"I bought Hostile Control System off the back of a SOF magazine with my high school graduation money in 1996 (still have the VHS tapes) my brother and I studied it until I left for USMC Boot camp in Jan of 98. My brother joined the Army and he swears he used it in Iraq a few times in actual combat (he dealt with roadside bombs for fun) but I will let him tell the story for himself someday. Before I left for boot camp inter-school MMA competitions were really taking off, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt my martial arts ability shoot straight through the roof after studying HCS for a good solid 90 days. As a person who studied various martial arts systems (usually the closest Dojo to my new foster home) when I fully learned this system my martial arts went from a art form for me to perfect to a science I could apply. It was like night and day. I was able to deal with much larger opponents and more experienced older guys even at the age of 18 because as soon as I recognized a reaction I set him up from there. In any situation in boot camp requiring hand to hand combat SCARS was there with me giving me a distinct advantage and I knew it, I could see it and others could as well. I have kids now and am using the principles I learned in 1996-98 to help my kids better understand the science of MMA as they begin their own journey. Understanding and applying the science of reactions is the yin to the yang in your combat arts. I can almost always tell you who is going to win a MMA fight by watching the fighters ability to set up the appropriate reactions and then takes advantage of it in his opponent. And now every time you watch a MMA fight, if you have been trained in SCARS you will see it too. Thank you Mr. Peterson, Your systematic approach to hand to hand combat science will be passed down for generations through my family tree.”
N.S. USMC
"I want to thank the SCARS staff for taking the time to answer some questions I had regarding the Offensive Mindset and how it applies to non-physical conflicts. I am an attorney and I have purchased many SCARS products, including the Developers Series, Mind Control, Weight Lifting Program, and Groundfighting Series. I love the products and I have used their lessons to perform well in many boxing and MMA sparring matches. I love the scientific cause-and-effect approach and presentation in the lessons. I have been able to hold my own against black belts and much bigger fighters than myself. In my everyday job I face conflicts just as intense but of a non-physical natures. I called the SCARS phone number to inquire about how to use the Offensive Mindset to control conflicts in the legal realm. Though they did not have to do it, the SCARS staff took the time to walk me through my questions and concerns and helped me find ways that I could transfer what I learned in SCARS to empower me in my professional life. I will never forget what we talked about and more so I wont forget the time, courtesy, and patience the SCARS staff had with me. They are warriors through and through but they are also ladies and gentlemen with kind spirits. I am very grateful for their assistance and for their manners. I will continue to direct people to SCARS and SCARS products because I believe the people and the products are of very high quality. Thank you so much for all of your help.”
P. Nagorski - Beverly Hills CA
“After attending the SCARS 30 hour seminar, I felt compelled to write and let it be known how impressed and thoroughly satisfied I was with the training provided. I have served with the military for 22 years, both in an active capacity as well as civilian. Along with my military training I also studied martial arts. Seeking to hone my skills, last year I purchased Tim Larkin’s 5 Second Survival/Glenn Beck sponsored program and incorporated it into my training. Though the program offered some good information, it felt as if something was missing. Continuing my search for something that would increase my combat skills as well as providing a TRUE sense of confidence where self preservation was concerned, I happened across a video clip on Youtube featuring Jerry Peterson, founder of SCARS. After viewing that first video, I knew I had found what I had been looking for my entire life. The next day I contacted SCARS and spoke to one of their top training cadre for more than an hour. Not only did he answer all of my questions and remove any reservations during that call, but I realized an immediate sense of confidence and trust in the SCARS Institute of Combat Sciences. I reserved my slot for the next training seminar and never looked back. Though other programs may use similar techniques as those developed by Jerry Peterson over 40 years ago, when put side by side there is NO comparison. SCARS is the only intelligent decision.”
Roger Winder - USAF
"As a 51 year old investment banker with no prior martial arts experience, I realize that I possessed extremely limited capability to defend myself or my family. What I learned about hand-to-hand combat in Army basic training was just enough to get myself seriously hurt, if not killed. Having observed various forms of martial arts and other sport fighting, I was not impressed. I saw young children and middle-aged adults with black belts in karate that could not fight their way out of a paper bag. But they did look good in their uniforms! Sorry, not enough for me. Wanting both to effectively defend myself as well as prepare myself for possible police reserve duty, I purchased the SCARS videos to see first hand if your claims were valid. One of my 22 year old twin sons is a black belt in karate. He said, Dad, the SCARS systems is outstanding! You can learn more in these videos than I ever learned in obtaining my black belt in karate. And the quality of instruction is outstanding. The various overhead and alternate views are extremely instructive! After viewing your videos, I was hooked. I attended the 3 day SCARS training camp in Phoenix on October 9-11, 1998 and was overwhelmed at the quality of instruction. My learning curve went through the roof each of the 3 days. Equally as important, you got inside my head and convinced me that SCARS works! The Offensive Mindset and Neural Offensive Linguistics approach to training are integral components to the SCARS program, and I believe that SCARS is perhaps the only fighting system in the world which recognizes the power of combining both mental and physical components into an absolutely effective system. SCARS is outstanding. There simply cannot be a better system available. I encourage every person to attend your 3 day camp. If not, they should at least purchase your video training programs. At a minimum, the videos are probably more effective than personal training in any other fighting system available!”
