A Training Suit Drill

Thursday night's class started with us in full protective gear (boxing headgear, mouth guard, boxing gloves and shin guards). The first drill began with half of the students standing in a fighting stance with their backs against the wall. The other half… their partners… were told to locate vital targets on their partner’s body and then attack those targets with punches and kicks. The students against the wall were told to defend the attacks mentally. It is very uncomfortable watching punches and kicks come towards you and strike you without being allowed to defend and counterattack.

The drills that followed involved various Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 defenses, i.e., chokes, headlocks, bearhugs, and hair grabs from all sides. We had to swap our boxing gloves for grappling gloves in order to make the defenses. Of course, the aforementioned drills were the precursor to the class ending stress drill: the training suit drill.

The training suit reminds me of the riot gear that police officers wear. The suit allows you to strike the wearer full force.

The training suit drill began with pre-exhaustion. Two students held Tombstone pads. We had to use hammerfist strikes (imagine pounding your fist on a table demanding something) on the pad being held by the first student and then when instructed, move to the second student and use straight punches. And then, when instructed again, back to the first student to use front kicks to the groin (a Krav Maga favorite).

Immediately after that, we had to spar a student while randomly being attacked by the training suit wearer. The training suit wearer was allowed to use all the attacks we practiced defending against earlier, plus knife and handgun attacks. We were allowed to defend against and counterattack the training suit wearer with more force than we would if he/she was not wearing the suit. Don’t ask me how long this took because as I stated in an earlier post, I don’t like to concentrate on the time. Suffice to say that it was long.

I would love to tell you that I looked like Jet Li defending myself, but I would be lying. With the pre-exhaustion and stress, one goes into survival mode during this kind of drill. This is where the muscle memory comes into play after all of those repetitive drills. You’re not thinking. You’re reacting. My defenses didn’t look pretty, but I got the job done.

Long Gun Disarms

Last night we drilled on long gun disarms. The long guns we practiced with were Remington 870 shotgun replicas. The principles for long gun disarms are the same as for handgun disarms, RCAD (Redirect, Control, Attack and Disarm). However, the disarming techniques are different.

We started the class by warming up with defenses for handgun threats from all sides. Standing with our eyes closed, our partner would yell hey and we would open our eyes. We would then have to ascertain the placement of the handgun and then make the appropriate defense. Other times we would continuously punch a pad until threatened by a handgun. Once the threat was made, we had to stop punching and make a defense.

When it came time to practice the long gun disarms, I discovered that I am not as smooth or as coordinated, as I am with the handgun disarms. It was my first time doing long gun so I guess my feeling of awkwardness is to be expected. I will need to practice, practice, practice.

As is the norm for ending a Krav Maga class, we did a stress drill. We punched a pad continuously until threatened by a handgun or a shotgun. Again, once the threat was made, we had to stop punching and make a defense. This continued until we were rotated out of that drill to do a Floyd Mayweather, Jr. type punching drill. Our instructor held focus mitts up at face level and we had to rapidly throw left jab and right cross combinations for one or more minutes. I really do not remember the exact time frame because when I concentrate on the time, it seems to make the drill longer. I do remember that when I finished, my front deltoids were killing me!

Krav Maga Boston Knife Defense Seminar 2008

The knife defense seminar was outstanding. It brought to light how dangerous… and fatal… it can be when you defend against an edged weapon, particularly a knife.

The seminar began with our lead instructor making a comparison between theatrical knife defenses and real world knife defenses. Knife defenses will not look like a scene in a Steven Seagal movie!

Afterwards, we were asked to gather around a desktop computer so that we could view a PowerPoint slideshow. The slideshow was comprised of graphic photographs showing various knife wounds.

About three-quarters through the seminar, we were asked to gather around the computer again. This time we were asked to view a security camera video clip of a person being stabbed to death in a barroom confrontation. The victim never saw his attacker pull the knife out of his pants pocket. The attacker slashed the victim’s throat first and then began to repeatedly stab the victim in the midsection. The victim bled out in ninety seconds.

The seminar covered the following attacks:

• Overhead (ice pick)
• Straight stab
• Slashing
• Knife threats to the throat

After practicing the various techniques with our partners, some drills were conducted.

