Why I’ve Added “The Kill Switch Drill” to All Dan Syllabuses By Sensei Liam Musiak

Yes, I know. I’ve said it before: “No more drills. The syllabuses are complete.”

But here we are.

The truth is, whenever I get that feeling deep down that something is missing — that there’s a gap in realism, psychology, or control — I can’t ignore it. I’d rather admit I was wrong about being “done” than leave my students with a syllabus that’s 99% complete. And this… this was the missing 1%.

The Inspiration – SAS Who Dares Wins

If you’ve ever watched SAS: Who Dares Wins, you’ll have seen the infamous “Red Man” challenge. In that drill, a recruit is told to attack a heavily padded instructor — the “Red Man” — who comes at them full force. It’s sudden, high-adrenaline, and designed to push the recruit into explosive action.

It’s not just about raw power — the Red Man drill also tests switching aggression off and regaining breathing control afterwards. However, it’s still about winning the fight as well as controlling that aggression.

The Main Differences

The Kill Switch Drill takes inspiration from that aggression control aspect, but its focus is purely on that alone. There’s no live opponent, no tactical win condition — just the challenge of going from complete calm, to full explosive power for 20 seconds, and back to calm instantly on command.

I already had drills for avoiding a situation before it starts, de-escalating a situation with words, and handling yourself during a situation when it turns physical. What I didn’t have was a drill dedicated entirely to stopping instantly at peak aggression.

This is very psychologically demanding. You have to turn that killer instinct on instantly, unleash it with complete commitment, and then shut it down completely without hesitation — all while maintaining controlled breathing, emotional discipline, and total composure.

In real self-defence, the moment the threat ends, so must your aggression. Anything beyond that risks crossing moral, legal, and ethical lines. The Kill Switch Drill now closes that gap — making sure my black belts can start, operate, and stop with total control.

Why It’s Now in Every Dan Syllabus

For me, black belts aren’t just great fighters — they’re disciplined fighters. I want my Dan grades to prove they can go from complete calm, to maximum output, and back to calm without the “red mist” taking over.

I had drills for before the fight, drills for during the fight, and drills for surviving the fight. Now I have the drill for ending the fight at the exact moment it should end.

So yes — I said “no more drills”… but when I feel that deep itch that something’s missing, I’m going to do something about it.