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SPECIAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
As Israelis we realized and we are convinced, that the Corona Pandemic should be mitigated, defeated, and overcome only by massive vaccination Globally! Violent crime and Terrorism encounters are increasing “Impacts” of that Pandemic and are creating additional dramatic damages to the entire world population. We at ISA – ISRAEL decided to share the accumulated know how, expertise and methods by Israelis and many security experts’ colleagues worldwide, for coping better with those growing threats.
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Intended For: The International Security Academy – Israel is approaching graduates, colleagues, martial art practitioners, instructors, and physical fitness club operators around the world to join the efforts for Mental & Physical Empowerment and Preparation for themselves and their entire communities (youth, women, and men) for better functioning and coping with violent crime and terrorism encounters.
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Requirements for participation: The candidate has:
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MULTIMEDIA SECURITY STUDY PROGRAMS
To the ultimate secrets of the Israeli Security & Protection Concepts, methods and tactics for coping better with various violent crime and terrorism encounters occurring in the 21st century, especially in International security mission’s deployment
Copyright © Alin Atodiresei, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the e-mail: tod@securityacademy.org.il ISBN-13: 978-1477454930 ISBN-10: 1477454934
If You Want To Be Considered The Best, You Must Train With The Best!
Contents
ABOUT THE AUTHOR PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION The I.S.A. – Israel Weapons Used At I.S.A. Training Courses TRAINING Things to Consider BLISTERS CONTACT WITH LOCAL PEOPLE THREE INSIDER TIPS Insider Tip Number 1 – Focus on Your Goal Insider Tip Number 2 – Fitness Preparation Insider Tip Number 3 – Look after Your Feet INNER STRENGTH HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT PURPOSE OF I.S.A.’S HAND-TO-HAND TRAINING KRAV MAGA Official Israeli System of Self Defense History of Krav Maga Principles of Krav Maga Techniques of Krav Maga MANAGEMENT COMBAT TRAINING ADDITIONAL CHAPTER: THE SAMURAI ADDITIONAL CHAPTER: STATE OF ISRAEL’S VIVID HISTORY HOT TO GET ISA FIT Disclaimer MENTAL TOUGHNESS FUEL FOR FITNESS FIT TO FIGHT Special Guidance for Female Trainees INJURY PREVENTION Injury Management WARMING UP, STRETCHING, AND WARMING DOWN Stretching sequence SPECIAL UPPER-BODY STRENGTH & AEROBICS CIRCUITS Basic Essential Exercises RUNNING SPORTS DAY – SWIMMING Technique – Breaststroke Technique – Front Crawl Swimming Program STICKING WITH YOUR PROGRAM STRENGTH-TRAINING CIRCUITS Upper-Body Circuit #1 Upper-Body Circuit #2 Upper-Body Circuit #3 Upper-Body Circuit #4 Lower-Body Circuit #1 Lower-Body Circuit #2 Lower-Body Circuit #3 Lower-Body Circuit #4 Abdominal-Core (AbCore) Circuit #1 Abdominal-Core (AbCore) Circuit #2 Abdominal-Core (AbCore) Circuit #3 Abdominal-Core (AbCore) Circuit #4 Alternative Exercises POWER & SPEED TRAINING Plyometric Circuit Sprint Program Fitness Check 12-Week Fitness Program Fine Tuning Your Program SPECIAL TRAINING Eight-Week Program Six-Week “Rapid-Deployment” Three-Week “Rapid-Deployment” FITNESS MAINTENANCE THE I.S.A. DIET Table of Foods Chemically Combined Cooked Food About Starches Sweet Fruits Acid Fruits Important Reminders Juice Preparation Instructions Weekly Menu Suggestions
About the Author
I was 24 when I dare to join the I.S.A. To finance my university studies I worked on the doors as club security but with this new decision, I challenged myself and my financial credit. The frustrated soldier from inside pushed me to Israel. Protection Specialist course was my election and there I am for two entire months. Even though I’m a Romanian and have lived in Spain since I was in my twenties I speak Perfectly English. And that helped in Israel as it does in my profession. Once proudly graduated as an Operational Protection Specialist and therefore become a part of the I.S.A. family I decided to get involved and use my knowledge about Colombia and Latin America. That gave me the I.S.A. coordinator status and as result, I founded the International Security Academy – Colombia branch. Honduras was the first playground for my instruction skills. We’ve run there training courses for the Honduras Secret Service version. Obtaining a degree in Private Investigations from Universidad de Alicante Spain had enlarged my professional horizons. Currently pending a Ph.D. in Criminology with the same university, and afterward a Master in counterterrorism from an Israeli university. In my free time, I produce state of the art edited videos for I.S.A. such as short presentation clips, promotional clips, and documentaries. As a very active athlete, I train BJJ, Valetudo, Krav Maga, Bodybuilding, and running. I am married to Sandra, we have one daughter, Paula, and we live in Spain and Colombia. This is my first publishing, thus I wrote it with lots Of enthusiasm and objectiveness. by Alin TOD Atodiresei
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Preface
The International Security Academy (I.S.A. – Israel) is one of the most respected counterterrorism & V.I.P. protection academy of all the worldwide civil security-training institutions. The fame that surrounds it is both intriguing and fascinating. Only the best get the graduation diploma of this elite training academy and this unique guide will provide you with an insight into their procedures. If it is your desire, to one day become a graduated Close Protection Operative (C.P.O.) from I.S.A. – Israel, then the road is a long one, but don’t let this put you off. Don’t give up and will succeed at all costs. After all, their motto “If You Want to be Considered the Best, You Must Train with the Best”, speaks for itself. To become an I.S.A. trainee you must be better than the rest. The only way to achieve this is to work extremely hard and to be determined to achieve your goals. It is worth bearing in mind that the training undergo at I.S.A. has broken ankles, cripple knees and other such injuries, but those who survive are graduated and are now the Elite. It takes this much to be the best in the world. And it takes much more to remain the best. This guide applies across the wide range of I.S.A.’s operations. It explains the principles, procedures and responsibilities to successfully apply the inner strength to achieve graduation. The book is appropriate to both governmental and civilian candidates and is intended to help them to develop a framework to make goal management a routine part of planning, preparing, and executing everyday tasks prior to the arrival to I.S.A – Israel headquarters. This framework will allow candidates to train physically and psychologically with maximum initiative, flexibility, and adaptability. I.S.A. training courses – especially the High Risk course – are demanding and complex. They are inherently hard, including tough, realistic training. Managing the sturdiness related to such training requires educated judgment and professional competence. This book allows I.S.A. candidates to make informed, conscious decisions once decided to join the courses. Finally, I hope that you enjoy the guide and find it as intriguing and enjoyable as I find creating it. It provides the information you need to get the job done. Use it! Good luck and best wishes, TOD.
Acknowledgments
This book arose in part out of years of experience. By now I have met a great number of I.S.A. graduates whose contributions in assorted ways to the book deserve special mention. It is a pleasure to convey my gratitude to them all in my humble acknowledgments chapter. In the first place, I would like to record my gratitude to my “brothers in arms”. Was our struggle, suffering, faults and emotions, stories, fighting spirit, excitement, perseverance, and determination that motivated and inspired me during the writing of this guide. The following list contains the colleagues, their nickname, country of origin, and the course where we’ve met.
I gratefully acknowledge Mr. Mirza David for his advice and guidance as well as for giving me extraordinary experiences throughout training and collaboration. Above all and the most needed, he provided me unflinching encouragement and support in various ways. Many thanks go to him and his lovely family. It is a pleasure to pay tribute also to the I.S.A. instructors. To “Big Brother” Nir for his wise leadership, understanding, camaraderie, and for being the first one to teach me how to work under stress. To Doron Balahsan for his guidelines while in Israel and Honduras; and not ultimately to Pazi Zafrir and Avi Katz who had triggered and nourished my inner strength that I am benefiting from, for a long time to come.
Introduction
The I.S.A. – Israel
Shrouded in prominence, the I.S.A. is the world finest of all civil security training establishments. This does not mean to say that other similar academies are incompetent or of no worth, in fact, the exact opposite. However, the I.S.A. is, and always will be, the finest Security Academy in the world. Founded by Mirza David in the eighties, the I.S.A. qualified as many as 15,000 Protection and Management personnel from more than 80 friendly countries worldwide, and just to add another fact is the first one of its kind to offer a Maritime Protection course, as an answer to the escalating hijacking situation in the Gulf of Aden. As the war on terror intensifies, so does the professionalism and determination required of the I.S.A. The general public witnessed the I.S.A. fearsome fighting methods on the global television, as international mass-media attends the training courses. The vision of the I.S.A. trainee’s acquired fighting skills is seen as a useful deterrent to any “would-be” attacker or terrorist. These demonstrations of expertise and bravery by the trainees, instructors, counterterrorism team leaders only reiterate their professionalism. The level of training they receive is astounding, and their fitness, determination, and commitment are nothing less than highly commendable. Why would anybody want to put themselves through hell to become an elite professional for that matter? Perhaps it’s a determination to be the best or maybe it’s a desire to take on the ultimate challenge where a man pushes himself further, harder, and faster than he’s ever done before. Whatever it is, it’s a special quality that leads a man to submit himself to the rigors of the I.S.A. training, and it’s a quality which not many people possess.
Weapons Used at I.S.A. Training Courses
JERICHO A 9mm. semi-auto, with a short recoil system that weights 1,08Kg. (with loaded magazine), the Israeli-made Jericho pistol will accompany you during all the I.S.A. courses as a primary weapon or as a secondary one in the High Risk training course.
M16 As a result of the long-range adversary engagement situations in a hostile environment, the Colt M16 is the primary weapon in the High Risk protection course. It uses 5,56mm. ammunition, it’s automatic, has a 400m. range and weights 3,5Kg. You’ll do precision firing with it, run with it, dismount and mount with blind eyes, and let’s not forget, you’ll sleep with this rifle.
Additional Weapons Used By I.S.A.
TRAINING
Things to Consider
In recent years many advances have been made in the development of close protection equipment and of technologies for their use. However, regardless of how good the equipment is or how good the techniques for its use are, the C.P.O. faced with an emergency situation still has himself to deal with. Man’s psychological reactions to stress often make him unable to utilize his available resources. The information available in this book is far from complete but enough has been done to give an understanding of some of the major psychological factors involved in I.S.A. training courses. While much of this information could be labeled common sense, it should be remembered that common sense is based on past experiences which have led to successful adjustments to various situations, and that inability to use common sense under stress had led to the deaths of many very able, apparently sensible operatives. The I.S.A. trainings are undoubtedly tough. What makes it so tough is the fact that it tests both one’s physical and mental stamina over a prolonged period of time. Many other trainings for different institutions are shorter and less rigorous. The reason for the intense difficulty of the process is because it is imperative that the I.S.A. get the right men for the job. There is no room for error during any of their missions and it requires a special type of person to be able to hold down that level of responsibility. The training courses contain elements of realism like “battle inoculation”. Trainees feel that they have come through real danger but have escaped with the V.I.O. unharmed. The I.S.A. graduate is both physically and mentally tough. They are certainly not robots or supermen, but instead extremely fit, highly skilled, and totally focused on the task at hand. The average I.S.A. graduate is not 1,95m. high with a weight of 120Kg., but is more likely to be around 1,80m. and of a build, appearance, and stature of somebody who would easily blend into a crowd of people and go unnoticed. Underneath this disguised exterior, however, is an immensely fit and skilled operative. Ask any I.S.A. graduate and all of them will tell you that they found the training process difficult. Not one of them will ever say it was easy because it simply isn’t! Candidates who are up for joining are usually exemplary individuals with a high level of physical and mental fitness and, more often than not, who are specialists in their field. Some people have a burning ambition to join the I.S.A. courses before they even passed through their national selection procedures to enable them as licensed Bodyguards in the country of origin, and see this as a stepping-stone to becoming an elite operative. I must remind you that in different countries, governments can impose on you to pay and to pass some easy tests before being licensed for a security job. Here the I.S.A. diploma/s will boost your Resume. Training courses run twice a year, over a one-week to two months period. Either the spring courses or the autumn ones are accompanied by hot days and cold nights. Initially, you will be given a number of briefings and presentations that are designed to show you what the I.S.A. is all about. It will also give you an indication as to what to expect during the tough training process. The type of physical tests that you will undertake during the first week will not be too difficult although a number of people do surprisingly fail them. It involves a 3 Km. run in less than 17 min.; 12+ reps at horizontal bars; 16+ reps at parallel bars; 60+ abs in 9 sec.; and 400m. speed pair run in less than 75 sec. These tests are not eliminatory but make sure you can pass them with ease, and be capable of doing 50 pushups when “give me fifty!” is the order. The I.S.A. is full of candidates who are exceptional at different things. After all, that’s what makes a team work well, the fact that its members are not single-minded people. They all bring something special to the team and are purely focused on getting a job done. The tasks and missions they are presented with are more often than not out of the realm of “normal bodyguarding”. Candidates are expected to look after themselves and be at a certain place at a certain time. If one is late or in a wrong posture all of the team will pay for the misconduct, and believe me: you don’t want to fail again. A well-prepared candidate will have been training for months in advance. At least 3 months. Yet still, some arrive having carried out little or no preparation. Candidates must be able to fend for themselves and they must have the ability to think for themselves. Nobody will be there to tell you to get up in the morning and nobody will tell you to get your ass down the gym in order to get fit. The level of fitness required in order to successfully pass the I.S.A. training process is phenomenal. Being able to bench press 100Kg. is not the aim of the game. You won’t find any muscle-bound thugs in the I.S.A., in fact, the exact opposite. Their fitness is predominantly based on the ability to keep going under extreme conditions and for prolonged periods. This requires a different level of fitness than that of the athlete who can run a marathon in under 3,5 hours. It’s about prolonged physical and mental fitness. During courses, the average day will commence at 7 a.m. You’ll be required to get up and out of bed yourself. It is totally up to you to get up and make sure you are mustered at the rendezvous point on time and with all of your equipment. If you’re not there… Let just say that you cannot afford to make any mistakes during the training process, which makes it all the more difficult to succeed, especially when you hardly get any sleep. Those who fail are usually glad to go back home! One possible cause for individual failure is the inability of a trainee to perform certain tasks required to accomplish the objective. The trainee may have a skill deficiency or may have misunderstood the directions. Another possible cause for failure is lack of motivation. Some trainees, just do not pay attention, fall asleep especially during classes, or allow personal problems to interfere with their progress, or just do not have the proper attitude to receive training. Team failure can be caused by lack of coordination as a team, deficient performance on an individual on the team, or by a lack of leadership. The team will not perform good results if the team leader cannot make the right decisions quickly and communicate decisions clearly. If you have a good start in the first days, it is important not to become complacent with your performance so far as the first week is relatively easy compared to what is to come. You will feel tired and drained at this point and this is where your mental attitude is just as important as your physical fitness and stamina. Make sure you fill yourself up with the right sort of calories on the morning of each training in order to give yourself plenty of much-needed energy. It may seem obvious but also make sure you visit the toilet and empty your bowels! Taking a dump once out there may result hard. With that in mind, ensure you pack toilet roll in your bag, wrapped in plastic. At the beginning of each training day, listen to the instructor’s briefing and learn to remember it, as this won’t be issued twice. You will succumb to a number of highly physical exercise sessions that can last up to 2 hours and involve many different exercises. During these sessions you will carry out hundreds of press-ups, sit-ups, star jumps, shuttle runs, sprints, running up steep hills, you name it, you’ll be doing it! It is important to maintain a positive attitude and presence throughout. The I.S.A. is looking for people who can successfully pass each stage of the process yes still be fresh and ready for more action. If you can complete a tab or section of the training process and are on your knees, exhausted, and can no longer go any further then you are no use to anyone. Yes, you will feel absolutely shattered and exhausted at times during the process but always try to stand up straight, look as smart as possible, be focused, and ready for more. Make sure your map reading skills are good and you are familiar with the navigation basics. Put in the commitment and spend some time on the hills using your map and compass practicing your navigation skills. If you are poor at map reading and navigation you will find yourself following other groups in the hope that they know where they’re going. Do not rely on other people but have confidence in your own abilities. Blisters are generally caused by friction between the skin and another surface, whether it is your socks, your boots, or a combination of the two. Before we look at how to prevent and treat blisters consider the following points:
Whatever exercise you are taking part in, whether it is a 3Km. run, orienteering exercise, 8Km. halunka, or one of the main team exercises, try to finish in a good time and near to the front of the group. Once past the finish line say to yourself (or loud!) ‘That was east’, smile to the instructor, and get back to help the last ones to arrive. He is waiting for you to do that. It’s all about teamwork spirit, not competition. If you are completing an exercise in a group, then try to finish near the front. Whilst the I.S.A. do not like to show off, they do like to see someone complete each section of the course with energy to spare and in a position that is somewhere near to the front of the pack so he can be able to return and help injured partners. The only way you can achieve this is through high levels of fitness and determination. One of the most obvious, yet most ignored tip of all. During I.S.A. training courses you will notice four different types of people:
It doesn’t take much work out which category you need to fall into. Surprisingly, this category is the least represented at the beginning. Do not draw unnecessary attention to yourself and do not ass lick the Directing Staff. Failure on the course can come as a result of many different things – your actions, what you say, your attitude, laziness, or a lack of preparation, will all have you returned back home. Don’t join the drinkers down the town, even if you get Shabbats off. Remember that I.S.A. strictly prohibits you to drink alcohol during the course. Use your time wisely to rest and prepare and always remember – walls have ears! During training, you will learn the skills that are required to become a competent protection specialist. This will include training in weapons, standard V.I.P. operating procedures, desert training, V.I.O. escape, and evasion training. All members of the I.S.A. must be able to drive competently. The instructors will teach the candidate how to do these proficiently during training courses. I.S.A. – Israel operates through a set of rules and they are there as both a safety net and also as a method for ensuring that everyone adheres to the same principles. During training, you will learn them inside out and you will spend many hours putting them into practice. During assessments, a candidate’s ability to get on with the rest of the team is under scrutiny. The training places untold mental pressure on the individual in addition to the physical pressure. The purpose of this is to determine who is capable of looking after themselves and their V.I.P. whilst operating with the other members of the team. It is imperative that the I.S.A. admit the people they want during training and there is no time for moaning or whining. A job needs to be done and every member must be able to operate both individually and as part of a team. If one person lets the team down then the whole mission will fail and this is not acceptable. The I.S.A. will not abandon a task because of torrential rain, sleet, or snow. The task must be carried out and completed within a set timeframe regardless of the conditions. To complete this successfully takes a very special type of person. Not only is it physically unbearable, but the mental fatigue on a candidate’s mind is something they will have never experienced before. The demands of life in the Security Industry require each individual to be self-motivated or self-reliant; therefore it is imperative that each person can fend for himself. The I.S.A.’s training program builds self-confidence, promotes teamwork and esprit de corps, and develops professionalism in leaders. It transmits skills and knowledge and sustains proficiency in individual and collective tasks. I.S.A. instructors implement the best mix of individual and collective training to ensure that trainees learn and sustain proficiency in mission-essential skills. Trainees learn through performance-oriented training. This method requires them to perform tasks according to specific behaviors and standards, but not necessarily to occupy a specified time. The times indicated on the training schedule are only a guide for the instructors; training is conducted until standards are met. Training’s focus is on the actual performance of the task. The Team Leader training course consists of individual training that equips leaders to perform leadership tasks associated with the team’s operational mission, it develops leadership skills. It prepares a leader to lead a team, make decisions and develop tactical and technical proficiency. Instructors control step-by-step practice. They supervise each of the trainee’s actions because they want trainees to know the correct way to perform the task. Trainees must be able to concentrate on performing the task without worrying about failing. After they understand the basic steps, they are allowed more freedom. The environment is also controlled to simplify initial training. Too much realism at first can detract from the training task and make it difficult. Further in the course line, trainees are required to:
Trainees then practice protective formations in open areas. After mastering formations on the field, the teams move to a more realistic environment. Guns, pyrotechnics, and other simulated adversary situations are gradually added. At this point, the Team Leader is ready to practice leader tasks as the functioning participant leader of the team. As you can see, you are going to experience an assortment of thoughts and emotions. These can work for you or can work to your downfall. Fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, guilt, and depression are all possible reactions to the many stresses common to prolonged harsh training. These reactions, when controlled in a healthy way, help to increase a trainee’s likelihood of success. They prompt the trainee to pay more attention in training, to fight back when scared, to take actions that ensure sustenance and security, to keep faith with his fellow trainees, and to strive against large odds. When the trainee cannot control these reactions in a healthy way, they can bring him to a standstill. Instead of rallying his internal resources, the trainee listens to his internal fears. This trainee experiences psychological defeat long before physically succumbs. Remember, survival is natural to anyone; being unexpectedly thrust into the life and death struggle of survival is not. Don’t be afraid of your “natural reactions to unnatural situations”. Prepare yourself to rule over these reactions so they serve your ultimate interest – to have the honor and dignity associated with being an I.S.A. – Israel graduate. It involves preparation to ensure that your reactions in the I.S.A. course setting are productive, not destructive. The challenge of outstanding performance has produced countless examples of courage and altruism. These are the qualities it can bring out in you if you have prepared yourself. Below are a few tips to help prepare yourself psychologically for the training courses. Through studying this guide and preparation training you can develop the I.S.A. attitude.
