Best of B Team: Stop Freezing: Building Reactionary Muscle Memory

Reactionary movement is the only thing that saves you when a situation turns south. Most people assume that knowing a few moves is enough, but without the muscle memory to back it up, the human brain simply freezes under pressure. We sit down with Kaleb Plank from Inferno Martial Arts to discuss why his program focuses on functional self defense over the sport side of martial arts.

We get into the specific tactical advantages of weapons training, the transitive properties of teaching kids to use items like bicycle locks or rakes for safety, and why his hips toward danger philosophy is the first step in any confrontation. Kaleb explains the importance of moving beyond simple pain responses, such as groin strikes, and focusing on turning the lights off for an attacker using thumbs to the eyes and trachea control. We also dive into the reality of rank testing and how intense environments prepare students for real world stress.

The unglamorous truth is that even the best training cannot account for every wild card, from multiple attackers to the legal aftermath of a physical altercation. You have to be prepared to defend yourself both physically and legally, understanding that a justified action can still carry heavy social and professional consequences. Walking away with a mindset shift on how to regulate fear is just as important as the physical strike itself.

Transcript

Welcome To The B Team

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Welcome to the B Team Podcast. I am your host, Josh Stafford, with my co-host, Matt Mars, and our permanent guest, Rob Nilson. We're here every week to talk to you about all things Bettonville, bourbon, and business. The B Team Podcast. Be here.

SPEAKER_02 0:26

No, do you carry this? Carrie do any of this training? I could see her just throwing some elbows.

SPEAKER_03 0:30

Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was a sideline coach. She's keeping chipping her to her wrinkles.

SPEAKER_00 0:35

I tried to get involved because, you know, me being I'm thrifty. I'm going to say thrifty and chief. And I know you know about this. So I uh they have these, was it callie sticks that they were called? I know he knows because he probably has a picture he tells. So yeah, they have to buy these, they get to a certain level and they have weapons that they practice with. And uh I was like, oh, I could make one of these out of out of some stick from some closet. And then sell them. So I made each of the kids on Caleb came over after practice. He's like, man, I mean they're gonna get splinters, everyone's gonna get splinters in their hands from me. How much are these rods? Like eight bucks each?

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Literally eight bucks.

Why Rattan Keeps Training Safer

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Is that today's price? Today's price. So which means it was like and I know Carrie and the girls were just like trying to look the other way, and I was like, I mean, I thought there is some logic of like the splinters are not like inconvenient splinters, you know, like, oh, I've got one in my hand.

SPEAKER_03 1:38

Like, so a collie stick is made out of rattan, which is a fibrous wood, it's very flexible. That will not break. So when you're swinging sticks at each other, whacking sticks, and you hit one that's a piece of hardwood, that eight or twelve-inch piece will break off that stick and fly across the room and stick in somebody's eye socket. Like it isn't, it's so incredibly dangerous. And I know this because when we were younger and we were broke kids back in Parksville, me and my buddy Mike will wipe at the gym. We were like, oh man, no, we can make some of these.

SPEAKER_02 2:11

And that lasted about. So, Caleb, walk me through when you go over to Matt. Is it like, hey, Jackass? Or is it like is it like I felt like I was getting trouble?

SPEAKER_00 2:21

He's like, Did you come to my office? It was great once thing alike.

SPEAKER_03 2:24

It's one of those, like, hey man, I know you think this is a good idea. But it's really, it's really bad. I'm trying to keep it low-key because it's like I I get it, man. Like, because like I said, me and Mike put the same stuff.

SPEAKER_02 2:36

But even better, I was hoping you said they're like$5,000 each, like custom made, uh, shipped in from Taiwan. It's like it's eight dollars. No, it's eight dollars, yeah.

