No Rules Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, by Gene Simco: A Book Review

Title: No Rules Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Techniques for Mixed Martial Arts and Self-Defense

Author: Gene Simco

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp., 2005

Introduction

No Rules Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Techniques for Mixed Martial Arts and Self-Defense, by New York based Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Gene Simco, is a nicely layed out book with nice looking pictures and a preview of Simco’s self-defense DVD’s, one of which I’ve also reviewed here. While well written, it makes the same mistake that I’ve seen countless times. The gross error of mistaking mixed martial arts for self defense.

As it so happens I have a history with this author. At his discussion forums at his website, jiu-jitsu.net, which are now for paid members only,* I discussed the problems with sport grappling for self defense with Simco and others. Now, this was nearly ten years ago, around 2001 I believe, so my memory has failed to recall every little detail. However, I do remember several people on the boards, as well as Gene Simco himself, throwing out insults and the like. Not very professional if you ask me. I called him on it and he apologized and told everyone to stop with the name calling, but as what usually happens when emotions get in the way, the insults picked back up again by members on the board, even by Simco himself. Since that time I do not have a very high opinion of Mr. Simco. I believe he is an excellent sport jiu-jitsu instructor but as far as his impoliteness and the fact that he spreads dangerous techniques to unsuspecting people, I cannot respect a person like this. Despite this history I will do my best to evaluate his book objectively just as I would anyone else.

The book is 185 pages and presents the information in a very easy to understand format, with very nicely done black and white photos showing each stage of a particular technique. The written instructions are also very good, though I noticed that these same instructions and pictures can be found in Simco’s other book, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Master Text (NYMAG, Ltd. 2005?). I found this to be odd because Simco’s other book deals with Vale-Tudo, Submission Grappling, and Sport Grappling, not self-defense, so what are these sport techniques doing in a book that’s supposed to be about self-defense???

Now, some might argue that Vale Tudo, which is Portuguese for “anything goes” or “no rules,” is synonymous with self-defense. I would disagree because even Vale Tudo in Brazil was done with limited rules and is considered a combat sport by some. [1] Even in the Vale Tudo fights, as seen on the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu In Action set, no one carried any weapons, no “dirty tactics” such as eye gouging or biting was allowed, many fights were on beaches or in boxing rings, or martial art schools where mats and softer floors were found, and it was one on one. Despite the fact that it featured limited rules, there are still rules, causing it to not be a real fight! I will make this very apparent as I review this book.

Let’s Begin...

In the introduction, which mostly talks about the book, near the end Simco writes,

I believe that the practice of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Mixed Martial Arts and Self-Defense are closely related by similar techniques [...]

I would agree they are similar in some ways and do have similar techniques, but as I said, true self-defense is not a sport; has no rules, and therefore must be trained for differently as I explained here [Scroll down to see the piece called “Street VS Sport: The Final Rebuttal”].

Simco says after the introduction how it’s best to stick with a handful of techniques instead of trying to learn too many:

Many students looking for an instructional guide are under the impression that the more techniques they learn, the better off they are; adhering to this philosophy will get you nowhere. It is impossible to master all of the moves of a martial art. You will find that most great champions of any martial art do not use more than a few techniques to achieve their victories. It is important to observe this and imitate it in your own practice in order to achieve success, whether it be on the street or in the ring. Adding to this problem in a Self-Defense situation are uncertain elements, making reaction time, clear judgment, and the ability to call up techniques from memory difficult; this is also true in a mixed martial arts fight where you have the addition of strikes and subtraction of rules, which is not a consideration in a sport Jiu-Jitsu match. The slipperiness of your opponent and lack of gi for leverage will also reduce the amount of techniques that you can use effectively. These additional stresses make it extremely important for you to find a smaller number of techniques that will cover a broader range of situations, allowing you to be a master of something, instead of becoming a jack of all trades.

The over all message here is good and I agree with it. I just get a sick feeling when he’s talking about self defense and MMA as if they were virtually the same, and saying how your opponent will be slippery and whatnot. This mostly has to do with MMA matches, not self-defense. Most people will likely be wearing clothing if they attack you, though they may be shirtless as well. Who knows. But my point is that, instead of dealing with the things I spoke of in my piece Street Vs. Sport: The Final Rebuttal; things that are truly an issue when you try to convert sport techniques to the street like the environment and the true non-existence of rules, he talks about the fact that your opponent will be slippery from sweat! He’s thinking in terms of a sport mentality, not a true self-defense mentality.

