Featured – C.O.B.R.A. Fort Collins

Can Your Self-Defense Program Train Civilians and a S.W.A.T. Team?

thedojo — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 04:37:06 +0000

The versatility of COBRA Self-Defense – From Teaching Kids Anti Abduction Techniques to Training a S.W.A.T. Team.

The Richmond County S.W.A.T. Team recently reached out to C.O.B.R.A. for training. Robert Staton headed up the event using our Protection Specialist Curriculum.

Here is what the S.W.A.T. Commander said about the C.O.B.R.A. training his members received:

“I just wanted to thank you again for the unarmed self-defense training you provided to our team.

We encounter a multitude of situations that we train for each day requiring the use of all our equipment and various weapon systems, however, your hands-on teaching style allowed us to gain the knowledge and ability to face some of those day to day challenges without using anything but our hands.

Several of the guys on our team have already had the opportunity to use some the different techniques we learned during your class to avoid using an impact weapon or deadly weapon while taking someone into custody.

This not only prevented injury to the accused, but also to the officer. As you are well aware in society today, Law Enforcement Officers all over the US are under scrutiny for using excessive force, but by using the techniques we learned from you, it will allow us to resolve most situations both quickly and safely. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and ability with us. Stay Safe.

Lieutenant Keith Mabe

Richmond CO Sheriff’s Office

Special Response Team Commander

COBRA FORT COLLINS IS NOW A REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER!!

thedojo — Mon, 16 May 2016 03:02:15 +0000

Just in case someone didn’t already hear about the good news…..we were selected to be a C.R.T.C (COBRA REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER, which means we are now where other instructors come to learn ). This is a huge deal. I’m pretty sure there are only a handful in the whole international organization. If any of you Cobra Alumni are interested in advancing your self defense, jump in on our next 5 week academy starting May 16th. If any of you are interested in becoming a Cobra instructor, we can help with that also.

Cobra 5 week video

thedojo — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 03:11:56 +0000

Are you ready? C.O.B.R.A. 5-week academy starts February 3rd at The Dojo. Enroll today – space is limited. Message us directly or call 970-213-8351 to sign up!!

Posted by COBRA Fort Collins on Thursday, July 16, 2015

Free Kids Cobra Bully Response Camp

thedojo — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 17:17:02 +0000

FREE KIDS COBRA BULLY RESPONSE CAMP!! The Dojo is offering a FREE class for kids on how to respond to a bully situation anywhere!! Contact us NOW to reserve your spot or if you have any questions!!
970-213-8351
www.thedojofc.com
www.cobrafortcollins.com

May 17th. 11-1

What is COBRA?

thedojo — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 23:32:10 +0000

What Is C.O.B.R.A.?
C.O.B.R.A. is not a martial arts program. It’s a police academy for civilians. It’s survival tactics for when your life and the life of your loved ones are being challenged. When there are no referees, no octagons or rings, no rule books, and no one to rely on but you to make the outcome a good one. But C.O.B.R.A. is not just a set of techniques to learn — it also helps you develop the survival mindset that can help you avoid conflicts in the first place or help you stay mentally aware during a conflict when most people will mentally shut down.
http://www.cobrafortcollins.com
http://thedojofc

