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 GUIDED CHAOS TRAINING TIPS #80
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GUIDED CHAOS TRAINING -
FOR MATURE AUDIENCES:
PART III

By

LtCol Al Ridenhour

In Part I of this Newsletter I discussed the importance of getting off line and dealing with Three "S's" [i.e., size, speed and strength]. In Part II, I discussed the importance of striking to the right parts of the body and developing the proper tools to do so in order to end it as quickly as possible. One illustration that I failed to mention is this: a Matador with a sword has a big advantage but only if he knows how to use it. This is important because it is critical to your understanding as to why you must develop the ability to strike as you move and hit with killing power all at the same time.

Remember...

"Whenever you cross swords with an enemy you must not think of cutting him either strongly or weakly; just think of cutting and killing him. Be intent solely on killing the enemy. Killing is the same for people who know about fighting and for those who do not...cutting down the enemy is the Way of strategy, and there is no need for many refinements of it. "

 - Miyamoto Musashi, "The Book of Five Rings,"

As stated in Part I the bottom line is if you focus on the principles they will lead you in the right direction and give you what you need regardless of age, size, speed or strength. And as long as you know your limitations the principles will enable you to work around them.

Now, I would be remiss if I didn't cover a few key points as it relates to striking. It's not enough to discuss the importance of how to get off line, what to strike with and where to strike without discussing the effects and importance of the drop strike. While body unity and structural alignment are important it's not as linear as you might think. Remember in a real fight the bad guy can be anywhere so you have to be able to strike with power from every possible angle. Notice in Fig-1a, b & c below my hand of "Darth Vader" which I will use to describe this.

For most people including trained pugilists, most punches are like Fig-1a where people "push" on their strikes. As a result it has more of a pushing effect rather than a penetrating effect thus requiring greater arm strength. So while it seems like you're hitting hard, you are not hitting nearly as hard as you think you are or are capable of. Also unless you are exceptionally quick and powerful such a strike lacks the speed and "suddenness" required to penetrate people and thus allows them time to recover from your strike or yield / move out of the way.

Many people believe a Drop Strike is like Fig-1b: a linear wave of energy passing through the body. While conceptually this is correct especially when striking to the harder surfaces such as the head or bone, for the most part it still falls quite short of the true dynamic of a properly applied drop strike. Such striking is true for breaking boards or bricks but hitting people is a different dynamic all together.

In reality a drop strike is really like Fig-1c: a wave (which is appropriate since people are 70% to 80% water). This is why when on the receiving end you feel it throughout your entire body. A drop strike is like a bullet shot. This is why your organs feel like jelly when hit with it. In other words rather than just strike people what you really have to do is "splash" their tissue to achieve maximum penetration since the liquid-like quality always allows for a little give in their bodies even if they are stiff. Notice the concentric rings as you penetrate? Because our bodies are mostly water the power has the same rippling effect as if throwing a stone in a pond: the more energy, the bigger the splash and the more tissue that is damaged.

When drop striking as in Fig-2 below you want to achieve no more than 4" inches of penetration. Let me say that again: no more than 4" inches, otherwise you're just pushing which will cause you to over-commit thus increasing the time needed to prepare your mext strike [for more on Dropping Power see Newsletters 7 & 52]. When you strike you want to penetrate and violently either shift or splash the tissue. As in the case of the head you want to shake the brain not with a pushing type of hit but with a bone-jarring drop strike. If you have ever been "tapped" in the head in this manner you will notice that the pain is not just at the point of impact but seems to emanate from the center of your brain as well. If "Big Mike" taps you, you may even experience a little "time travel" or "missing time." It's not that you moved in time you just don't remember being unconscious.

Also when striking think of your fist as being like a guided missile rather than linear. Think more like the "Three Stooges": use your imagination, in doing so it will open a range of hitting alien to most people. Below are some other key points to keep in mind in your training.

Remember that strikes are like Steam then for a microsecond Water and then for an even briefer period of time like Ice and then return to Steam again.

 

Also remember that regardless of style at the end of the day a punch is a punch is a punch and a strike is a strike, do not limit what you can do when striking. Think of your hand as a multipurpose tool that can change at the drop of a hat into whatever you need, whenever you need it. Above and below are some of my favorites--there are many more. Some may even be skeptical of many of these strikes however those who have trained with us have experienced this first hand and they know that many of our advanced students are capable of this type of hitting because they have felt it.

