Combatives at the Lake

📅 Date: 12PM Friday, January 23 - 5PM Sunday, January 25, 2026

📍 Location: 1332 Glades Rd. Double Springs, Alabama — Lakeside Resort on Lewis Smith Reservoir

What is Combatives at the Lake?

Enjoy a fully immersive, all-inclusive 3-day training retreat combining armed and unarmed combatives, firearms-based defensive work, survival skills, and tactical medicine — while staying in a private lakeside resort environment.

Expect a complete experience: training, communal living, a high instructor-student ratio, shared meals & sleep quarters, and camaraderie, and real-world readiness — with the right balance of professionalism, grit, and community.

This event is a first-of-its-kind continuation of our two prior “Jay Martin Combatives Camping Weekend” events. If you are an alumni, imagine a bougie setting where we can spend more time together, while not being burdened with setting up & breaking down camp, food prep, porta-potties and the whims of mother nature.

🧠 Training Tracks & Curriculum

Armed & Unarmed Combatives — closing the gap, limb control, dominating weapon access, etc.
Defensive Use of Firearms — safety, retention shooting, and the fundamentals of performance pistolcraft
Urban & Wilderness Survival — situational awareness, environmental adaptation, escape & evasion mindset.
Control Massive Hemorrhage — Learn to apply tourniquets, pressure dressings, and pack wounds

Whether you’re primarily a firearms guy, a martial artist, a developing combatives practitioner, or just preparing for worst-case scenarios — this event offers cross-discipline exposure tailored for serious defensive-minded students.

👥 Coaches / Instructors

You’ll learn under a diverse cadre of experienced professionals:

Jay Martin — retired U.S. Army Ranger, Combatives University Black Belt, BJJ Black Belt
Chris Magyar — Owner, The Firearms Concierge; BJJ Purple Belt, Combatives University Green Belt, USPSA Production A-Class
Jeff Thornton — retired Coast Guard; Combatives Grey Belt; Search & Rescue / Survival expert; martial-arts instructor across multiple disciplines
Kim Dees — active-duty U.S. Army; BJJ Black Belt; Combatives University Black Belt; Co-Owner, Modern Martial Arts Family and Fitness Center
Aaron “AJ” Jamison — retired U.S. Army; NREMT-P; tactical medicine specialist; Owner, Valkyries Austere Medical Solutions
Chris Mize — Owner, Heroes Martial Arts Academy; 3rd-Degree BJJ Black Belt; Civilian Tactical (C-Tac) Instructor; Combat Submission Wrestling Coach
Chris Bowlin — Coach at Heroes Martial Arts Academy; BJJ Black Belt; Combatives University Green Belt; MMA Coach
Don Bowen — Owner, Bowen Combative Arts; retired U.S. Army Green Beret; Combatives Black Belt; BJJ (3rd degree) & Judo (2nd degree) Black Belt
Chris Beasley — Owner, Sidthlaw Muay Thai; Muay Thai / JKD / Kali Instructor; Level II Boxing Coach; Combatives University Grey Belt

This cross-discipline instructor group ensures you’ll get real depth — from striking, grappling, weapons work, to medical and survival skills.

🛏️ What’s Included

On-site sleeping accommodations — Assume bedrooms or living rooms or a mat room shared with your coaches & training partners. We have 6 bedrooms with various combinations of kinq, queen and twin beds, plus inflatable queen mattresses, folding cots and couches. Make friends, share a room and a large bed and make your buddy smile (just kidding) or bring your own sleep setup.
Meals prepared in a full kitchen on site. Let us know if you have any special dietary requirements and we will attempt to accommodate you - or bring your own. We multiple kitchens and an outdoor cook house available.
Time for downtime, camaraderie, and real-life bonding: train together, relax together, connect with like-minded individuals.
Option to responsibly enjoy adult beverages (BYOB) in the evenings — opportunity for informal conversation, networking, and community building.

Whether you arrive as a solo student or bring a friend — you’ll leave with new contacts, new skills, and a renewed mindset for real-world readiness.

🎯 Who Should Attend

Those serious about lawful, responsible self-defense whether unarmed, less-lethal, edged-weapons aware, or firearm-centric.
Martial artists or firearms competitors who want to balance the ‘sport’ aspect of their training with real-world self defense.
Folks who value a holistic approach — combining combatives, firearms, survival mindset, and medical skills under one roof.
Practitioners eager to train among motivated peers and coaches in a supportive, immersive environment.
Anyone seeking an honest, no-frills training atmosphere — learn hard, bond stronger, build lasting skills and relationships. It all about the deeds, not the words.
Anyone interested in obtaining rank with the Combatives University
Members of the Combatives Association - check out their FaceBook Page

What should I bring?

We will be working on mats in a conditioned space. Comfortable street clothes, bare feet or dedicated mat shoes are all acceptable. Usual BJJ studio rules - no street shoes on the mats, no bare feet in the bathrooms.
Hygiene - Trim and file your fingernails and toenails, bathe (showers available on site), use deodorant, and bring changes of clothes as we will be getting sweaty.
Range gear: Handgun, holster (AIWB, IWB or OWB), eye and ear protection and appropriate clothing,. The private range is about 7 minutes away by car, has no bathroom. Expect graveled surfaces, picnic table, no shelter in Alabama in January - literally *anything* is possible weather wise.
Beds and inflatable beds will have covers, sheet sets, pillows and comforters. If you prefer being solo on a cot or a couch or otherwise - bring your own sleep setup or borrow something (we have spares).
Optional: BJJ Gi or no-Gi if you want to talk someone into getting in some friendly rolls on the side
If you have special food, snack, drink requirements - bring it. We will try to accommodate as best we can.

Requirements

Safety First - if you cannot be safe, you will not be allowed to participate. Period.
Expect to sign liability waiver(s) before you will be allowed to participate
Take care of your training partners’ health and they will do their best to take care of yours.
Don’t attempt to do anything beyond your level of training and physical ability.
Suppress your urges to wind each other up with politics and religion - this isn’t the time or place.
No recreational drugs and alcohol in moderation, We are here to train, not be out of control or hungover.
Have a good attitude and be ready and willing to TRAIN

🔗 Contact

Combatives at the Lake 2026 — Official Page

If you have questions about accommodations, gear requirements, training prerequisites, or payment options — don’t hesitate to reach out.

Chris Magyar, chrismagyar@myfirearmsconcierge.com, 1 (205) 202-0325