Real World Self-Defense

thedojo — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 18:01:53 +0000

http://www.cobrafortcollins.com
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
How to Take Back Control Of Your Life
By Chris Sutton
Copyright © 2008 COBRA Defense Systems
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
-1-
About the Author:
Chris Sutton, author of
The Psychology of Self
Defense, is a lifetime
professional martial artist
with over 15 years of
training and teaching
experience. He has also
served as a law enforcement
officer, a corrections
officer, and a boot camp
drill instructor.
TM
A 37-year-old man named Bob finishes dinner at a
local restaurant and walks out to his car, which is
parked on the side of the building.
It’s about 6:30 p.m., not even dark yet, and danger
is the furthest thing from his mind.
As he rounds the corner of the building, he notices
a suspicious-looking man sitting on the car next to
his. Bob doesn’t make eye contact, hoping that if he
ignores him, the stranger will go away.
As Bob is fumbling with his keys, the stranger
comes over and asks him if he can have five dollars
for something to eat.Without looking up, Bob
apologizes and says no.
Still struggling to get the car door unlocked and
open, Bob pretends not to notice as the stranger
gets closer. The stranger grabs Bob, takes him to the
ground, and strikes him repeatedly, knocking him
unconscious. Bob wakes up to find his wallet,
watch, and car all gone. The perpetrator is never
caught.
This scenario, in one form or another, happens a hundred
times a day, every day, and it can happen no matter where
you live.
What could Bob have done to change the outcome of this
scenario, or even avoid it all together? What would you do
if confronted by such a situation?
Common approaches to dealing with crime
We all know we live in a dangerous world. So how does the
average honest citizen deal with that fact?
There are several methods people commonly employ to
either avoid danger, or deal with it if it occurs.Which one
an individual chooses often depends more on their own
personality type and temperament than on an objective
evaluation of its effectiveness.
The ways people choose
to try to protect themselves
often have more to do
with personality type and
temperament than
effectiveness.
Copyright © 2008 COBRA Defense Systems • www.cobradefense.com • 727-791-4111
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
-2-
TM
★ Buy bigger locks – Securing your home is an important
part of personal safety, but it isn’t all of it. Some people
live in almost constant fear. They’re nervous and looking
over their shoulders every time they leave their house or
apartment. Some go so far as to never leave their home
at all. This is obviously not how most of us want to live
our lives. In fact, some might argue that it’s not living at
all.
★ Pretend it can’t happen to you – A lot of people cope
with the violence in our world by living in denial. They
prefer to see crime as something that happens to other
people. Rather than live in constant fear, they choose to
believe that it can’t happen to them. This is a normal,
understandable defense mechanism, but it is also
dangerous. The problem is real, and refusing to face it
won’t make it go away. Every day, acts of violence are
committed against innocent people just like you.
★ Call the police – If you are able to get to a phone in an
emergency, by all means call 911. This should be the first
thing you do, if you possibly can. But simply calling the
police may not be enough. The police can’t be everywhere,
all the time. And the five minutes it takes them to
get to where you are can be an eternity when your life is
in danger.
★ Buy a gun – Many people see this as the best way to take
charge of their own safety. Owning a gun makes them
feel empowered. They think they’ve leveled the playing
field and are now ready to fight back. However, there are
several obvious drawbacks to this strategy:
✩ In some places, gun ownership is illegal. This
is especially true outside the U.S., but even some
American cities have chosen to pass ordinances
prohibiting the private ownership of handguns.
✩ Safety issues. This is a particularly important issue if
you have children in the home. Also, statistics show
that citizens often end up being shot with their own
weapon after an intruder takes it from them.
Owning a gun can give you
a false sense of security.
Copyright © 2008 COBRA Defense Systems • www.cobradefense.com • 727-791-4111
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
-3-
TM
✩ You have to have it available at all times, or it does
you no good. If the weapon is properly locked away
to keep it out of the hands of children (as it should
be), it’s probably out of your reach, as well, in an
emergency. Also, many jurisdictions prohibit or
greatly restrict your right to carry a concealed
