Making It Combative With Incidental Strikes

7/30/2019 Making It Combative With Incidental Strikes

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Making it Combative with Incidental strikes

want your system of Combatives to be just that; Combativethen once you come down to the core physicalel

s sense that each and every movement that your body makes is as destructively efficient as possible; in order to

reat ASAP. It also makes sense that you train your method right up to the extreme end of the threat scale in the

nuous ballistic attack with as much Vehemenceas you can muster. If you have the volume you can always turn it

a less dangerous threat, but the same doesnt work so well in reverse i.e. if you if you dont have the volume to t

st place.

seful element that you can add towards this aim; is what Kelly MacCann refers to as Incidental strikes(IS) thimake the delivery system of your attack a lot more functional. Typical examples of an ( IS) can be seen in som

wing sequences.

Wheeling elbows; here we can see the elbows employed as a wheeling attack very similar to the way John Stye

assic 1950's text Cold Steel would use it. Here the (IS) is an incidental Ax hand on the way through to the second

rike.


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ngular strike; this might be a slap or if you prefer closed fists; a hook punch. Here the (IS) is a shot with the opposite ha

ay through, either a backhand slap/Ax hand or a hammer-fist. In this example the back slap is immediately followed by the

ap in combination for maximum effect. Performed in this way the back slap is thrown first followed by the forehand slap as on

her words if you think of the back hand as one beat and the forehand as a second beat then it would look like this; onetwo

that the combination is thrown as one, two using an almost simultaneous action. In this way the second strike gathers imp

om the momentum created by the first shot, for twice the effect.

lbow to knee strike; here again why would you simply grab your opponent to pull him onto an knee after yo

rike, when there is an perfect opportunity to strike as you rag him downward. In this case the (IS) is again, an Ax


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hunderclap to head butt; from this double slap motion to the head, you are in an ideal position to pull him explosively on

tt. The (IS) here is to thumb the eyes just before the head goes in.

lbow from Thai clinch; from here the (IS) is a little shot created by popping the head with the inside of the bicep. This ring

d lifts the head nicely, right into the trajectory of the elbow strike.


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elson straight-arm bar; The wrist is grabbed and turned whilst simultaneously striking to the high line from here the a

plied. The (IS) in this example is a forearm smash to the ulna nerve on the back of the arm as the arm bar is applied.

scort hold; here we are looking at the side come alongposition more common to door/security people. Here if th


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mplies then just walk him out. If not then you have plenty of sneaky little options from here. (ISs) include a pain

triceps area as well as a well-placed wrench to the elbow joint as means to gainpain compliance.

wo hands shove; again good for security; use a two handed shove to get someone out the door, and if necessary

S) in the form of a cradle blow to the throat (using moderate force.) Here the strike is performed as part of the sho

llowed by bringing the hands straight back to a hands high fence; as you maintain a non-aggressive demeanour.

CTV.

ally any Combative method that you employ should be looking to aggravate the aggressors targets as effic


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ble. So dont pull a limb by clothing when you can rag, pull and rip skin. Dont put in one strike if the path of t

you two on the half beat. Get the idea? Understand that we are talking about worse case scenario events here an

g about Combativesnot sport and not a reciprocal exchange of movement.

out.

Counter Weapons Training

er weapons' training is a major topic and is deserving of an entire book of its own if you are to attempt doing any ju

bject at all. Please bare in mind that no one system of martial art or Combatives will ever hold all the answers regar

hands against weapons, particularly when concerning the knife. What I teach is based on what I feel are the best mhave come across during the last 24 years of training. My sources come from an array of methods and experienced

Filipino Kali and also from Western Combatives as well as from the experience that I have gained from the 4 live k

ons that I have been involved in so far.

mplicity any cutting tool regardless, of if it is a Stanley knife, stiletto blade, broken glass or beer bottle will be refer

here on as an edged weapon. The fact remains that any of the above tools can only really be used against you in eith

ing or slashing motion or they can be jabbed and poked at you in a stabbing motion to any number of targets on you

n. Therefore any variation of these two most basic physical actions of what to expect if the knife is actually drawn a

een it. I will not cover such counter measures here as space, will not allow me to do the subject any justice. But welook at a couple of methods that we can deal with the weapon before it has been drawn.

