The Four Criteria

In order to be sensible for combat a system or method should possess the following factors:

1. Survivability- the overall ability of an organism to overcome adversity.

2. Adaptability- the overall ability of the organism to change to suit survival.

3. Interchangeability- the multiple functions and purposes of a method or tool.

4. Recoverabilty- the quality of regaining structure and maintaining a reserve.

The Four Phases of Technical Evolution

Note that often these phases overlap, however not one should be left out of training development.

1. Fundamentalization- familiarizing yourself with skills, combinations, tactics, etc.

2. Integration- assembling the fundamentals through drills, scenarios, and methods.

4. Amplification- taking the skill to the next level through conditioning exercises, weight training, plyometrics, etc.

The SPEED Formula

Simple- there must be ease in execution. Lacking complex or difficult movement.

Practical- it must be sensible or useful, and likely to be effective.

Efficient- it must be able to function well or achieve a desired result without waste.

Exploitive- it must take advantage of opportunites and weaknesses in the opponent.

Direct- not stopping or deviating; going straight to the point.

ICC Eight Characteristics

1. Progressive: favoring reform and in a state of growth. Less traditional and more contemporary. Always on the "cutting edge" of development.

2. Scientific: proceeding in a systematic and methodical way. Based on proof and always testing outcomes, evaluating daynamics and establishing standards.

3. Open-ended: with no prearranged, planned, or defined end. Going from one point to other supporting points yet, not going off on a tangent.

4. Synergistic: combined effort being greater than the parts; the working together of two or more things especially when the result is greater than the sum of their individual effects or capabilities.

5. Research-oriented: methodical investigation into a subject in order to discover facts, to establish or revise a theory, or develop a plan of action based on the evidences.

6. Reality-based: training in such a way that lines up with what is most probable in a real confrontational situation. Establishing our methods based upon physical resistance or "force-on-force" training, emotional pressure, and time-competitive decisions. Preparing in such a way that covers those things that may go "wrong".

7. Human-based: focusing on the behavior, characteristics, and strtucture of a human being. This includes areas such as psychology, physiology, physics, and biomechanics. We believe in customizing an approach to meet the physical requirements, limitations, and proclivities of a practitioner.

8. Totalistic: taking into account the sum of all aspects such as environment, terrain, attire, personal condition, possible weapons, set-ups, etc. The is the way that we oprepare for what may happen in reality. Hence our motto, "Reality through totality".

ICC is an approach above all things and therefore can serve as a template for training in any combat-based system of martial art. It is the position of ICC that all martial arts have value and are given due respect. However, this doesn't mean that all martial arts have equal value in terms of combat effectiveness. It is our position that there is no "ultimate" martial art system or style and that an art by itself is lifeless without the practitioner. We do give respect for a person of rank, although ICC doesn't use a belt ranking system. In ICC we have skill levels (indicated by shirt color) and titles (such as candidate, apprentice, instructor) to represent our heirachy. It is our opinion that in the end it is skill, experience, attitude, and lifestyle that speak for the practitioner. Therefore, a person makes themselves what they are through effort and time , not some bestowment of rank or title.

ICC categorizes martial arts into one of six general types of classification: Health & Fitness(HF), Cultural & Classical(CC), Disciplinary & Philosophical(DP), Performance & Sportive(PS), Fighting & Defensive(FD), and Combative & Survival(CS). However, we can further minimize these arts into three categories:

1. Disciplinary art: Focus is upon an adherance to rules, standards, and philiosophies. This is generally a "way of life" or art for the sake of art.

2. Sportive art: Focus is upon a general standard and is competitive in nature and given to rules. Coaching, performance, and judging is a great part of spotive martial arts.

3. Combative arts: Focus is upon fighting, self-defense, and realistic training. Mostly the methods are proven before being taught. Genearlly a combative system trains under physical resistance, emotional pressure, an ample amount of conditioning, and controlled aggression. In combat anything goes.

ICC at times will break arts down according to their specialties or eight functioning manifestations:

1. Kicking

2. Boxing

3. Trapping

4. Clinching

5. Throwing

6. Locking

7. Grappling

8. Weaponry

Before you move into the physical aspects of training keep in mind that a true martial artist is a combination of Five Identities and as an ICC person should follow the Four Views.

The Five Identities:

A martial artist should behave as the following:

1. Human Being: as a member of the human race you should hold a certain level of social, moral, ethical, and honorable responsibility toward your fellow human being. As a part of this humanity you should treat all living things with a certain matter of sacred dignity and respect. Develop your own authentic presence.

2. Life Student: as an ever-evolving and maturing person you should be open-minded enough to receive the life lessons that are offered to you through given instruction, advice, or experience. Let life be your teacher and don't be too hard on yourself or others for mistakes or shift blame for your mistakes or take credit for what others have done. When possible make daily improvements for your life.

3. Philosopher: always try to understand the phenomenon of life. Don't isolate yourself or avoid the dynamics of relationships. Put all things within a healthy, reasonable, and logical perspective. Philosophers should live by their insight.

4. Scholar: try to become authoratative in your knowledge, not for the purpose of being a "know-it-all" but so that you are assured in your efforts. A scholar has more than head knowledge, a scholar has wisdom and real "know how".

5. Warrior(ess): willing to stand up for a cause or truth, able to sacrifice personal safety for the good of humanity. A warrior(ess)doesn't fight because he/she is ordered to, or must prove him/herself; but because they are left with no other choice. A true warrior(ess) fights for higher causes such as love, justice, compassion, or empathy-never out of hate, spite, or meanness. A warrior(ess) fights for the sake of peace and wishes to live in a stae of peace over a state of war. Yet, as a warrior, no act can bring greater honor than standing up for a true cause or purpose.

The Four Views

To progress properly a martial artist should understand the following:

1. "The system is a map"- any system of learning, especially in the martial arts is like a map: a scaled down two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional reality. Therefore it may present the terrain, points, and routes most used, yet that doesn't mean these are the only ways to get from one point to another point. Likewise, the model is only representative of a point in reality and often requires an actual visitation experience to know the finer details. Furthermore, the details of the terrain may change and may require further discovery or improvisation once you get to a point on said terrain.

2. "The student is a wayfarer"- a wayfarer was known as a person that went by foot down a path and would pay toll points upon encountering them. Therfore, there are no real substitutive forms of transportation but actual "knowing by going". Although things like manuals, books, magazines, videos, etc. may assist in our understanding the real experience of learning lies in the doing. The "tolling" reflects there is a price to pay (more than monetary) in order to make progress. There is the cost of time, effort, study, and some personal sacrifice involved to become a true martial artist.

3. "The teacher is a navigator"- an instructor can't force you to learn, you in a way through the guidance of a an instructor becomes your own teacher. A good instructor will help teach "how to think" not "what to think". Ideally, a teacher in a way is a student that has personally gone the journey before you. He may advise, caution, and exhort you to go a way- but that same teacher will never insist that you take the very same path that he or she did. They will allow you to beat your own path as long as there are parameters for safety and reason installed within the learning process. Therefore we say that "the teacher points the way he does not push you down it". Respectively, true education aims at illumination not accumulation.

4. "The path is the goal"- this means that progress no matter how small or great is the goal. Not some coveted belt, title, or position. Sijo Kiser says "Love the knowledge, experience, and understanding and rank will come. Love the rank and you will be far from what you need to know."