 

 

 

2Dimensional Thinking Vs 3Dimensional Thinking

For most people their concept of fighting is like chess in which it is fought in a linear fashion on a 2Dimensional plane [Fig-6a] however this is only partially correct. I offer for your consideration that fighting is more like 3Dimensional chess like on "Star Trek" [Fig-6b] where there are an almost infinite number of possibilities within the dynamic which governs it.

I point this out to offer to your mind an alternate way of thinking to liberate your thought process as you train for real combat. In many systems people are offered a number of techniques and tools based on some seemingly logical yet false assumptions (more like a duel or sport fight) because they start off with the "wrong" mind set: they train for a reality that only exists in the dojo.

Like 2Dimensional chess they just don't see the other options that are available to them so the solution eludes them. Anything outside of their linear 2D paradigm is not even considered. Most of their training goes like this,

"When he does this you do that, and when he throws that punch block here and punch there etc..."

This would be fine if they had their body unity and mind set together but because they are looking for the matching counter to correspond to a given strike they're assuming the fight is going to go down they way they want it to rather than the way it really is.

In Guided Chaos there are only a few basic principles and tools but because our mindset is more akin to 3D chess from these basic concepts we derive an infinite number of possibilities. This is one of the reasons why when training it is not uncommon to hear one of our instructors tell someone who is new to the art to "Do whatever you want..."

This is not bravado but simply to show that by using principles of Guided Chaos rather than the standard fight-by-the-numbers people are usually taught, you are able to develop the adaptive quality to deal with an ever-changing situation as you fight. We acknowledge that in a real fight you don't know what a person will do from one moment to the next so by training in this fashion to deal with basically anything you are less likely to become surprised by the multitude of possible attack angles.

In order to deliver your strikes like a guided missile you must also learn to incorporate every part of your body in what you do. This will not only allow you to strike with power from seemly impossible angles but from any range as long as you strike within your Sphere of Influence. In Fig-7a the Red Dot represents your center of gravity. By controlling this point as you move not only are you able to strike within your Sphere of Influence but it allows you to strike within the full range of motion with your weapons. As you turn or step, by turning around or stepping with your center of gravity it allows you to bring your weapons with you preventing you from over extending on your strikes thus over committing and getting out of position with your limbs.

This is important because more often than not when people strike, they over commit which increases the time required to recover their strike and change direction even in mid strike. Think of it like the check swing in baseball, if the batter doesn't have full control over his body he loses control of his limbs and can't recover before swinging too far and getting called for a strike. Fig-7b shows the location of your center of gravity, Fig-7c shows how unitizing your body with the strike incorporates all of your motion with the strike, Fig-7d shows how by turning and box stepping with the strike you are able to hit with little or no arm movement while maintaining the range of motion with your arm. Also notice the bent arm in Fig-7d? This is because by moving in a unitized manner you are able to maintain this range of motion even when striking on the move.

Fig-8 shows this concept in action. In Fig-8a as you chop if you only move your arm the strike will work as long as they don't move, but if they move out of the way [Fig-8b] you will miss or strike with little to no power since they're moved beyond your range of motion. However if you turn and step [Fig-8c] you are still able to strike as you box step and turn. Figs-8c, f and I, illustrate this concept with a punch or chop. Fig-8h illustrates what happens if you allow them to step back as you strike if you only use your arm. If you step or turn with your body as you strike you are still able to hit them since you are still striking within your sphere of influence.

Working with Larger Opponents for Skill Refinement:

I originally wasn't going to discuss this but as of late it has been a topic of discussion amongst our students so here we go. Another way to enhance the skills that I have discussed in this series is to work with larger / stronger opponents "slowly." This type of training serves several purposes.

1. Teaches you how to get off line of their weapons cutting off angles while allowing you to stay in the fight without becoming overwhelmed.

2. Teaches the larger / stronger students to become looser and more sensitive and provides them with an understanding of how they can apply the same skills to work for them as well.

3. As you become looser and more elusive against the larger opponent they can begin to work the same concepts with you once they have an idea of how the principles work so that they learn to use their power more efficiently.