After that little discussion, for several pages Simco begins talking about the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts styles in general, Vale Tudo, and the Gracie family and their Vale Tudo fights, and includes a few Q&A’s with a few well know Jiu-Jitsu practitioners.

On page seven of this history of martial arts I find it amusing that I find the following said:

Eventually, in Japan, many different variations of the art (Jiu-Jitsu) took shape, including Karate, Aikido, and Judo. But these arts were missing essential pieces of what the complete art of Jiu-Jitsu originally held. Soon the day of the Samurai came to an end, the gun replaced the sword, and new sportive ways to practice martial arts were developed. This lack of reality created years of confusion that legendary Bruce Lee would later refer to as the “classical mess.” The “sport arts,” such as Judo and Kendo were wonderful in the way of offering their practitioners a safe way to realistically train in the techniques of their system, but often limited their practitioners with too many rules to maintain effectiveness as a combative style. The more traditional combat schools were simply practicing techniques no longer suitable for modern day combat, and with no way to safely test them, practicing these arts became like swimming without water.

It’s interesting to see Simco making the same argument I’m making, and in some ways he is correct. Many of the more traditional styles do not prepare one for self-defense, but the problem is that times have also changed and pocket knives are often carried and we now live in a world of concrete and asphalt and grappling around on that hard, abrasive surface can do more harm than good. If one is going to apply grappling in a street fight it must be modified. The truth is, BJJ faces the same problems as those other traditional martial arts and it seems Simco is blinded by his loyalty (and the $$$ from teaching this popular art) to see that.

After the history of BJJ and martial arts in general, Simco begins his discussion of “The Physical Science of Jiu-Jitsu” beginning on page 21.

Essentially, all this section covers is physics as it relates to grappling, and includes short discussions on space and distance, momentum, gravity, muscular force, and friction. Each section is well written, though extremely basic, and as far as it applies to grappling I agree with it. Of course, I find his discussion of friction to be interesting...can he not see how friction is an obstacle that must be overcome (rough pavement for example) if one is going to make their ground fighting street effective?

Next, he begins a short discussion of the various positions that are used in grappling, though first he explains the principle of “position before submission.” Essentially, all this means is that in order to be most effective at applying a submission hold on your opponent he must first be controlled. Once controlled, the BJJ practitioner is better able to mount an attack and successfully apply a submission hold.

Now we get to Simco’s discussion of several of the main positions one will find themselves while grappling and describes them, their purpose, and advantages and any disadvantages, such as the mount position and the guard position.

The rest of the chapter is Simco going over diet, cardio, weight training, and stretching. Based upon my limited knowledge most of the advice seems pretty good. At the very end of the section Simco discusses attributes such as balance and timing, and argues that your brain is the “only inexhaustible form of energy.”

I would disagree. What if Simco for some reason hadn’t eaten all day and then was attacked? Would his brain be as alert as it would be if he had eaten that day? Doubtful. What about lack of sleep? The brain is not an “inexhaustible form of energy” by far given certain circumstances.

Vale Tudo & Self-Defense Contrasted

The next section is where Simco begins his discussion of Vale Tudo, or what he mistakingly thinks is synonymous with self-defense, and where the meat of the book begins with many pages of martial arts techniques being demonstrated in many black and white photos.

Simco says at the start of the section,

The non-sportive practice of Jiu-Jitsu is usually referred to a “Vale Tudo” in Brazil. In this book, we will be looking at the non-sportive applications of Jiu-Jitsu for three outlets [...]

He then lists the three aspects of BJJ that will be covered in the book and gives a brief description of each:

1. Vale Tudo; Simco says that in its true form there are no rules, gloves, and no time limits. The absence of weapons and multiple attackers is also one difference between Vale Tudo and a street fight. He also claims to have participated and watched footage of Vale Tudo fights where biting and eye gouging occur.

2. Mixed Martial Arts; MMA is different from Vale Tudo, Simco says, because there are rules and time limits and often limit some fighters’ choice of techniques.

3. Street Fighting (Self-Defense); Here, I will quote Simco in full since I believe he misunderstands the concept of self-defense.

