Medical Opinions

Below are medical opinions that have been given on the SPEAR System principles.

Dr Robert Smith:

As physicians we have years of experience treating injuries that are the result of humans fighting other humans. We are also students of the martial arts and we have studied how humans fight for an equal number of years

After participating in several of Tony’s courses, it is our opinion that the SPEAR system is the most anatomically and physiologically sound system of fighting available to the professional combatant. Tony Blauer’s SPEAR system is usable, effective and reliable because it is based on the intrinsic pathways of human survival physiology.

What makes the SPEAR System fundamentally superior to other combat systems is its utilization of instinctive human response to focus the fight back onto the initial aggressor of that fight. Thus, Blauer’s system trains the fastest possible reaction of the “fight or flight response” to become the fight response.

SPEAR supports the transition of “startle/flinch”, at the beginning of Blauer’s courses, into
“startle/flinch/fight” at the end of the course. Thus, it is works with thousands of years of human neurological development, rather than against it. Anatomically, SPEAR is sound because it uses areas of the body that are least susceptible to injury to strike areas of the body that are the most susceptible to influence.

Compliance of the opponent, therefore, is obtained with the safest use of combative force that is anatomically possible. The SPEAR, when executed properly, is a safe and effective mechanism to defend self, influence opponents, and overcome an aggressor, rapidly with a measured response.

The SPEAR system is the most pragmatically safe way of responding to an attack. It makes sense from the medical standpoint because it intelligently utilizes intrinsic neurological pathways to effectively respond to unexpected attacks in an smoothly rapid way that dominates the opponent from point of first contact. It is used in the real world because it is grounded in fundamental anatomy and physiology of the human weapon system.”

Robert C Smith, MD
Medical Director
Direct Action Medical Network
Alexandria Louisiana

Dr Erc Levasseur:

“My review of the medical literature showed that while the studies where not done for self-defense in particular but rather to look at the effects of sudden fear or aversive stimuli on the human mind and body they found concepts that are described in Mr. Blauer‘s system. It seems his concepts are reproducible in different discipline and are universally valid.“

Dr Anthony Bleetman:

“The flinch response is a well-recognised reflex response in which the threatened subject adopts an automatic protective posture. The SPEAR system promotes recognition of the flinch response to sudden potentially threatening stimuli and advocates a system of self defence which commences from the postural position the response produces. As the resultant posture from the startle response is one we cannot choose, it makes sense that techniques of defence in sudden ambush start from this position.”

Dr Eric Cobb:

“In a study published in late 2001, researchers at the University of Toronto, led by Dr. John Yeomans, provided massive support to Blauer’s S.P.E.A.R. System™ foundation when they concluded that one of the most important purposes of the Startle/Flinch Response was to protect the body from blows. In this study, researchers demonstrated the Flinch Response was at its most intense when study participants were subjected to visual, auditory and physical/tactile stimuli.

Dr. Yeomans stated, “Before now, researchers have concentrated on studying the auditory pathways for the startle reflex, so the discovery that startle is best evoked when noises are combined with tactile stimuli is a surprising conclusion.”

Research has demonstrated that the physical platforms created by the three distinct flinches are exceptionally powerful and reliable as they begin in the amygdala, are carried out by reflex loops, and are specifically designed to increase tactical superiority and safety. Keeping the above background material in mind it is possible to draw some conclusions about the S.P.E.A.R. System™ and its applicability to the CQC needs of anyone— civilian, law enforcement officer or soldier.

Because the S.P.E.A.R. System™ is based on, built around and trained via the reflexive movements of the body, there are no “techniques” to memorize. As discussed above it is imperative, for realworld survival, to have a system that is built on a gross motor/ reflexive toolbox. The S.P.E.A.R. System™ is a reflexive, intuitive “counter-ambush” system that once embraced in theory, becomes readily available in the physical arena.

Because of the inherent stability of the human nervous system and the hard-wired nature of our reflexive responses, the S.P.E.A.R. System™ is extremely nonperishable. In simple terms, babies flinch, kids flinch, teens flinch, adults and elderly people flinch. The instinctive reactions of the amygdala are hard-wired and thus the physiological basis of the S.P.E.A.R. System™ makes it an incredibly efficient, non-perishable system that can be readily accessed at any time— despite a lack of consistent training.

Three things are necessary for any Defensive Tactics program to be effective: speed of acquisition, ease of retention and universal applicability. In his efforts to construct a generic system of self-protection, Blauer intended to meet these three distinct challenges. The S.P.E.A.R. System™ is the result and it has proven itself by saving lives all over the world.”