Hey everyone,
I wanted to share a quick "success story" to encourage everyone in their training. We often spend hours "on the mat" drilling the same angles, and sometimes it's easy to wonder if it's sinking in. I’m here to tell you: It is.
Last Friday at 6:00 AM while I was out on a morning walk, I was suddenly surrounded by several unmarked vehicles and 8 officers (not an exaggeration) in a high-intensity encounter (as to why is another story for another time and no, I didn't break the law). Before I could even think, my training took over.
A few things that helped me in the moment:
The September Lesson: I remembered Paul’s personal lesson at our Long Beach seminar about "finishing the work" even when in pain. I stayed composed until the very end.
The Universal Evasion Angle: My body defaulted to the footwork we drill in class. I was able to angle off, keep my "gate" closed, and maintain a 15-foot buffer.
Environmental Awareness: I found myself automatically pre-mapping my surroundings and using peripheral vision to avoid being "bunched up."
I was able to de-escalate the situation and walk away without incident. I’m sharing this not to talk about the event itself, but to say THANK YOU to Paul and to all of you. Having you as training partners gave me the "Creative Confidence" to handle a chaotic moment with a calm mind.
Keep drilling those angles—they work when you need them most!
Happy Holidays, everyone. Stay safe and keep training.
— Fred Fortaleza
Well done Fred. Cool that your training kicked in. A great example of Martial Art imitating life. Im going to make Lechon Manok for Christmas Eve dinner. Merry Christmas to you Emerald and family. Mike Busto