Nothing wrong with being afraid. Fear kept you alive. Being attacked by 5 people is an abnormal experience and your response to that was natural. You have also taken a very negative experience and turned it into a net positive experience which is pretty incredible.
Best case scenario your adrenaline spike works in your favor and you're able to run like a jack rabbit. Conflict would've been probably bad in an open area.
Agree. It just shouldnt be so strong it makes you panic. COMPLETE lack of fear is even worse, you would basically lack the drive to both fight back and run, and just let it happen
I remember this talk with my dad when I was a young scared kid. "What if i lose?" He smiled and said "Do your best, but sometimes life serves you a s#it sandwich. Make sure you you bring your hot sauce." In other words. Beleive in what you stand in and be spiritually fit in case your best isn't enough.
And prepare. I heard people put iun razors in their clothing so if somone tries grab and hit they get sliced. They made it so you dont get cut but criminals are.
My dad told me something similar when I was a kid, "mate, you're not gonna win all of them, but you can at least go down being the craziest fucker they've ever seen."
Or....he could have meant that you're not going to win them all despite your best efforts and the "hit sauce" is resting satisfied that you DID do all that was in your power physically and mentally to avoid and physically beat your enemy, just shy of killing him.
Out on the street your best has to be good enough, which means learning to do things that are ruthless in a fight and being prepared to face up to the consequences when you do. Simply put, you may fight people that are stronger and technically better than you but they don't like excruciating pain and will back off immediately they experience it. If someone attacks you, damage them, give them so much pain and discomfort for the next 6mths that they never think of attacking anyone else again.
I mean this in the sincerest way possible. you are like the Socrates of UA-cam Martial Artists, because it seems you know that true wisdom comes from knowing that you know nothing and asking the tough questions to find understanding. I respect your humble approach to learning martial arts.
A great video as always, Rokkas! A personal experience here: I am a doctor, currently working in an ER setting. One day, there was a rowdy psychiatric patient who was trying to escape. Problem was, I was in his way, and he took it that I was challenging him (which I was not, mind you. I was just standing around). He immediately went to a fighting stance. A bad one, but a stance, nevertheless. He kept pointing at me, shouting, "What's wrong, huh? Something wrong, huh? You got something to say???" (Was not a direct translation, but it was in Indonesian, and this was the best translation I could get). By that time, I already had some training of MMA (boxing, muay thai, and no-gi BJJ). I was like, "Wait, he is challenging me to a fight! What should I do???", then I was like, "Wait, I know how to fight! Calm down, damnit." So slowly, I transitioned myself to an MMA stance: feet apart front and rear, elbow tucked, and lower arms near my face. However, I modified my stance from the usual closed fists to open hands as if showing that there was nothing in my hands. "No, nothing sir, nothing is wrong sir." I looked like a helpless person, but an experienced fighter would realize that I was actually prepared as soon as he tried to hit me. The patient then immediately ran to the other direction (to my big relief). I then calmly lowered my stance and walked toward my peers, who were staring aghast. Soon after, the security arrived, and we put the patient to sleep with some drugs. I just wanted to highlight 2 things: 1) the most important aspect of fighting is actually the VIGILANCE, not the TECHNIQUE. An experienced street brawler with no technique can actually take down a fighter full of techniques but little to no experience. Usually, those people compensated their lack of techniques by using their raw strength and their surrounding objects and environment. Based on my experience, if I actually froze and did not get into my stance immediately, I might have got beaten down by a punch from that person. 2) you may remember that I commented in your knife fighting videos that I suggested running away when you see a knife (which you tackled in your next video). I just want to highlight to everyone here: do NOT engage in a fight, unless you are forced to do so! Fights are not like Hollywood movies (which I blame for this viewpoint) where you can easily evade every hit and come out the fight (almost) woundless. When you get into a fight, know that you WILL be injured, no matter how good you are. Now, if you are fighting against a knife? Remember, you will always get slashed or stabbed, no matter how good you are. The question is not "will I get slashed/stabbed?" but "how much will I get slashed/stabbed?". Granted, if you are protecting someone or yourself, you need to fight as you have no choice. However, if your attackers are just asking for your wallets, phones, or jewelries (which is true in most cases), I suggest just give it to them. No materialistic things worth your lives. In essence, try to avoid fights as much as you can! You have to highlight this more in your videos, Rokkas. As an MMA fighter myself, I only train in MMA to make fighting as my last resort. Realize how I was just trying to protect myself in my experience. Had he demanded something, I would have given to him (as long as it is something reasonable). Only fight if the alternative outcome is _worse_ if you do not fight at all, i.e. death. Well, that is all from me! Another thing, Rokkas. The statements "The only chance I can get is in Spain" and "Defence Lab has member all over the world" sound contradictory. Does it mean that the global members were not good enough to teach you? Coz that sounds weird coming from a martial art that promotes a fighting style for everyone xD
I’ve gotten into MMA for the same reasons! I live in Khartoum, Sudan and people here are so problematic and are always looking for a fight💀especially if you’re “innocent looking”. I’ve gotten into MMA since July but only started taking it seriously during December(where my progress actually started kicking). I first came cuz i wanted to “beat some ass and prove myself” but now i realise that i only want to use it as a last resort. Besides i’ve always been the type to avoid fights even when it meant people calling me a “pussy” or straight out disrespecting me.
@@alisalman5917 good to hear, bro! There is a Chinese philosophy: “the greatest martial artist is the one who never need to fight”, accentuating how the more experienced a fighter is, the more that person understands how awful it is to actually fight.
Great Video as usual. As a BJJ student, multiple attackers has always been my worst nightmare. I’ve heard of the defense lab and Keysi from a colleague and how effective it is but I saw a lot of negative trolls on the internet that put me off. But I guess there’s some value in most of the systems that can be effective under circumstances. I don’t have access to a lot of these systems here in south India, thank you for making these videos that educate us about the reality of these modern arts.
Don't be put off by what others say about the fighting system that you are training in. Just train hard and fight other fighting styles as much as you can, then you will soon figure out what doesn't work for you and what does. There are great fighters across all the styles and like wise there are many bad instructors that couldn't win a fight against an eight year old.🤣Pick your your teacher carefully. From what this guy is saying in this video is that he trained with a teacher not a fighter, bad luck to him. But to measure all martial arts as inferior to this, is simply being dishonest.
@@davereid-daly2205 Well said, I used to practice TKD and Karate earlier during my college days, a lot of people started trolling those systems. Now I found a legit BJJ school here (actually the only school) and people are already talking about how it doesn’t work as you shouldn’t take people to the ground and then there’s multiple attackers scenario. I’ve sort of come to a conclusion to keep getting better at what I’m doing now and figure it out on my own. I guess this is my journey now.
@@allan459415 Fighting multiple people is always hazardous. The Systema community always go to the ground and have some innovative solutions for street fighting. My style and preference is to stay upright, although I can work from the ground if I must. I love the fact that everyone posts their techniques on line, because I get to see all the new innovations and what I might come against on the street. It helps me stay sharp and ahead of the curve...
Listen to what some of the actual Gracies say about the difference between sport BJJ and self defense BJJ... they are not the same thing and many or possible most BJJ schools don't teach the self defense BJJ. ua-cam.com/video/e864iZ4sB8Q/v-deo.html
I am so proud of you. You are doing a great service for everyone. Cutting through the crap, sharing your fears and doubts and continuing your journey and sharing it with us. Kick like a mule bite like a crocodile.
Getting jumped is just a different experience all together. As a multi jumped survivor myself I feel you. Despite having training, unknown unknowns exist. Glad you made it out.
@@yeout4386 yeah started for me as a teen,as well. It's rough to lose that innocence. I used it to become more aware and capable so my family and friends didn't have to suffer it. You survived it you didn't do anything wrong. It will always be with you but how you use it is up to you.
@@FlyingTigersKMT racism, stupid kids who dont like when you are smarter than them, beating ppl in games, boyscout racism, helping a friend get revenge on a rapist. one was my fault cuz at the time i pulled a sword on some dudes smoking weed by the apartments i lived at.They caught me later unarmed. The D.A.R.E program and training to be in the marines had me wild at that point in life tho so i deserved that one.
I was in an institution because of my anger issues growing up. I got attacked alot there and was forced to defend myself. when I got out I learned martial arts and it taught me to defend myself properly and control my anger. Thank you for this video my friend. 🤝👊
Much respect to you for exposing yourself again to something you really went through. Keep up the good work and never give up, stay strong with spirit! Really awesome idea to cover your knockout zones and strike while blocking, especially against multiple opponents. Those moves seem very unpredictable as well: nasty elbows in there. The most dangerous punch is the one you don't see coming.
Have to say, respect for opening up and sharing what MANY men feel inside. Many of us are here because we have been hurt in some way and doubted ourselves (still do). We are looking for something to ‘make it right’. I know i wouldn’t have the confidence to share my inner weakness with the world like you have. That’s perhaps the biggest sign that you have overcome.
It's hard to believe this isn't an old martial art, the table manners and thinking man are so 'logical' why hasn't someone formalised this into an art until now? Impressive stuff Rokas, great video. (edit) - Sweet thumbnail too.
I was thinking the same thing! However, I do believe there are similiar elbow techniques in some styles of gong fu. Of course, in most of those styles there are different problems, but I do think that this is more of a redisocery than an invention. Not that it is any less significant by any means. This looks fantastic and I would honestly want to try this myself!
It reminds me of Baji Quand elbow style, and Keysi fighting system used by Christian Bale and Tom Cruise in certain movies. Take Care of you, From France.
Thanks for making this video! I’ve seen at least one video that was highly critical of Keysi in particular, in which the UA-camr did the usual “it’s not pressure tested” line, blissfully unaware that Keysi and Defence Lab have multiple attacker strsss tests in every class…I know, I remember how tough it was when I did it(you did great). I think a lot of the critics are going off what they’ve seen in the training videos rather than an actual class. What you filmed is what my experience of Keysi was like.
I have a bit of history with Andy Norman and Justo Dieguez who were the two originally behind KFM - Keysi Fighting Method, of which Defence Lab is an off shoot from. I trained with an ex-Keysi instructor who made his own school from the system back in 2017 until November 2019 when the school closed down. I never did Defence Lab, but the core of it are the fudamentals from Keysi which is to guard your head with the Pensador (thinking man) and move your forearms to block the brunt of an attack. Against an untrained opponent, or two, you could block a fair few strikes in a pinch that way, as well as retaliate yourself. I ended up with a Yellow grade in Keysi, studying for roughly two years, and a lot of the core striking techniques and self defence stuff continues to be useful in some situations out in the street. It's not an encompassing system, you'll still get hurt likely if you're attacked by multiple people as I have been, but it'll save you from being knocked out or worse. What I found the most useful was moving with the guard to check strikes. Even though I now train BJJ, I'm thankful for the time spent training the system. Thanks for shedding light on a lesser known martial art which meant a lot to me.