weapon outside your home. If you don’t have it,
you can’t use it.
✩ A gun gives you a false sense of security. Perhaps the
biggest drawback of all is one that most people don’t
even know about, much less consider. In a real-world
situation, by the time an attacker tips you off as to
his intentions by making a move, it’s already too late
for an untrained person to do anything about it.
Criminals count on this.
You can prove this for yourself: Have a friend start
on the other side of the room; then when they’re
ready, they suddenly come toward you to grab you.
As soon as they start to move, you try to get a
weapon out of your purse, or out of your waistband
from under your shirt.
(NOTE: Please do not use a real gun for this! For the
purposes of this demonstration, any safe object will
do as a pretend handgun.)
How did you do? Did you get your weapon out, aim
it, and (pretend) fire before your friend reached you?
Don’t feel bad if you didn’t.Most people can’t, even
with specialized training and a LOT of practice.
Now you understand why owning and carrying a gun
isn’t necessarily the answer to all your problems.
★ Carry a cell phone – A cell phone is very handy to have,
and it can help you stay safe. Say your car breaks down
at night. If you have your cell phone handy, you can call
for assistance instead of having to walk somewhere or
flag down a stranger. However, if an attacker is bearing
down on you, it’s even harder to find and accurately dial
your phone than it is to draw and fire a weapon. (Try it,
Criminals count on you being
unprepared.
Copyright © 2008 COBRA Defense Systems • www.cobradefense.com • 727-791-4111
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
-4-
TM
if you don’t believe me.) And remember that it will still
take time for the police to arrive, which in some
situations may be too late.
So what else is there?
Nothing can protect you 100% of the time. But
learning self-defense has advantages over the other ways of
dealing with crime and violence listed above.
★ Once you learn the techniques and skills of self-defense,
they become a part of you. You always have them available
when you need them. No special equipment is
required, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to
bring your cell phone or having a weapon taken from
you and turned against you.
★ The sense of empowerment you gain doesn’t eliminate
all fear (nor should it), but you no longer have to live in
fear. Knowing you can take care of yourself if you have
to enables you to go through life with greater confidence
and independence.
★ You learn tactics and techniques that will help you avoid
conflict and greatly reduce your chances of ever getting
into an actual fight.
★ Your training is something you can share with friends
and loved ones, either by teaching them what you’ve
learned, or by being the one who knows how to handle a
situation when it goes bad. (Imagine your relief and
pride if, when someone comes up and tries to take your
child, you have the ability to effectively protect that
child!)
★ As an added bonus, you can get in shape at the same
time. Studies have shown that kickboxing (where you
actually hit a bag) and martial arts are two of the best
workouts in the world.
Let’s go back to Bob, and see what might have happened
differently if he’d been trained in advance to handle the
situation.
There’s something you can
do to protect yourself and
your family.
Learning self-defense skills
helps you avoid getting into
an actual fight in the first
place.
Copyright © 2008 COBRA Defense Systems • www.cobradefense.com • 727-791-4111
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
-5-
TM
The scenario is the same. Bob walks out of the
restaurant and goes around the building to his car,
where he sees a suspicious looking man sitting on
the car next to his. This time, Bob looks directly at
the stranger as he walks to his car.
As the stranger gets up and asks Bob for the five
dollars, Bob continues to make eye contact while he
apologizes and says no. As the stranger gets closer,
Bob moves around the car to keep distance between
them. The stranger lunges at Bob, and Bob yells
“Get back!” and “Help!” At the same time,
Bob steps to the side to deflect the stranger’s
attempt at a grab. Bob then delivers two strikes to
the head and one to the groin. By this time people
have heard Bob’s yells and have come out to see
what’s going on. One of them calls 911.
The police show up and the stranger is taken into
custody and charged with battery. Bob is not
injured, and nothing was stolen.
The difference is clear. In this second version of the story,
Bob is prepared. Instead of turning his back on a potential
attacker, he knows to put space between himself and the
stranger and to maintain eye contact. He knows to yell and
is skilled enough to defend himself. He can also identify his
attacker.
Which “Bob” would you rather be?