Larry Nesbitt - Jackson MS
"It is really very simple. The reason SCARS works so well is it avoids the fatally flawed concept of reaction to action. In other words, you do something and I respond to it. Having studied Judo for forty years, and coached it for almost 25, I know this for a fact, we have a term for judo players who wait for their opponent to attack with the idea of reversing their attack, they are called losers! Action beats reaction every time. It is a common thing to day to pass off a street brawl as an assault. There is a top selling video called Ultimate Street Brawls which is a collection of drunken children getting into punch outs. However, I also have a video from the 20/20 television show which has hidden camera video of store robberies going down. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING! In a real world assault for your life, the bad guy is NOT going to talk, woof, pose, or any such naked ape posture. They are going right for you, and your next move is your life! In this life and death situation the bad guy has what we call initiator's advantage. This means they know what they are going to do, and you don't. They began the attack, you didn't. NOW, your ONLY chance, IS TO REGAIN INITIATIVE. You MUST make THEM stop attacking and start defending. In the military I was taught that the ONLY chance you had in an ambush is to attack into it right now. It is the same in a real world assault, you must attack the attacker! EVERY other video course I have seen AND I HAVE THEM ALL suffers from not understanding this basic law of combat, EXCEPT the SCARS videos. It is the only set that teaches you to regain the attack, and to keep attacking so the bad guy never gets to set his plan again. It is the only set I recommend to serious people looking to learn how to survive a real world violent assault.”
Mark Tripp
"For more than a decade I've been training in this system using the techniques and information through the broad selection of videos that you have. Certainly at that time there were only videos available. A former special operator trained in SCARS guided me through level one and so I continued with the rest of the videos. You don't need to remember all the techniques, but just to mention the most important are primarily the balance, important in the basic of forward and backward - falls and rolls, the body rotations, autokinematic/autostatic reactions, combining reactions and breathing dynamics and of course the offensive mindset. For multi-fighting you must have a good balance. The system works a 110% and helped me through different scenario's. I am looking forward to come to the Unites States to experience a SCARS course and that's a must.”
Duan Angela - Aruba, Dutch Caribbean
"I learned a small bit of SCARS in 1999. I trained in Thailand in a Special Forces Camp on hand to hand and told the men of SCARS but know one new of it. From what I've seen to me SCARS is the best form of fast tracking combat I've seen and done myself. I know it works for real. I am a CP Operator and also on a team that does Pirate Suppression in the Malacca straights. We use CQB defense with pump action Mossberg and Remington Shortys. In hand to hand I feel that you have got the answer. Please tell me how I can get over there and learn more!”
Patrick Honan - New Zealand
"I am an active duty member of the Air Force deployed in Saudi Arabia. I've studied some martial arts while in High School and when I heard classes were offered here on base, I jumped at the chance. Unfortunately, once again the COMBAT was based on forms and competition. I've already done that, and I've been lucky to avoid serious injury because of it. Cutting to the chase, I've used principles from SCARS and I'm now a firm believer. I was skeptic at first, but when I ended two skirmishes here before they started, I realized it actually works. Thank you for being bold enough to put something forward that doesn't look pretty or impressive, just KISS it's simple and really works. I'm a big believer now, so much so that I'm having my girlfriend watch these videos and training with her as soon as I get back. The cost of the videos is easily justified just by the peace of mind I'll have knowing she can take care of herself. Thanks again. When I get back stateside and take some leave, I hope you'll have me at your school. I can't wait. Hope to meet you soon, it'd be an honor to train with you.”