@@captainkirk7513 No, not quite. When I went for white grading, it was purely being slapped with a pad in the head, but my yellow grading was against people wearing 4oz gloves but they weren't going all out.
This is great. Kenpo has 'mass attacks' dealing with multiple opponents. It's not perfect but it works. Really you should never stop keeping an open mind and continue training!
Fear is your friend. It keeps you alive and sharp so long as it doesn’t control your actions. The trauma will pass if you pressure test yourself often. Flooding technique is the key. The keysi method is very clever and I like their emphasis on multiple attackers as most male attacks are done in groups. Makes sense you’d use elbows in a situation where you are overpowered. It’s always better to keep the attackers at a distance but if you can’t elbows can control the fight as my Sifu used to say. Great video
Yep, the video is the height of delusion tbh. It’s like going back to the 90’s again listening to your mate telling you how his kung fu instructor beat up 6 guys in a street fight. Total b@llox.
There was this video on Flippino martial arts, I saw awhile back. This dude faced against 5 dudes armed with knifes. He got out ( with FMA training and running). He still got stabbed in the abdomen, where he showed his scar.
I've been following your channel for a long time and I really identify with your experience. I grew up in one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America and had similar experiences with street crime. Bro, some advice is that fear is not going to disappear completely unless you treat it with psychological therapy along with your training. Best wishes and may the journey continue.
Hearing this story has just confirmed what I have always been saying about martial arts. Many people do not know the difference between combative sports and self defence. There is more to self defense then just hitting people. It involves being street smart, self aware, knowing when to make the correct judgement in a dangerous situation. Many school and combative sports will never teach you this.
Being aware of your surroundings and spotting trouble is the biggest thing people should think about instead of thinking their martial arts skill makes them invincible. Thats the big problem of most sport based martial arts system. They think on the streets people will follow fighting rules and not fight dirty
I took Kuntaw for a college physical education credit in college in the 90's. The instructor focused on self defense not competition. Situational awareness, using anything available as a weapon, fighting from the ground or seated at a table, appropriate force, and how to break contact to get away. Over the years I have never used what I learned in a fight but the situational awareness has stuck with me.
What strike me on more than one occasion was your honesty in facing your own shortcoming and fear, not something you see everyday in someone who trained a long time in martial art. Kudos to you!
Same reasons I quit traditional Kung Fu. My road took me to hybrid systems and then to Krav Maga, and then to HEMA styles like boxing and wrestling. Now in my mid 50s with some serious injuries, I seldom go about unarmed.
In Somatic Experiencing, a trauma therapy modality, there’s this concept of titration: slowly exposing yourself to your trauma to work through it without getting overwhelmed by it. What Andy is doing here is good work.
i dont think that is neccessarily how this works A soldier who gets PTSD doesnt go through his war scenarios over and over again while exposing gradually
@@captainkirk7513 trauma is not about the event, it's about how the event still lives inside your body. The way I understand trauma therapy, as someone who's been in it for several years now, is that it's general intention is to slowly expose yourself to triggers, memories, and sensations that are related to the trauma in a safe (and informed) space for your body to be able to process it.
@@jonathanmarkov1741 " to slowly expose yourself to triggers, memories, and sensations that are related to the trauma in a safe (and informed) space for your body to be able to process it." Exactly and not the event itself. nor the resimulation through reanactment
@@captainkirk7513 I hear what you’re saying better now. It has me thinking about whether or not this training method would be a good idea for people who were severely traumatized in such a situation (or if maybe particularly sensitive individuals would benefit from a gentler approach). I’m interested in seeing how Rokas might fare in this over time and how his fear might be either released, unchanged, or worsened.
@@jonathanmarkov1741It would help, slowly. The difference was said in the video, you're not going out picking fights with randoms to see if this time it would be different, that's the definition of madness. You are, however, exposing yourself to the fear and doubts that the trauma created in a SAFE and CONTROLLED enviroment, one where you can meltdown safely, one where you can call quits. This will slowly, among with therapy of course, override the freeze factor. Freezing is a traumatic response and a very hard one to get out from, the important thing is to be able to think when you think you might be in a situation. Freezing stops your thought process and instincts. I believe that with time, self care, TONS of work and help you can gain your instincts back. I really liked how they expressed that the idea is to work with your instincts and not against them, so as you slowly feel them coming back, you gain some confidence in yourself, now you can trust your instincts again. I have not been beaten to a pulp, but i was attacked by more than one person before. My freezing started with molestation and then SA. I'm not scared of dying, i'm scared of having to survive, to endure more pain, of freezing again, of SA.
I had similar experiences and fears in my adolescence. Interestingly, my solution always was to move to a safer place. And I did. 30+ years later no regrets (I am in my fifty’s now). It may sound cowardly but in reality it probably takes as much effort as learning how to fight. Prerequisites for a “safer place” are higher grades at school, higher education, higher paying job, so I had to work hard to get all that, and eventually I did. Also, having genetically a rather fragile bone structure, I knew that chances for me to become a good fighter are slim to zero, so I decided not to waste my time on it. Looking back at my life I am glad I did.
Damn. I also have been assaulted by random dudes in public before. And my karate teaching did absolutely nothing for me because I just froze. I was just 12 when a grown man punched me in my face and asked for my phone. You describe feeling uneasy just being around strangers you didn't know and I could relate a lot. I remember seeing strangers walking down the street and planning how I'd defend myself. I never had to, thankfully. But I still wonder. I've been in a much better place though. Ten years later and I don't live with that fear anymore, and it's not because I'm a master of any martial art but I'm just more confident in myself and the forces of nature. I wish you the best and I hope your trauma has been healing with time.
As a martial artist I am always open to new ideas and new things, but it’s been 10 years since I started training and everyone that I have ever heard mention multiple-attackers has been full of BS unless they say to run or shoot…
Hey Rokas, excellent video. There is a fighting system called 52 Blocks that mixes boxing with dirty fighting tactics based on the creators experience in prison. I see some similarities here with the use of the elbows being a defense and attack at the same time.
After 26 years on a max unit, I can honestly say it can definitely be a very “real” school of self-defense. After years experience with Kenpo and Aikido, I had to relearn and unlearn a lot.
From personal experience growing up in the hood in BK NYC in the 80s and 90s I can say you are correct about the similarities. Rokas you should learn more about 52 Blocks/JailHouse Rock. It was one of the fighting styles Riggs used in Lethal Weapon movie from the 80s and it was used by Ludacris "fast and furious 9".
@@Santeria78 Indeed it is. I'm glad it didn't die with my generation. The later generations don't fight much anymore and don't have fair ones or fades these days. Weapons such as guns are way easier to come by now especially clean guns. Back in the day unless you were down with someone or had connections you had to spend a lot of money or went OT. If you didn't do that then you were getting a burner with bodies on it.
Wow that was great Rokas! It really goes to show you that there is a world of difference between training in martial arts (whatever the art) and an ACTUAL fight for your life. Keep owning your journey brother... ✌
1:56 This is the most important lesson. If you only train, when a real situation happens you still tremble. Nothing can prepare you for the real deal. If you feel your nerves just run. Being coward has nothing to do with you wanting to be in a safe place. It has everything to do with you hurting people or animals that can't defend for themselves. Great vid.
There's a lot of videos/forums about keysi and defense labs and not many are very positive, it's nice to see that you found something positive from this experience. Great video as always.
Rokas: "I did Aikido and I got beat up by 6 guys now I'm terrified and convinced Aikido sucks ...", also Rokas: "better drop Aikido and do BJJ instead, that will protect me from 6 guys"
Still amazing to watch your journey. Fear is annoying no matter how much you train. For me going to the ground is scary so I'm working on that as well as stand up a bit. When talking to a few people they all said work on your strengths and get good at it. Can't wait to see what's next
May I recommend that you train to manage the adrenalin dump that happens in emergency situations? I believe that is why you partially "froze" when confronted by those five guys so many years ago. People often mistake the feeling/affect of your fight or flight response for paralyzing fear. Sometimes it is, but often it is your brain trying to deal with all those hormones suddenly rushing around your blood stream and all that happens with your bodies response. Rapid breathing, tunnel vision, loss of fine motor control. If you train to deal with this specifically, you don't feel like you have lost control completely which helps you make better choices. All the best.
I always enjoy your approach to martial arts. It seems we've led similar paths in search of the ultimate fighting/ self defence system and to face our personal demons. Well done mate. All the best with your journey. I hope you find what you're looking for.
My own martial arts journey began 41 years ago, when I was 9, and began training in my first style. Like Rokus, one of my favorite content creators, I also am from a very dangerous city, and also was attacked by multiple opponents. In my case it was four, and unlikethe five cowards attacking him, the cowards attacking me were not afraid to fight. After the initial exchange, I also managed to get away, and I also had trouble seeing, though in my case, it was because my nose, cheek, and jaw were broken, and both of my eyes were swelling shut. Holding my swelling eyes open with my fingers, I finally managed to find assistance. I have, since that time, just like him, studied other styles to increase my skills, and become a more well rounded practitioner. I knew there was a reason I felt such kinship with him, but am utterly blown away by so many parallels. To Rokus, thank you for sharing your story. I wouldn’t have thought it possible to be even more of a fan, but you managed to make me one. Thanks again.
Keysi is no joke like so many other martial arts that are too often nothing more than choreographed dance moves. There’s a guy here in the U.S. named Sifu Alan Baker that teaches Keysi. He is an absolute animal with it. Super nice guy but often the most dangerous man in the room.
I have trained Defence Lab for the last 2 years and I love it. I get frustrated when people who have never tried it, nor been victims of violence bash it. If you can get your head out of the TV violence/MMA space, and understand what real street violence looks like, there is real value in what they teach. I was happy to see someone try it and give honest feedback on the experience. Andy and Grek are such good dudes. Miguel is a beast. He's so handsome, yet terrifying, lol! I hope you stick with it. The journey just gets better! Proud of you my guy!
Hats to you for your journey and sharing it in a way that can help others. I like the idea of training for fights at tables and against multiole attackers.
Hi Rokas, You might not remember me, but we met several years ago training Aikido in Switzerland; I was visiting from the UK at the time as an uchi-deshi for a month in Montreux, though, I may have still had hair back then 😅 I don't train these days, but I still keep an interest here and there. The journey you've been documenting in your videos is really inspiring; I was amazed at your transformation from when I last saw you! I regularly watch your videos, but this one was especially fascinating - I'm going to be looking for whether there are any links to the organisation in the UK, as I would like to get back into training /something/ again. Thank you for sharing your experiences, and keep up the good work!
