April 19, 2020 / 13th Edition

Skill Set Weekly Newsletter

Bringing you tips in self defense, firearms, and fitness. As well a schedule of workshops, lectures with guest speakers, educational blogs, and motivational quotes!
This Week's Top Blog Post & Quote of the Week
Get Rid of Your Inner Bully
Once and For All

Failure has a huge impact on our inner voice. If we listen to failure and let it define us an an individual failure becomes the strongest inner bully we will have to face!

By: Leigh Garczynski
Self Defense Tip of the Week
How to Handle Self Defense Situations from Various Distances (Part 2 of 2)

Last week I wrote about how self- defense comes packaged in many forms. Martial Arts, Combatives , to name a few and I also included firearms training and the use of chemical sprays such as Mace and pepper spray. I’d be remiss not to include the sweet science of boxing in this list also. If you know how to use your hands properly for the most part you’ll be fine.

It really doesn’t matter what you practice, train or study. I’m a firm believer that one is not better than the other. It really boils down to the student/practitioner and how much time they spend in training and how open their mind is to various techniques and concepts that are out there.

I live by one of Bruce Lee’s quotes, “Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless and add what is specifically your own.” With all that said no matter what you study or practice you need to know the ranges of combat. Range in the context of self-defense will mean the distance between you and the aggressor. Let’s look at this.

I always teach my students that when in an altercation to try and de-escalate by using choice speech and have your hands up, arms extended out in front of you, we call this “non-violent posture”. This shows the aggressor and witnesses around you that you don’t want any trouble and to go away. You really need to use a loud commanding voice as you tell this person to “Go away, leave me alone”. The loud voice is to let everyone around you hear and bring attention to yourself.  

When push comes to shove we need to know what to do inside the altercation. This is where the different ranges come into play and knowing what to do in each is important.

When we are in very close to each other, hugging distance, this is the “ Clinch Range ”. This distance happens with the aggressor closes distance rapidly and gets right up in your face. When in the clinch range we could be in danger of a bear hug and being picked up and thrown to the ground. If our hands are free we can eye gouge with our thumbs, concuss the ears and /or head butt.

Stepping back a bit from the clinch range but not far enough away to be effective with hand strikes is the “I ntermediate Range ”. It is this range where we can employ elbow strikes; horizontal, vertical and angled elbow strikes.

Stepping back a bit further from the intermediate range where we are at an arms’ length from each other; I can touch your shoulder, you can touch mine. This is the area called “ Striking Range ”. We strike with our hands. Boxing matches are held at striking range for the most part.

In the striking range we can punch with closed fist, open hand strikes called “ Palm Heel Strikes ” and finger jabs to the eyes.

If I am at a distance where I cannot touch you at all but I can reach you by kicking you, this is called “ Kicking Range ”. In this range we can utilize front kicks, angle kicks, toe kicks to list a few. Depending on your training in the kicking arts you will be able to more. 

Another range that we need to talk about is the “ Ground Range ”. The “Ground Range” is where you wind up on the ground either on your back or your belly. The ground range is where we really don’t want to be. On the ground you will have limited mobility. You will need to learn how to move your body on the concrete and asphalt. Learn to fight hard and get back to your feet. Anything can happen on the ground. Within any of these other ranges of combat you can be taken to the ground by the aggressor, be struck and fall to the ground or trip and fall over something in the environment during the confrontation. No matter how it happens, when you go to the ground you will need to know what to do to survive and get back to your feet.

Know your ranges of combat and practice movement in all of them. Take each range separately and then combine them. When you have this down you should be moving in and out from one range to another, then to the ground and back to your feet. You can use this as a great shadow boxing drill.
Riddle Defense Workshops...
not your average physical self defense workshops

Our workshops are designed with awareness, assertiveness, verbal confrontation skills, safety strategies, and physical techniques that enable someone to successfully prevent, escape, resist and survive violent assaults. Also providing situational awareness, verbal skills, and the law.
This video demonstrates the physical effects of Pepper Spray. *Students in the pepper spray workshop do not get sprayed.
Basic Self Defense Using Pepper Spray
Multiply Your Force by attending this 2 hour workshop will not only teach you how to use Pepper Spray, but will also provide useful thoughts & skills to help protect yourself and loved ones. At the end of the workshop each participant will receive a "hot" pepper spray unit

NEW DATE
Saturday, May 16th
🕗2:00PM - 4:00PM

Women's Ground Defense
Learn what it takes to defend yourself from the ground, in common life threatening situations. This workshop focuses on women's self defense techniques that are used if you have been knocked to the ground and/or an attacker is on top of you. These techniques are designed to help women deal with potentially dangerous situations.

Creating realism and adrenal response, self defense techniques will be practiced using full-contact against heavily padded attackers (role players) in a simulation training environment.

NEW DATE:
Sunday, July 19
🕗2:00PM - 5:00PM
Firearms Training Tip of the Week
Things to Know When Operating a Firearm (part 1 of 3)

If you are a concealed firearms owner and you carry every day, there are some things you need to know and practice until your hands fall off. Just for this segment I’m talking about clearing the garment while drawing the firearm. In the next couple weeks I will add the grip,draw and presentation of the firearm to the target.

First, if you carry appendix carry, on your hip, either inside or outside the waist band, or at the 4 or 7 o’clock position inside the pants, you must know how to clear the garment from the handgun to prevent fouling your draw. Understand that the garment will foul the draw if you are lazy in getting it out of the way. Over the years I’ve seen my share of cops and civilians on the range just nonchalantly lift their shirt up to clear the firearm for the draw. Some get caught in the shirt, others slide by. They get away with it due to being on the range doing range drills and an instructor letting them get away with it. Understand that when you need to draw in a real life and death situation, under duress it will catch you!