I use this as a general term for all fights that happen without any pre-planning, meaning one person was attacked by another. This is a very broad category where anything can happen. I have seen street fights that have a referee of sorts in the form of a bouncer or Good Samaritan. I have seen street fights with and without rules, so the concept that all street fights are life-and-death is a huge stretch. Street fighting may involve weapons or multiple attackers, and in either case, you had better be very lucky (the luck being that you are very good at fighting and your opponents are very bad), or a superhero with magical powers. I have used this book to concentrate on unarmed martial arts because that is what Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is all about. [...] For a reliable system of pistol and knife defense, check out “Self Defense Made Easy” (page 173). If you wish to advance your skill with weapons beyond that, check out the instructionals produced and/or recommended by the Special Operations Combatives Arts Association. Use of firearms is a part of modern martial arts, but it is not the focus in this Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu book.

I have suggested this book for the purpose of Mixed Martial Arts competition and Self-Defense because their practice is similar. Although street fighting has an incredible number of variables, the techniques of Brazlian Jiu-Jitsu are excellent for use in a self-defense situation, especially if you are concerned with legal ramifications.

In a street fight, anything can happen; two or more opponents, knives, guns, hostages, one opponent who knows nothing, etc. Although Vale Tudo means “anything goes,” a Vale Tudo match is usually between two trained opponents with no weapons or outside factors; that is the way I am using the term in this book. In the U.S., we might call it a No Holds Barred (NHB) match or Mixed Martial Arts. There is a great deal of uncertainty in a street encounter. In a Vale Tudo match, the level of your opponent is generally known, along with the comfort of knowing no new variables will be introduced. It is important to understand that as real as some Vale Tudo fights might seem, it is still a controlled situation. (emphasis mine in bold)

Note those sentences placed in bold font. Simco means for this book to be about self-defense but seems to be very confused as to what self-defense is.

He believes that self-defense and Vale Tudo are much the same, and yet, he admits that it is a controlled situation, there are no weapons, and no multiple attackers. Not to mention the various environments one might find oneself in, in an actual self-defense situation. These differences are what make real self-defense drastically different from even the most realistic sport fighting, like MMA.

Even more amazingly, Simco’s ignorance about defenses against weapons and multiple attackers is very apparent. He simply dismisses it and says that it’s damn near impossible to do this unless you’re a super hero with magic powers! Now, he does teach some (horribly bad) knife defense (which I’ve discussed in my review of his self-defense DVD linked to earlier) but here, he seems to dismiss the idea entirely, which no good self-defense system, or teacher, should do if what they’re teaching is true self-defense.

Simco is also misrepresenting what most self-defense systems teach. He seems to believe that most systems are “kill or be killed” self-defense systems that teach you to kill your opponent or maim them at the slightest provocation, which, as I’ve explained in another post, this is about as far from the truth as you can get. Most good reality-based systems teach you about the moral/legal use of force and how to handle a wide spectrum of situations, from the “medium-level” situations that Simco is discussing, to the life or death - the rapist has a knife to your throat - lethal situations.

Next, Simco begins his discussion of what he calls the “medium-level situation.”

What many people overlook is something I refer to as a “medium-level situation.” These are the most common of all self-defense of Vale Tudo situations. These are moments where you are not in mortal danger, but the altercation in which you are engaged is not prearranged and has no rules. This may be an altercation between a family member or friend, or perhaps a simple physical dispute between two people in a social situation. In any case, the implementation of “deadly force” and techniques that may be severely harm your opponent is completely inappropriate. This is what makes a martial art whose fundamental techniques are for the most part of a deadly nature, almost useless in today’s civilized world. The aftermath and legal consequences must be seriously examined before applying techniques of a permanently harmful nature. Jiu-Jitsu provides techniques that are practical and acceptable for use in the most common types of altercation. (emphasis in bold in original)

As I said above, Simco is distorting what any good reality-based martial art is. Most teach a range of techniques for low level threats and all the way up to lethal force, when absolutely necessary. The very fact that Jiu-Jitsu neglects this aspect is harmful for those wishing to learn self-defense because not all situations can be handled as Simco believes.

If one is trained correctly, one is able to adapt their tactics and techniques to fit the situation they are in. Even if you train in primarily a striking art, as I am, which does teach lethal techniques, that doesn’t mean that’s what I will respond with first. For example, does this mean I will respond by striking my opponent’s throat if I am harassed? Of course not! For a low level situation such as this I could use a relatively harmless technique of pushing my opponent out of range and warning him to back off and try to de-escalate the situation. The point is, Simco is doing his students a huge disservice because he is not training them in such a way that will truly prepare them for a real altercation. He is neglecting too much necessary information.