Mate I love your honesty in your videos. You seem like a great guy. I understand how you felt. Doing martial arts is my life and I trained Keysi for years and it definitely has helped me in my life. I've trained with Justo and was one of the best things I've ever done in my life. Love your videos. Good luck on your journey.
Hey, another martial arts UA-camr called Steven Strangles People actually heavily criticized this martial art,”I’m afraid Batman is a fraud.” I’ve always enjoyed your content and would love to see what you’d have to say about his opinion.
I’ll answer that for you buddy Steven has no experience in Keysi or DL He has watched some vids and that’s it, he doesn’t know how it works l, how it moves or even understand it very well.. sadly that makes people like him a fraud as they are making stuff for likes, it’s like me doing a video on quantum physics saying it’s BS .. but I don’t know anything about it, but I watched a UA-cam video.. he would I change his opinion if he actually experienced it! Fact
I didn't know these guys still existed. Since this isn't really available in most of the world, all I can do is speculate. It seems like they have some good principles that would mix well with an existing base in striking and grappling. Pretty open to takedowns with that defense being so high but at least they keep a relatively low center so they can try to respond well. Plus, most street fights aren't like an MMA match with people shooting quality doubles/singles/high c's. I'd love to see you work with Ramsey Dewey in particular to go over the things you learned and hear his opinion on the techniques. He's a really thoughtful coach when it comes to systems like this.
I’m glad Rokas has found what he needed to deal with this tough situation and was able to overcome his fear. That’s always the biggest opponent we have
Excellent video! This is definitely a reason why I have been avoiding self defense classes all together all my life, the fear of failure. The fear of getting hurt even if it sounds contradictory. It takes courage to face yourself and your deep rooted fears. Sometimes I find it best to accept those fears as I learn more about myself and know that some anxieties and some fears will always stay with me. You have my utmost respect.
Rokas,You are capable and distinguished in all your topics and information about martial arts around the world. Thank you for all your wonderful and distinguished videos. I wish you prosperity
I've looked into this system over the years. Andy seems like he understands violence, especially as he worked as a Bouncer. But I feel it's too niche for a self defense system. I think it would be good if you get ambushed, and don't have the time to do a traditional block and counter, you get with most self defense systems. I just feel a good self defense system should cover a broad range of scenarios. I will also say dealing with multiple attackers, you need to circle around them, and try to deal with only one at a time. Don't let them surround you. Also, if you're planning to do more self defense systems for your journey, I recommend looking into Lee Morrison and Richard Dimitri 😃
Yeah I don't understand why the guys using this system don't attempt to break out of the circle and instead just bounce around in between 4 guys trying to hit them on the head at the same time lol. Best thing you could do is break out of the circle and put them all in front of you, and partially blocking each other. Which is exactly what every person does in every video out there showcasing a real multiple attackers scenario live and unedited. ua-cam.com/video/mZHDMhbcJvA/v-deo.html example. When chaos is going on, there's dim light and multiple people trying to hit the same target, chances are their strikes are going to be very inaccurate (they're unlikely to get a knockout blow on you right away), so you have a good chance of using wrestling skills to break away from them and position yourself with all opponents in front of you.
You got a good point, but you're forgetting that YOU don't dictate what happens in a fight. You say ''don't let them surround you.'' What if you're already surrounded before the fight has started? ''You need to circle around them.'' That's great. If you're in a big parking lot and not in a small hallway. Not to forget the fact that your opponents can move as well. If you move away, they'll follow. ''Try to deal with only one at a time''. How are you gonna do that if you're surrounded and getting punched by 4 guys at the same time both from the front AND back? This is what makes Defense Lab great. It's not about what you SHOULD do, but what you CAN do.
@@ricksterdrummer2170 You're right, these guys always assume that the attackers will just stay frozen in place while you're trying to put them in front of you. If you're busy fighting one guy, there's nothing stopping the others from encircling you. Keeping them in front of you just doesn't work, period.
Yup your attackers are not going to simply stand there and allow you to move to a spot that will be to your advantage. These opponents would also think how they can get to an advantageous position and will also try to outsmart you
They also have the wrong mindset where they dont think about not putting themselves in that kind of situation just because they have martial arts training. Most important thing is to ba aware of your surroundings and know how to spot trouble before it happens, then if you got caught in a situation you have multiple attackers, why do you want to engage when you are clearly out numbered and think hey ill just line them up like Steven Segal then do my fancy moves. Why not immediately run for safety like similar to what Rokas did? If you engage on a street fight you have less time to react and so many unkowns that one should think carefully why would they shouldb put themselves to take unecessary risk thinking its a sport fighting match with rules. Have that mindset your martial arts makes you invincible is recipe to get you killed
I really enjoyed watching this and how open you are about the process of learning and fears, mixed in with past traumas. It’s very honest and much more realistic than when some folks pretend to be super in control and act fearless. This makes me like your approach and thought process much more.
Imagine training martial arts a couple of times a week's for a few years to build confidence in a fight, if it ever happen, and then you hear Rokas after everything he has done say he is still not confident 😯🤣 Fair play for the honesty, your approach is so rare in Martial Arts.....its refreshing after years of...."If I was attacked by 10 guys... I would just use form 73 of Bulshido!"
I definitely agree with you :) Also to put it on record, Andy and his team didn't say their system is the best. They were very realistic and humble about the limitations of any system including their own. Calling their system one of the best self-defense systems in the world is my statement :)
@@piotrd.4850 Military units sometimes are forced to resist pepper spray or tear gas, and sometimes even try to do stuff like carrying someone out of a building, fighting someone or doing pushups or squats while breathing it... Closest thing ive seen in traditional martial arts was a ninjutsu gotonpo in wich you could use metsubushi, so people would throw powder into eachothwrs eyes and from that point, you decided if escaping or fighting, you had to do the mission, so it was not scripted as in "fight back" or "run" it was just something that could happen and you would have to deal with it yourself
@@gingercore69 That's why militaries - at least more sane and reputable ones (British Army, USMC) still train obstacle courses, h2h fighting and bayonet. Also USMC also has the pepper spray test (I think) you mentioned ( any Marines, feel free to comment!). In short "train as you fight so you can fight as you train" - true since Roman legions. CONDITIONING (for given purpose) and CONFIDENCE BUILDING.
@@piotrd.4850 fun fact, the mcmap used by the us marines is based in bujinkan... Even has the musha dori, wich is a technique that i have only seen in catch wrestling, mma, bujinkan and mcmap... But we know it was taken grom bujinkan because the guy who designed it is a bujinkan blsckbelt... And bujinkan is where those "mock missions where they might throw blinding powder to each other" happens...
I'm an absolute lay person when it comes to martial arts and fighting in general. I feel that your journey isn't finding the best system or style but finding yourself. When you left aikido after trying to "test" it, I think you needed to test yourself. Keep testing. You keep passing. And thank you for your curiosity, thoughtfulness and vulnerability.
I don’t know you personally but I feel like I do with your openness and vulnerability in your videos thank you so much for your constant courage to be who you are
Dude you brought back Defence Lab from the dead. Been soo long since I heard about it. It's cool to see Andy back killing it. Also you should try Urban Combatives they also provide top notch combatives stuff..
From what I have seen from them they have been influenced by either KFM or DL as it looks very similar just demonstrated in a more aggressive manner. Definitely give it a go and see how they compare.
@@ThorOdinson13 yeah they use the keysi helmet guard when dealing with punching aswell. What they do so well than any other self defense classes is the pre-fight cues, descalation training, situational awareness and obviously their infamous and what they are know for are their pre- emptive striking
All that exits in the above Ans it’s just as nasty but more fluent l, they just market and cater to a different audience .. these style sessions still exist in DL for the hardcore that want it
Very interesting video, and yes many of us have this fear of a real situation even after years of training. What I like about this system is how it shows you how to protect your vital head area when in an extreme situation with multiple attackers but I don’t like the idea of fighting back when you are surrounded. I trained in Choy li fut and we were taught when facing multiple attackers to move into a position where your attackers are always getting in each other’s way and then deal with one attacker at a time with longer range kicks and powerful hand attacks that are flowing and allow you to strike while not allowing your attackers to trap you.
I love how open and honest you are with your journey. Vulnerable. Inspiring. Definitely give Tommy Carruthers of Glasgow a look . Its JKD but really in its most simplistic form. I’m sure you’ve seen some of his videos on UA-cam that has been posted and re-posted. The flashiness of his videos don’t really do justice to the simple form self-defense that he teaches. You can also connect with Thomas Marx of tommy’s IFO out of Germany. His UA-cam is really starting to build a good following.
I've been in 3 real fights. All 3 were terrifying. In all 3 I forgot most of what I learned aside from basics, but somehow was able to power through the fear. I'm not a badass or tough person by any stretch, by the way, just VERY lucky.
I liked and probably still like to fight. But I did get a taste of fear when my brother and I were chased by 15 other boys. I was laughing until I got cornered into a fence covered in branches, I couldn't climb thru all of that. Luckily they didn't do anything but give me a warning.
Really happy to hear about this leg of your journey! I've slowly been watching all of your videos and I think you are pointing out some really important differences between martial arts and self defence. The vulnerability is honestly inspiring and I think shows some of the major gaps in the way we commonly think about self defence and fighting. It's worth noting that dipping into fight or flight mode and disassociating or 'blanking out' can be a symptom of PTSD which effects your nervous system. Looking at your nervous system could be an alternative entry point for working through some of this stuff as well. Healing from PTSD is notoriously slow and difficult. Gradually upping the intensity of triggers in a safe controlled space is referred to as exposure therapy and is commonly part of a larger therapeutic program. Anyways good luck and thanks for this really important story you're sharing!
"Fighting is not about knowing how, but chosing to". BTW: there's self-defence school in Poland which kinda.... orchestrates street assault on trainee as semi surprise.
Great video Rokas! It takes a lot of courage to embrace fear and face the situation. I watched a Korean guy’s video (don’t remember the name). He mentioned fact that if someone is attacking you with a knife, you have to think beforehand that you are going to get hit, there’s no escaping the knife. But, once you admit it you would face the situation better. I am not sure but to me, it made a lot of sense.
Thank you! This is the video I invested most time and energy compared to any other video. I am happy to hear it was worth it. I will do my best to continue holding up the same level of production value :)
I like that you actually tried it and got training from these guys. Armchair clowns are making videos bashing it and other systems they haven't even tried. This actually gives your opinion meaning and respect. Good job
You just inspired me to get back to training defence lab. Wow! I gave up trying to learn because I listened to others say how stupid and horrible it was but now I'm like why tf did I let their opinion influence me?!
@Captain Kirk basically saying how they would react if someone who trained defence lab did this or that. Basically saying how they would react to whatever move they did when in reality, you don't know how you're gonna react when you're face to face with something like this. They said it was ineffective, but if you get elbowed in the chest, limbs or head, you're not gonna be able to do much.
