“Combat Machine” is a total fighting system oriented on survival in a fight against several armed assailants.

System include fighting in any range, against single or multiple opponents, usage of punches and kicks as well as grappleing techniques, joint locks etc., defence against weapons and usage of weapons or environmental tools. Special attention paid to survival tactics and to special psychological training, which allows switch of fighter’s mind into “berserk” mode.

Unlike most of modern martial arts (include so-called “no hold barred” events) which have actually degenerated into duel of two barefooted gentlemen fighting with empty hands under sport rules, “Combat Machine” is initially oriented to survival in severe street-fight against armed assaulters when you need to protect your life or lives of loved people.

“Combat Machine” based on training methods of soviet army scouts and “spetznaz” (special force) units which methods practiced and proved themself highly effective during World War II. Best of these methods, techniques and tactics were adopted and modified to fit the environment of the modern adopted street fight - today you have a far better chance of being attacked by assailant with a knife or baseball bat than by soldier with riffle and bayonet. A book describing the “Combat Machine” training methods was published in Minsk in 1997 and immideately became bestseller of the year in the “martial arts and self-defence” division.

Anatoly Taras, unlike most self-defence instructors, is not a “virgin teaching sex” - he served in soviet army “spetznaz”, and also survived a large number of street-fights where he was forced to use his system to protect himself against robbers or street gangs. In addition to “sptznaz” hand-to-hand combat training A.Taras holds black belts in viet-vo-dao and ju-jutsu and is also a qualified practical psychologist. He authored a number of books about martial arts and self-defence, which enjoy great popularity in Russia, and is chief editor of “Kempo” - the oldest and one of the leading Russian magazines dedicated to martial arts.

Main features of “Combat Machine” system:

• Fighter’s main objective is not “winning” the fight, but survival.Staying alive and uninjured is far more important than defeating your opponent(s)
• Special psychological training allows the practicioner to gain the ability to switch his mind into “berserk” mode in self-defence situation
• Striking techniques are emphasized more than throwing and grappling because this type of technique is more fitting when facing multiple opponents
• A single strike is usually not effective enough in real fight, and a sequence of two or three strikes to vital body areas is preferred
• Unlike traditional martial arts, not “pressure points” used as targets, but 30 vital areas, which don’t require too many power to damage
• Strikes and other techniques geared towards preventing your opponent from continuing the fight. This may be achieved by causing heavy pain, limb breaking, knockouts, etc.
• Special attention is paid to striking with armed hand (a weapon such as a knife or some environmental object like a bottle, stone, etc. may be used) and kicking with a shoed foot
• Fight tactics based on continuous movement, which help the fighter avoid attacks and prevent himself from being surrounded. Also widely used are various street-fight “dirty tricks”
• Why fight when you can avoid it ? The system promotes permanent awareness, early danger detection, ways of preventing a fight and escaping. Escape is not considered “cowardice” but a wise way of avoiding useless risk

(Editor’s note: The type of stuff I randomly search for on Google. Love the “unlike most self-defence instructors, is not a “virgin teaching sex” jab. Guess Tripod sites still exist!)