AAR: Cecil Burch IAJJ and CMD, Towson MD, Sept 2012

**Shawn.L** · September 24th, 2012, 12:35 PM

I came to this 2 day seminar on the recommendations of Craig Douglas (SouthNarc) , Chris Fry, and many others in the firearms training and combative's community. Cecil's reputation for being a solid instructor, a highly skilled individual, and general solid dude to train with preceded him. I was not disappointed.

The class was $180 pre-enrollment and $200 after the cut off date. Ive taken A LOT of training, from firearms courses from the top tier instructors in the industry, local guys, edged weapons, FoF, tactics, ect. I have a long and varied "training resume" and I'll tell you right now, this price point is a steal. I spent more in gas and hotel than on tuition.

Our host was Phil Proctor who is lead instructor at www.wrightsonbjj.com , Phil was a solid dude, easy to work with, provided the facility, and was really helpful for me to work with on the mat. If your local to the Baltimore area and are looking for a place to train that wont look at you like your an alien if you want to do stuff with training guns and drone knives look them up.

The format for the class was to be TD1: Stand up striking and clinch work in a weapons based environment (WBE), TD2: Grappling and ground work in a WBE.

The stand up is genre of boxing based largely on Mauy Thai www.crazymonkeydefense.com . I found personally the parallels between what Cecil was teaching and the MT I take at my gym to be near 90% similar. main differences being a lower and tighter arm position and the idea of an "active defense" as you move into contact range.

"Put your elbow between your nose and his." ~Cecil

We reviewed a default position that guys who have taken SouthNarc's ECQC curriculum will recognize, the crazy monkey "cage", and simple and effective strikes. Jab/Cross was our bread and butter for the majority of the day, with the emphasis being that they are effective building blocks, high percentage and low investment. Hooks and body shots came into play late the day.

Cecil went over everything from the mechanics of the strike to fist formation and addressed his take on the 9mm Vs .45 of striking, closed Vs. Open fist.

Straight lines and flat

firing to extension

Much notes where taken

Im hoping this guy lets me copy his

The day slowly ramp'ed up in intensity from drills where you where only allowed to use your active defense with your back to a wall while your partner takes 30 second rounds dropping strikes on you with boxing gloves. "Your going to get hit. Get used to it, it wont kill you." up to drills where you start engaged in conversation and at a random point your partner attacks and you must hit the switch and turn the tide, culminating in drills in which your partner attempts to pull a weapon on you.

TD2 was ground work. ECQC grads will recognize lots of the material, but in this format there is a lot more time to concentrate on the issues present, get more reps in, and look at other solutions.

We started with sit chalk board work and looking at the process

And discussion of the issues present when grappling in a WBE

And moved rightly into contact partner drills

Cecil did a amazing job monitoring the class and tuning the volume level of intensity up and down so each student was kept on the edge of what they could handle while still learning but having to work for that win. Ive been in a lot of classes, and keeping a variety of skill levels challenged AND learning is one of the hallmarks of a great instructor whether we are talking firearms marksmanship or martial arts.

I owe a debt of gratitude to all the students in this class. They where all cool guys, and great training partners. Everyone worked with one another, everyone pushed one another as appropriate, and no one was looking to take the tough guy award or quit doing the work.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Prov 27:17)

Drills progressed until we reached "everything is in play" and students would start with their eyes closed getting knocked over and needing to fight a skilled and determined attacker trying to deploy weapons.

I had a great many light bulb moments in this class. When Cecil said "Un-flat yourself." that clicked, as well as looking back at where I failed and seeing now how I should have applied the solution. As well as times where I clearly felt dominate and could impose my will on my partner. A big take away for me was even in the times when I was being overpowered by superior technique or strength I was able to stay clam, breathe, and survive while continuing to fight for the solution, whether it came or not, without panic.

I would recommend training with Cecil for anyone who carries a weapon in any capacity, or any "fighter" interested in dealing with weapons or plugging weapons into their existing skill set. I look forward to doing this again.