Are You A Sheep, Wolf, Or Sheepdog?
Combat Training Principles — Secrets For Staying Alive
When ‘Rules’ Don’t Apply
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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://www.targetfocustraining.com/livetraining
