SUNBURY — "You're on the street talking to an Iraqi guy. He's angry because you kicked in his door. You don't want to pay for it. He lunges at you ..."

This is Tim Muenkel, judo instructor and black belt, introducing a lesson in self-defense to National Guard troops at the Sunbury Armory on Sunday.

"Close the distance. Put your head down. Push one shoulder while you're wrapping your leg around his leg on the opposite side," Muenkel says.

The attacker, in this simulation fellow black belt judo instructor Tom McGuire, goes down easily.

Why? Leverage, upset balance and because parts of the body act the way parts of the body are going to act "” the knee is going to bend if hooked from behind.

The moves need to be practiced and smooth.

"Smoothness doesn't mean add speed and power," Muenkel tells about 45 members of A Company, 3rd Battalion, 103rd Armored Regiment, 28th Divison of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

The lesson isn't wildly hypothetical to these guys. All of them have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, some both.



Riot control

Guardsman Lee Hardin, 26, of Lewisburg, said he was called upon to help quell a riot in Ramadi, about 20 miles from Fallujah, when he was stationed in Iraq between 2005 and 2006. No one was killed. Techniques he learned in crowd control and reasoned response were all put to effective use.

Judo is a Japanese martial art derived from jiu jitsu, which dates back to 230 B.C. or earlier, according to the Web site of the Gracie NEPA Mixed Martial Arts Center in Scranton, where Muenkel and McGuire are on staff.

"Judo is basic self-defense," Muenkel said, and "it's designed to make you a better person."

"It's a way of life, not a set of techniques," McGuire put in. "It's one of the best ways to improve your life."

It's also the second most popular sport in the world, he said.

And "” surprise "” both men say, it's for the mutual welfare and benefit of the practitioner and the sparring partner. Sometimes that means giving way, walking away.

"It's the best way for them to learn to finish a situation in Iraq," Muenkel said. "It's not to butt heads, force upon force. It's going with your force. I accept your force and use it to my benefit."

This is both a physical act and a mental attitude.

The first principle of judo, McGuire said, can be expressed as "maximum efficiency/minimal effort/mutual benefit."

Muenkel, McGuire and their partner, Matt Marchinek, are asked to come to Sunbury for training periodically by A Company Capt. Robert Stevens, who has known them for quite a while.

"The company derives motivation from stuff like this," Stevens said. "It helps them keep that sense of pride."



Building a team

The judo instruction, Muenkel says, is a great team builder.

"No matter what your team is about," he said, "Shooting, armored vehicles, whatever, it's the group bonding together that's the most important, getting to know each other, sweating with each other.

"When you don't know a person you're not as willing to subject yourself to danger for them."

Judo and its philosophy meshes well with the military, Marchinek said, because "we train with the idea of helping each other win and not letting a buddy down."

"Every day we get to know each other we want to accomplish this "” because we care for each other."

A Company is an infantry unit that provides security for other units rebuilding infrastructure in war zones.

Muenkel is a former U.S. Marine and taught martial arts in the Marine Corps. McGuire, who has not served in the military, said he respects what the soldiers do, and if judo helps, "I'm all for it."

Gracie NEPA posts a mission statement that must resonate with soldiers: "We practice being aware of dangerous situations; we practice facing an aggressor; we practice freeing ourselves from hesitation, self-doubt and fear. We practice closing the distance between ourselves and an attacker; establishing solid controlling positions; remaining calm during the course of the ensuing struggle; and ending an altercation with appropriate and efficient measure."

Sunday morning, Muenkel introduces "submission grappling" to the Company A trainees, advising them on positioning and advising them to wait for it before attempting to force submission.



Tough match

Everyone pairs up. Muenkel with Cory Thompson, of Shamokin. Thompson has been in the National Guard for three years and plans to be in "the full 20." He's been to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once. He's also been wrestling since he was about 4 years old. Guard members flip for class

By Diane Petryk

The Daily Item

SUNBURY — "You're on the street talking to an Iraqi guy. He's angry because you kicked in his door. You don't want to pay for it. He lunges at you ..."

