The Todd Group is the oldest global training provider of its kind being established in 1927 with a headquarters in Dunedin and training camp at Berwick.
The Todd Group also comprises of national and international Todd Group depots and our international hub country is Thailand where we conduct combative, self-protection and close personal protection courses.
Will Patarana is the Todd Group Queenstown depot instructor and it was thanks to his course management that the recent Queenstown short courses were possible.
The venue for the short courses was the Crowne Plaza hotel, right in the heart of Queenstown.
With snow on the mountains Queenstown was cram packed with tourists keen to get up the mountains.
The first short course was the D-WAR (declare war against rape) anti and counter rape program.
This course provided the added opportunity for Todd Group HQ instructors combined with Will and Queenstown-based proponents to assist with the delivery of this very specialist short course of instruction.
The second course of instruction was the defensive tactics and control restraint short course for security and law enforcement. The Todd developed systems for tactical control restraint are based on primary body mechanics and leverage knowledge to achieve control, containment, restraint and capabilities to decentralise or move subjects safely.
The following day was the phase 1 basic CQC (close quarters combat) and military self-defence introduction to the Todd systems of European military unarmed combat for civilians.
This short day long introductory course initially focused on long-range unarmed offensive assault stamp kick employments as well as primary unarmed counter offensive evasive counter actions.
The afternoon included prevention of being seized or grabbed and and then if compromised by means of seizure or holds, methods of escape of such containment was instructed.
The final training component was edged weapon disarming under the threat of entry thrusting or slashing.
The small group specialist training provided in all of the three short courses conducted in Queenstown was well received and good progress was achieved.
Attendees were very interested in the reasoning behind tactics and skills and some very sensible questions in relation to methods to combat or counter common forms of violent threats were asked.
Instruction was provided by myself, Geoff Todd, assisted by two HQ skilled competent combative proponents. Both of these assistant instructors are serious proponents one a phase 3 specialist who has instructed nationally and internationally and the second a phase 2 advanced exponent who assists at the Todd Group HQ.
Will Patarana, the Todd Group Queenstown depot instructor, also was an assistant instructor on the Queenstown short courses and the courses manager.
Will is a phase 3 specialist proponent and a phase 1 basic and phase 2 advanced CQC instructor who has not only instructed nationally but also has been an instructor on courses in Australia and Thailand.
The Todd Group depots maintain a low profile and insist on applicants meeting the responsible citizen joining requirements.
By majority recruiting is by word of mouth or as a result of those with the smarts knowing what they want and seeking out such training.
We recruit male and female responsible adults that are realists and interested in self-protection more than traditional or competitive fighting arts.
Todd Group rank and file are enthusiasts of Military unarmed combat and military self-defence and being instructed in current proven combative methods by instructors to the military is often what attracts them to the Todd Group.
Training small groups of committed responsible realists that are striving for personal self-improvement over competing against others is very much the norm in civilian CQC.
We look forward to conducting for courses in Queenstown in the future.
