For those who don't know, technique-based training is the traditional method of hand-to-hand combat training, typically found in the traditional martial arts. Think of it as having a "This technique in response to this attack" approach to things. Training from a reference point uses a point of reference such as an angle or specific body position as the technique's origin rather than a narrow definition.
An example of this would be Inside, High Left as opposed to defending against a right handed "street fighter" hook punch. Reference the video, we can only really be attacked along so many angles... yet the number of specific techniques that can come along those angles are numbered in dozens, if not hundreds... All of which can be directed along more specific angles which can easily double, triple, or even quadruple the overall numbers.
"It's not as refined." Does it need to be? You guys and gals have seen my videos... and read my writings... Do I really strike you as a guy who gives a shit what it looks like? To be honest, that very precise refinement makes a lot of traditional martial arts maneuvers irrelevant since a great many traditional martial artists have never tried to employ those techniques under stress... and if they did they'd notice the more refinement, the more opportunities for failure they have. Why are military combatives systems very direct, crude, and to the point? Two reasons, one I'll hit later, but the other is that crude, direct route is much more intuitive and easier to pull off under stress.
Understand... The Law Enforcement and Military communities don't have much time on their hands for additional training. When I was in the service, there was a unit training schedule and mandatory training ranging from PFT/CFT to the Gas Chamber to the Range to Field Ops that must compete with Admin issues, medical/dental, and yearly training which ranges from suicide prevention (and that PowerPoint was so damned boring that it kinda made me want to cut my throat sitting right there just to give everyone else some relief from hearing it... When 20 Marines all say that... that translates to "This is the worst class in the history of Death by PowerPoint.") to that crazy ass Common Skills ("Green Monster") test which covers damn near everything you went over at The Island or San Diego. There ain't much extra time left over for unit level training in other things. The Law Enforcement Community is no different... They have so many training hours that are mandated per year by the State and Agency Head and so many discretionary ("Agency Head Choice") hours they can work with... And it ain't much.
Now, let's look at civilians... Since this is on Hand-to-Hand and the use of Contact Distance Weapons, a civilian can go to any number of martial arts gyms and pay a monthly tuition and train for X number of classes per month. Even if the training royally sucks, how many of us will pay for a month's worth of services and then actually walk out on it? Most folks won't. Let's use the Martial Arts Industry standard of 2 classes per week, 4 weeks per month, 45 minute classes... That's 6 hours of training a month. Did you know that this is only 2 hours shy (in a single month now) of what LEO's here where I am are required to get (which, to be blunt, is usually ALL they get) in an entire year?
A civilian martial arts instructor has 2 hours more in a month than an LE instructor gets all year... they have the time to teach the technical aspect, the pretty aspect, all the traditions behind the technique, how it came to be, what it evolved from, where all it can fail, and what to do if it does fail. And yes, I am very much that kind of instructor when I have the time to be. But I also understand that when time is a limiting factor, and it always is, and I'm only going to have you in front of me for a few hours today and maybe a few tomorrow, I need to show you what's going to work, what you're going to retain, and give you time to practice it enough to wear you and another participant who's close by your AO can practice after I go home. The ONLY way to do this effectively is to use a reference point.
Reference points come in two flavors:
Offensive
Defensive
You can OFFENSIVELY or pro-actively get to your reference point by seeking it out and going straight for that reference at the initial onset of hostility or when you choose to take someone into custody.
or
You can get there reactively by going on the DEFENSIVE when an attacker attacks you. Maybe you block their attempt, maybe they're blocking your counter strike but the fact of the matter remains you're still reacting to them when you get into your point of reference.
There are really 12 reference points I use, but they are divided again.
Front (duh) (Caveat: If attacked from the rear, fight your way to a front reference point! This is covered with hold releases in remaining time of our H2H classes after covering reference points themselves)
High, Above the floating ribs
Low, Below the floating ribs
Left, Right handed attack or targeting an aggressor's right side
Right, Left handed attack or targeting an aggressor's left side
Center
All of which can be taken from the Inside or the Outside.
If you watch the video you'll see a few examples of these in action.
I would very strongly recommend any instructor working with the law enforcement or military communities use a reference point system, and I also encourage traditional instructors to think about it, even though your system and organization may not approve... You don't have to teach it this way to make use of it.
Until Next Time....
Stay Frosty
Stay In The Fight!
-Kenny B. Smith
Chief Master Instructor
President, TFTG
[email protected]
(910)466-1506