MMA vs CQC..(What’s the difference?)

Author: Odhinn Kohout

 

 

    

Mixed Martial Arts has made the jump from “sports fighting” to Military and Police training over the last 10 years which presents some challenges from my perspective as an Instructor of Defensive Tactics.

The primary one I have experienced is Jiu-Jitsu being used extensively as part of a ground-fighting program for both law enforcement and Military CQC training. I had the opportunity some months back to review a current Military program that was being taught when I was brought in as a guest Instructor. The first thing that I noticed was that the “Lying Armlock” had a prominent place in the ground-combatives portion. Having training many Soldiers over the years I asked the SME in charge of the program “how soldiers could possibly perform this wearing full kit?” He answered “I don’t know…?”

The SME didn’t design the program but was merely tasked with delivering the content.  If… the program that you (as the Instructor)are teaching will not work wearing your uniform and kit then it needs to re-evaluated for its suitability in terms of practical field applications. Police Officers should not be encouraged to get into some kind of ground fighting position seen on TV due to the fact that there are no rules or referees on the streets when you’re trying to control a person under arrest. Hidden weapons and multiple attackers are not seen on TV MMA events.

A simple example to illustrate this is the “GUARD” position which is a prominent aspect to many ground-fighting systems. Let’s take a quick look at this position from a Military/Police training standpoint:

·         Why?. Would you ever want to tie the bad guy to your own body in a position that puts you exactly where he want you and causes him ZERO discomfort

·         Get your students to try the GUARD on gravel and shrimp away. It is excruciating and you will find the pain of applying it a huge wake up call. (Sorry, but there are no soft mats to fight on when you are on duty)

·         If your Attacker pulls a knife and cuts out your femoral arteries from the GUARD you will not have to worry about “Tapping Out” because you will be dead

·         Your Attacker has a friend that you didn’t see from the GUARD position who begins to stomp on your face with heavy steel toed work boots

·         Have you ever tried to draw a pistol from a holster in the GUARD?

·         A low GUARD (which most people will do under stress) places your legs wrapped around the HIPS of your Attacker instead of higher at the floating ribs. Your Attacker can from this position has the ability to pick you up off the ground and repeatedly slam the back of your head into the asphalt below crushing your skull like a melon.

·         In my own UZIEL Military classes I show counters to the GUARD position that will leave your lower spine broken in about 2 seconds and you can spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair thinking about how you would have done things differently

The defensive tactics program that you are teaching needs to have a basis in actual combat so that your students will have confidence of its effectiveness when their safety is at risk. Teaching your students what to do if they knocked to the ground should be thoroughly covered as it is a reality that they may face at some point in their career but it does have to be a facsimile of sports fighting methodology. You MUST take into account the Officers ability to transition seamlessly into use of force options including the pistol which obviously points to a safe field of fire being adhered to in order to avoid shooting your own legs. Is this currently covered in your ground-fighting material?...

Getting your Officers back up to their feet when they have been taken to the ground should be emphasized over any ground-fighting program that you want to incorporate. Creating a “reactionary gap” is very tough to do from the ground but is a point rarely discussed in classes.

As part of my own training I offer a section of my course entitled “Counters to popular MMA techniques” which addresses the fact that CRIMINALS are training in these techniques and it is not being addressed by most law enforcement Instructors. Take the time to educate yourself as a Teacher and find solutions to your Officers being caught in a “rear naked choke” or various types of “Kimura” locks. I can tell you from personal experience that they will appreciate your efforts and it will keep your own courses from becoming out of date with the time and stagnant.

TRAIN HARD, TRAIN FOR COMBAT!