language cues:

we are going to rely on our awareness, our instincts and our understanding of body language. We have already discu

n elements of this in the preceding chapters. For example understanding the verbal and physical cues of aggressive

age, and also understanding the Modus Operandi of our potential aggressor's attack ritual and dialogue. Here we are

d to become more specific in terms of picking up on any inclination that our potential assailant is indeed carrying a

ng any clue to that fact, before the weapon is bought into play may well be the only thing that will gives you a chanhe necessary action to get the jump on the situation.

r aggressor already has the weapon to hand and the intention to use it, then you are most certainly going to have a h

dealing with the problem, then if your instincts told you that he is carrying and you take action as soon as your assai

ess the weapon thereby shutting down the threat before he can get the knife out. Remember if you find yourself in a


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ontation situation always assume the aggressor is armed. Always scan for the hands can you see both his hands and

s? Some of the most common methods of concealment are palming the knife, holding it flat against the thigh or kee

g hand concealed in a pocket or behind his back out of view. So look out for concealment, if you can't see your ass

s or if his palm is turned in flat against his leg or concealed in a pocket ask yourself why? Remember also that you c

ached with some kind of distracting dialogue to divert your attention before the aggressor draws the weapon. Look

c eye movement, is his face pale, are his eyes wide, does his body shiver? These are all indications of his adrenal reill of course be present if his intention is to stab/slash you. Such indications might be the only thing that separates y

g with the threat and meeting your maker. We will look at a couple of drills that will allow us to practice working o

anguage cues and shut our aggressor down quickly and clinically.

are several examples of Body Language Cues; the first shows the aggressor move one hand behind his back. The se

one hand concealed by clothing in this case placed inside his coat and the final pictures shows one hand reaching i

of his waist band, obscured by his t-shirt as the other attempts to clear the garment for access.

and strike drill:

drill you will be working off the reaction or body language cues given off by your partner. Face each other at arms

g sure that you keep your arms by your sides and are stood in a neutral position with no fence. Your partner will ha

ng knife behind his back tucked into his waist band. Start at no more than fifty percent speed and have your partner

erate his movements so that you get an idea of what you are looking for. Basically if he starts to turn away slightly

ng the weapon bearing side shoulder this is a cue to move, if one of his hands starts to move behind his back or sligh

w then this is a cue to move. You are looking for any sign that will tell you that your partner is reaching for the weaimmediate action should be to step forward to shut him down and break his balance whilst seizing the arm that mov

ing it at the crook of the elbow and jamming it tight against his body. As you do this your free hand goes straight to

chin-jab of a face smash strike or as is a more common reaction, straight to his throat for a claw grip larynx grab. Fr

ontinue with forward pressure and continuous strikes to eliminate the threat. Once you both have an understanding o

s always throw away compliancy and have your partner move at full speed with a committed attempt to draw the tr

on and thrust it towards your body. If he touches you with it you would have been stabbed. Once you start to do this


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you a little jumpy this is good this is how you need to be to bring out the right reaction.

bringing in some role play and have your partner wear body armour so that you can put in the strikes with a degree o

m. Also progress to the point where your partner is wearing a heavy jacket and so all that you know is that he will dfrom some where. This could be from a pocket, under his shirt on the front of his waist band, strapped somewhere o

or even to a limb or any where else he can think of any and all methods of concealment have been used and all are f

out in this drill. Once you get to this point you will see just how dangerous the edged weapon threat can be. Stoppin

point is your best chance of dealing with the threat as once the knife is out it is even harder to deal with.

e aggressor starts to move his hand behind his back, step in and trap his arm to the side of his body. Aim for the cro

or anywhere along his forearm. Once you get his arm keep it pinned in tight to his body and don't let go. Be sure to

taneous grab for his throat making sure that you break his balance with forward pressure. Think of replacing his foo

our own as you follow up with continuous strikes in this case knees work really well.

and strike drill two:


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scenario the aggressor has the knife concealed in the front of his waistband under his t-shirt. As soon as a motion i

ds the weapon drop step forward and pin both hands in place to his body.

nue this forward motion by driving the top of your head straight into his face follow up by walking violently throug

rapid knee strike to the groin.