This is Tim Muenkel, judo instructor and black belt, introducing a lesson in self-defense to National Guard troops at the Sunbury Armory on Sunday.

"Close the distance. Put your head down. Push one shoulder while you're wrapping your leg around his leg on the opposite side," Muenkel says.

The attacker, in this simulation fellow black belt judo instructor Tom McGuire, goes down easily.

Why? Leverage, upset balance and because parts of the body act the way parts of the body are going to act "” the knee is going to bend if hooked from behind.

The moves need to be practiced and smooth.

"Smoothness doesn't mean add speed and power," Muenkel tells about 45 members of A Company, 3rd Battalion, 103rd Armored Regiment, 28th Divison of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

The lesson isn't wildly hypothetical to these guys. All of them have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, some both.



Riot control

Guardsman Lee Hardin, 26, of Lewisburg, said he was called upon to help quell a riot in Ramadi, about 20 miles from Fallujah, when he was stationed in Iraq between 2005 and 2006. No one was killed. Techniques he learned in crowd control and reasoned response were all put to effective use.

Judo is a Japanese martial art derived from jiu jitsu, which dates back to 230 B.C. or earlier, according to the Web site of the Gracie NEPA Mixed Martial Arts Center in Scranton, where Muenkel and McGuire are on staff.

"Judo is basic self-defense," Muenkel said, and "it's designed to make you a better person."

"It's a way of life, not a set of techniques," McGuire put in. "It's one of the best ways to improve your life."

It's also the second most popular sport in the world, he said.

And "” surprise "” both men say, it's for the mutual welfare and benefit of the practitioner and the sparring partner. Sometimes that means giving way, walking away.

"It's the best way for them to learn to finish a situation in Iraq," Muenkel said. "It's not to butt heads, force upon force. It's going with your force. I accept your force and use it to my benefit."

This is both a physical act and a mental attitude.

The first principle of judo, McGuire said, can be expressed as "maximum efficiency/minimal effort/mutual benefit."

Muenkel, McGuire and their partner, Matt Marchinek, are asked to come to Sunbury for training periodically by A Company Capt. Robert Stevens, who has known them for quite a while.

"The company derives motivation from stuff like this," Stevens said. "It helps them keep that sense of pride."



Building a team

The judo instruction, Muenkel says, is a great team builder.

"No matter what your team is about," he said, "Shooting, armored vehicles, whatever, it's the group bonding together that's the most important, getting to know each other, sweating with each other.

"When you don't know a person you're not as willing to subject yourself to danger for them."

Judo and its philosophy meshes well with the military, Marchinek said, because "we train with the idea of helping each other win and not letting a buddy down."

"Every day we get to know each other we want to accomplish this "” because we care for each other."

A Company is an infantry unit that provides security for other units rebuilding infrastructure in war zones.

Muenkel is a former U.S. Marine and taught martial arts in the Marine Corps. McGuire, who has not served in the military, said he respects what the soldiers do, and if judo helps, "I'm all for it."

Gracie NEPA posts a mission statement that must resonate with soldiers: "We practice being aware of dangerous situations; we practice facing an aggressor; we practice freeing ourselves from hesitation, self-doubt and fear. We practice closing the distance between ourselves and an attacker; establishing solid controlling positions; remaining calm during the course of the ensuing struggle; and ending an altercation with appropriate and efficient measure."

Sunday morning, Muenkel introduces "submission grappling" to the Company A trainees, advising them on positioning and advising them to wait for it before attempting to force submission.



Tough match

Everyone pairs up. Muenkel with Cory Thompson, of Shamokin. Thompson has been in the National Guard for three years and plans to be in "the full 20." He's been to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once. He's also been wrestling since he was about 4 years old.

Faces get red. Grips change. Sweat pours. Thompson prevails.

"I mostly overpowered him," Thompson said.

Later, Muenkel said he doesn't "go 100 percent" or he'd always beat the student.

Rematch anyone?

Faces get red. Grips change. Sweat pours. Thompson prevails.

"I mostly overpowered him," Thompson said.

Later, Muenkel said he doesn't "go 100 percent" or he'd always beat the student.

Rematch anyone?