TRAINING IS UNCOMFORTABLE

For the majority of us our training is not our job or what defines us in life.  It’s meant to be enjoyable, social and in some cases a way for us to release the pressures of daily life , job, kids, money, family, friends etc.

Whatever you are training for be it CrossFit, Martial Arts, football, rugby or running there is one thing that should feature in your training, and that is pressure in the training environment.  A small bit of pressure does wonders for your confidence so that you can deal with real life events.  You will only grow as a person from your training if you operate at some point dealing with the feeling of being uncomfortable. You’ll recognize this feeling as you might want to stop the workout, give up training or you'll be making all the excuses of the day.  Training doesn’t have to be hell on earth all the time but you should feel the need to have push and fight through some sessions.  When it becomes easy and you don’t feel wary about going to train you want get the best results you are capable of.

Getting through a tough uncomfortable session that you can talk about at a later date with teammates is a great feeling.  If training is occasionally punishing then you can draw on this experience from the training environment when you encounter something stressful in life.

Marcus

TUESDAY NIGHT TRAINING

Last night we trained out in the fresh air on the concrete.  We started off working on the pads to get a sweat up and build some solid strikes and combinations.  After that we looked at defending against straight attacks skimming of the opponents arm into their vision area then adding in the whatever finishing mode the guys wanted.  We covered face cranks once we had achieved a chest to back position coming off of jab and cross combinations.  We were lucky enough that Scott rocked up at this point as this stuff is his speciality.  He demonstrated some different versions and had the guys squealing as noses and eye sockets were reaching breaking point.  We rounded off the class with some slap boxing as a bit of fun and to develop some footwork.  Next week as the class timetable shifts we can get back focussing purely on Krav Maga and for October we will covering all the fundamentals.  Developing a sound understanding of the basics will give a good overall template.  Then you can develop a style that suits you as an individual which can be adapted as the threat increases and the surroundings change.

Marcus

NEW VIDEOS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

I have started up loading some more recent videos we shot a few weeks ago.  Some of them are looking at basic principles and techniques and others are looking at drills from some of the other systems we teach to help enhance the effectiveness of our Krav Maga.  These drills are mainly edged weapon based or sensitivity drills.  Learn them, use them, adapt them and get better.

There are also some rants for want of a better word from me. In one video I'm talking about who your average assailant is and his skill set.  Another, is on the force ladder.  So get a cuppa, sit down and watch them, share them and make sure you subscribe to the channel. Leave any feedback good or bad, it helps develop future videos.

Marcus

Takedowns in Self Defence

So recently in class we have been covering some of the essential takedowns in our Krav Maga curriculum. Remember, this will be expanding as we add in Scott's various wrestling takedowns and counters in due course.  I just wanted to have everyone clear about the takedown methodology.  So if we pre-emptively strike and they go south, there is no need for a takedown unless you try and grab them to give them a softer landing and prevent head trauma.  If, in the course of an altercation, we can only use minimal strikes then if we can manipulate a take down so be it.  Perhaps we can't go to town on them because they are a lot smaller than us, the opposite sex, there is CCTV or as part of your job you cannot be seen to be using to heavy a hand.  Another way of thinking is with the takedown you might be using the ground or wall or table or chair as part of a strike.  The bowling ball take down might be used and you put them through a wall for example, or you might hip toss them onto the concrete hoping to cause trauma.  Keep in mind concrete poisoning, and the real reasoning for the takedowns is to prevent any unnecessary trauma to the head of your opponent.  You can never really force a takedown unless you are young and strong. It's much better to just see the opening and take. You will know it when it happens. Until then practice on a willing class mate.  Give good energy and help the guy out.  Don't be a sack of potatoes, but at the same time don't be too rigid.  It's all about balance - the thinkers among us will understand that last bit there. 

Marcus

Footwork

When we think about footwork we tend to think about boxing, Ali and how he moved graciously around the ring.  Remember, a boxer knows the dimensions of a ring, knows it’s a flat canvas surface and how many steps he can take in each direction before being on the ropes or the ring posts.

In the world of self defence our footwork is more being able to move over uneven surfaces, up an incline or down a decline.  Think of putting our foot in a puddle of unknown depth and getting a wet shoe or sliding on gravel or glass.  The best  thing you can do is get out the dojo, get the shoes on and train.  You can hit pads, run situationals or roll on the floor.  Learn to deal with the environment, and if you slip, don’t stop - keep going and make the best of it.  

