To all:
The MBC program is coming up on its two-year anniversary and I am in the process of evaluating its current status, curriculum, and both short- and long-term goals. Since the ultimate goal of the program is to meet the training and personal defense needs of folks like you, I would like your input.
What would you like to see from the MBC program? What are we doing now that you like and want to continue? What are we not doing that you want us to start doing? What other programs, publications, products and services would you like to see?
All input, both good and bad, is welcome.
Thanks in advance for your support.
Stay safe,
mike j
What Do YOU Want from the MBC Program?
-
Michael Janich
- Member
- Posts: 2997
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Longmont, CO USA
- Contact:
Mike:
Speaking for Thane and me, your current curriculum has given our edged weapon capabilities a turbo boost. It is very good as it is, so don't delete anything. If you are going to modify the program, perhaps you might consider adding a level.
Many of us work in a field which reqires us to carry a firearm, or in a jurisdiction in which CCW is legal, however training in the use of an edged weapon complimentary to the firearm is hard to come by. Perhaps you could remedy this.
Hope this finds you well and happy!
Be safe -
Ethan
Speaking for Thane and me, your current curriculum has given our edged weapon capabilities a turbo boost. It is very good as it is, so don't delete anything. If you are going to modify the program, perhaps you might consider adding a level.
Many of us work in a field which reqires us to carry a firearm, or in a jurisdiction in which CCW is legal, however training in the use of an edged weapon complimentary to the firearm is hard to come by. Perhaps you could remedy this.
Hope this finds you well and happy!
Be safe -
Ethan
What would I like to see from the MBC program? Well, I think the proram has a solid foundation, a growing following and excellent leadership. Building on that I'd like to see additional training guides and/or videos for home study. It's amazing how fast you forget the small details after a few days. I refer often to your Fighting Folders and Adv. Fighting Folders videos for a refresher but there's a lot from your MBC classes that's not included. One example is I can never remember the advanced hubud drill using all four angles. I'd also like to see a CBC video. I think this area has a lot of potential. Your proposed annual alumni gathering is a great idea. At this type of event you can explore many peripheral topics of MBC that maybe shouldn't be part of the core program. I'd also like to see new training drills. For example, I personaly like the Kali Thrusting Triangle drill the James Keating demonstrates in his videos. It's easy to do, quickly builds a reflexive responses, uses footwork and has an aerobic effect if you put some effort in to it.
-
Bill Burns
- Member
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Colorado Springs USA
I must agree that the MBC program has an excellent foundation. I also concur with the previous suggestions of a manual and videos for the different levels. Speaking as a LEO, I think that the best thing that probably could have happened to the program did when the Law Enforcement Only section was deleted. Perhaps another level that would incorporate CBC would be nice. An instructor program would be good also. Keep up the excellent work.
On the subject of more classes in more locations: I understand that you guys will go to what ever city that has a group of poeple that can organize a class. What I think a lot of us don't know is: What does organizing a class entail? What information and resources do we have to have to lined up, in order to see your smiling faces and flashing hands!?
-
Michael Janich
- Member
- Posts: 2997
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Longmont, CO USA
- Contact:
To all:
Thanks for your suggestions and feedback. I will definitely take them into consideration as I continue to develop the program.
Rest assured, I will not be deleting anything from the curriculum. To keep it complete, we need to maintain everything that's in it now. To make it even better, we may add some selected areas of instruction.
With regard to adding more locations for classes, I have been working hard on that. If you check out the upcoming dates for MBC classes, you'll notice that in addition to Colorado, I've added classes in Ohio and Washington state during early 2003. During the recent NYC knife show, I was also fortunate enough to have several martial artists approach me with the idea of organizing classes in NYC and Philadelphia. If I can get that to happen, we will have classes available in every time zone in the continental U.S. -- thus making travel to a class a bit easier to manage.
If anyone is interested in organizing an MBC class in your area, please contact me directly. Spyderco has chosen not to get involved in off-site seminars, so I organize all these myself. Basically, it consists of defining goals (which courses do you want?), numbers of students, and travel and logistics. Once we have an idea of the fixed costs of getting me and, if necessary, my assistant instructor, out to teach the class, we add my/our fees into the mix, divide by the number of students interested and see if we can make it work. I have done both large classes (to keep per-student costs down) and smaller, private classes (with lots of one-on-one instruction), so both approaches are valid as long as we can cover all the costs.
Again, if you're interested in learning more about organizing an MBC seminar, please e-mail me directly at modtempest@aol.com.
Stay safe,
mike j
Thanks for your suggestions and feedback. I will definitely take them into consideration as I continue to develop the program.
Rest assured, I will not be deleting anything from the curriculum. To keep it complete, we need to maintain everything that's in it now. To make it even better, we may add some selected areas of instruction.
With regard to adding more locations for classes, I have been working hard on that. If you check out the upcoming dates for MBC classes, you'll notice that in addition to Colorado, I've added classes in Ohio and Washington state during early 2003. During the recent NYC knife show, I was also fortunate enough to have several martial artists approach me with the idea of organizing classes in NYC and Philadelphia. If I can get that to happen, we will have classes available in every time zone in the continental U.S. -- thus making travel to a class a bit easier to manage.
