer is not just physically able to show you how to fight but must be able to accurately explain the trauma inflicted to the other guy as you strike these specific targets on the human body.

A certain “chat room black belt” was deriding any program that used coloring books and wondered if Crayola crayons were issued to TFT Mastery candidates. Which just goes to show how one-dimensional most combat sport and martial arts practitioners are when it comes to trauma.

They just want to see a new “technique” rather than understand how to systematically shut down the other guy(s) by understanding how to effectively deliver trauma to vulnerable areas of the human body.

To be able to deliver a strike is only one half of the equation — to know where to deliver the strike for maximum effect — EVERY TIME — is truly the acme of skill in hand-to-hand combat.

So I’ll let the “internet warriors” have fun with my coloring book requirements but they may be surprised what you can learn with a box of crayons…

Until next time,

Tim Larkin
Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training
http://targetfocustraining.com

PS. My ‘Nuclear’ Weapons video series clearly defines all Target Focus Training system principles. Read more about it at:
http://www.targetfocusweapons.com

PPS. In just one weekend you can learn to defeat any attacker using the Target Focus Training system. See how at:
http://targetfocustraining.com/livetraining

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“He who excels at resolving difficulties does so before they arise. He who excels in conquering his enemies triumphs before threats materialize.” – Sun Tzu, ‘The Art Of War”
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Some people think just because I train the use of violence as your ultimate survival tool that it means all Target Focus Training(tm) is about is fighting.

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Here’s a classic example of a TFT trained client’s reaction to avoidable violence. Matt, one of my Mastery students, posted this sad story on our TFT Mastery Forum.

TFT Mastery is for those clients who wish to learn more or who are studying to become certified TFT Trainers. Matt kindly allowed me to share his observations with you:

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“In Dallas we have a famous little nightspot called the Gypsy Tea Room. You can see acts like Ben Harper, Edie Brickel, Old 97′s, etc.

“Recently, a father of two teenage girls decided to take his girls to an end-of-summer show before they left for college. Before the show was over he ended up having a severed spinal cord injury and can feel nothing from the neck down. Why?

“Needless social violence.

“He engaged a ‘skinhead’ in a verbal altercation because the skinhead made a comment to one of his daughters. This led to male posturing, yelling, etc. And then the skinhead opened his ‘toolbox of violence’ first and pummeled the guy to the floor.

“As the father was on the floor the skinhead stomped down on his face and severed the man’s spinal cord somewhere between c1-c5. This all occurred right in front of his two daughters.

“Situations like this remind me of the many reasons I thank God TFT came into my life.

“Why?

“Most people would think that I would say this because if I were this father I would have kicked the skinhead’s ass because of my training.

“WRONG!

“Because of what I learned from TFT I would not have engaged the skinhead in any verbal altercation. If the skinhead tried to start a verbal altercation I would have gotten my girls and myself out of the club immediately. All the while trying to look like a coward — the wimp.

“Don’t get me wrong; if the situation were going to become violent I would have made it very violent.

“But, more than likely, simply leaving the club would have saved this man a lifetime of paralysis and spared his daughters from witnessing this horrific act.

“TFT gives us a plan, choices, and many tools to pull out of the toolbox. As cliché as it may sound, life is about the choices we make. Thank you, TFT, for the education that you’ve given myself and countless others in order that we may make the right choices when it come to violence.

“The father is a local high-end trim carpenter and has a home in a very wealthy part of Dallas. The club that he was hurt in, along with the band, had a fund- raising 5k run for him this weekend. The skinhead fled to California and was arrested later that week.

“I firmly believe that the skinhead’s stomp to the face was merely intended to cause cosmetic damage not severe the man’s spinal cord.

“The skinhead knew how to use violence as a tool but clearly did not understand targets and injury to those targets.

“I am constantly amazed that we get the question ‘does this stuff work?’ from many of the students. This ‘stuff’ works far better than they understand. Violence is at work everyday, everywhere.

“Be good to yourself today.”

-Matt

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Let me say it one more time….

When violence IS the answer, it’s the ONLY answer. If you don’t know how to use it then you’re screwed — and very likely dead!

BUT SINCE IT RARELY IS THE ANSWER, if you don’t know WHEN to use it, then you’re equally screwed (and may wish you were dead)!

That’s why there are videos and DVDs and live training — even this newsletter. I don’t care what you use to learn this information but get something so you understand you DO have a choice when violence enters your life.

Enough said.

Until next time,

Tim Larkin
Master Close-Combat Instructor, Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training

PS. My 2 1/2-day live training classes are definitely more expensive than others for one very simple reason — THEY WORK! That’s why they’re 100% guaranteed. You learn how to handle a situation like the one just described with total confidence, even if you’ve never faced a violent confrontation in your life. And you learn how and why you must AVOID violence at all costs except in the rarest of instances. To read more about this highly unique training visit:
http://targetfocustraining.com/livetraining

PPS. To see all the TFT video and live training offerings, head on over now to:
http://targetfocustraining.com/products

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“An attack must be executed with quickness, not speed. Attack with power, not strength. There is a great difference between speed and quickness, power and strength. Think this through carefully. It is the essence of strategy” -Miyamoto Musashi

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Violence as your ultimate survival tool is greatly enhanced when you employ POWER. Unfortunately many continue to train using FORCE — or strength — as a means of defending themselves. It’s the same with QUICKNESS, which is an essential element in creating the necessary POWER in your attack. Yet everyone focuses on SPEED (coupled with FORCE) to try and defend or counter an attacker.

Ok… so what’s the difference in POWER vs. FORCE, in QUICKNESS vs. SPEED?

Am I headed off into some lesson in Physics?

Not at all.

You see, attacks using POWER don’t rely on physical strength. What they DO require, however, is an understanding of the inherent weaknesses of the human body.

Let me give you an example.

Imagine being backed up against a wall with a car in front of you… racing its engine. The driver is about to pop the brake and crush you against the wall.

Applying FORCE and SPEED to this situation you’ve got 2 choices: 1) You could try to jump up over the hood (SPEED) or, 2) You could brace yourself against the wall and push against the car (FORCE).

But now look at that same situation from an emphasis on POWER and QUICKNESS. Here you: 1) Smoothly pop the hood of the car (QUICKNESS) and, 2) Rip the appropriate cables to kill the engine (POWER).

(OK, I hear all the protests from the motor heads but cut me a little slack, folks… it’s an exaggerated example to help highlight a point.)

The point: if you rely on SPEED and FORCE then you’ve ALWAYS got to be stronger and faster then everyone else.

But by using POWER (being able to identify weak areas) and QUICKNESS (think, ‘timing’) you can defeat a much stronger and faster threat.

That’s why I’ve built Target Focus Training around POWER and QUICKNESS because just like me, you WILL face many threats that are bigger, faster, and stronger.

The great Japanese warrior Musashi understood this important strategic concept and lived to a ripe old age after killing more than 60 men with his sword. Re- read his quote at the top and really try to understand it. Until next time,

Tim Larkin
Creator of Target Focus(TM) Training
http://targetfocustraining.com

PS. My ‘Nuclear’ Weapons video series clearly defines all Target Focus Training system principles. Read more about it at:
http://www.targetfocusweapons.com

PPS. In just one weekend you can learn to defeat any attacker using the Target Focus Training system. See how at:
http://targetfocustraining.com/livetraining