Phoenix Combatives
Real-world self-defense starts before the first strike.
Develop the awareness, confidence, and practical skills to recognize potential threats, establish boundaries, manage pressure, and respond effectively when necessary.
Practical training. Realistic scenarios. Confidence through preparation.
Schedule an Introduction
What is Phoenix Combatives?
Practical self-defense. Real-world application.
Phoenix Combatives is our hands-on personal safety and self-defense training program, designed to help everyday people develop the awareness, confidence, and practical skills to better protect themselves and their loved ones.
Unlike traditional martial arts training, Phoenix Combatives focuses specifically on recognizing potential threats, managing confrontations, establishing boundaries, and responding effectively when physical action becomes necessary.
Our training combines awareness, verbal skills, adrenaline management, protective movement, and practical physical techniques in a structured, supportive environment.
Students learn through instruction, partner drills, and progressively challenging scenarios that help them practice decision-making and physical responses under controlled pressure.
The goal isn’t to win a fight. It’s to recognize danger early, make better decisions, and create opportunities to get home safely.
Built on the principles of The 85 Method
Phoenix Combatives incorporates the principles of The 85 Method, the personal safety system developed by Hanshi Anthony Codispoti. The 85 Method emphasizes that effective self-defense begins before physical confrontation, with approximately 85% of the focus on awareness, prevention, boundaries, confidence, communication, and decision-making, and 15% on physical response.
Phoenix Combatives brings these principles into a hands-on training environment where students can practice, develop, and apply what they learn.
What you’ll learn
Awareness. Confidence. Action.
Phoenix Combatives takes a comprehensive approach to self-defense. Students learn to recognize potential problems early, establish boundaries, manage adrenaline, and develop practical physical skills for situations that cannot be avoided.
1. Awareness & Threat Recognition
Learn to recognize changes in your surroundings, identify concerning behavior, and pay attention to internal signals that something may be wrong. Awareness creates opportunities to make decisions before a situation escalates.
2. Boundaries & Assertive Communication
Develop the confidence to establish personal boundaries, use clear verbal commands, and communicate assertively without unnecessary aggression. Learn how posture, distance, and your voice can help manage uncomfortable encounters.
3. Adrenaline Management & Decision-Making
Understand how stress affects breathing, attention, movement, and decision-making. Through progressive training, students practice staying focused, managing their reactions, and making decisions under controlled pressure.
4. Protective Movement & Positioning
Learn how to manage distance, maintain balance, use protective positioning, recognize exits, and move to create opportunities to disengage.
5. Practical Physical Self-Defense
Develop simple, functional physical responses, including protective covers, palm strikes, elbows, knees, basic clinch skills, and escapes. The goal is to create an opportunity to reach safety.
6. Scenario Training & Pressure Testing
Apply awareness, communication, decision-making, and physical skills through controlled, realistic scenarios. Students practice making choices and responding under gradually increasing pressure.
Who Phoenix Combatives is for
Personal safety is for everyone.
You don’t need to become a fighter to become better prepared.
Phoenix Combatives is designed for people who want to take a proactive approach to personal safety. You don’t need previous martial arts experience, exceptional physical fitness, or a desire to become a fighter.
Adults With No Martial Arts Experience
Learn practical personal safety concepts and physical skills without committing to a traditional martial arts training program.
Women Seeking Greater Confidence & Preparedness
Develop awareness, boundaries, assertive communication, and practical self-defense skills in a supportive environment.
Parents & Families
Learn principles of personal safety that can be discussed and reinforced at home, including awareness, communication, boundaries, and recognizing potentially unsafe situations.
Professionals & Community Organizations
Develop practical awareness, prevention, and response skills through focused training designed around everyday environments and workplace considerations.
Experienced Martial Artists
Expand your understanding of personal safety beyond physical technique by developing awareness, verbal skills, adrenaline management, and decision-making under pressure.
How training works
Learn it. Practice it. Apply it.
