Review of Lee Morrison's latest book "Street-safe".

Baggio...

Hey y’all,

I’ve just returned from Southampton after training with Lee Morrison (which was excellent btw). While I was over there I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of his latest book - "Street-safe".:)

When I originally heard that Lee Morrison was going to be releasing “Street-Safe", I immediately checked it out on the Urban Combatives website. I read the preview, and was dying to get my mitts on a copy. When I did, I wasn’t disappointed. This book is definitely not just another collection of random techniques.

All the information is top class - it's not just another book that has been padded out with info you just don't need or want. The topics covered are extensive and numerous, so I can only really scratch the surface with this small review, but it will hopefully provide you guys with a brief insight into Lee's latest work.

This is one hefty tome and it consists of over 210 pages crammed full of state of the art Combatives and self-protection information. Like Lee's previous books, it's well thought out, easy to follow, and contains some great photos - so the concepts and information are easy to follow and absorb. I liked that the photos were made to look as "Combative" as possible. In other words, they captured the mindset one should be trying to model - just have a look at the photo of the girl biting the nose of her ‘attacker’.

Some people might assume there’s no point in getting this book if you have the latest Urban Combatives manuals; on the contrary, this book goes further than the manuals previously have, with many new concepts added.

Many modern instructors still sadly overlook the “soft skills, and in this book Lee stresses their importance, and goes into them in great detail. Street-safe provides a detailed analysis and insight into the ever-changing face of modern violence. It does not center on just one or two concepts either - it addresses the many facets of today's violent society: yob culture, domestic violence, street robbery, road rage, car jacking, and even attempted abduction. In this tome Lee points out that society is ever changing and so is the face of violence, so we must alter our game-plan to stay ahead of the gratuitous street attacker, or career criminal (it even looks at the aspects of modern terrorism).

As for the physical side of this book, Lee has put together a very solid core of "tried and tested techniques". There is no "fluff" or superfluous information. Discussed are subjects such as target and tools, basic strikes, combative principles, combination attacks, neck restraints, ground fighting, and secondary tools (gouging, biting, etc). Lee also talks about the best tools to use for improvised weapons, and also stresses that they should become part of our "habitual game plan" (accessibility, etc).

Having all the best techniques in the world won’t help you unless you are prepared to use them and follow through, and Lee places particular importance on developing ones "mindset" (or vehemence); without it, no game plan will be successful. Described in the book are several ways to develop this vital skill - from Vehemence drills to NLP visualization, as well as various other methods of "accessing state".

So, in summary, I'd advise anyone to grab a copy - whether you’re just a beginner wanting "some street smarts" or the next self-protection guru;) . There is more than enough information to keep you going for a long long time.

Hope it helps,

Baggio.

Nothingcompares

Do you personally write that review baggio?

Baggio...

Yep...

You could say that my review is biased - and you'd be right. After all, I've been following Lee's work for about 4 years now and, as I've said before, Lee was the instructor that got me into combatives in the first place. However, I do really rate his material, and think it's some of the best out there currently available.

And as there is an interest in Lee's work over here naturally I'd like to see him doing well...

SorGan

combatives in dublin? please spill the beans:)

Baggio...

Hey Sorgan,

Jon Mackey will be starting something up on the Dublin side of things - you can drop him a pm if your interested. While I'll be doing something down here in Kildare (either in Kildare town or New bridge - I can't decide ).

Were also hoping to organize some sort regular meetings once or twice a month up in Dublin.

Cheers,

B.

SorGan

cheers mate, ill contact jon and see how things are shaping up:)

Baggio...

Nice one... Jon's a good guy to train with.

Hopefully we can also start arranging some decent sessions over the next few months. Lee will be coming over again pretty soon, so it's looking good for Combatives on the Irish front...:)

I'll keep ya' posted,

B.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Baggio... wrote:

Jon Mackey will be starting something up on the Dublin side of things - you can drop him a pm if your interested. .

Jon rarely looks in here anymore. I'd suggest PM'ing him at www.maireland.proboards50.com where he Moderate's now.

That site also has a Self Defence forum http://www.maireland.proboards50.com/index.cgi?board=sd

You'll find all of the CQC & RBSD guys there.

SorGan

Mairt wrote:

Jon rarely looks in here anymore. I'd suggest PM'ing him at www.maireland.proboards50.com where he Moderate's now.

That site also has a Self Defence forum http://www.maireland.proboards50.com/index.cgi?board=sd

You'll find all of the CQC & RBSD guys there.

my friend im just back from the pub (hence the time) but i got to thank you for the info, its much appreachated(sp?),as i know jon is off this site..
cheers, ill get in touch as soon as i sober up(yippe!)

monchichi

The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker is brilliant, gives a great insight into how we use fear, how it works for and against us.
On Killing: chilling section on what we are doing to our kids re video games, violent films etc.

Baggio...

That's a good book alright... well worth a read.

Although I've been playing video games and watching horror films all my life.... And just look how I turned out....:D

Musashi

Gavin De Becker makes some good points, but makes an ass of it being a hypocrite. He goes about surrounded by armed bodyguards and provides same for "Celebrities". He feels ordinary people can't be trusted to guard their own safety and should rely on intuition to know when things aren't right, then do what? Call him and his armed security detail?
His thoughts on how we perceive threats, often unknown to out selves is good info. Just his elitist attitude and name dropping annoys me. His other book "Protecting the Gift" is a worthwhile read with a critical mind, take what's useful and ignore the stupid bits. "The Gift of Fear" is probably best summed up by trust your gut feelings and act accordingly.