So how do you get prepared?
No one is born knowing how to defend themselves. It takes
training and practice. You need both physical and mental
conditioning.
These aren’t skills you can learn from reading a book or
something off the Internet. A book can give you valuable
insights and psychological principles, but to make selfdefense
useable in real life, you have to practice the moves.
The best way to do that is with an instructor by your side,
In a crisis situation, being
prepared makes all the
difference.
No one is born knowing how
to defend themselves – but
you can learn.
Copyright © 2008 COBRA Defense Systems • www.cobradefense.com • 727-791-4111
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
-6-
TM
teaching you what to do and making sure you’re executing
the moves correctly and safely.
What to look for in a program
There are a lot of self-defense courses and martial arts
schools out there. How do you find the one that’s going to
give you the kind of training and benefits you’re looking
for?
You want to look at several things when choosing a
program:
★ Instructor qualifications – You’re looking for more than
a fitness instructor. Ideally, the program will be lead by
someone with on-the job or other real-world experience,
such as a former police officer or someone with special
military training. At the very least, the instructor should
be fully qualified to teach a program that has been developed
by such a person.
★ Realistic approach – Will what you’re taught be useful on
the street? Some programs, especially in martial arts, are
geared more toward sports and competition, which is
fine. But for purposes of staying safe, what you want is to
learn practical, real-world methods of self-defense, not
how to win a point match.
★ Safety – A lot of people think that taking a self-defense
course automatically means getting hurt. It doesn’t. A
good instructor will have designed the program to be as
safe as possible for all students. He or she should
encourage students to do their best, but never push
them past their physical limitations.
★ Flexibility – Is the program designed in such a way that
it will be beneficial to students of all ages and fitness
levels? You don’t have to be a top athlete to learn how to
defend yourself. Make sure the instructor knows how to
adapt the training to each individual student, when
necessary.
All self-defense courses are
not created equal.
Copyright © 2008 COBRA Defense Systems • www.cobradefense.com • 727-791-4111
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
-7-
TM
★ Variety of techniques – Every situation you encounter
will be different. You might face an attacker who has a
gun, or a knife. Or maybe it’s just some drunk who
decides to take a swing at you. You want to have a variety
of skills at your disposal, so you can know how to
respond appropriately and effectively no matter what the
scenario.
★ High level of motivation – The best program in the
world won’t do you any good if you don’t stick with it.
Look for a positive, supportive attitude in both instructors
and fellow students. If you enjoy your training, a few
sore muscles won’t stop you from coming to class each
week. It also helps if you will be working toward some
sort of goal, such as an award certificate or a special,
graduates-only t-shirt. Such rewards give you incentive
to complete the program.
★ Individual attention – Is the class small enough for the
instructor to interact with each student individually?
Or are there enough assistant instructors or advanced
students there to give individual coaching and help?
You don’t want to end up stuck at the back of the class
feeling lost. You want someone beside you as often as
necessary, making sure you’re doing it right.
Where to go from here
This report merely touches the surface of the subject of
self-defense. If you’d like further information, or if you’re
ready to sign up for a premier self-defense training
program, consider the COBRA (Combat Objective Battle
Ready Applications) Program.
COBRA teaches realistic and effective self-defense
techniques for all participants, from average citizens to
law enforcement and military personnel.
Students train in a highly-structured and safe environment,
utilizing scenarios, drills, and seminars to learn a
wide variety of offensive and defensive techniques.
Copyright © 2008 COBRA Defense Systems • www.cobradefense.com • 727-791-4111
REAL-WORLD SELF-DEFENSE
-8-
TM
The program includes many psychological and verbal
combat tactics related to self-defense. The training also
breaks down the mental barriers that prevent you from
functioning in a stressful situation.
The COBRA program was created based on years of
real-life experience and training in the areas of law
enforcement, corrections, martial arts, and reality-based,
hand-to-hand combat.
For further information
http://www.cobrafortcollins.com
http://www.thedojofc.com

