Close Quarter Battle Course

I've spent the last week training with Geoff 'Tank' Todd in his Phase 1 Close Quarter Battle system. This is a system of unarmed close combat derived from European military systems, such as those taught to Allied Service people in the Second World War. This system was pioneered by the likes of Fairbairn, Sykes, Applegate, Biddle, Nelson and others, and taught to the shadow warriors of the Special Operations Executive, OSS, Commando squads and other similar groups. More about this system can be found here.

Monday through Thursday was basic skills development, with Friday being spent on Test Preparation and the Phase Test.

The course initially covered basic options for Unarmed Offense and Counter-Offense, including long and short range options. In line with Tank's philosophy of 'take 'em out, don't take 'em on' this methods are designed to end a fight quickly and decisively. We followed on with contigency options, in case you fail to take out the opponent with your primary options. These included techniques for quickly ending a stalemate situation. Favoured techniques are those found in books such as 'Kill or be Killed', 'Do or Die', 'Get Tough', 'Defendu', 'The Red and Gray Manuals' & US Military Field Manuals on Combatives.

The system appears simple on the surface, but is designed to be reliable under extreme stress. Range is crucial, as is a correct mindset, use of vision, and control over breathing and heart rate.

Also covered were edged and blunt weapon disarming, both when the opponent presents the weapon and then swings or stabs, and when you find yourself held at knife point or pinned with a blunt weapon (ambush phase attacks).

Hold Prevention and Hold Escapes were covered. In hold prevention you don't let the opponent grab you. With hold escapes, you've stuffed up and been grabbed in a hold such as a full nelson, hammer lock, sleeper hold, headlock, bear hug, etc, and must now escape this hold. All responses are based on those learned in the Offensive and Counter Offensive phase. This is the great strength of the Todd System, it is cohesive and logical. It relies on dirty fighting, from a sound technical base.

The tone of the seminar is very military, with techniques being performed to command in a method reminiscient of my Army Basic Training. This method did seem to increase retention, even if you didn't feel you were retaining it at the time. But this training always feels that way to me.

Lastly we moved into Combat Milling (sort of sparring, but with no 'in-out' invloved. Geoff said sparring is too sport-oriented and against the ethos of CQB. For those familiar with Kapap, Combat Milling embraces the concept of Kadeema) and the free fighting aspects.

The Course started with about 28 participants, including Security professionals, Police from a number of States and Countries, Martial Art and Self Defense Instructors, and Civilians; but within the first couple of days, some had decided that CQB wasn't for them. By Friday afternoon, all but 8, having been warned of the intense nature of the Testing Phase and the high level of perfection required to pass, had elected not to test at this time. I think many were put off by the footage we were shown of previous tests.

The Eight Testees (not to be confused with 8 Testis which would be just plain weird) began testing late Friday afternoon, after a full day of intensive preparation.

The test phase started with a 'Combat Sickener', designed to rattle and fatigue the participants and test thier determination and 'intestinal fortitude', as Tank would say. Then all of the aforemention skills were tested and graded on a scale of 1 - 5, with anything less than a 4 being not good enough to pass. The Knife Disarms were done with a live (and very sharp) blade, with the course Doctor on standby (as he was for the entire course). The Knife used was Tank's Green Role Knife, which can be seen here.

By the end of the skills testing, Tank told us that only three of the eight of us had not already failed. When he read out my name, I was stoked, being sure I'd already failed. I had decided sometime earlier that I would keep going with the testing phase until told to stop. These participants were told they could still participate in the combat phase of the testing, but should take five minutes to weigh up whether the risk of serious injury was worth it, knowing they had already failed. Many participants had already been injured by this time.

All but one of them decided not to continue, which left only four of us (none of whom were the big guys and one of whomwas a lady). We then proceed to fight each other participant in continuous rounds. upon completion of these fights, we were told we had not yet sufficiently internalised the skills and mentality of CQB. The testing phase was now over, yielding a 100% failure rate. Some participants appeared sad or pissed off, I just felt elated that I had pushed my self to go on and had gotten that far. I asked for and received feedback as to what I could have done better, but also was told that I had looked calm, centered and wasn't breathing too hard, which I put down to the intensive nature of the Street Edge training I've done over the last couple of years.

All in all, I really enjoyed most of the course and am glad I had a go. Lots of people talk a good talk, but with this course it's 'put up or shut up', with nowhere to hide and no room for excuses and BS.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, then check out the website, www.toddgroup.com, now I'm off to rub some more liniment into my bruises...

To Tank, Shane-o, Doc, Rowdy, Gusto, Jonathon, Badass and the other instructors on the course, thanks for all your help and support during the course, and for pushing us when we needed it.