Know yourself through training, family, and friends. Take time to observe who you are on the inside. Strengthen your stronger qualities and develop the areas that you know are necessary to survive the training courses.
Anticipate fears. Don’t pretend that you will have no fears. Begin thinking about what would frighten you the most if forced to do it. Train in those areas of concern to you. The goal is not to eliminate the fear, but to build confidence in your ability to function despite your fears.
Be realistic. Don’t be afraid to make an honest evaluation of situations. See circumstances as they are, not as you want them to be. Keep your hopes and expectations within the estimate of the situation. When you go into a survival setting with unrealistic expectations, you may be laying the groundwork for bitter disappointment. Follow the adage, “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” It is much easier to adjust to pleasant surprises about one’s unexpected good fortunes than to be upset by one’s unexpected harsh circumstances.
Adopt a positive attitude. Learn to see the potential good in everything. Looking for the good not only boosts morale but is also excellent for exercising your imagination and creativity.
Remind yourself what is at stake. Remember, failure to prepare yourself psychologically to cope with I.S.A.’s training leads to reactions such as depression, carelessness and inattention, loss of confidence, poor decision making, and giving up before the body gives in. At stake are your life and the lives of others (e.g. your team, the V.I.P) who depend on you to do your share.
Train. Begin today to prepare yourself to cope with the rigors of I.S.A. training courses. Demonstrating your skills in training will give you the confidence to call upon them should the need arise. Remember, the more realistic the training, the less overwhelming an actual course setting will be.
Learn stress management techniques. People under stress have the potential to panic if they are not well-trained and not prepared psychologically to face whatever the circumstances may be.
While we often cannot control the survival circumstances in which we find ourselves, it is in our ability to control our response to those circumstances. Learning stress management techniques can enhance significantly your capability to remain calm and focused as you work to keep yourself and others alive. A few good techniques to develop include relaxation skills, time management skills, assertiveness skills, and cognitive restructuring skills (the ability to control how you view a situation). Remember, “the will to succeed” can also be considered to be “the refusal to give up”. I will now describe to you one of the methods of instruction adopted by I.S.A. by aptly comparing it with that of the old burglar who taught his son the art of burglary. The burglar one evening said to his little son, whom he desired to instruct in the secret of his trade: “Would you not, my dear boy, be a great burglar like myself?” “Yes, father,” replied the promising young man. “Come with me, then. I will teach you the art.” So saying, the man went out, followed by his son. Finding a rich mansion in a certain village, the veteran burglar made a hole in the wall that surrounded it. Through that hole, they crept into the yard and opening a window with complete ease broke into the house, where they found a huge box firmly locked up as if its contents were very valuable articles. The old man clapped his hands at the lock, which, strange to fell, unfastened itself. Then he removed the cover and told his son to get into it and pick up treasures as fast as he could. No sooner had the boy entered the box than the father replaced the cover and locked it up. He then exclaimed at the top of his voice: “Thief! thief! thief! thief!” After that, having aroused the inmates, he went out without taking anything. The entire house was in utter confusion for a while; but finding nothing stolen, they went to bed again. The boy sat holding his breath for a short while, but making up his mind to get out of this narrow prison, began to scratch the bottom of the box with his fingernails. The servant of the house, listening to the noise, supposed it to be a mouse gnawing at the inside of the box; so she came out, lamp in hand, and unlocked it. On removing the cover, she was greatly surprised to find the boy instead of a little mouse and gave an alarm. In the meantime, the boy got out of the box and went down into the yard, hotly pursued by the people. He ran as fast as possible and hid among the bushes. The pursuers, thinking the thief fell into the pool, assembled around it, and were looking into it, while the boy crept out unnoticed through the hole and went home in safety. Thus the burglar taught his son how to rid himself of overwhelming difficulties by his own efforts; so also I.S.A. teaches his pupils how to overcome difficulties that beset them on all sites and work out rescue by themselves.
BLISTERS
During training, there is a strong possibility that you’ll encounter blisters. As you already know, blisters are excruciatingly painful so during your preparation, before you attend the courses, you should learn how to deal with them, but more importantly, take precautions to prevent them from happening in the first place. Hillwalkers, especially in the early days of their career, will encounter blisters. However, after a few tough walks in a pair of suitably fitting ‘worn in’ boots the skin will harden and the blisters will appear less frequently. This should be one of your aims during your preparation time – to harden the skin and experience the blisters before you attend the course. The only way to achieve this is to get out there training, both in the form of running and fast walking on rough terrain. Once a blister heals, the skin will harden and the chance of you getting a blister in the same area again will be unlikely. Another way to harden your skin and help prevent blisters is to use tannic acid or tea soak. Apply a 10% mixture of tannic acid to your feet or soak them in tea soak at least twice a day for a 3-week period prior to the course date.
If you do experience blisters during training then here’s what to do: If you suspect a blister may be about to appear then it needs to be treated straight away. Remove your boots or footwear and clean your feet before drying them thoroughly. Apply a special moleskin plaster to the affected area. Moleskins can be purchased from most good pharmacy stores and you should carry a few of them with you at all times whilst on the hills. Once you have stopped walking remove the special moleskin, clean and dry the affected area, and allow the air to get to the affected area, helping it to recover. Before you set off again the following day make sure you apply the moleskin plaster once more.
Treating severe blisters If the blister is filled with fluid then you should take a sterilized needle or a sharp blade and pierce the blister close to the base/side allowing the fluid to drain away. If the skin is still intact then do not remove it, as it will provide protection for the blister as it recovers. Now cover the affected area with a moleskin plaster. During training courses, you may come across a time when you have to either run or trek with a painful blister. Unfortunately, this is all part of it and it will be up to you to fight through the pain and continue on your way. The most effective tool you have against blisters is to use the weeks and months building up to selection wisely. During this time you should take steps to prevent blisters from occurring!
Contact With Local People
Some of the best and most frequently given advice, when dealing with local people, is for the individual to accept, respect, and adapt to their ways. Thus; “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” This is excellent advice, but there are several considerations involved in putting this advice into practice. “Cross-cultural communication” can vary radically from area to area and from people to people. A culture is identified by standards of behavior that its members consider proper and acceptable but may or may not conform to your idea of what is proper. No matter who these people are, you can expect they will have laws, social and economic values, and political and religious beliefs that may be radically different from yours. Before setting out into your area of operations, I.S.A. will help you to study these different cultural aspects. Prior study and preparation will help you make or avoid contact if you have to deal with the local population. People will be friendly, unfriendly, or they will choose to ignore you. Their attitude may be unknown. If the people are known to be friendly, try to keep them friendly through your courtesy and respect for their religion, politics, social customs, habits, and all other aspects of their culture. Usually, you have little to fear and much to gain from cautious and respectful contact with local people. If you become familiar with the local you should be able to avoid trouble and possibly gain needed help. The key to successful contact with local people is to be friendly, courteous, and patient. Displaying fear, showing weapons, and making sudden or threatening movements can cause a local person to fear you. Such actions can prompt a hostile response. When attempting a contact, smile as often as you can. Many local people are shy and seem unapproachable, or they may ignore you. Approach them slowly and do not rush your contact. Always treat people with respect. Do not bully them or laugh at them. A module part of the I.S.A. courses teaches you words and phrases in the Arab language. Trying to speak someone’s language is one of the best ways to show respect for his culture. Since English is widely used, some of the local people may understand a few words of English. Some areas may be taboo. They range from religious or sacred places to diseased or dangerous areas. Learn the rules and follow them. Watch and learn as much as possible. Such actions will help to strengthen relations and provide new knowledge and skills that may be important later. Always remember that people frequently insist that other people are hostile, simply because they do not understand different cultures and distant people. The people they can usually trust are their immediate neighbors – much the same as in our own neighborhood. Be very cautious when touching people. Many people consider “touching” taboo and such actions may be dangerous. Hospitality among Arab people is such a strong cultural trait that they may seriously reduce their own supplies to feed a stranger. Accept what they offer and share it equally with all present. Eat in the same way they eat and, most importantly, try to eat all they offer. If you are fed up and you don’t wish to accept more food, you can do so without giving offense. Frequently, the local people will accept the use of “the doctor’s recommendation excuse” or “personal or religious custom” as an explanation for your behavior. If you make any promises, keep them. Respect personal property and local customs and manners, even if they seem odd. Make some kind of payment for food, supplies, and so forth. Respect privacy. Do not enter a house unless invited. Remember, in today’s world of fast-paced international politics, political attitudes and commitments within nations are subject to rapid change. For that reason, people that you’ll meet, especially in politically hostile areas of Israel, must not be considered friendly just because they do not demonstrate open hostility. Unless briefed to the contrary by the I.S.A. avoid all contact with such people.
Three Insider Tips
Within this section of the guide, I have provided you with 3 of the most important tips to follow during selection. This list is not the “be all and end all” and you will find many hints, tips, and advice within this guide to assist you. However, the 3 tips contained on the following pages are very important and therefore should not be neglected.
Insider Tip Number 1 – Focus On Your Goal
Those who fail during training, do so for a number of reasons, which range from either a lack of determination, not listening to the instructors, misconduct (bad attitude, alcohol, etc.), not doing what they are told or simply, giving in. All of the above is a result of one thing – failing to focus on the ultimate goal, which is to graduate. I.S.A. training is tough and there are certainly no secret formulas to succeed. Your focus should begin months in advance of the course. Preparing yourself both mentally and physically is the key to your success. How badly you want this is down to you and nobody else. If you are determined to be successful then you will focus on your goal many months prior to your course start date. Keep a constant focus on your goal will enable you to condition your mind to what you want to achieve.
Insider Tip Number 2 – Fitness Preparation
This is an obvious tip but one that many people who are up for the course fail to take seriously. Your fitness levels prior to, and during courses are immensely important. Before you attend the courses you will have a good idea of what lies ahead, therefore you have the advantage of knowing how to prepare effectively for it. Read the sections within this guide that relate to fitness preparation and start your training regime at least 3 months in advance of your anticipates selection date. Your fitness training program should involve a number of different disciplines. Do not make the mistake of simply going out on a number of ‘long runs’. You must include a variety of different exercises, each with varying intensity, duration, and repetitions, in order to condition your body for the selection process. The variety included within the ‘How to get I.S.A. fit’ training guide is for a good reason and is something you should take seriously. A varied exercise program will improve your fitness, strength, and stamina far more effectively than one that is monotonous and single-tier. Variety, in terms of the different exercises, utilizes and the intensity of each training session is the key to your success.
Insider Tip Number 3 – Look After Your Feet
If your feet are in poor condition then don’t expect to get too far during the course. Think about it logically – if the tires on your car are worn down and in a poor state of repair then you are likely to slide around the road surface and the possibility of you getting a puncture will dramatically increase. A similar rule applies to your feet – if you protect them with wet or dirty socks and you wear the wrong boots then you will soon realize that you cannot go much further. Throughout the courses make sure your socks are clean and dry at the times and that you carry a spare pair with you in your bag so that you can change them whenever necessary. Remember to clean and thoroughly dry your feet first before changing your socks. It is recommended to wear two different pairs of socks. A thin synthetic one covered by a cotton one. This helps you to prevent blisters. Training requires you to trek many kilometers during the course duration period across some difficult terrain. On top of this, you will be carrying heavy weights in the form of your riffle, bullet-proof vest, and sometimes the halunka with a “wounded” team member. Therefore the weight that is distributed to your feet greatly increases. Make sure your boots are in good condition, worn-in, and feel comfortable. One of the biggest mistakes you can make during training selection is to arrive with a brand new pair of shining boots! Whilst you may look the smartest you will soon be sporting a number of blisters. There are a number of ways that you can increase the life of your boots and also protect them during training. The first and most obvious method is to ensure your boots are kept clean whenever possible. Do not simply place them under a hot running tap, but meticulously clean off the dirt and mud carefully with just enough hot water so that you don’t ‘over wet’ your boots. Following on from this your boots should be kept dry. It will be up to you to make sure your boots are kept dry. Remember to keep bootlaces clean and dry too as constant dampness can cause them to rot. If you are out on a long trek then the last thing you need is your laces falling apart on you. Take the time to change your laces every night after returning from each trek and keep them as clean and dry as possible. Also, carry a spare pair of laces with you in your bag just in case you need them. All this extra time and effort spent looking after yourself and your clothing may seem to be a pain in the ass but it is definitely worth the effort. Finally, take with you a protective boot wax, which will add to the waterproofing of the footwear and help to keep your boots supple and comfortable.