Kids Training Striking And Weapons

SPEAKER_03 2:44

They're only eight dollars, but I appreciate it for it, you know, that I was like, eh, you know, it's not great. I'm like, you know, if you keep one of those, they're great to have in the car. So when you do break it and it's pokey, then it's functional. But you know, something functional, get in shape, community camaraderie, it's kind of you know, like he was saying, it's a big family kind of event. Um, but it's also you know, legitimate martial arts where it's like it's stuff that if if something happens, you're you're probably gonna be okay. You know, it's like you can never predict all the the wild cards, but uh, but it's definitely you know something dysfunctional, especially for the kids is you know the kids program. Because now like jujitsu is like the factory, like everybody's doing jiu jitsu. It's like that's the thing. Um, but we teach our kids striking as well, because I'm just a big believer in like your first priority of teaching children is self-to-fits. Uh and I tell people all the time, I'm like, dude, somebody stuffs your kids in the band. You don't need them trying to be like, well, here, get in my guard so I can try and do this choke I learned in class. You know, like they need to know how to punch, kick, lean, elbow, takedown, jump on people, choke people, swing sticks, you know.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

That's to where it's not like a foreign. And it's it's like you said, it's kind of like becomes muscle memory because the kids get frustrated. They're like, why do we have to keep doing it? Yeah. And he's like, because I want you to be able to do it without thinking that you're doing it. Yeah, reactionary.

SPEAKER_03 4:01

Yeah. I mean, it's like the weapons program in this in the martial arts world, uh, you know, it's like, oh, you're teaching weapons, it's kind of dumb. And it's like, well, we can teach specific weapons because I don't want to teach the kids how to do things that are too extremely violent, too young. But there's transitive properties where like the kids get to swing nudch. They love nudjugs. I mean, who didn't when you were kids? You're like, oh, this is awesome. I bike myself in the head like a kid. Did you make number time still? No, I didn't, I snake them, but I probably you know, and but it's a fun time, but at the same time, it's like that transitive property of like if that kid picks up a bicycle chain or a bicycle lock, it's gonna work the same way. And they can and they can get somebody off them if they have to, you know, or like the big long bow staff, you know, like they pick up a broomstick or a rake or something, you know. So like there's some underlying meanings in the program that the kids and also the parents don't even know about because you know freaks them out. They're like, no, stab them in the eye. You know, they're like, oh, that's easy.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

But how do you because how do you prevent the kids from then going back to school and then beating the crap out of somebody, and then all of a sudden it comes back to you, like, hey, hey, you taught him this, like you're to blame in some way, shape, or form. Structure and discipline. And that's happened.

SPEAKER_03 5:10

And 100% of the time, whenever that's happened, it's been a situation in which you know our kid was just protecting themselves or somebody else, you know, because they're good kids. You know, very rarely do you have a situation of like, oh, this kid's just out there harassing people right now. It's just because that structure and discipline in the program, for those kids to learn the things that can do harm of that nature, they gotta be in the program for a little bit, so a little bit of a slow start, you know. Um but it's structure and discipline, it's the environment, the culture, you know, of like you're a protector of yourself and those that need help, right? You know, and because I tell people all the time when when kids come in, oh man, like kids getting bullied, but sometimes like the bully comes and you need those kids too, because they just don't understand how to regulate.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

That comes into like some respect as well, too, right? You teach a lot of respect in martial arts.

Discipline Culture And Bullying

SPEAKER_03 5:56

Oh, for sure. I mean it's straight lines, yes, sirs, no sirs, you know, because what we're doing can inherently, you know, hurt people, you know. Um, so we we run a structure, but it's always a good time. We disguise the we disguise it very well. Um, and that's why like the culmination is like Matt can tell you, like the advanced rank testings is like what everybody loves to go to. Uh, because we do them different by rank. So so like the high ranks, when they do a testing, only those belt colors go to that testing because it's just a different uh level of intensity than like, oh my kid's a white belt, they just started, or they're a yellow belt, they're six months in. That's a different kind of testing.

SPEAKER_02 6:35

How high did the girls get in the ratings? They they got their junior black belts.

SPEAKER_03 6:39

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:39

We all think you put a whooping on you.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Well, and like I say, I I mean Caleb, I think the best sell for us was that they just most people win an if, you know, hopefully it never happens, but in whenever someone tries to do pin them down or whatever, they they freeze because they've never had it happen. Whereas when they're a thieves, that they it happens every every three three times a week. Yeah. So that's so it like it's it's normal to them. Whereas so that was what like as a dad, that's why I wanted the girls to go there. Because then I was like, if anything ever happened, they you know, they probably let it happen or you know, or tried.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

Safe to say if somebody walks up behind you in a parking lot, not a good move for the person, right?