Great vid on Defense Lab system. I’d like seeing and learning more of their techniques of their system. Thank you for your time and energy producing this great vid. Peace
You're the best for confronting the old fears and trauma, and giving Defense Lab a try. I saw Andy Norman before, and he has a good point. Train the natural instincts, educate those very natural instincts. Weaponize the frightened person. Great perspective.
My issue about this is the same about keisy fighting method (the inspiration of this one I believe). You go inside a very close quarters distance always....should you be there in the first place? ....
We touched this question with Andy, I just didn't include it in the video. DL's approach isn't necessarily to always go in close quarters. It depends on the situation.
In the studio that I trained in, one of the best Kenpo, Ed Parker we trained against 4 man attack against black belts, it was stunningly difficult and unbelievable but eventually I was able to keep myself from getting hurt getaway even though I was a competitive in tournament, like Internationals
I used to do KFM (Keysi Fighting Method) in Germany. Many years later, after not having continued it, I noticed that Justo and Andy must have broken apart (in some sort of schism) since one now called his technique Defence Lab while the one renamed it to Keysi. Do you know what exactly led to this separation and what are the exact differences between them nowadays? Also interesting to note is that their schools or dojos are never to be found in the same city at the same time. They seem to have agreed on who keeps which territory. In Berlin it is all Defence Lab now, while Moscow has the Keysi school.
Great video and a great lesson for us. Keep going Sensei. I hope someday our paths will cross and I will have the good fortune to gain wisdom from you.
It's bizarre to me that you'd call anything in fighting the best when I see no evidence. Has a single professional fighter come out of this system? with the popularity of MMA surely there should be a Defense Labs pro MMA fighter.
From what I know there's a Defence Lab BJJ champ, and Andy worked with some UFC fighters. In the end though self defense and fighting is related but not the same thing
We have trained my friend and UFC fighter in Nottingham ufc gym .. they wanted DL in the UFC or her manager and trainer did .. but only elements work as it’s based around stress and multiple people.. We have video, pics etc .. maybe one day it will be edited and come out, but covid hit !!! Any way after a full day with Andy and the ufc fighter who has trained DL with me and done a seminar they were blown away by what they saw .. two problems though !!! The fighter would have to immerse in it to get good as it’s slightly different .. and you’d need Andy !! Or some equivalent.. which is hard to find that has what the mma guys or girl needs.. often times a factor And DL is a global company and fairly new with enough on its hands .. also they made a MMA stem years ago But it never came out fully, this also had braulio Estima involved in the ground sections a bjj champ as it blew him away .. so it exists .. it’s just that time and things like this are a factor in realty
I admire your openness and honestly about the feeling of uncertainty and fear when it comes to self defense in real life. I truly appreciate the work you are doing, blogging your journey and I feel very inspired to restart my own. Thank you. This video and the one with the knife attacks on the self defense tournament are my two favorite. I think self defense systems should be trained in as real life simulated situations as possible. I am incerely wishing you for the best.
It absolutely makes sense that you'd hold these fears given your experiences. I'm certain martial arts has been and will continue to be helpful but also it may be worth speaking to a therapist about it, if you haven't explored that already. Although you have obviously experienced those things, most people haven't and won't, so although having this sort of situational awareness can be helpful and absolutely was helpful when you were still living their/experiencing fairly regular threat/violence, you're no longer in the same situations as you were - assuming you've moved away from that place. If you're still feeling that dread and anxiety around groups of men, it might just be worth exploring therapy, alongside martial arts (it doesn't have to be either/or). Good luck with your journey and I appreciate your honesty and courage :)
Thank you for actually trying the Defence Lab (DL) system. I've seen a few people online heavily criticise DL based on a few short clips on UA-cam. I have trained in various martial arts for most of my life - Karate, Kung Fu (Chinese Boxing), Muay Thai and BJJ. I have been doing DL for the last 5 years and maybe because I have a background in fighting, I believe it is brilliant - it allows you to apply everything you've learned and use it strictly for the street. Aspects such as weapons training (heavily emphasizing knife attacks), multiple attackers, scenario based training like being on public transport etc. make it more applicable than most other martial arts. It isn't perfect but like all good self-defence systems, it touches upon most martial arts without ever really mastering one. This is the only problem I have as you never become highly proficient in 1 aspect of fighting. This is why I would highly recommend something like DL or Krav Maga as a supplement to your own training rather than your sole source of training. It also depends on your trainer - if he has a striking background, he will probably focus on striking and the opposite can be said for grappling. My trainer has a strong grappling background and focuses more on grappling as most fights go to the ground, which makes sense. We keep true to the basic principles of DL which are to protect the knockout points, using gross motor skills and turn defence into attack at any given moment. Ultimately, the weapons and multiple attackers training really elevates DL above other systems imo. The first time we pressure tested the multiple attacker scenario was during my second class. There were 4 guys hitting me with pads (going around 60%) and I honestly felt like I was drowning physically and in fear. In DL, you pressure test everything and it is far more intense than anything I've done before (maybe because of my trainer idk). The sparring looks crazy as it replicates a street fight either 1v1 or multiple attackers. It has to be, as it could be life or death... Anyway, thanks for taking the time and effort to see for yourself what DL is all about. On a side note, I think high quality MMA training is the best training for the street but if you cannot sacrifice the immense time needed to get good at MMA like me (I have a full time job, a wife and kids) then you need a short cut and a good self defence system like DL provides you with enough to at least be much better prepared for most situations on the street. Plus I am over 40 now and I just don't have the fitness and powers of recovery now to be able to commit to something like MMA.
Aikido is very much about awareness, so that was off that day... also, if your teacher didn't teach you that Aikido wasn't about combat, but about perception and survival, then he didn't really understand Aikido IMHO Your first reaction as an Aikidoka is to escape and defend.
Been a DL practitioner for over 6 years and although I've not been involved in a fight myself, I heard stories from other practitioners who experienced those irl to know that DL system works in practice. Just being accustomed to multiple attacker scenarios and knowing how to fight back gives you a massive head start in an altercation. Yes, you will probably not come out unscathed but if I had to choose I'd rather have tools than not. I've trained with Andy and the team multiple times over the years and the system is fantastic, they are really great instructors and it's always been a lot of fun. They and their instructors always challenge you to think differently about combat encounters and the system tries to provide answers to just about any scenario you can imagine.
@@captainkirk7513 we spar, usually with gloves on, in various scenarios (1 on 1, multiple attackers, against the wall, every man for himself etc.). People have mixed ability and not everyone is aware of their own strength, so we try to keep it safe. But, if you're more advanced, MMA gloves can also sometimes be used.
@@toms8031 cool! Thats nice to hear While sparring is usually not executed in 100% intensity (wisely so) ..did you ever had to block an 100% punch in sports or real life with that keysi guard? :) Just curious!
Man, let me tell you. I love your channel. I have done Aikido for 2 years - that's how a find your videos - and became a lot more frightened then before. Then i quit and went on krav magah with a police instructor. My night dreams of losing fights or punching without any damage gone for ever. That being said, and after seeing your last videos, i have to ask: why not make videos on the psychology of mma fighters for example or interview some survivors of real deadly attacks and seeing what went wrong and what went right? I saw Jocko Willink talk about a study that interviews some psychopaths and how they choose their victim by the apearance and the way they walked... Really interesting stuff.
I missed your videos. Hope both you and Gaby are feeling better. Your journey is our journey: All bullied kids at school trying to find our power. Blessings, Batman from Lithuania.
Very very good vid. I thank you for your time and energy producing this vid. Over the last three weeks now I’ve become very interested in the DL techniques and way of defending yourself. There are no facilities in my area at all for this type of training so I’m trying pieces I’ve found on you tube. I wish you the best on your journey and wish you success. Thank you again. Peace
Nothing wrong with being afraid. Fear kept you alive. Being attacked by 5 people is an abnormal experience and your response to that was natural. You have also taken a very negative experience and turned it into a net positive experience which is pretty incredible.
Best case scenario your adrenaline spike works in your favor and you're able to run like a jack rabbit. Conflict would've been probably bad in an open area.
Agree. It just shouldnt be so strong it makes you panic. COMPLETE lack of fear is even worse, you would basically lack the drive to both fight back and run, and just let it happen
I remember this talk with my dad when I was a young scared kid. "What if i lose?" He smiled and said "Do your best, but sometimes life serves you a s#it sandwich. Make sure you you bring your hot sauce." In other words. Beleive in what you stand in and be spiritually fit in case your best isn't enough.
And prepare.
I heard people put iun razors in their clothing so if somone tries grab and hit they get sliced. They made it so you dont get cut but criminals are.
My dad told me something similar when I was a kid, "mate, you're not gonna win all of them, but you can at least go down being the craziest fucker they've ever seen."
or your dad just meant to bring your heat aka a .45 lmao
Or....he could have meant that you're not going to win them all despite your best efforts and the "hit sauce" is resting satisfied that you DID do all that was in your power physically and mentally to avoid and physically beat your enemy, just shy of killing him.
Out on the street your best has to be good enough, which means learning to do things that are ruthless in a fight and being prepared to face up to the consequences when you do. Simply put, you may fight people that are stronger and technically better than you but they don't like excruciating pain and will back off immediately they experience it. If someone attacks you, damage them, give them so much pain and discomfort for the next 6mths that they never think of attacking anyone else again.
One of your absolute best videos Rokas! 👏 Keep crushing it my friend 🔥
Thank you so much Jesse!! UA-cam stats don't t seem to agree with this statement at least yet, but your words mean a lot to me 🙏🙏🙏
His editing and story telling has clearly leveled up. This one was fantastic, the edits, the montages, the voice over, all of it. Great art.
Karate Nerd does Defence Lab?! Lol would be a great video!
Agree with you!
ua-cam.com/video/Wc_OinABMFY/v-deo.html
I mean this in the sincerest way possible. you are like the Socrates of UA-cam Martial Artists, because it seems you know that true wisdom comes from knowing that you know nothing and asking the tough questions to find understanding. I respect your humble approach to learning martial arts.
Thanks you! Socrates approach is awesome
A great video as always, Rokkas! A personal experience here:
I am a doctor, currently working in an ER setting. One day, there was a rowdy psychiatric patient who was trying to escape. Problem was, I was in his way, and he took it that I was challenging him (which I was not, mind you. I was just standing around). He immediately went to a fighting stance. A bad one, but a stance, nevertheless. He kept pointing at me, shouting, "What's wrong, huh? Something wrong, huh? You got something to say???" (Was not a direct translation, but it was in Indonesian, and this was the best translation I could get). By that time, I already had some training of MMA (boxing, muay thai, and no-gi BJJ). I was like, "Wait, he is challenging me to a fight! What should I do???", then I was like, "Wait, I know how to fight! Calm down, damnit." So slowly, I transitioned myself to an MMA stance: feet apart front and rear, elbow tucked, and lower arms near my face. However, I modified my stance from the usual closed fists to open hands as if showing that there was nothing in my hands. "No, nothing sir, nothing is wrong sir." I looked like a helpless person, but an experienced fighter would realize that I was actually prepared as soon as he tried to hit me.