Inner Strength
There are two kinds of strength, just as there are Yin and Yang. The outer, physical strength is obvious, fades with age, and is dissipated by excess. The inner strength is by far the more powerful of the two, but it must be developed through constant practice and study. This, like many transcendental subjects, cannot be adequately described in word or print. But, it can be experienced. The purpose of any path of enlightenment is to “show the student his true face.” If it does not do this, it has failed as a philosophy and is useless. The phrase comes from a tribal legend when men first contemplated the nature of the universe. The story goes that once upon a time a tiger was chasing some goats, trying to catch one for dinner. During the chase, the tiger was injured and, as she lay dying, gave birth to a tiger cub. The goats, having never seen a baby tiger before, adopted it into the herd. As he grew, the cub was not a very good goat. He didn’t have the right kind of teeth for chewing grass, and he liked to climb up in the trees and sleep, which made the other goats jealous. One day, another tiger came along and started trying to catch one for dinner as before. He came upon the young tiger, cowering in the brush. “What are you doing?” Asked the old tiger. “Hiding,” replied the younger. “Why?” “I’m afraid you’ll eat me,” answered the young tiger. “Come with me.” Laughed the old tiger. Whereupon he took the young tiger to his cave and bade him eat of a freshly killed antelope. The young tiger told him he was a vegetarian. But the old tiger made him eat; telling him the meat would make him strong. After a while, he took the young tiger to the lake and told him to look at his reflection before he took a drink. “You see, your face is the same as mine. You are not a goat. You are a tiger. You must act like a tiger. That is the nature of things.” This is the purpose of the I.S.A.’s Inner Strength training. Man perceives reality as a filtered reflection in the pool of his subconscious mind. Ripples of annoyance, the wind of imagination, and waves of emotion often disturb this pool. All of which distort the perception of reality. The goal of the training is to “calm the waters” of this pool so that the student can see himself and the world clearly. The secret is perseverance, diligence, and quiet determination which performed on a daily basis proves continuous improvement. I.S.A does not hurry the Inner Strength training process because it does not expect instant results. But, slowly, slowly, after a few weeks, you will notice that an old injury no longer aggravates you, or that you are sleeping better. Then will come to the subtle sounds and sensations. A feeling of lightness, a tingle up the spine, the sound of your own heartbeat. These are signs of steady progress. You will learn to develop coordination between your mind and body. The training will cause you to think about ideas and questions that you might never have considered before as well as learn to observe your thoughts and thought patterns. In this way, you can learn to control them. If you are a runner, you may have already demonstrated this power to yourself. Think of the internal dialogue that continuously rumbles through your head as you begin your jogging. After you’ve run for a while, you get your breath controlled in a certain rhythm. You keep running, all the while your mind telling you to stop until at some point you break through that pain, and you are just jogging without any voice in your head telling you that you have to stop. This is an effect of controlling your mind through breathing and physical activity. You will also begin to feel a power in your mind: it will feel like your mind is growing in size and strength as you learn to direct all your thoughts toward one specific goal or desire. And finally, you will feel a spirit growing in your life, the SPIRIT OF SUCCESS.
Hand-to-Hand Combat
Since the time of tile cavemen, techniques of personal combat have been in the process of evolution. There are many methods and systems of personal combat. The methods of teaching them are equally varied. Some are good, some bad, some practical, others nonpractical. I.S.A. does not, and could not cover all methods. It offers a compilation of the most practical methods known to the operatives. Tibetan monks of the 1st century are reputed to have been among the first to develop a definite system of fighting without weapons. These monks, prohibited by the rules of their order from bearing arms, developed a system of unarmed combat to protect themselves from the brigands and robber bands of that era. Their system of combat involved sports and jiu-jitsu have been developed. Sometime after the 1st century, the Japanese learned of this method of combat and, characteristically, copied it and claimed its origin. They gave it the name of jiu-jitsu and claimed that it was developed during their mythological age.
PURPOSES OF I.S.A.’s HAND-TO-HAND TRAINING
Hand-to-hand combat is an engagement between two or more persons in an empty-handed struggle or with hand-held weapons such as knives, sticks, or projectile weapons that cannot be fired. Proficiency in hand-to-hand combat is one of the fundamental I.S.A.’s building blocks for training the elite Close Protection Operative. A C.P.O must be prepared to use different levels of force in an environment where conflict may change from low intensity to high intensity over a matter of hours. Many protective operations may restrict the use of deadly weapons. Hand-to-hand training will save lives when an unexpected confrontation occurs. More importantly, this training helps to instill courage and self-confidence. With competence comes the understanding of controlled aggression and the ability to remain focused while under duress. The overall effect of the training is:
BASIC PRINCIPLES Underlying all techniques are principles that hand-to-hand fighter must apply to successfully defeat an opponent. The natural progression of techniques will instill these principles into the C.P.O.
Unarmed combat is just what the name implies: a system of fighting intended for use when weapons are not available or when their use is not advisable. A Close Protection Operative carries weapons in addition to those given him by nature, but he must not depend solely on his firearm or other issue equipment. These are only mechanical aids and will not always sustain him. Long before the existence of the stone, knife, the bow, and the arrow, primitive men fought with their hands, teeth, legs, feet, and body. But through the centuries, unarmed combat tactics became more refined and skillful, until they reached their peak in the commando-type training given in certain military units. NEITHER war nor individual combat is won solely by defensive, psychology, or tactics. In I.S.A. personal combat training courses, it is often difficult to determine where defense ends and offense begins. Often the only defense is a good offense as they use to say. However, in all cases, knowledge of possible methods of attack showed enables a defense to be better planned. The methods advocated in the training courses are simple and are based on a style of fighting that knows no rules, that depends on speed and ruthlessness for results. Boxing and wrestling are sports. They can be used only to a limited extent in vital combat. The fighting tactics discussed here at I.S.A., however, are designed to knock out, maim, or kill, as the situation may demand. Types of hand-to-hand combat that demand set positions and complicated maneuvers – for the C.P.O. on its attacker – are practically useless when he finds himself projected into physical combat at an unexpected time. To be able to rely upon and use instinctively a specific hold or throw for each set or different position of an attacker is a difficult task. To be able to do so swiftly and instinctively demands months and sometimes years of practice. It takes time to train the mind and body to react to each set of conditions instinctively and in the prescribed method. For example, this is one of the weaknesses of the jiu-jitsu technique. Be certain maneuvers and movements, a jiu-jitsu expert can place an antagonist in the proper position for a specific throw, but for the layman, it is much too complicated and, according to normal standards, takes too long to learn. The combat tactics advocated at I.S.A. do not depend on any set stance or position to achieve results. They are based on what the smallest man can do to the largest, using the element of surprise, when possible, with ruthless disregard for the opponent. “Do unto others as they would unto you, but do it first.” Again, I.S.A. teaches that unarmed combat tactics should be used when weapons are not available. It is not intended that the Bodyguard lay aside his weapons to engage in such combat. However, he must not be dependent on his weapons to the point where he is helpless without them – for psychological as well as practical reasons. Training and skill in this type of fighting create all-around self-confidence and enables the C.P.O. to handle all situations in which he must depend only on those weapons given him by nature.
KRAV MAGA
OFFICIAL ISRAELI SYSTEM OF SELF DEFENSE
A self-defense system called Krav Maga also called the official Israeli self-defense system was created by Imi Lichtenfeld about forty years ago. The idea of Krav Maga is to teach anyone, regardless of age, physical prowess, and experience how to defend themselves against a variety of attacks. Because of Krav Maga’s effectiveness, Krav Maga has gained acceptance in many of the world’s military and para-military organizations. This style has been accepted into the training programs of the Special Operations Battalion of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro, the municipal guard of the same country, the G.I.G.N. of France, the FBI, the L.A. SWAT teams, etc. As mentioned, Krav Maga (“Contact Combat” in Hebrew) is the official self-defense and fighting system used by the Israeli Defense Forces (I.D.F.), Israeli Police, and Security Services. It is also taught in institutions associated with the Israeli Ministry of Education, and since 1964, Krav Maga has been taught to civilians all over the world. After development and refinement during years of conflict, Krav Maga emphasizes easy learning techniques that have been battle-tested in real, life-threatening confrontations. Through the years, the system came to be used not only by the IDF but also by Israeli’s security forces, the Mossad, and the police. The system is computer tested, reexamined, and adjusted on an ongoing basis. Krav Maga focuses on building readiness, physical fitness, and confidence. Krav Maga is taught in many public schools in Israel. Krav Maga is different than most other martial arts systems (but not all) because there are no rules in Krav Maga. All things that are available are accepted and any attack and defense combination is welcomed to the art. Most of the techniques themselves are combat-oriented versions of techniques borrowed from martial arts such as jiu-jitsu, aikido, boxing, karate, and judo as well as a number of lesser-known but equally effective martial arts systems. Krav Maga was developed in an environment where the Israeli military could not devote many hours of hand-to-hand combat training for their personnel. Therefore, the Krav Maga system was created with great importance placed on bringing students to a high level of skill in a relatively (comparing some traditional arts) short period of time. There are no katas or rules in the system. As it is said anything goes when you are fighting for your life. Students of Krav Maga will learn kicking and punching techniques that emphasize quick speed attacks to vital areas such as the groin, eyes, and throat. Low kicks to the knee may also be used. Defenses against armed multiple attackers are thought and students learn also basic weapons such as knife, short staff, and bayonet rifle to include in their repertoire. Defenses against different types of submission hold like full nelsons, chokes, bear hugs, and lapel grabs will be thought so that students have at their knowledge which way to respond to an attack. While learning starts from basics, students rapidly progress to full speed sparring, where wear protective equipment is used to cushion blows and protect the vital areas. This type of training allows examination of technique and introduces the student to a small sampling of what a real attack situation may be like. As Krav Maga is a survival system dealing with personal safety issues in the context of defending against both armed and unarmed attackers, it is considered to be a modern, highly refined, street fighting system, designed to be utilized against muggings, street attacks, and sexual attacks. Emphasis is placed on using exactly what is appropriate and needed to the situation. Initially designed to give the Israeli Defense Forces a centralized self-defense system, Krav Maga today has blossomed in popularity due to its realistic focus on personal protection techniques and its casual but simultaneously serious environment. The style includes techniques utilized in Aikido, Karate, boxing, Judo, and Jiu-jitsu as well as a variety of techniques from a number of less well-known defense methods. The style looks to build on a person’s natural reflexes so that initially, the I.S.A. student can build up a repertoire of simple but effective techniques for various threatening situations including neck locks/chokes/bear hugs/shirt holds and arm grabs. Krav Maga has no katas or specific sequences that must be followed. I.S.A. students will use the basic sequence of moves in conjunction with any one of a number of other dynamic moves to fend off an attack, the key idea being adaptability to new situations through improvisation. Also in the initial stages of the course, students are taught to kick and punch effectively. The punching is drawn from boxing, as opposed to the traditional martial art styles, and low kicks to knee and groin are emphasized. Also, the beginner is taught to be able to fall and roll correctly. In later stages, restraining techniques along with neck and wrist manipulation are learned along with ground-based drills. At this stage, techniques for dealing with an armed opponent are introduced. Weapons include a stick, knife, and gun. Also, it is not assumed that you are always unarmed and so proficiency with a knife and stick is also taught. As I.S.A.’s Krav Maga training continues, learning to deal with more than one armed opponent is introduced. These situations do not have specific sequences, as predicting the actions of two people is near impossible and so the student must use and adapt what he has learned so far to cope with a ‘chaotic‘ situation. At the final levels. V.I.P. threatening situations are introduced i.e. drills to deal with a 3rd person being threatened with a gun. Also, Military techniques of covert debilitation and assassination are shown. Emphasis is put on speed, endurance, strength, accuracy, and coordination. Initially, all trainees need to wear casual tracksuit bottoms, soft/light shoes, and the I.S.A. blue t-shirt. However, when training progresses, other equipment gradually accumulated are shin pads, groin cup, mouth guard, and a set of boxing gloves.
History of Krav Maga
The history of Krav Maga is linked to the development of the state of Israel’s military forces and the life of the founder, Imi Lichtenfeld. As told, the development of the state of Israel and the need for the Israeli military to protect its country is one of the world’s most hostile areas, gave the base for creating Krav Maga. Imrich Sde-or (Imi Lichtenfeld) born in Budapest in 1910, Imi grew up in an environment where sports, law, and education were respected. Imi was encouraged by his father to engage in a wide range of sports, including martial arts. Imi’s father, Samuel, a circus weightlifter and wrestler, worked later also at the police forces and actually served for many years as Chief Detective Inspector. As the prove of Imi’s physical talents, Imi won the Slovakian Youth Wrestling Championship in 1928, and in 1929 the adult championship (in the light and middleweight division.) That year he also won the national boxing championship and an international gymnastics championship. A little bit later Imi’s athletic activities focused mainly on wrestling, as a contestant and a trainer. In the mid-thirties, the atmosphere in Bratislava started to change. Fascist and anti-Semitic groups rose, with their meaning to upset the public order and harm the city’s Jewish community. Imi was involved with groups of young Jews whose aim was to disrupt the anti-Semitic activities that were also supported by some political powers. Imi became the undrowned leader of a group of young Jews, most of them with a background in boxing, wrestling, and weightlifting. The group attempted to block the anti-Semitic bands from harming Jewish community. Between 1936 and 1940, Imi was involved with many forceful protests against the current political powers and was forced to fight in street brawls and confrontations. It was in these fights that Imi understood the difference between street fighting and competition fighting. In 1949, pursued by the government, Imi left his home and boarded the Petchko, the last immigrant ship to escape the Nazi clutches. His efforts to find a new home took two years. Later he proceeded to volunteer for service in a Czech military unit of the British armed forces. The unit served during World War II in Lebanon, Syria, Libya, and Egypt. This combat experience led him to further refine his skills. When discharged in 1942, he requested and was allowed to immigrate to Israel. After noticing Imi’s extensive self-defense skills, Imi was recruited by Isaac Sadeh, the commanding officer of the Haganah in 1942. Later Imi began to teach Kapap (hand to hand combat) and physical exercise to the most elite Special Forces units of the Haganah, Palmach, and Palyam. In the mid-1940s, Imi worked with the Israeli Defense Force (IFD), teaching its members physical fitness, swimming, wrestling, use of the knife, and defense against knife attacks. During this period, firearms were outlawed and in very scarce supply. They were hidden away from the British and only used for special missions. The fact that firearms could not be used had a great influence on the development of this style. In 1948, when the State of Israel was founded, Imi became the chief instructor for physical fitness and Krav Maga at the IDF. For the next twenty years, Imi worked with the IDF, developing and refining his method for self-defense and hand-to-hand combat. After retiring from active duty from the IDF in the ’60s, Imi began adapting the style for civilian use. He established two schools, to Netanya and in Tel Aviv. The work in the following years and up to today was to design the system to confront everyday attacks and street confrontations problems. Imi further refined his techniques to be used for civilian needs. One result of progression was Krav Maga’s use of belts. At first, Imi didn’t want to use belts in training, because it was a military system, but trying to get recognition from other martial artists he designed a belt system based on the Judo and also started training in Judo gi’s. Later Imi decided that belts shouldn’t be a part of the system because it originally did not have any reason to use belts and the use of belts did not have any realistic or practical meaning in the system. So the system of grades was kept, and the belts were replaced with a system of Practitioner/Graduate/Expert levels. The Krav Maga training suits today consist of black pants and white t-shirts. Some countries still use the belts in the curriculum, but not in training. Imi and his senior instructors formed the first Krav Maga Association in 1978, and in 1995 the International Krav Maga Federation was formed in Netanya, to help spread the system around the world. After years of training, many changes were made to the system both technically and visually, but Imi never forgot the basic lines of the system: simplicity, effectiveness, and realism. Imi Lichtenfeld died on Jan 8th 1998, at age 88.