After this discussion, Simco begins the demonstration of various techniques and he begins by discussing boxing techniques. He explains how the strikes of boxing are different than those of Jiu-Jitsu. Boxing’s strikes are used to cause damage and a knockout. Jiu-Jitsu’s are used to create openings for the clinch and takedown. He then argues that “[s]ubmissions have been proven to be the most reliable way to finish a fight. The occurrences of K.O. are statistically less than the occurrences of submission in Vale Tudo [...]” Of course, he is talking about MMA, a sport, not self-defense, where striking often ends fights faster, especially if you strike first, fast, and hard (assuming you feel the situation warrants this kind of response). Even if one is smaller and the attacker is larger, eye strikes, throat strikes, and groin strikes are all options should the situation call for them. And just because you strike someone’s throat, or poke them in the eyes, that will not necessarily cause permanent damage. In most cases (assuming you’re only striking hard enough to stun the person momentarily to get away) it will only temporarily cause their eyes to shut and water and cause them breathing difficulties.

Simco also argues that when not wearing gloves to protect the hands they can be broken easily if you use striking techniques. Nonsense. Most likely your hands will need some ice afterwards and maybe some stitches but if you know how to hit correctly a broken hand is less likely to happen. Simco is simply using this as an excuse to bolster the necessity of grappling techniques.

Up next is where Simco uses pictures to demonstrate a few basic techniques of boxing and some basic defenses against those punches and kicks. Simco says, “By understanding these typical and basic boxing techniques, you will be very aware of what your opponent is preparing to assault you with, making you better able to defend against him.”

I agree with this approach. While I like to train in the “street grappling”, my experience and knowledge of the sport aspect of grappling is not wasted since it allows me to better defend against and recognize what an attacker might do should they be trained in BJJ or submission grappling.

As for Simco’s defenses against these techniques, he presents the typical parries and arm and leg blocks (against kicks) and is good, if not very basic, advice.

Next, Simco discusses the “Jiu-Jitsu Fight Formula”, which is pretty good advice if you’re a grappler. He discusses ideas on how to get into a clinch without getting hit and other strategies.

Now we finally get into the actual techniques; the meat of the book.

Simco’s stance is OK, though his lead hand is a bit extended, though that’s likely to enable his lead arm to float closer to his opponent so he can more quickly reach out and grab him since he is a grappler after all.

The next two pages lay out an example of two scenarios where BJJ might be used against multiple attackers. In both scenarios Simco uses a low kick to one of his opponents’ knees, off balancing him, and quickly dealing with the other attacker before the other opponent is able to steady himself. This sounds very nice in theory, but what if he misses the kick (as can happen pretty easily when you’re throwing a side kick at someone’s leg; the target is much narrower than their waist for example), or the person moves at him, causing Simco to miss with the kick, and at the same time hits him? It’s not very wise to try kicks when it’s best to keep both feet on the ground and move. That’s the basic strategy against multiples. MOVE AND KEEP ON MOVING while you hit them in order to make an opening to get the hell out of there. That’s multiple attackers 101, though there is a bit more to it than that but this post isn’t about discussing multiple opponent strategies so I’ll leave that for another time. But Simco, not being versed in such strategies (because BJJ is not geared for true self-defense), claims that you’re not going to be able to perform the pictured techniques unless you are “far superior” in skill to your attackers. Way to inspire confidence in potential students, there, Mr. Simco!

The next two pages have Simco discuss the issue of weapons. His obvious lack of knowledge of this topic also shines through in this section. Simco begins discussing how Jiu-Jitsu is an art in “which fatal methods of attack and defense are contrary to its principles.” I’m not sure which form of Jiu-Jitsu he is referring, whether Brazilian or Japanese, but the original Japanese Jujitsu was intended to be a deadly art, which is where Judo was developed from, in order to make it less dangerous. In Secrets of the Samurai: The Martial Arts of Feudal Japan, by Ratti and Westbrook (1996) they quote a first hand account of a match between opponents of Jujitsu:

In those days contests were extremely rough and not infrequently cost the participants their lives. [...] Competitions were of such a drastic nature that few tricks were barred and were did not hesitate to have recourse to the most dangerous methods in order to overcome an opponent. (347)

Simco argues that,

One of the main problems with the practice of defense against a deadly weapon is the lack of a realistic training methodology. For example, I know that chokes work because I use them. I know arm locks work because I use them. If I get hit or choked during routine practice, I will not die. However, how can I practice being stabbed or shot on a daily basis? You can use rubber knives, but you will likely develop bad habits and false senses of reality and security due to the lack of danger involved. The same can be said for firearms. (54)

Simco doesn’t have his head on right, here. Yes, training blades and guns can be effective in practicing knife and gun defense. It mostly has to do with the student him/herself because if the student, in their mind, believes the scenario is real and they must successfully perform it makes it much more real then just doing the defense like a robot over and over. The mind set must be there. You must treat it as if it’s real. The same with firearms.