The patient then immediately ran to the other direction (to my big relief). I then calmly lowered my stance and walked toward my peers, who were staring aghast. Soon after, the security arrived, and we put the patient to sleep with some drugs.
I just wanted to highlight 2 things:
1) the most important aspect of fighting is actually the VIGILANCE, not the TECHNIQUE. An experienced street brawler with no technique can actually take down a fighter full of techniques but little to no experience. Usually, those people compensated their lack of techniques by using their raw strength and their surrounding objects and environment. Based on my experience, if I actually froze and did not get into my stance immediately, I might have got beaten down by a punch from that person.
2) you may remember that I commented in your knife fighting videos that I suggested running away when you see a knife (which you tackled in your next video). I just want to highlight to everyone here: do NOT engage in a fight, unless you are forced to do so! Fights are not like Hollywood movies (which I blame for this viewpoint) where you can easily evade every hit and come out the fight (almost) woundless. When you get into a fight, know that you WILL be injured, no matter how good you are. Now, if you are fighting against a knife? Remember, you will always get slashed or stabbed, no matter how good you are. The question is not "will I get slashed/stabbed?" but "how much will I get slashed/stabbed?". Granted, if you are protecting someone or yourself, you need to fight as you have no choice. However, if your attackers are just asking for your wallets, phones, or jewelries (which is true in most cases), I suggest just give it to them. No materialistic things worth your lives. In essence, try to avoid fights as much as you can! You have to highlight this more in your videos, Rokkas. As an MMA fighter myself, I only train in MMA to make fighting as my last resort. Realize how I was just trying to protect myself in my experience. Had he demanded something, I would have given to him (as long as it is something reasonable). Only fight if the alternative outcome is _worse_ if you do not fight at all, i.e. death.
Well, that is all from me! Another thing, Rokkas. The statements "The only chance I can get is in Spain" and "Defence Lab has member all over the world" sound contradictory. Does it mean that the global members were not good enough to teach you? Coz that sounds weird coming from a martial art that promotes a fighting style for everyone xD
The original style is named Keysi and this is a variant. Keisy was created in Spain by an Spanish. Good history doctor 💪
@BugnOutLLC sorry, not American, no guns here xD we do have pepper spray tho
I’ve gotten into MMA for the same reasons! I live in Khartoum, Sudan and people here are so problematic and are always looking for a fight💀especially if you’re “innocent looking”. I’ve gotten into MMA since July but only started taking it seriously during December(where my progress actually started kicking). I first came cuz i wanted to “beat some ass and prove myself” but now i realise that i only want to use it as a last resort. Besides i’ve always been the type to avoid fights even when it meant people calling me a “pussy” or straight out disrespecting me.
@@alisalman5917 good to hear, bro! There is a Chinese philosophy: “the greatest martial artist is the one who never need to fight”, accentuating how the more experienced a fighter is, the more that person understands how awful it is to actually fight.
@@Starexe97 the conduct of many soldiers on leave totally contradicts this idea
Great Video as usual. As a BJJ student, multiple attackers has always been my worst nightmare. I’ve heard of the defense lab and Keysi from a colleague and how effective it is but I saw a lot of negative trolls on the internet that put me off. But I guess there’s some value in most of the systems that can be effective under circumstances. I don’t have access to a lot of these systems here in south India, thank you for making these videos that educate us about the reality of these modern arts.
Thank you 🙏
Don't be put off by what others say about the fighting system that you are training in. Just train hard and fight other fighting styles as much as you can, then you will soon figure out what doesn't work for you and what does. There are great fighters across all the styles and like wise there are many bad instructors that couldn't win a fight against an eight year old.🤣Pick your your teacher carefully. From what this guy is saying in this video is that he trained with a teacher not a fighter, bad luck to him. But to measure all martial arts as inferior to this, is simply being dishonest.
@@davereid-daly2205 Well said, I used to practice TKD and Karate earlier during my college days, a lot of people started trolling those systems. Now I found a legit BJJ school here (actually the only school) and people are already talking about how it doesn’t work as you shouldn’t take people to the ground and then there’s multiple attackers scenario. I’ve sort of come to a conclusion to keep getting better at what I’m doing now and figure it out on my own. I guess this is my journey now.
@@allan459415 Fighting multiple people is always hazardous. The Systema community always go to the ground and have some innovative solutions for street fighting. My style and preference is to stay upright, although I can work from the ground if I must. I love the fact that everyone posts their techniques on line, because I get to see all the new innovations and what I might come against on the street. It helps me stay sharp and ahead of the curve...
Listen to what some of the actual Gracies say about the difference between sport BJJ and self defense BJJ... they are not the same thing and many or possible most BJJ schools don't teach the self defense BJJ.
ua-cam.com/video/e864iZ4sB8Q/v-deo.html
I am so proud of you. You are doing a great service for everyone. Cutting through the crap, sharing your fears and doubts and continuing your journey and sharing it with us. Kick like a mule bite like a crocodile.
Getting jumped is just a different experience all together. As a multi jumped survivor myself I feel you. Despite having training, unknown unknowns exist. Glad you made it out.
Yeah it sucks. Glad you made it out as well
@@deadmeatgames2 i was attacked as a kid never reallygot over it
@@yeout4386 yeah started for me as a teen,as well. It's rough to lose that innocence. I used it to become more aware and capable so my family and friends didn't have to suffer it. You survived it you didn't do anything wrong. It will always be with you but how you use it is up to you.
Why you always getting jumped?
@@FlyingTigersKMT racism, stupid kids who dont like when you are smarter than them, beating ppl in games, boyscout racism, helping a friend get revenge on a rapist.
one was my fault cuz at the time i pulled a sword on some dudes smoking weed by the apartments i lived at.They caught me later unarmed. The D.A.R.E program and training to be in the marines had me wild at that point in life tho so i deserved that one.
Thank you for all the wonderful content that you produce.
In the future, whoever has you as a teacher shall be blessed.
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words 🙏
I was in an institution because of my anger issues growing up. I got attacked alot there and was forced to defend myself. when I got out I learned martial arts and it taught me to defend myself properly and control my anger. Thank you for this video my friend. 🤝👊
Much respect to you for exposing yourself again to something you really went through. Keep up the good work and never give up, stay strong with spirit! Really awesome idea to cover your knockout zones and strike while blocking, especially against multiple opponents. Those moves seem very unpredictable as well: nasty elbows in there. The most dangerous punch is the one you don't see coming.
Have to say, respect for opening up and sharing what MANY men feel inside.
Many of us are here because we have been hurt in some way and doubted ourselves (still do). We are looking for something to ‘make it right’. I know i wouldn’t have the confidence to share my inner weakness with the world like you have. That’s perhaps the biggest sign that you have overcome.
It's hard to believe this isn't an old martial art, the table manners and thinking man are so 'logical' why hasn't someone formalised this into an art until now? Impressive stuff Rokas, great video. (edit) - Sweet thumbnail too.
Thank you! I really appreciate it 🙏
I was thinking the same thing! However, I do believe there are similiar elbow techniques in some styles of gong fu. Of course, in most of those styles there are different problems, but I do think that this is more of a redisocery than an invention. Not that it is any less significant by any means. This looks fantastic and I would honestly want to try this myself!
It reminds me of Baji Quand elbow style, and Keysi fighting system used by Christian Bale and Tom Cruise in certain movies.
Take Care of you,
From France.
It looks a lot like Yang Mian
@@moltascarlsson6394 some forms of mauy boran are like this, as well as the most well known indian martial art (forget the name, begins with K)
Thank you for these videos. To see a normal person overcome fears and show us how it can be done is very inspiring. Congratulations!
Absolutely. I think Rokas is one of the most important Martial Artist of this decade. _Because_ of his humility, caution, anxiety and honesty.
Thanks for making this video! I’ve seen at least one video that was highly critical of Keysi in particular, in which the UA-camr did the usual “it’s not pressure tested” line, blissfully unaware that Keysi and Defence Lab have multiple attacker strsss tests in every class…I know, I remember how tough it was when I did it(you did great). I think a lot of the critics are going off what they’ve seen in the training videos rather than an actual class. What you filmed is what my experience of Keysi was like.
I have immense respect for you Rojas, the honesty with which you talk about fears in public is some of the hardest shit I've ever seen and inspiring.
Thank you 🙏
I have a bit of history with Andy Norman and Justo Dieguez who were the two originally behind KFM - Keysi Fighting Method, of which Defence Lab is an off shoot from. I trained with an ex-Keysi instructor who made his own school from the system back in 2017 until November 2019 when the school closed down.
I never did Defence Lab, but the core of it are the fudamentals from Keysi which is to guard your head with the Pensador (thinking man) and move your forearms to block the brunt of an attack. Against an untrained opponent, or two, you could block a fair few strikes in a pinch that way, as well as retaliate yourself.
I ended up with a Yellow grade in Keysi, studying for roughly two years, and a lot of the core striking techniques and self defence stuff continues to be useful in some situations out in the street. It's not an encompassing system, you'll still get hurt likely if you're attacked by multiple people as I have been, but it'll save you from being knocked out or worse.
What I found the most useful was moving with the guard to check strikes. Even though I now train BJJ, I'm thankful for the time spent training the system. Thanks for shedding light on a lesser known martial art which meant a lot to me.
hm
Where you exposed to real strikes to the head though?
i mean a person throwing a punch full force at you?
@@captainkirk7513 No, not quite. When I went for white grading, it was purely being slapped with a pad in the head, but my yellow grading was against people wearing 4oz gloves but they weren't going all out.
instead you couldve learned a functional martial art
This is great. Kenpo has 'mass attacks' dealing with multiple opponents. It's not perfect but it works. Really you should never stop keeping an open mind and continue training!
Fear is your friend. It keeps you alive and sharp so long as it doesn’t control your actions. The trauma will pass if you pressure test yourself often. Flooding technique is the key. The keysi method is very clever and I like their emphasis on multiple attackers as most male attacks are done in groups. Makes sense you’d use elbows in a situation where you are overpowered. It’s always better to keep the attackers at a distance but if you can’t elbows can control the fight as my Sifu used to say. Great video
Unpopular opinion, if you're facing 6 guys with knives, you're screwed regardless of training. No one will win that fight.