Principles of Krav Maga
It can be said that the Krav Maga is not a martial art, but rather an art of self-defense. Using the student’s size, strength, and abilities, the attacker’s own force is used against him, as is often the case in many martial styles. The movements are designed on basic body movements, making their use easier, more reflexive, and effective in self-defense situations. The sequences of moves are short, designed for real-life situations, with no rules, and trained to the level of reflex action. Krav Maga was formulated to fit everyone — man or women, child or adult — to protect themselves in case of attack. Krav Maga is designed specifically for self-defense. The philosophy is based on the idea that while the practice of self-defense may not be compatible with every personality, ignoring the need for self-defense will not make you safe from violence. Krav Maga is comprised of two pain parts: self-defense and hand-to-hand combat. Self-defense is the foundation of Krav Maga. Students learn to defend themselves against hostile actions, to avoid injury, and to quickly overcome their assailant. Krav Maga defenses address a wide variety of aggressive acts, such as punches, kicks, chokes, bearhugs, headlocks, grabs, as well as defenses against multiple assailants and assailants armed with a firearm, edged weapon, or blunt object. Students apply the relevant Krav Maga principles and techniques in a multitude of situations, even in unfamiliar or adverse circumstances, such as dark surroundings; from a sitting or lying position; with limited freedom or movement; or under extreme stress and/or fatigue. Hand-to-hand combat constitutes a more advanced and sophisticated phase of Krav Maga which teaches how to neutralize an opponent quickly and effectively. It embodies elements related to the actual performance of the fight: tactics, feints, powerful combinations of different attacks, the psychological dimensions of the fight, and learning how to use the environment to your advantage. In addition, Krav Maga incorporates specialized training methods to not only challenge students physically, but also instill into the student a special mental discipline meant to strengthen the spirit and to develop the ability to deal with violent confrontations under high stress. These training methods have been used in Israel’s most elite units and have proven themselves in real fighting. The goals of Krav Maga training are courage, emotional stability, patience, and respect. The student learns these principles through workouts, practice, and the development of their skills. As with many martial systems, the intent is to remove the student from the need for violence, while preparing them to meet it when violence occurs. The main principles of Krav Maga:
Techniques of Krav Maga
The techniques of Krav Maga are based on the transference of energy and explosive action. The strikes are powerful and designed for maximum effect to specific target areas. Students are trained to be fully aware of their surroundings and the potential for violence. As with most martial styles, the beginning student practices blocks, punches, kicks, and specific strikes, along with defensive moves for grabs and attacks. As the learning progresses, the student moves to more sophisticated techniques against longer-range situations and multiple directions. Some holds are taught so as to subdue an opponent. Face-to-face combat begins with this level, to accustom the student to the “feel” of an attack. Further training teaches additional holds, as well as releases from the holds. Specific defenses, immobilization techniques, and throws are also added to the curriculum. As the student gains skill, weapons training begins using knife, staff, club, and nunchaku. As the black belt level is reached, training with rifles having fixed bayonets is taught, based on the military roots of the system. The lethal nature of the Krav Maga system simulates real-life situations. It teaches people how to save lives and to cope with common street violence. To be effective in the streets, Krav Maga cannot include rules and limitations. Therefore, there are no sports competitions for Krav Maga because it is designed to remain a realistic fighting system. Students are instructed in state-of-the-art defensive principles that apply to a variety of threatening attacks that occur during commonly documented street crimes. Students train from a position of disadvantage in real-time and real speed. Defensive maneuvers are combined with simultaneous counterattacks until all potential danger is eliminated. Unique training methods are employed to simulate violent street encounters. This is necessary to place students under extreme stress while performing Krav Maga techniques. Students learn to go from a passive to an aggressive state quickly. Krav Maga also teaches students to function with their attention divided; while fatigued; and when they are faced with a multitude of spontaneous attack scenarios. Krav Maga Techniques for Self-Defense consists following levels:
For the Military and Law Enforcement Professional training also includes:
MANAGEMENT
Protection operations are demanding and complex. They are inherently dangerous, including tough, realistic training. Managing risks related to such operations requires educated judgment and professional competence. The risk management process allows individuals to make informed, conscious decisions to accept risks at acceptable levels. Protection management is not an add-on feature to the decision-making process but rather a fully integrated element of planning and executing operations. Risk management helps the C.P.O. to preserve resources, power, and security and to retain the flexibility for bold and decisive action. Trainees at the Protection Management course use the risk assessment to identify tactical and accident risks, which trey reduce by avoiding, controlling, or eliminating hazards. They will understand the importance of the process in conserving power and resources. Risk is characterized by both the probability and severity of a potential loss that may result from hazards due to the presence of an adversary, or some other hazardous condition. Perception of risk varies from person to person. What is risky or dangerous to one person may not be to another. Perception influences leaders’ decisions. Failure to effectively manage the risk may make an operation too costly – politically, economically, and in terms of combat power (C.P.O. lives and equipment). The world is inherently complex, dynamic, and fluid. It is characterized by uncertainty, ambiguity, and friction. Uncertainty results from unknowns or lack of information. Ambiguity is the blurring or fog that makes it difficult to distinguish fact from impression about a situation and the enemy. Friction results from change, operational hazards, fatigue, and fears brought on by danger. These characteristics cloud the operating environment; they create risks that affect a protection team’s ability to succeed. In uncertainty, ambiguity, and friction, both danger and opportunity exist. Hence, a team leader’s ability to adapt and take risks are key traits. Trainees at the Protection Management course are given group tasks involving real-life event’s security management. Completing the risk assessment alone, but failing to identify effective controls, usually results in a GO or NO-GO decision based on the initial risk. If the risk assessment does not accurately identify the hazards and determine the level of residual risk, the team leader is likely to make his risk decision based upon incomplete or inaccurate information. For the I.S.A. it is imperative to develop twenty-first-century leaders who trust their teams’ abilities and judgment. Such leaders must be willing to underwrite their operatives’ honest errors and coach them on to excellence, without tolerating incompetence or laxity. Leaders should not expect that all missions will be accomplished with zero defects – free from errors, flaws, or less-then perfect performance. Demanding such rigid standards leads to over-supervision and paralysis; it produces timid leaders, afraid to make tough decisions in a crisis, and unwilling to take risks necessary for success in operations. A zero defects mindset creates conditions that will lead inevitably, in the larger sense, to failure in operations. Furthermore, risk management does mean 100% active efforts. The objective of managing risk is not to remove all risk, but to eliminate unnecessary risk. C.P.O. and Team Leaders will have the skills, knowledge, and attitude to effectively manage risks inherent in all operations. Effective training helps trainees become proficient. It qualifies them technically and tactically, and as leaders, to accomplish the mission without unnecessary risk.
COMBAT TRAINING
COMBAT shooting with a pistol or rifle is a type of shooting that occurs frequently in certain courses of the I.S.A. It is neither target shooting nor defensive shooting. It is offensive shooting and is the quickest way to ensure the successful conclusion of a gun battle with a shooting terrorist. The handgun is the basic weapon of many Bodyguards. They are trained to use it as a tool for their trade. When a C.P.O. is faced by an attacker who has a gun in his hand and murder in his heart, he must be able to use his firearm instantly and effectively. Only his superior speed and accuracy will enable him to come out of most combat situations alive. Some Bodyguards carry their sidearm for years without actually having to fire them; while others, by virtue of their assignments, have to use them frequently. Regardless of the number of times it has to use his weapon, he should always employ it so as to get the maximum result from its offensive, combat potentialities. To do this, he must have had thorough training in its combat use. Training and skill in target shooting alone will not make him proficient in actual combat. This is especially true when he is under combat tension and is faced at close quarters, by a target that shoots back. Most important in training with the handgun is the attitude toward the weapon and its use. The I.S.A. trainee must never forget that combat shooting is different from shooting at a fixed target. In combat, he is shooting at a target that shoots back. No time is permitted for the precision of the target range. The stance, grip, and actual firing taught must be that which come naturally to the man who may himself be under fire. The trainee is cautioned repeatedly during the training period that he should have a previously fixed idea in his mind of what he will do in combat. While he is engaged in practice firing his mind as well as his reflexes should be in unison in order to avoid panic. He should in practice, every time he pulls the trigger, visualize in his mind that he is firing at a target that shoots back. In this manner, the reflexes of drawing, aiming, or firing a gun at a human target become an instinctive, automatic reaction. At the courses, trainees will get to practice the quick draw – in the complete movement of pointing, drawing, and squeezing the trigger. And they will do this for several hours. With their weapons double-checked for safety (or with the cylinders filled by means that make it impossible for a live round to be fired in the weapon), the I.S.A. trainees carry their guns in their holsters and proceed to other training in which they may be engaged. While they are proceeding with their duties, the instructor gives a previously arranged signal (such as “mehabel” or “terrorist”) at an unexpected time. The students receiving the command will execute a quick draw, point their gun at the one who issues the command, and pull the trigger. This gives the I.S.A. trainee the closest thing to actual combat drawing and firing that can be devised. The element of surprise – having to draw from any position and follow through with pointing the weapon; pulling the trigger as if an actual shot were fired-closely simulates the real thing. A similar quick-draw situation is injected into the practical shooting range training. The actual quick-draw and firing of live ammunition it’s preceded by plenty of dry practice. The speed of the draw it’s slow at first so that the initial grip on the weapon is correct. Through practice, speed will increase. The actual combat life of the C.P.O. who may carry a shoulder weapon is often measured in seconds-split seconds. In close-quarter combat or in fighting, he must be able to use this weapon quickly, accurately, and instinctively. Close-quarter firing, in the case of shoulder weapons, is presumed to be any combat situation where the attacker is not over 30m. distant and the elements of time, surprise, poor light, and individual nervous and physical tension are present. In street and jungle fighting and in close protection work opportunities for skilled, close-quarter work with the rifle, riot gun, carbine, and submachine gun are becoming increasingly frequent. It follows, then, that a method of shooting these weapons so that they can be brought into action with the least possible delay is emphasized in I.S.A. training courses. The aimed shot always should be made when the time and light permit. However, in close-quarter fighting, there is not always sufficient time to raise the weapon to the shoulder, line up the sights and squeeze off the shot. Consequently, training only in the aimed type of rifle fire does not completely equip the Bodyguard who carries a shoulder weapon for all the exigencies of combat. As in combat shooting with the handgun, he is trained in a method in which he can use a shoulder weapon quickly and instinctively and without sight. A lack of moral qualifications, guts, and courage will always contribute to a poor close-quarter rifle or handgun shooting, but lack of combat training is the principal cause. I.S.A. rifle training teaches the correct use of the sights and the aimed shot. These principles are correct when time and light are present so that the rifle can be used in combat as on the range. However, dark alleys and streets, night convoys, poor visibility, and street and house fighting – all create combat situations where the opportunity for the aimed shot will not always be present. The C.P.O. must be able to shoot a shoulder weapon in these situations without taking time to sight. The first hits are the ones that count. A module in the I.S.A. training courses will enable the trainee to handle most of those situations in which he finds himself held at the point of a gun. By proper training and practice in disarming, skill and self-confidence can be developed to a point where the trainee will become master of any situation in which he is confronted by a gun pointed at him by an attacker who is within arm’s length. Disarming it’s also been taught in the Krav Maga module. There are many cases on record in which prisoners of war and criminals have escaped, killed, or seriously injured men who were holding them at gunpoint. On the other hand, many military and police organizations have cases on record in which their own men have successfully disarmed armed individuals. Disarming is a technique that can be successfully used by trained C.P.O. It is a subject which is not presented cold to trainees, but with proper indoctrination and training. If a method of disarming would be presented without a proper introduction, the chances are that the trainee will practice it only half-heartedly and will never have the confidence really to use it when an opportunity presents itself. The factors which influence disarming are fully explained before a trainee can evaluate his chances of success in my given technique. The methods presented at I.S.A. have stood the test of actual combat. They come from experience gained during the study and intensive training of several thousand men. The Bodyguard can use them successfully if he understands the basic principles and has had a moderate amount of training and practice. These techniques succeed principally because they are simple. Combat inside buildings, where C.P.O. attacks or defends himself against an attacker, differs from street fighting. Street fighting, especially in high-risk zones, in the “Stalingrad” sense, means heavy artillery, mortars, smoke, grenades, automatic weapons, flame throwers, and similar equipment of the modern terrorists. Normally, in-room combat, the only armament will be small arms such as the Bodyguard normally carries, plus any other weapons he may improvise on the spur of the moment necessary to get the attacker, dead or alive, in the shortest possible time, and the operative must depend upon himself, his team, and the small arms he normally carries. Human life is precious. To guard it and to permit the individual to enjoy its privileged I.S.A. has established rules and has organized itself against unlawful violence. War is a brutal business. There is where lots of Bodyguards are serving their protégé. And personal combat at close quarters is its most brutal aspect. It conforms to no set rules of conduct. There the C.P.O. meets the terrorist that feels he must win at any cost. He is forced to adapt himself to a pattern of behavior that is foreign to his education and his religious beliefs. To he himself survive, the I.S.A. teaches him all the dirty tricks of close combat; even as the attacker knows them. He must match them trick for trick. Further, he will be able to protect his V.I.P. in case of an attack as ruthlessly as he, in turn, would be attacked if he waited. It is a split of a second business. There is no time allowed for moral debate. In close combat, it is now or never.
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Additional Chapter: THE SAMURAI
The samurai were the warrior class of feudal Japan; it was a hereditary and not an earned position, although their training was extensive and precise. Most Westerners imagine them as something like meditating mercenaries. While they were meditative and highly intellectual, they were far from mercenary. Their loyalty to their or feudal lord was absolute: should he die, either in battle or simply in his sleep, the samurai killed themselves. As you can see, a samurai’s employment was quite literally for life. These men would just as soon die as live, and they made no distinction between a fight to the death and a game of cards. They lived the budo, or warrior spirit. Remnants of the samurai’s employment for life can be seen today in the much-heralded Japanese ethic of lifetime employment. Considering the day-to-day vagaries of the modern workplaces, its economics, and politics, this attitude would require a focus of will that Westerners rarely accomplish. Samurai were distinguished by their manliness and dignity in manner, sometimes amounting to rudeness. This is due partly to the hard discipline that they underwent, and partly to the mode of instruction. Samurai encountered death, as is well known, with unflinching courage. He would never turn back when confronting his enemy. To be called a coward was for him the dishonor worse than death itself. To a Bodyguard be a Bodyguard and not a beast, then be must be a Samurai brave, generous, upright, faithful, and manly, full of self-respect and self-confidence, at the same time full of the spirit of self-sacrifice.
