{"id":4161,"date":"2025-11-15T04:18:01","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T10:18:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/?p=4161"},"modified":"2025-11-15T04:25:53","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T10:25:53","slug":"the-camp-x-military-self-defence-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-camp-x-military-self-defence-course","title":{"rendered":"The &#8220;Camp X&#8221; Military Self-Defence Course"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>&#8220;Camp X&#8221; is a legendary Canadian special training school and base that operated during the Second World War. It was established to train intelligence agents and operatives, and today, Canadian self-defence schools carry on its traditions. Al Collins has founded his own &#8220;Camp X,&#8221; offering the unique &#8220;COMBATIVS&#8221; military self-defence course to Edmontonians. In this article on <a href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\">edmonton-yes<\/a>, we&#8217;ll cover the course and discuss why self-defence is so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0c159671c61\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0c159671c61\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-camp-x-military-self-defence-course\/#About_%E2%80%9CCamp_X%E2%80%9D\" >About &#8220;Camp X&#8221;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-camp-x-military-self-defence-course\/#Why_Self-Defence_Skills_Are_Important\" >Why Self-Defence Skills Are Important<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-camp-x-military-self-defence-course\/#The_%E2%80%9CCOMBATIVS%E2%80%9D_Course\" >The &#8220;COMBATIVS&#8221; Course<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/eternal\/the-camp-x-military-self-defence-course\/#About_Al_Collins\" >About Al Collins<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_%E2%80%9CCamp_X%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>About &#8220;Camp X&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-10-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4143\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-10-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-10-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-10-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-10-696x392.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-10-1068x601.png 1068w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-10.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Camp X&#8221; was officially opened on the shores of Lake Ontario near Toronto in 1941. The chief instructor was William Fairbairn, considered one of the world&#8217;s most dangerous &#8220;silent killers.&#8221; The father of Al Collins, who runs his own &#8220;Camp X&#8221; today, also trained under Fairbairn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Agents were trained at &#8220;Camp X&#8221; for covert operations in Europe. Special focus was placed on psychological preparation, concealment, and survival in extreme conditions. The facility used state-of-the-art (for its time) martial arts and tactical training methods, which later formed the basis for &#8220;COMBATIVS&#8221; programs. This school became the prototype for many modern Canadian and international special training centres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, a memorial plaque honours the site of the legendary school. While modern self-defence programs and schools sometimes use the &#8220;Camp X&#8221; name, these are civilian training programs and not direct successors to the original school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Self-Defence_Skills_Are_Important\"><\/span>Why Self-Defence Skills Are Important<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Edmonton&#8217;s crime rate is following a worrying trend. Violent crimes, break-and-enters, and street thefts are unfortunately common. This highlights the importance of bolstering police efforts and developing effective crime prevention strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In such conditions, being prepared for self-defence is crucial. Basic self-defence skills empower you to protect yourself from potential threats. Furthermore, self-defence training boosts <a href=\"https:\/\/edmontonka.com\/en\/eternal-4544-the-business-and-professional-womens-club-of-edmonton\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">self-confidence<\/a> and promotes physical fitness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_%E2%80%9CCOMBATIVS%E2%80%9D_Course\"><\/span>The &#8220;COMBATIVS&#8221; Course<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-11-1024x684.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4146\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-11-1024x684.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-11-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-11-768x513.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-11-1536x1025.png 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-11-696x465.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-11-1068x713.png 1068w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-yes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2025\/11\/image-11.png 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Camp X&#8221; offers Edmontonians the unique &#8220;COMBATIVS&#8221; course. This is a close-quarters combat program that integrates elite special forces techniques. It is designed to overcome the shortcomings of other self-defence programs and guarantees effectiveness in violent encounters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, MMA offers sport and skill, but it lacks the tactics necessary for a real-world fight. &#8220;COMBATIVS&#8221; provides battle-tested survival methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the course, you will learn effective one-strike knockouts and attacks targeting critical zones to immediately neutralize a threat. You will also master tactics to dominate every encounter, ensuring your victory. The course even offers training in the use of knives, firearms, and unconventional weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_Al_Collins\"><\/span>About Al Collins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The school&#8217;s head, Al Collins, is a certified combat instructor from a private military contractor that has trained the CIA and counter-terrorism units. Collins holds a black belt and has worked with elite military instructors for many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Al Collins invites anyone who doesn&#8217;t want to spend years and thousands of dollars on ineffective training to join the course. Collins notes that today&#8217;s combat sports industries earn billions from sporting events filled with restrictions, judges, and rules. However, this &#8220;child&#8217;s play&#8221;\u2014focused on scoring points, belts, and trophies\u2014is ineffective in dangerous real-world situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The &#8220;COMBATIVS&#8221; military self-defence course at &#8220;Camp X&#8221; in Edmonton is a unique opportunity to learn realistic defence and survival methods. Al Collins draws inspiration for his work from the history of the legendary special training school. Join the course to boost your self-confidence and prepare for critical situations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Camp X&#8221; is a legendary Canadian special training school and base that operated during the Second World War. It was established to train intelligence agents and operatives, and today, Canadian self-defence schools carry on its traditions. Al Collins has founded his own &#8220;Camp X,&#8221; offering the unique &#8220;COMBATIVS&#8221; military self-defence course to Edmontonians. In this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":409,"featured_media":4150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[498],"tags":[2088,2090,2085,1569,2091,2095,2089,2083,2084,2094,2086,2087,2093,2092],"motype":[491],"moformat":[89],"moimportance":[101,104],"class_list":{"0":"post-4161","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-voenna-istoria","8":"tag-al-collins","9":"tag-camp-x-3","10":"tag-combativs-3","11":"tag-edmonton-3","12":"tag-martial-arts","13":"tag-military-school","14":"tag-military-training","15":"tag-safety","16":"tag-self-defence","17":"tag-special-forces","18":"tag-survival","19":"tag-tactics","20":"tag-training","21":"tag-war-history","22":"motype-eternal","23":"moformat-vlasna","24":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","25":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/409"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4161"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4164,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4161\/revisions\/4164"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4161"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=4161"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=4161"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-yes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=4161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}