Implementing a Tactic or Technique Into a Fight.

[Brian LaMaster]

First of all, a fight does not happen the way that most people believe it will. A fight is a very dynamic can change in a split second without warning. Your ability to remain in the fight is crucial in your survival. In order to remain in the fight, you must understand the elements of a fight, and when to execute a tactic or technique.

No tactic or technique is guaranteed to work regardless of any claims someone may make. One thing that you need to know is the tactic or technique realistic or practical to use in a fight? Well, that depends. What is the basis of the creation of the tactic or technique? Was the tactic or technique developed by or for Law Enforcement or Military use? Why is this important you ask? One reason that it is important is because what is a valid tactic for Law Enforcement or Military does not always transfer over to civilian conflicts. You might want to read the article on our discussion forum called “differences in types of training”. Is the tactic or technique dependent upon a weapon such as a firearm? If a tactic or technique is totally dependent upon a tool, then it probably isn’t a good tactic or technique. Remember, you are fighting the person behind that weapon, and not the weapon. More importantly, very few people die instantly from being shot, cut, or stabbed. An understanding of directions of movement, speed of movement, and proper footwork to close or create distance is very important as well.

Another thing to consider is that just because a tactic is successful in some situations, does not mean that it will be successful in another situation that appears to be the same. A lot of people think that because someone has been in a “gunfight” a certain number of times in their life that they know how to survive. Truth be known, just because they survived does not mean they did anything right. Luck could have been on their side and they think it was what they did that kept them alive.

It is very important to understand that every tactic or technique has strengths and weaknesses. Of course, ideally the tactic or technique will have more strengths than weaknesses. Simply put, it is a matter of risk verses reward. The only way to truly know the holes in a tactic is to train on it extensively. You must learn on your own the good and bad things about the tactic. What statistics do not show is those people who attempted to execute a tactic that they learned in firearms training that got them killed or injured because it didn’t work they way the instructor said it would, or, the technique was executed under the wrong conditions.

Attempting a tactic or technique at the wrong time can result in injury or death. Okay, let’s take a look at unarmed combatives tactics or techniques to hopefully simplify my point here. I have been training for over 23 years in a combat martial art and I literally know thousands of techniques. When we demonstrate a technique, it is only one solution to the problem at hand. In a confrontation you do not necessarily “set out” to do a specific tactic or technique. This is a common misunderstanding in our Advanced Pistol Fighting course. The technique we show you is simply a moment in time where you might attempt to do a specific thing. Once that moment has passed, it is gone, move on to plan B. First of all you move to stay alive; then, if something presents itself you take advantage of that particular moment. If someone is throwing a punch at me my goal is to not get hit. So, I move off the line of attack to avoid getting hit, and then one or more options may be available to me. You must train regularly to know when and when not to attempt to apply a technique. Just because you sidestepped a punch to the outside does not mean that an arm bar will always be an option for you so you shouldn’t always try and go for it. And, even if you do get an arm bar in the split second you are applying it the bad guy shifts ever so slightly and now your technique has gone down the drain. Well, now is the time for plan B.

Knowing how to adjust is important as well. Things don’t always go as planned; therefore you need to know how to adjust to make things work and remain safe. For example, if you are going to sidestep the arm while coming in on the attacker and you step too far out away from the arm, you need to know the dangers involved in doing so and how to quickly adjust. Foot placement makes a difference as well. Not everyone attacks the same way as you may have trained to handle. Most people punch using their strong side leg. However, if someone throws a cross punch and you try to apply a technique that you normally use against a lunge punch, you might be in trouble. We like to keep things simple when teaching techniques so that you can adjust quickly with minimal movement.

Let’s put this in perspective for you gun people. Attempting to draw your firearm when you should be doing something else is what I am talking about as well. There may be a time in the fight that is appropriate for you to draw your gun, but it may not be when you THINK that it is. Keep in mind, you have to stay alive long enough in the fight to possibly have the opportunity to attempt to draw your gun if that is the thing to do. The moment you needed to draw and shoot may have passed, or has not yet presented itself.

Another example of knowing when to execute a tactic or technique regarding firearms is that most confrontations take place within 10 feet. About 80% of confrontations take place within 6 feet. Another 10% take place from 6-10 feet. So, if you are facing someone who is holding you at gun or knifepoint, and you sidestep and attempt to draw your gun and extend it out to full extension toward the attacker, you have now just placed your tool within reach of the adversary. This is a common tactic that people are taught in basic and “advanced” firearms training. Well, as with everything else, there is a time and place to do this, but within 10 feet of a potential threat is probably not the ideal situation for this commonly taught tactic if you plan on using your tool successfully in the confrontation. Now, if you are beyond 10 feet, this may be a viable option.

Sidestepping with the step-and-drag method of footwork is yet another tactic or technique that is commonly taught in firearms training. The issue with this is that it doesn’t create distance quickly enough for you to be safe. Again, there is a time and place for this method of movement, but in most civilian confrontations, it probably isn’t a wise idea. Again, this goes back to knowing when to and when not to do something and that is what this article is all about.

In short, the timing of the execution of your tactic is extremely important. You need to train extensively in order to be able to recognize opportunities when they present themselves. The more you train, the more tools you will have in your tool box. Of course, the less you train, well, the less chance you have of getting out of the situation alive. That is the harsh reality of things.

People are always looking for a quick fix when it comes to protecting themselves and it is unfortunate that handguns have been that quick fix. Well, at least that is what people think. If you really train and know the stats of people who die from being shot, you had better put your time and effort into learning some good unarmed combatives skills. Building a skill set takes time, effort, and dedication. There is no substitute for dirt time when it comes to training. It is important that people understand this because a large number of people who are carrying concealed do not have as good of a chance at surviving a conflict as they believe they have. This includes those who have had “firearms” training.