The Axe-Hand Blow


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Also know as the edge of hand blow and the chop. This is another major weapon usedin Combatives and can also be found in traditional karate and some styles of Chinesekung fu amongst other martial arts.

From a natural position explode forward trapping the arm as you strike your target with

out chambering your hands in any way. Follow up with further strikes as shown turningyour body into each one.

Method Of Practice

To create an Axe hand simply extend your fingers keeping them together, then extendyour thumb as this will prevent your hand from cupping on impact. The Axe handemploys the entire surface area from the edge of the hand along the ulna edge of theforearm to just below the elbow as a striking weapon. It can be used to strike in a variety


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of ways to a variety of targets, primarily the throat the sides and back of the neck, underthe nose the bridge of the nose as well as the forearms and wrists. The beauty of thisstrike is that you can throw it from any where standing, seated even from a lyingposition.

Here is the axe hand applied from a seated position up under the nose.

back hand slap:

ack hand slap is best employed to a potential threat stood slightly to your to flank. The back slap works best from ei

on the chin position or from the hands together, in front of the chest position. The target area for this strike is the fac

p just strike straight out to the target, from where ever the striking hand is, giving off no telegraphic intention. Just

rection of the strike and whip your hips in a split second before the strike lands. This will ensure that your full body

mpanies the same for maximum effect.


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ack slap can also be followed immediately by the forehand slap in combination for maximum effect. Performed in t

ck slap is thrown first as previously described; but is now immediately followed by the fore hand slap as one beat.

if you think of the back hand as one beat and the forehand as a second beat then it would look like this; onetwo

t the combination is thrown as one, two using an almost simultaneous action. In this way the second strike gathers i

from the momentum created by the first shot, for twice the effect. Again we are looking at the facial area as a targe

reate shock impact to the CNS but with leave the recipient relatively unharmed other than perhaps a temporary alter

sciousness and slightly red faced.

-Jab:was one of the primary attacking tools of WW2 Combatives. It is similar to the palm heel strike found in m

martial arts. The difference with the chin-jab is in the formation of the hand and the body mechanics witelivered. The correct hand position is made by imagining that you are holding a grapefruit in your hand w

rs spread apart and curled inwards this makes the hand into a platform for your target which in this case iand jaw bone. The strike is delivered straight up the centre line of your opponent, impacting directly underwith the heel of your hand from underneath his peripheral vision.

od of practice:


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trike is performed in much the same way as a boxing upper cut. Keep a slight bend in your legs as you dorward and slightly to your opponent's side, at the same time you check the back of his upper arm for coxplosively straighten the legs as the chin-jab is thrown. Your striking forearm is kept close to your own botrike. The step, arm check and strike are performed simultaneously as your foot lands delivering body wed your strike. As with all the strikes you aim to deliver the impact through your target.

Lee Morrison : No text or images may be copied without prior permission of theauthor.

O'Neill cover:s a technique that makes use of our natural flinch response. This originally came from the O'Neill systemot 'Pat' O'Neill, who was an instructor in Shanghai under Fairbain and again later in WW2. This brings int


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of the head whilst raising your arms for cover as you step in deeply to your opponent, jamming his forwarsive. Hold your arms in a horizontal formation one on top of the other in front of your face. Make a small gou can look between your arms as you drive forward, spiking your opponent in the throat with the toprm/elbow and in the chest area with the other. From here a natural follow up is to drive through and upwaoin with a rear knee strike as you walk violently through him.

Lee Morrison : No text or images may be copied wi


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The cover and fend/Crazy Monkey:

The position for the cover and fend is made by placing both palms on the crown of your head, leaving yo

covering your face and chin. This position is never static but constantly moving and covering the entire h

an exaggerated motion of washing your hair, as you slip your body and move your head to the left and ri

hit moving target.