Additional Chapter: STATE OF ISRAEL’S VIVID HISTORY
Because the creation of Krav Maga is linked, at least some level, to the development of the state of Israel’s military forces, it’s also useful to get a deeper look at what was happening in Israel in those first years when the State of Israel and Israel’s defense forces where formed. Starting from The War of Independence (1947-49). The war was fought along the entire, long border of the country: against Lebanon and Syria in the north, Iraq, and Transjordan – in the east, assisted by Sudan – in the south, and Palestinians and volunteers from Arab countries in the interior of the country. It was the most costly war of Israel’s history, more than 6,000 Jewish fighters and civilians died. At the war’s end in 1949, the State of Israel was confronted with a number of problems: hundreds of thousands of new immigrants and a festering refugee problem on its borders and maintaining a defense against hostile and numerically superior Arabs. Faced with such problems, the government sought to ensure a fluid transition from existing pre-state institutions to the new state apparatus. It announced the formation of a Provisional Council of State. A key element was the integration of Israel’s independent military forces into a unified military structure. On May 28, 1948, Ben-Gurion’s provisional government created the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Zvah Haganah Le Yisrael, and at the same time maintenance of other armed forces was prohibited. This proclamation was challenged by the Irgun, a ship carrying arms, into Tel Aviv harbor. Ben-Gurion ordered Haganah troops to fire on the ship, which was set aflame on the beach in Tel Aviv. By January 1949, Ben-Gurion had also dissolved the Palmach, the strike force of the Haganah. In July 1950, the Law of Return was assigned: “Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an olah (new immigrant)”. Between May 1948 and December 31, 1951, approximately 684,000 Jewish immigrants entered the new state, thus providing a Jewish majority in the region for the first time in the modern era. The largest single group of immigrants consisted of Jews from Eastern Europe; more than 300,000 people came from refugee and displaced person camps. After independence, the areas in which 90 percent of the Arabs lived, were placed under military government. The government created three areas to be ruled by the Ministry of Defence. The first was the Northern Area, Galilee Area; the second was the so-called Little Triangle, located between the villages of Et Tira and Et Taiyiba near the Jordan border (Transjordan). The third area included much of the Negev Desert. In April 1950 King Abdullah of Transjordan annexed the West Bank and East Jerusalem, thus creating the united Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Ben-Gurion thought this would mean an end to independent claims on Israeli territory and maternal claims on confiscated Arab territory. Abdullah was assassinated in July 1951. And Israel was boycotted by all its Arab neighbors. Surrounded by enemies and having to integrate thousands of immigrants into the new state, the government attempted to make the IDF the new unifying symbol of the fledgling state. Israel needed a unity of purpose, which could be provided by a strong army that would defend the country against its enemies and help assimilate its culturally diverse immigrants. In 1953 Israel’s defense Minister Pinchas Lavon had authorized intelligence Chief Benjamin Gibly to launch spying in Cairo and Alexandria in an attempt to embarrass Egyptian president Gamal Abdul Nasser. The operation failed and the Egyptians caught and executed the spies. In February 1955, Ben-Gurion returned to the Ministry of Defense and was able to promote his hard-line defense policy. This resulted in a number of raids against the Egyptians in response to attacks on Israeli settlements originating from Egyptian-held territory. The biggest concern was the rising power of Nasser had signed an agreement to buy arms from the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. But President Eisenhower refused to supply Israel with weapons. Because Israel threatened Western interests in the Suez Canal, there were secret talks with Britain and France about the possibility of Israel striking at the Sinai Peninsula, while Britain and France moved in on the Suez Canal, to protect Western shipping from combat. In 1955 the IDF routed the Egyptian army at Gaza and in 1956, the French and British took over the Suez Canal area. After intense pressure from the Eisenhower administration, the European powers accepted a cease-fire. And in March 1957, Israeli troops were forced to withdraw. Although Israel was forced to withdraw, the raids from Gaza ceased, UN peacekeeping forces separated Egypt and Israel, cooperation with France led to more arms sales to Israel, and the army’s performance had strengthened to the position of the IDF.
How to Get ISA Fit
Welcome to your free ‘How to get ISA fit’ information guide. Within this section of the guide, I will show you the most effective way to prepare yourself for the I.S.A. training program. Many candidates who put themselves through training will be ill-prepared and they won’t even realize it until they begin their time at Herzliya (I.S.A. headquarters). Your preparation should be simple yet highly effective. You do not need to take any food supplements, magic pills, or vitamins. Simple, targeted exercise in conjunction with the right diet over a prolonged period of time is the most effective form of preparation. In turn, your confidence will grow, and with it your determination to succeed. You will know which areas of physical exercise you are good at, but not make the mistake of neglecting exercises that you either dislike or that you are poor at. You must utilize a number of different exercises including running, swimming, gym work, rowing, brisk walking, stretching, and cycling to name a few. Within this guide, there are some excellent exercises, tips, and advice to help you prepare fully for the I.S.A. training process. On a final note, your mental toughness is just as important as your physical fitness and this too should not be neglected. Good luck and give it your all… TOD
DISCLAIMER
Before we begin, however, it is important that we go over a few essential points. To begin with, the exercises and routines that are contained within this guide are not for the unfit. I am not responsible for any injury or death sustained as a result of how the information within this guide is used or interpreted. I recommend that you consult your doctor or a qualified fitness instructor before embarking on any of the exercises or routines contained within this guide. It is important to be aware that the level of fitness required to become an I.S.A.-trained Bodyguard is beyond the ordinary. Extremely fit men often fail the I.S.A. training process, mainly due to the fact that they have only concentrated on one area of preparation. In order to reach the required level of physical fitness, you will need to cover a wide range of exercises and this will be a focal point of this guide.
Mental Toughness
You must be aware that your mental fitness plays a key factor in your success and we will discuss a number of tried and tested methods for effectively preparing yourself in this area. In order to reach the highest level of physical fitness, it is not your physical or technical expertise that will separate you from the rest of the field but rather your mental toughness. To be outstanding during I.S.A. training you need to be able to hold your nerve, perform under intense pressure, and consistently perform even when you feel physically exhausted. Mental toughness is what makes an elite Bodyguard so special. These operatives know that the real battle is not so much what they have to physically achieve during training, but what’s inside their heads. You need to learn to manage your mental side if you want to be the best and pass the process. Your feelings will undoubtedly affect your performance. Whether you are aware of them or not, how you feel during training will ultimately be the difference between a pass and a fail. Your feelings are based on what you imagine or interpret from a particular event and not from the event itself. The mere thought of having to trek 8 Km at 11 pm whilst carrying the stretcher with a 90 Kg wounded partner is enough to deter even the fittest of trainees. If you believe you can do it and are prepared to carry on despite all of the physical pain and suffering, then you will achieve your goal. Two different candidates, both of an equal level of physical fitness are up for training. One is thinking about the ultimate goal of passing the training whilst the other is concerned about each test he will have to go through. The former is likely to be concerned about other external factors such as injury, a lack of preparation, and the embarrassment of failure whilst the latter is not. The same event evokes two different responses, which result in two very different performances. The message here is very simple – learn how to change your interpretations and you will learn how to manage your emotions. When you can manage your emotions you can perform at your best. The mind and the body and inextricably linked so how you feel physically will affect how you feel emotionally. This means that we can improve our mental performance simply by using physical interventions such as relaxation exercises. Whilst on training you will operate within a system – your performance is just a symptom or outcome of how your system operates. The parts of your system are all interrelated. Your confidence will be affected by your fitness, which in turn will affect your performance. The only way to achieve the highest level of confidence is to prepare. Under the right circumstances, you will realize your full potential. Take your preparation seriously. Work hard on your physical fitness, learn to relax and you will begin to notice your confidence build. Whilst the exercises contained within this guide are not ideally suited for those people who are overweight, these facts alone should make all of us look at our fitness levels and the type of lifestyle we lead. One of the increasing problems in today’s society is the ‘binge’ culture and we are not just referring to an excessive alcohol intake. We are also referring to smoking, lack of exercise, and the quantity of poor-quality foods that we eat. These all contribute to poor health and can ultimately lead to illness and even death. Smoking is a disgusting habit and apart from the fact that it will impinge on your fitness levels, it will also change the person that you are. No matter who you are, smoking will change you for the worse. Whether you are smoking 40 cigarettes a day or just the ‘odd one’ now and again it is imperative that you stop. If you want to get the most out of your fitness and be fully prepared for the endurance of the I.S.A. training process then smoking is out of bounds. During your training and in the build-up to the training process you must also try to limit your alcohol intake. A few units per week of alcohol are fine but regular drinking or binge drinking should cease. The major problem with drinking alcohol during your preparation is that it will make you feel negative about training. Your body and your mind will not be interested in working out after large consumptions of alcohol and you will lose valuable training days in the build-up if you drink to excess. The most effective preparation involves no alcohol whatsoever and it is recommended that it be avoided for the duration of your training and also during I.S.A. courses.
Fuel for Fitness1
To pursue the training routines outlined here, you will need good “fuel” in the form of a nutritious diet. Maintaining a healthy body weight will make it easier for you to stick to this training program. It will also boost your energy and contribute to your general well-being. To help maintain a healthy weight:
The type and quantity of food you digest are very important. You do not need telling, that in order for your body to perform to its maximum capability you will need to eat the right foods and the right quantity. Your diet should consist of a high carbohydrate intake during your training preparation. Carbohydrates will provide you with the fuel and energy to keep going. 1See the I.S.A. Diet chapter. The types of foods that are high in carbohydrates are pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit, beans, and lentils. You may prefer different types of carbohydrates to the ones stated here but it is essential that you keep your energy levels up both before, during, and after training. One of the problems with today’s society is that we are hooked on fatty, fast foods such as chips, burgers, pizzas, and kebabs. The reason why they taste so good is that they are bad for us. Once you are in the habit of eating unhealthy, fatty foods it is difficult to get over it. Your body and mind soon forget how good it felt when you used to eat healthily and you will soon feel lethargic, tired, and irritable, and struggle to get out of bed in the morning. Surprisingly your sex life can also turn for the worse and this, in turn, can start to have an effect on your relationships. Having said that our body does need a level of fat in order to survive and fat is essential for keeping our bodies warm and insulated, especially in cold conditions. Try to limit the amount of fat content in your diet to less than 15%. The type of fatty foods that often contain ‘hidden fat’ and the ones that you should try to avoid are those that are high in saturated fat content such as chips, cakes, biscuits, mayonnaise, sauces, burgers, chocolate, and cheese to name just a few. These foods will make you feel tired and will hinder your performance, so whilst your body may crave them, get out of the habit of becoming so dependent on them and you will soon forget they even exist. Good fats to try to build into your diet are oily fish, nuts and seeds, avocado, and olive oil. Oily fish, in particular salmon, mackerel and herring are all high in Omega 3, which is very good for you. Try replacing the meat pies with these types of fat and you will begin to feel better and have more energy within a few days. Protein is also an essential part of our diet and is particularly essential for those people who exercise their muscles regularly. However, once again the amount of protein you include in your diet should be restricted to less than 15%. The most important meal of the day is undoubtedly breakfast. Without breakfast, you will not be able to function correctly. This does not mean that you should eat a massive fry up each morning, but alternatively choose foods that are high in carbohydrates. Try eating healthy cereals but make sure you use skimmed milk and do not add any sugar. In addition to this, you should eat wholemeal toast that is slightly over grilled. If you choose to add a flavored spread then try adding a very low-fat jam or marmalade, or even marmite/vegemite. Do not add any margarine or spread. Get out of the habit of applying fatty spreads even if the label says they are ‘low in fat’. Your body does not need them and you’d be surprised how much weight you can lose by simply cutting out margarine and fatty spreads. Learn to apply jams and marmalades thinly and constantly be on the lookout for ways to reduce the unhealthy sugar/fat content in your diet. You will begin to notice a change in how you feel within days and this should be the driving factor that keeps you focused on improving and maintaining your diet. Look at the other way, a formula one racing car will not run on the wrong fuel and neither will an I.S.A. trainee. Get your diet right from the offset and the job of successfully passing the selection process will be slightly easier. You will also find that your body will want to eat more often, especially between training sessions, and it is important that you respond to its needs with the right type of foods. Take a look at the following ‘mini meals‘, which are all ideal for eating whilst on your training regime:
The above list is not definitive but it will give you an idea of the types of foods you should be eating and more importantly the quantity. In order to operate effectively and efficiently during the I.S.A. training process, you need to be at optimum weight. Your strength to weight ratio is important too. It is pointless having the stamina to run 40 km if you do not also have the strength to carry a 20 kg backpack at the same time.
Fit to Fight
I.S.A. trainees need a high level of fitness. This includes a high aerobic capacity, muscular strength, endurance and power, flexibility, and healthy body weight. Achieving these goals brings many benefits. FITNESS IS … aerobic capacity – the ability of your lungs, heart, blood vessels, and muscles to take in oxygen, deliver it to the working muscles and other tissues, and have the working muscles use the oxygen to provide energy for work muscular strength and endurance – the ability of your muscles to generate forces in a particular movement power – the ability of your muscles to generate forces at a high speed flexibility – the ability of your muscles and joints to move through their full range … and healthy body weight.
Special Guidance for Female Trainees
Some female trainees may have special concerns about training and preparation for the I.S.A. It is well known that, generally, women do not have the same aerobic capacity as men, nor are they as strong, especially in the upper body. These differences in physical performance are due in large part to differences in body size and composition. However, women’s bodies respond to aerobic and strength training programs in similar ways to men’s. Thus, the Programme is designed to accommodate and prepare all candidates for the I.S.A. To help with this, three load options are provided in the Bench Press and Squat items in the Fitness Check, and a special upper-body strength and aerobics circuit is provided for Day 6 (Optional). Here is a little more information and advice: Aerobic capacity – the lower aerobic capacity of women (compared to men) is due to a smaller muscle mass, a smaller volume of blood, and lower hemoglobin concentration in the blood. In spite of this, the Programme is as attainable for women as it is for men. The Special Upper-Body Strength and Aerobics Circuit will help you improve both of these fitness components at the same time. Strength improvement – female candidates may be concerned that they are not as strong as their male colleagues, yet they must be able to perform the same tasks. Women are generally about two-thirds as strong as men, but relative to their size women can gain as much or more strength than men following similar training programs. The good news is… the Programme will lead to significant improvement in muscular strength and endurance and help you achieve the level you need to perform to the I.S.A. standards. You can use the appropriate loads in the Fitness Check Bench Press and Aquat items and, of course, the training routines are individualized and progressive for best results.
Injury Prevention
If you train sensibly, you will avoid injury and be able to stick with your program and make good progress. Here are some tips to keep you on the right track: Warm-up – Ease into each training session with a gentle warmth. This will prepare your body for the demands of the workout and can reduce your risk of injury during activity. Cool-down – Finish each session with stretching exercises. This helps your body “slow down” after the workout and can reduce unnecessary stiffness and soreness that may result from vigorous activity. Dress right – Wear comfortable clothing that doesn’t restrict your movement. Dress appropriately for your activity and the weather (if you are outside). Treat your feet – For running and for the strength, speed, and power routines, wear runners that have a thick sole for cushioning and good heel and arch support. Wear clean, thick cotton socks (with no holes in them!). Do not run in boots! For marches, wear boots that offer a good fit and are broken in. Don’t overdo it – The rest days are an important part of the program so you don’t over-train, get too tired, and risk injury. Look for the progress over a period of time, not for instant results.
During training…
During power and speed workouts…
Warm-up/cool-down exercises are an essential part of your overall training program. They are important for preparation, injury prevention, and comfort around each training session. They will also help you improve and maintain an adequate level of flexibility. Give these exercises the attention they deserve.
Injury Management
If you do sustain an injury, act quickly to minimize damage and speed up recovery (see RICE It for the steps to take). If necessary, visit the Medical Inspection Room for assessment and follow the advice provided. Don’t let things get worse through lack of proper care. RICE it… For immediate treatment of joint and muscle injuries: Rest the injured body part. Ice the injured body part (10-20 min. every few hours). Compress the injured area with an elastic bandage or towel if swelling occurs. Elevate the injured area above heart level.
Warming Up, Stretching, and Warming Down
This area of fitness training is neglected by so many people, yet it is an essential part of any training regime in order to reduce the chance of injury and cramps. Imagine working hard towards the I.S.A. training process and gaining an injury during the 5 km run as a result of improper warming up. Yes, you will get another crack at the training course process but who wants to wait a further 6 or 12 months especially after the hard work you have already put into your preparation? Spend time on your warm-ups and your warm downs and make them a habit rather than a chore. The warm-up is important prior to each training session. It reduces your risk of injury and it gets you physically and mentally prepared to train. A good warm-up:
A proper warm-up consists of three components:
You can do the light aerobic activity and stretching in whichever order you prefer, but always do the specific warm-up last. Here are some guidelines for each component:
General Warm-up
Stretching
Specific Warm-up
Cool-down At the end of each session do cool-down stretching for another 5 minutes. Return to the exercises that stretch the muscles most used during the session.
Stretching Sequence
Head and Neck To begin with, start by moving your head and neck backward and forwards, from side to side, and in circular moves. Do not create any sudden movements but rather stretch the muscles slowly and consistently so as to reduce the chance of injury. Starting from the top and working your way down towards the lower body muscles is an ideal way to systematically ensure that every part of your body and muscle group is warmed up sufficiently. A warm shower before stretching any part of the body may help if you tend to be stiff. This will help you to relax the muscles. If your neck is very stiff, try shrugging your shoulders up, down, forward, and backward, or in circles to help you warm up.
Overhead Stretch Interlock your fingers above your head, straighten your arms and stretch them up and slightly back.
Side Stretch Reach over arm overhead and the other down the side of the leg.
Triceps Stretch Stand with both feet hip-width apart and with your legs slightly bent. Raise one of your arms and place your hand over your back. Try to reach as far down the middle of your spine as possible without overstretching. Now increase the stretch slightly by gently pushing the elbow back with your other hand. Hold the position for approximately 30 seconds. Feel the stretch down the back of your arm. Then slowly return to the start position and repeat with the other arm.
Sit-Reach One leg straight, one bent with the sole of the foot near the knee of the straight leg. Reach out along straight leg.
Lunge Crouch over your bent front leg with the knee directly above the ankle. Place the knee of the back leg on the floor, and then gently press the hip downward.
Thigh-Stretch Bend one knee, grasp the ankle and pull your heel gently toward the buttock. Place your other hand on a wall for balance if you like, and don’t arch your back.