Phoenix Combatives combines education, physical training, and realistic scenarios to help students develop awareness, decision-making, and practical self-defense skills. Our approach is progressive, introducing resistance and controlled pressure as students become more capable.
1. Understand the Situation
Training begins with awareness, recognizing concerning behavior, understanding personal boundaries, and identifying opportunities to avoid or disengage.
2. Develop Your Voice & Boundaries
Through guided exercises, students practice assertive communication, verbal commands, confident posture, and maintaining appropriate distance.
3. Build Practical Physical Skills
Students learn protective positioning, movement, simple striking techniques, escapes, and methods for creating opportunities to disengage.
4. Practice Under Controlled Pressure
Students participate in supervised drills and scenarios introducing movement, uncertainty, verbal interaction, and manageable stress.
5. Reinforce & Continue Developing
Through continued practice and reinforcement, students build familiarity with concepts and improve their decision-making under pressure.
Realistic doesn’t mean reckless. Our training is designed to challenge students responsibly while maintaining respect, control, and individual progression.
Your first Phoenix Combatives experience
Your first step is a conversation.
Taking the first step toward personal safety training shouldn’t feel intimidating.
At The Phoenix Way, we begin with a scheduled personal introduction rather than placing you directly into a group class.
You’ll visit our dojo, meet Hanshi Anthony Codispoti, and learn more about Phoenix Combatives and the principles behind The 85 Method.
We’ll discuss your goals, previous experience, and what you’re hoping to gain from the training. You’ll have an opportunity to step onto the mat, see how we teach, and experience a brief introduction to our approach.
Our goal is to help you understand the program, answer your questions, and determine whether Phoenix Combatives is the right fit for you.
What to Expect
1. Meet Hanshi — Tour the dojo and learn about the program.
2. Discuss Your Goals — Talk about your interests and previous experience.
3. Experience Our Approach — Briefly practice awareness, boundaries, movement, and self-defense.
4. Decide on the Next Step — Ask questions and determine the right fit.
Schedule an Introduction
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need martial arts or self-defense experience?
No. Phoenix Combatives is designed for everyday people, including those with no previous experience. Skills are introduced progressively.
Do I need to be physically fit to participate?
You don’t need to be in exceptional physical condition. We’ll discuss your goals and physical considerations during your introduction.
Is Phoenix Combatives a fighting class?
No. It focuses on awareness, boundaries, communication, decision-making, and practical physical skills. The goal is to create opportunities to reach safety.
Will I have to participate in physical contact?
Physical training is part of Phoenix Combatives, but skills and contact are introduced progressively. Drills are supervised and intensity adjusted appropriately.
What’s the difference between Phoenix Combatives and The 85 Method?
The 85 Method is the broader personal safety education system. Phoenix Combatives is the hands-on, in-person program incorporating those principles through physical practice, partner drills, and controlled scenarios.
Is Phoenix Combatives only for women?
No. The program is designed for adults of different backgrounds and experience levels.
Do you offer training for groups or organizations?
We welcome inquiries from groups and organizations interested in personal safety education. Contact us to discuss whether an appropriate workshop can be arranged.
How do I get started?
Schedule a personal introduction, meet Hanshi Anthony Codispoti, discuss your goals, and learn more about the program.
Confidence begins before confrontation.
You don’t need to become a fighter to take personal safety seriously. Through Phoenix Combatives, you’ll develop awareness, boundaries, decision-making, and practical physical skills in a supportive, hands-on training environment.
Take the first step toward becoming more prepared, confident, and capable.
Schedule an Introduction
Your journey starts here
The best way to understand The Phoenix Way is to experience it for yourself.
Schedule a personal introduction, visit our dojo, meet our instructors, and spend a little time with us on the mat.
We’ll learn what you’re looking for, answer your questions, and help you determine whether The Phoenix Way is the right fit for you or your child.
170 Patterson Avenue, Shrewsbury, New Jersey
Traditional Roots. Real Self-Defense. Real Confidence.
An integrated martial arts system in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, combining functional self-defense, physical fitness, and a community committed to helping people grow.
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