Phase I - Bigger person pushes without striking:

As the larger person pushes [the "Hulk-like" Green figures] use light, I mean ultra-light contact and yield and get off line. Do not push back or offer any resistance and begin to move out of the way moving as little as possible. Feel their energy or motion and get out of the way alternating sides at first, then mixing it up. Resist the temptation to step backward and just go with the flow. In doing this you will begin to learn how to get off line and deal with their power. Any resistance or pushing and you lose since now you are playing their game and let's be honest: they are already strong enough to either push you or punch a hole in you anyway so put your ego aside and just get your work in. As you get better at this have the larger person gradually increase the speed. You should strive to feel yourself "slip" off line at the same rate of speed as his push. Resist the temptation to speed up as he pushes, otherwise you will develop the bad habit of moving "too soon" and begin to get your body out of position throwing off your body unity and timing. Remember: like hitting a baseball, you want to arrive with your strike at the right moment.

Phase II - Slow strikes with no speed while learning to move and get off line [Note - no striking by the person who is learning to get off line]:

In Phase II do the same as in Phase I only now have him throw punches at your body and learn to slip his punches and do not, do not, do not, do not, do not attempt to block his strikes. You can't stop them anyway so don't try just because he's moving slow.  DON'T DO IT!!! Learn to deal with them by being unavailable to his strikes. This ability is literally one of the major secrets as to why the more advanced students can stay in the fight with physically superior opponents.

Phase III - Light contact with flowing at an ultra slow speed without pushing just free flowing movement with light contact:

Now flow as normal, learning to slip and get out of the way from every possible angle as you move. Once you have a better understanding of this do the same sequence of exercises for the larger person forcing him to move as you did. As he improves at this so will you, since he has already on a subconscious level learned by feeling you avoid his strikes. Remember: if it works for you it will work for him.

Oh yeah, before I forget: as you move in this manner learn to stay as close to his body without creating too much space. Fig-11 describes this in a clearer manner. I really didn't want to have to go here but this was too complex to draw with my stick figures. Understand that the more superfluous motion and excess space you create the more time it will take for you to recover that space allowing them time to regroup and strike.

 

Notice the difference in the space created as the punch is thrown between Fig-11a and b? As you move to strike within the flow if you create too much space as you move as demonstrated in Fig-11b it will take you longer to recover that space as you move to your next strike. Remember that you want to move as little as you need to because the fight is literally won and lost in a matter of inches.

Fig-12 [above] highlights on a rudimentary level what I was describing when discussing why you do not want to create too much space as you strike. Notice that as you strike if you only use your arm when striking and you do not turn with your whole body not only do you run the risk of getting your arm out of alignment with your Center of Gravity but your arm now has to cover a greater distance as you strike.  This is the same effect as if you have wound up or chambered your punch to strike which is nothing but wasted motion. Because it increases the amount of time required to strike they are able to possibly recover and move off line from your strike.

Okay same set up as in Fig-12 but now lets refine and economize the movement. Above in Fig-13 you can see what you really want to work toward as you learn to get off line and return on your strikes. Rather than just extend and strike with just your arm like in Fig-12 you want to turn with your whole center of gravity highlighted by the "Red Dot" with blue arrows as little as required which keeps your body not only in sync with your strikes but it allows your arm to stay close to their body throughout the movement [Fig's-13b and c].

Notice how close the elbow comes to the body as the striker turns in Fig-13. Obviously you can strike with the elbow as you proceed to the chop. I point this out because this is also what allows you to achieve the multi-hitting and multiple strikes on the way in and out since you are already close enough to change and strike with a variety of weapons as well. Also because you are close to them if they attempt to bum rush you, you can immediately drop strike from whatever position you are in, thwarting their attack.

It is this principle that not only allows you to hit from extremely short range with power but also create the illusion that you are faster than you really are, since by moving in this fashion you are able to cut off angles so fast that they do not have time to react. And since you are close to them you are able to "feel" their sudden change and cut them off and strike with little or no movement.

While this is a very basic example of Economy of Movement, it can be applied to any strike from any angle. This is exactly how the Matador is able to stick the bull with the sword quickly before the bull can react. Remember all of these are very rudimentary examples of this concept which in practice is much more fluid than it appears here and in no way is limited to what is described.

Well that's it for this series, I hope it's cleared a few things up for people.

Take care...

 

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GUIDED CHAOS GROUNDFIGHTING

...the ground fighting DVD's are out of this  world...Good idea
to have some MMA fighters on also to dispel some of
the grappling myths. I did what you told me to do with my
huge training partner and it worked, he was falling into strikes
left and right.
 
--Bob Miller, Corrections Officer
 

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