Okay so you have been training for awhile and you are starting to pick up some skill sets.  Excellent!  Now during the course of your training you will also need to start aquiring training tools for practice and live tools for protection.  I usually pick up a little something every month or so.  This way my Training Hall keeps growing with the different tools that I have available to practice with.  Those same training tools at the Training Hall I also pick up live tools and generally keep them at my house.  Whether it is a knife, folding knife, stick, firearm, etc.  If I have a training tool at the Training Hall I also probably have a live equivalent some where.  So as you get more into your training you will definately be picking up unique training tools to your system and yes eventually you will probably pick up the real thing as well.

     Now this brings me to the point of this Blog post.  That is that your training tools need to be as close as possible in weight, size, shape, etc. as the real thing.  This sometimes is hard to get but as craftsman around the world improve their skills the training tools are more an more becoming closer to the real thing and yet still being safe to train with.  For instance the following picture shows a combative customs fighting bolo (thrusting style) designed by Bill Bednarick.  I have placed a real one right next to it and as you can see they are very similar and also feel almost identical in weight, touch, etc. when training.  Here is the photo:

Bill is the best custom knife maker on the planet so buy his stuff.  www.combativecustoms.com  Check the photos for items he gave away at the last Sulong tournament in Chicago!

Following is another picture of a CRKT folding knife and a trainer that is pretty close to matching it in weight, size and shape.

As you can see they are very close! 

     Having training tools that are close to the real thing makes transitioining to them in the moment easy.  This is essential and is something that we all need on our training adventure.

     Finally with your training tools you need to have variety.  Why?  Because what if you are in a violent encounter and have to use a tool you are unfamiliar with.  Well then you need to be able to adapt and move on.  Imagine that some violent perpetrator has just tried to stick you with a home made shiv and you are caught unaware but yet deflect it and it drops on the ground.  Well if you get to it you had best be able to do something with it.  Who knows he may be pulling his back up weapon and now you are working with an unfamiliar tool.  Still if your training has had a variety of different tool training then you will probably adapt quickly! Working with a variety of tools will help you in your Martial Science training!

Train Smart, Train Safe But Train With An Eye For Perfection!

Copyright Instinctive Response Training LLC 2008

Brian R. VanCise

Note: This Blog is opinion only and Instinctive Response Training LLC nor Brian R. VanCise is responsible for any third party actions taken.

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