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CHAPTER 2

Functioning in the

Fight Environment

The Fight Environment

The “fight environment” is a term used to refer to the various factors surrounding a physical confrontation. These factors are partly physical, partly psychological, and party environmental. An understanding of the fight environment is necessary for any serious attempt at preparation, and helps avoid unnecessarily losing a fight.

Many people think that training martial arts techniques is enough to guarantee victory over a less skilled opponent, but the reality is that technique is only a part of the puzzle. No amount of skill or physical prowess is of any use if the fighter folds under pressure or fails to make effective use of his abilities.

Nothing ever goes according to plan against a resistant opponent, so you need to train with “aliveness” to prepare you for the chaos that you will encounter when fighting anyone who isn’t a pushover.

Techniques that seem straightforward in a martial arts class can become very difficult when attempted against a resistant opponent or under severe stress, so training must not only give the fighter the tools he (or she) needs to win a fight, it must also prepare the fighter to function in the fight environment. Good preparation includes all three dimensions—technical, physical, and psychological—and addresses the most likely situations a prospective fighter may find himself in.

The first question that has to be asked is: what is the fighter training goals? There are strong parallels between the sporting environment and “street” self-defense, but there are also significant differences. Even within the sporting arena, there are different kinds of competition and the fighter needs to be familiar with the characteristics of each. Last-minute ringside questions about whether kneeing from the clinch is permitted in this event are the hallmark of the unprepared (or perhaps just forgetful) fighter.

It is always necessary to consider environmental factors. For the sport fighter, the question is generally whether the bout is to take place on mats, in a ring, or a cage. This can be important—being slammed or taken down hard on a cage floor may be an unpleasant surprise for the fighter used to training on good mats, and surprises are best avoided. Tactical use of the ring or cage can also bring benefits to those who know how to do it or how to deal with those who do.

For the more general martial artist, perhaps training for self-defense, it is not really possible to predict where an incident might take place. Training needs to take account of the possibility of confined spaces, passing traffic, uneven or slippery ground, poor lighting and so forth. The principles of effective combat are the same, but some techniques are simply not appropriate to certain environments. For example, most kicks are impossible to deliver in the aisle of a train or bus. This is not to say that a martial artist needs to undergo specific training in every possible environment, but he needs a broad range of techniques and the ability to decide what is appropriate in any given environment.

Focus pads (some people call them hook-and-jab pads) are an essential and versatile training aid. The can be used to train many different techniques, but it is essential that the pad-holder knows how to absorb the bigger strikes if injuries are to be avoided.

Focus pads are most commonly used to train hand strikes, for which they are ideal. Wearing heavy gloves for pad drills has the added benefit of building the muscular endurance necessary to keep your hands up during a long fight.

A fighter who is training for a sport fight knows when the event will take place, and what the rules will be. He knows that he will not suddenly be attacked with a weapon or by his opponent’s friends. He also knows that the bout will be matched for weight. It will be timed and a referee and judges will impose a binding decision about who won. On the down side, he knows that he is facing a trained and skilled opponent, and he will have the added stress of doing it in front of an audience and possibly television cameras.

Knowing when and where the bout will take place and what the rules are being used enables the sport fighter to tailor his training to the environment. He can focus on tactics and techniques for dealing with a single opponent, and can bring his fitness to a peak at the right time. He may even be able to tailor his training to give him an advantage over a known opponent or to give the judges what they are looking for in order to win on a decision.

Conversely, when training more generally or for self-defense, we do not know when (or even if) a fight will occur. We cannot predict where it will be, nor who against. Numbers and weapons may play a part. Training must be tailored to dealing with an unpredictable situation and should include some common-sense conflict-avoidance or conflict-management skills to avoid unnecessary fights.

When using focus pads to train low kicks, it is important to brace the pad against your leg. Even so, it is not really possible to take a pull-power kick on the pad, so this method is normally used for fairly light technical training.

Thai Pads are arguably a better option for all-round training, though they are more expensive than focus pads.

The single biggest difference between the “street” and the sporting arena is the uncertainty that prevails on the street. A sport fighter knows that his opponent has come to fight him. Someone confronted with an aggressive individual cannot know for sure whether the prospective opponent really wants a fight or is simply “posturing” for reasons that presumably make sense to him. This uncertainty can cause hesitation, and is exploited by those experienced in street violence.

