We exist to empower people and give them the tools to deal with difficult people and situations, both assertively and with grace – and if the communication fails, then how to protect themselves or their loved ones quickly and efficiently so they can get home safe.
More Than Just Self-Defense
FAST is a highly-specialized self-defense and empowerment program that is taught by our team of instructors trained in dealing with the physical and emotional process of an escalating confrontation.
From bullying to workplace disputes, jerks on the road to domestic violence situations, to actual self-defense against an attack – confrontation happens in our lives practically every day. Adrenal Stress Training teaches people how to deal with the emotions that often accompany confrontation. FAST teaches students to “flip the switch” and control their adrenal stress response in such a way that they will not be victimized.
Why FAST works?
The #1 factor in effective self -defense is dealing with the fear and adrenaline rush that naturally arises in a stressful situation. Studies of people in the high adrenal state show that the normal internal reactions to stress inhibit our ability to think rationally or to exercise complicated motor skills.
The FAST methodology is therefore based on a step-by-step progression of easily learned and simply applied techniques in increasingly more intense scenarios. This progression allows for a wide variety of emotional and physical skills among a group of students.
What To Expect
The FAST paradigm is quite different than that of Traditional Martial Arts. The people who enroll in FAST do not typically want to sign up for years or even months of instruction, though some may decide to join a traditional program after completing the Level 1 course. We do not have the luxury of teaching these students for years and years. We have only a few hours to get them the correct awareness, mindset, and technique powerful enough to save themselves if ever needed. The FAST program draws from other effective teaching methodologies including Olympic coaching and sports psychology as well as Martial Arts in order to teach effective self-defense in a relatively short period of time.
You Will Learn:
To recognize the warning signs of attack and avoid threatening situations before they become dangerous;
How to avoid attackers by not looking like a victim;
To use the power of your voice and body language (most confrontations and assaults can be stopped by a strong voice, good eye contact and body carriage);
To find and utilize the power of your fear, not be paralyzed by it;
And if all else fails, to protect yourself and your loved ones with simple, and effective FULL FORCE techniques to the attacker’s vulnerable areas.
Contact us to schedule a class for your group! (406) 591-2864
FAST Adult Basics (Level 1)Stop Bullies FAST class
“Everyone should learn these skills. You get a vital understanding of your personal reaction to both verbal and physical attacks in real-life situations.”
– Kathy (bank teller)
Classes We Offer:
Stop Bullies FAST – ages 8-13
This award winning, 2-hour assertiveness and self-protection seminar for kids teaches skills to effectively protect our children from Bullies. Using simple and effective non-violent conflict resolution skills, Stop Bullies FAST playfully gives children ages 8-13 the tools to stop bullies in their tracks!
In a fun and safe environment, this dynamic 2-hour program effectively teaches our children how to skillfully deal with bullies. They will learn:
Avoiding common playground altercations;
How to handle name calling and teasing;
Protecting personal “space” and possessions;
Assessing appropriate defense and learning how NOT to start a fight;
Verbal skills to back off a Bully and get them to leave you alone;
Confidence and Assertiveness training that will help them in other parts of life!
We believe that every person should have the skills taught in the FAST Basics course. You will learn conflict resolution, verbal de-escalation and simple, effective self-defense. In just 3.5 hours, our FAST Basics course will teach you:
To recognize the warning signs of attack and avoid threatening situations before they become dangerous;
How to avoid attackers by not looking like a victim;
To use the power of your voice and body language (most confrontations and assaults can be stopped by a strong voice, good eye contact and body carriage);
To find and utilize the power of your fear, not be paralyzed by it;
And if all else fails, to protect yourself and your loved ones with simple, and effective FULL FORCE techniques to the attacker’s vulnerable areas.
Is that a knife, a club or a gun? How do I handle this? Does it matter? What am I going to do? It’s too late to think – just GO!!
Defending yourself against a predator with a weapon can be one of the most frightening and dangerous of situations. Utilizing many skills learned in the Basics course, this 2 hour class will give you the following skills and experience:
Defensive techniques against Edged weapons (Knives) and Projectile weapons (Guns);
Frontal threats with both Knives to the neck and Guns to the head;
Rear threats with both Knives and Guns;
Rear choke attack with a Knife;
FULL FORCE scenario training against armed padded assailant.
