Steve Tomkins'
Croydon Combatives
January UPDATE: 2 training places now available
New women's self-protection course. Details below
Urban Combatives is based on the most up to date methods of counter-violence available, and has been rigorously tested both inside and outside the gym.
At Croydon Combatives you will learn everything from verbal dissuasion (or talking the situation down) right up to our groundbreaking firearms awareness modules which are taught by highly experienced firearms instructors.
The lessons have been learned and then distilled in order to make them accessible to most people.
The
physical aspect only makes up one facet of the curriculum which must be
addressed should we have no other option and escape is impossible.
The other facet, which is just as important, is a set of personal security measures.
These consist of a set of cognitive skills that enable you to be aware
of and be in tune with your environment - with the aim of you being able
to spot potential trouble before it develops. Thus, giving you the
priority opportunity to avoid and escape violence.
It does not matter how good you are or what skills you have if you do not see the threat coming in the first place or are unaware of how the common street thug operates.
'Like those before me, I teach the winning concepts of being pre-emptive,
training for impact, and learning all you can about the adrenal
response'
(Urban Combatives founder - Lee Morrison)
The
psychology of violence must also be addressed. We must understand how
to cope with fear, stress, panic and adrenaline - as these can have
a debilitating effect on our ability to operate under combat conditions.
Unlike the Martial Arts, Combatives
only deals with real life street encounters and threats to your person,
and in developing the attributes necessary to deal with the same.
Essentially,
we do not train in any methods that cannot be used outside the gym
should we have no other choice, and escape is impossible.
There are no Kata, forms or sporting applications of any kind. Everything has been/is tested under pressure - so what is passed on to the student has the highest probability of success.
Founder of Urban Combatives - Lee Morrison
'Martial arts are something you do with somebody. Combatives is something you do to somebody, or on somebody'
(Combatives expert - Kelly McCann)
Group Classes
Group
training sessions are held weekly on Tuesday evenings, and are limited
to a maximum of 10 - 12 people in order to maintain the quality of
instruction that individuals receive.
All classes are geared for the potential violence that any of us could face in our day-to-day lives in any urban environment.
As
well as training the physical tools needed to deal with a bigger and
stronger assailant, we also tackle the psychology of combat, fear
control and adrenal release, along with other elements that work from a
power base of awareness that will allow you to avoid most potential situations in the first place.
For further information or to check training availablity please contact Steve Tomkins:
mp: 07954 421 377
Women's Self-protection
At Croydon Combatives we run individual 4-12 week courses specifically tailored for women. These classes aim to empower women to learn how to protect themselves and their loved ones - whether the threat is one of the domestic kind or street violence, or the threat of violence and rape by a bigger stronger person. These classes can be taught to a single individual or to groups of between 2-4 people. More below:
Croydon Combatives - Women’s
Self-protection Course
Who are we?
Croydon
Combatives was formed in 2008 by Urban Combatives instructor Steve Tomkins. We
are based at Greenvale School, Selsdon and give lessons to individuals and
groups each week. Steve is enhanced CRB checked and approved, and insured.
What do we teach?
We teach
civilian self-protection to various people and groups including men, women, business
executives, and individuals from various UK police forces. We train the most up
to date methods of counter-violence available and apply these to areas such as
domestic violence and attempted rape or mugging. There is a mixture of theory
modules (soft skills) combined with a series of physical drills (hard skills).
Everything that we teach has been successfully deployed numerous times in
real-life encounters and rigorously pressure tested in the gym.
What will I learn?
The most
important thing is to learn how to be more aware of our environment so that we
can exercise our priority options of avoidance and escape whenever possible. We
also need a Game Plan so that we automatically know what to do if a potentially
violent situation should ever occur. We need to understand the effects of fear
and adrenaline and how they can be used in our favour. We also need good threat
recognition skills, and to know how to convey a more confident demeanour so
that predatory types will be less inclined to choose us as a target.
What are the aims and objectives of
the course?
We aim to
instil a high level of awareness and threat recognition skills in our students.
In addition, if the situation turns physical, we need to have various physical
skills for fighting back. These skills are tailored specifically for women
rather than men – we do not expect women to be able to punch like a professional
boxer (although some can!). These new skills will also help you to feel more
confident and assertive in many aspects of your everyday life.
Will I be scared?
There will
be some pressure testing according to your needs and abilities. You will feel,
and learn to understand, the effects of adrenaline and fear. With practice this
will immunise you to a degree to these effects and give you more confidence if
you should ever encounter a frightening or intimidating situation. There may be
some swearing and shouting to
replicate real life scenarios and situations.
What do I wear?
Casual and
comfortable clothing should be worn.
How long does the course last?
This depends
on the individual or group. Four weeks would be the suggested minimum but eight
to twelve weeks can easily be accommodated. Individuals can then train at our
weekly Tuesday evening class if they choose to.
How much does it cost?
Training
costs are £15 per hour per person for a group of 2-4 people. Individual one-to-one lessons
cost £25 per hour. We recommend lessons of at least 1.5 hours duration once a
week. Training is usually held at Greenvale School in Selsdon.
Croydon Combatives is run by
Urban Combatives Instructor Steve Tomkins BA (Hons).
Enhanced CRB Checked and Approved
Fully PI/PL Insured