Train hard, fight easy.

Interception

So this one is mainly for the martial artists among us.  KM throughout the land is taught as a self defence system first and fighting system second.  So on the one hand you learn to act after the attack has happened, which is good, but I often feel it can train you to become the victim. The fighting system is really where it is at though.  To understand that though you need to look out with KM and straight to Bruce Lee's strategies of attack. I really hate reality videos however, this one is ok and only lasts a few seconds.  Remember we don't know any of the context surrounding this video so be objective.  What I want you to be aware of is the pre-emptive strike and then the interception on the second opponent - and the speed that the cigarette flies out his mouth. Every week in class I am banging on about intercepting this and that and sometimes I feel like nobody is listening.  Look at this video, understand, learn, adapt and use it.  This guys doesn't wait to be attacked, he knows he is and he intercepts the second guy who is trying to kick him.  You could almost say the first attack is an interception more than a pre-emptive strike as the attacker looks to raise his hands. Again, because its a video and we don't know anything about it who is the attacker?  Is it the guy on his own or the other guys.  You are only getting a snap shot so keep that in mind.  

The lesson though - don't wait, be pre-emptive if you feel you need to be or get using those interceptions.  

http://i.imgur.com/b6i7iKe.gifv

Why The Limb Destruction?

I was asked recently "why do you do that?", with "that" being the straight blast limb destruction entry from Tactical Edge.

The comparison is usually to Krav -"but in Krav we hit straight to the face".  What you'll find in most, if not all, reality based systems are the same essential concepts, the main one being "simultaneous blocking and striking" or hit without being hit. But that being said the answer to why we do the straight blast is in the title, it's more "tactical" and it fits conceptually into transitioning seamlessly into weapon work.

The idea of the limb destruction comes from filipino knife work. If I was intercepting an opponent's arm with a blade I'd target the exact same way as I do with the limb destruction but rather than destroying with a punch, I'd look to sever the bicep muscle - with that muscle gone it takes that arm and the threat out of the fight. So our limb destruction works as an empty hand version of that defence.

The limb destruction doesn't just destroy the attacking limb, by getting a full destruction on the attacking arm you create a cross extensive reflex action which means for a second the body's nerves take such a blow that the opposite arm is taken out of action, this is literally for a spilt second but it creates a gap that allows a quick follow up strike:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossed_extensor_reflex (link included so you know its not just a bunch of special death touch voodoo magic)

Another very important factor is the law.  Although you're well within your rights to defend yourself the law states that you can use "reasonable force", smashing someone in the face when you had the opportunity to just stop the arm could seem a little excessive, so in tactical edge we move up a force ladder. We attack the attacking limb, destroy it as best we can (a really good limb destruction can stop an attack dead in its tracks if it's good enough) if that doesn't work then you can move up the force ladder to the opposite arm or to the head so if you have to explain your actions your able to state that you didn't just smash through his face first chance you got, you tried to be as kind as you could.

Again, conceptually the limb destruction's straight punch can be replaced with a weapon or improvised impact tool and it'll be just as good if not better.

Training When Tired - Why?

In Krav Maga, they are the kings of making you work when tired.  It is a simple test, which sometimes I think is done too often and can detract from your training and often doesn't really get the best from the student. If done correctly, however, it can yield great results and get an understanding of how far you can go when things don't go your way. So in class we want you on the back foot, breathing hard, being overwhelmed and seeing how you cope.  Your anaerobic system under stress will hopefully have you breathing hard and a tremor in your hands similar to an adrenaline dump.  The best thing though is the mental toughness aspect.  You get attacked over and over and there are exercises thrown in and you are often being shouted at which can be stressful. This shows how you pick up and retain information when under stress.  In class I am looking for you not only to keep going but when things don't go your way to never give up, to never stop until the job is done whatever we may have agreed on that training session.  It's not everyone's cup of tea but if you want to become proficient at self defence then you need this. If you want to get a cultural experience, wear a uniform and learn to count to ten in a foreign language then perhaps a traditional martial art is more suited.  Safety is paramount in these sessions, and this is something that I think can be overlooked, and if you train like this too often things deteriorate and you can place the student in harms way and my job is too keep everyone safe. When I think about how we used to train back in the day when we were located in the Judo Club I sometimes cringe and wonder how nobody actually ended up dead.  We had some crazy sessions back then with lights off and blank firings pistols being discharged to disorientate as part of drills.  Maybe I have gone soft in my old age but I think there are better ways to get the best from the guys who are training. 

