Learning a knife lesson

BIDDEFORD — John Viol is the type of person you would like to have on your side if you ran into trouble.

Viol, an edge weaponry specialist, serves as the head of the United States Martial Tactical Association Instructor Training Program as well as being the USMTA national director and chief technical adviser.

On Saturday, he shared his unique knowledge of the art of personal protection with a group of eager participants at Kosho Battleground Maine.

“The event was for adaptive knife for the civilian base,” Viol said prior to the seminar. “It’s using a fixed blade and a folding blade with modern and classical types of training. The participants are going to get a full gamut of edge weaponry type of training that can be used for modern adaptive personal protection.

“It’s to bring awareness and provide people who carry a folder all the time, but don’t really know how to use it in a tactical sense or fashion, so that they can protect themselves, their family, neighbors, community or country ”“ whatever we have to do.”

In his role as head of the USMTA Instructor Training Program, Viol travels around the world as a close-quarter combat weapons trainer. His experience is extensive, including nearly 20 years as a tested and licensed classical martial sciences instructor in Japan and Korea. During the course of his career, Viol has been a consultant to members of the military, law enforcement and dignitary protection agencies.

“The military has their people and their training,” said Viol, one of only three individuals in the U.S. with his level of training.

“Law enforcement has their people and they get special training. The weakest link is the civilians. Who protects them?” he said. “It’s supposed to be law enforcement, but sometimes they are not available. This strengthens the community in that way. Bryan (LaBrecque, director of Kosho Battleground Maine) is the only one in this area that fits the mindset. It’s not profit motivated or monetarily motivated. He’s truly interested in the community service (it) provides.”

While many combat disciplines revolve around achieving certain levels of expertise, Saturday’s three-hour seminar was all about training and being prepared in the event that a person encounters a dangerous situation. The skills taught during the seminar aren’t anything new ”“ Viol and his fellow USMTA instructors say they are teaching skills that date back 2,500 years.

“This is not self-defense or martial arts at all,” said Viol. “Not in any way, shape or form. What you learn now you can use now. It’s not based on styles or philosophies or anything else. It’s reality-based, real-world applications that are tested and proven. It is battleground type of things brought to the civilian base so they can protect themselves and also help other people.”

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