If I am wearing a jacket I look to make sure that the zipper has a longer tab to pull on to unzip the jacket. I need to be able to pull that tab down quickly to get the jacket unzipped and clear it for firearm access. One thing I’ve learned some time ago is to place something with weight in the jacket pocket to help clear that side past the firearm so the draw is not fouled. You can use car keys or a roll of quarters for the weight.

There are a few jackets out there that are made for shooting that have a cut out in the side pocket to allow access to the firearm. I have this style of jacket and I do not like this feature. It is my feeling you can get hung up on the draw when coming out of the pocket. I will show and demo this jacket on my next video blog.

When clearing the shirt I use my support hand. When I start moving toward the draw my support hand grabs a fist full of the shirt and I pull straight up ensuring that I have pulled the shirt high and out of the way, my shooting hand accesses the firearm.

When accessing the firearm I must get my shooting hand grip in place. This grip is “Hand shake” strength high on the back strap. My support hand is much tighter. I will talk more about the grip in part 2 of this 3 part series.

Practicing clearing the shirt, jacket or whatever the garment you are using for concealment is as important as sending rounds down range.

Practicing clearing the garment and the draw should be done DRY. You should not use a loaded firearm when doing this until you are completely comfortable and running the drill smooth. Do this to prevent a negligent discharge and shooting yourself or someone else! Speed should not be considered at this point. Work it every day until it is second nature.  

If you have any question about what I have covered in this segment please feel free to email me at john@riddledefense.com

Fitness Tip of the Week
 How to do a Back Squat

- Stand with your feet more than shoulder-width apart – this wide stance will allow a deeper squat, getting your glutes and hamstrings involved.

- Hold a barbell across your upper back with an overhand grip – avoid resting it on your neck. Hug the bar into your traps to engage your upper back muscles.

- Take the weight of the bar and slowly squat down – head up, back straight, buns out. Lower yourself until your hips are aligned with your knees, with legs at 90 degrees – a deeper squat will be more beneficial but get the strength and flexibility first. Drive your heels into the floor to push yourself explosively back up. Keep form until you’re stood up straight: that’s one rep

9 Reasons NOT to Skip Leg Day

  1. Become a Better All Around Athlete by Developing Your Lower Half, Which Allows You to Exert a Maximal Amount of Force in a Minimal Amount of Time (become faster & more explosive)
  2. Reduce Risk of Injury by Building Stability in your Knees, Hips & Posterior Chain
  3. Burn More Calories
  4. Improve Balance
  5. Run Faster & Longer by Developing Your Hips, Which is Typically a Major Source of Injury for Runners
  6. Increase Metabolism / Build & Maintain Muscle Mass
  7. Relieve Back Pain by Building the Hamstrings, Glutes & Abdominal Muscles
  8. Increase Range of Motion & Flexibility
  9. Increase Strength & Efficiency for Everyday Life Tasks
Facts & Snacks Learning Series
Upcoming Facts & Snacks Lecture:
Plant Powered with guest speaker John Torres

Eat to Live * Eat to Feel Well * Eat to Perform * Eat for Your Health

NEW DATE: Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Start Time: 7:00 PM / End Time: 8:00 PM
Topics: Plant Powered Eating to live, feel well, perform and overall health

Location:
Riddle Defense Training Facility
1000 NW 1st Ave, Bay #7
Boca Raton, FL 33432

Cost: $10pp / pay at door (cash only) or prepay using the button below
Upcoming Facts & Snacks Lecture:
Civilian Medicine: CPR & Bleeding Control Fundamentals with guest speaker
Jaime Vega Junior of Zoticon Solutions

Zoticon is a Florida based veteran owned medical training company with a simple motto, "Train Hard - Be Prepared - Stay Alive." These three simple phrases require much more from us than you would think. Every day is a new opportunity to make a difference in not only our lives but those that we love and interact with during the course of a normal day. We have to constantly work on our mental, physical and spiritual selves to ensure that when the time presents itself we can manage the circumstance with the least harm to our bodies, minds, and hearts. 

NEW DATE: Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Start Time: 7:00 PM / End Time: 8:00 PM
Topics: Civilian Medicine Overview / CPR & Bleeding Control Fundamentals

Location:
Riddle Defense Training Facility
1000 NW 1st Ave, Bay #7
Boca Raton, FL 33432

Cost: $10pp / pay at door (cash only) or prepay using the button below
Community Fundraising Event
Everglades Angels Dog Rescue Event to "fight the fight" against dog abandonment at the First Annual Trails 4 Tails 5K Run/Walk 

Saturday, May 9, 2020
7:30 AM
South County Regional Park in Boca Raton, FL
**You will be able to walk or run with or without your pet.

9:00am to 1:00pm the Dogs will be able to participate in obstacle and lure course like activities to demonstrate how much fun a dog can have!

There will also be a Dog Kissing booth * Dog Photographer
Everglades Angels will be showcasing the adoptable Angel Dogs so they can find their future homes.
In addition, there will be live music, merchandise sales, raffles, food trucks and much more! We encourage the community to enjoy a day with their pets full of games, activities, and FUN!

Want to Run/Walk with the Riddle Defense Team.... use the sign-up button below. See you out there!!!
Riddle Defense Shirt
When you wear the Riddle Defense brand, you are wearing our Reputation!
sizes: small / medium / large / x-large
$20 plus tax

Officer Down Memorial
This edition is dedicated to
Sergeant James R. O'Connor, IV
Philadelphia Police Department, PA
killed in the line of duty
March 13, 2020
"We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." - George Orwell
"Train like your like depends on it, because it does!"
Your Opinion Matters






Sincerely,
John & Leigh
561-262-7840 / 561-398-3013
info@RiddleDefense.com