Raven and Rose Training

04/11/2026

If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
If you've spent 500 hours on the draw stroke and zero hours on anything else, what does every threat look like?
This isn't an anti-gun post. A firearm is an excellent tool, and carrying one is a serious, responsible choice. But here's the uncomfortable truth that most CCW training quietly ignores: the majority of real violent encounters begin inside contact distance, often before the defender even recognizes a threat. By the time the situation is unambiguous, the gap is already closed. Hands are occupied. The holster is buried under a cover garment and a body that is on top of you.
In that moment, the gun in your waistband is not a tool. It is a liability you have to protect.
Our newest blog post digs into why so many well-trained CCW holders are, paradoxically, the most dangerous unarmed fighters in the room, and what comprehensive preparation actually looks like. It's a hard read for some folks. We think it's worth it.

https://www.ravenandrosetraining.com/ravens-croaks/the-hammer

Beyond the Holster, May 16-17, four seats left:
https://www.ravenandrosetraining.com/bth

The most dangerous assumption a trained person can make is that their training covers the situation they're in. When everything looks like a nail There is an old piece of wisdom in cognitive psychology called the law of the instrument. Give a small child a hammer, and the world suddenly divides

04/09/2026

In 1907, a 21-year-old British cop named William Fairbairn got jumped by gang members on a Shanghai beat. They stabbed him, left him for dead, and sent him to the hospital for months.
He came out of that bed convinced that everything he'd been taught about fighting was wrong.
Over the next 33 years he built the world's first SWAT team, the world's first shoot house, and a close-combat system so effective that by World War II he was personally training British Commandos, OSS operatives, and the men who would become America's first special forces. David Niven trained under him. John Ford filmed him. Wild Bill Donovan personally pinned a Legion of Merit on him.
His three core principles still sit at the foundation of what we teach at Raven and Rose:
Real violence happens close, fast, and ugly. Four yards or less. A third of a second to act.
Technique matters less than the willingness to act in the worst moment of your life.
Training without stress is choreography, not preparation.
Our latest blog post digs into the real history, separating the documented record from the myths that have grown up around him. It's a long read, and worth it.
https://www.ravenandrosetraining.com/ravens-croaks/fairbairn-shanghai-and-the-birth-of-modern-combatives

What the world's most influential close-combat instructor learned on the deadliest beat in history, and why it still matters in the first three seconds of a violent encounter.

04/08/2026

https://www.ravenandrosetraining.com/ravens-croaks/fairbairn-shanghai-and-the-birth-of-modern-combatives

What the world's most influential close-combat instructor learned on the deadliest beat in history, and why it still matters in the first three seconds of a violent encounter.

04/06/2026

We just published something we've been working on.
"19 Minutes" is a data-driven report on the intersection of three trends affecting Jewish community safety in Portland:

Portland's violent crime rate remains double the national average, with police response times that have more than doubled since 2019, now averaging 20+ minutes for the highest-priority calls.

Anti-Jewish hate crimes reached an all-time FBI record of 1,938 in 2024. Oregon recorded a 210% year-over-year increase. The ADL tracked over 9,300 antisemitic incidents nationally, that's more than 25 per day.

Peer-reviewed research consistently shows that victims who take self-protective action experience better outcomes than those who don't, with the specific method and training level making a measurable difference.

Every number in the report is sourced from the FBI, Bureau of Justice Statistics, ADL, Secure Community Network, or peer-reviewed research. We included the citations so you can verify anything yourself.

We wrote this because we believe you deserve to make safety decisions based on evidence, not assumptions. Whether that means situational awareness training, Krav Maga, pepper spray, or responsible fi****ms education: the data supports building layers of preparedness.
We'd welcome your thoughts.

Read the full report: https://www.ravenandrosetraining.com/19-minutes

Portland's police response averages 20+ minutes. Antisemitic incidents hit record highs. What the data says about crime, threats, and self-defense effectiveness.

02/19/2026

🚨 New Class Alert: Beyond the Holster 🚨
Most violent encounters happen way closer than we’d like to imagine, often at conversational distance, where drawing a firearm isn’t safe, practical, or legally justified. That’s exactly why we built Beyond the Holster.

This is the missing link in your personal defense strategy.

What you’ll learn:
• How to protect your concealed firearm in close quarters
• How to move, strike, and create space under pressure
• How to recognize pre‑attack indicators before violence starts
• How to escape grabs, holds, and weapon‑grab attempts
• How to use non‑lethal tools like pepper spray effectively
• How to make sound decisions when adrenaline spikes
• How to stay safe even if you have mobility limitations

Who it’s for:
Everyone from teens to seniors, from brand‑new carriers to seasoned practitioners. All fitness levels welcome. We adapt to you.

Why it matters:
Not every threat justifies lethal force. Not every situation gives you time to draw. This class gives you the skills to bridge that gap confidently and responsibly.

What students say:
“An excellent primer for empty‑handed defensive skills… gives you ready‑to‑use answers immediately.” —Gabriel White
“A great self‑defense class that fills an important niche… suitable for everyone.” —Benjamin David
“Knowledgeable, empathic, and unpretentious instructors… I learned so much!” —Megan C.

📅 Reserve your spot:
https://www.ravenandrosetraining.com/bth

If you carry a firearm and want to feel more capable protecting yourself and your loved ones this class is essential. Come train with us. You’ll leave more aware, more prepared, and more confident.

Beyond the Holster “You should not have a favorite weapon, nor likes and dislikes. To become over-familiar with one weapon is as much a fault as not knowing it sufficiently well.” - Miyamoto Musashi Most violent encounters happen at conversational distanceoften too close to safely draw your fire...

10/08/2025

New weekly Self Defense Class now available!

Contact Distance Combatives
Master the First Three Seconds

Details here:

Contact Distance Combatives Master the First Three Seconds Most violent encounters happen at arm's length, too close to run, too fast to think. In those critical first three seconds, your training either saves you or fails you.We teach practical close-quarter combative technique’s that work when v...

09/29/2025

AJ and I took Pillar of Leads Performance Skills Group class on Saturday. This was a Bill Drill at 7yds then transition to two shots at 10yds. The Bill Drill target was pretty shot up so I did head shots :)

More info here https://pillaroflead.com/performance-skills-group

09/27/2025

Light single stick practice.

09/27/2025

Teaching some sinawali.

09/09/2025

Welcome to Petals & Thorns - Self defense through a woman's lens - Intro

Self-defense and fi****ms training through a woman's lens Why Another Voice in the Conversation? When people think of self-defense and fi****ms training, they often picture a very specific demographic: male, military or law enforcement background, aggressive mindset, and an approach that emphasiz

09/08/2025

New Blog Post: On the Plural of Anecdotes

How viral videos shape our understanding of what "really works" in self-defense "The plural of anecdote is not data"—a phrase that should be tattooed on every keyboard warrior's typing fingers. Yet in our hyperconnected age of instant video and viral clips, we've somehow convin

09/08/2025

New Blog Post: On Habits and Holodecks

Why perfect training can create imperfect responses We've all seen the footage: a police officer meticulously picking up his spent brass during a gunfight, or a martial artist bowing to their attacker mid-confrontation. These aren't failures of courage or competence—they're the inevitable result o