laugarfist
14-Dec-2010, 02:01 PM
Geoff Thompson’s Masterclass
To start off I’d like to say this is the first time I have written a review and I now realise how invaluable notes would have been. If there are any omissions or inaccuracies then I can only apologise. They are not intentional and entirely my fault.
A bit of background before we begin: I have studied kung fu for 16 years and was slowly starting to think that I may be getting somewhere with it. For the past few years I have been teaching kung fu, lion dance and self defence and it is the last on that list that now makes me cringe. I’ll explain why shortly.
I came across Geoff in articles he had written over the years in MAI and similar magazines and always enjoyed them but never looked any further. Then, about 8 months ago, I was short of a book to read and looking around for a good one but couldn’t think of any, but, as luck would have it, I heard on the radio one night an interview with Geoff. So much of what he had to say rang true that I thought I had better find out more about him. I remembered that he had written a book called Watch My Back and so the next day headed off to the library.
I read the book in a couple of days and was blown away by it. It was brutal and honest and quite fresh. From there I wanted to know more so I looked him up on the web and under the news section was his Masterclass. It intrigued and had a pull on me so I checked my accounts, ran it past the boss (my wife) and booked a place.
What did I want from the class? At the time I wanted to expand my marketable skills and my abilities.
Did I get that from the classes? We will come to that.
Now, to the classes…
Rather than going into the classes one by one I would prefer to give you a feel of the whole.
These classes are not about self defence as most people, my-self included, know it. For years I have been taught self defence as “they attack you with x, you defend with y”. Much to my shame I have also taught it this way.
What’s wrong with this? I promise, no Bruce Lee quotes about fingers etc but if that is all you are doing for self defence then you really are missing the bigger picture. I often get asked “what would you do if I hit you” to which my reply is usually “I dunno, fall over, bleed a bit”. However if I see you coming, if I am aware of your intent, if I am aware… The chances of you hitting me are greatly reduced, if not totally removed.
Also the question was brought up, hit by whom, how? You see, a lot of the course is defence of yourself holistically and aims to provide you with tools to protect yourself, from yourself; from your own worst thoughts, habits, fears, doubts and destructive behaviours. To fight off and break free from others that seek to hold you back, belittle you, drag you down and do you harm (crab in a bucket time?) emotionally or physically.
You see Geoff points out, repeatedly, that we all have a light within us, a capacity for greatness and that we can achieve what we want. All we have to do is set our sights on our goal, work hard, give, keep focused, defend our minds from others (and ourselves) and we can achieve those goals. You know what? I believe him!
Alright, I know, I know, I sound like a convert. I guess I am.
Geoff talks a lot and it would be easy to let the voice in your head go yeah, yeah, yeah, keep preaching, la la laaa. That would be easy to do if it wasn’t for the truth in his words, the truth in his deeds and the truth in his achievements. He doesn’t need to make them up, he’s done them.
So yeah, a lot of his course is him talking and us listening.
A lot of his top students and friends are there and they all have an input to our learning. One of my favourites was Al Peasland www.completeselfprotection.com . He has a manner about him that makes you want to listen and I really enjoyed his presentations.
Then there was the physical side of the course. The main emphasis was on fence work, posturing and developing a powerful strike. My right cross is now harder than it has ever been and my hook is coming on stronger than ever (thanks Al). The emphasis on the mental is important, as is the avoidance, awareness, evaluation and the management of a situation but the course gives you some physical skills to fall back on if you mess up.
After that it is up to you to take what is shown and practice it. They don’t say who to go and train with. Just to do it. There is no major bias to style, ok maybe a bit to judo and boxing, but mainly the importance is placed on the physicality of your chosen backup system.
On top of these classes we were given reading to do and DVDs to study. Not many were on fighting. The only book on that was “Dead or Alive” and the DVD was “The Fence”. The rest of the material was again on the mental development side. On dealing with fear, adrenaline and working to break loose of the things that we think hold us back.
The course was brilliant!
So has it given me more marketable skills?
Are my abilities improved?
YES!
and a whole lot more besides. It’s given me the ability to actually market myself in whatever way I choose.
I am going to deliver Self Protection workshops and Lion Dance and they will be good but I know that if I choose to change direction I can use all the skills I learnt on Geoff’s master class to make whatever path I choose a successful one.
