Aggression or acts of violence in the street, bullying at school, sexual harassment, rape, mass shootings, acts of terrorism, social conflicts – we hear about these events taking place around us on a daily basis.
MovNat is all about our ability to move efficiently and safely in any environment in which we find ourselves. So what about when we find ourselves in a position to save someone else’s life – or our own?
From the very beginning, MovNat’s approach to teaching fighting skills has been based on the practice of self-defense, rather than on traditional martial arts. MovNat combatives are practical, grounded in reality-based scenarios and easy-to-learn techniques that can be used by anyone, even under stressful circumstances.
The Combatives Specialty Workshop & Trainer Certification is a 2-day course designed to provide the student with all the tools to absorb and teach 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 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.
Upcoming Combatives Courses
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
About the Instructor
This workshop is conducted by Vic Verdier, MovNat Master Instructor, and former French Commando. Vic has been teaching various self-defense systems for civilians and the military for most of his life, including Military Close Quarter Combat, Krav Maga, Thai Boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Personal Defense Readiness, and Reality-Based Personal Protection, among others.
What Our Students Are Saying
“With Combatives, Vic 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 wished more women would come out and take it. I think it’s a great foundation for women to use to learn awareness and how to protect themselves…Yes, it might stretch you a bit, but it will be in a good way – and a pretty practical one!”
– Dr. Christa Whiteman (click here to read more of Christa’s thoughts about MovNat Combatives)
“The MovNat Combatives course was a surprisingly great experience, even as an experienced martial artist, I found it to be a very valuable experience, especially as an instructor myself. The instructor, and creator of the course, Vic Verdier, his MovNat Team Instructor assistants, and all the people who attended made for a very warm and helpful environment; free of competition and ego, and full of support and motivation. My impression of the course is that 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 parameters of what makes it into this course is like a fail-safe for maintaining a focus on that which is most important and least complex; it must be possible to teach anyone in less than 5 minutes; and it must work on anyone regardless of disparity in skill or strength. The focus is more on the strategy, and focusing on 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 and Budo Taijutsu Shidoshi (licensed instructor / 5th degree black belt). Click here to read Alex’s full review of the MovNat Combatives course.
“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. Vic is one of the best instructors I’ve ever had the opportunity to learn from and Carlos was present during my cert two years ago and he too, is an excellent instructor. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget, and that’s the whole point… You won’t forget.”
– Julie Beck (click here to read more of Julie’s thoughts about MovNat Combatives)
“The weekend combatives course in Albuquerque exceeded expectations. Carlos Condit taught us battle-tested techniques and gave his insight into fighting and violence as a professional mixed martial artist. Vic delved deeply into the psychology of violence and showed simple, brutal strategies to end an attack and escape. This is MovNat, so 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. Vic didn’t make any promises about turning anyone into a world-class fighter, but he delivers a curriculum on the fundamentals of human combat that every capable human should know. This course isn’t to craft UFC champions, it’s to make capable human beings, and from my years of martial arts experience and knowledge of biomechanics and physiology I can tell you MovNat chose the right bits to include.” – Cole Thornton
“Unlike martial arts, the MovNat Combatives course is not something that needs to be practiced for many years before you can be competent enough to apply it…Anyone can take this course and receive massive benefit from it, whether it’s mental (situational awareness), physical (movement skills), and/or emotional (self-confidence). Age, gender, and experience is irrelevant.”
– Nathan Amado, MovNat Expert Trainer (click here to read more thoughts about MovNat Combatives)
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.
Requirements for MovNat Combatives Specialty Trainer Certification
Anyone can participate in this workshop, which is accessible to all, regardless of experience.
However, in order to be eligible for certification, you must meet the following requirements:
- To be certified as a Level 1 MovNat Trainer (or higher)
- To pass the MovNat Combatives test (scenario, teaching assignment, etc.)
- To be comfortable with grappling/pushing and being in close contact with other participants. No Martial Arts background is required, as the Combatives have little to do with tradition- or sport-based martial arts.
Upcoming Combatives Courses
If you want to increase your confidence and capability for self defense situations, sign up for a MovNat Combatives course today!