Practice Makes What?

Repetition is king when it comes to perfecting a skill and it doesn't matter whether its olympic lifting or martial arts - you still need to put the time in.  I understand for most training at the gym it's just a hobby, a pastime, but you have to understand without some level of repetition you're just turning up to a class.  I always want the best from the people who show up and the simple fact is it's not going to be something new and shiny each week.   You have to work hard at the basics and, yes, you will learn new shiny things but the shiny things are nothing without the basics and the repetition.  It used to be the case that having a black belt really meant something.  You were feared and rightly so, because you had worked hard, learned a lot and could apply in real time the skills you had learned.  However, in today's world very few people are truly prepared to hang on in for the journey so they created short cut martial arts and handed out black belts to children and adults who truly were not deserving.  So eventually the black belt became not as prized.  The same with the MBA business qualification.  They saturated the market with that and now nobody cares if you have it.  I understand the need to keep the student motivated, but as a student you must understand you need to put time in and then everything will come good.  So if you want a good round kick throw a hundred kicks a day.  You want to power clean better then get under that broomstick and do 50 a day.  Nothing is stopping you from being great except yourself. 

Play With Knives

Now your mum probably told you never play with knives, but really why do we train so much with edged weapons? In Scotland, which has one of the most knife related incidents in the world, we are still unlikely to come across and edged weapon attack. If you look at where most incidents occur it is usually at a party at a friends house where alcohol is a factor.  The knife is normally a kitchen knife, and you know your attacker.  You live in Glasgow and you're in 18-26 age bracket more than likely. If this isn't your typical weekend then chances are you are safer than most.  

So back to the pointy things.  If, in training, someone attacks you with a training knife you will instinctively act much sharper and with more intent.  It's how you body is designed, so go with it.  As a standard practice, you should always assume that any attacker is armed until you know otherwise - that way you are never surprised.  So in your training maybe you want to include more knife attacks as it will keep you on your toes and will enhance your counter attacks and controls as well as basic fighting tactics.  Also the person using the knife will gain a better understanding of the universal lines of attack. As a result of this their striking should become better and they will be able to access faster strikes from different angles as if they were still using a knife.  If you are interested in learning more of the edged weapon curriculum then you need to get along to the Tactical Edge or NSI classes at the gym.  The edged weapon work will supercharge your empty hand skills.  

The Passive Guard Practice

We all know this stance or defensive posture.  It's your hands up to protect your personal space when you feel someone is encroaching on it.  Now, you can stand there with your hands up making it look like a strong barrier, or you can be more subtle and relax your hands and move them as you talk, all the while still being able to protect yourself or launch a pre-emptive strike.  This is a real skill, and one that needs a lot of practice to pull off.  Start by whenever speaking with someone involving your hands in the conversation.  Use them as a barrier but be subtle and don't let the person you are talking with know that's what is happening.  You can every, so often if you see fit, gently touch the person as you chat. Sounds weird but if you chat and joke with someone maybe you touch their arm for example. This could be you monitoring that limb in a self defence situation or trapping it before launching a pre-emptive strike.  Now remember who you are chatting with.  Easier to start with your friends and then work colleagues.  Once you are good at it you can do it with everyone and they won't even know its happening.  You must me able to talk while doing it and be subtle like I said.  

The reality of it

So I came across this clip online, its from a game of Aussie football, think of a weird mutated version of football and rugby:

Anyway, in the clip we see two players have a bit of a scuffle during a tackle and then something goes wrong.  One player attacks the other and as you can see in the video its pretty clear what his intent was.

Now I'm not sure why he decided to attack and strangle his opponent but the ensuing attack is a fantastic example of how volatile and raw an attack can be and how quickly a simple tumble can escalate. 