Eric Shelton - A1C, USAF
"I've seen just about every training tape on the market from those in the back of Black Belt magazine to TRS's fighter of the month. I spent 8 years in the military, and I am now in one of the most dangerous jobs I've ever had ... a death row pastor. My ministry takes me into prisons, ride-alongs, crackhouses, visits with parolees, counseling of gang members, etc. I'm on the street a lot. I've been in 4 hostage situations and I never know what's going to happen next. My other pastoral friends who never risk their asses chalk up my safety to angels of mercy. I chalk it up to be willing to hurt someone else first and then pray for them later. What I look for first in a video is quality ... does the video have good lighting, sound etc. I've seen some fight videos out there that look like bad undercover narc ops tapes that in court positive id would never happen. Second, I look for how many angles of instruction each technique receives so you don't have to constantly hit rewind. Third, I ask is the training realistic? When you're on the streets, in prison or talking someone down, and instead of them thinking you're the pastor they think you're a narc, or processor, the prisoner can go crazy in a heartbeat. I can't believe the crap that comes out from experts from the ring or dojo. Obviously they have never had a broken beer bottle shoved up their ass as a way of introduction if they had they wouldn't even consider using such garbage. Fourth, I look for instinct, does it feel right? I've been there when it's crazy and I can relive a scenario and see SCARS working. Fifth the SCARS manual helps a lot and because of the job I've got it doesn't take long to put it to use. Bottom line your SCARS videos have it all; great quality, multiple angles, realistic training, an excellent manual; it makes sense and it feels right! God bless and kick ass!”
Greg Weber
"Most of my life I have been training in judo, ju-jitsu, etc. and I can honestly say that the SCARS system is the best that I have ever seen. The offensive mindset concept, the Autokinematic reactions and the pure scientific nature of SCARS are what set SCARS above the typical martial art trash. My mind really has been changed by SCARS, and now I am a real SCARS fanatic. The quality of the videos is excellent, and I have learned a lot. Often, I use a SCARS technique in ju-jitsu and it blows my opponent's mind. Martial artists do not study body reactions and they honestly teach crap that will get them killed. The frequent review of the techniques on the videos, plus the different shooting angles and slow motion are what make these videos superior to the rest. Jerry's great explanations are a great help too. All I have to do to convince my friends of the SCARS system is to show them a few techniques and a piece of the videos. My interest in SCARS started back in 1993, when I bought the 2 SCARS videos. That is all it took. Fortunately, I have not needed it yet in a fight. I am sure, however, that what I have learned so far will put me in good shape to handle what is out there. With SCARS, my confidence level is up about 1000%.”
Dr George Shultz - Oldsmar FL
"I see a lot of stuff on the sites maligning Peterson's videos. It would have to be by a bunch of amateurs, I have extensive martial arts training from Mas Oyama and his Number One Shihan. I have a black belt in Judo by 7th Dan of the Japanese Police force and I also have a black belt from the same Sensei in Ju Jitsu. What I LOVED about SCARS was its simplicity. It was easy for someone like me to learn it and to apply its lightning fast approaches to everyday situations. Thank you again. My compliments from someone who knows what they are talking about.”
Erick Sonne - North Carolina
"I have some things to say concerning the SCARS program. I've always felt that fear was THE deciding factor in a hostile situation, at least the most major factor. As a former high level martial artist, I am experienced in hand-to-hand combat. Then I came across an advertisement for SCARS in a magazine that boasted some pretty big claims. So, being aggressive as I am, I decided on a whim to order the videos just to see if it was bullshit. With your guarantee I knew I could send them back. When I got them, I viewed them with skepticism and a sarcastic attitude toward the techniques and the system itself. Then one night I was alone and decided to view them and really listen to Jerry in how he presented the material and the contents of the program. What I found was astonishing. The principles were so simple and easy to apply. A friend and I got together to really get into SCARS. We meticulously watched and learned each and every one of the techniques being careful not to become technique-oriented. We felt that every one strike or throw or joint lock was a piece of a puzzle that we put together for ourselves enabling us to adapt to any situation, in an instant.<br>What really separated SCARS from the two martial arts that I have black belts in was, by far, The Offensive Mindset. Before learning SCARS I'd been in many hostile situations and had survived, now that I look back, by mere luck. I've been attacked with chains, clubs and knives. I've been lucky. In every one of those situations, I felt some amount of fear. I was driving one day, and some guy decided to play around and cut me off, drive in front of me slowly and block my path of driving with his car. He told me to pull over, so I did. Without hesitation or any amount of fear, I exited my car and ran right to him determined to take him out, by the way, there were three guys in his car including himself. There was only me. He quickly got in his car and locked it up. I told all three of them to come on out. The other two wouldn't even look at me. He sped off. In that situation I felt NO fear. I knew if any or all of them would come out, I would take them out. I believe they were the ones that felt fear. I had overcome a situation without even throwing a single blow. I know it wasn't the smartest thing to do, I know that now, but I will never again feel fear in a situation. In the two years I've been studying SCARS, my fighting knowledge has been changed substantially. I view my tapes as much as I can and work out with various partners. The way I find these partners is funny. I merely tell them that I fear no one on this planet, that I'll take anyone out. Usually they ask why and I explain to them some of the concepts of the scars program. After about an hour or so they usually beg me to give them your number. I do. I usually tell them about Autokinematics and also The Offensive Mindset. I'm so dedicated to learning SCARS, I want to attend your next workup camp for sure. I want to reserve my spot as soon as possible.”
