Funker Tactical Has Called Me Out!?

How dare he.

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Humans like to talk about things.

147 responses to “Funker Tactical Has Called Me Out”

  1. I think he was responding to you poo pooing some of the flow drills. His response is they are valuable as drills not fighting. But hey I would like you two to have a knife dual on Youtube live! My bet is you both would lose.

  2. Trav, they called you out for calling them out, LOL. They haven’t purchased your course most likely. I trained various kali traditions for several years and the flow drills and limb manipulations that they are displaying in that video are not very practicallly useful. The flow drills need to evolve into something more realistic and unfortunately in many schools they don’t. Fights don’t flow. You’ll also notice that in every one of those takedowns, the feeder is literally giving thier limb to the person who is receiving. In a real fight, you’ll need something like a sleeve to grab as Trav shows in his course. Now, there is alot of good stuff in Kali, particularly in a few reality based schools. Unfortunately they all say they’re reality based or ‘tactical’. What Trav has put together is very good and better than lots of what Kali schools teach. I can only think of couple of techniques that would add alot of value to what Trav is teaching. The overall philosophy of what Trav is teaching (e.g. don’t over commit) is nearly perfect.

  3. I spent a lot of money in the past buying videos and doing the various flow drills. I trained when I could get someone with me. But I’m the end I decided most of it was unrealistic and scripted. What happens when the attacker feints and you just fully committed to block? What about when you don’t know what the opponent is going to do and they don’t he exaggerated movements? A lot like martial art katas. In theory they should help but they rarely do. Perhaps
    Drilling these for hours a week for years the flow can be developed. But at what opportunity cost? A person is probably much better advised to train strength and conditioning, hand to hand, and firearms proficiency.

    I did like the cold steel guy’s video on knife fighting and at least in the past they put on competitions.

  4. Trav,
    I am sort of new to your stuff (which I love and think is great) and in no way some kind of badass fighting machine– so disregard as required.

    I don’t see this as a callout at all, merely an explanation of different training approach, and (maybe) philosophy.

    I agree that a collaborative training piece from you both would probably be &$*#’n AWESOME.

    Just my thoughts. You the man, thanks for your teaching/ coaching and sharing.

      • Well, sure– who doesn’t? Beer flow drills are just about the greatest…what? What happened?

        I forgot to add that although I have never viewed a Funker video before, it does appear to me that there was more explanation of the rationale and limitations of flow drilling than there would have been otherwise, as they responded to your videos.

        This is important, lest the internet surfing noob (someone like myself, perhaps) interpret flow training as the actual, real defense technique, try to use it and end up in pieces.

        So, you’ve contributed mightily to the discussion/ science.

        And– I still don’t see them discussing the ‘ripping back’ of the knife hand, which seems pretty important.

  5. As a fellow Maori I can promise you Mr Wihongi would take his craft very seriously. We even put the wind up Rommel during WW2. But generally I would have to agree with your comments regarding knife fighting and the amount of bs regarding such.

    For example, you are in for a load of hurt when a skilled knife fighter works off keeping his knife chambered at the hip while pawing with his free hand looking for a grab or opening.
    The knife strikes/slashes are fleeting with a high probability of cuts to the hands or legs of a defender.

    Probably the only way to know you have some technique of value is to put it to the test.

    And the place to do that would be attending another New Zealanders course. Geoff “Tank” Todd, Master Chief Instructor to the NZSAS who runs civilian courses around the world. To pass his course, you have to show your skills in a near no holds bar fight. Serious injury and death are very real possibility.

  6. What Im seeing is first of all is he used your video as an example of his claims. Poor choice on his part in my opinion. Secondly what Im seeing these guys do is a rehearsal; you do this and then I do that repeatedly.
    Well that random knife wielding bad guy had a different dance instructor so his method is not going to work too well. If every guy is right handed in his training seminar and you have a left handed attacker their screwed from the start.
    Ive served in the military, Ive studied Tae kwon do, and I was a corrections office at a maximum security prison. Ive had a knife pulled on me a hand full of times and have only been slightly cut, and that was in a bar brawl. I never seen the attacker and never even felt the cut until much later that evening. In my experience you need to have your wits about you and your head on a swivel, and in the case of multiple attackers your going to get cut regardless of how much training you have.
    Theirs always going to be those haters and neigh sayers and the best thing you can do is dont read their comments and ignore them.
    Ive seen you knife training video and stand behind you 100% regardless of what this other guy is showing people. Looks as if this guy is trying to stand on your shoulders to promote his video; period.

  7. Hey, Trav!
    I think what you’ve broken down with your knife training videos is extremely similar to what these guys teach as well. I’ve been following these guys for years and learning from them for a long time. When I saw you’re videos, they’re extremely similar to the concepts they teach and train. I don’t think you or these guys are really against each other, in fact I use both what you and these guys teach in my daily life as I train. Both of you have a wealth of knowledge that are a necessity if you want to survive in a knife fight! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 Keep up the good work!

  8. These types of drills are based upon having contact with the opponent’s arm. They are also done slowly, and in a flowing manner…and primarily pre-planned. They also utilize 5-12 angles of attack…(even though knifers generally only use 1of 2 common attacks). So sorry folks, only people trained to be good partners will leave their arm extended and feed all kinds of angles in order for the majority of these kinds if drills to work. So you get really good at make believe. This approach however, does keep students coming to class and paying more tuition to learn tons of stuff they’ll never need, and may just get them killed instead of focusing on the limited attacks that are essential to learn defenses against.

  9. Yeah they are a competitor I think they were respectful but I am very happy with you and your videos and your knowledge

  10. see what happened here Trav my friend, is that you started a martial arts EXPOSED trend. They, having an actual military trained duuude on their side, used you as a boost for their advertising. The only thing that’s wrong with what they did is call you for being fake too. Now I see in your video you take rinto account which is great cos you unlike those guys remember that people have 2 hands not 1. But then again they are teaching you to defend against someone who uses a knife like a specialist….. So….. That’s great and all but it doesn’t really help you account for the hyper crazy psycho or normal yet agressive person thats more likely to be attacking. I mean if in a war, their great to watch… But when walking on the street they don’t help much … To an extent obviously, a lot of the things they do can be applied anywhere but calling you out wasn’t the move my guy. It was a cheap way to boost their subs and or views. I get why they’d do that but… Haaiiiyaaa (baby’s voice) ighuaaa…. He’ll get there eventually XD

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