7/2/17: R.A.T. masterclass part 3

Shadow boxing warm up

SOLO DRILLING:

Straight blast running across the hall

Rear knee and lead elbow

Whole sequence - straight blast - eye rake - headbutt - knee - elbow

PARTNER WORK:

Destructions against the straight punches, interceptions against hooking punches, interceptions using the lead kick to the groin. These were worked primarily by keeping your fence up and the distance long. Distance = time. That was a key theme running through the night. Initially we were working the destructions and interceptions but then we added the layers of the full complement of RAT tools. As in previous sessions, only going in after the pain response was given. Lots of changes of partners to get a feel for different energies and body types.

2 v 1:

The walking dead. The 1st person was the primary target; their job was to walk you down. The 2nd person had a knife and were slowly trying to get around the first person to get to the defender. The defender's job was to:
Keep the fence up
Keep the first person in between themselves and the 2nd person.
Keep moving and not get cornered or jammed against a wall.

We then added punches so the defender used any of the initial 'defences' followed by the straight blast and follow up techniques. However, if the 2nd person was encroaching, the defender had to be aware of this and maintain neck control and zone off rather than completing the RAT to the detriment of their safety.

Being cornered. Escaping along the wall - the two attackers wore focus mitts and encroached and hit as in the image at the top of this blog entry. As they started to strike, the defender covered and moved by side stepping rapidly whilst covering, when out of range they out up the fence. This was a great drill to practise the covering whilst keeping the eyes strong and staying calm.

5/6 v 1 whilst being cornered.

Now obviously, it was a movie so we did not use the spinning hook kicks to get us out of the way. We used forward, aggressive intent coupled with the straight blast and vocals such as "MOVE!" Two people help the Thai pads shoulder to shoulder simulating a barrier. Our job was to get through the barrier with aggressive forward intent in our strikes and our voice. It didn’t look nor sound pretty but it was both effective and empowering.

2/2/17: R.A.T. masterclass part 2

Tonight we revisited and built on the study from Tuesday's class.

Destruction of straight punches. Primarily, keep your range and distance, hands are up in the fence position. Palm to the top of the head and elbow on the centreline as the punch comes in.

Interception of hooking and haymaker punches. Keep that range and intercept with the outside of the forearm as the other hands shoots to the eyes.

Attacking the low line as punches come in. Whipping the lead leg to the groin on the one o'clock angle. Make it fast. We worked this on the Thai pads.

Straight blast drilling. Working running and punching in the air and then on the Thai pads.

Walking the lines practising the knee and elbow combination. Unlike the Thai knee, this one just comes stright up without the hips pushing through. Right rear knee then left lead elbow, then same opposite on the other side of the body.

Headbutt drilling on the Thai pad.

Knee drilling. On the Thai pads, hands on the shoulders and pulling as you add the knee.

Knee and elbow drilling, again, on the Thai pads.

Working all 3 options (the destruction, the interception and the lead groin kick) followed the rest of the sequence: straight blast - eye rake - headbutt - knee - elbow

31/1/17: R.A.T. (Rapid Assault Tactics) masterclass

The concepts and theory



Steve talked at length about the theory and concepts behind the RAT system. Below are excerpts taken from a couple of websites giving the outline.

Rapid Assault Tactics or R.A.T. is a proactive, professional level self-defense system that can be effectively utilized by all men and women, regardless of athleticism or physique. R.A.T. was designed by the internationally renowned Progressive Fighting Systems (P.F.S.) founder Paul Vunak when commissioned by the U.S. Navy to teach the S.E.A.L. teams in Virginia. Today, R.A.T. is also taught to the F.B.I., D.E.A., and more than 50 police departments across the United States, as well as to thousands of civilians interested in learning realistic, streamlined self-defense in a short amount of time. R.A.T. is an offshoot of Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do Concepts. Its core is based on the fundamentals of entry, pressure and termination of a fight. Nerve destructions, straight blast, head butts, knees and elbows are the methods emphasized in this fighting system, as are basic trapping techniques from Wing Chun Kung Fu and Filipino Kali. Sensitivity drills are then taught to complement the trapping techniques, making them more effective. R.A.T. a quintessential "crashcourse" in street fighting.

Rapid Assault Tactics
Rapid Assault Tactics was created by Sifu Paul Vunak at the request of SEAL Team Six. It is strategic system of fighting designed to neutralize attacks through destruction or interception, to provide forward pressure to off-balance the attacker, and enter and terminate the threat as quickly as possible. Because the military units it was developed for do not have years to devote to develop effective fighting technique, Rapid Assault Tactics was designed to provide the maximum amount of combative skill and ability in the shortest possible time. Rapid Assault Tactics dispenses with the trappings of traditional martial arts, such as belts, uniforms, and ritual, as well as the rules and restrictions of sport competition. Rapid Assault Tactics is focused solely on developing real-world, realistic self-preservation skills.

Rapid Assault Tactics focuses on the two goals of self-preservation and self-perfection. Practitioners learn to defend themselves against real world attacks, while using their training to develop themselves mentally and spiritually. Designed by a man considered one of the world's foremost street fighters, Rapid Assault Tactics covers the full spectrum of possible combative scenarios, including unarmed attackers, armed attackers, as well as multiple attackers. Students learn to deal with punches, kicks, throws, takedowns, grappling, and weapons.

Rapid Assault Tactics developed out of Jeet Kune Do, the martial path pioneered by the late Bruce Lee. It is a streamlined fighting system, drawing from arts such as Brazilian Jujutsu, Boxing, Dumog, Kali, Muay Thai, Pananjakman, Panantukan, Savate, Taijiquan, and Wing Chun. Beyond physical techniques, Rapid Assault Tactics also incorporates combat training exercises called Stress Innoculation, to get your body and mind used to the crash of adrenaline, fear, and other intense emotions surrounding combative situations. Keeping a cool head in a violent confrontation is the most important skill you could ever learn.

Tonight, our focus was on the high line only - destruction or interception of punches, the straight blast, eye rake to head-butt

DESTRUCTION drilling: Lifting the elbow up the centre to cover the centre, palm tight on the head being able to brace the arm against the punch. The aim is that they hit the elbow for a pain response.

INTERCEPTION drilling: Against hooking or haymaker punches - intercept and eye jab.

STRAIGHT BLAST drilling: in the air and then against the Thai pads. Developing the instinct of running through the person as you strike.

HEADBUTT drilling: on the Thai pads - tucking the chin, looking at his waist and 'exploding' down pulling the pad on to the top of your head.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: Destructing or intercepting punches, if they mimic the pain response you then straight blast, eye rake and head-butt. Make sure that after the eye rake (thumb across and above the eye brows), the forearms go deep past the neck to pull back on the neck, cupping your palm technique.