New Ninja Movie

Due out in late November 2009, Ninja Assassin looks to be a stylish bloodbath that updates the classic Ninja movie genre of the 1980's. Unlike the classics, starring Sho Kosugi, such as Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja, Pray for Death, Ninja 3: The domination and Nine Deaths of the Ninja, this flick doesn't have cheesy 80's tunes and low budget effects. It looks to be a dark Hollywood action flick that, hopefully, isn't too over the top in terms of wire work and fancy fighting. Don't expect any legit Ninjutsu in it, but it does look to have some cool acrobatics, nightingale floors and kusarigama style weapons. Oh yeah and shuriken (shaken) and ninjas getting run down by BMW's (at least I think it was a beemer). I'd seen a preview some months back, but thanks to Andrew for reminding me and inspiring this post. One to look forward to.

A hi-def preview can be found here.

Congratulations on Grading

To all my friends at Jissen dojos, a brief note to say good work to those who graded, you know who you are. To those that didn't grade, don't sweat it, redouble your efforts and it will be your turn soon. Many of you technically have what it takes, but you need to put in a little more in the theory department and dig deep inside yourselves, strengthen your intent and resolve. Many of you only just missed out. Even for those that did grade, now is the time to prove you are worth the grade, that the decision to promote you was the correct one. All of us should be working harder the higher we get, not slackening off.

Anyone who needs help, come and see me. If I can help, I will.

Jissen Dojos Grading Tips

For anyone doing last minute study for tomorrows grading, I recommend studying and practicing the following areas:

Practical - Sanshin and Kihon Happo. Know all the parts, their names in Japanese and the English Translations (eg. Chi no kata - Earth Form, Sui No Kata - Water Form, Ka No Kata - Fire Form, Fu No Kata - Wind Form and Ku No Kata - Void Form). For beginners the Sanshin is crucial, for the intermediate people, both Sanshin and Kihon Happo are needed to grade.

Theory - Names of the 33rd and 34th Soke (Head) of the Togakure Ryu, also Takamatsu's nickname (Mongolian Tiger), The 18 areas of Study in Togakure Ryu (eg Taijitsu, Seishin Tekki Kyoyo, Henso Jutsu, Kenjustu, So Jutsu, Ba Jutsu) and their english translation (eg. unarmed combat, Spiritual refinment, Disguise & Impersonation, Sword work, spear work, Horsemanship). If you can list even one or two at lower grades, then Sensei will probably stop asking you questions. Be confident and look like you know more than you do!

Also know the names of the Nine Schools in English and Japanese. If you can't rote learn these, then workout what the different parts of the names mean. For example Gyo is found in the names Gyokushin Ryu and Gyokko Ryu. It means Jewel. Ko is tiger, as in Koto Ryu and Gyokko Ryu. Shin and Shinden refer to the heart, as in Takagi Yoshin Ryu and Shinden Fudo Ryu.

Gakure refers to things that are hidden, as in Togakure and Kumogakure Ryu, which are the hidden door and hiding in the clouds schools respectively.

Some background on the schools is good, eg is it a koppojutsu, jutaijutsu, Koshijutsu or Daken Taijiutsu. Also what was the school known for, eg Takagi Yoshin Ryu is the Bodyguard School.

Also which schools are Ninja schools and which are Samurai schools.

Also know the three secrets of Togakure Ryu - Senban Shuriken (4 pointed stars), Shuko (Hand claws) and Shindake (Breathing Tube/ Blowpipe).

These are the things Sensei commonly asks about. Now it's up to you...

Three Classic Texts of Ninjutsu

For those lovers of Ninjutsu out there who may not know much of the historical roots of this art, there are three texts which survive from the age of the Ninja and which are considered deinfative text by Scholars of Ninjutsu. These three texts are the Bansenshukai, Ninpiden and the Shoninki.

When examining these texts one will notice the Chinese origins of much of the materials on strategy, tactics and the use of spies and fire (kajutsu or kyakujutsu). These texts base this material on the Sunzi Bingfa or Sun Tzu's Art of War, the deifinitaive Chinese military classic. Sun Tzu is known as Sonshi in Japanese.

Here's a link to a copy of the Bansenshukai, however please note that this is all in (old) Japanese. The good news is that it has some pictures of Ninja equipment, climatic conditions (Tenmon) and other bits and pieces.

It is interesting that Hensojutsu, or the art of diguise and impersonation, is called yojutsu or yonin, and that Shinobi Iri, or arts of stealth and covert entry, are refered to as injutsu or innin.
As such disguise is a yang or yo art, whereas stealth is a yin or in art.

Partial translations of the Bansenshukai, Ninpiden and the Shoninki. can be found here.