Give me a spear and a sidesword and I'd do it
Yep, the video is the height of delusion tbh. It’s like going back to the 90’s again listening to your mate telling you how his kung fu instructor beat up 6 guys in a street fight. Total b@llox.
100 meter dash: hold my bear
There was this video on Flippino martial arts, I saw awhile back. This dude faced against 5 dudes armed with knifes. He got out ( with FMA training and running). He still got stabbed in the abdomen, where he showed his scar.
@@dylan.-6527 link sound cool
I've been following your channel for a long time and I really identify with your experience. I grew up in one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America and had similar experiences with street crime. Bro, some advice is that fear is not going to disappear completely unless you treat it with psychological therapy along with your training. Best wishes and may the journey continue.
Hearing this story has just confirmed what I have always been saying about martial arts. Many people do not know the difference between combative sports and self defence. There is more to self defense then just hitting people. It involves being street smart, self aware, knowing when to make the correct judgement in a dangerous situation. Many school and combative sports will never teach you this.
Being aware of your surroundings and spotting trouble is the biggest thing people should think about instead of thinking their martial arts skill makes them invincible.
Thats the big problem of most sport based martial arts system. They think on the streets people will follow fighting rules and not fight dirty
@@bestthingsinceslicedrice well said
I took Kuntaw for a college physical education credit in college in the 90's. The instructor focused on self defense not competition. Situational awareness, using anything available as a weapon, fighting from the ground or seated at a table, appropriate force, and how to break contact to get away. Over the years I have never used what I learned in a fight but the situational awareness has stuck with me.
What strike me on more than one occasion was your honesty in facing your own shortcoming and fear, not something you see everyday in someone who trained a long time in martial art. Kudos to you!
Same reasons I quit traditional Kung Fu. My road took me to hybrid systems and then to Krav Maga, and then to HEMA styles like boxing and wrestling. Now in my mid 50s with some serious injuries, I seldom go about unarmed.
In Somatic Experiencing, a trauma therapy modality, there’s this concept of titration: slowly exposing yourself to your trauma to work through it without getting overwhelmed by it. What Andy is doing here is good work.
i dont think that is neccessarily how this works
A soldier who gets PTSD doesnt go through his war scenarios over and over again while exposing gradually
@@captainkirk7513 trauma is not about the event, it's about how the event still lives inside your body. The way I understand trauma therapy, as someone who's been in it for several years now, is that it's general intention is to slowly expose yourself to triggers, memories, and sensations that are related to the trauma in a safe (and informed) space for your body to be able to process it.
@@jonathanmarkov1741 " to slowly expose yourself to triggers, memories, and sensations that are related to the trauma in a safe (and informed) space for your body to be able to process it."
Exactly
and not the event itself.
nor the resimulation through reanactment
@@captainkirk7513 I hear what you’re saying better now. It has me thinking about whether or not this training method would be a good idea for people who were severely traumatized in such a situation (or if maybe particularly sensitive individuals would benefit from a gentler approach). I’m interested in seeing how Rokas might fare in this over time and how his fear might be either released, unchanged, or worsened.
@@jonathanmarkov1741It would help, slowly. The difference was said in the video, you're not going out picking fights with randoms to see if this time it would be different, that's the definition of madness. You are, however, exposing yourself to the fear and doubts that the trauma created in a SAFE and CONTROLLED enviroment, one where you can meltdown safely, one where you can call quits. This will slowly, among with therapy of course, override the freeze factor. Freezing is a traumatic response and a very hard one to get out from, the important thing is to be able to think when you think you might be in a situation. Freezing stops your thought process and instincts. I believe that with time, self care, TONS of work and help you can gain your instincts back. I really liked how they expressed that the idea is to work with your instincts and not against them, so as you slowly feel them coming back, you gain some confidence in yourself, now you can trust your instincts again. I have not been beaten to a pulp, but i was attacked by more than one person before. My freezing started with molestation and then SA. I'm not scared of dying, i'm scared of having to survive, to endure more pain, of freezing again, of SA.
I had similar experiences and fears in my adolescence. Interestingly, my solution always was to move to a safer place. And I did. 30+ years later no regrets (I am in my fifty’s now). It may sound cowardly but in reality it probably takes as much effort as learning how to fight. Prerequisites for a “safer place” are higher grades at school, higher education, higher paying job, so I had to work hard to get all that, and eventually I did. Also, having genetically a rather fragile bone structure, I knew that chances for me to become a good fighter are slim to zero, so I decided not to waste my time on it. Looking back at my life I am glad I did.
Damn. I also have been assaulted by random dudes in public before. And my karate teaching did absolutely nothing for me because I just froze. I was just 12 when a grown man punched me in my face and asked for my phone. You describe feeling uneasy just being around strangers you didn't know and I could relate a lot. I remember seeing strangers walking down the street and planning how I'd defend myself. I never had to, thankfully. But I still wonder. I've been in a much better place though. Ten years later and I don't live with that fear anymore, and it's not because I'm a master of any martial art but I'm just more confident in myself and the forces of nature. I wish you the best and I hope your trauma has been healing with time.
As a martial artist I am always open to new ideas and new things, but it’s been 10 years since I started training and everyone that I have ever heard mention multiple-attackers has been full of BS unless they say to run or shoot…
Hey Rokas, excellent video. There is a fighting system called 52 Blocks that mixes boxing with dirty fighting tactics based on the creators experience in prison. I see some similarities here with the use of the elbows being a defense and attack at the same time.
After 26 years on a max unit, I can honestly say it can definitely be a very “real” school of self-defense. After years experience with Kenpo and Aikido, I had to relearn and unlearn a lot.
From personal experience growing up in the hood in BK NYC in the 80s and 90s I can say you are correct about the similarities. Rokas you should learn more about 52 Blocks/JailHouse Rock.
It was one of the fighting styles Riggs used in Lethal Weapon movie from the 80s and it was used by Ludacris "fast and furious 9".
@@kamenwaticlients Hey, then 52 hand blocks are a real thing. Excellent!
@@Santeria78 Indeed it is. I'm glad it didn't die with my generation. The later generations don't fight much anymore and don't have fair ones or fades these days. Weapons such as guns are way easier to come by now especially clean guns. Back in the day unless you were down with someone or had connections you had to spend a lot of money or went OT. If you didn't do that then you were getting a burner with bodies on it.
52 is stolen wholesale from silat/panuntukan and repackaged to the insecure who want an urban flavour. total bullshido.
Thanks for continuing to share your journey. You are not the only one out there who got into martial arts due to trauma.
Wow that was great Rokas! It really goes to show you that there is a world of difference between training in martial arts (whatever the art) and an ACTUAL fight for your life. Keep owning your journey brother... ✌
1:56 This is the most important lesson.
If you only train, when a real situation happens you still tremble. Nothing can prepare you for the real deal. If you feel your nerves just run. Being coward has nothing to do with you wanting to be in a safe place. It has everything to do with you hurting people or animals that can't defend for themselves. Great vid.
There's a lot of videos/forums about keysi and defense labs and not many are very positive, it's nice to see that you found something positive from this experience. Great video as always.
Rokas: "I did Aikido and I got beat up by 6 guys now I'm terrified and convinced Aikido sucks ...", also Rokas: "better drop Aikido and do BJJ instead, that will protect me from 6 guys"
Still amazing to watch your journey. Fear is annoying no matter how much you train. For me going to the ground is scary so I'm working on that as well as stand up a bit. When talking to a few people they all said work on your strengths and get good at it. Can't wait to see what's next
May I recommend that you train to manage the adrenalin dump that happens in emergency situations? I believe that is why you partially "froze" when confronted by those five guys so many years ago. People often mistake the feeling/affect of your fight or flight response for paralyzing fear. Sometimes it is, but often it is your brain trying to deal with all those hormones suddenly rushing around your blood stream and all that happens with your bodies response. Rapid breathing, tunnel vision, loss of fine motor control. If you train to deal with this specifically, you don't feel like you have lost control completely which helps you make better choices. All the best.
Loving this more cinematic format !
Thank you! I decided to do my best to level up the effort I put into my videos... 😊
It's most widely taught in the US and South East Asia particularly Malaysia, Singapore, The Philippines, and Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia.
I always enjoy your approach to martial arts. It seems we've led similar paths in search of the ultimate fighting/ self defence system and to face our personal demons. Well done mate. All the best with your journey. I hope you find what you're looking for.
My own martial arts journey began 41 years ago, when I was 9, and began training in my first style. Like Rokus, one of my favorite content creators, I also am from a very dangerous city, and also was attacked by multiple opponents. In my case it was four, and unlikethe five cowards attacking him, the cowards attacking me were not afraid to fight. After the initial exchange, I also managed to get away, and I also had trouble seeing, though in my case, it was because my nose, cheek, and jaw were broken, and both of my eyes were swelling shut. Holding my swelling eyes open with my fingers, I finally managed to find assistance. I have, since that time, just like him, studied other styles to increase my skills, and become a more well rounded practitioner. I knew there was a reason I felt such kinship with him, but am utterly blown away by so many parallels. To Rokus, thank you for sharing your story. I wouldn’t have thought it possible to be even more of a fan, but you managed to make me one. Thanks again.
We appreciate your content. Keep up the good work.
Thank you!
Keysi is no joke like so many other martial arts that are too often nothing more than choreographed dance moves. There’s a guy here in the U.S. named Sifu Alan Baker that teaches Keysi. He is an absolute animal with it. Super nice guy but often the most dangerous man in the room.
It's absolutely a joke.
@@BeepBoop2221 Coming from someone that calls themselves BeepBoop. Okay, junior. 😂🤣
Great stuff in this episode. Can't wait to see you try it in your Self defense competition
I have trained Defence Lab for the last 2 years and I love it. I get frustrated when people who have never tried it, nor been victims of violence bash it. If you can get your head out of the TV violence/MMA space, and understand what real street violence looks like, there is real value in what they teach. I was happy to see someone try it and give honest feedback on the experience. Andy and Grek are such good dudes. Miguel is a beast. He's so handsome, yet terrifying, lol! I hope you stick with it. The journey just gets better! Proud of you my guy!
i get frustrated with guys who dont do sparring and claim their stuff work
Hats to you for your journey and sharing it in a way that can help others. I like the idea of training for fights at tables and against multiole attackers.
Rokas, your humility and confidence is inspiring. I'm a huge Batman fan myself. Have you ever played the Batman Arkham video games?
Hi Rokas,
You might not remember me, but we met several years ago training Aikido in Switzerland; I was visiting from the UK at the time as an uchi-deshi for a month in Montreux, though, I may have still had hair back then 😅 I don't train these days, but I still keep an interest here and there.
