Proper Protective Distancing

© COPYRIGHT 2009 BY BRADLEY J. STEINER - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sword and Pen – October 2009 Issue

[Reprinted with Permission]

American Combato
Seattle Combatives


Correct distancing is a matter that is always addressed in the classical/traditional martial arts. Unfortunately, actual practice of this aspect of dealing with an adversary comes — in the classical/traditional approaches — from sparring and from competitive matches; both unrelated to close combat and/or the requirements of actual self-defense encounters. When you train to "square off" with an opponent, to "get set", to "ready yourself in a stance", etc., and to anticipate that your adversary will either strike or grapple in a conventional (or at least in a restricted and regulated) manner you are not duplicating the kind of DISTANCING TRAINING that the real world requires, should you need to actually defend yourself.

First of all, forget about "fighting stances". These are for agreed-upon matches (or mutual combat — neither one of which is related to that which a self-defense or close combat practitioner concerns himself with). In the real world you will either be AWARE of an attacker’s approach prior to his onslaught, or you will not be aware. If you aware, go to a ready position and if/when the first indication of aggression manifests, PREEMPT! If you are not aware, you’ll simply be reacting via the best counterattacking actions of which you are capable. (There is a third possibility for military and intelligence people: You may be ATTACKING THE OTHER GUY. If this is the case, then take him by surprise — if at all possible from behind — and finish the job. Do not walk up in front of him and get into some ridiculous stance!).

In any case, you will advance your development and readiness to deal with real violence from a troublemaker who makes his approach apparent, by applying the following INVIOLATE RULE:

Whenever you face anyone who you do not know, personally, off angle yourself (into a "relaxed-ready" position), and maintain a distance from that person that is no closer than OUTSIDE ARM’S LENGTH.

What the assumption of that distance does is insure that, when and if this unknown individual initiates an attack, he will need to step forward toward you in order to reach you. This make a genuine "surprise attack" from him (assuming that you are in an ALERT MENTAL STATE) virtually impossible. The most skilled individual in the world must still be able to reach you, before he can harm you. And the fact that you have distanced yourself outside the range of his reach insures that his FORWARD STEP will telegraph his intention.

Question: "Suppose the individual merely intends to step closer to me, and nothing more? Might I not be making a tragic error of judgment if I attacked him as he moved?"

Answer: Indeed, you would be making a terrible error by attacking a non-aggressive individual. However, doing so is easily avoided, and you ought never have such a problem. Just STEP BACK if the step toward you is apparently non aggressive. REESTABLISH the outside-arm’s-length distance. Politely say, "Sir, please step back," if you wish, as you yourself move. That gesture and statement is neither provocative nor offensive, and will do all that is necessary without incurring any possibility of "misapplied aggression". A person whose intention is not aggression will keep his distance.

By maintaining this out-of-reach distance you will enjoy another advantage, should the individual whom you face decide to attack you. His attack and your preemptive reaction will bring about a COLLISION EFFECT, and add whatever weight and momentum your attacker generates toward you, to whatever power and momentum your preemptive action directs toward him.

Violent offenders, generally speaking, will not attempt to attack if they do not feel that their onslaught will be effective, if they feel that they will be hurt, and if they have no assurance that they will be able to get away before the police arrive. Since the impression conveyed by a person who remains steadfastly distanced, alert, and not readily approachable is NOT that this person is susceptible to a surprise attack, assuming a proper off-angled ready position and holding to the right distance might discourage some attacks, to begin with. This of course is what we would most hope for, but we cannot expect it in all cases.

Correct understanding of the principle, and unwavering use of the strategy of employing PROPER DISTANCING will go a long way toward assisting you in both avoidance and in being prepared for preemption, should avoidance be impossible.

One final thing: Whenever you are approached by two or more individuals who you do not know personally, STEP TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE PAIR/GROUP and assume your relaxed ready position facing the closest person. Keep your distance relative to him, outside arm’s reach.