Reality-Based in Ireland
Frank Boyce
A bright icy early morning in February saw the first Jim Wagner Reality Based seminar open in Milford, Co. Donegal in the Northwest of Ireland. The participants include students and teachers from backgrounds in a variety of martial arts including Karate, Jujitsu, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts. The event was hosted by the Milford Ju Jitsu club and the day of hard training was a resounding success, with plenty of bruises and plenty of laughter. Those who took part in the Knife survival seminar came from all walks in life and included martial artists, ex-soldiers, door supervisors or “Bouncers”, and many people who are concerned about the rising number of attacks in Ireland involving edged weapons
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The participants learned about defensive knife techniques, as well as how to handle a knife if that becomes their weapon of defence, and the various knife attacks used around the world, with a look at some examples of common bladed weapons and tools, and improvised weapons. Initially many of the Reality-Based students were surprised by the speed and viciousness of a knife attack, as well as the difficulty in defending against an uncooperative and determined attacker. Add in fake blood, something Jim Wagner introduced to the martial arts world, to the mix and things get really interesting!
At the end of the day training the participant’s ability to defend against an edged weapon attack had already increased greatly, and because the skills are based on instinctual responses utilising gross motor skills they are easier to refresh than some of the more complicated techniques that look pretty but are ineffectual when pressure tested. All agreed that a situation involving an edged weapon was a situation that should be avoided at all costs, but that in the event that we find ourselves in such a situation, it ain’t over till its over! By the end of the day Donegal had itself a new crop of Hard Targets.
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