Simco tells of his knife “defense” where he grabs the blade of the knife and twists it out of his opponent’s hands. The same suicidal defense I discussed in his DVD on self-defense. He claims that after practicing with dull knives he moved on to “sharper weapons” to prove the technique worked. I’d sure like to know what “sharper” weapons he was referring to. A butter knife?! I guarantee the knives I carry would cut him to shreds if he tried that. I already discussed the problems with this strategy in my review of his DVD so I will skip that here.

I agree with what he says about a long range hold up with a gun, where you’re too far away to reach the gun to deflect it. In this case you can try to talk with your attacker; use conversation to distract him while you inch closer, or try to back away even, and run if you have close enough cover. But Simco is right. At this range negotiation is your best bet. I’m surprised he doesn’t tell his students to kick the gun out of the opponent’s hands with some of the lamebrain techniques he advocates.

Then he argues that one must learn unarmed self-defense because you won’t always have a weapon handy and in some cases the weapon could also be used against you. He also argues that having a deadly weapon is illegal in most places. I believe he mentions these things because he teaches an unarmed (sport) system and wants to distract his potential students from asking too many questions about why he doesn’t know such and such, if he really is, as he says, a self-defense instructor.

The fact is, that if you’re properly trained, it’s unlikely a weapon will be taken from you. But in the chaos of fighting and other unknowns, it is possible you could lose your weapon and the attacker could get it, but again, if you’re properly trained and know what you’re doing the likelihood of something like that decreases dramatically. It’s also a fact that pocket knives, for example, can be carried and taken in many places, though it’s best you look into what each state law says so you know for sure. Here in Arizona, as long as the knife is not completely hidden from view (otherwise cops may cite you for carrying a “concealed weapon”) and you arouse no suspicion you should be fine. Note: I am not a lawyer and do not know the laws in every state. I am not giving you any form of legal advice, I am simply giving my opinion and what’s worked for me in the past in this state. Should anything happen I am not liable for your mistake. Use your head and check the laws in your state carefully. You’ve been warned.

He is correct, though, that you won’t always have a weapon with you, but that’s not the point. The point is that to be a complete reality based martial artist one should study knife and stick fighting and also how to defend against those weapons. It doesn’t mean you will abandon all unarmed self defense. Not at all. To be as prepared as possible it’s best to be as well rounded as possible.

After those brief sections we finally arrive at the techniques of the book. There really isn’t much to say about this part of the book. It’s the typical mixed martial art strategy and techniques. With about each and every technique Simco ignores the potential danger of multiple attackers and weapons that may be pulled, and dirty tactics. Many techniques are also done that do not take into account the terrain. In many pictures Simco is seen on his knees, which would be very bad if he were fighting on concrete, pebbles, or asphalt (of course if one were wearing jeans it wouldn’t be as bad, but here in Arizona shorts are often worn. This shows that in certain places some techniques and maneuvers would be more viable than others). The only exception to this rule is on page 105 where Simco is demonstrating passing the half guard and he shoves his chin into his opponent’s eye socket.

These, and other examples, are clear signs you’re dealing with a sport based art - not a reality based art.

In one example, shown to the right, he tells you to cover the opponent’s mouth because in an MMA match it will cause your opponent to be unable to breathe very well, causing his endurance to drop. This is clearly a sport-based technique/strategy. All the other techniques warn you to be wary that your opponent can hit you and whatnot but nothing about any of the dangers that any true reality based martial art should: weapons, terrain, multiples, dirty tactics (biting, eye gouging, groin crushes, etc.) and how to avoid them.

In another photo (among several others), as seen to the left, Simco demonstrates the back mount, and with this particular technique you insert your “hooks” and push your hips forward, causing your opponent to lie flat on his stomach further limiting his mobility. But this position puts a lot of pressure on the knees as they are driven into the ground. This is fine for the mats but horrible should you find yourself fighting on concrete. Locking up with your opponent in this manner (and other examples) also limits the speed with which you can disengage your adversary should a second opponent come into the picture. The more you get tangled up the less chance you will have of standing up fast enough to respond to a second attacker.