A “street” aggressor may try to strike by surprise, perhaps by blindsiding the victim or by using deception to get close enough for a sudden assault. Innocuous sounding questions about the time or asking for a cigarette are common deceptions. Alternatively, a prospective assailant may test the waters by behaving aggressively, swearing, shouting, and pushing the victim. If he gets a response that makes him think he can win, he may escalate the level of violence. If he doesn’t like the response he may instead choose to back off.

It is worth noting that although the build-up is different, once a fight begins the same principles apply to both sport and street fighting. Good training will prepare the fighter for the fight environment and enable him to keep his head under stress, both during the build-up to a fight and during it. A fighter who can handle the physical shock of being hit but who is taken out of the game by his reaction will be defeated as surely as one who is simply knocked out.

In a “flash drill” the pad holder offers the fighter a variety of targets, forcing him to react quickly with an appropriate strike. The fighter must be ready for anything rather than falling into comfortable habits.

A kick shield can absorb a full-power kick, though this is not always a pleasant experience for whoever is holding it. It is tempting to hold the pad away from your body, but this can result in injury. Keep the shield in tight and just accept that training sometimes hurts.

In-fight stress can also cause fighters to abandon their training and resort to brute force or wild swings, or to fight in a predictable manner that is easy to deal with. A fighter who keeps his head can often see opportunities and read his opponent’s intentions. One who is badly rattled will miss obvious openings and let his opponent recover from mistakes instead of exploiting them.

This is a vital facet of all forms of fight training; the fighter must be properly prepared to not only perform techniques; he (or she) must also be able to keep a clear head and make quick decisions about what to do. It is this ability to function in the fight environment that separates an effective fighter from someone who can merely hit hard or perform good techniques.

In order that training can be realistic, focus pads should be used to provide a reasonable facsimile of a human target rather than simply being held up…

… that way strikes can be trained the same way they will be thrown in a fight.

Nobody’s head is three feet wide…

… so the pads should be kept together rather than being allowed to drift apart as the strikes come in.

The pad-holder needs to shift quickly and crisply as the striker runs through a combination…

… offering the right target at the right time.

Good pad-setting is something of an art form….

… and is as much a part of good training as throwing the strikes themselves.

The Psychological Dimension

One of history’s greatest generals commented that the “moral” (i.e. psychological) aspect was three times as important as the physical. He was talking about warfare, but the principles of personal combat are very similar. A relatively poor fighter who is willing to hold his ground and do his best will usually beat a half-hearted but more skilled opponent. Where the fighters are well matched, then psychological factors will usually decide the bout.

This fact has been known for centuries, and is understood on an instinctive level by most people. Generally speaking, many “street” aggressors will use threats and minor physical violence like grabbing and pushing to try to achieve dominance over their opponent. Some sport fighters do much the same thing with pre-fight intimidation, displays of prowess while entering the ring, trash talk to the cameras before the show, and so forth. In both cases, a fighter who is excessively fearful of the opponent will be dominated and has little chance of winning.

It is important that a fighter be trained to deal with these attempts to defeat him psychologically. Confidence is the best tool for countering intimidation, and this is built through good training. A fighter who is regularly tested and can meet the challenges put in front of him develops a habit of winning, and this confidence in his abilities will help him overcome the stress and uncertainty of the fight environment.

If a fighter is going to perform in front of an audience, then he needs to be prepared for this. He needs to be able to either forget about the onlookers and focus on his opponent, or to be able to accept that he is being watched and not become self-conscious. One way to achieve this is to train where outsiders can see from time to time, or to point out to the fighter that he is being watched while he trains whenever someone goes by. Familiarity with an audience can reduce the stress of fight night. So can being an inveterate show-off, but not every fighter has the sort of personality that relishes an audience.

“Stress inoculation” is a useful technique for training both self-defense and sport fighting. Scenario work is used by many self-defense trainers, and can benefit the sport fighter too. One common scenario is to restrict the fighter to responding only if the “aggressor” launches an actual attack. The aggressor (often using body armor and boxing gloves) then postures aggressively, shouts threats and abuse at the fighter, and tries to intimidate him. The fighter must make an intelligent choice under stress to respond effectively if and when an attack occurs, or to observe what the aggressor is doing and make a “no-shoot” decision if he does not attack.

Competition bouts are normally matched for skill, experience, and body mass, but there’s a lot to be said for training against people who are bigger, stronger, and infinitely more scary than you are. If you can handle battling monsters then the prospect of fighting a well-matched opponent should not disturb you much.

