It was an honor to help Tony Blauer and the PDR team at the annual camp this past weekend.  There were about 150 people in attendance this time around, all looking to learn about or increase their knowledge about Personal Defense Readiness. Underground Strength Coach Zach Even-Esh was a guest presenter at the camp this year.  He ran a series of dynamic warm-up drills and gave a thought-provoking lecture about mental toughness.  One of the key takeaways from his story was becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable.  This advice transcends fitness and self-defense training and can be applied to many aspects of life.

Every time I hear Coach Blauer lead a session I come away with something new. I'm still amazed at how powerful his stories are, even after six years of hearing him teach.  Coach discussed how often the true "first responders" to a situation are not the police, fire fighters, or military; rather they are ordinary civilians and the persons being victimized themselves. His vision, and a compelling one to be sure, is to ensure that as many of these "first responders" as possible are prepared to defend themselves, their family, and those things that are personal, passionate, and present to them. The S.P.E.A.R. system makes this possible by demystifying self-defense training; making it possible for anyone to improve their emotional, psychological, and physical skill-sets to get challenged and take appropriate action in the face of fear and violence.