If anyone is interested in organizing an MBC class in your area, please contact me directly. Spyderco has chosen not to get involved in off-site seminars, so I organize all these myself. Basically, it consists of defining goals (which courses do you want?), numbers of students, and travel and logistics. Once we have an idea of the fixed costs of getting me and, if necessary, my assistant instructor, out to teach the class, we add my/our fees into the mix, divide by the number of students interested and see if we can make it work. I have done both large classes (to keep per-student costs down) and smaller, private classes (with lots of one-on-one instruction), so both approaches are valid as long as we can cover all the costs.
Again, if you're interested in learning more about organizing an MBC seminar, please e-mail me directly at modtempest@aol.com.
Stay safe,
mike j
Michael,
I took one of your earliest classes at SFO back in Jan of 2001. I haven't been keeping up because of health issues, so if this is a question that you have already answered, please accept my apologies. Is video taping the MBC classes being done? You offer some of the best video instruction on the market. I thought the tapes could be made available to supplement the hands on instruction. The clock method of defense you teach is pretty well described in your "Knife Fighting" book, but videos along course curriculum might be helpful too. Just my two cents.
John Row
Gee Mr Glesser, them sure are pretty knives!
I took one of your earliest classes at SFO back in Jan of 2001. I haven't been keeping up because of health issues, so if this is a question that you have already answered, please accept my apologies. Is video taping the MBC classes being done? You offer some of the best video instruction on the market. I thought the tapes could be made available to supplement the hands on instruction. The clock method of defense you teach is pretty well described in your "Knife Fighting" book, but videos along course curriculum might be helpful too. Just my two cents.
John Row
Gee Mr Glesser, them sure are pretty knives!
-
Michael Janich
- Member
- Posts: 2997
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Longmont, CO USA
- Contact:
Dear John:
Thanks for your comments.
We have not made the effort to videotape MBC classes because most of the curriculum already exists in my "Fighting Folders" and "Advanced Fighting Folders" videos from Paladin Press. Since these videos were shot in a studio and performed specifically for the camera, they are much better than the "seminar-style" footage you'd get at a class. They show the movements from multiple angles, in slow motion, and from unique angles (such as overhead shots) that make learning much easier. To do the same types of camerawork during a live seminar would be impractical and would most likely disrupt the flow of the instruction.
The only portions of the MBC curriculum that do not currently exist on video are Level 3, selected bits of Level 4, and CBC. I will be shooting the Level 3-4 material next week as part of my next video, tentatively titled "Mastering Fighting Folders." Look for it in about a year (sorry... that's the way things work in the video biz). The CBC stuff will probably be shot next year.
If there is enough interest, I may consider doing some down-and-dirty seminar-style videos to bridge the gap until the professionally-produced stuff hits the market. If you're interested, let me know and i'll see what I can do.
Stay safe,
mike j
Thanks for your comments.
We have not made the effort to videotape MBC classes because most of the curriculum already exists in my "Fighting Folders" and "Advanced Fighting Folders" videos from Paladin Press. Since these videos were shot in a studio and performed specifically for the camera, they are much better than the "seminar-style" footage you'd get at a class. They show the movements from multiple angles, in slow motion, and from unique angles (such as overhead shots) that make learning much easier. To do the same types of camerawork during a live seminar would be impractical and would most likely disrupt the flow of the instruction.
The only portions of the MBC curriculum that do not currently exist on video are Level 3, selected bits of Level 4, and CBC. I will be shooting the Level 3-4 material next week as part of my next video, tentatively titled "Mastering Fighting Folders." Look for it in about a year (sorry... that's the way things work in the video biz). The CBC stuff will probably be shot next year.
If there is enough interest, I may consider doing some down-and-dirty seminar-style videos to bridge the gap until the professionally-produced stuff hits the market. If you're interested, let me know and i'll see what I can do.
Stay safe,
mike j
I'd like it all available in an easy to swallow pill form that offers instant muscle memory with a nice cherry flavor..
But since that's not going to happen I'll just have to second the notion of more training locations... closer to home as it were
Shared Joy is increased, Shared Pain is lessened, -Spyder Robinson oxxxxxx{------------------------
But since that's not going to happen I'll just have to second the notion of more training locations... closer to home as it were
Shared Joy is increased, Shared Pain is lessened, -Spyder Robinson oxxxxxx{------------------------
-
traderneil
- Member
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
-
SpydercoKnut
- Member
- Posts: 251
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
-
musashipug
- Member
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Richmond, VA USA
-
Michael Janich
- Member
- Posts: 2997
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Longmont, CO USA
- Contact:
Dear Bildrac:
Great idea! I'd certainly be up for it.
My dream would be a package deal that includes a Ronin, a Yojimbo, matching trainers for each, and a customized training program that combines the fundamentals of MBC with design-specific tactics for those knives. In fact, when I really think about it, all the knives are presented to us by Vanna White, it's raining donuts, and all the drinking fountains are filled with Guinness...
Seriously, I would be very interested in something like that. I hope that someday Spyderco will help make it happen.
Stay safe,
mike j
Great idea! I'd certainly be up for it.
My dream would be a package deal that includes a Ronin, a Yojimbo, matching trainers for each, and a customized training program that combines the fundamentals of MBC with design-specific tactics for those knives. In fact, when I really think about it, all the knives are presented to us by Vanna White, it's raining donuts, and all the drinking fountains are filled with Guinness...
Seriously, I would be very interested in something like that. I hope that someday Spyderco will help make it happen.
Stay safe,
mike j