A few years ago, we read a book about the tribal evolution of men and the necessity of honor societies.

Tribal men knew that if you were weak, you were a liability to them, their family, and the tribe as a whole. Their way of life could be ended by famine, a harsh winter, or the next raid from the rival tribe.

Honor compelled each man to be the most dangerous and productive version of himself.

It was life or death.

So, iron sharpened iron and the dull were discarded.

This was the way.

Fast forward to today and we are far removed from that way of life.

We live differently.

• We don’t have to hunt.

• We are largely protected from the elements.

• We enjoy the comforts of modern medicine and the digital age.

But the evolution of society has not been an absolute positive for the evolution of men.

And because of that, we have lost the brotherly accountability that made the tribe strong.

We still need tough men.

We still need warriors.

We still need the sheep dog.

Honor should still compel us to be the most dangerous and productive version of ourselves.

Because today, just as hundreds of years ago, the future of our children still largely depends on the strength of dangerous and righteous men.

And they still exist.

This blog series is dedicated to them, their mission, and the value they bring to each one of us.

That brings us to our brother, Lance.

 

BowTiedGasMask: Tell us a little bit about yourself that fits inside the framework of being hard to kill. Veteran? Fitness? Martial Arts? Gun enthusiast?

Bigbaddad7101: I'd have to say that I became H2K due to growing up in a tough situation. My Dad was killed in a logging accident when I was 8. The lack of male mentorship coupled with being raised by a woman, crippled by depression, didn't put much in my toolbox. Being a weird little ginger led to being bullied mercilessly. This was the fulcrum. Weight training in my middle teens, then martial arts, and later the knuckle and skull school, all stemmed from being bullied. Most importantly, it taught me situational awareness.

(Here is Lance putting in work on the deadlifts at his home gym.)

BowTiedGasMask: Sorry to hear about your father. We see this fork for a lot of men that lose their father at a young age, they either become incredibly independent guys with strong will power, or they let life walk over them and wither into submissiveness. You obviously went the former route. What did that look like for you? Did you have a mentor or father figure step in? I also know you are a father to boys. How has that impacted how you raise them and the values you focus on with them?

Bigbaddad7101: As to a male role model, my mother was never able to manage a good relationship. She had one man that I looked up to. And not for long. My mom's younger brother, my favorite uncle, stepped up when he could, but he had his own family issues. I learned my lessons by stepping on my own meat in spectacular fashion mostly. Got in a couple scrapes with the law to the point where I could have done real time. The news of my daughter's pending arrival, set me straight.

One thing I always tried to keep in mind raising my kids was: Your son will be your mirror. He will sit like you, hold a cup like you, spit like you. He will treat women like you treat his mom and sister. Your daughter, on the other hand, will lead your mirror to the supper table by the hand, one day. Be mindful of what you show them. 

My sons specifically, got trained early. The oldest had boxing gloves and target mitts at 4 or 5. We rolled on the tramp constantly with his friends. I warned them all that what I was teaching them was to defend themselves, their sister, and the friends that couldn't look after themselves. If I ever found out that they were picking fights with kids they thought they could beat, they'd answer to me, and they better pack a lunch and sleeping bag. Waking up cold and hungry sucks. I tried my best to teach them temperance, so they could avoid the trouble I got in. 

 

BowTiedGasMask: What does it mean to you to be hard to kill? How would you define it?

Bigbaddad7101: Being H2K in my mind, entails a variety of things. Being situationally aware is the most important. If you go day to day, being clueless, about the potential for danger in your surroundings, all else becomes much less effective. Next you have to have the capability to deal with what may come.

 

BowTiedGasMask: What are you currently doing that keeps you ready for the fight whether that be in the world of fitness, diet, martial arts, range time? What is your approach to training that/those skill(s)?

Bigbaddad7101: I've put time in. Bounced in bars, fought bare knuckle, fought on the mat. I was an Advanced first aider and rescuer at a mine for 6 years. Trained Judo and kick boxing. As to keeping prepared, I lift, run, and keep my first aid current. I’m going to BJJ in the New year. I’m 80-20 with my diet and I shoot regularly.

BowTiedGasMask: Why is being hard to kill important to you? Dangerous job? Family? Grew up in a rough neighborhood?

Bigbaddad7101: Being H2K is important to me because I'm useless to those in my realm of responsibility, in a bad spot, if I'm not. I go down, the rest may suffer. 

BowTiedGasMask: Have you ever had a close call with death that reframed how you approach life and your goals? If so, what was it and how did it change you?

Bigbaddad7101: Yes. When I was 19, bouncing at a local bar, a fight cost a fellow I went to school with his life. I watched, helpless and untrained, while he died in his cousin’s arms in the parking lot. I knew that I'd never not know what to do again. 

 

BowTiedGasMask: What do you think are the most important skills/abilities someone needs to have in a violent encounter?

Bigbaddad7101: Situational awareness. Having been bullied as much as I was and then working in bars, you learn to read a crowd pretty well as a matter of survival. Next would be preparedness. Do I have the tools, personal and material, to handle a given situation. Third? Wherewithal. Can I do what needs to be done?

BowTiedGasMask: What tools do you consider a must to keep on your person/in your vehicle for emergencies? Gun? IFAK? 3-day bag?

Bigbaddad7101: I always have on my person a Leatherman Skeletool and a small inertia knife. Can't carry a pistol in Kanukistan or I'd never be without one. I have a Mares leg in 45 Colt that I pack in the truck and backcountry. Also in the truck are innocuous tools that can double as weapons if need be. F/A kits are standard. 

BowTiedGasMask: What advice would you give to other men, who maybe haven’t been tested or are wondering if they have courage, about what you have discovered in the process of becoming hard to kill?

Bigbaddad7101: Get trained. Basic First aid at a minimum. Boxing, kick boxing, Judo or BJJ. Test yourself. It sounds cliche but do hard things. Be uncomfortable. Live out of a pack in the real wilderness for at least a week. Get comfortable being capable. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. 

BowTiedGasMask: Canada has some amazing outdoor opportunities. When is the last time you tested yourself out in the wilderness and what did you do? Did you learn anything about your character?

Bigbaddad7101: Most every year. Backpack and horseback hunting trips in the Alberta Rockies. 2017 I did a 27 mile pack in with a 90+ lb pack, spent 5 days summiting mountains scouting. Partner got a satellite message about a family emergency. We hiked out in one day.

I spent a week this fall hunting solo on horseback.

The backpack trip taught me that I'm not average. Average guys don't hike that far with 90 lbs on their backs for fun. The horseback trips provide different lessons. The big lesson in both? I... Don't... Quit. 

 

H2K is grateful for men like Lance!

We thoroughly enjoyed getting to talk to him and are thankful for his willingness to be the 2nd man featured in this new blog series.

We pray the lord will continue to bless him and his family and watch over him even though he is Canadian.

Please give him a follow-on Twitter/X, @bigbaddad7101.

If you are a H2K or know someone who is, send them our way so we can keep this series going.

Until then, thanks for reading our Substack.

We leave you with a quote-

“Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” ― Heraclitus