Shoulders Stand with your feet slightly apart and your knees relaxed and soft. Hold your arms out in front of you so that your palms are facing away from you. Now place your right palm on the back of your left hand and use it to push the left hand further away from you. Hold for twenty seconds before switching sides.
Calf-Stretch Stand facing a wall with your right foot close to the wall and your right knee bent. Place your hands flat against the wall at shoulder height. Now stretch your left leg out behind you as far as it will go, without lifting your toes and heel off the floor, and lean towards the wall. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds and relax. Once completed switch legs.
Quad-Stretch (front of thigh) Stand with your right hand pressed against the back of a chair or a wall. Bend your left knee and bring your left heel up to your bottom, grasping your food with your left hand. Your back should be straight and your shoulders, hips, and knees should all the in a line. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Once completed switch legs.
Groin-Stretch Relax with your knees bent and the soles of your feet together for a comfortable stretch. For an added stretch, put gentle pressure on the insides of your knees with your hands.
Low-Back Stretch Pull one knee toward your chest by grasping the back of the thigh with your hands. Keep the back of your head touching the floor.
Hamstring Stretch (back of thigh) Stand up straight and place your right foot onto a stable table, bench or chair so that your leg is almost parallel to the floor. Move your hands slowly down your right leg towards your ankle until you feel tension on the underside of your thigh. Try to lean forwards from the hips, keeping your back straight from the tailbone to the top of your head. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Once complete switch legs.
Leg Crossover Place one bend leg across the other, stretching it toward the floor with gentle pressure from the opposite hand. Look in the other direction toward your outstretched arm.
Gentle jogging Finally, before you embark on any exercise routine spend 3 minutes gently jogging around in order to increase your heart rate. Remember to carry out your warm-down exercises as above following any exercise session.
Special Upper-Body Strength & Aerobics Circuits
This routine is ideal for all candidates who need to improve both aerobic capacity and upper-body strength significantly. To perform this circuit:
The idea is to keep moving throughout the workout so that your heart rate remains elevated the entire time. This is a great activity to include during optional training days. Note the abbreviations use like AbCore for abdominal core exercises and UB and LB circuits for upper-body and lower-body circuits. These short forms are used to keep explanations as simple as possible.
Basic Essential Exercises
The following list of exercises should form part of your pre-selection training routine. It is anticipated that the reader is fully conversant with the correct methodology for performing these exercises. However, if you are in any doubt as to how to execute these exercises in the correct manner you must consult a qualified instructor. The type of exercises described here are ideal for building overall body strength and stamina during your pre-training course routine. During your training Programme make sure you get at least one full day’s rest from training per week. During the early weeks, you may need more rest depending on your fitness levels.
PUSH-UPS The great thing about press-ups is that you do not have to attend a gym to perform them. However, you must ensure that you can do them correctly as injury can easily occur. Here is the correct technique for a press-up: The start position: Place your hands a little wider than your shoulders, and beneath the chest. Keep your body straight with your feet together on your toes. Make sure you do not hunch your shoulders. The finish position: Your body is lowered to approximately the width of your fist above the floor. Ensure that you only bend at the elbows and that your body is kept flat. It is important not to arch your back. Then return to the start position in a smooth motion. Do not jerk or perform the exercise too quickly. It is important that press-ups are performed relatively slowly in order to maximize the exercise. If you are not used to doing press-ups then start off slowly and aim to carry out at least 20 in the beginning. Even if you struggle to do just 20 you will soon find that after a few days of practice you will be up to 30+. It should be your aim to perform 50 correctly executed press-ups without stopping. Do push-ups at a rate of 25 per minute. The world record for non-stop press-ups is currently 10,507 which was set in 1980!
SIT UPS Lie flat on your back with your knees bend and your feet together flat on the floor and about 10-15 inches from your buttocks. Your hands should either be crossed on your chest or cupped behind your ears gently. Without moving your lower body, curl your upper torso upwards and towards your knees, until your shoulder blades are as high off the ground as you can get them. Only your shoulder blades should lift and not your back. As you come to the highest point tighten and flex your abdominals for a brief second. Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position. Do sit-ups at the rate of 25 per minute to a maximum of 100 repetitions. You will be amazed at how quickly this can be achieved and you will begin to notice your stomach muscles developing.
THE BENCH PRESS The aim of this exercise is to perform extended bench press repetitions using a suitable weight. A suitable weight does not mean the heaviest but rather a weight that exercises your muscles, biceps, triceps, and back muscles without complete exertion. There are 3 separate types of bench press exercise and each of them works a different part of the chest muscle group. The flat bench press is to most effective but you may wish to attempt both the incline and decline as an alternative.
Aim to perform 2 sets of 15 repetitions, in the first week, and 4 sets of 8 reps in the last week. Flat Bench Press
The above exercise can also be performed with the aid of dumbbells. Both methods are just as effective but you will notice that you can come lower down with dumbbells than with a rigid bar. Inclined Bench Press The inclined bench press is exactly the same as the flat bench press, except it is performed on an inclined bench. Everything else as above remains the same. Declined Bench Press The declined bench press is exactly the same as the flat bench press, except it is performed on a declined bench. Everything else remains the same. Remember: It is not the amount of weight that is important but how the exercise is performed. Carry out each press slowly and feel the chest muscles working to gain maximum benefit.
DIPS Dips are not easy exercises to perform, simply before you are lifting your own bodyweight. However, they are highly effective for increasing your overall upper body strength. Dips are performed by grasping two parallel bars that are approximately shoulder-width apart. To start off raise yourself up to an initial position with your arms fully extended and supporting the entire weight of your body. Now lower yourself to a final position where your elbows are bent and your shoulders are slightly stretched. At this point it is important that you support your bodyweight as injury, as a result of overstretching, can occur. Finally, use your arms and upper body strength to push yourself upwards back to the initial position. Aim to perform 4 sets of 15 dips. If you find you can easily lift your own bodyweight then increase the repetitions to 20. Remember to perform each repetition slowly and concisely.
PULL UPD Pull-ups are a fantastic way to improve your upper body strength. They are also quite difficult to perform, which is why so many people either struggle to do them or totally dismiss them. You are required to use your whole upper body strength to perform them correctly. The pull-up is a challenging exercise but one that you will benefit from greatly. If you are overweight, it can seriously affect your ability to do any pull-ups. The main factor in your success at executing perfect pull-ups is practice. The best way to train in order to increase the number of pull-ups you can do is to do pull-ups until you are exhausted every other day. If you initially struggle with the exercises then start off by using the lateral pull-down machine. However, remember that your aim is to perform this exercise without the aid of a machine so the sooner you can get away from it the better.
LUNGES Lunges are a must-do for any comprehensive lower-body workout. Lunges will enhance your overall fitness, which will in turn improve your posture, balance, speed, flexibility, and coordination. Lunges should be performed with your chest up, shoulders straight, and with the spine in correct vertical alignment. Tips for performing perfect lunge exercises are as follows:
Repeat 10 to 15 times before switching sides.
HYPEREXTENSIONS Hyperextensions are best performed on a hyperextension bench where your legs can be easily supported and cushioned although they can also be performed by lying face down on the floor. They are a great way to build the muscles in your lower back, which are needed for carrying heavy items such as a backpack. Lie face down on the hyperextension bench with your hands touching the sides of your head and your body draped over the edge. Make sure your hips are supported so your pelvis can’t move. Slowly raise your torso to the horizontal position, but no higher. Keep your head, shoulders, and upper back straight throughout the whole movement. Don’t exercise your lower back more than 3 times a week or if it is still sore from the previous workout.
SIDE LATERAL RAISES Once again this exercise is ideal for increasing your upper body strength. Side lateral raises work the shoulder group of muscles and will go a long way to improving your stamina whilst carrying heavy items of equipment. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Let your arms hang in front of your body with each hand holding a dumbbell with the ends facing front to back. In the beginning, use a light weight – technique is more important than how much weight you can lift. Inhale and lift your arms out and away from your body, using your shoulders, until your hands and the dumbbells are at shoulder height. When you reach the top position the arms and body should resemble the letter “T”. Now lower your arms slowly and in a controlled manner using your shoulders until your reach the starting position.
BENT OVER ROWING Bent over rowing predominantly works the back and bicep muscles. The correct technique is important to avoid the risk of injury so make sure your back is parallel to the floor and your knees are slightly bent. To begin with place the barbell on the floor directly in front of your ankles. Now bend at the waist and knees and grasp the bar with your palms facing down. Whilst maintaining this position with your back parallel to the floor and knees slightly bent, pull the bar up towards your chest in a slow and controlled manner. As you begin to pull up you will notice that your elbows will flare out to the side. Once you reach the lower part of your chest return the bar to the floor again in a slow and controlled manner. As you repeat the exercise, it will feel like you are rowing a boat in a bent over position. If you have back problems, be extremely cautious with this exercise as further damage can occur. Placing your forehead on a padded stool when bent over can help reduce this exercise’s strain on your back. Perform 4 sets of 12 repetitions. Make sure you start off with a light weight and increase gradually over a period of time. Remember that it is the quality of exercise you perform and not the amount of weight you are lifting the counts.
TRICEPS DIPS Triceps dips are a great exercise for building the shoulder muscles, abs, legs, and triceps muscle group. Begin by sitting on a step or chair with hands next to tighs. Make sure the step or chair is secure and that it cannot move whilst the exercise is in progress. Now balance yourself on your arms and move your backside in front of the step. You have the option of keeping your legs either straight or slightly bent, with the latter option being the easiest. Then bend your elbows and lower the body a few inches whilst keeping the shoulders away from your ears and your elbows parallel to one another. Do not go lower down than 90 degrees. To finish the exercise, push back up to starting position. Perform 4 sets of 12 repetitions.
ABDOMINAL CRUNCHES This exercise will work the upper area of your stomach and abdominals. To begin with, start off by lying on your back on a comfortable surface such as a rubber gym mat. Now place your hands across your chest or at the side of your head and lie flat on the floor with your knees bent to approximately 45 degrees. It is important that you bend your knees because this will provide the necessary support for your lower back. Do not place your hands behind your head as this can strain your neck. The reason for this is that as you progress through the abdominal crunch exercises you will begin to get tired and there is a risk that you will begin to pull your head forward as opposed to using the abdominal muscles. Next, slowly raise yourself up using your abdominal muscles while firmly pressing your lower back to the floor. As you reach the top of the crunch slowly breathe out. Finally, slowly lower your back down to the floor as you breathe in. The key with this exercise is not to do hundreds of crunches at a time. Instead, aim for perfection and perform a maximum of 50 crunches at a time. Remember to focus the movement right in the middle section of your abdominal muscles.
LEG RAISES Leg raises work the lower abdominal muscles and should be performed in conjunction with the abdominal crunch exercise.
You will automatically feel the lower abdominal muscle group working.
Perform 6 sets of 10 repetitions. Make sure your feet do not touch the ground for the duration of the set.
RUNNING
If you are training to join the I.S.A. then it is essential that you include lots of running in your training Programme. We are not talking about a gentle jog 3 or 4 times a week but rather a well-thought-out and planned running regime covering different times, distances, and speeds. Running has always been a favorite exercise of the keep-fit fanatic but there is a difference between running for fun, running to keep fit, and running to join the I.S.A. When you go for I.S.A. training courses you do not want to be playing catch up and the running Programme provided within this guide will go a long way to eliminating this problem, which many trainees encounter. You must give yourself every opportunity to succeed and effective running is one of the best exercises to help you achieve this.
To begin with, a few important tips and advice about running: It is recommended that you carry out 3 km short and relatively slow-paced trial runs over a one-week period before embarking on the I.S.A. running Programme contained within this section of the guide. Your posture and breathing technique are both very important. Whilst running, try to keep an upright posture and concentrate on your breathing. Stay as relaxed as possible as any added tension will hinder your breathing and your performance. To maintain an even and balanced momentum swing your arms naturally between the level of your waist and your chest whilst keeping them as relaxed as possible. Ensure you are wearing a high-quality running shoe that is designed to take the impact of each stride. The heavier you are, the more impact your joints will have to endure, so a good pair of running shoes is essential in order to reduce strain and the possibility of injury. When running up hills and inclines reduce your step distance in order to save stamina. If you stride out when running up hills you will burn wasted energy, which is needed for the remainder of the run. MORE RUNNING TIPS
Sports Day – Swimming
Swimming is a fantastic exercise and should form an integral part of your pre-I.S.A. fitness Programme. The great thing about swimming is that it places very little strain on your joints and is perfect for increasing your overall upper body strength and stamina. If you are a poor swimmer then it is worth investing in swimming lessons. These can usually be obtained at your local swimming pool. Just like running, swimming is a relatively cheap exercise to carry out and the only restrictions you will have are the swimming pool opening times. The best time to go swimming is early in the morning when the pool is not so busy. Get a timetable from your local swimming baths and find out when the pool is open for fitness training. This will usually mean the pool is divided up into lanes for the more serious swimmers. The last thing you want is to be weaving in and out of the slow swimmers who will only serve to hold you up and prevent you from increasing your distance and stamina. Remember to carry out your warming up and warming down exercises before and after swimming.
TECHNIQUE – BREASTSTROKE
The correct breaststroke technique involves keeping your legs relatively close together. Then pull them up towards your chest. At the same time, hold your palms together as if in prayer and up against your chest. Now kick out and to the side with your legs, and then quickly squeeze them together back to the original position. After the kick, streamline your body by pointing your toes and extending your arms completely. Glide for a moment with your arms fully extended, and then turn your palms outward and pull with both hands out and around in a circular motion, so that they end up in their original position, together against your chest. Use the thrust of the pull with your hands to pull your head up and out of the water to take a breath. As your head goes back down, your arms should be just beginning to plunge forward with the next kick. Guide for a moment, and then repeat the entire motion.
TECHNIQUE – FRONT CRAWL
When you first try front crawl, swim with all of your body as close to the surface of the water as possible. Keep your hips and legs behind your shoulders. A good way to maintain a streamlined posture is to imagine you are swimming through a narrow tube without touching the sides. Kick your legs to keep you up and to help your balance. Try to use long fast kicks, making sure all of your leg is moving up and down. Your knees should bend slightly and your feet should make a small splash on the surface of the water. Use your arms to power your way through the water. One arm should follow the other one through the water and over the top. Try to put your head into the water in front of your head and stretch it forwards as fast as it will go. Imagine you are reaching out towards a good handle. The fewer splashes you create the better. Breathing, as with all exercises, is a key part of the stroke. Breathe regularly to keep it going. Because your face is in the water you will need to remember to turn your head to the side when you want to take a breath. Ensure that you turn your head smoothly, leaving the side of your head resting in the water.
SWIMMING PROGRAMME
The distances set out in this paragraph are intended for the competent swimmer. The aim of the following swimming Programme is to build up your upper body strength and improve your overall stamina levels. Please note that the distances indicated are based on a 25 m. pool.
WEEK 1 Aim to swim on two occasions during the first week only and for a distance of 32 lengths each swim. Swim breaststroke for the first swim and front crawl during the second swim. Remember to concentrate on your technique and breathing.
WEEK 2 During week two swim on two occasions only. The first swim should be for a distance of 64 lengths, alternating between breaststroke and front crawl each length. During the second swim you will be performing a set of ‘pyramid’ lengths as follows: Swim 2 lengths front crawl and then rest for 30 seconds; Swim 4 lengths breaststroke and rest for 30 seconds; Swim 6 lengths (3 breaststroke, 3 front crawl) and then rest for 30 seconds; Swim 8 lengths front crawl and then rest for 1 minute; Swim 10 lengths breaststroke and then rest for 1 minute; Swim 8 lengths front crawl and then rest for 1 minute; Swim 6 lengths (3 breaststroke, 3 front crawl) and then rest for 30 seconds; Swim 4 lengths breaststroke and rest for 30 seconds; Swim 2 lengths front crawl and then rest for 30 seconds;
WEEK 3 Week 3 is the endurance-building swim. Aim to swim for a total of 60 minutes at a relatively slow pace, alternating between front crawl and breaststroke each length. Whilst the boredom will inevitably set in during the swim, you will gain massively in terms of your endurance and stamina. Aim to complete three 60-minutes swims during week 3.
