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Superman Syndrome
Black Belt Magazine, October 2007
Over the years, I've seen many people teach complicated techniques for self-defense purposes even though it's generally understood that anything too difficult won't work under pressure. (View Article)

Richard Ryan and Blade-Tech's Knife and Defense System
Tactical Knives, September 2007
Raptor Talon Quick-Strike Defender, and now for something completely different... (View Article)

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The Realities of Violence
Black Belt Magazine, August 2007
People who haven't experienced sudden violence rarely understand the realities of it. (View Article)

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Where is the Budo in Mixed Martial Arts?
Black Belt Magazine, June 2007
But beyond the harsh realities of the cage, something's missing. Where's the budo (warrior ways) in MMA? (View Article)

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Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword
Black Belt Magazine, February 2007
If you've ever studied the relationship between the law and self-defense, you've probably found yourself a bit mystified. (View Article)

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To Trap or Not to Trap
Black Belt Magazine, February 2007
Bruce Lee was the foremost martial arts pioneer of the modern era. In Enter the Dragon, he displayed his vast array of combat skills and mastery of choreography. (View Article)

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Where’s the Chi?
Black Belt Magazine, November 2006
If you've studied any traditional art, you've no doubt been exposed to the term. Whether it's rendered as chi by the Chinese, ki by the Japanese and Koreans. or prana by the Indians, it refers to the power inherent in all living things, one that martial artists can channel in combat. (View Article)

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No One Owns the Truth
Black Belt Magazine, September 2006
The name ‘mixed martial arts’ implies that no one system, style, stratege or tactic is fundamentally superior to all others. Success requires a variety of skills that allow the fighter to handle a broad spectrum of situations. (View Article)

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‘No Can Defend’
Black Belt Magazine, July 2006
Is there such a thing as the ultimate style or the ultimate technique that no one can defend against? Unfortunately not. There isn't a "no can defend." Every style, system, strategy, technique, tactic, action and maneuver can be countered. (View Article)

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Weapons of War
Black Belt Magazine, May 2006
mpact weapons have been around since primitive man first picked up a stone or stick to club a four-legged mammal for food or a two-legged one in self-defense. Those implements are probably responsible for having killed more people than any other weapon in history. (View Article)

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The Morality of Fighting
Black Belt Magazine, February 2006
There was a time when some people thought a black belt had to register his hands as deadly weapons with the police. (View Article)

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The Chaos of Combat
Black Belt Magazine, December 2005
Fighting is chaos. Even in sport fighting an endeavor that's constrained by rings, refs and rules chaos is king. Once the bell sounds, exactly what our opponent will do and when he'll do it are unpredictable. (View Article)

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The Fear Doctrine
Black Belt Magazine, October 2005
I always crack up when someone says he never feels fear or, better yet, when a person is involved in a violent altercation and says he wasn't afraid. If anyone ever tells you that, he's either psychotic or lying. Since few true psychotics are running around, chances are he's lying. (View Article)

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Violence, Passivity and the Warrior's Mind
Black Belt Magazine, August 2005
The Japanese have a saying: The fastest swords are seldom drawn. I've found it to be true in martial arts. Some of the most dangerous human beings on the planet are also some of the nicest, humblest and most gentle people you'll ever meet. (View Article)

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Unlocking the Secret of Skill
Black Belt Magazine, June 2005
A degree of mystery and awe surrounds people who are highly skilled in a particular area. The Special Forces soldier with a chest full of medals, the SWAT officer in full gear and the 10th-degree black belt all represent such highly skilled people. (View Article)

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Simplicity in Combat
Black Belt Magazine, April 2005
0ne of the instructors in my Dynamic Combat system recently asked me some technical questions about using contact and control techniques to neutralize an armed assailant. (View Article)

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Understanding the Time/Distance Variable
Black Belt Magazine, February 2005
It amazes me how few martial artists understand how quickly real fights erupt and what the precise relationship between range and reaction is. A fight is sudden, savage and brutal, and the explosion of rage and violence can happen in the blink of an eye. (View Article)

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Uniforms or Street Clothes?
Black Belt Magazine, December 2004
When I was a kid, all martial arts students wore uniforms and belts or sashes. For decades, that was the norm world-wide. Then things started to change, most likely because of Bruce Lee's eclectic approach... (View Article)

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Fighting and the Law
Black Belt Magazine, October 2004
As a trained martial artist, you owe it to yourself to learn the law and practice techniques that will enable you to defend yourself on the street and in the courtroom. (View Article)

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Dangers of Force Prediction
Black Belt Magazine, August 2004
One of the first rules of the street is, he who hits first, fastest and the most almost always wins. (View Article)

