Different perspective

Today's blog I'd like to discuss some training concepts that have worked for me with the SWAT team.  For operational security I can't get into specific drills or tactics but the general training concepts can be applied by anyone interested. 

On Thursday I had the team break up into three groups.  Instead of having each team work different scenarios or a specific critical skill I had all three groups working the scenario.  Team 1 as operators, Team 2 on deck / recovery.  Team 3 were to be the physical representations of an unknown threat.  I told team 3 they were not role players per say.  They would not be arrested nor were they to attack the Operators.  I told them play the role of a former SWAT Operator, or returning military vet.  For what ever reasons the SWAT team was called to arrest you.  Knowing what you know about urban combat tactics how would you kill a SWAT teaming coming into your house.

This is where operational security kicks in ( guys on the team tend to get pissed if you give explicit instructions on how to defeat their tactics and kill them on the interwebs :) )

The training effect was that things became more "real".  If an operator didn't cover an unknown threat in his area of responsibility there was an a teammate there ( physical representations ) to tell him dude, you're dead and so is he because he counted on you to clear this area.

The scenarios were ended with a peer review de-brief.  Instead of me correcting the new Operators, the observation team and their own team gave feedback.  If necessary "ground hogs day" was conducted (the exact same scenario again right away) to eliminate negatives from training and inculcate successful responses to that scenario.

Training went very well and good progress was made.  It was also very helpful to have lots of senior Operators at training to role model good tactics and act as mentors.

So how is this applicable to you good reader???

A couple drills / training concepts you can take from this:

How would you fight you?  Ever play one of those fighting video game where eventually you have to fight the character you are playing?  That has all the same moves, powers, and knows all your tricks, that round always sucks right?  So play that game with yourself - AND BE HONEST.  How would you beat you?  Your thought process might go something like this :
A) My kicking is really strong to to beat myself (if you just made a masturbation joke please grow up :) ) I'd need to get in close where my kicks don't have room to generate power.

B) My grappling is really strong, I'd never want to get into a wrestling match with me so I would try to keep distance and end me with striking

C) I have never trained on the ground ever If I had to fight myself I'd put me on the ground

That exercise will expose your weaknesses.  It is your responsibility to strengthen those weaknesses.  If your school /Dojo doesn't train in the area you have weakness you will need to supplement your training.  If your Sensei / Instructor does not allow that seriously consider a new Dojo.  Also remember this is 21 century America not Japan 1890.  Your Sensei is not your  master nor your feudal lord.  Your Sensei has no control of you outside the time you spend in the Dojo.  If they try to extend that control outside the Dojo something is wrong with that relationship.

I'm starting to creep off topic here.  I promise I'll get back to what you can learn from SWAT training but 1st an important distinction.

Do not be a Jack of all trades master of none.  To play the how would I beat me game you need some frame of reference.  If your answer to that question is I have no training I'd fight me.  Your answer is to do research on the different training available in your area, test out those schools and see which one you like.  Spend 3 years training regularly.  Then play the game again.  You can't address your weaknesses until you develop some strengths.  What I mean by  Jack of all trades master of none is a guy who takes a month of Tae Kwon Do, thinks he knows every thing about it then moves on to take a quarter of Judo at the community college, thinks that makes him Kano jr so goes on to yet another usually the buzz word art of the month that is far superior to every art he has spent 30 minutes mastering.  Jack is way different than someone who finds an art that fits their body type, personality, and they enjoy doing.  (Side note when people ask me what is the best art my 1st answer is Keishoukan Budo / Taihojutsu because that's how I roll - then my more honest answer is any art you will enjoy training in the rest of your life)  After training in that art for years then you can make an educated decision about supplemental training.

OK back on topic
Predator vision
In the movie Predator or many other horror movies sometimes you get to see through the killers eyes.

The drill  - go where there are lots of different people.  Ask yourself who would you attact? why?where?

Then practice doing the opposite of the whys, and avoiding the wheres.