TOAS Nabard- The Persian Art of Combat

T.O.A.S. Nabard

T.O.A.S. Nabard or Nabard also known as The Persian Art of Combat, is a combat martial art system created by Grandmaster Safakhoo. T.O.A.S. is an acronym for Transcendental Organized Applied Strategies, and is considered by Nabard practitioners as the paradigm of martial arts. In combination with Nabard (Persian for battle), T.O.A.S. Nabard translates as: transcendental organized applied strategies in the art of battle.

Grandmaster Marco Safakhoo, also referred to as the Father of Modern Persian Martial Arts, founded Nabard on the principals of the Persian philosophy of Zoroastrianism and the early Persian war-training regimen Varzesh-e-Pahlavani. The study of Nabard encompasses training in the strategies, philosophy, meditations, and concepts of Grandmaster Marco Safakhoo.

Conditioning

Varzesh-e Pahlavani (Persian varzeš-e pahlavane or simply Varzesh), the "sport or exercise of heroes", is a notable influence on the art of T.O.A.S. Nabard. Traditionally, Varzesh is the discipline of Persian gymnastic wrestling. Originally conducted as military physical training focusing on endurance, strength, and speed, Varzesh equipped ancient Persian soldiers with necessary shield-wielding and sword-brandishing skills. Calisthenics dominated Varzesh training, utilizing a pair of mil (wooden clubs), sang (metal shields), and bow-shaped iron weights called kaman.

Many Varzesh -e-Pahlavani techniques are employed throughout T.O.A.S. Nabard as traditional training regimens for modern Nabard warriors. The ancient techniques are closely mimicked in the endurance and pain-resistance routines of T.O.A.S. Nabard Iron Body.

In Nabard, Iron Body is regarded as the “physical exertion of mental discipline”. During training sessions, participants develop pain resistance by enduring a series of strength amplifying exercises. Iron Body includes log training and Varzesh-like club training. During club training, Nabard practitioners achieve strength and muscular control by grasping heavy, bat-shaped clubs and shield-mimicking planks, while slowly rotating them around the head and back in a single controlled circular motion. During log training drills, participants maneuver heavy 4’ to 6’ logs in various squat, lunge, overhead, posterior, and anterior positions. Club and log training movements are performed in both clock-wise and counter-clock-wise motions to ensure the honing of the major and minor supportive muscles and joints.

Iron Body participants are challenged to perform all movements in unison while silently enduring each exercise with expressionless faces. The lead instructor, or “Ostad”, signals the start and stop of each movement by chanting a rhythmic guttural sound called “tabl” (Persian= drum, drumbeat, or rhythm). This sound is intended to guide the listener into an active meditative state where it is believed mental and physical union is achieved. From this state, Nabard practitioners seek to discipline both mind and body to overcome pain.

Strategies

In the study of T.O.A.S. Nabard, mental strategies are as important as physical training. Practitioners are taught hand forms or “lines”, as templates of miniature combat scenarios. Each of T.O.A.S. Nabard’s lines is designed to be a progressively complex linear performance combining various kicks, sweeps, punches, grabs, strikes, blocks, foot stances, and body posturing. Additionally a variety of short, long, and flexible traditional weapons are taught as extensions of the body. These weapons are intended to provide mental challenge while increasing hand-eye coordination. The Nabard hand-lines and weapon-lines are believed to prepare practitioners both mentally and physically for mastery of the five basic elements of combat in Nabard: timing, space, strength, agility and accuracy.

The fighting conepts of Nabard are learned through the performance of each line. The practitioner is challenged to understand and improve his/her current physical and mental abilities relative to both his/her highest-potential as well as to the abilities of a fictitious opponent, all while simultaneously assessing his/her position relative to the surroundings. A rudimentary understanding of Nabard line-strategies is necessary for progression to “sparring” or simulated combat with one or more opponents.

In Nabard it is believed that through Nabard sparring, practitioners master the science of the art by developing the 'T.O.A.S. Mind'. The practitioner practices thought inspired by three-dimensional consciousness concepts. The concepts include: self-awareness, situational/environmental awareness, and awareness of the opponent. During simulated combat scenarios, each of these key concepts is expounded upon through analysis of each variable relative to and dependent upon the other.

The sparring strategies of T.O.A.S. Nabard are described as “circumnavigational” and are said to be inspired by the Octupus and its ability to control its immediate surrounding space. The T.O.A.S. Nabard fighting philosophy teaches one to adapt and react at any angle by interchanging various blocks, strikes, grabs and throws while simultaneously flanking and dodging the opponent.

Philosophy

Woven into the philosophical fibers of T.O.A.S. Nabard is the ancient Persian philosophy of Zoroastrianism. Still practiced today, Zoroastrianism was the reigning Persian philosophy from 1000 BC-1000 AD. The focus of Zoroastrianism is on the eternal human spirit. In Zoroastrianism, spiritual growth is achieved through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. Likewise in Nabard’s philosophy known as The T.O.A.S. Way, free choice and personal responsibility are regarded as the task of mortal man.

Similar to Zoroastrianism’s Faravahar symbol, The T.O.A.S. Trilogy is the exemplification of The T.O.A.S. Way. Placement and meaning of the elements in both philosophical icons are similar. The Nabard icon was designed in service to Nabard practitioners as a visual reminder of The T.O.A.S. Way.

To Nabard practitioners, the trilogy symbol hosts deep and specific meaning ascribed to each of its three attributes. First, the outer circle and inner triangle represent the evolutionary cycle of life as seen through the mind of a T.O.A.S. warrior. Second, The Warrior Within represents the revered eternal human warrior spirit. Third, the eagle emblem emblazoned over the heart of The Warrior Within represents T.O.A.S. Nabard philosophy.

The T.O.A.S. Way expresses Grandmaster Safakhoo’s theory that life is the enigmatic experience of growth and awareness through discovery of self. Practitioners are prescribed The T.O.A.S. Way as a guide on “how” to think as opposed to “what” to think. In the teachings of The T.O.A.S. Way, encouragement is given to see true education as not the recitation of a formula, but as the mastery of learning “how” to learn. To master learning, practitioners of T.O.A.S. Nabard aspire for intellectual cleansing of dogmas and stigmas.

Meditation

[http://www.thinktoas.com/meditation.shtmlBeyond Physical Meditation] is the Nabard quest for a waking mind. This implies a more active endeavor than traditional meditative pursuits. Grandmaster Safakhoo’s philosophy regards meditation as “a waking mind in preparation for action while in the state of ‘roushan-fikr’”. Roushan-Fikr, Persian for “clear bright thinking” or “enlightenment”, is believed to be the transcendental state of existence from which reality is purely pondered and decisions are made from clarity of purpose without regard to external negative influences. Beyond Physical Meditation serves as a guide for the process of achievement by teaching one to actualize and internalize goals.

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