Do not underestimate the psychological dimension. A wild swing should be easy to see coming and avoid or counter, but the berserk intent of the attacker can sometimes cause a fighter to freeze and get hit. Good training will change your reaction from “Help! He’s trying to hurt me!” to “Oh, look, a haymaker. Is that all you’ve got?”

There are many variations on this theme. The “aggressor” can make sudden attacks which may not be all that physically painful but look intimidating (e.g. big wild swings, grabbing the fighter and shaking or shoving him, and so forth), all of which forces the fighter to try to respond intelligently despite the stress. These techniques are used extensively by law enforcement trainers and reality-based self-defense instructors, but can also be applied to the sport fighter’s training. Being able to deal with aggression without becoming intimidated is a vital part of fight preparation.

More conventional approaches like sparring or rolling can also be used for the same purpose, of course. Sparring can be set up to put the fighter under extreme pressure, perhaps by using a rotation of fresh opponents with no break for the fighter. As he becomes more tired, his will is eroded and his determination to win will be sorely tested. It is important not to push the fighter too far, but used with care this approach can build fighting spirit.

One useful trick is to mess with the fighter’s expectations. Tell him that he is doing three 1-minute rounds with fresh opponents, then keep going after the three. Or allow the bouts to run on for more than the expected minute. The lesson the fighter needs to learn (more accurately, his subconscious needs to learn) is that “it’s not over until it’s over.” Too many fighters let go towards the end of a bout or ease up when they think they’ve done enough to win. The fighter has to be able to keep at it until the end, or maybe to get back into the fight when his flagging opponent (who may think he’s won and be easing up) gives him an opportunity.

If you lose your head, you’ll lose the fight. A good fighter is capable of acting intelligently even when things go wrong. Gary (on top) is bigger and stronger and I’ve just been taken down pretty hard.

To prevent matters getting any worse for me, I control Gary’s head and try to hook one of his legs. If I can prevent him from transitioning to a fully dominant position, I’ll give myself a chance to improve the situation.

The fight for position begins in earnest. Gary pushes down on my shoulder to break my grip on his head as he tries to move around to the side.

He succeeds in freeing his head, but I’ve still got control of his leg. At this moment, that’s about the only thing between me and being submitted, and we both know it. On the plus side I’ve avoided being quickly beaten, which means that things are bad but I’m still in the fight… and as long as I’m in the fight then I’ll be trying to win it.

The psychological dimension must be used with care to avoid doing more harm than good, but mental conditioning can be built into the fighter’s training at every level. Fitness work, even technical drills can be set up to build the habit of pushing on through to the end, even when things are bad. This is important, because nothing ever goes according to plan and sometimes the margin between defeat and victory is simply the fighter’s own willingness to keep at it when someone else might have given up.

How to Attack the Human Body

The human body is a marvelous thing; incredibly robust in some ways yet vulnerable in others. Race drivers have been seen to climb out of the wreckage of a 200-mph crash, kick a tire in disgust, and walk away… and yet people have died from slipping in the shower. Thus an attack can be devastating if it hits the right spot, or merely annoying if the aim is off. Most of the “pressure point” techniques taught in martial arts are unworkable in a real fight, as it is difficult to hit just the right spot. So as a rule, it is better to strike at large targets that will get you at least some benefit, rather than to try for that perfect one-shot knockout and risk achieving nothing.

It is not usually possible to attack small areas of the body with great precision in the chaos of a fight, though precision can be achieved if a measure of control can be exerted over the opponent. Although most wrist-catching martial arts techniques are virtually useless against an opponent who is moving around and throwing punches, it is possible to apply a Kimura, a locking technique that requires the fighter to hold his opponent’s wrist. Is this a contradiction? Not really.

The answer, obviously, is that once the opponent is under control, e.g. is held or pushed up against something, then it becomes easier to apply precise techniques. A clean hit to the jaw may well drop an opponent and win the bout by knockout, but landing that shot is problematic. Most fighters have to settle for hitting hard to the head in general. You might get lucky, hit “the button” and end the matter then and there, but if not then each blow will still rattle the opponent and wear him down.

Let us not forget that every time you hurt an opponent’s body, you also attack his will to win the fight. Pain, fatigue, disorientation from repeated blows to the head, and the general feeling of being overmatched can cause an opponent to “lose the fight in his head” and give up or at least start trying not to lose rather than fighting to win. Once he is defensive, he is well on the way to defeat.