George Huertas - Sacramento CA
"Having studied Tae Kwon Do and Judo for over 8 years I already had experience with unarmed combat, however I was browsing through Soldier of Fortune magazine and I came across a SCARS advertisement. I remember thinking, yeah another one of those become a master fighter in 1 day offers you normally find. But reading on and seeing the official military number I decided to get one of the videos. After viewing one of the SCARS videos and practicing the principles with a colleague, I was actually embarrassed to find that the most simple boring movements devastated attack after attack with ease and after such a short learning period, where the martial arts systems took years to perfect. I have got into 2 altercations since learning SCARS, when I was helping out as a Doorman in a local pub. The attackers both had a broken bottle but I had absolutely no problem dealing out the SCARS principles and finishing it in seconds. Weapon attacks were not covered until a much higher belt grade in the martial arts classes I did before SCARS. My entire outlook on hand-to-hand combat has been totally changed as I now realize that fancy footwork, revealing your inner spirit, learning masses of forms, flash kicks, etc. are no good in the outside world, and can actually confuse the issue if you are trying to think what comes next. The quality of the videos is excellent. Clear, concise, multi-angle views, especially the overhead shots, step-by-step breakdowns and the fact that there are no Egos getting in the way, makes them a very professional teaching package. I have introduced a friend to SCARS and my statement to him was Forget martial arts because that won't work in every scenario, look throw a turn kick at me! He did... and ended up on his back 6 feet away. He has been my SCARS partner ever since!”
Brian Cobbold - Kent, England
"I am just writing to let you know that there are no words that can possibly describe the feeling of confidence that you receive once you understand the knowledge and therefore the power that is the SCARS system. I myself am handicapped in my left hand and therefore was afraid of confrontations for awhile. That is not to say that I would not fight when the situation called for it in fact among my friends they were never surprised to find out that I had been in a fight but when it did happen I was very defensive and therefore usually got as good as I gave. After learning the SCARS concepts that has never happened to me. SCARS is based 100% on scientific principles that like the ad says, you can bet your life on. Even people who I have shown the videos to are impressed whether they are martial artists or not with the no-nonsense straight forward approach that SCARS offers. Whether it be empty hand or with weapons. Even if you only bought one set of videos that would be enough to handle any confrontation you could possibly encounter. But if your like me, then one set is not enough because the thirst for more knowledge is too much. I have no doubt that SCARS has saved many lives and will also save many more. God knows you have improved my view on the world, for now I can walk the streets without the fear that I once carried with me.”
Philip Alaniz - Winnipeg Canada
"I could go on for hours talking about how effective I believe the SCARS system is. In fact, I have gone on for hours about it with my friends and family. The SCARS approach to combat fighting is completely different and revolutionary. In my previous martial arts training, I was taught to DEFEND rather than ATTACK. I was taught how to use tools that would get me killed in a real combat situation. SCARS does away with the useless ideology and practices of traditional martial arts. It has taught me the scientific principles of breaking a man down, and controlling him the way I feel necessary. And can SCARS be learned from video? Of course! My knowledge of combat fighting had increased a hundred times fold from your video series. I have never made a better investment. Thank you so much to everyone at the SCARS Institute, and keep up the good work. Hopefully I will be able to meet with you in person at a training camp.”