The hands constantly move to protect the head and face from a multiple punching attack. The front of yo

deal with any frontal straight punch, while the sides of either outer arm can be closed tight to cover any a

punches from the side. In reality you want to close him down after one or two punches are taken on the a

the clinch. This method combines CQB instructor Simon Squire's method of using the Fend; along with t

concept from MMA coach the excellent Rodney King

Additional note:

A good way to practice is to have a partner wearing boxing gloves, throw multiple punches at your head

back to a wall. It is important to only go forward as you cover and fend, moving back gives your oppone

develop power. So by training with your back to the wall, the only way you can go is forward. Practice th

seconds then close him down into a clinch. This will help you to develop composure to deal with this kin

attack. In reality go for the close down as soon as the attack starts whether we are fending multiple punch

or a wind milling Neanderthal the response is the same. Cover your head with your hands and arms, pres

with only the points of your elbows and forearms to hit and drive forward to close him down as soon as t


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As the aggressor throws punches strive to destroy his fists with your pointed elbows as you dive through

clinch onto his neck.

From here get inside to clinch the neck and finish with multiple knees to the groin and thighs; follow up

ped Hand Blow:

s basically an open hand slap that can be used in a variety of ways. There is a slight cupping of the hand

ved by allowing the fingers and thumb stay together in a relaxed curve. This cupping action magnifies thestrike. The target area is the entire side of the head. The ear and the side of the neck are particularly vu

ny where on the side of the face with produce a deep shock force to the central nervous system. This is dmpact received by the large number of nerve endings in the facial area.


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a natural position that allows you to control the space between you and your potential aggressor, simplyupped hand blow from the side of your hip straight to the target allow your body to move in the direction oby whipping in your hips just before the blow lands.

Lee Morrison : No text or images may be copied without prior permission of theauthor.

Double Slap


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shot is best set up by using dialogue to ask a question with the hands held as if talking in exclamation; sumate are you gonna calm down?'' BANG!

od of practice:s also known as the double ear box or the thunder-clap. This strike is thrown from hands down by your sht to the target which includes both ears and both sides of neck. If you throw the strike from a fence you wto cock yours hands slightly before you strike. The best way to disguise this set up is to turn your palms oy as you ask your opponent a brain engaging question this will also act as a trigger for your attack which

nate any indecision of when to strike on your part. This is a good tactic to use with all your strikes and shoht into play any time you practice your basic strikes on impact equipment such as the heavy bag or the fo

Double cupped hand blow


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e O'Keefe's preferred method is to strike both sides of the neck simultaneously.

Face SmashThis is basically a clawed hand palm strike and is also known as the Tiger's claw. Thehand is held as if holding a grapefruit and the strike is delivered in one of two ways.

Method Of PracticeThe first is straight into the face in a piston like fashion off the lead or rear hand, as ifthrowing a straight left or right punch as a boxer would. This was the original methodthat was taught by W.E. Fairbairn who said that when facing a frontal attack, your bestoption is usually the Tiger's claw. The strike is combined with a forward drop stepallowing you to put your body weight behind the strike.

The second method is best used from a hands held high submissive looking fence. Thestriking hand is held with the fingers spread as if holding a grapefruit and is deliveredstraight down into the face as if throwing a baseball. At the same time, you vault forwardoff your back foot to propel your body forward and into the strike, driving your handthrough your target as if trying to touch your own knee. In both cases the aim is tosmash the palm into the attacker's face with your fingers curled and spread to maximisethe chances of reliably impacting the eyes.

Face Smash/Tigers Claw


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The lead hand straight piston-like strike, similar to Fairbairn's method.

The straight down, throw the baseball method with arm check. Note; both methods areaccompanied by an explosive forward drop step.Although this strike is intended for thefacial area you need to understand that the idea behind it is simply to deliver themaximum amount of impact to target area in order to shake the brain and produce a

knockout therefore the target area for the head is generic meaning any where that youstrike the head as long as you accompany it with sufficient impact, will do the job as theexample below will show.

Push/pull to face smash & grab:


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Use a fast push/pull to spin your opponent whilst keeping a hold of him and placing yourarm horizontal with the point of your elbow in his back.

From here grab the scruff of his neck and rag him backwards as you push with your

elbow to break his structure. Drop your head and control his exit.

option is open to use a face smash or Tiger's claw strike to the back of the head if the threat dictated suc

on.