During one drill, we were asked to break up into groups of five. One person would defend and the others were to (one-at-a-time) be attackers. The defender had to defend against the rapidly oncoming knife attacks for three minutes.

Another drill had us wander around amongst ourselves (a nightclub scenario), half with knives and half without. The knife wielders were to confront and then attack those students without knives. The defenders were to take a deescalating posture and try to defuse the situation. If they were attacked, they were to make the appropriate defense. Once an attack was defended against, the knife was handed to the defender and the roles were reversed. I should point out that at this juncture, our knives were marked with lipstick. The lipstick acted as an indicator for knife wounds.

Everyone's personal space is different. How close you normally stand to someone else when you are talking to them will depend on who it is you are talking to, and under what circumstances. Maintain your personal space when confronted so that you will have full view of your confronter. Having full view will allow you to see the attack coming and make a defense.

The bottom line is that you should use every available option at your disposal to avoid having to defend against a knife with your hands. Hand defenses for knife attacks are a last resort.

Once again, a seminar well worth attending. Kudos to the instructors.

Stabbing Headlines

• Two young women stabbed on a bus in Dorchester.
  
• Teen stabbed during ‘out-of-control’ house party in Stoughton.

This Saturday, our training center is conducting its second weapons defense seminar, knife defenses.

According to the book, Complete Krav Maga, of the three weapons (gun, edged weapon, blunt object), the edged weapon or knife represents the most difficult to defend against. Maybe that is why, in the Krav Maga Worldwide curriculum, knife defenses are introduced and minimally addressed in Level 4 (Blue Belt) with the more advanced knife techniques taught in Level 5 (Brown Belt) and above.

Unlike a gun, a knife cannot be grabbed. Unlike a stick, a knife still represents a significant danger even when you move in close. Another fact to be brought out about a knife is that it does not jam and does not need to be reloaded. In addition, if you are cut, you may not be aware of it. I am speaking from experience on the aforementioned.

So, to be able to attend a four-hour block of concentrated study on knife defenses is a great opportunity for every level, but particularly for the lower levels. I hope we have a large turn out.

Krav Maga Boston Gun Defense Seminar 2008 Slideshow

October 18, 2008: Demonstrated in the slideshow are some of the various Krav Maga gun threat defense techniques. Krav Maga training focuses on principles rather than techniques because no two attacks are ever the same. RCAD - Redirect, Control, Attack, and Disarm.

Krav Maga Boston Gun Defense Seminar 2008

The gun defense seminar was fantastic. We trained on gun threat defenses for over four and one-half hours. Some of the things we trained on were:

• Gun threat to the front of the body
• Gun threat to the rear of the body
• Gun threat to either side of the head
• Gun threat to the side of the body in front of your arm
• Gun threat to the side of the body in back of your arm
• Gun threat defense when taken as a hostage while a gun is being held to your head
• Gun threat defense when a third party is being threatened with a gun

The drills were the most fun. For example, the students were split into two groups, A and B. Group A had to stand with their eyes closed. Group B, armed with a yellow practice gun, moved amongst the A’s and then randomly picked an A to attack. Group A was required to react appropriately to the type of gun attack being perpetrated.

Another example is while one student held a kicking shield, you were required to punch or kick that kicking shield until attacked by another student. Once attacked, you were then required to address the gun attack in the appropriate manner.

At the conclusion of the seminar, our lead instructor explained that ultimately, you have to use your gut feeling to decide whether to defend against a gun threat.

Complying with the request(s) of the assailant may be all that is needed to extricate you from the situation unscathed. And, at other times…. Read the book “The Gift of Fear” by Gavin De Becker for more insight on the topic.

There was a lot of material to digest and to commit to muscle memory, but the seminar was well worth attending.

Exhausting Drill

A drill in last night's Levels 3/4 class went as follows, but not necessarily in this order:

• Pick up the 10 lbs. medicine ball and run the length of the mat covered floor area (54’) and then pick up the practice red gun at the other end of the floor and run back. Do this for 1 minute.
  