These guys are professionals, they train to be hit and take a bit rough and tumble they also need to have situational awareness as they play a team sport and need to be vigilant of where other team members are and you can see how easy it is for them to be taken unaware, as the clip shows the two hit the deck and theres about a 5 second "stand off" then the player in blue&white stops struggling and theres about a 3 second gap where he does nothing and then BANG player 17 slams that choke on and has it on for about 15 seconds and thats including when the other FIVE players are literally trying to drag him off.

Now depending on the type of choke, your looking at between 7-12 seconds on average for pass out time, even if you round that down to a 20 second altercation theres almost enough time to be choked and knocked out 3 times.

Now our blue&white player has obviously been involved in these types of back n forth and thats why he puts up his little struggle during the "stand off" period then he feels number 17 back off slightly and he thinks "ah thats it over with" and you can see his arms physically drop in a completely defenceless manor, that in turn allows number 17 to slam that choke on. You can see our boy in blue wasn't expecting the choke to come and even when he realise's he reacts to slow to accomplish anything, its a frightening clip and it shows violence in action in a fairly brutal way.

As with any clip like this try to watch it and think "what would I have done? How could I have got out of that? Am I training sufficiently enough to be able to handle a situation that violent? Everything's a learning tool.

The clip shows that it can happen anywhere regardless of location. As our name suggests be "Combat Ready". 

Michael

Locks and controls

We've all used the classic arm up the back technique to subdue a sibling or friend when we were younger.  Most of the time this control relied on force to manoeuvre the limb into a position of discomfort.  It's a classic with the police, where you see them have to really wrestle to get that on tight and there usually requires more than one officer to do this.  The ideal way to learn locks or restraints is via a lock flow.  The lock flow is MEANT to be a logical way to learn and practice a series of locks in an intelligent way.  As the person tries to get free from one lock you simply flow into another.  In the real world nobody is going to offer these locks on a plate so you really need to mix them in with your striking curriculum.  If you strike and gain an attachment then you have a greater chance of applying a successful lock.  If the opponent then gets free, move into the next lock or strike and try and regain control. Like most things in a fight it's just going to happen.  You will find a lock if the time is right. Don't go searching for one as you won't get it.  It's the same as a takedown, just let your training take over, and if it's meant to be, the body will find a lock or takedown amongst the strikes.  For most of us we don't need to lock or control we can simply strike and exit. However, if you are in a security role then you may have to subdue, and striking may not always be an option.  In these cases it's even more important for you to work on locks.  I remember Eyal Yanilov (head of KMG) showing me a lock flow.  I asked why he didn't teach it as part of Krav Maga, and I think he was dismissive of it, as he explained it would take time and in Krav Maga you often only have people for a short time and controls may not be time best spent for them.  If you do have time, and it's part of your job, then make the effort and educate yourself.  

IT'S NOT LIKE THE MOVIES

Always keep in mind when you are training that the strikes you practice are potentially lethal.  When you use your elbow, which is one of your strongest strikes, you can feel the raw power.  Obviously you need speed and timing on your side to connect, but if you make contact in the facial area then that person is more than likely going to have to visit the hospital.  The bones around the cheek and eye socket are quite fragile and your crushing elbow could be devastating.  You need to keep this in mind if you ever need to deliver strikes for real.  Only do what you have to do and if you can talk it down or exit before it goes physical then that should be the game plan.  There are lots of people who have hit someone only once and they have fallen and died from concrete poisoning.  And never confuse sport fighting with self defence.  What you see in the ring isn't fighting.  Generally if you aint getting paid to trade blows then when you hit someone they will move in the direction of the force.  Keep all this in mind when you practice.  Train smart and remember you are all students of movement. 

Common object defence

Last week we talked about using the hammer strike.  Now let's make it more effective, and think about common object defence.  Pick up a pen and think about how much more effective that hammer strike will be.  Remember, you can't carry a weapon in the UK and if you intend to carry anything that you intend to use as a weapon, it will make it a criminal offence. However, there are pens lying about everywhere and you can carry one wherever you go. Think about the pen being a force equalizer and it can make someone smaller safer against a larger meaner opponent.  Get a cardboard box and practice your striking on that.  Realise the damage that can be done, and then keep that in mind and the force ladder in a self defence situation.  