Failed Fence Attack Sequence

am controlling space with my fence but have suddenly felt my aggressor crash forward in an attempt to close me d


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ence hand acts as a sensory antenna and in this case collapses into a cross cover as I fire my chin-jab straight up his

The cross guard has also placed me in a chambered position for the Ax hand strike to follow as I flank my opponent

here I maintain a grip on my aggressor as I finish the altercation with hard multiple Tiger's claw strikes to the back

Job done!

ivot kick:

ivot kick is basically a round moving kick performed with a semi-straight leg. Impact is made to the outside of the t

e (peroneal nerve) with your shin bone just a Thai kick. The finish position should leave the foot of your kicking le

el higher than your toes. This is only achieved by pivoting on your support foot and committing your hips through

Think of your leg as a heavy log that you are going to swing through the target without retraction.

ing off the fence; shove your aggressor hard in the center of his chest with the flat of your hand; this will create spa

g him take a sudden step backward, leaving his lead leg exposed for the pivot kick.


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s a good low level of force option that has worked well for me in the past. The kick will take the aggressor's mobili

im a major dead leg but is relatively injury free apart from that. I also like the fact that, with this shot the person wi

y fall laterally onto one shoulder, avoiding impact to their own head as they hit the ground. This alone makes it a sa

n. With mobility gone the person should be easier to control; the saying goes ' if he can't stand, he can't fight.''

kick intervention: (photos from new bookSafe on the Door courtesy of Hodder Arnold)

we are using the Thai/pivot from behind as a means to intervene. This low line kick to the thigh is a good low level

n that has proved extremely effective in this kind of situation on numerous occasions.

truggle ensues at the bar area; approach from a good position that offers the side of the aggressor's thigh as a target

ust kick straight in and through the leg. (See above for description) This motion will disrupt his structure and balanc

g a two man restraint available.


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here both Door Supervisor's take an arm each and lock the limb into place as previously described.

how the aggressor is bought up onto his toes by each Door Supervisor by using the tips of their fingers into the

der/pectoral cavity. From here stay vigilant to your immediate surroundings and escort the Gentleman out.

Shin kick


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is an example of the shin kick used to counter a hair grab, place both hands on top of the aggressor's hain place from here smash the inside edge of your boot straight into his shin bone being sure to drop bod

ht and stomp through the target.

od of practice:hin kick is delivered by taking a slight step forward with your non-kicking leg followed by stomping forway downward with the inside boot edge of your kicking foot. The kick is aimed at the aggressor's shin any ust above the ankle to just below the knee cap. The purpose of the slight step preceding the kick is to allbody weight and momentum behind it. Performed correctly the shin kick will quite literally either blow the

essor's legs out from under him or severely hyper extend his knee resulting in a fight stopping injury.

The Swivel Punch

s a punch delivered with a vertical fist accompanied by momentum and full body weight. This punch wasoped by U.S. Marine Corp Close Combat instructor Charles Nelson. Charlie who weighed no more than

known for his powerful swivel punch, one time he dealt with a 220lb plus karate man who came to Charlieol in New York and challenged him to a match fight. Charlie gave him a NY telephone directory and askedf he could first demonstrate his swivel punch, the man agreed and held the phone book against his chestie proceeded to punch him clear across the room. The man picked himself up, bowed graciously and left


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is the legendary Charlie Nelson following up with his swivel punch after preceding the punch with a chop r the nose.

od of practice:punch can be used as a pre-emptive strike by itself or in combination proceeded by a chop to the bridge oswivel punch to the heart/solar plexus it's primary target, followed by a sharp knee to the groin. This couto a frontal assailant or to someone slightly to your flank as if you were approached from the side.

s example I am punching with my left hand and my right lead foot is moved in a circle to the out side of yonent's right foot as you swivel your hips around in the direction of your punch transferring your entire bodyyour lead leg. Punch with a vertical fist as if punching through the centre of your opponent's chest. The shl of the body and the snap of the hips a split second before the punch is delivered off a recoil from the sh

s the full transference of body weight through the target. The mechanics of the punch are quite similar to terdine's double hip vertical punch.


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are a couple of examples of the swivel punch in application the first as a pre-emptive strike and the secoon to a double grab by seizing one hand and punching the solar plexus with the other.

