Every person should know how to effectively and lawfully protect themselves and those they love.
Goshin-Jutsu provides comprehensive safety solutions tailored for modern-day threats. Training is designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills to respond to dangers confidently and within legal parameters. This holistic approach that focuses on both effectiveness and legality ensures you are properly prepared for real-world challenges.
Goshin-jutsu literally means ‘techniques to protect the body’. There's no single art or form to the concept, but many martial arts use the term to refer to the aspect of their curriculum specifically designed for combat, comprising techniques and strategies that are too dangerous for and not permitted in competition, as opposed to aesthetic technique for sport or wellbeing.
The terms goshin (guard self) and jissen (true battle) are often used interchangeably, but whereas jissen refers to pragmatic combat methods, goshin encompasses self-protection in a holistic sense, addressing personal security and lifestyle issues in addition to physical technique against a threat. However, in practice both focus on the practical aspect rather than art or style.
Martial arts are largely about process and style, whereas self-protection is solely about outcomes and reality. Skills should address real situations against attacks from persons that don’t adhere to set format or etiquette. Sport is competitive, combat is decisive; in the real world there are no rules or referees, style matters little and there is no art in real violence.
Goshin-jutsu training encompasses technical skill and mindset combined with sound strategy and tactics. Once the technical skills are learnt they can be expressed using strategy and tactics. Understanding the difference between strategy, tactics and technique to achieve an objective facilitates a clear focused plan for personal security.
For example, in personal security the objective is safety. Strategy relates to the overall plan used to achieve this - to ensure safety (objective) disengage (strategy). Tactics are used to achieve a strategy - to ensure safety (objective) by disengaging (strategy) use distraction (tactic). Techniques are the methods used to achieve tactics - to ensure safety (objective) by disengaging (strategy) distract the attacker (tactic) by striking (technique).
Goshin-jutsu strategies are designed around 3 key concepts - they must be simple (work under stress), sensible (feasible for the average person), and sound (tried and tested to be effective in reality). People react how they train. The objective is freedom from fear and safety from harm.
The focus of Goshin-Jutsu training is self-protection in modern society. There is no sporting aspect, just effective strategies within lawful parameters, designed to be learnt quickly and applied effectively. Training incorporates concepts and methods from various martial arts and combat systems, as well as special theory sessions on various combat-related topics.
Meet the Instructor
Rich began his martial arts training in Goju-Kensha Karate (1984). His martial disciplines also include Aikido, Tai Chi, Ba Gua, Hsing-i, Bo-jutsu, Sai-jutsu, Iai-do, Filipino Knife Combat and Jissen Kobudo, and the combat systems of Systema (Russian Military), Cloquba Hajutsu (US Law Enforcement), Krav Maga (Israeli Military) and SAFTA (US Military). He has been internationally graded and certified, receiving yudansha certification (5th dan), Shidoin teaching license and Bubishi master text directly from Ohtsuka Sensei in Japan (2007), along with official registration with the Japan Goju-Ryu Federation. He is a 7th dan in Karate, a 3rd dan in Cloquba Hajutsu, and a Systema Instructor.
Rich has trained internationally with many renowned Karate Sensei, including Ohtsuka Tadahiko (10th dan Goju-Kensha Karate Renmai), Morita Toshio (8th dan Goju-Kensha Karate), Suzuki Fumimaro (8th dan Goju-Kensha Karate), Yajima Makoto (8th dan Goju-Kensha Karate), Noguchi Michiro (9th dan Nihon Gojuryu Karate Etsuko Kai), James Sumarac (8th dan Gojuryu Kakurinkan Karate), Higaonna Morio (10th dan International Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate Federation), Yonemoto Kiyoshi (9th dan Seibukan Karate), Kinjo Hiroshi (9th dan Zen Nihon Karate Kenshukai) and Patrick McCarthy (9th dan International Ryukyu Karate Research Society).
Rich began Systema training in 2006. He has trained with many renowned Systema instructors, including Alex Kostic (Serbia), Martin Wheeler (US), Maksym Franz (Canada), Sonny Puzikas (US), Daniil Ryabko (Russia), Brendan Zettler (Canada) and Kevin Secours (Canada). In 2010 he attended the Summit of Masters training camp in Canada to study with Mikhail Ryabko (Russia), Vladimir Vasiliev (Canada) and Konstanin Komarov (Russia), where he was certified as a Systema Instructor and granted permission to establish a Systema training group, which he ran for 11 years (2011-2021).
Rich’s tactical & security expertise ensures you receive authentic, tested & realistic training.
Rich served in the Australian military (5/6 RVR/B COY Infantry/SPT COY Recon, 1 CDOR/2 COY Commando) and has extensive experience as a private security contractor (crowd control, security guard, bodyguard, trainer). He was a tactical instructor-trainer in defensive tactics, firearms and reality-based training for 25 years, with instructor certifications through ASP, PPCT, SIG SAUER, SIMUNITION and JPX, and is a certified SIMUNITION Safety Supervisor and Force-on-Force Safety Instructor. Rich represented ASP as an international trainer for law enforcement tactical response training for 23 years (2001-2024) and served on the ASP International Board of Examiners for 6 years (2011-2017). He has instructed in America, Belgium, Portugal, Hong Kong, Spain, France and New Zealand, and has travelled to Japan on numerous occasions for Karate training.
