Mats and Mags

For this episode I chat with Walt Settlemyre, an Army veteran, paramedic, and longtime martial artist (as well as the host of The Distinguished Savage podcast) about the importance of first aid and tactical medicine training for everyday citizens focused on preparedness. We also get into defensive tactics in ambulance and emergency room settings, preventing violence against healthcare workers, and how realistic HBO's show The Pitt is in its depiction of what happens in an ER.

In this episode, I interview Cecil Burch of Immediate Action Combatives and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Anthem about how martial arts have evolved over the years, the importance of pressure testing when training to deal with real-world violence, and an upcoming seminar he's teaching at Apache Solutions in November.

I chat with Micha Hershman, owner and head coach at Forge Krav Maga in San Francisco, about what it means for Krav to evolve rather than stay frozen in time. We also delve into Jiu-Jitsu in a self-defense context, how Dutch Kickboxing differs from other styles of kickboxing, and Micha's experiences with a few different knife defense programs.

In this episode I interview Eliza Brooke, owner of Valeria Protection based in the Charlotte, NC area, and an avid Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and USPSA competitive shooter. We get into why learning how to set boundaries is crucial for self protection, tips to help reduce risk in one's daily life, and how it's possible to be feminine and a capable fighter at the same time.

Michiel Mulder is a self-protection instructor based in the Netherlands who teaches across Europe and in the United States as well. His approach draws on lessons learned working as a bouncer and studying Urban Combatives under Lee Morrison. In this wide-ranging interview we explore what fight or flight stress does to the brain, ways to incorporate stress inoculation into training, and how martial arts may not always provide realistic solutions for defending against real-world violence.

Sam Ferguson is a police officer in Lexington, KY, an experienced competitor in combat sports including wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu, and the owner of Galo Combatives Group. In this episode we explore topics such as how grappling needs to adapt when there could be weapons or multiple attackers, the value of competitive shooting matches, and the history of barbecue in Kentucky.

In this episode I catch up with Jon Helton, head coach at MJJA in Monroe, NC. We dive deep on topics including how competition can help you learn to perform under pressure, the value of physical therapy and strength training for Jiu-Jitsu longevity, and a recent seminar at MJJA with Keenan Cornelius — famed in the Jiu-Jitsu community for innovations such as Worm Guard. Then we take a brief detour to talk Winnie the Pooh and Pixar's Inside Out.

For this episode, I chat with Zane Forrest, owner of Greenville Combatives Academy in Greenville, SC. We cover topics including our takeaways from a ShivWorks ECQC class we both attended at Apache Solutions in Yadkinville, upcoming seminars at GCA focused on combatives and wrestling, and Zane's philosophy for teaching kids useful life skills.

In this episode, I interview Jeremy Brown, owner and head instructor at Treadstone Defensive Tactics in Fort Mill, SC. Our conversation hits on topics including how self-defense training should be comprised of more than just fighting skills, why hand-to-hand training is crucial for those who carry a firearm, and how he got into the craft of bladesmithing.

For the very first episode of the Mats and Mags podcast, I chat with John Miller, head coach at Modern Gladiator Fight Training Academy in Roanoke, VA about combat sports, traditional martial arts, self-defense training and even the history of fighting in ancient Greece plus a little Japanese philosophy.