Self-Defense and Stranger Awareness

thedojo — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 17:55:56 +0000

Basic
Self-Defense
&
Stranger Awareness
“Your survival is all that matters”
Brought to you by:
C.O.B.R.A. Self Defense Systems Copyright © 2011 COBRA Defense Systems

How Self-Defense Functions:
Awareness
*Where are you? *Personal security level
*Who is around you? *Suspicious circumstances
*Environmental conditions *Gut feeling
Alarm
*Recognize a potential threat *Something is not right
*Thinking accelerates *Shortness of breath
*Auditory & visual exclusion *Adrenaline rush (tunnel vision) (Fight or Flight)
*Decision making ability is impaired
Action & Reaction
*Physically remove from situation
*Defend *Attack
*Panic/Paralysis *Counter attack (Fear/Giving up) (instinctual) Copyright © 2011 COBRA Defense Systems

Criminal Intent: How a Criminal Really Thinks
 The majority of criminals do not look the part. They look like everyone else.

 Bad guys prey on what they perceive as “weak targets”.

 Criminals are extremely lazy and will not work hard at committing a crime.

 The easiest, fastest, and least challenging way is what a bad guy looks for.

 The majority of bad guys flee/give up at the first hint of trouble or resistance.

 They do not expect any resistance from a victim because they rely on fear to get the job done.

 Criminals are just as afraid if not more when they victimize another. Their primary fear is getting caught and punished.

 Most bad guys have extremely poor plans and usually have no back-up plan.

 They can be thrown out of sync easily because they expect little to no resistance.

 Many of your everyday actions will determine whether or not you will become a target.

 Only about 5% of the population commit the majority of all crimes.

 If you are perceived as strong, confident and “APPEAR” to be a challenge in any way your chances of becoming a victim decrease dramatically.

 At one point in your life you have been a the target of a crime and did not even know it. The smallest actions you took prevented a bad guy from carrying out his plans.
Copyright © 2011 COBRA Defense Systems

What do we do in a Physical Confrontation?
We S.A.E. IT!
Scream
Attack
Escape
IT!!!
Remember: “Your survival is all that matters.”
How does S.A.E. It method work?
When you are confronted by a subject (Bad Guy) and they become:
 Physically violent
 Attempt to gain control over you
 Or put you in fear for your life

Your immediate reaction:
Scream for help/fire and draw attention to yourself–the louder the better.
Attack your subject any and every way possible “Your SURVIVAL is all that matters.”
Escape using any means necessary. Find the first available person(s) and let them know. Copyright © 2011 COBRA Defense Systems

Tips
Tricks
& Strategies
1. Make yourself as visible as possible to other people, even strangers. Crowded areas or just being with one other person is enough to eliminate you from an attack/abduction.
2. Park your vehicle close to the front. Make sure it’s visible from the front entrance and in a well lit area. If you go to work when it’s day time and get off at night, take that into consideration and park under a street light or anything that generates light.
3. Look around before, during, and after you exit an area weather it’s you car, house or work. You will know if something looks suspicious, and “when in doubt” wait, drive off, or call somebody you know for security.
4. When parking in an unknown area or any area of concern to you, make sure you circle the parking lot to survey the area. This will give you a better indication of safety, and if you’re unsure, “drive off”.
5. If possible, back your car into a parking spot. It keeps you from turning your back in one direction too long and makes for an easy get away if need be.
6. When walking to your car:
 Have your car keys in hand and ready to unlock
 Lock your car as soon as you get in
 Drive off immediately, “do not hesitate”

7. Any personal property, purses, bags etc. carry across the body and keep a firm grip on it. A subject would hesitate to strong arm rob you if you made it difficult for him.
8. When you recognize a potential threat:
 Never stare at the ground in “denial”
 Walk with you head up and make eye contact with them.

**Do not get misdirected**
9. If you’re walking out of a grocery store at night push a grocery cart to your car.
**It gives you an object to put between you and your attacker**
10. Always let somebody know your schedule and whereabouts especially if you’re going out at
night and/or alone. Where are you/When will you be back/Contact #/Who’s with you? Copyright © 2011 COBRA Defense Systems

11. Use diversion if verbal contact is initiated – if you’re in an elevator, standing on the corner, or approached anywhere and you feel threatened or uncomfortable
Make eye contact
Rapid fire conversation/questions: What time is it?
What’s the date/day?
I’m late for my appointment.
My ride is here.
Remember it could be anything, just make good eye contact and talk fast (control the conversation). It will throw off their initial train of thought or plan and will “buy you time”.
**Last course of action in this situation “look for an out”, then leave A.S.A.P.
12. Occasionally change your routine. Go to work a different way leave at different times and park in different areas. Do this in every part of your schedule.
“Being unpredictable”: It will make you a hard target.
13. Do not engage in a conversation with a door to door sales man, street vendor, or someone posing as a repair man when you did not call for one.
 Keep your door locked, talk through the door until you are sure who that person is.
 If approached outside your house keep moving, do not engage.

