And Train In Accordance With What He Is Known To Do!
© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – September 2009 Issue
[Reprinted With Permission]
American Combato
Seattle Combatives
THE incredible lack of realism and absence of just plain common sense that exists in the martial arts field when it comes to PRACTICAL SELF-DEFENSE is mind-boggling. We have "hitters" ridiculously practicing jumping and spinning kicks, high area body kicks, clenched fist punching, sparring, and archaic methods of linear blocking, as well as totally irrelevant classical kata. We have "grapplers" focusing on groundwork and one-on-one competitive matches, which emphasize "submission" and "pinning" actions, and then we have hybrids(!) — i.e. the inevitable compromisers who combine clenched fist pummeling with groundwork (laced, of course, with a sprinkling of elbowing, throwing, and one or two other tidbits). And of course there is not a single thing wrong with any of these things, until or unless you specify "PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND REAL WORLD PERSONAL DEFENSE" as your training objective. That changes everything, immediately.
Yes, competition fighters are genuinely tough fellows, and yes — certainly — many of them can defend themselves in actual situations. No doubt about it. However, the same can be said of boxers, wrestlers, judo men, kick boxers, and so on. None of which demonstrates anything at all of relevance insofar as establishing that which is required in HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT and EMERGENCY SELF-DEFENSE SITUATIONS, when the entire reason and purpose is preparing for combat and self-defense as opposed to competition.
To use an analogy with firearms:
An experienced and competent big game hunter can certainly employ his bolt action .378 weatherby magnum rifle (an upgrade of the brutal .375) in a battlefield environment, and perhaps even be successful in dropping an attacking soldier or two. But that does not make the .378 round, the bolt action rifle that fires it, or the marksman/hunter who employs this awesome combination, any kind of "model of that which is best suited to" REAL MILITARY BATTLEFIELD ENGAGEMENTS. A .308 battle rifle — designed, intended, and constructed specifically for warfighting — would be the intelligent man's choice, for going to war. And, similarly, the type and style of firing that the big game hunter excels in when dropping African big game, and which — admittedly — he may be able to apply to antipersonnel engagements, is hardly the type and style of rifle shooting appropriate to combat.
Self-defense and hand-to-hand combat is a subject and study unto itself. Many in the martial arts do not (or do want to) realize this, and so they continually equate that which is sporting, aesthetic, classical, or theatrical with that which works in combat.
Self-defense is war. It is a microcosmic war between individuals, instead of between nations; but it is war, nonetheless. Where and when an activity is presented as "self-defense" in a non-warlike manner, then the term self-defense becomes a misnomer. It is self-defense when one individual is set upon by another, and when force or the threat of force is utilized for the personal satisfaction, gratification, or gain of the attacker against an innocent victim.
• Being jumped in the street by one or more savages is a self-defense situation
• Being seized suddenly from behind is a self-defense situation
• Being attacked by someone using a knife, club, firearm, or other hand-held weapon (or implement which he employs as a weapon) is a self-defense situation
• Being confronted by a punk, troublemaker, or bully whose intention it is to terrorize, push-around, beat up, intimidate or otherwise torment you is a self-defense situation
• Being suddenly aware that your home is being broken into — invaded — by marauding scum is a self-defense situation
• Being set upon by a deranged individual who proceeds, suddenly and without provocation, to violently assault you is a self-defense situation
• Being targeted for a kidnapping is a self-defense situation
• Being with a family member or other loved one and witnessing their being attacked is a self-defense situation
• Being confronted by some lout who proceeds for whatever reason to become physically harassing and abusive — pushing, leaning on, or shoving you — is a self-defense situation
• Being approached by someone who unlawfully blocks your path and refuses to allow you to leave the area is a self-defense situation
• Being run off the road and then attacked by a careful of human debris who are "out for kicks" is a self-defense situation
• Being threatened with bodily harm and observing the threatener reach for what you are certain is a concealed weapon is a self-defense situation
• Being set upon by one or more punks while you are riding on a public conveyance is a self-defense situation
• Being the victim of a carjacking in which you as well as your vehicle is the criminal's objective, is a self-defense situation
• Being the intended target of forcible rape constitutes a self-defense situation
Need we continue?
