MovNat Combatives – Specialty Workshops

MovNat’s approach to teaching fighting skills has been based on the practice of self-defense, rather than on traditional martial arts.

The MovNat Combatives Specialty Workshop is a 2-day course designed to provide the student with all the tools to absorb the principles that can be applied to any kind of self-defense and/or life-threatening situation, regardless of the environment or the physical abilities of the potential victim.

The workshop provides insight into practical, reality-based scenarios and easy-to-learn techniques that can be used by anyone, even under stressful circumstances. The techniques can also be applied in sport-oriented activities (e.g. MMA, traditional martial arts, etc.), as they increase your efficiency in striking and grappling.

Anyone can participate in this workshop, which is accessible to all, regardless of experience.

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Upcoming Combatives Workshops

Increase your confidence and capability for self-defense situations – sign up for a MovNat Combatives course today!

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Techniques and skills covered

  • How to overcome fear, detect potential threats, and avoid dangerous situations
  • How to teach the psychology of self-defense
  • The quick action-reaction-decision process when under adrenaline-induced stress
  • The 10 essential striking techniques and 5 key target areas
  • The fundamentals of grappling and ground survival
  • The essential rules of dealing with any weapon, several attackers, and unconventional situations
  • How to protect your body and fall safely
  • Learn practical ways to help you and others become more confident in chaotic situations
  • How to make training sessions effective regardless of the environment, the temperature, and the logistics
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What Our Students Are Saying

“With Combatives, the instructor distills a lifetime of learning and training into what actually works in real life scenarios and what can be easily trained – and remembered – in an emergency situation. A cool arm bar or big roundhouse kick might look cool in a movie, but might not be practical in real-life. It has to be simple & effective enough that even your grandmother could learn it, remember it, and do it, if necessary…Overall, I felt the experience was really empowering and…I think it’s a great foundation for women to use to learn awareness and how to protect themselves!”
Dr. Christa Whiteman

The MovNat Combatives course was a surprisingly great experience, even as an experienced martial artist. It is eye-opening for both complete beginners, and seasoned martial arts practitioners. You will look at the world differently, and better understand the psychology that breeds violence, the different types of violence, as well as how to identify, avoid, diffuse, and if need be, escape from dangerous confrontations. The focus is more on the strategy, and simple, yet effectively devastating techniques. I cannot recommend this course enough to anyone who recognizes how vital it is for humans to be able to protect themselves and those they love.
Alex Schenker, MovNat Expert Trainer, Team Instructor and Budo Taijutsu Shidoshi (licensed instructor / 5th degree black belt)

“Have you ever been near to someone who gives you the willies or instinctively you feel is creeping you out? Your instincts and your true nature are most assuredly right on target. Speaking of target, what would you do to protect yourself if this disturbing energy turned on you? If you are trained in MovNat Combatives, you know EXACTLY what you would do.

I really encourage our MovNat women to register for Combatives training it is functional movements set into situation specific circumstances and if you have already trained at Level one or two or even taken a workshop you’re going to be able to use everything that you’ve learned already. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget, and that’s the whole point… You won’t forget.”
Julie Beck, Level 2 MovNat Certified Trainer

“The Combatives course exceeded expectations. We delved deeply into the psychology of violence and showed simple, brutal strategies to end an attack and escape. There was nothing extraneous, nothing inefficient, nothing showy or flashy, just stuff that works and drills to simulate real-life encounters. Have you ever done BJJ in a car? Or in a parking lot next to a curb? Do you know how to manage distance in a fight? Have you ever put those traditional martial arts knife defense techniques to the test against a non-compliant and dedicated attacker? You might have to, and if you’ve taken MovNat’s combatives course you will be better prepared if you do. This is a curriculum on the fundamentals of human combat that every capable human should know.”
Cole Thornton

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Full-Length articles on MovNat Combatives

MovNat Combatives: A Tool for Survival
MovNat Combatives: An Experienced Martial Artist’s Perspective
No More Pushover Mom – Thoughts on MovNat Combatives
Why Train Combatives – A Woman’s Perspective 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is the MovNat Combatives course/philosophy different from martial arts?
​Martial Arts have evolved to become ​less in touch with the real-world, and more about tradition, particular styles, or sports-specialized competition. MMA is a return to the original roots of real-life fighting or self-defense, before martial arts became specialized. This being said, MMA is nonetheless a regulated sport that does not fully reflect the reality of the street or “real-world”, precisely because of the specific rules of the sport that take away a number of variables and possibilities. The MovNat Combatives curriculum primarily resets the approach to understanding context, unleashing simple and instinctual physical and behavioral responses devoid of technique or rules, and finally, learning particular techniques similar to MMA to consolidate one’s defensive arsenal.

Q: Do I need any experience of training in martial arts before I participate in a MovNat Combatives event?
Absolutely not. Anyone, from complete beginners who have never thrown a punch in their life to seasoned martial artists and MMA athletes can participate. That said, having a martial arts background is of course an extra asset. However, most martial artists will find that some of your training background is relevant, while other aspects will be useless.​

Q: How does MovNat training prepare me for Combatives?
Generally speaking, good movers make great fighters. Whereas movement abilities are not the only aspect that matters in your ability to defend yourself – situational awareness and raw aggressiveness are actually more important – a better mover learns faster, moves faster, more accurately, more technically, more adaptively. The mental aspect of MovNat practice also supports alertness and responsiveness which are mental qualities essential to defending oneself. A MovNatter is more mindful, knows how to breathe and move in so many diverse ways. That’s definitely a great start and advantage.

Q: Will I get hurt? Or, will I have to get hit? In the face? 
All training is done with protection to ensure everyone’s safety. The worst case scenario is that you will get to hit your instructors in the face!​

Q: How strong do I need to be? How do I need to train ahead of time to get the most out of it?
The short answer is that you don’t need any training or to have achieved a certain fitness level to participate in a MovNat Combatives event. One of the reasons for this is because a lot of the strength you need in self-defense is mental. Of course, physical strength is also an asset. Plus, the ability to switch from a day to day mindset to an uninhibited, primal defensive mode where significant amounts of otherwise unsuspected strength can be unleashed, that’s one of the primary teachings from this curriculum. ​So, one of the best things you can do to prepare is simply to keep training MovNat, which is inherently diverse and complete. That’s some of the best preparation you can do for this course.

Q: How much do I really stand to gain from just one weekend of instruction?
MovNat Combatives was designed as a single weekend “immersion” experience to develop a basic level of capability (rather than mastery, which takes several years at the minimum) and will provide you with life-saving principles, methods, and techniques you can use and refine for a lifetime. If you want to be better prepared to protect yourself and your loved ones now, this course will be exactly what you’re looking for.

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