• I attack my partner with Level 1 chokes for 1 minute.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• My partner attacks me with Level 1 chokes for 1 minute.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• My partner and I retzef (continuous motion) slow pace fight for 2 minutes.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• I attack my partner with bearhugs for 1 minute.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• My partner attacks me with bearhugs for 1 minute.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• Push-ups for 30 seconds.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• Sprawls for 30 seconds.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• My partner and I retzef (continuous motion) slow pace fight for 2 minutes.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and and the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• I attack my partner with Level 1 chokes, Level 2 chokes and bearhugs for 1 minute.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• My partner attacks me with Level 1 chokes, Level 2 chokes and bearhugs for 1 minute.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• My partner defends against my front and back gun threat attacks for 1 minute.
  
• Run the length of the floor with the medicine ball and then the practice red gun for 1 minute.
  
• I defend against my partner’s front and back gun threat attacks for 1 minute.

Mercifully, the drill is ended. Phew! We used the remaining time of the class to practice gun threat defenses.

The following video is what gave our lead instructor the idea for the drill.

Upcoming Gun Defense Seminar

This Saturday, our training center is conducting a gun defense seminar. We will be defending against gun attacks from all directions, hostage scenarios, gun on the ground and third party defenses. Defenses against weapon attacks are what I like most about Krav Maga.

I have studied several martial arts: Judo, Shotokan Karate, Goshi Shun Karate, an eclectic style called TA MA (Total Approach Martial Arts) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. With the exception of TA MA, none of the other martial arts dealt with modern-day weapon attacks or violent street attacks. And TA MA dealt with them only once a week.

In the Krav Maga Worldwide curriculum, gun defense is not officially introduced until Level 4 (Blue Belt). So to be able to attend a four-hour block of concentrated study on gun defenses is a great opportunity for every level, but particularly for the lower levels. I hope that other members of our training center feel the same way and attend en masse.

Krav Maga Defined

Krav Maga (Hebrew: קרב מגע‎, lit. contact combat) is a military hand-to-hand combat system developed in Israel, which assumes no mercy will be given, and emphasizes maximum threat neutralization in a "real life" context. It came to prominence following its adoption by various Israeli Security Forces.

The word maga (מגע) means "contact" or "close" and the word krav (קרב) means "combat". It refers to combat involving physical contact as opposed to combat using a weapon from afar.

Krav Maga Basic Principles

In Krav Maga, there are no hard-and-fast rules, and no distinction in training for men and women. It is not a sport, and there are no specific uniforms, attire or competitions, although some organizations recognize progress through training with belt rankings and different levels. All the techniques focus on maximum efficiency in real-life conditions. Krav Maga generally assumes that the individual attacking will give no mercy; therefore, as a response the attacks and defenses are intended only for use in potentially lethal threat situations with the aim to neutralize and escape as rapidly and safely as possible. Crippling attacks to vulnerable body parts, including groin and eye strikes, headbutts, and other efficient and potentially brutal attacks, improvised use of any objects available, and maximizing personal safety in a fight, are emphasized.

The guiding principles for those performing Krav Maga techniques are as follows:

• Do not get hurt
• Quickly neutralize the attacker
• Quickly transition from defensive to offensive techniques
• Exploit the natural reflexes of the body
• Exploit all vulnerable points on the body
• Use any available objects as aids

These premises were developed in the context of life-threatening situations. In general, Krav Maga requires the user to deal first with the immediate threat, prevent further attacks, and then neutralize the attacker. Actions are carried out in a methodical manner. Krav Maga emphasizes preventing further attack from the attacker. As such, some circumstances may require action in anticipation of being attacked, in order to avoid the development of dangerous situations.

Krav Maga Training

Although Krav Maga shares many techniques with other martial arts, the training is often quite different. It stresses fighting under worst-case conditions or from disadvantaged positions, for example: against several opponents, when protecting someone else, with one arm unusable, when dizzy or against armed opponents. Krav Maga emphasizes rapid learning and the retzef ("continuous combat motion"), with the imperative being effectiveness, for either attack or defensive situations.

A typical session in a civilian school is about an hour long. As levels increase, the instructors focus a little more on complicated and less common types of attacks, such as knife attacks and defense under extreme duress. In the beginning, the techniques will either be combative (punches, hammer-fists, elbows, and knees) or grappling (breaking out of chokes or wrist-grabs, getting out from under an opponent while on one's back). After that, the class usually moves to a drill that combines the techniques just taught. Finally, there is the final drill intended to burn out the students.