Southard Combat System

This article is from “Full Contact” at Military.com

Tony Southard is a unique man. He has been a full contact professional fighter, a bodyguard for celebrities, a martial arts instructor, a police instructor, a military instructor, a Karate Grandmaster, and a chaplain! This North Carolina based martial arts expert and trainer is a man you should know. Many law enforcement officers, police recruits, and military operators already know Mr. Southard very well. He frequently teaches the local police and military personnel.

With all of that real world experience he knows something about combatives and training! Tony Southard teaches at a police academy as well as conducts seminars all over the country. I have had the pleasure to be affiliated with Grandmaster Southard for the last couple of years and I can tell you firsthand that he knows what he is talking about, and he can teach what he knows.

A little background about Tony Southard in his own words from the Southard Combat Systems website:

“I have been in the Martial Arts since I was a boy. I have been the head of security for several night clubs. I have been the head of security for several night clubs. I have been attacked by many people who really wanted to test my system to see how effective it was. They tried all kinds of techniques and weapons. “

Some of the services that Mr. Southard, Founder of the Southard Combat System, offers:

Private Lessons for Individuals
Police and Security Training Solutions
Hand to Hand Combat Military Training
Multiple Assailant Self Defense
Weapons Defense Training
Effective Street Self Defense Training
Pressure Point Control Tactics
Women’s Self Defense
Group Instruction (Flight Attendants, Pilots, Store Clerks, etc.)
Martial Arts & Self Defense Seminars – USA, Europe, or Worldwide
Body Guarding (Executive and Celebrity Protection)
Night Club (Bouncer) and Casino Security Training

I frequently teach the Southard Combat System’s firearms defense and disarming techniques. I recently published a research paper concerning firearm defenses for the Institute of Martial Arts and Sciences based in the United Kingdom and my paper featured photographs of Grandmaster Southard demonstrating one of his firearms disarming techniques.

Gun Disarm Video

So even if you cannot train with Tony Southard in person, you can purchase his videos which include “Dirty Ground Fighting,” and “Power Punches,” just to name a couple. The videos are inexpensive and very informative. The Southard Combat System’s way of doing things is certainly “unique” if you can call learning to drive a tactical pen through a badguy’s eardrum “unique!”

power_punch_kicks rbsd_vol1 rbsd_vol2 weapon_disarm

Another method to obtaining Grandmaster Southard’s training series is to purchase the Shinja Buke Ryu Kenpo series which contains the Southard Combat System’s videos as well. That series is also an excellent choice and contains many self-defense and defensive tactics techniques taught by Dr. John Enger a retired police lieutenant commander.

To learn some of the Southard Combat System directly from Tony Southard himself you may also attend the Shinja Hall of Honors seminar being held in Sarasota, Florida on September 13–15, 2013. I will also be teaching a class on Shinja Kenpo and helping teach a class on the Bryan Fass’ new Fit Fighter program (stay tuned for more about that program in the near future!).

So for now, be careful, stay safe, and think about what you are doing out there at all times. Always remember, “If Not Me, Then Who?”