Thugs and bad guys tend to travel in packs. So what do you do when you are faced with more than one threatening person? You certainly don’t want to go to the ground.
In this 2 hour module, we will teach you the most important things to do if faced with multiple attackers. You will experience:
One attacker on each side of you;
One attacker in front and the other behind;
Three attackers
Both static and dynamic situations;
As always, FULL FORCE scenarios against padded assailants to help to ingrain the training.
Responsible Gun Use Under Stress (Stress Shooting)
This is perhaps the most important seminar you can take if you own a firearm, or are considering one.
This training gives you the experience of appropriately and effectively drawing a firearm and shooting at a real person if and when you ever need to.
This 4-Hour Course on Scenario Based Firearms Training for Self Defense, is not a ‘Sport’ or ‘Target Shooting’ class. We don’t teach tactical magazine changes, clearing stovepipes and other such technical skills. We do teach how to handle yourself under stress and to control the situation as well as your emotions!
You will learn:
The difference between static sighted fire and adrenal stress point shooting and when it is tactically beneficial to use each;
Verbal de-escalation with the firearm to deter an attack;
Stepping off the attack line of a charging aggressor to gain advantage;
How to defeat the “21-foot rule”;
In the final scenario we use air-soft guns against a live aggressor so there is no need for any “guess work”. The aggressor knows when, if and where he was hit and responds accordingly. So both he and you know for sure if you survived the scenario or not.
The FAST Defense paradigm is quite different than that of Traditional Martial Arts. The people who enroll in a FAST class do not typically want to sign up for years or even months of instruction, though some may decide to join a traditional program after completing the Basics course. We do not have the luxury of teaching these students for years and years. We have only a few hours to get them the correct awareness, mindset, and technique powerful enough to save themselves if ever needed. The FAST Defense program draws from other effective teaching methodologies including Olympic coaching and sports psychology as well as Martial Arts in order to teach effective self-defense in a relatively short period of time.
The #1 factor in effective self -defense is dealing with the fear and adrenaline rush that naturally arises in a stressful situation. Studies of people in the high adrenal state show that the normal internal reactions to stress inhibit our ability to think rationally or to exercise complicated motor skills. The FAST Defense teaching methodology is therefore based on a step-by-step progression of easily learned and simply applied techniques in increasingly more intense scenarios. This progression allows for a wide variety of emotional and physical skills among a group of students.
The outcome of a street fight is usually determined more by spirit than by the number of different techniques or by the “style” of those techniques and the same holds true of self-defense situations. That is why there are only 5 major techniques in the entire FAST Defense program. The techniques are taught first in slow motion rhythmic patterns while the student says the technique aloud. Each time the pattern is repeated the level of intensity is increased. The end result is that after just a few hours of training, students learn to access and focus the powerful adrenal rush as jet fuel for their fight, should they ever need it.
Our techniques are very simple and our goal is to help students transform their fears and achieve remarkable gains in their self-confidence and ability to defend themselves.
In summary, the FAST Defense teaching methodology is based on the following precepts:
Awareness and verbal skills are taught that effectively stop most assaults in their tracks before ever becoming violent!
A limited number (5) of simple effective techniques are taught.
The techniques are taught in easily learned and progressively intensive scenarios.
Due to the progressive approach to teaching simple techniques in realistic simulated scenarios where the students are placed in an adrenaline state, the knowledge gained is stored in the body as “muscle memory”. The students will be able to draw on that knowledge without further formal training to defend them if the need arises.
The program is geared to individual abilities.
Our Instructor
Dennis Forleo Lead Instructor/Armored Assailant
Dennis Forleo has been involved in martial arts and self-defense for over 40 years and has owned his own school in Billings since 2002. He has trained to 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th & 8th Degree Black Belt in 5 separate martial arts. He is also a Master FAST Defense Instructor and Predator helping students find their voices and learn that they are worth defending. Dennis has years of experience helping literally thousands of children, teens, women and men to break through the fear of conflict to experience life more fully with greater confidence and composure. Using the award-winning FAST Defense program, his engaging teaching style allows participants to face their fears and find the inner strength to stand up for themselves in every facet of life.
Since 2002, Dennis has owned and operated Shepherd-Warrior Martial Arts and Billings Krav Maga, both located at 1212 Grand Ave, Suite 11 in Billings, Montana.