Hips Toward Danger And Targets

SPEAKER_03 7:26

I mean, you like one or two moves and yeah, I mean, theoretically, you know, we all want to say that like that's what you sell, you propagate. Reality is only thinking can happen. So uh, because in the real world, like we could ambush multiple opponents, people hit you in the head with a brick, slam you do there, or stab you in a kidney. Like, you know, like most knives, like eighty, like eighty percent of knife fights, people don't like know they're a knife fight till after because they didn't know they were stabbed. So do I have a skill set that technically should protect me more than anyone else, you know, on average? Technically, yes.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

So, what is that move? If if if Bobby and I are walking out to my car after this and somebody comes up behind us, like what's what's what are the first two things you tell somebody to do as best as they can?

SPEAKER_03 8:08

I always tell people hips towards danger. Turn your hips towards the danger no matter what, because you don't want people behind you, you want stuff in front of you. That's where you're strong, that's where you can get all the people, that's where you can hit you right there. Hips towards danger. Well, that means it's easier to knock you over. Um so that's my first thing. Hips towards danger, and then after that it's easy. Eyes, throat, and ears. Go for the eyes, go for the throat, not groin. Groin I use as an adjustment to get to your eyes and throat because like most people that are attacking you aren't wire rough and a lot of times you're on drugs or off drugs. So a pain response, um, such as a groin strike, is not always the best. And I mean it'll work. It's like it's gonna slow them down. But my goal is like what turns somebody off? If you're blind and can't see me, it's hard to hurt me. If you can't so are you finger or elk? Like wait till I'm a thumb in the eye. Thumb in the eye. I was all about thumbs in the eye because uh I can hit you with my palm at the same time my thumb goes in your eye, so you get a little bit of a jaw strike. So it's almost like a slap, but a little bit more of a palm heel strike, you know, here. So I get a little bit of that rattle on the jaw as my thumb binds your eyes. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:20

Skip and then and while that's happening, you know.

SPEAKER_03 9:23

Don't use that on Natalie. I guess she doesn't use it on me, that's the problem. Yeah, you know, and trying to get a hold of her throat like while you're doing that, you know, just like this coming in off the back. Yeah, well, so uh I always joke is I'm all like, don't choke like this. This is for fun. Choke like this because this is for real. Oh, okay. Yeah, you want to get a hold of that trachea. I always tell them people, it's like getting a hold of the water hose and just close it, you know, like that's your goal. Because when I do that, I get your attention. Yeah, because you know, when people are gonna harm you, they usually want to get close to you. So I'm like, I'm building get close. So you get a hold of their throat, they're gonna get a hold of it, and then their eyes open. So when their eyes open, the thumb right in the eye, and I go, thumbs it like attack as deep as it goes. So uh and then of course it's you know, one is none, two is one. So it's like after you get that first one in, then your goal is to get the second one in, you know, because you you want to be thorough where it's like we're gonna make sure. And I always tell people the groin strike, that's what I use to how good your head clubs are, you know, like so if they are close and they're a little bit taller or something. You strike the groin because people bend the waist and so they don't get all your hit.

SPEAKER_02 10:23

I'm like, I don't know if I'm scared or excited. Let's have it everything, Joss. Like, yeah, it's kind of a mix. It's like let's go outside.

Force Options And Legal Reality

SPEAKER_03 10:32

Yeah, it's kind of a mix, you know, like uh, you know, fear and excitement cover blend. But yeah, so that's that's what I advise people to do because but then you got to look at force multipliers, where it's like if somebody actually means you hard and you're carrying a firearm or a knife of some sort, you know, then you you have to employ that. But as my coach always says, defend yourself physically and legally, because the legal environment is also a major factor that you have to put in context because uh, you know, social justice is so strong now, or you could do something that's legally vetted, but still the world may torture you, end your life, and your career, and it's over.