What you find here, I carefully vetted over many years of trial and error, research and discovery, concocting the most gradual high-yield, low-risk protocols for becoming powerfully graceful.
If youʼre looking to burn fat or bulk up, sure, youʼll build muscle and lose body fat practicing tactical gymnastics, but these are not their primary goals; much like the warrior physique is merely a by-product, not the intent, of fighting efficacy.
If you want to look like a statue, thatʼs fine; but take care that you donʼt become one. Honestly, I probably cannot help you if you have not, somehow of your own accord, developed the fire to desire moving with power, rather than merely appearing powerful.
It is not possible to perform them with no intensity, like your mobility days; and not advisable to perform them at high intensity due to their complex nature, even if you scale down the complexity to simple movements.
And even if you or your coaches have ignited your warrior spirit with the will to regain your heritage as the most potent creature God has ever graced the world with, you may not have the patience to develop at the appropriate rate.
Tactical gymnastics are like “flow yoga with a purpose.” They help you develop movement efficacy to navigate on, around, over or through obstacles.
Most of the martial arts approaches I studied were “sink or swim.” For instance, since my years in Russia often involved their special operations unit trainers and personnel, the training was very much a culling of the herd, where whoever could survive the many hours of grueling repetition across unfavorable terrain and within extreme conditions passed the examinations.
I took my background and experience in motor development to address the 85% who couldnʼt saunter into one of these month long marathons of complexity and survive.
You should leave your tactical gymnastics practice smiling, sweaty and sore: a good, deep sweat which allows you to loosen the muscles, lubricate the joints, work out the knots, focus your mind, and decompress your emotions.
The appearance is not the destination; just a part of the journey. However, there are ineffable qualities, elusive virtues, which tactical gymnastics - like its father, martial arts - concentrate upon.
Power and the ability to express it are not mutually compatible. You can appear to have a massive, powerful frame. You can look as if you could withstand any crisis. But without the malleable form, you will lack the ability to express that power. You will remain encased in a prison of muscle. Iʼve alluded to the difference between “show” muscle and “go” muscle. This distinction works well. Too often, Iʼve had to work with very enthusiastic young athletes, who because of their prior training, were completely incapable of translating power outside of the short-range, machine-dictated exercises they had been advised to perform.
I must not. Thatʼs why I continue to refine, and rework, and research, and test it all out on myself first, before sharing only what repeatable, consistently, sustainably works for everyone, not just the meager 15% who could do well in spite of poor coaching.
Many roads will get you to graceful power. Only a few paths will get you there uninjured. This isnʼt a sink or swim method, like many of the units Iʼve trained with use. My approach focuses on the 85% of you who, like me, cannot succeed in spite of improper coaching. Because of my childhood disabilities, I still need to exploit every training technology useful in order to keep my teams ahead of the bad guys who are willing to throw 20-something cannon fodder into the meat-grinder.
Power means nothing without the ability to navigate unknown and surprise obstacles and resistance with ease and imagination.
If youʼre one of the few who see a martial artist, gymnast, boxer or wrestler and think, “Iʼd really love to be able to move with that kind of silent power,” then TACGYM is probably for you.
They have specific purpose. If you consider the 4 Day Wave in TACFIT, you can insert your tactical gymnastics into the low or moderate intensity sessions.