modern combatives - Finding the Path, Alan Pagle

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Finding the Path, Alan Pagle

In the 1970's I began to act on an interest in martial arts. My motivation was pretty much the same as anyone else’s. It looked like a fun way to learn self-defense. Once I started training I had the same questions as anyone else.

Over the last 30 years I have found that the number-one question people always ask is, "What's the best martial art?". Now my answer is… they’re all the same. This style, that system, striking vs. grappling…all the same. The only difference that matters is the manner it which you train. And there's basically two ways to train - patterns or alive.

The overarching principle of alive training is that you must duplicate the reality of the activity you're preparing for. Specifically, 3 crucial elements: motion, timing and energy. Motion - not just the single movement you’re learning but all the motion that precedes and follows. Timing – no ritualistic patterns, always train with broken rhythm. Energy - no partner helps make you "look good", always progressive and appropriate resistance.

This puts off some people because it sounds like athletic training – that’s because it is. I was tempted to attach all the negative connotations that sports have acquired in our society. Instead, I started to think of training as performance based. The skills work because the practitioners have made them work – many times – against resistance. Performance based training renders the following questions meaningless: "Did I win?" "Did I look bad?" "Do I know more techniques than…?". When I began training alive the only important question I had left, was, "Am I closer to my goals."

Physically, mentally and emotionally it’s a healthier way to train. I wasn’t hooked on winning or losing. I began learning from my own experience. I realized that though I was "competing" with my training partners – I was helping them grow and reach their goals and they in turn helped me reach mine.

When I started learning traditional martial arts in my 20's it wasn't my good fortune to understand training this way. Even through all my experiences, the traditional martial arts, the boxing and the judo -- I still didn't get it. Lily and I decided we wanted to broaden our training. We began incorporating Kickboxing, Wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into the curriculum and, together with our friend Jude, founded Modern Combatives.

We began training with Matt Thornton, president of Straight Blast Gym International; an organization dedicated to making functional, performance-based, self-defense training available to everyone. I learned firsthand that everyone could train this way…The gym resembles a big family more than anything else. Finally the training not only makes sense; it's more fun.