YOU’RE EITHER TRAINED OR YOU’RE NOT

YOU’RE EITHER TRAINED OR YOU’RE NOT

By
LtCol Al

It’s been a while since I’ve written (mostly because of working on the second addition of “Attack
Proof”) so I have to be careful not to give away something that has been added to the book. So in
this newsletter I’ll just offer some philosophical thoughts in order to aid in your training and
hopefully clarify some things based on questions and concerns we have received from students
both in NY and from afar, thus… You’re Either Trained Or You’re Not

In the movie “Man on Fire” the main character “Creasy” played by Denzel Washington, is a
ruthless bodyguard (also former assassin) sworn to protect his young client “Pita” played by
Dakota Fanning. Without giving the movie away in case you haven’t seen it, in one of the more
memorable scenes in the movie Pita asks Creasy “Is anyone tougher than you?” and he replies “It
ain’t about being tough-- you’re either trained or your not…” While a work of fiction, this movie
really hits the nail on the head and touches on something that I think is lost on many people. The
point being no matter how tough you think you are or how physically fit, if you are not properly
trained, all of the toughness and fitness in the world may not amount to a hill of beans in a real
life and death confrontation.
It seems that over the past few years there have been a number of people who have slowly been
coming around to this understanding and the fact that in order to train for a real bloodbath you
must have a real training program rooted in “Principles” rather than just a collection of
techniques, forms or one steeped only in physical conditioning. I think people are beginning to
realize and accept that because a real fight is utter chaos containing a multitude of possibilities.
You can know a million techniques and striking combinations and be in the greatest shape in the
world, but if the bad guy decides not to cooperate with your plan, you’ve got a big problem on
your hands. In short he who is better trained is better prepared, and “luck” falls on the side of the
man who is better prepared, period.

Amen
Emmanuel