Hammer Strike

The downward hammer strike is a great effective strike suitable for everyone and it takes very little training and not much in upkeep to be very effective.  Remember, we are striking with the soft fleshy part of the hand.  Make sure it’s a big overhand motion as this will shrink under stress.  It’s a large bludgeoning motion and is great for knocking hands or arms out the way to open up access to the head.  People like it as they can deliver a lot of power with it and it can build confidence quickly.  Imagine someone grabs you - why bother with a wrist release when you can hammer down on their arm if the situation requires this level of force? At the end of the day nobody should touch you, but you must be mindful of the force ladder. 

The beauty of the Headbutt

Looking for a fast and effective pre-emptive strike? Then think about the headbutt.  Use in a situation where there is a clear path.  If the attacker has his hands up then probably not a good idea unless you are going to think about barrier removal.   You're going to be releasing adrenaline, so the brows will drop to protect your eyes from danger.  Just think about pushing you head forward into the centre of the opponent's grid.  Don’t draw your head back to get more power - you don’t need it. If you strike, do it with the top of the forehead.  After you use this, follow up with appropriate strikes or exit quickly. Remember, its going to give you a bit of a sore head as well.  It’s not a strike for everyone so think about ways to practice.  Just butt your head gently against a punch bag to start with then progress onto harder surfaces.  You’ll get an idea pretty quickly if it’s for you or not.   Remember the force ladder and the law regarding self defence.  

Stances

A lot of the martial arts world is overly concerned with stances.  In Krav Maga as well we refer to a certain stance as a 'general outlet' stance. Who in their right mind still says this as it means nothing to anyone in English?  Clearly something was lost in translation.  It's like how most Krav Maga gyms refer to wrist locks as 'cavaliers' as Imi called them this. It means nothing, and if Krav Maga is meant to be progressive why do people not re-name things?  I don’t teach much in the way of stances.  You have a passive guard and a guard position.  One is defensive and looks like you are de-escalating and the other is for full on combat.  What people need to realise is that when you spar in Krav Maga class this has very little to actually do with an actual confrontation. It's alive - moves more, has more dynamics, multiple opponents and weapons.  You want to be able to move left and right quickly so think more about how a basketball player player moves.  Want to experiment? Then simply watch two people spar then add in another two attackers and watch how the movements of the defender totally change. Keep in mind as well, your confrontation could take place in a bar and you don’t have time for stances as you typically think about them.   

Stances are good in traditional arts as they teach you movement and weight distribution for striking. However, we are trying to get people effective quickly and then get them in a comfortable position from where they can strike and move.  Don’t be too rigid with it all.  

Mental visualisation

If you cant make training then sit at your desk, lie in bed or on the couch and set up a self defence scenario in your mind.  Work through it from start to conclusion with as much detail as possible.  Start running through it slowly then repeat and make it faster and faster.  The more detailed you can make it the better.  There are optimum times to do these things, which I find are just before going off to sleep or just when you wake up.  This training is almost like when you play Xbox and when you get killed you jump or your reflexes kick in. The mind is easily fooled and this sort of thing can benefit your training no end.  It’s a common method used by track athletes. On many occasions their heart rates are up to what they would be if they were running and they are actually perspiring.  So if, one day, you cant make training or you want to supplement when your bored sitting at your desk, get right into this training. 

Being a good bad guy

When you are training with a partner you are responsible for making them better. You are their coach as you have eyes on them the whole time.   When they are learning be a bit more passive as, yes, they are still learning. As the session goes on, they can grasp the concepts and you can apply more pressure.  Then towards the end of the session we can apply even more pressure and see what things look like. The more you come to class, the better you get. With someone who is experienced they can go hard and fast straight away and make good decisions throughout the whole of the scenario.  That does take some time, and for most of the guys training we need to get them there, which can take time.  Be patient, don’t rush things and be a good bad guy.  If you apply 100 percent resistance at the beginning and they don’t, of course it will never work.  If I repeatedly see that, I just tell the guy to strike him in the face harder or in the groin or thumb him in the eye.  See how the dynamics change then.  Now I'm not pushing techniques here, I'm pushing concepts, which are really just universal movement patterns, but the brain takes a bit to learn them and realise when to apply them. So trust in your training and relax, and most of all help your partner out and expect to be a bit like Jackie Chan and get chucked about a bit.