As I’ve stressed over and over, grappling technique and strategy must be modified in order to truly be street effective.

Another issue I saw was Simco’s often poor examples of striking while grappling. These little love taps that are designed to “wear down” your opponent is a fine strategy for the ring, but where time is precious, and it’s dangerous to be on the ground in a real fight, it’s best to make your shots count. Properly position yourself and unload on your opponent with a good strike that will actually do some damage. And, unlike what many sport grapplers tell you, it is absolutely possible to hit with sufficient leverage and power on the ground, even when on your back, if you do it properly.

Misunderstanding Practical Self-Defense

The final portion of the book I feel is mostly an advertisement of sorts for the self-defense DVD set I’ve spoken of earlier (and reviewed). He discusses his philosophy about self defense and why he believes it’s one of the best.

I highly disagree, and for the reasons I’ve discussed here and in my other review. Most of Simco’s comments I’ve already discussed in this and the other review of his DVD and so I won’t say much about this section. However, Simco does make a list about why he doesn’t include some techniques in his “self-defense” system.

Why No Groin Attacks?

- Not good for workplace defense, schoolyard and medium level domestic situations.
- Gender-specific move.
- Dependant on no protective equipment.
- Pain tolerance.

Most of these reasons are foolish. First of all, as I’ve explained already, a groin attack in some situations will be called for and not in others. A good self-defense system should incorporate techniques for all threat levels, or else the student will not be as prepared as they could be.

Most women will likely be attacked by another man...women don’t typically rape other women...

Hmmm... this one makes no sense to me. What man will wear a damn groin cup before going out and attacking someone?!

Pain tolerance is probably the most decent reason, and is valid, though that’s no reason to limit a student’s repertoire because it may be useful against other adversaries and if it doesn’t work, simply switch to something else.

Why No Attacks to the Eyes?

- May cause unwanted permanent damage.
- Not good in school yard or workplace.
- Heavily reliant on no protective equipment.
- Pain tolerance.
- May have legal ramifications if situation is not severe enough to warrant technique. Taking time to decide this slows down effective self-defense and dull awareness to the problem at hand.

Most of my responses to the groin attack applies to eye attacks. However, if someone is too large and powerful and you are smaller (especially a woman or a disabled individual) an eye attack most likely will not be viewed as excessive. But there is that chance that there will be legal percussions, though like the old saying goes, I’d rather be judged by twelve than carried by six, and if you believe that you did what you had to in order to protect yourself and you did only what was necessary to escape then chances are you will not have criminal charges filed. But again, consult an attorney in your state since I am no expert in law. While it’s unlikely one will be attacked by someone wearing goggles (depending on where you live), one example of “protective equipment” that might be mentioned are glasses. While glasses are a bit of a barrier to eye attacks they aren’t that difficult to get around. For example, you could punch or swipe the glasses off the face removing the barrier, or slide your fingers under the frames and into the eyes, or attack from the side or top in the same manner.

Why No Punches?

- May break hand.
- Relies on size and strength.
- Legs are much stronger and afford better reach.
- In some cases, escalates situation.

Most of my comments about this lack of punching in Simco’s “self-defense” system is covered in my review of his DVD.

As far as punching “escalating” a situation, what does he think a kick will do? A palm strike up under the chin (which will also less likely hurt your hands as well) could stun an attacker, and a less forceful strike to the throat does not need much strength to stop someone.

The other techniques he does not include in his system of “self-defense” are wrist locks and joint locks and his evaluation of them seem accurate to me.

Conclusion

As we’ve seen, Gene Simco doesn’t seem to understand self-defense very well and seems to often confuse true self defense with sportive applications of BJJ. Some of his advice was decent, good even, but most was off. A few were potentially life threatening, such as his “knife defense.” I’m still shocked about this. I bet even one of the masters of bullshit, the creator of S.C.A.R.S., would cringe at that technique!

All in all, the book was decent, but the techniques and advice was more often than not poor.



*All this took place I believe in about 2001 or 2002 and from the looks of his discussion board even if I wanted to pay the fee and look around it seems that those boards where the discussions took place are no longer there.

[1] wikipedia: Vale Tudo - accessed 1-23-12