• Agreeing to a physical contest with someone who wishes to participate, and where there are rules and regulations of any kind — plus a referee — is NOT a self-defense situation
• Participating in a judo, boxing, karate, wrestling, kick boxing, or other competition match or event is NOT a self-defense situation
• Mindlessly agreeing to "step outside" (or remain inside!) and fight with someone is NOT a self-defense situation
If it is your purpose to prepare for the realities attendant the unfortunate predicament of finding yourself obliged to defend against serious criminal violence, then look to how violent offenders attack. Analyze their modus operandi. Over the last several hundred years it has been so well documented that we can tell with near certainty how attacks will occur. Certainly, every situation is "different"; but in a very real and provable sense, ALL SITUATIONS IN WHICH VIOLENCE IS DIRECTED AGAINST VICTIMS, ARE ALSO — PREDICTABLY — THE SAME. The types of situations in which violence occurs and the manner in which offenders move against their target-victims is known, is ascertainable, and is quantifiable.
Situational awareness (alertness) is of course rule number one for those wishing to be prepared for an emergency. Agreed-upon contests of all types begin at appointed times. Attacks may begin at any time. And anywhere.
Once having determined that one has been targeted for a hostile approach by one or more others who appear to be intent upon the use of force, escape and avoidance — if possible, without incurring undo risk to yourself or to someone else — is the all round best course of action. When escape and avoidance is not possible, then FEROCIOUS PREEMPTIVE ATTACK — relentless, "ferocious, preemptive attack"! — is the wisest course. Seize the initiative and go after your attackers! Violently, mercilessly, viciously, and with every ounce of strength, resolve, fury, and determination you can muster.
Such techniques as are popularly labeled "self-defense techniques" are really the least desirable techniques upon which to rely in an emergency, because these techniques are applied against a full blown attack, and only after the attack has gotten fully underway. These techniques, providing that they are of real quality and not mere "artistic exercises", are necessary in a comprehensive program, of course — but only as a backup to techniques of PREEMPTION.
We train in American Combato then, to react to violence in one of three ways:
We AVOID it (the best of all possible options)
We PREEMPT the assailant (best option when avoidance is impossible)
We COUNTERATTACK the attacker's action (the least desirable option, but nevertheless one we all must be prepared to employ)
Taking a specific, concrete example:
If you notice that a suspicious. individual is walking toward you aa you proceed down the street your wisest course of action is to unostentatiously alter your own route and cross the street. AVOIDANCE.
If, as you cross the street, you observe that this individual has cued in on you and has crossed the street also, heading in your direction, you shift immediately to "condition orange". As the individual confronts you, you are in your ready position, distanced properly, and fully prepared for trouble (without revealing in any way that this is the case).
If the individual suddenly commences an aggressive action, you immediately attack. You lash out with a kick and break his leg, thrust a sharp fingertips attack to his eyes, or otherwise drive into him, preempting his onslaught. PREEMPTION.
Only in an instance when you were too carelessly oblivious to the stranger's approach, would you forego avoidance and continue to walk into a questionable situation. And, only if you were perhaps in "condition white" would the individual whose approach you had eventually to deal with as an attack need to be "countered" — since only because you blew the "avoidance" and the "preemption" options did it become necessary to handle his full blown attack with a reactive, "counterattacking" technique.
The important thing of course is that we train so as to be able to do that which we must (ie avoid, preempt, or counter) in suitably realistic contexts.
No one "squares off" in a self-defense situation or "agrees to fight". A self-defense emergency is like an ASSASSINATION attempt, not like a "contest". Prepare for it accordingly.
Many, many years ago (or at least it seems like many, many years ago!) we learned something very valuable from one of our beloved teachers: Charlie Nelson. We learned to clip and to study all news stories from local and even out-of-town newspapers regarding violent crimes. These stories, and not ridiculous attempts to master "contest strategies" and "winning actions" for competition will reveal precisely that which one is up against when one wishes to prepare for real world self-defense.
There is also personal experience, if one has been unfortunate enough to have amassed any.
There is also speaking with seasoned street cops.
There is also speaking with psychiatrists and psychologists who have specialized in studying criminal violence.
There is also interviewing and garnering information from military combat veterans (Note: this does NOT mean anyone who has served in the military. It means those who have been in hand-to-hand combat and who know — firsthand — what it involves.)
And finally there is the individual who has been victimized and who has been fortunate enough to survive the incident.
All of the foregoing is highly recommended. We have unceasingly been utilizing these methods and means of acquiring reliable knowledge about close combat and self-defense since the late 1960's. And we continue to use these methods, whenever and wherever we are able, as frequently as we can.
We respectfully suggest: If you are after really reliable and practical doctrine regarding close combat and personal defense, you follow our example and our advice.
In preparing for survival one cannot be too "realistic".
Bradley J. Steiner
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