Violence of Mind: Training and Preparation for Extreme Violence

I wanted to like this as much as so many other reviewers have. And about halfway through, I was sure I would. In this document, we hear a great deal about the author's life, how much is fiction and how much is fact, I have no easy way of knowing. If it's all fact, he certainly had an uncanny knack for finding himself in shady situations. He also has a great skill of blaming others for his misfortunes and denigrating society's "Average Joe" (ironically, the same individuals who exalt him). None of which are admirable traits. Then, we get some legal insight from this convicted criminal, which will most likely keep you out of prison. It will probably also get you killed if faced with immediate mortal danger, but at least you won't be in jail. Then, we get a slew of what can be described as extremely lengthy and often repetitious definitions, with incredibly little insight. I assume this absence of editing was done to artificially add to the page count in order to make individuals like me think they were getting higher quality, more in-depth content. The best part of the book, and something that everyone should do, is the part centered around developing a personal mission--and adhering to it, even in dire situations. Ultimately, if you're a bit sassy, a little nutty, own weapons, and haven't quite learned how to behave like an adult in civilized society, do us all a favor and pick this one up. Otherwise, save your money.

This book is top shelf. I was very surprised how much I like what this man has to say. I am a recently retired cop trying to get my head around concealed carry without a badge. This may be the best book I've read on the principles of violence. Think of Col. Grossman or de Becker 's works then distill and filter the bs and add a Carolina reaper for flavor. Thank you for passing on your hard won wisdom . I would recommend this book to anyone with a ccw, in fact it should be required reading in the police academy.

This book is wisdom. Every paragraph is full of useful and practical knowledge that you can put to use right now in the real world. The book is the most well written book I have read and clearly demonstrates that the author KNOWS what he is talking about.This book should be mandatory reading for anyone who carries or plans to carry any weapon or to anyone who has any skills or ability to harm anyone else in self defense or otherwise.This is inside knowledge about violence. The author clearly understands the violent criminal mindset so well and he writes in a way that anyone reading the book will have a very well informed understanding into that mindset. I have read many books in this category and nothing comes close to even a quarter of the knowledge contained in this book.I can't recommend the book enough. You wont regret reading it.

This is not a typical "self-defense" or "martial arts book. It is much more, because it teaches the mental aspect of real fighting. No amount of work in the dojo or gym can develop the mental attitude required to prevail in real world violent confrontations. Read this book, practice to develop the skills, and you will see what you must do.

I figured this book was another like many before it that preached self-defense, applications of and how to prepare for those ugly situations. But this book was so much more. I can definitely relate to some of the contents, the rest of it was a real eye opener into the mind of a wolf. I should have bought the hard copy in the beginning, now I have to buy it to have it to read again in the future.

Life is a funny but blessed opportunity to find out what and defend what you care about. Wolves, predators, sheep, and sheepdogs. Every responsible self-defender should read this book, among others. Studying for your life is not a bad choice, combined with practice. Raised by dogs, I mean this in the most loving way, I grew up into a wolf. Not a predator but a hunter. Through self-reflection and study, to include this book, among many others, I have found peace of mind. I strongly recommend that you read this work. I agreed with 99% of what the author says. The last chapters were like he was writing about my personal experiences, philosophies, and desires to think, train, and live.

If you conceal carry to defend the life of yourself and loved ones this is a must read. This book really opens your eyes to what violence truly is and what you will be facing if that day ever comes (which hopefully you will not have to face that). The book gives great insight into criminal violence but is described in a way that is easy to understand. VOM covers things that most people or instructors don't tell you such as dealing with the judicial system and the aftermath you face from an extreme violence encounter . This book makes you realize how much of a fight is mental and how much is actually physical. I have a new outlook on training, a good instructor, and how to go about my daily life. Great book!