Chris Shea - Waltham, MA
"SCARS is not only different in my opinion it's 100% better then other Martial Arts. I studied Kempo, Dr. John La Tourrette Speed Hitting, Paul Vunak, Frank Cucci, Karate Connection, Chris Clugston Combat JKD, Fight to Win with Jim West, Kick Boxing, Boxing some other local Martial Arts and so forth. None of which ever gave me much in the way of confidence. Just from watching the SCARS videos I felt indestructible. One of the most powerful aspects of SCARS is it not only tells you what to do, it tells you what not to do. What I also like about SCARS is that the techniques seem to track the normal function of the human body you don't have to be some triathlete to be able to defend yourself with SCARS. Since the techniques are simple, motor learning is minimal there is no time wasted on learning graceful weak techniques and that seems to make the learning curb an extremely fast one. While the techniques track simple body functions I feel confident that I can teach them to my mother with no special physical fitness component making it a more realistic program. SCARS is geared towards reality I don't have to waste hours a day trying to over stretch and damage my tendons and ligaments to be proficient in SCARS. Another thing that sets SCARS apart in a major way is that I don't have to learn different motor skills for weapons. If I'm proficient with my hands I'm proficient with anything in my hands which I can't overstate what of utter most importance this is! Plus the Offensive Mindset definitely sets SCARS apart from other fighting Systems. With Zen which is a passive state of mind, which is nice, but will get you killed in a hostile situation. The Offensive Mindset gives you confidence and makes you offensive! You don't have time to say, what-if. You are busy picking targets. Plus the Autokinematic reactions will let me pick what targets I want to hit to in the fight the way I want to! SCARS is an Out of the Box System... it works right out of the box!”
Perdo Morales - Miami FL
"I am a big guy, 6ft.2in. and 240 pounds. I wrestled for most of my childhood on through high school and got into a few good fights, but I really was ignorant to street fighting! Most of the things I knew were based on wrestling, but for the most part Folk-style and Free-style wrestling are harmless during a street fight because your constantly trained to be cautious of potentially dangerous moves. Let's face it, pinning an opponent on the street is not going to win the fight. Now we're at present time. I've been out of high school 10 years and got to thinking, if someone or many someone's were to attack me how would I react? I mean, I am not small and I'm sure I wouldn't be someone's first choice, right? Then realization set in, if I was to be attacked there would be a better than average chance that the attacker would be armed! I spent nearly a year looking at martial arts places, and there is A LOT of them! Most of them, I found, don't even teach fighting, rather it's a form of religion and a way of bleeding precious money and even more precious TIME away from me! Then the videos, generally the more name dropping and glitzy the worse they are, at least for me. I ordered one guys and sent it back! I was literally a week away from joining a Aikido club when I saw your add in Tactical Knife. IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED! I liked the honesty, liked the realism, and after I got the videos, I liked the quick, decisive brutality. I liked being in control of the opponent, I liked the support you offered, and In fact I think I talked to you, before on a question I had. Mostly, I am impressed with your system because you allow the user to alter it, modify it, and allow it to become theirs! In my experience I have never seen anything like it! It is sincerely AWESOME! I feel the most confident EVER while on the street! I wish you people the best of success and will help you any way I can! Thank you for helping me.”
Matthew Wysock - Elmwood Park, IL
"I have only had the videos two weeks, and I've learned more about hand-to-hand combat than I did in 3 1/2 years of Kenpo. I purchased the first two tapes with the 25 techniques originally for the SEALS. The movements are easily learned, work very well and they don't require the physical shape of an Olympic runner to do. The offensive mindset is great, getting your mind where it needs to be in a confrontation, and the science of Autokinematic reaction makes even a slow fighter appear fast, because you know about where your target will be after striking it. Overall the system is great and I've recommended it to several of my friends.”
David Trester
"A co-worker pointed me to SCARS when I mentioned that I was looking for a good martial arts class. As soon as I finished viewing the material on your home page, including the very sensible description of offensive vs. defensive response to an attack, I decided to get the beginner's tapes. I have taken martial arts courses in the past one karate style, two jujitsu, but none described the response to a confrontation situation in offensive terms, as is done in the SCARS philosophy. The closest any instructor ever got to demonstrating an effective response to an attack was when he said a good block can end a fight, and proceeded to strike the attackers arm, calling the strike a block! I haven't had a chance to do justice to the videos and manuals yet, but from what I have seen and read, I am confident that I will be able to learn effective attack-response techniques from them you've done a good job of teaching me not to think in terms of self defense already.”
Rick Marcus
"I have been taking Karate since 1976 - I have a 2nd Degree Black Belt. The things I have seen on the videos I have are excellent! I have the Edged and Impact Weapons Training 1 and 2, The Body Weapons and P.A.T., and the Hostile Control Systems 1, 2 and 3. These videos are doing things I am just now getting in the 2nd and 3rd Black Belt level after almost 20 years!! These have helped me change some of the moves I've been doing to benefit from the Autokinematic response.”
Al Hyslip
Social & Professional