Rich has designed and implemented aggression management programs for health and community services, and personal security courses for the general public. He has consulted to organisations regarding staff safety in high-risk situations, conducted protective security for persons at risk, provided opinion for investigations and legal cases on operational response and training, and presented at an international symposium on wearable point-of-view technology and a national conference on aggression management solutions in healthcare. He has published over 90 articles on martial arts, personal security, interpersonal conflict, operational safety, tactical response, security operations and training methodology, and has authored 6 books on a variety of operational and combat-related topics. Rich also enjoys cycling, surfing, scuba diving, triathlon and drumming.
Influences: Karate
Karate is an Okinawan martial art created from a synthesis of indigenous fighting practices with Chinese martial arts, such as the external Kung Fu systems and the internal Nei Jia systems.
The original kanji for kara-te translated as ‘Chinese-hand’ but was adapted to ‘empty-hand’ to focus attention on the unarmed aspect rather than cultural origin. There were 3 main systems of Karate in Okinawa, Naha-te, Shuri-te and Tomari-te, named after the respective areas of origin. Today there are many styles but they all trace their origins back to 1 of these 3 systems.
Originally taught as serious combat via small groups, the focus of changed to physical health (kenko) via large classes when Karate was introduced to the education system as a tool for training children; rather than teach dangerous combat techniques the method of training was modified to remove undesirable elements, which resulted in a divergence of technique and philosophy. It was further diluted when it spread from Okinawa to Japan and became part of the Japanese budo system, where it was also adapted for sport (kyogi). Over time this modern version has been mistaken for authentic Karate, but some teachers maintained the original combat focus, taught with traditional methodology and lethal intent (goshin-jutsu).
The objective of Karate is to develop the entire body as an effective weapon of self-protection, both physical and psychological. Training typically includes kihon (basic skills), kata & bunkai (forms & applications), taijutsu gogi (techniques of unarmed combat) and goshin-jutsu (self-defence). Karate is a system of predominantly unarmed martial arts designed to defeat 3 enemies - attacker, ego and illness. Practiced properly, Karate is an effective method of self-protection against all 3, creating a strong body and spirit, and promoting health and vitality.
Influences: Systema
Systema is a Russian martial art that dates back to the 10th century. Russian warriors acquired a style that combined strong spirit with extremely innovative and versatile tactics that were practical and effective against any type of enemy, under any circumstances.
The style was natural and free with no rules, rigid structure or limitations, except morals. All tactics were based on instinctive reactions and individual characteristics, specifically designed for fast learning. In the early 1900s the Communists suppressed all cultural traditions, but realised the viability of these combat systems and reserved it for a few special military units.
Systema is a complete system of concepts and components. Training focuses on breathing, relaxation, structure and fluid movement using drills without set patterns, and covers unarmed combat, grappling, ground fighting, weapons defence and use, to improve the 7 physiological body systems and 3 levels of human ability (physical, psychological, spiritual). A key principle is non-destruction, to ensure training and attitudes do not damage a person; the body is free of tension, filled with endurance, natural movement and explosive potential, and the psyche is calm, free of anger, irritation, fear, self-pity, delusion and pride. Actions are intuitive and spontaneous, designed to utilise an attacker's momentum and control the primary body levers (elbow, shoulder, neck, waist, knee, ankle) through pressure, striking and weapon applications.
Unique bodywork exercises combine with breath training to achieve complete physical preparation and develop strength, flexibility, endurance, awareness and confidence, sensitivity, power and body use, with emphasis on economy of motion, continuity and unpredictability. Training is a way to realise personal limitations and provides tools to overcome them. As a practical discipline it is popular among military, police and security forces.
Influences: Combatives
Combatives are ancient forms of fighting, and many cultures have methods of unarmed and armed techniques. They comprise simple and effective violence resolution skills, incorporating techniques from various martial arts and fighting systems, often to supplement armed combat.
Hand-to-hand combat refers to physical confrontations between people at short range and may include weapons. Close combat refers to confrontations at close range and includes lethal and non-lethal methods. Close-quarters combat involves engaging a threat with personal weapons at short range, from proximity hand-to-hand combat to close-quarter shooting with firearms.
Combatives aim to be simple, effective and able to be learnt quickly, applying 3 key principles to create an advantage in application:
Speed: gain advantage before the attacker can react, with an effectively timed response through regular training, proper tactics and awareness.
Aggression: maintain physical and mental momentum with assertive action and sensory overload to intimidate and overwhelm the attacker.
Surprise: undertake offensive action when least expected, using strategies that detract from alertness such as diversions, fatigue, etc.
Combatives are called various names depending on who uses them - self-defence (general public), hand-to-hand or close combat (military), and defensive tactics (law enforcement) - but they are mostly the same, just semantics of labels for different groups and roles. Many institutions shy away from accurate descriptions and reality techniques due to fear of liability, instead using softer descriptions, terminology and techniques that are more socially acceptable but often not entirely suited to real world violence resolution.