The GHCA FILES


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SWAMP

How to Make the First Strike Your LastBy Bob Kasper, 1996

w years back I wrote an article which focused on the basic principles of close quarters combat. In that art

e a brief overview of SCOPE which is an acronym for Simplicity, Control, Offense, Power, and Effectiven

h of these principles is as equally important as the other. Take one away and you'll have a hole in your

bative skills.

principle which I feel needs to be emphasized is Power. No matter how fast or aggressive you are if you

possess power in your execution of technique, you're going to fail in stopping your assailant. Executing

plistic, effective techniques will all be in vain unless there is a substantial amount of juice behind thoseniques. Peter Robins said the first thing to do in a violent encounter is to "take away the intention." Hit th

enough, and they'll completely forget why they were even there. The following are my five principles of p

I developed based on my decades of study in the martial arts. I use these whenever I teach a technique.

ow these and make your first strike the last.

hile back my Instructors had the assignment to come up with an acronym for these five principles of powe

elopment. John Watson came up with SWAMP.

stay relaxed

weapon first

acceleration

move in the direction of the strike

plunge your body weight into the technique.

y relaxed. Of all of the power principles this is probably the hardest to develop. I'm not advocating to stay

xed when someone is all over you trying to end your breathing habits. It is learning to use your body at

imum proficiency. Staying relaxed is essential for your body to move swiftly and economically. Explosive

ement doesn't come from stiff, tense muscles. You need to stay loose. The key word here is concentratio

centrate on being relaxed before you explode into the technique. You'll find your movements to be much


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amic.

apon first. This is another one of those hard to develop techniques. We want to throw the weapon first so

graph our intentions. Let him feel the technique before he sees it. This is most important when executing

tive strike, which should be 100% of the time if possible. Although follow up strikes do tend to be a little m

cult when moving the weapon first, this is no reason not to try. Following this principle as often as possibl

e your technique delivery much faster and more powerful.

eleration. Acceleration is simply speed. Once you move do so as fast as your body can and don't stop un

. This is most important on that initial strike. Here we go back to the first principle of staying relaxed. Ten

cles move slower. Stay relaxed and throw that strike as fast as possible and the results will speak for

mselves. When you throw a technique, throw it fast. Accelerate, and keep accelerating until it's over.

e in the direction of the strike. During a GHCA Assault I observed our AIs teaching the unarmed section o

batives training. I stopped the class several times to point out the fact that their bodies were moving in th

e direction as the strike. Bodies were turning into axe-hands as well as moving upward with chin-jabs. Yo

t move mass into a blow when that same mass is moving in a different direction.

ge your body weight into the technique. In order to do this you must be applying two other principles: Moweapon first and moving in the direction of the strike. If you're not moving the weapon first your body is go

e and set before the strike lands and results in your weight settling before the weapon strikes. No mass,

er. If you're not moving in the direction of the strike there is no mass there to plunge. Plunging means thr

f your body weight directly into the strike before your mass settles.

h of these principles supports the other. Take one away and you'll have a dramatic loss in explosive powe

is especially important in non-telegraphing, pre-emptive strikes. Students have a tendency to want to wi

nique up to get as much power as possible. That's good! But if you're telegraphing your initial strike, all t

er in the world isn't going to help when you're on your back in a daze. The key in pre-emptive is delivering

osive power when they're not expecting it. And the only way to do that is to follow the SWAMP principles

nstructors we want to repeat these principles prior to each power development session. Let them sink in sent can police his own training. We then want to watch for missing principles. Is the student's weight land

r the strike hits, or is it landing before the strike? Is he turning his body into the strike, or is he still, or is he

ing away? Are both of his legs moving with his body, or is he leaving his leg lagging behind? Is he loose

ing smoothly, or is he tense and choppy? Is his weapon moving first, or is his hip, leg, arm, torso, etc. mo

? Make sure you show him what he was doing wrong before you show him how to do it right. Unless he s

mistake, he will think he is doing it right. Watch, detect, analyze, and correct. Hit 'em first, hit 'em fast, hit

.

e: I'd like to thank John Watson for coming up with this great acronym. It fits perfectly. Webster defines sw

overwhelm." This is exactly what we want to do. SWAMP their ass.

Making It Combative With Incidental Strikes

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