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Unarmed Against a Knife
Black Belt Magazine, June 2004
Edged weapons are lightning-fast and cruelly deceptive. The best defense against them is avoidance. (View Article)

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Against the Odds
Black Belt Magazine, April 2004
Most people severely underestimate how deadly a knife attack can be. The rule of thumb is, if a blade can touch you, it can hurt you. (View Article)

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Do Big Lions Always Eat Little Lions?
Black Belt Magazine, January 2004, Special Issue
In competitive weightlifting, the person who moves the most weight is deemed the most powerful. Is it the same for the combat arts? (View Article)

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Three Paths
Black Belt Magazine, November 2003
Fifty years ago, Americans knew little about the martial arts. Then our soldiers brought back stories of little Asian guys who could throw them around like rag dolls and break bricks and boards with their bare hands. (View Article)

Extreme Opponents
The Best Strategies for Defeating
the Biggest and Strongest on Planet Earth
Black Belt Magazine, July 2003
Have you ever fought someone who's six inches taller than you? How about someone who's twice as strong? (View Article)

The Shield
The Ultimate Form of Defense
is Designed for the Worst-Case Scenario
Black Belt Magazine, October 2002
On the street, he who hits first, hits the fastest and hits the most almost always wins. Street fighters know that no matter how big, strong or skilled a person may be, he is vulnerable to a sudden, overwhelming assault. (View Article)

8 Ways of Attack
The Secret to Mentally Organizing
Every Style and Technique in the Martial Arts World
Black Belt Magazine, Reality Fighting 2001, Special Issue
To the uninitiated, the combative arts can be quite confusing. There is a seemingly endless array of styles, systems and methods, and each pushes its own philosophy and perspective. (View Article)

Grappling in the Real World
Is it the Ultimate Method of Self-Defense?
Black Belt Magazine, July 2001
40th Anniversary Collector's Edition
The Asian martial arts first burst upon the American scene when tales of amazing feats by "little Asian guys" were brought back by U.S. troops stationed overseas after World War II. (View Article)

Practical Self Defense
Sweat Magazine, May 2001
Self-defense is literally in his genes. (View Article)

Surviving the Worst Case Scenario
Richard Ryan and the Art of Dynamic Combat™
Black Belt Magazine, March 2001
What constitutes a reality-based martial art? Is it a focus on street-oriented techniques and tactics? Is it diversity of training? According to Richard Ryan, founder of the art of Dynamic Combat™, it is the ability to deal with the worst-case scenario. (View Article)

Essential Gear
Black Belt Magazine, December 2001
Richard Ryan's Dynamic Combat videos are the most detailed tapes I have ever encountered. He provides a thorough explanation for each concept he presents and follows that with demonstrations of the techniques. (View Article)

Train like a Warrior
Sweat Magazine, January 2000
Realistic warrior training is the basis of Richard Ryan's Defense Systems. From the Four Corners region to Yuma, you'd be hard pressed to find a law enforcement officer who has not taken one of Ryan's seminars or private courses. (View Article)

Getting It On At Gunsite
Hands-on training from some of the BEST in the business!
Tactical Knives, July 1999
I'm firmly convinced the only way to really develop adequate defense skills with an edged weapon is to train on a regular basis under the eye of a qualified Instructor. (View Article)

Book Review
Master of the Blade
Secrets of the Deadly Art of Knife Fighting
Tactical Knives, July 1999
There has been a flood of knife combatives manuals published in the last few years, some good and some pretty marginal. While I haven't changed that opinion, Richard Ryan's new book is definitely one of the better texts I've run across. (View Article)

Martial arts veteran takes
street smarts to the people
Paradise Valley Independent, July 1999
Richard Ryan has fought for law abiders and enforcers, devoting his lifework to their self-protection. (View Article)

Richard Ryan brings more than just martial arts to the foothills community
Foothills Sentinel, July 1999
Richard Ryan is one of the nation's leading authorities on martial arts, self defense and defensive tactics. (View Article)

Alternative Force 1
When Push Comes to Shove
Women & Guns, August 1996
The firearm is a tool. A tool just like a fire extinguisher, an automobile, or a hammer. The trouble is, though, that if the only tool you own is a hammer, the whole world starts to look like a nail. (View Article)

A.L.E.R.T.
Tactical Defense System
S.W.A.T., January 1993
You're holding a suspect at gunpoint after finding him jimmying a window. Not seeing any weapons, you order him to face away from you and drop to his knees. Instead, he slowly advances towards you with a crazed look, spitting obscenities... (View Article)

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