I downloaded this onto my Kindle some weeks ago along with 3 other books, 1 of them a novel. I had a weeks holiday coming up and I wanted to get some serious reading done, the fact that the week in question turned out to be something of a heatwave meant that whilst we did walk a lot, we sat soaking in the sun and reading a lot too, continuing into the cooler evenings after great food and whilst drinking good beer. Herefordshire is a beautiful place with beautiful scenery and wildlife, the combination of good things was spot on.So VoM, well Varg is a friend and I really like his stuff anyway so I was really looking forward to reading it. I was not disappointed. He does not pull his punches, he holds no sacred cows and his experience flows throughout the book. I have long held the view and stated often in my training that I can teach the physical stuff pretty quickly, once the fundamentals are explained and inculcated in the student, teaching technique is not that difficult, learning it is. Its why we constantly revisit the fundamentals, however many times that takes, we do that. The difficult part, I tell all and sundry, is developing the mindset to put what is learned into practice, first in a safe environment, then increasing the resistance until the student gets a chance to validate if they can make it work.Reading VoM affirmed much of what I know and do, that is always a pleasure, but, it also made me question a few things and reframe others. As I read VoM I had images in my mind of how we train and teach, reading VoM helped me imagine tweeks and changes we could make to get better so that our curriculum offer can evolve further.VoM is unique due to Varg being unique. Very few in our business, whatever that is, have anything like his experiences or his extraordinary ability to articulate complex ideas and concepts without using technical jargon. In fact he shoots down, pardon the pun, those who hide behind jargon and pseudo sceince. The criminal mind is not our mind, we cannot truly think like fully socialised hardened criminals, but as instructors we have a duty of care at least to learn how they think and the harshness of the world their mindset is forged in. VoM exposes how those who teach art, who teach students that nice moves learned in a nice dojo with nice partners are about as much use in a fight against a violent criminal as a chocolate fireguard.I know a little of this as I have hunted men, ambushed, hurt them, for fun. Lets stay with the book though.Read this book and then reflect on how you train and if an instructor how you teach. Reflect very hard on what you teach. Do you, can you, explain to your students what they may come up against, what they will be dealing with, do you know yourself? If the answer is no or not sure, and the best tactic is err on the negative, get this book, read it once, leave it a while then read it again. The lessons are there if you want them.For me my holiday is walking in the countryside with my wife and our little dog. Its about time together, good food and a few beers. It is also time to learn free from classes (thank you to my excellent cadre of instructors), time to read, reflect, learn and move forward. I was really looking forward to reading VoM, to say I was not disappointed is an understatement.Footnote; The morning after I read VoM I read an back article from The New Scientist callec Circuit Training for the Brain by Teal Burrell.file:///C:/Users/watch/OneDrive/Desktop/Documents/Exit%20the%20Dojo/Circuit%20Train%20Your%20Brain.pdfIn a fantastic article she uses a concept, proprioception (look it up you muscle memory cavefolk lol), that I had first read in VoM the day before, needless to say, Varg had it bang right.Reviewed by Garry Smith, editor of Conflict Manager Magazine.

Initially sceptical, as the authors tales of beating grown men with a bat when he was 8 are a little hard to swallow, and his repeated enforcement of how much of a predatory bad ass he is becomes tiresome. And not a good endorsement by the previous reviewer Mr G.Smith who “ hunts and hurts men for fun” what a tool!That aside, the book has some great information, insights to the criminal mind and a brutally harsh and honest opinion of why the majority of people have no clue how to defend themselves against violent men with violent intent.Recommended reading.

The author gives an excellent overview of the importance of orientation/mindset when preparing to counter violence. The author is that rare example of both having experience and being able to effectively communicate that experience about the moral, morale, training and conditioning factors vital to survive physically, socially and emotionally in a violent encounter.

A highly informative and deeply insightful book which without doubt will become a bestseller , written by a man that knows his subject intimately and who writes with an honesty and intelligence that is badly needed in the field .

Absolut lesenswert (auch wenn ich das Buch erst zu 70% "durchgeackert" habe ). Ich bin glücklich und dankbar weder beruflich noch privat mit der Thematik konfrontiert zu sein. Trotzdem schadet es nie seinen Horizont zu erweitern (was in diesem Buch auch nachvollziehbar erläutert wird). Mit dem Wissen das der Autor im Buch vermittelt, verhält es sich ähnlich wie mit einem Feuerlöscher: Man hofft die nötige Anwendung bleibt aus!Absolutely worth reading (even if I only 70% of the book "durchgeckert"). I am happy and grateful to be confronted neither professionally nor privately with the topic. Nevertheless, it never hurts to broaden its horizons (which is explained comprehensibly in this book). With the knowledge that the author conveys in the book, it behaves similar to a fire extinguisher: one hopes the necessary application is missing!