To rejoice even in a harmless game means that you delight in someone's
defeat.
(John
Lash)
Close quarters combat
Self defence is not about fighting. It is a
response to assault. You do not instigate. You respond.
If the assailant wants to get close enough to hit you, they need to move in.
Initially, they can strike with their feet and legs. If they come closer, the
hands, knees and elbows can be used.
Finally, if they come in very close, they can headbutt, shoulder or grapple with
you.
Close quarters combat is not easy.
Small movements are necessary.
Composure is essential.
Someone is right inside your personal space, and they are not there to cuddle
you.
Grappling skills are vital
Escaping from locks, holds and grapples is a necessary
skill.
You must also be capable of
making space and delivering a powerful
strike at close range.
Neglecting grappling is stupid.
It assumes that your opponent is going to assault you in a method that suits
your requirements.
How absurd.
You must be ready for all kinds of attack, armed and unarmed.
Judo?
Judo, ju jitsu, aikido and wrestling are all grappling arts. They
specialise in locks, throws, holds and floor work.
Our
tai chi school approaches grappling from a very different perspective.
We do not teach any locks and holds whatsoever.
We do offer throws and 'falls' but these are very different to the external arts
listed above.
External grappling arts involve extended confrontation. We have no interest in a
prolonged engagement.
The aim is swift
incapacitation, not committed grappling.
Striking is preferable to grappling but not always appropriate.
Grappling offers an opportunity to finish the attacker without striking.
Evade. Incapacitate. Escape.
Floor work
An assault may take you to the floor. Your priority needs to be getting
back on your feet quickly.
Brawling on the ground makes you an easy target for people to 'stick the boot
in'.
Aiming to apply a lock/hold yourself is naive. It assumes only one opponent.
What about his mates?
Immobilising your assailant also immobilises you.
Dying ground
The 'dying ground' is when you must act decisively and calmly in
order to escape an unpleasant situation.
Although the training in class will still be
playful and fun, the pressure will be on.
With limited options and the need to act, what will you do?
Your mettle is tested when you are backed into a corner, overwhelmed and in
desperate need of inspiration.
What happens when more than one person attacks you at the same time?
Can you cope with multiple opponents?
What will you do if two people restrain you whilst a third punches you?
What if there is a knife held to your throat?
Can you escape when you are on your face, your back, your knees, in a confined
space?
Self defence needs to be honest and realistic. Modern urban violence will not be
a gentlemanly affair.
Assailants are cowards. They are opportunists.
They will aim to overwhelm you and then take advantage of your vulnerability.
Escapes
It is important to become competent at escapes first of all. If all goes
wrong you may be restrained.
Can you get the attacker off?
Do not use
strength against strength. That is not tai chi.
You need to be smarter.
Do not use
techniques. Techniques assume an unchanging
condition. Self defence is never constant, never fixed.
You cannot predict what your attacker will do next. You cannot afford to make
assumptions.
A step-by-step plan will not work against an earnest adversary.
You must flow. Improvise, change, adapt. Be alert. Present.
Sensitive. You must
listen to what is happening.
There are countless options, choices, possibilities.
Open your mind and employ them.
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Page created 8 July 1998