The Difference Between A Weapons Fighter And Fighting With Weapons

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"Men have become the tool of their tools"

- Henry David Thoreau

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Fighting with weapons is a subject that has generated
volumes of writing in the combat arts world. What is
interesting to note is that for the most part weapons
training is treated as requiring a completely
different set of training principles as opposed to
'empty hand' fighting.

In fact, there are whole martial arts devoted to just
training with a weapon. All this leads to tremendous
confusion from the client's point of view.

Basically, you end up with 2 totally different sets
of principles in response to violent attacks:

1) One response for a hand-to-hand assault, and
2) A completely different response to a weapons attack

Now, on the surface you may think this is a very
logical way to view two, seemingly different, attacks.

But let's go back to my earlier point in Newsletter
#2. Remember what we talked about?

Your brain is your primary weapon;
your body is your secondary weapon.

If that works for you, as the fighter, then it is
equally true for the other guy... he just may not know
it!

Given this, what is your weapon-wielding other guy
most likely focusing on?

You got it... HIS OWN PHYSICAL WEAPON!

That's right. He's likely banking on the fact that
the intimidation factor of his weapon alone is
enabling him to do whatever he wants because you are
going to fear his weapon.

And if you are trained to believe there are different
rules when fighting against weapons versus hand-to-
hand... then he is probably correct.

That other guy is a good example of a 'Weapons
Fighter'.

The definition of a 'weapons fighter' is a person who
is solely empowered by his weapon in a confrontation.
His whole plan of attack revolves around the use of
the weapon. If the weapon is lost to him during the
conflict then he needs to change his fighting
principles to handle his prey.

In fact, without the use of the weapon, he may quit
the assault altogether and retreat.

This is not the way I train my clients.

Your fighting principles MUST be the same with or
without a weapon.

Fighting is fighting regardless of whether you have a
weapon, are facing a weapon, are on the ground, or are
assaulted by more than the other guy.

When you truly understand that your brain is your
primary weapon, your body your secondary weapon, and
EVERYTHING else (read knife, club, or weapon of
choice) is ancillary, you then become a person that
knows how to FIGHT WITH A WEAPON... rather than being
a 'weapons fighter'.

The former gives you unlimited options; the latter
limits you to the weapon in hand.

My clients achieve the former because they are taught
consistent principles that don't change whether they
fight with a weapon or against a weapon.

They understand how to properly use all weapons yet
remain focused on the fact whatever they hold in their
hands is just one of many weapons they command.

By understanding how to fight with weapons they also
understand how to defeat the 'weapons fighter'. This
significantly improves their odds when attacked
without the use of an ancillary weapon.

So what will you train to be --- a 'Weapons Fighter'
or a person who knows how to FIGHT WITH WEAPONS?

Until next time,

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

PS. Discover more about protecting yourself and your loved
ones using Target-Focus Training system principles by
going to: http://www.targetfocustraining.com/products

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