WEEK 4 During week 4 swim the same ‘pyramid’ set on 2 occasions as follows: Swim 2 lengths front crawl and then rest for 30 seconds; Swim 4 lengths breaststroke and rest for 30 seconds; Swim 6 lengths (3 breaststroke, 3 front crawl) and then rest for 30 seconds; Swim 8 lengths front crawl and then rest for 1 minute; Swim 10 lengths breaststroke and then rest for 1 minute; Swim 8 lengths front crawl and then rest for 1 minute; Swim 6 lengths (3 breaststroke, 3 front crawl) and then rest for 30 seconds; Swim 4 lengths breaststroke and rest for 30 seconds; Swim 2 lengths front crawl and then rest for 30 seconds; Once you completed the one-month swimming cycle, continue by repeating Week 3 and Week 4 Programme consecutively.
Sticking With Your Programme
This training Programme has been designed to prepare you for the I.S.A. But the sole purpose isn’t just to reach the required standard. Fitness training should be enjoyable in its own right, so great effort has been taken to make sure the Programme is interesting and challenging. Nevertheless, it’s natural to have low points in your training from time to time. If you have been ill, very busy, or tired, you may find you are not progressing as quickly as you would like. The winter “doldrums” can take its toll too. Any of these situations can dull your enthusiasm for training temporarily. There are all sorts of things you can do to keep your Programme on track. Here are a few suggestions:
Fitness is an individual thing, so be patient.
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Strength-Training Circuits
There are twelve circuits included here:
Do the circuits on the required days as set out in the Training Prescription charts. Here are a few reminders:
Upper-Body Circuit #1
Using Stack Weights If equipment or a weight you need isn’t available or it feels uncomfortable doing a particular exercise, you can substitute the same number exercise from any of the other circuits.
BENCH PRESS Lay flat on the bench, grasp the bar in a secure grip with your hands a comfortable distance apart and then press it to arms’ length above the chest.
LAT PULL-DOWN Seated on a bench (or kneeling), pull the bar down in front of your face or shoulder level.
BACK EXTENSIONS With your feet secured, hang your upper body down over the end of a bench with the hands clasped behind the head. Raise your upper body until parallel with the floor.
SHOULDER PRESS Seated, push the bar up from the shoulder height until your arms are fully extended overhead.
TRICEP EXTENSIONS Hands close together and elbows bent 90 degrees, push hands down until your arms are straight.
BICEP CURLS Arms down in front and fully extended, grasping the bar with your thumbs facing out. Curl the bar, pulling your hands up under your chin.
Upper-Body Circuit #2
Using Free Weights (Barbell) If equipment or a weight you need isn’t available or it feels uncomfortable doing a particular exercise, you can substitute the same number exercise from any of the other circuits.
BENCH PRESS Lying flat on the bench, grasp the bar in a secure grip with your hands a comfortable distance apart, then press it to arms’ length above the chest.
BENT-OVER ROW Standing and bent forward with a slight bend in the knees and arms extended below, pull the barbell into your abdomen keeping your elbows close to your sides. Keep your back flat.
DEADLIFT Grasp the barbell in front with your arms extended and your legs bent, straighten your legs to assume an upright standing position.
MILITARY PRESS Seated with your arms bent in front and the barbell supported at shoulder height, push it to full extension overhead.
TRICEP EXTENSIONS Seated with the barbell supported behind your neck, press the bar to full extension overhead. Keep elbows close to your head.
BICEP CURLS Standing with your arms extended below in front and grasping the barbell, curl it up to shoulder height then curl it back down. Note: Military press and Triceps extensions can also be done in a standing position. Work with a partner on these two exercises (and Bench press), spotting each other for safety.
Upper-Body Circuit #3
Using Free-Weights (Dumbbells) If equipment or a weight you need isn’t available or it feels uncomfortable doing a particular exercise, you can substitute the same number exercise from any of the other circuits.
BENCH PRESS Lying flat on the bench, grasp the dumbbells above your shoulders with your thumbs facing in, then press them to arms’ length above the chest.
BENT-OVER DUMBBELL ROW Standing and bent forward with a slight bend in the knees and arms extended below grasping dumbbells, pull them into your abdomen keeping your elbows close to your sides. Keep your back flat.
DEADLIFT Bent forward with your knees slightly bent and grasping the dumbbells at your sides with arms extended, lift your upper body to return to an upright standing position.
SEATED PRESS Holding the dumbbells at shoulder height, straighten your arms pressing the dumbbells to full arm extension overhead.
TRICEP EXTENSIONS Holding one dumbbell overhead with both hands, bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head then return to full arm extension.
BICEP CURLS Sitting on a bench with your arms extended below and at your sides grasping the dumbbells. Curl one dumbbell up to shoulder height then curl it back down. Do alternately with the other arm. Note: Seated press and Triceps extensions can also be done in a standing position. Work with a partner on these two exercises (and Bench press), spotting each other for safety.
Upper-Body Circuit #4
Body-Weight Exercises If equipment or a weight you need isn’t available or it feels uncomfortable doing a particular exercise, you can substitute the same number exercise from any of the other circuits.
PUSH-UPS (fingers forward) With the body held straight, push up, straightening your arms.
CHIN-UPS (hands over) With your hands shoulder-width apart, pull up until your chin reaches the bar. Inhale as you pull up, exhale on the way back down.
BACK EXTENSIONS With your feet secured, hang your upper body down over the end of a bench with your hands clasped behind your head. Raise your upper body until parallel with the floor.
PUSH-UPS (hands wide) With your body held straight and hands out wide (more than shoulder-width apart), push up straightening your arms.
DIPS With your palms supported on a chair or bench behind your back, extend your arms until they are straight.
CHIN-UPS (hands under) With your hands shoulder-width apart and your thumbs facing out, pull up until your chin reaches the bar. Exhale as you pull up, inhale on the way back down. Note: For the Chin-Ups, if you are unable to do a single chin-up at first, perform what are called “negatives”. Use a box or a chair to help you get your chin level with the bar, and then slowly lower yourself until your arms are straight.
Lower-Body Circuit #1
Using Stack Weights If equipment or a weight you need isn’t available or it feels uncomfortable doing a particular exercise, you can substitute the same number exercise from any of the other circuits.
LEG PRESS Set seat for a 90 degrees bend at the knees and with the insteps on the pedals, push the pedals away extending the legs fully. (Can also do single-leg press.)
HAMSTRING CURLS With your kneecaps just past the end of the bench, flex your knees, pulling your heels toward your buttocks.
CALF EXTENSIONS With your insteps on the pedals and legs straight, push pedals away from you with your toes.
QUAD EXTENSIONS With your shins behind the padded movement bar, extend your knees to straighten your legs in front.
HIP-ADDUCTION With the padded loop just below your knee, draw the leg closes to the pulley across in front of the other.
HIP-ABDUCTION With the loop just below your knee on the leg farthest away from the pully, draw that leg up and away.
Lower-Body Circuit #2
Using Free Weights (Barbell, etc.) If equipment or a weight you need isn’t available or it feels uncomfortable doing a particular exercise, you can substitute the same number exercise from any of the other circuits.
BARBELL SQUATS Standing erect, with your feet shoulder-width apart, your toes pointing slightly outwards, and the barbell held on shoulders, bend your knees to squat (no lower than thighs parallel with the floor) then return to a full standing position.
HAMSTRING CURLS Lying face down on the floor with the knees just supported at the end of the bench, bend the knees, curling the heels toward the seat with partner resistance.
CALF RAISES With your forefeet supported on a low board and a barbell held securely on your shoulders, raise up on your toes then slowly lower heels to the floor.
LUNGE SQUATS Using a barbell or dumbbells, step forward with one foot, dropping your knee toward the floor and lifting your back heel off the floor. Alternate legs.
HIP-ADDUCTION Standing side on to a wall or bench for balance and using an ankle weight or tubing, draw your outside leg inward and across in front of the other.
HIP-ABDUCTION Standing side on to a wall or bench for balance and using an ankle weight or tubing, draw your outside leg up and away.
Lower-Body Circuit #3
Using Free Weights (Dumbbells, etc.) If equipment or a weight you need isn’t available or it feels uncomfortable doing a particular exercise, you can substitute the same number exercise from any of the other circuits.
DUMBELL SQUATS Standing erect, with your feet shoulder-width apart, your toes pointing slightly outwards, and holding dumbbells at your sides, bend your legs to squat (no lower than thighs parallel with the floor) then return to a full standing position.
HAMSTRING/BACK EXTENSIONS With your feet secured, hang your upper body down over the end of a bench with your hands holding a light dumbbell behind your head. Raise the upper body until parallel with the floor.
CALF RAISES With your forefeet supported on a low board and dumbbells held at your sides, rise up on your toes then slowly lower heels to the floor.
LUNGE SQUATS Holding dumbbells at your sides, step forward with one foot, lowering your knee toward the floor, and lifting your back heel off the floor. Alternate legs.
HIP-ADDUCTION Standing side on to a wall or bench for balance and using an ankle weight or tubing, draw your outside leg inward and across in front of the other.
HIP-ABDUCTION Standing side on to a wall or bench for balance and using an ankle weight or tubing, draw your outside leg up and away.
Lower-Body Circuit #4
Body-Weight Exercises If equipment or a weight you need isn’t available or it feels uncomfortable doing a particular exercise, you can substitute the same number exercise from any of the other circuits.
SQUATS With your hands on your hips, squat (no lower than thighs parallel with the floor) then return to a full standing position.
FRONT-SIDE LUNGE Step forward and to the side (45 degrees) with one leg, bending the leg and shifting your weight over it. Repeat alternately to the other side.
CALF RAISES With your forefeet supported on a low board, raise up on your toes then slowly lower heels to the floor.
ONE-LEGGED WALL SQUATS With one leg extended in front, support body weight on the other leg and slide the back down the wall until the supporting leg has a 90 degrees bend.
HIP-ADDUCTION Lying on your side, rest the foot of your top leg on a bench about 30 cm high then pull your bottom leg up to the top one. Switch sides and repeat.
HIP-ABDUCTION Lying on your side, raise both your legs 10-15 cm while keeping the legs together. Switch sides and repeat.
Abdominal-Core (AbCore) Circuit #1
Floor Exercises
Abdominal-Core (AbCore) Circuit #2
Supporting on a Dip Bar
Abdominal-Core (AbCore) Circuit #3
Hanging from a Chin-up Bar
Abdominal-Core (AbCore) Circuit #4
Partner Plyometric Drills
SITTING CHEST PASS Holding your upper body in a stable position, do push passes back and forth.
OVERHEAD PASS DOING SIT-UPS Start with the ball overhead. Pass to your partner who lies down then does a sit-up returning the pass. Catch it, lie down, sit-up, and return the pass yourself. Continue the sequence without pause.
STANDING SHUFFLE PASS Pass the ball to your partner’s opposite side. Twist as you pass and catch. Repeat to the other side.
CHEST PASS DOING SIT-UPS Follow sequence as in #2 but doing chest passes instead of overhead ones.
360° BALL PASS Standing back-to-back with your partner, turn and hand the ball off then turn to the other side to receive it again. Repeat in the other direction.
Alternative Exercises
Here are some exercises using equipment like beams and ropes. You can do any of these exercises instead of ones in the circuits if you don’t have stack weights or free weights available (remember the body-weight can always be done too). Each description notes which circuit/exercise it approximates. Do the reps and sets listed in your Programme for that day. For example, on each UB and LB strength-training day, you should do the six types of exercises described in each circuit. If you wish to substitute an alternative exercise, you can insert it in the regular circuit, replacing the specific exercise(s) noted in the alternative exercise description. The alternative exercises load a number of muscle groups in a single exercise rather than specific muscles like the regular circuits. This allows you to train more muscle groups with one activity but does not give as much load to one group.
BEAMS Bend arms, to pull up, toughing back of neck to the beam. UB 2, 5, 6
ROPES Vertical rope climb using hands and feet. UB 2, 6 – LB 1, 3, 4
ROPES Vertical rope climb without the use of feet. UB 2, 6
Power & Speed Training
There are two training routines included here:
Do the routines on the required days as set out in the Training Prescription charts. Here are a few pointers:
Use the illustrations and descriptions provided to guide you in the right technique.
Plyometric Circuit
Jumping And Bounding Routine
DRILL 1 Jump from left foot to right foot straight down the line. DRILL 2 Jump from right foot to left foot, crossing over the mid-line. DRILL 3 Hop on same leg 4x, then other leg 4x. DRILL 4 Double-leg jumps in a straight line for 10 m, then double-leg jumps from side to side for 10 m. DRILL 5 Stand on left leg and jump to the left, then stand on right leg and jump to the right.
Sprint Programme
Acceleration Running
SET 1 Sprint 50 m then jog back x8, then 5 minutes recovery. SET 2 Sprint 100 m then jog back x4, then 5 minutes recovery. SET 3 Sprint 200 m then job back x3, then 5 minutes recovery. SET 4 Sprint 300 m then jog back x2, then 5 minutes recovery.
Fitness Check
Use this table to determine your level in each of the seven items:
Record your score (time/reps/distance) and level for each item -It is recommended that you aim to achieve Level 3 to give you the reserve to do all the tasks of the I.S.A.
12-Week Fitness Program
Guidelines: Weeks 1 to 4
AEROBIC INTERVALS (DAY 1) The approximate distance you will cover for each one-minute work interval will depend on your level achieved in the 3000 m run/Aerobic Chech in Week 1 as follows: Level 1 – 200 m Level 2 – 225 m Level 3 – 250 m Level 4 – 275 m
CONTINUOUS AEROBIC (DAY 5) Your approximate “just talk” or “JT” pace (in m/min) for your distance runs will depend on your level achieved in the 5 km run/Aerobic Chech in Week 1 as follows: Level 1 – 180 m/min Level 2 – 200 m/min Level 3 – 220 m/min Level 4 – 240 m/min
STRENGTH TRAINING The Abdominal-Core (AbCore) exercises are Day 1, Day 5, and Day 6 (Optional). You can choose from any of the four circuits. The Upper-Body (UB) exercise circuit is done on Day 2, Day 4, and Day 6 (Optional). Choose from the four circuits. The Lower-Body (LB) exercise circuit id done on Day 2 and Day 4. Choose from the four circuits.
SPEED AND POWER TRAINING The Plyometric circuit is done on Day 2 of Week 4 and sometimes on Day 6 (Optional). The Sprint Programme is done on Day 2 and 4 of Weeks 2 and 3, and Day 4 of Week 4, and sometimes on Day 6 (Optional).
DAY 6 – OPTIONAL First priority is the Continuous Aerobic and Strength (AbCore) routine. Second priority is the Strength and Power routine.
Guidelines: Weeks 5 to 8
AEROBIC INTERVALS (DAY 1) The approximate distance you will cover for each TWO-minute work interval will depend on your level achieved in the 3000 m run/Aerobic Chech in Week 5 as follows: Level 1 – 400 m Level 2 – 450 m Level 3 – 500 m Level 4 – 550m
CONTINUOUS AEROBIC (DAY 5) Your approximate “just talk” or “JT” pace (in m/min) for your distance runs will depend on your level achieved in the 5 km run/Aerobic Chech in Week 5 as follows: Level 1 – 180 m/min Level 2 – 200 m/min Level 3 – 220 m/min Level 4 – 240 m/min
STRENGTH TRAINING The Abdominal-Core (AbCore) exercises are Day 1, Day 5, and Day 6 (Optional). You can choose from any of the four circuits. The Upper-Body (UB) exercise circuit is done on Day 2, Day 4, and Day 6 (Optional). Choose one. The Lower-Body (LB) exercise circuit id done on Day 2 and Day 4. Choose one.
MARCH / RUN (DAY 5) In Weeks 7 and 8, these are done in clothes, boots, and rucksack. The distance and time for each march are noted.
SPEED AND POWER TRAINING The Plyometric circuit is done on Day 2 of Weeks 7 and 8, and sometimes on Day 6 (Optional). The Sprint Programme is done on Days 2 and 4 of Week 6, and Day 4 of Weeks 7 and 8, and sometimes on Day 6 (Optional).
DAY 6 – OPTIONAL First priority is the Continuous Aerobic and Strength (AbCore) routine. Second priority is the Strength and Power routine.
Guidelines: Weeks 9 to 12
MARCH / RUN (DAYS 1 AND 5) In Weeks 10, 11, and 12, these are done including boots and clothes. The distance and time for each march are noted.
STRENGTH TRAINING The Abdominal-Core (AbCore) exercises are Day 1 and Day 5, Day 6 (Optional). Choose one circuit. The Upper-Body (UB) exercise circuit is done on Day 2, Day 4, and Day 6 (Optional). Choose one circuit. Set the load that allows you to do the sets and reps noted.