The journey you've been documenting in your videos is really inspiring; I was amazed at your transformation from when I last saw you! I regularly watch your videos, but this one was especially fascinating - I'm going to be looking for whether there are any links to the organisation in the UK, as I would like to get back into training /something/ again.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, and keep up the good work!
Mate I love your honesty in your videos. You seem like a great guy. I understand how you felt. Doing martial arts is my life and I trained Keysi for years and it definitely has helped me in my life. I've trained with Justo and was one of the best things I've ever done in my life. Love your videos. Good luck on your journey.
Hey, another martial arts UA-camr called Steven Strangles People actually heavily criticized this martial art,”I’m afraid Batman is a fraud.” I’ve always enjoyed your content and would love to see what you’d have to say about his opinion.
I’ll answer that for you buddy
Steven has no experience in Keysi or DL
He has watched some vids and that’s it, he doesn’t know how it works l, how it moves or even understand it very well.. sadly that makes people like him a fraud as they are making stuff for likes, it’s like me doing a video on quantum physics saying it’s BS .. but I don’t know anything about it, but I watched a UA-cam video..
he would I change his opinion if he actually experienced it!
Fact
This is hands down your best video so far. Thanks for opening up and sharing. I hope you find your way in the end.
Thank you! 🙏
I didn't know these guys still existed. Since this isn't really available in most of the world, all I can do is speculate. It seems like they have some good principles that would mix well with an existing base in striking and grappling. Pretty open to takedowns with that defense being so high but at least they keep a relatively low center so they can try to respond well. Plus, most street fights aren't like an MMA match with people shooting quality doubles/singles/high c's. I'd love to see you work with Ramsey Dewey in particular to go over the things you learned and hear his opinion on the techniques. He's a really thoughtful coach when it comes to systems like this.
This was a beautiful video that I think speaks to most people who began martial arts. Thanks for all you show Rokas. Much love from Ireland.
The World's *best* self defense system is Detroit Urban Survival Training (DUST) as taught by the legendary Dale Brown. 👊
No question 😎 Of course Master Ken is somewhere close too
its the smart intelligent option for those who want to increase their survivability
How to eat doughnuts properly
Intelligent options for increased survivability
For sure
I’m glad Rokas has found what he needed to deal with this tough situation and was able to overcome his fear. That’s always the biggest opponent we have
Excellent video! This is definitely a reason why I have been avoiding self defense classes all together all my life, the fear of failure. The fear of getting hurt even if it sounds contradictory. It takes courage to face yourself and your deep rooted fears. Sometimes I find it best to accept those fears as I learn more about myself and know that some anxieties and some fears will always stay with me. You have my utmost respect.
Awesome! Let's push ourselves out of our comfort zones together :)
Rokas,You are capable and distinguished in all your topics and information about martial arts around the world. Thank you for all your wonderful and distinguished videos. I wish you prosperity
Thank you! 🙏
I've looked into this system over the years. Andy seems like he understands violence, especially as he worked as a Bouncer. But I feel it's too niche for a self defense system. I think it would be good if you get ambushed, and don't have the time to do a traditional block and counter, you get with most self defense systems. I just feel a good self defense system should cover a broad range of scenarios. I will also say dealing with multiple attackers, you need to circle around them, and try to deal with only one at a time. Don't let them surround you. Also, if you're planning to do more self defense systems for your journey, I recommend looking into Lee Morrison and Richard Dimitri 😃
Yeah I don't understand why the guys using this system don't attempt to break out of the circle and instead just bounce around in between 4 guys trying to hit them on the head at the same time lol. Best thing you could do is break out of the circle and put them all in front of you, and partially blocking each other. Which is exactly what every person does in every video out there showcasing a real multiple attackers scenario live and unedited. ua-cam.com/video/mZHDMhbcJvA/v-deo.html example.
When chaos is going on, there's dim light and multiple people trying to hit the same target, chances are their strikes are going to be very inaccurate (they're unlikely to get a knockout blow on you right away), so you have a good chance of using wrestling skills to break away from them and position yourself with all opponents in front of you.
You got a good point, but you're forgetting that YOU don't dictate what happens in a fight. You say ''don't let them surround you.'' What if you're already surrounded before the fight has started? ''You need to circle around them.'' That's great. If you're in a big parking lot and not in a small hallway. Not to forget the fact that your opponents can move as well. If you move away, they'll follow. ''Try to deal with only one at a time''. How are you gonna do that if you're surrounded and getting punched by 4 guys at the same time both from the front AND back?
This is what makes Defense Lab great. It's not about what you SHOULD do, but what you CAN do.
@@ricksterdrummer2170 You're right, these guys always assume that the attackers will just stay frozen in place while you're trying to put them in front of you. If you're busy fighting one guy, there's nothing stopping the others from encircling you. Keeping them in front of you just doesn't work, period.
Yup your attackers are not going to simply stand there and allow you to move to a spot that will be to your advantage.
These opponents would also think how they can get to an advantageous position and will also try to outsmart you
They also have the wrong mindset where they dont think about not putting themselves in that kind of situation just because they have martial arts training.
Most important thing is to ba aware of your surroundings and know how to spot trouble before it happens, then if you got caught in a situation you have multiple attackers, why do you want to engage when you are clearly out numbered and think hey ill just line them up like Steven Segal then do my fancy moves.
Why not immediately run for safety like similar to what Rokas did?
If you engage on a street fight you have less time to react and so many unkowns that one should think carefully why would they shouldb put themselves to take unecessary risk thinking its a sport fighting match with rules.
Have that mindset your martial arts makes you invincible is recipe to get you killed
I really enjoyed watching this and how open you are about the process of learning and fears, mixed in with past traumas. It’s very honest and much more realistic than when some folks pretend to be super in control and act fearless. This makes me like your approach and thought process much more.
Thank you!
Wow, what a piece Rokas. Great story telling and really good editing.
Thank you 🙏
Imagine training martial arts a couple of times a week's for a few years to build confidence in a fight, if it ever happen, and then you hear Rokas after everything he has done say he is still not confident 😯🤣
Fair play for the honesty, your approach is so rare in Martial Arts.....its refreshing after years of...."If I was attacked by 10 guys... I would just use form 73 of Bulshido!"
If somebody markets anything as "Best in The World" and others fail to ask "For what Purpose?" then something is .... WRONG. PS: First time First!!!
Ramsey Dewey has great insights on martial arts, self-defence on streets etc. PS: no martial art helps against ambush with pepper spray.
I definitely agree with you :) Also to put it on record, Andy and his team didn't say their system is the best. They were very realistic and humble about the limitations of any system including their own. Calling their system one of the best self-defense systems in the world is my statement :)
@@piotrd.4850 Military units sometimes are forced to resist pepper spray or tear gas, and sometimes even try to do stuff like carrying someone out of a building, fighting someone or doing pushups or squats while breathing it... Closest thing ive seen in traditional martial arts was a ninjutsu gotonpo in wich you could use metsubushi, so people would throw powder into eachothwrs eyes and from that point, you decided if escaping or fighting, you had to do the mission, so it was not scripted as in "fight back" or "run" it was just something that could happen and you would have to deal with it yourself
@@gingercore69 That's why militaries - at least more sane and reputable ones (British Army, USMC) still train obstacle courses, h2h fighting and bayonet. Also USMC also has the pepper spray test (I think) you mentioned ( any Marines, feel free to comment!). In short "train as you fight so you can fight as you train" - true since Roman legions. CONDITIONING (for given purpose) and CONFIDENCE BUILDING.
@@piotrd.4850 fun fact, the mcmap used by the us marines is based in bujinkan... Even has the musha dori, wich is a technique that i have only seen in catch wrestling, mma, bujinkan and mcmap... But we know it was taken grom bujinkan because the guy who designed it is a bujinkan blsckbelt... And bujinkan is where those "mock missions where they might throw blinding powder to each other" happens...
I'm an absolute lay person when it comes to martial arts and fighting in general. I feel that your journey isn't finding the best system or style but finding yourself. When you left aikido after trying to "test" it, I think you needed to test yourself. Keep testing. You keep passing. And thank you for your curiosity, thoughtfulness and vulnerability.
I don’t know you personally but I feel like I do with your openness and vulnerability in your videos thank you so much for your constant courage to be who you are
Thank you 🙏 Means a lot to me
You're doing a great job my friend. You have learned so much and treated us all to your journey so we may learn as well. Keep up the journey.
Dude you brought back Defence Lab from the dead. Been soo long since I heard about it. It's cool to see Andy back killing it. Also you should try Urban Combatives they also provide top notch combatives stuff..
Urban Combatives is definitely on my list!
From what I have seen from them they have been influenced by either KFM or DL as it looks very similar just demonstrated in a more aggressive manner. Definitely give it a go and see how they compare.
@@ThorOdinson13 yeah they use the keysi helmet guard when dealing with punching aswell. What they do so well than any other self defense classes is the pre-fight cues, descalation training, situational awareness and obviously their infamous and what they are know for are their pre- emptive striking
All that exits in the above Ans it’s just as nasty but more fluent l, they just market and cater to a different audience .. these style sessions still exist in DL for the hardcore that want it
Very interesting video, and yes many of us have this fear of a real situation even after years of training. What I like about this system is how it shows you how to protect your vital head area when in an extreme situation with multiple attackers but I don’t like the idea of fighting back when you are surrounded. I trained in Choy li fut and we were taught when facing multiple attackers to move into a position where your attackers are always getting in each other’s way and then deal with one attacker at a time with longer range kicks and powerful hand attacks that are flowing and allow you to strike while not allowing your attackers to trap you.
Your videos are always very interesting. It would be very helpful to see a comparison of the best self defense styles.
I love how open and honest you are with your journey. Vulnerable. Inspiring.
Definitely give Tommy Carruthers of Glasgow a look . Its JKD but really in its most simplistic form. I’m sure you’ve seen some of his videos on UA-cam that has been posted and re-posted. The flashiness of his videos don’t really do justice to the simple form self-defense that he teaches. You can also connect with Thomas Marx of tommy’s IFO out of Germany. His UA-cam is really starting to build a good following.
I've been in 3 real fights. All 3 were terrifying. In all 3 I forgot most of what I learned aside from basics, but somehow was able to power through the fear. I'm not a badass or tough person by any stretch, by the way, just VERY lucky.
I liked and probably still like to fight. But I did get a taste of fear when my brother and I were chased by 15 other boys. I was laughing until I got cornered into a fence covered in branches, I couldn't climb thru all of that. Luckily they didn't do anything but give me a warning.
Really happy to hear about this leg of your journey! I've slowly been watching all of your videos and I think you are pointing out some really important differences between martial arts and self defence. The vulnerability is honestly inspiring and I think shows some of the major gaps in the way we commonly think about self defence and fighting.
