One of the most persistent criticisms leveled against Judo is surprisingly simple: “Judo won’t work if the other guy isn’t wearing a gi or a jacket.” Historically, however, the American military spent decades demonstrating otherwise. Long before modern…
Understanding the Cross Hock as a Distinct Combative Takedown The Cross Hock Takedown occupies an interesting position in the history of American military hand-to-hand combat. At first glance, the technique bears a superficial resemblance to Judo’s Osoto Gari,…
Understanding the Architecture of the U.S. Army’s WWII Close-Combat Course At first glance, the World War II-era Restricted Judo course can look like a collection of harsh hand-to-hand combat techniques assembled for soldiers preparing for war. There are…
“Barron Shepherd is a tremendous advocate for all the things that make combative training great! Martial artists travel along a path. Some find the beginning of that path in a dojo and remain for a lifetime. Others…
During WWII, military combatives programs prioritized techniques that were practical, easy to learn, and effective under stress. The reverse hip throw was one of four core throws taught across U.S. military training manuals because of its proven success…
The cross-arm guard, referred to in combatives circles as the O’Neill Cover is often credited to Pat O’Neill. Dermot Pat O’Neill was the legendary hand to hand combat instructor for the FSSF First Special Service Force the precursor…
“Kajukenbo is the first of its kind of all origins in mixed martial arts. Prior to its known existence in 1947, the history of Kajukenbo began when the USA was in war with Japan. Before it became worldly…
SSGT Robert Carlin described Combat Judo as an advanced method of fighting. It was originally developed to address the needs of military personnel facing new hand-to-hand combat challenges as a way to ensure a streamlined, tested, and effective…
DEPLOYMENT Blade deployment is probably the most neglected aspect of knife training. Deployment is defined as the time and distance it will take you to pull your knife out AND be ready for combat. You want to have…