Southnarc AAR

Overview

In keeping with my goal of 200 hours every year of continuing education to keep my material fresh and up to date I went to Southnarc's weekend of training in Georgia with a couple of my top students. Daniel, Brantley and myself spent a Friday afternoon and all day Saturday and Sunday training with Southnarc doing his "Extreme Close Quarters" shooting course and "In Extremis" knife training. I first met Southnarc (nom du guerre as he is still an active narcotics officer in MS) at the Blade Show a few years ago when Slackbladder was over from England. I've been hearing good things about him ever since and his training and I'm pleased to report it's all true.

Friday

After a long drive through the rain all the way from Charlotte to Bremen (other side of Atlanta and then some) we made our way to the range to meet Southnarc and his assistants for five hours covering the use of the knife in extreme close range. As the world's greatest sceptic when it comes to "realistic" training I'm happy to say that Southnarc's stuff is bang on. Sure, there were a few subtle differences between his stuff and mine but given our slightly different perspectives i.e. him living in the gun toting USA and working in undercover law enforcement and my being ex-military and bouncer/body guard - that was to be expected, and enjoyed. My fence work for eg is mainly for inside pubs and pool halls whereas Southnarc's is more for the heavy criminal assault on the unsuspecting and/or undercover. Great stuff. We covered the following

Parameters of criminal assault
· Awareness and distraction
· Challenging the potential attacker
· Preemptive blade access
· Deceptive kinesics
· Default position
· Basic empty hand tools and the F.U.T.
· Theory of in-fight weapon access
· Convulsive draw-stroke and edge orientation
· Angles and application
· Clearing the impeded line
· The pakal jab
· Applying the skill-set to improvised weapons

Saturday

Began at 0830 with a quick safety review and then everyone loaded up for live fire training at "bad breath range." It's testimony to his teaching ability that he was able to work with neophytes and seasoned pros quickly and efficiently without leaving out the beginners and/or boring the veterans. All the training was very progressive and quickly went from dry fire to live fire without a single hiccup.

We broke for lunch and then returned to the range for the dreaded "simunition" training. I had witnessed Slackbladder's horribly disfigured body when he returned from Southnarc's course when he was over last year. It looked like someone had put cigarettes out on his skin and, in his own words "I nearly puked when I took the first one in the kidney" so it was with some trepidation we kitted up for our afternoon's gun fighting with the closest thing to real ammo you can find. Some guys were smart enough to wear bullet proof vests but we didn't think of that and gamely made our way on to the battlefield clad in cups, jeans and several t-shirts. After another thorough explanation of the safety rules and how everything worked we went to work setting up close range scenarios and attempting to draw our weapons from concealed carry when justified. It quickly became apparent to a lot of the guys there - who normally rely on their weapons to get them out of harm's way - that unarmed combat skills were going to be necessary.

So, does simunitions hurt? Fooked if I know as I pretty much spent the afternoon killing everyone . Actually Southnarc did demonstrate on me one time and I took some rounds in the back of the shoulder area to discover that while it stings it's not nearly as bad as everyone had led us to believe. Still, it's painful enough to eliminate unnecessary heroism which is one of the problems with airsoft and paint balls and why I give a big thumbs up to this kind of training. It really is the closest I've ever come to being in a gun fight without actually being in a gun fight.

We ran through one on one drills and fighting off the ground and finished with a competion with the good guy on his back trying to keep the bad guy at bay and, once he jumps on you, trying to maneuver for position to draw one's weapon. Once again those without martial arts training found out the hard way going for the gun too early got them killed with their own weapon more often than not.

Sunday

Was another early start and more live fire on the range. This time the pace was stepped up and involved a lot of moving in to and away from the target varying the way the weapon was presented. When you're doing this extreme close quarter shooting with live ammo and moving into "bad breath range" with elbows going in to fend positions it's easy to see how an accident could happen. Again, testimony to Southnarc and his crew's extreme professionalism that this didn't happen and everyone again learned some incredibly valuable skills for that range. We finished the morning with a speed drill that involved standing in front of the target with our hands up while engaged in dialogue with Southnarc behind us. On the buzzer the idea was to draw from concealment and put one round in the chest. The second test was more or less the same but started from having the hand on the butt of the pistol already. I'm happy to report I finished in number one position both times despite going up against SWAT cops, LEO's and military personnel and not having done any drawing from concealment since a body guard in Europe. My hat therefore is off to Dennis Martin and Lofty Weismann of SAS fame who taught me all I know on the subject...obviously their training methods were top notch.

After lunch we again kitted up for simunition work which involved two men criminal assaults and problem solving with regards to how to keep them away long enough to draw your weapon and get it in to action. We spent the next few hours working on weapon's retention which I'm glad to say was functional. Given so many cops are killed with their own weapons (one a month in GA this year alone!!!!) it's a crying shame more cops aren't trained in Southnarc's method.

Summary

Most of you who know me know I'm a cynic when it comes to real world stuff. There's a lot of jackasses out there who have no business teaching anyone self defense/protection. I'm happy to report Southnarc does NOT fall into that category and I highly recommend training with him if you get the chance. Both Daniel and Brantley also enjoyed it and Brantley was complimented many times on his unbelievable tenacity by hard core SWAT cops and LEO's. Southnarc was also impressed with The Swede's strength and his ability to win most of the gun fights he was in. All in all two thumbs way up...if you get a chance to go, do so..you won't regret it.

great stuff Nick, S'narc is top draw, he was a big hit here when he came over.

Nice review! I look back on my ECQC course with fondness, and a few scars.

but we didn't think of that and gamely made our way on to the battlefield clad in cups, jeans and several t-shirts.

Wuss! I forgot my cup on that trip, and prayed fervently the whole time that I wouldn't catch a sim in the nuts. Came close - shot myself in the thigh one time.

I love it...I'm a wuss because I remembered my cup...and you're hard because you forgot yours That would make me smart and prepared and you forgetful and non-strategic...

...and I'm not even going to mention shooting yourself

Yep, it was a hoot...you'll have to come over and we'll go on one together...I can give you some more scars to impress the girls with

Nick

PS: Skinny as you are if you'd just walked around sideways everyone would have missed.

I have this mental image of being peppered with Sims as I step out of the departure lounge.

*blapblapblapblapblapblapblap* Hi Slack. Remember your cup? *blap* Guess not.

Nick Hughes wrote: Skinny as you are if you'd just walked around sideways everyone would have missed.

What about his neck?

That's true...I forgot about his neck.

he did send me a picture though of the suit he bought for the next go round...

Damn it! I was slotted and pre-paid for that course and had to cancel at the last minute due to a change of employers. Finding out your gang was there just makes me that much more dissapointed I've always found Snarc's material to be top notch and incorporate quite a bit of it in my own training. He's still on my short list!

Bollocks that sounded really fun, excpet the pain part. Bugger I never get to do the really fun courses.

There's a thought Nick I was wanting to do some pistol work when I was in the states, any reccomendations in the Cali area?

AXE my large friend
Jagunco

Great review, sounds like a great time.
Southnarc is definitely someone I want to train with in the coming year.
JK

Jag,

You've picked one of the worst states in the country for gun ownership so I don't know what they have out there training wise. Most of the big names are in Texas and Arizona.

Nick