SPEED AND POWER TRAINING The Plyometric circuit is done on Day 2 and Day 6 (Optional). The Sprint Programme is done on Day 2 and Day 6 (Optional). A special sprint routine is done on Day 4, Weeks 10-12.
DAY 6 – OPTIONAL First priority is the Continuous Aerobic and Strength (AbCore) routine. Second priority is the Strength and Power routine.
Fine Tuning Your Programme
Seven fitness items are included to help you establish the starting point in your Programme and check your progress along the way:
You are to check your status in these areas during Weeks 1, 5, and 9 (on the days shown in the Training Prescription chart).
Don’t worry if you are unable to do the heaviest load for each of these. Remember that smaller people have smaller muscle mass and simply may not be able to attain the strength required to lift these heavy loads.
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Special Training
The 12-week Fitness Programme is the “goal seal” program designed to bring your personal fitness level up to the I.S.A. Fitness Standard. There will be times and situations, however, where it will not be possible to work through a 12-week Programme. This chapter sets out four specialty programs to address particular needs:
Eight-Week Programme
This Programme sets out an eight-week training routine. It is a modified version of the 12-week Programme, designed for use when time does not permit the full Programme or when it is necessary to coordinate the training with other activities or commitments. The 8-week Programme also includes marches, continuous, and interval aerobic sessions, strength training circuits, and power/speed workouts.
Eight-week Training Schedule for Weeks 1 to 4
UB AltEx = Upper Body Alternative Exercises LB AltEx = Lower Body Alternative Exercises
Eight-week Training Schedule for Weeks 5 to 8
UB AltEx = Upper Body Alternative Exercises LB AltEx = Lower Body Alternative Exercises The numbers next to the Alternative Exercises refer to the number of the corresponding exercise in the Upper Body Circuit and Lower Body Circuit. Any exercise may be substituted with an Alternative Exercise with the same number if equipment is not available.
AEROBIC INTERVALS (DAY 1) Approximate distance you will cover for each one-minute work interval will depend on your level achieved in the 3000 m run/Aerobic Chech in Week 1 as follows: Level 1 – 200 m Level 2 – 225 m Level 3 – 250 m Level 4 – 275 m
CONTINUOUS AEROBIC (DAY 5) Your approximate “just talk” or “JT” pace (in m/min) for your distance runs will depend on your level achieved in the 5 km run/Aerobic Check in Week 1 as follows: Level 1 – 180 m/min Level 2 – 200m/min Level 3 – 220 m/min Level 4 – 240 m/min
MARCH / RUN (DAY 5) In Weeks 5, 6, and 7, these are done in clothes, boots, and rucksack. The distance and time for each march are noted.
STRENGTH TRAINING The Abdominal-Core (AbCore) exercises are done in Weeks 1-4 on Day 1, Day 5, and Day 6 (Optional). You can choose from any of the four circuits. The Upper-Body (UB) exercise circuit is done on Day 2, Day 4, and Day 6 (Optional). The Lower-Body (LB) exercise circuit is done on Day 2 and Day 4.
SPEED AND POWER TRAINING The Plyometric circuit is done some weeks on Day 2 and Day 6 (Optional). The Sprint Programme is done most weeks, generally on Day 2, Day 4, and/or Day 6.
DAY 4 – OPTIONAL First priority is Continuous Aerobic and Strength (AbCore) routines. Second priority is the Strength and Power routines.
Six-Week “Rapid-Deployment”
This section describes a six-week “rapid-deployment” Programme. It is modeled after Weeks 7-12 of the Twelve months Fitness Programme and is meant to fine-tune an already satisfactory level of fitness. The March/Run and Strength circuits are important components of this Programme. It also includes continuous interval aerobic sessions and speed workouts.
Six-Week “Rapid-Deployment” Training Schedule
CONTINUOUS AEROBIC (DAY 4) Your approximate “just talk” or “JT” pace for your distance runs should be 220 m/min.
AEROBIC INTERVALS (DAY 4) Approximate distance you will cover for each one-minute work interval is 250 m; for each two-minute work interval, it is 500 m. For the easy recovery segment, you can jog, walk or stretch.
MARCH / RUN (DAY 5) In Weeks 5, 6, and 7, these are done in clothes, boots, and rucksack. The distance and time for each march is noted.
STRENGTH TRAINING The Abdominal-Core (AbCore) exercises are done on Day 1, 4, or 5. Choose one of four circuits. The Upper-Body (UB) exercises circuit is done on Days 2 & 5. Choose from circuits 3, 4, or 5. The Lower-Body (LB) exercise circuit is done on Days 2 & 5. Choose from circuits 3, 4, or 5. Set the load that allows you to do the sets and reps noted.
SPEED AND POWER TRAINING The Spring Programme is done on Days 2 & 5. Special sprint routines are done on Weeks 4 and 6. They are outlined right on the chart.
DAY 6 – OPTIONAL If there is the opportunity to do additional physical preparation, the Optional day allows you to repeat either Day 1, 2, 4, or 5 from that week.
Three-Week “Rapid-Deployment”
This Programme is modeled after Weeks 10-12 of the Twelve weeks Fitness Programme and is meant to fine-tune an already high level of fitness. The March/ Run and Strength circuits are important components of this Programme. It also includes continuous and interval aerobic sessions and speed workouts.
Three-Week Rapid-Deployment Training Schedule
CONTINUOUS AEROBIC (DAY 4) Your approximate “just talk” or “JT” pace for your distance runs should be 220 m/min.
AEROBIC INTERVALS (DAY 4) Approximate distance you will cover for each two-minute work is 500 m. For the easy recovery segment, you can jog, walk or stretch.
MARCH / RUN (DAY 5) In Weeks 5, 6, and 7, these are done in clothes, boots, and rucksack. The distance and time for each march are noted.
STRENGTH TRAINING The Abdominal-Core (AbCore) exercises are done on Day 4 or 5. Choose one of the four circuits. The Upper-Body (UB) exercise circuit is done on Days 2 and 5. On Day 5, choose from circuits 3, 4, or 5. The Lower-Body (LB) exercise circuit is done on Days 2 and 5. On Day 5, choose from circuits 3, 4, or 5. Set the load that allows you to do the sets and reps noted.
SPEED AND POWER TRAINING Special sprint routines are done on Day 5, Weeks 1 and 3. They are outlined on the chart.
DAY 6 – OPTIONAL If there is the opportunity to do additional physical preparation, the Optional day allows you to repeat either Day 1, 2, 4, or 5 from that week.
Fitness Maintenance
Once you have graduated from the I.S.A. courses, you will want to maintain a good fitness level throughout the years. There is no time for complacency. It is easier to maintain your fitness than to let it go and have to build back up again. Fitness maintenance is possible with three good training sessions per week. You can complement these with other sports and recreational activities that you enjoy. For maintenance training:
They may be times when you can’t follow the Programme as outlined. In most locations, you should be able to find a safe and convenient place to run, but indoor exercise on a stationary bicycle or rowing machine can keep you going until you get back to your regular Programme. If strength-training equipment isn’t available, the body-weight circuits can serve as your strength routine.
I.S.A. DIET
THE I.S.A. DIET
Table of Foods Chemically Combined
GROUP A: Foods That Combine With Each Other plus ONE of Group B:
GROUP B: Foods That DO NOT Combine WIth One Another:
GROUP C: Foods That Combine With Each Other plus ONE of Group B if They Aren’t Prepared in Fat:
GROUP D: Foods That DO NOT Combine With Each Other or Anything Else:
GROUP E:
GROUP F:
OBSERVATIONS: Egg yolk, raw or cooked, fresh coconut, brewer’s yeast, coffee, and several kinds of teas are compatible with any food, for they are considered neutral. AVOID: Sweets and canned foods in syrup, pepper, clove, cinnamon, mustard, pickles, and vinegar. DON’T EVER EAT: Pork of any kind. NOTE: Bread, to be less fermentable, shall be made out of pure or natural flour and eaten 24 hours after baking. Then should be eaten as toast or warmed.
IMPORTANT: In order to avoid a chemical conflict, it is ESSENTIAL that meals are at LEAST 4 and a half hours apart. DO NOT EAT ANYTHING BETWEEN MEALS.
Group A Cooked Food
It is best to make your own food at home until you become familiar with these eating habits. This way, it will become easier to decide what to eat at restaurants or fast food places. Many restaurants use a wide variety of condiments, spices, and sauces that are not recommended on the “I.S.A. Diet”. Keep this in mind when ordering. You want to eat as many basic fresh foods as possible. If you are in a situation where you are eating on the run, it is best to go to the nearest grocery store and get some fresh fruit or vegetable and make a meal this way or you can get a fish/chicken or meat sandwich, (no condiments). French fries would not combine with this because potato does not combine with bread. Maybe you will want to order 2 or 3 sandwiches because nothing else combines. It is ideal to have your cooked meal in the afternoon with a fruit meal in the evening, as it is easier to digest. This is almost impossible for most of us to arrange. Remember that melted cheese is not the same as fresh cheese. The composition changes when melted and it becomes a “fat” and only combines with cooked foods. For instance, melted cheese on crackers does not combine with fruits. But the same cheese NOT melted can be eaten with fruit. The milder the cheese, the better. DRINK WATER.
Group B About Starches
Two starches cannot be eaten at the same sitting. For example, rice cannot be eaten with beans. Beans do not combine with tortillas, potato does not combine with bread, yet wheat noodles combine with bread because they are derived from the same starch – wheat. Remember the nutritious grains like rice, oat, and wheat bran – would combine well with their proper family.
Group C Sweet Fruits
All sweet fruits combine with each other and one starch and cheese (fresh) see Group C. Dried fruit of the sweet kind also combine with fresh sweet fruits, (i.e. dried pears/papaya, etc., with the exception of banana). It is fun to experiment with various juice blends. The calendar of suggested juices gives some ideas on where to start and what fruit best combines with another. We use a juicing machine and blender frequently when preparing our meals. A juicer is used for such fruits as apples, hard melons, carrots, pineapple, and oranges. You can also use the juicer for making “ice cream” from frozen fruits or fruit blends. Suggestions: peel and freeze bananas, then put through the juicer; blend melon juice, pear, dates, and cheese – freeze and then put through the juicer is another idea. The blender is essential in combining the juices with additional fruit and making juice from some fruits such as watermelon and grapes. When the blender is used to make juice, you then want to put the mixture through a juice bag (make of thin/strong cotton or nylon) or use a screen/sieve – to take out the seed particles. We happen to use the juicer/blender a lot because it is quick and extracts the maximum amount of juice from fruits and vegetables. By all means, eating foods naturally without juicing or blending is fine too. In fact, this is often necessary when eating away from home.
Group D Acid Fruits
Never mix one kind of acid fruit with another (ex.: oranges do not combine with grapefruit). It is better to eat acidic fruits in the morning. Because you should not mix other foods with acidic fruits, remember to eat as much as you can in one sitting. You can juice many of the fruits or eat them just as they are. It is advisable not to eat the pulp of some fruits. For example, when you sit down to eat 10 -15 oranges, depending on their size, chew the orange or juice it and spit out the pulp (which is too hard to digest). Summer fruits (peaches and plums), can be eaten completely without discarding the pulp (since their pulp is softer and easier to digest).
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
All meals shown on the Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Calendar are complete in that they contain all the groups possible for each meal. Whenever a starch is shown, another can be put in its place. For example, rice with fish can be changed to potato with fish or any starch you prefer for that meal. Wait for at least 4 and a half hours between meals to be sure all food is digested before starting another meal. If you do not feel hungry after 4 and a half hours, that usually means your food is still digesting, so it is best not to eat. Eat as much as you can at each meal to hold you over until the next one. Only water can be consumed between meals. Always peel the skin off any fruit or vegetables. Many poisonous insecticides are used. Stay away from juices found in cans or bottles even if it says that they are 100% natural and have no preservatives. You can be sure they have been on the shelf longer than a few days. Nothing can be compared to the fresh fruit juice you make before you sit down to eat. When eating sweet fruits, remember cheese and crackers are optional and don’t have to be eaten with every fruit meal (especially if you want to lose weight). When eating cooked foods, there are few treats you can include to give more variety such as raw nuts (pecans, cashew, almonds, and walnuts), alfalfa sprouts, avocado, and the different brans (rice, oat, wheat). Avocado/cashews (or any other high protein nut) can be considered an adequate substitute for meals, fish, and eggs. Remember, milk only combines with: starches, butter, cheese, or bananas. Vegetable juices are shown with many cooked meals but this does not mean you should have it every day. You can drink carrot juice plain or add other vegetables to a carrot base, such as celery, cucumber, bell pepper, radish, beet, garlic, etc. (See Group A) There are some cheeses on the market considered “fresh”. A few to consider are cottage cheese and cream cheese. Raw milk cheese (found in health food stores) is also an option. The milder the cheese, the better. Stay away from sharp-tasting, spicy, or aged cheese. When buying bread or cereal, you will notice they are made with a variety of starches. For example, many types of bread contain more than one starch (i.e. wheat flour, barley flour, oat bran, corn meal, etc.) Keep this in mind because it is best to use one starch bread and cereal. Also, many bread/cereals have honey and sugar in them and this would not combine with cooked food. Bread with much oil and crackers do not combine with the fruit category. Choose crackers that have little or no salt. Read labels. Do not eat Acidic Fruits (Group D), more than three (3) times a week. It is wise to stock up on fruits that you will be beating often. Plan ahead so that when it is time to eat you will have something that combines. This way you avoid eating just anything in the house. Do not make your juices and store them in the refrigerator to drink later. It will spoil and lose vitamins. Also, remember to try and not repeat the same food within a 24 hour period. NEVER EAT DESSERT! If you are still hungry after a meal, eat more. The chemical reaction of desserts, such as a cookie, ice cream, or even fruit, will cause all kinds of problems sooner or later. Learn to like the combinations that are good for your health!
Juice Preparation Instructions
Apple Juice and Banan Group E Peel five apples, cut into slices to fit in the juicer (no need to take out the seeds). Add this juice to 3-4 bananas, put into blender, and blend. Add 1 oz. cream cheese – optional.
Grape Juice Group C Separate 1-2 lbs. of sweet grapes – wash well in hot water (to take off pesticides as much as possible) fill blender, after blended pass through juice bag.
Oranges Group D Peel 10-20 oranges and separate into sections to pass through a juicer or eat whole (remember to spit out the pulp).
Watermelon Juice Group C Chop up some watermelon (with seeds and all), put it into a blender, mix then pass through the juice bag.
Pineapple Group D Peel and cut pineapple in sections this enough to go through a juicer or cut pieces, put in juice bag, squeeze by hand and drink it.
Cantaloupe Juice Group C Cut into pieces lengthwise and put through a juicer. 1 cantaloupe makes almost two 8 oz. glasses.
Milk and Bananas Group E 3-4 bananas (or more) blended with milk.
Weekly Menu Suggestions∗
Breakfast Sun – Group C – Apple juice and Banana Mon – Group D – Acid fruit Oranges Tues – Group C – Pears, cavil, Cracker, Honey, cheese Wed – Group D – Acid fruit Pineapple Thurs – Group E – Watermelon juice blended with 3 bananas Fri – Group A – Eggs, toast, and coffee or carrot juice Sat- Group E – Milk and Bananas blended
Lunch Sun – Group C – Grape juice/cheese/crackers Mon – Group C – Watermelon, dates, cottage cheese, crackers Tues – Group E – Papaya, banana, cream cheese (no crackers) Wed – Group C – Cantaloupe juice blended with 3 pears and dates Thurs – Group C – Apple juice (5-7 apples), Oatmeal (cooked), raisins, and jack cheese Fri – Group C – Pears, honey, crackers, and cottage cheese Sat – Group C – Watermelon juice, dried figs, cheese, crackers
Dinner Sun – Group A – Fish, rice, vegetables, carrot juice Mon – Group F – Grilled cheese sandwich, milk (no veggies) Tues – Group A – Eggs with cheese toast, carrot juice, asparagus, raw cashews Wed – Group A – Chicken and mashed/baked potatoes, steamed vegetables, spouts/nuts Thurs – Group A – Rice, avocado, steamed vegetables, carrot juice, celery, and cucumber Fri – Group E – Pears, bananas, and cheese Sat – Group A – Corn soup, melted cheese sandwich, carrot juice
∗The Menu Suggestions are for guidance only. You can double or triple the amounts and add more proteins or carbs keeping in mind the chemical combinations! To lose body fats while following your Training Programme a High Protein- Low Carbs Diet is strongly Recommended!
NOTE: No soft drinks or alcohol should be consumed. However, if you don’t want to stop, at least eat right!
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