14. Leave your lights and T.V. on occasionally when you are not home.
The bad guy does not know the difference. The perception is that “somebody is home.”
15. Make sure your children have an approved list of people to ride hom with from school. It should be approved by you and their school should have a copy.
 Hold your child’s school responsible
 Ultimately, it’s the parents’ responsibility – getting others involved can only help.

16. Have a communication sheet for your children especially if they are old enough to come and go relatively freely.
Simple layout: When did you leave? When will you be home?
Where did you go? Who are you with?
Phone #
17. Make sure your child uses a safety route to travel that they always follow.
*Well lit area *Easy access *High visibility
*Keep it in a busy area not a scheduled back route.
*Make sure you personally time the route for your own reference.
18. Download a list of criminals/registered sexual offenders in your area. Copyright © 2011 COBRA Defense Systems

“It’s easy and FREE”
A) Tell all your neighbors about any in your area and communicate a local crime watch.
***Let the bad guy know you that you know about him.
B) Make sure your child knows at least 5 contact numbers in case of emergency.
 Practice
 Recite
 Reward them for knowing them

C) Always have a meeting place in the event that you are lost in a crowded area.
D) Use code words only you and your family know (practice them)
19. Everyday Weapons and Personal Security Devices:
The following items can be used to slow down, stop, and even cause serious injury to an attacker.
Pen/Pencil Cigarette Nail File Nail Clippers
Hand Full of Sand Metal Watch Buckle off Belt Hot Coffee
Household Cleaners Car Keys (loaded) Lipstick (bluffing) Comb
Heel off Dress Shoe Glass bottles Cigarette Lighter CD Case
These and many other items are common everyday items that can and will work against an attack.
20. Bluffing:
Display security signs Beware of Dog Under video surveillance
I have pepper spray! The Police are on their way Back up or I’ll shoot!
Leave lights on Rapid fire questions I am not home alone
Fake cameras
21. Areas to attack in the event of a physical encounter:
If you have tried everything, even running away and have no other choice, attack the following areas until you are free.
Eyes Nose
Throat Bite if necessary (what is the alternative)
Groin Slap ears (loss of balance)
Knee strikes Solar plexus
All humans are of equal strength in these areas and are extremely vulnerable.
Take advantage!!!
“Remember: The only thing that matters is your survival.”
http://www.cobrafortcollins.com
http://www.thedojofc.com

Watch “On COBRA Annie” on YouTube

thedojo — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 02:58:26 +0000

http://www.cobrafortcollins.com
http://www.thedojofc.com

Crime is Everywhere

thedojo — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 05:36:11 +0000

Crime is everywhere. You’ve heard the statistics and seen
the stories on the TV news. Perhaps someone you know
has been a victim of robbery, rape or assault. Perhaps you
yourself have been attacked by someone attempting to take
away something you’ve worked hard for – maybe even your
very life.
You may be asking yourself, “What can I do to protect
myself? To keep from becoming just another fifteen-second
spot on the evening news?” Fortunately, there is a lot you
can do to protect yourself and your family. It starts with
becoming familiar with the principles and techniques of
basic self-defense.
This report’s objective is to guide you through the pros and
cons of various methods of self defense, and to help you
choose a program that will take you to the next level of
preparedness by turning theory into practice.
Is Anyone Safe?
When we think of crime, we most often think of the
victims being women and children. For example, a single
woman living alone might be seen as an easy target for a
home invasion. Or we worry about date rape, or children
being abducted on their way home from school.
But the unfortunate truth is, anyone can be vulnerable.
Men are often the victims of robbery, assault, or carjacking.
Even domestic violence isn’t strictly a crime against
women. Sometimes men, too, are beaten and abused by
their wives or girlfriends. You just don’t hear about it very
often, because men are often too embarrassed to admit it.
Men are also often victims
of crime.
http://www.cobrafortcollins.com
http://www.thedojofc.com

Basic Self-Defense and Stranger Awareness

thedojo — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 05:27:13 +0000