Michael Janich

MBC focuses on stopping power rather than lethal force. A cut to the quadriceps muscle is an excellent means of immobilizing an attacker.

Lots of people teach fighting with knives—in what ways do you teach it differently?

Martial Blade Concepts (MBC) is based on combat-proven methods of the Filipino martial arts adapted to the realities of modern self-defense. In addition to being tuned to the use of the type of knives we are actually permitted to carry legally (typically small folding knives), it emphasizes stopping power over lethality. The shooting world learned long ago that the goal of using a firearm in self-defense is to stop the attacker so he is unable to cause you harm. Although lethality may be a by-product of that action, stopping power is the goal. The same thing applies with knives, but it’s even more critical because you are operating at contact distance. If you apply lethal force and inflict a mortal wound, but it doesn’t incapacitate your attacker quickly and efficiently, he may still kill or seriously injure you. That’s not good enough. MBC’s well-documented emphasis on stopping power also makes it more legally defensible than traditional knife systems—another key quality of a modern self-defense system.

MBC system integrates empty-hand strikes with the use of the knife.

My primary method of motivation is getting students to understand the logic of the system and why we do things the way we do. Unlike traditional martial arts, where students are required to perform rote techniques because “that’s the way they’re done,” MBC and the other skill sets I teach are all based on doing things for a reason. Every structure and every tactic is based on achieving practical function as efficiently as possible. When you understand why something works, you are more inclined to do it. That’s much better than an esoteric “wax on, wax off” approach.

What type of person should your students expect to deal with when they train with you?

An instructor who truly wants them to learn and is not hung up on his own ego.

Janich and the legendary Col. Rex Applegate. Book they co-authored is in foreground.

I had the great honor of working with and learning from the late Col. Rex Applegate, the close-combat instructor for the OSS (Office of Strategic Services—the predecessor of the CIA) during World War II. His commitment to practical, no-BS tactics designed to empower average people with powerful combative skills still inspires me. I also had the privilege of working with Kelly McCann, founder of Crucible Security Specialists. Kelly is, in my opinion, the best trainer in the business—hands down. He is in every way just as much an icon as Col. Applegate was, but his talents and skill sets are much more modern and far more comprehensive.

Kelly McCann heads Janich’s list of top instructors.

And who do you think are some of the best instructors teaching in your field today?

That’s a long list, but the ones I respect the most include Kelly McCann, James Keating, Cardo Urso, and Rob Pincus.

What can students expect to take away from your courses?

Usable self-defense skills and a solid understanding of why they will work. They will also have the basic mechanics of the training methodology needed to develop those skills and the reflexes necessary to apply them in a critical incident.

Students consider knife options during MBC course.

Do you have a “typical” student? What is s/he like?

Most MBC students tend to be people who have trained in the traditional martial arts and grew disillusioned with them as a means of developing real self-defense skill.

I also get a lot of shooters who either cannot get a CCW permit in their area or are wise enough to realize that, even with a CCW, a knife is a very potent backup or alternate weapon—especially if you travel frequently.

Counter-Blade Concepts is Janich’s empty-hand system of defending against edged-weapon attacks.

What’s your training philosophy?

We have a number of “sayings” in MBC that summarize my training philosophy pretty well. One of the most important is “You don’t have to fight like me; you just have to fight well.” What that means is that everyone has different physiques, physical attributes, and limitations. Those will determine what techniques work best for you. Rather than a traditional martial art, where the goal is to get everyone to look exactly the same, my goal is to make everyone capable based on the bodies they’ve got.

Another guiding principle is “When in doubt, lower your standards.” This is kind of an irreverent reminder that function is always more important than form. In a self-defense situation, focus on stopping the attacker and don’t worry about technique. With this in mind, we practice “deconstructing” techniques—eliminating movements to boil them down to their bare-minimum functional form.

Janich was one of 12 subject-matter experts on self-defense selected by Transportation Security Administration to participate in the development of an aircrew self-defense program.

Looking ahead, what do you see in the future for yourself as a trainer?

Everything that I’ve been working on during the past 10+ years has paved the way for some amazing opportunities, like co-hosting The Best Defense and being involved in numerous writing and video projects. These opportunities have given MBC and the other programs I teach broad exposure and have generated a lot of interest in my approach to self-defense. At the same time, I have been working very closely with my most dedicated students to develop them as instructors. The ultimate goal is for them to supplement my efforts as an instructor to bring MBC, Counter-Blade Concepts, Martial Cane Concepts, Damithurt Silat (my empty-hand combatives system) and Sobadiwan Eskrima (my stick fighting system) to a broader audience.

Janich has also taught point shooting and handgun retention.

Finally, I am in the process of documenting the various aspects of my teaching through instructional videos. I am doing this through Stay Safe Media, a partnership that I share with videographer Michael Rigg, who also happens to be a full instructor in MBC.

How about for your particular training industry?

MBC straddles the lines of a number of different industries, so it’s a matter of perspective. The martial arts industry will continue to evolve, but will remain pretty broad to cater to the different reasons that people choose to train. The self-defense industry, however, is getting smarter and more focused. Although there is still a lot of misinformation out there, motivated students are learning how to sort through it to find the stuff that makes sense. In that regard, MBC and my other instruction will continue to shine.

Students repeating an MBC course will often find that the curriculum has changed.

What is something that you’ve changed your mind about and why?

Students who trained with me 10 years ago—or even five years ago—are always surprised when they attend a current course and see that MBC has evolved. They often comment that “We used to do it this way.” My answer is typically that the old way still works, but the new way works better or is a skill that is easier to learn and maintain. Many traditional martial arts focus on preserving the system, so by definition historical consistency becomes more important than the student. We don’t work that way. We continue to evolve, in many cases to adapt our skills and methods to emerging threats—like actual trends in violent crime, which we track very closely.

How about something that you used to teach but now realize isn’t the best thing to teach your students or possibly a technique that you have replaced with something better?

MBC’s targeting system emphasizes biomechanical cutting of structural targets such as the bicep.

One major change that I’ve implemented has to do with the order of presenting information. Previously, I used to emphasize reflex training or “flow” drills early in the training process, drawing movements from them to teach applied technique. When I found that most of my teaching was in a seminar context that didn’t offer enough time to master flow drills, I switched to focusing on a very logical progression of technique instruction. This progression teaches students the “master” sequences of the system and then reinforces them as they are applied to different types of attacks. In this way, the students learn to immediately grasp and apply the critical elements of the system, including proper anatomical targeting.

Later, I introduce the flow drills to show them how the drills provide structured, high-speed repetition of technique that refines their skills and develops reflex. Some students never really explore the drills and are content to stick with technique practice. That still meets their needs because they have the skills they require to defend themselves. Their reflexes and level of skill will not be as highly developed as someone who understands and practices the drills, but their needs are still met.