Grossmans' "On Killing" is a good read also, I'm not sure about his ideas that games condition children to kill though? Since when has it been a games job to instill moral values in kids? What are the parents at? I don't see the point of banning games or movies for parental dereliction of duties

If you like those you might like Malcolm Gladwells "Tipping Point" or "Blink" and Laurence Gonzales "Who Lives, Who Dies and Why"

Happy days!

Baggio...

Thanks for the recommendations Musashi. Anyone else know of any good books worth checking out?

Cheers,

B.

monchichi

Musashi wrote:

Grossmans' "On Killing" is a good read also, I'm not sure about his ideas that games condition children to kill though? Since when has it been a games job to instill moral values in kids? What are the parents at? I don't see the point of banning games or movies for parental dereliction of duties

Hi, Didn't know that about de Becker, have to call him de Fecker from here on in . Learn something new every day.
Re On Killing, I didn't say to ban games or movies, wouldn't dream of it, one thing about games today is that they are becoming highly interactive and getting more so, and films much more violent. Also at times very little parental control over what their kids are watching or playing. What Grossman was saying was that the kids are getting a simpler version of conditioning, bit like the soldiers were getting for Vietnam and subsequent wars. If you expose kids to that kind of blood-letting and violence on a regular basis it may have an effect on their view of violence.

Musashi

I could see that people may become more conditioned to virtual violence, and may perform better at those types of tasks than people with no gaming experience. Hand eye co-ordination may be the biggest gain from gaming, apparently some hospitals are recommending their surgeons play a couple hours a week to improve their surgical skills?

The decision to resort to violence is not so easily conditioned though. Look at how many MAs never pressure test material, or why the likes of Geoff Thompson saw a need to come up with "Animal Day" training?

Also, why was I not more succesful in TKD given my fondness for Ryu as a character? :mad:

monchichi

I'll be training with Geoff Thompson for six months starting May. Looking forward to it.

Baggio...

Nice one... That's the GT instructor course I presume?

If I was not going down the Combatives route, I'd have definitely considered going on it. I'd say you'll learn a shed load, it's going to be excellent training opportunity.

monchichi

Yes it is. Think I'm the only woman on it. He's only taking 10 on so should be great. I've trained with Tony Somers recently and really enjoyed it. Bill Kipp will be in the UK a few days after the 1st session with GT, so I might stay over and do his FAST defence course as well.

Baggio...

I missed the Anthony Sommers seminar due to the flu...:( I was raging. Was it good?

I've seen a few of Bill Kipp's RMCAT DVDS - excellent stuff. If you get a chance you should definitely go over for the FAST course.

While I was training Combatives with Simon Squires I got a chance to do some of that type of training, it was great. Very cool for stress inoculation.

B.

Millionaire

nice to see combatives/RBSD arts really taking off in ireland.

I just completed certifying as insturctor in Tactical Krav Maga (I was under israeli KM before this) , which is the most simple and best KM I have ever seen. all drills are pressure tested full contact.

This Tactical Krav Maga, is has the most real training methods and the techniques very simple. it is the one of the unarmed trained methods of the top israeli special forces units and SWAT team such as under cover Ymam.


Good news is that was are launching TKM in Thailand in June with some work shops and soon will be opening a school in bangkok.

as well as live full contact all out strikes sparring in the no stop style of "milling" as usued by para reg in brit army, they also do bullet man training too, with all the build up with the verbal assualt befoer a real fight.

I will have a new web site very soon and when finshied will post up here.

Baggio...

Congrats Mill! Fair play...:)

monchichi

Hi, Baggio, yes the Tony Somers course was great, not so much actual fighting, more pressure testing in tight situations. Showed us some great techniques. Re Bill Kipp, I am doing the best I can, time, time, time, can't get enough of it. I'm going to Belerus in 3 weeks time back to the girls prison (was there last August), so if I can squeeze another week from work in May will def be doing it. I've been in touch with Bill over the last year and did the intro to FAST defence in Bristol with Dik Chance last year so really want to do the advanced. We'll see!!!
Hiya Gerry, Shar here!!, Fair play to you, you're playing a blinder!! Keep up the good work.

Igor_R.

What is the difference between the Street-safe and Urban Combatives Manuas of Lee Morrison (in the field of Combatives)?

Baggio...

Hey mate,

The UC Manuals (which are great btw, and highly recommended) concentrate on the U.C. curriculum that Lee teaches.

Where the "Street Safe" book covers the whole "self-protection" gamut, and is very accessible to anyone - not just people who are interested in "Combatives" or Martial Arts. As it's Lee's most recent work it also includes some subjects that are not included in the manuals, such as "yob culture, binge drinking", etc.

It's basically a civilian's guide to 21st century self-protection. While it does cover a heck of a lot of the "soft-skills" it also has a lot of the physical aspects too. And at over 210 pages it a pretty hefty tome!

It's definitely worth getting yer' mitts on IMO.

Hope it helps,

B.