There are only so many ways to attack an opponent. These include direct impact (e.g. strikes, knees and kicks), secondary impact (e.g. throws and takedowns that cause the opponent to land hard), joint locks, and chokes/ strangles.

Direct Impact

In a sport fight, the rules will dictate what is permitted, for example it may not be legal to knee to the head or to strike the head while the opponent is on the ground. Outside the sporting arena, there are no rules for this sort of thing, but actions must be lawful to avoid criminal charges. This is covered in the next section.

It is generally a bad idea to strike hard targets (e.g. the head) with fists unless you are wearing gloves. Even then, injuries to the hands are not uncommon. For the “street,” the head is best attacked with open hands (e.g. palm strikes) or hammerfists. However, a punch that drops an assailant and prevents you from being seriously harmed is still a “win” even if your hand is damaged. A properly formed, tight fist will help prevent damage to the hand but the risk is always present. With gloves, even light MMA gloves, the hazards are significantly reduced.

The head is most definitely the primary target for direct impact techniques. Even a glancing head strike can cause “brain shake” that can disorient an opponent or knock him out. There is also the possibility of inflicting cuts, causing eyes to swell shut, and so forth. Injuries may cause a sport bout to be halted on medical grounds or simply reduce an opponent’s performance.

It has been wisely said that: “Head shots hurt. Body shots hurt the whole fight.” A good body shot might put the opponent down, so badly winded or hurt that he simply cannot carry on, but even if it does not, blows to the body can weaken the opponent in various ways. Most movements use the muscles of the body, and strikes can weaken these. The most important effect is on breathing. Even if he is not put down by a body shot, an opponent will be feeling it for a good while and every time he takes a breath. Body shots thus reduce his ability to get air in, and that translates to reduced performance.

Attacks to the arms are of limited value at best, but the legs are a good target. Many fighters condition the outer part of their thighs and can take a solid kick or two, but you can chop down the toughest fighter eventually. Kicks to the inside of the leg are often more effective as it is hard to condition these areas. Either way, leg kicks can cause an opponent to stagger even if he is not seriously hurt, and while he’s staggering, he’s not hitting you.

Punches are not thrown “to” the target, they are thrown “through”and out the back. A pad or bag should dent or crumple under a properly delivered strike.

Knee strikes are best thrown from a clinch, and are almost always thrown from the trailing leg for maximum impact.

A knee strike may or may not disable the opponent, but it will certainly weaken him and enable a follow-up attack to be made.

As a general rule, forget about flashy techniques like spinning kicks and backfists, and stick to basic, vanilla-flavor pounding. Attacking the head, body and legs allows you to keep the opponent guessing and to find an opening (or make one) if he’s got a good defense. Leg or body shots may pull the opponent’s guard down (or crumple him up, which can have the same effect), allowing a clear shot at the head.

Hand strikes are normally thrown at the head and body. Straight-on hand strikes to the body are less effective than shots that come in from the side, ideally into the diaphragm or kidney regions. Striking slightly upwards under the ribs works better than hitting downwards.

Kicks are best thrown at the legs and the body. Head kicks are awesomely potent when they land but they need to be set up and can compromise your balance. They can be a useful tool for MMA but are best added after you have a solid base of more widely useful techniques.

Knees and elbows are the premier striking tools for demolishing an opponent. They are best used from a clinch or another hold rather than “free” and require you to be at close quarters. Knee strikes will normally target the body or legs, but you can pull an opponent’s head down onto a knee if you can get him under control. Elbows are normally thrown to the head but can target any other area within reach, especially on the ground.

An effective fighter makes good use of his environment. Something as simple as a good hard push becomes a lot more potent when you slam the opponent into something…

… and not only does it hurt, but it can open up the opponent for strikes if his arms splay out when he hits the wall.

Big throws are hard to pull off against a serious opponent, so it’s not worth training with them until your basic skills improve. But that’s a long, long fall…

… and a landing that might end the fight then and there.

Secondary Impact

A lot of the takedowns taught in martial arts are, to a great extent, misused. They are often used simply as a means to get the opponent on the ground so that he can be attacked there. This is useful, but it passes up on two opportunities to harm the opponent. The first is in the performance of the takedown itself; often it is possible to deliver a strike while grabbing the opponent or forcing him to fall. Taking advantage of every chance to hurt or harm the opponent is always a good idea.