Grappling

[rakks_junkie]

I went throught Level 1 Combatives at Campbell 3 weeks after I was assigned to the Rakkasans. I think my favorite part was choke day and "Clench" day, even though I had my brains scrambled then served to me.

Still good training

RAKKASANS

[CHCB]

I havea totally different perspective on grappling and the Army's new combatives push. Don't know if anyone is still interested in this thread, but I'll weigh in anyway, and release some mildly embarassing personal information in the process.

I might as well get the embarassing part out first. After a long and colorful career in the Infantry, enlisted and commissioned, I ended up in the AG Corps, with a couple of industrial strength hearing aids.

I was recently assigned as the Chief of Officer Training at the AG School at Jackson. When I saw the Chief of Staff's message about mandatory combatives training, I enrolled myself (at age 44) in the level I instuctor's course, and instituted a mandatory program of combatives (2 hours every Friday) for AG OBC and CCC students and their instructors, with me as the primary instructor. We trained the full scope of the level I program, including closing the gap against a striking opponent (i.e., me and my assistant instructors insuring every student took a couple of shots to the head on the way in).

Here is what I discovered: if nobody EVER uses the grappling techniques they learn in MAC in a real situation, it is still worth making everybody do every week.

As someone mentioned above, the beauty of BJJ/MAC is that it allows you to fight at a pretty intense level without significant risk of injury. We made these officers fight from the very first session, and made them fight in every session thereafter, rotating pairs after every bout, to make sure nobody stayed with a buddy who would throw them softballs. We made no allowances for sex or size. The circle rotated and you fought whoever you faced, girl or boy, large or small.

The difference combatives made in these kids was amazing. They were more confident, more assertive, more aggressive in every aspect of their behavior. They were better officers...better soldiers...hell, they were better human beings for having fought. They walked around the halls with their chests out, and with good reason. They began to look forward to Fridays.

Most of us on this board have had the opportunity to meet and overcome significant challenges in our careers. We understand that true pride and self-esteem can only be found in that process. The Army, as an organization, and American society at large, seems not to get that. We seem to have come to believe that we can confer self-esteem with meaningless symbols. We water down challenges until everybody can meet them, and wonder why nobody gets excited when they do.

Grappling presents intense challenges over and over again. Rank, age, sex, strength, branch, time in service, badges, all of it disappears when the whistle blows and it's just win or fucking lose. There is no middle ground, no watering down the challenge. If you give up, you'll get your head handed to you. Tap, pass out, or make someone else do one or the other. It is a beautiful fucking thing, the essence of life distilled into a couple of minutes.

Grappling won't make a significant difference in elite units, but it can in the rest of the Army. Soldiers may never use it in a real fight, but they will be better soldiers for having faced and overcome the challenges it presents, to the extent that leaders allow it to happen. Unfortunately, I fear that it will not be allowed to happen everywhere in that way.

The sad end of the story is that within weeks of my departure from Fort Jackson, that beautiful program withered.

[23LRS]

I am going on my 2nd year of Krav Maga, I have gone though their weapons and React seminars, and we often work with weapons in class. We have a MMA fight program, which is taken as an add on to the Krav classes. Our kicks cone from Muy Thai, and are all simple to execute hard landing kicks. And we train to fight dirty, we spit, we headbutt we claw and MOST IMPORTANTLY we love the appeal of a few well placed groin shots. I took TKD and Ju Jitsu many moons ago and much prefer the simple effectiveness of Krav. That said, I also have my CCW and carry my XD.

[Creeping Death]

I've studied Krav for a while. In fact, my wife and I were sparring partners when we found out she was pregnant with our first. So, she had to drop out. And when the kid came, I had to drop on out as well, as we lived 40 minutes from class, expenses with a new kid, etc.

I stopped taking it right before I tested out of level II. I had a blast and it was one of the best workouts I've had since active duty, without a doubt.

Not to mention that, in my opinion, it is the most effective self-defense system I have ever been exposed to. Simple, brutal, no fluff, just violence of action.

[Mitch]

I've studied Krav for a while. In fact, my wife and I were sparring partners .

After I went through a couple of the combatives courses I made the mistake of showing my wife a few choke holds. So what happens, I am sitting on the couch drinking a beer watching the game minding my own business then next thing I know I wake up on the floor with my beer spilt everywhere and the TV is on some chick flick. Bottom line is I beleive the shit works and tonight on SPIKE TV there will be about 4 hours of UFC for those who want to tune in. This time I'll sit with my back to the wall.

[Creeping Death]

That's classic, dude.

[23LRS]

Yep, the weapons course I went to was a cast-iron BITCH. One of the instructors is an Ex-Marine Force guy and they really cam up with some sick stuff.. home invasions, alrline attacks, attacks while you are at the gas pump. It was 3-8 hour days in a row. The biggest reason I like Krav is because everything is instinctive, and during class they smoke you until at the end of class, you are going purely on heart and instinct.