It's worth noting that dipping into fight or flight mode and disassociating or 'blanking out' can be a symptom of PTSD which effects your nervous system. Looking at your nervous system could be an alternative entry point for working through some of this stuff as well. Healing from PTSD is notoriously slow and difficult. Gradually upping the intensity of triggers in a safe controlled space is referred to as exposure therapy and is commonly part of a larger therapeutic program.
Anyways good luck and thanks for this really important story you're sharing!
Thank you
Great video.
Ačiū Rokai.
Ačiū! 😊
It's great to see you going down this path as well as spiritual and sport side of MA
"Fighting is not about knowing how, but chosing to". BTW: there's self-defence school in Poland which kinda.... orchestrates street assault on trainee as semi surprise.
Great video Rokas! It takes a lot of courage to embrace fear and face the situation.
I watched a Korean guy’s video (don’t remember the name). He mentioned fact that if someone is attacking you with a knife, you have to think beforehand that you are going to get hit, there’s no escaping the knife.
But, once you admit it you would face the situation better.
I am not sure but to me, it made a lot of sense.
Great video!
Thank you!
Been subbed for a little over 3ish years and your production value has gotten SOOOO high it’s cool to see man keep it up!
Thank you! This is the video I invested most time and energy compared to any other video. I am happy to hear it was worth it. I will do my best to continue holding up the same level of production value :)
I like that you actually tried it and got training from these guys. Armchair clowns are making videos bashing it and other systems they haven't even tried. This actually gives your opinion
meaning and respect. Good job
I feel like watching all your videos that I've been on the journey with you and as you're learning I am as well.
You just inspired me to get back to training defence lab. Wow! I gave up trying to learn because I listened to others say how stupid and horrible it was but now I'm like why tf did I let their opinion influence me?!
I think it's very important to make the final decision ourselves :) Glad to hear about your discovery!
well maybe they had valid arguments?
what were they saying?
@Captain Kirk basically saying how they would react if someone who trained defence lab did this or that. Basically saying how they would react to whatever move they did when in reality, you don't know how you're gonna react when you're face to face with something like this. They said it was ineffective, but if you get elbowed in the chest, limbs or head, you're not gonna be able to do much.
I never knew this happened to you, I was impressed by your journey and now even more! You are an inspiration man!
Thank you! 😊🙏
Great vid on Defense Lab system. I’d like seeing and learning more of their techniques of their system. Thank you for your time and energy producing this great vid. Peace
Should have worn a Batman shirt for this.
This must have been a really cool experience.
Thank you for sharing ☺️.
I did have a Batman t-shirt around 😅
@@MartialArtsJourney Oh well, still a great video 😄.
You're the best for confronting the old fears and trauma, and giving Defense Lab a try. I saw Andy Norman before, and he has a good point. Train the natural instincts, educate those very natural instincts. Weaponize the frightened person. Great perspective.
My issue about this is the same about keisy fighting method (the inspiration of this one I believe). You go inside a very close quarters distance always....should you be there in the first place? ....
We touched this question with Andy, I just didn't include it in the video. DL's approach isn't necessarily to always go in close quarters. It depends on the situation.
@@MartialArtsJourney nice to know. Thanks for the info
In the studio that I trained in, one of the best Kenpo, Ed Parker we trained against 4 man attack against black belts, it was stunningly difficult and unbelievable but eventually I was able to keep myself from getting hurt getaway even though I was a competitive in tournament, like Internationals
I used to do KFM (Keysi Fighting Method) in Germany. Many years later, after not having continued it, I noticed that Justo and Andy must have broken apart (in some sort of schism) since one now called his technique Defence Lab while the one renamed it to Keysi. Do you know what exactly led to this separation and what are the exact differences between them nowadays? Also interesting to note is that their schools or dojos are never to be found in the same city at the same time. They seem to have agreed on who keeps which territory. In Berlin it is all Defence Lab now, while Moscow has the Keysi school.
Great video and a great lesson for us. Keep going Sensei. I hope someday our paths will cross and I will have the good fortune to gain wisdom from you.
It's bizarre to me that you'd call anything in fighting the best when I see no evidence. Has a single professional fighter come out of this system? with the popularity of MMA surely there should be a Defense Labs pro MMA fighter.
From what I know there's a Defence Lab BJJ champ, and Andy worked with some UFC fighters. In the end though self defense and fighting is related but not the same thing
@@MartialArtsJourney who are they, if I may ask? Not judging, just wondering who they are
We have trained my friend and UFC fighter in Nottingham ufc gym ..
they wanted DL in the UFC or her manager and trainer did .. but only elements work as it’s based around stress and multiple people..
We have video, pics etc ..
maybe one day it will be edited and come out, but covid hit !!!
Any way after a full day with Andy and the ufc fighter who has trained DL with me and done a seminar they were blown away by what they saw ..
two problems though !!!
The fighter would have to immerse in it to get good as it’s slightly different ..
and you’d need Andy !! Or some equivalent.. which is hard to find that has what the mma guys or girl needs..
often times a factor
And DL is a global company and fairly new with enough on its hands ..
also they made a MMA stem years ago
But it never came out fully, this also had braulio Estima involved in the ground sections a bjj champ as it blew him away ..
so it exists .. it’s just that time and things like this are a factor in realty
I admire your openness and honestly about the feeling of uncertainty and fear when it comes to self defense in real life. I truly appreciate the work you are doing, blogging your journey and I feel very inspired to restart my own. Thank you.
This video and the one with the knife attacks on the self defense tournament are my two favorite. I think self defense systems should be trained in as real life simulated situations as possible.
I am incerely wishing you for the best.
It absolutely makes sense that you'd hold these fears given your experiences. I'm certain martial arts has been and will continue to be helpful but also it may be worth speaking to a therapist about it, if you haven't explored that already. Although you have obviously experienced those things, most people haven't and won't, so although having this sort of situational awareness can be helpful and absolutely was helpful when you were still living their/experiencing fairly regular threat/violence, you're no longer in the same situations as you were - assuming you've moved away from that place. If you're still feeling that dread and anxiety around groups of men, it might just be worth exploring therapy, alongside martial arts (it doesn't have to be either/or). Good luck with your journey and I appreciate your honesty and courage :)
Thank you for actually trying the Defence Lab (DL) system. I've seen a few people online heavily criticise DL based on a few short clips on UA-cam. I have trained in various martial arts for most of my life - Karate, Kung Fu (Chinese Boxing), Muay Thai and BJJ. I have been doing DL for the last 5 years and maybe because I have a background in fighting, I believe it is brilliant - it allows you to apply everything you've learned and use it strictly for the street. Aspects such as weapons training (heavily emphasizing knife attacks), multiple attackers, scenario based training like being on public transport etc. make it more applicable than most other martial arts. It isn't perfect but like all good self-defence systems, it touches upon most martial arts without ever really mastering one. This is the only problem I have as you never become highly proficient in 1 aspect of fighting. This is why I would highly recommend something like DL or Krav Maga as a supplement to your own training rather than your sole source of training. It also depends on your trainer - if he has a striking background, he will probably focus on striking and the opposite can be said for grappling. My trainer has a strong grappling background and focuses more on grappling as most fights go to the ground, which makes sense. We keep true to the basic principles of DL which are to protect the knockout points, using gross motor skills and turn defence into attack at any given moment. Ultimately, the weapons and multiple attackers training really elevates DL above other systems imo. The first time we pressure tested the multiple attacker scenario was during my second class. There were 4 guys hitting me with pads (going around 60%) and I honestly felt like I was drowning physically and in fear. In DL, you pressure test everything and it is far more intense than anything I've done before (maybe because of my trainer idk). The sparring looks crazy as it replicates a street fight either 1v1 or multiple attackers. It has to be, as it could be life or death... Anyway, thanks for taking the time and effort to see for yourself what DL is all about. On a side note, I think high quality MMA training is the best training for the street but if you cannot sacrifice the immense time needed to get good at MMA like me (I have a full time job, a wife and kids) then you need a short cut and a good self defence system like DL provides you with enough to at least be much better prepared for most situations on the street. Plus I am over 40 now and I just don't have the fitness and powers of recovery now to be able to commit to something like MMA.
One of your best videos so far Rokas, thank you for sharing your personal insights. You have come a hell of a long way.
Thank you!
Rokas basically discovering martial based CBT and Exposure therapy to face his fears is awesome. Btw your wife is a bombshell, congrats
Aikido is very much about awareness, so that was off that day... also, if your teacher didn't teach you that Aikido wasn't about combat, but about perception and survival, then he didn't really understand Aikido IMHO
Your first reaction as an Aikidoka is to escape and defend.
Been a DL practitioner for over 6 years and although I've not been involved in a fight myself, I heard stories from other practitioners who experienced those irl to know that DL system works in practice. Just being accustomed to multiple attacker scenarios and knowing how to fight back gives you a massive head start in an altercation. Yes, you will probably not come out unscathed but if I had to choose I'd rather have tools than not. I've trained with Andy and the team multiple times over the years and the system is fantastic, they are really great instructors and it's always been a lot of fun. They and their instructors always challenge you to think differently about combat encounters and the system tries to provide answers to just about any scenario you can imagine.
do they have sparring in DL?
Or do they really punch you? or just with mits?
@@captainkirk7513 we spar, usually with gloves on, in various scenarios (1 on 1, multiple attackers, against the wall, every man for himself etc.). People have mixed ability and not everyone is aware of their own strength, so we try to keep it safe. But, if you're more advanced, MMA gloves can also sometimes be used.
@@toms8031 cool!
Thats nice to hear
While sparring is usually not executed in 100% intensity (wisely so)
..did you ever had to block an 100% punch in sports or real life with that keysi guard? :)
Just curious!
Man, let me tell you. I love your channel. I have done Aikido for 2 years - that's how a find your videos - and became a lot more frightened then before. Then i quit and went on krav magah with a police instructor. My night dreams of losing fights or punching without any damage gone for ever.
That being said, and after seeing your last videos, i have to ask: why not make videos on the psychology of mma fighters for example or interview some survivors of real deadly attacks and seeing what went wrong and what went right? I saw Jocko Willink talk about a study that interviews some psychopaths and how they choose their victim by the apearance and the way they walked... Really interesting stuff.
I missed your videos. Hope both you and Gaby are feeling better. Your journey is our journey: All bullied kids at school trying to find our power. Blessings, Batman from Lithuania.
Your journey is such an inspiration. Please keep going. !!!
And. Thank you.
Very very good vid. I thank you for your time and energy producing this vid. Over the last three weeks now I’ve become very interested in the DL techniques and way of defending yourself. There are no facilities in my area at all for this type of training so I’m trying pieces I’ve found on you tube. I wish you the best on your journey and wish you success. Thank you again. Peace
Most self defence classes seem rubbish. But this video really opened my eyes to these classes. Great video!
Thank you 🙏