Michael Townsend
www.northerntigers.co.uk
To start off I’d like to say this is the first time I have written a review and I now realise how invaluable notes would have been. If there are any omissions or inaccuracies then I can only apologise. They are not intentional and entirely my fault.
A bit of background before we begin: I have studied kung fu for 16 years and was slowly starting to think that I may be getting somewhere with it. For the past few years I have been teaching kung fu, lion dance and self defence and it is the last on that list that now makes me cringe. I’ll explain why shortly.
I came across Geoff in articles he had written over the years in MAI and similar magazines and always enjoyed them but never looked any further. Then, about 8 months ago, I was short of a book to read and looking around for a good one but couldn’t think of any, but, as luck would have it, I heard on the radio one night an interview with Geoff. So much of what he had to say rang true that I thought I had better find out more about him. I remembered that he had written a book called Watch My Back and so the next day headed off to the library.
I read the book in a couple of days and was blown away by it. It was brutal and honest and quite fresh. From there I wanted to know more so I looked him up on the web and under the news section was his Masterclass. It intrigued and had a pull on me so I checked my accounts, ran it past the boss (my wife) and booked a place.
What did I want from the class? At the time I wanted to expand my marketable skills and my abilities.
Did I get that from the classes? We will come to that.
Now, to the classes…
Rather than going into the classes one by one I would prefer to give you a feel of the whole.
These classes are not about self defence as most people, my-self included, know it. For years I have been taught self defence as “they attack you with x, you defend with y”. Much to my shame I have also taught it this way.
What’s wrong with this? I promise, no Bruce Lee quotes about fingers etc but if that is all you are doing for self defence then you really are missing the bigger picture. I often get asked “what would you do if I hit you” to which my reply is usually “I dunno, fall over, bleed a bit”. However if I see you coming, if I am aware of your intent, if I am aware… The chances of you hitting me are greatly reduced, if not totally removed.
Also the question was brought up, hit by whom, how? You see, a lot of the course is defence of yourself holistically and aims to provide you with tools to protect yourself, from yourself; from your own worst thoughts, habits, fears, doubts and destructive behaviours. To fight off and break free from others that seek to hold you back, belittle you, drag you down and do you harm (crab in a bucket time?) emotionally or physically.
You see Geoff points out, repeatedly, that we all have a light within us, a capacity for greatness and that we can achieve what we want. All we have to do is set our sights on our goal, work hard, give, keep focused, defend our minds from others (and ourselves) and we can achieve those goals. You know what? I believe him!
Alright, I know, I know, I sound like a convert. I guess I am.
Geoff talks a lot and it would be easy to let the voice in your head go yeah, yeah, yeah, keep preaching, la la laaa. That would be easy to do if it wasn’t for the truth in his words, the truth in his deeds and the truth in his achievements. He doesn’t need to make them up, he’s done them.
So yeah, a lot of his course is him talking and us listening.
A lot of his top students and friends are there and they all have an input to our learning. One of my favourites was Al Peasland www.completeselfprotection.com . He has a manner about him that makes you want to listen and I really enjoyed his presentations.
Then there was the physical side of the course. The main emphasis was on fence work, posturing and developing a powerful strike. My right cross is now harder than it has ever been and my hook is coming on stronger than ever (thanks Al). The emphasis on the mental is important, as is the avoidance, awareness, evaluation and the management of a situation but the course gives you some physical skills to fall back on if you mess up.
After that it is up to you to take what is shown and practice it. They don’t say who to go and train with. Just to do it. There is no major bias to style, ok maybe a bit to judo and boxing, but mainly the importance is placed on the physicality of your chosen backup system.
On top of these classes we were given reading to do and DVDs to study. Not many were on fighting. The only book on that was “Dead or Alive” and the DVD was “The Fence”. The rest of the material was again on the mental development side. On dealing with fear, adrenaline and working to break loose of the things that we think hold us back.
The course was brilliant!
So has it given me more marketable skills?
Are my abilities improved?
YES!
and a whole lot more besides. It’s given me the ability to actually market myself in whatever way I choose.
I am going to deliver Self Protection workshops and Lion Dance and they will be good but I know that if I choose to change direction I can use all the skills I learnt on Geoff’s master class to make whatever path I choose a successful one.
Michael Townsend
www.northerntigers.co.uk