Review of Stephen/Bravo's VIP/Executive Protection Course

[DJ Fuji]

I've known Stephen Grosch aka "Bravo" for many years now, having known him as a fellow speaker and coach in our industry. One day he started showing me some of the edged weapons and tactical training he had done and I was super impressed. I had been begging him to put together a class ever since, so when he announced the first-ever "dream course" with a world-renowned VIP instructor who is so exclusive that we can't even mention his name, I jumped on board right away.

I came into the class with a little bit of background in self defense and tactical training. I'm a former U.S. Marine Sergeant with a black belt in Shito-Ryu Karate under 9th degree black belt Sensei Fumio Demura and fairly extensive grappling/wrestling experience. But I saw some of the stuff Stephen could do and I was amazed. So I wondered if the instructor team and the content could match my already sky-high expectations.

The short answer is FUCK YES. I was blown away by the training, the professionalism, the instructors, and the gear Stephen had imported from Southeast Asia for our training. We all left the class with over 30 hours of drills and instruction, real-life tactical simulation experience, and a large bag of some of the best tactical training gear on the market.

What I was looking for going into a class like this was something that would "fill in the blanks" between my structured, very traditional (and somewhat less-than-realistic) Okinawan karate training and the war-zone-specific tactical training I had done in the Marines. I knew how to punch, kick, block, and fire a weapon, but none of my previous training had ever taught me how to improvise a weapon from a t-shirt, or disarm a pistol pointed at me, or block a knife attack.

We learned all of that and more. The course covered, among other things, weapons familiarization and training, self-defense against various weapons, working with and around vehicles, planning escape routes, approaching and clearing vehicles, and ended with a real-life field training exercise where we put our skills into practice in a real world simulation with hidden role players and the observation of our instructors. The 4-day class flew by and the exhilarating, adrenaline-fueled field training exercise at the conclusion gave us all a deep appreciation for the skills and stresses of the everyday life of a protective agent.

The bottom line is that if you care AT ALL about protecting your family or your loved ones, you NEED to take this class or find a way to train with Stephen. As someone who went into this with a little experience already, it was downright humbling to see how much Stephen knows and how effective of a trainer he is. Whether you're brand new or have had previous experience, you'll be amazed at how much real-world stuff you'll learn from him. I know it's not cheap, but quality never is. The way I saw it was, "Can I put a price on the safety of my loved ones?" I didn't look at it as an expense, I looked at it as a small investment in the safety of my family, my loved ones, and myself. It's a shame that most people in the general public will never get training like this, because it's the type of training that will save your ass if you're ever unlucky enough to get into a life-threatening situation.

P.S. The NY Times reports that the U.S. Government's National Crime Study indicates that 83% of 12 year old children in the U.S. will be victims or intended victims of a violent crime sometime in their life. EIGHTY THREE PERCENT. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.