Archive for the ‘UTKM Principles’ Category

When in doubt: Head or Groin

Posted: July 10, 2018 by urbantacticskravmaga in Krav Maga Principles, UTKM Principles
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So you’ve been practising Krav Maga, self defense or another style for a while and you are starting to realize that sometimes under distress you cannot get the technique to work. Sometimes, it’s because the technique you are being taught works for most people but not you. Other times it is a matter of a physical size difference. And other times its because in the end of the day under distress techniques can fail.

It is not that they are bad techniques, they are good high percentage techniques but the truth is techniques can and do fail even if they are more likely to work than not.

A key thing to remember is that Techniques in themselves are the last step to any good Krav Maga or self defense approach. Before you have to actually use techniques you should have practices things like critical thinking and the stages of self defense.

But if you ever find your self either in practice or in the street struggling to do the technique you were taught. Don’t worry just remember this simple principle.

When in doubt hit the groin or the head.

Football in groin.gif

No matter where you are even if you are dazed and confused orient your self-based on which is easiest to access. If you are going for the head, punches, palm strikes and hammer fists are all good options. Remember that go for the eyes in particular.

If you are going for the groin punches, palm strikes and you guessed it hammer strikes are also appropriate. If you can you can also grab hard but just know this may cause a panic response from the person where they try to end you, rather than a hit and release response.

Either way, if everything goes wrong, remember techniques are at the bottom of the self-defense totem pole and they can fail so always fall back to simple principles like this one.

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Attack Patterns: Threats, Commited vs Non-Commited and Blender mode

Posted: April 10, 2018 by urbantacticskravmaga in UTKM Principles
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On top of Straight line vs circular attack types, we now expand in to attack patterns. Attack patterns are essential how they are implementing the attack and at what speed and tempo. As a general rule, we have 3, Threats, Committed attacks and Non-committed attacks. For bladed attacks, we add a third called “blender mode”.

  • Threats- A threat is a static motion rather than dynamic. If someone is holding a knife to you, this is a knife threat. If someone has grabbed you but is only holding you it is a threat. They have yet to put any kinetic energy into their attempt other than the initial motion. But don’t get it wrong, if you attempt to do something and mess up at any point their threat can become an attack.

 

  • Committed Attacks – A committed attack is linear. It follows a direct path from the attacker to the intended target on a person. Committed attacks are usually due to an emotional reaction or because an attacker has decided or committed to a specific attack. The 360 defence, for example, is designed for committed attacks like the “ice pick” or “Prison shank” style attack. These attacks go from outside in and downward or upward. Attacks like bear hugs are also committed as the attacker is going from a static, to forward grab and slam and there is a specific attack pattern.

 

  • Non-Committed attacks – Non-committed attacks are any attack which do not follow a linear pattern. A basic Non-committed attack, adds a retraction to the attack rather than a telegraphed “committed” attack. They may start in one direction such as straight, then retract for another attack or quickly change to something else. They can come from up, down, left or right. The intent is the same as a committed attack, that is to harm the intended target, but there is no set way. Hacking slashing knife attacks are an example of a non-committed attack. When dealing with a non-committed attack it can be a battle of Action vs reaction until someone wins. As such you must reset their mental processing and do damage to them as fast as you possibly can prior to progressing to control. 

     

    Because of action vs reaction concepts, the more your brain has to process the harder it is going to be to formulate the correct action to stop the attack or threat. Thus the more complex and non-linear an attack the harder it will be to deal with. Because of this committed attacks are preferable over non-committed attacks when it comes to a defence perspective. However, from an attacking perspective, a non-committed attack is preferable as it has a greater chance of succeeding. If you encounter a non-committed attack the best idea is to simply create distance and run and if you cant run, you must find a way through strategy, technique and aggression to overwhelm your opponent.

  • Blender Mode – Blender mode is reserved for a Non-Committed knife attack which is both stabbing and slashing in a fast motion. This essentially created a wall of “blender blades” which is not safe to approach. The attacker either started like this or you screwed up your initial defence, and they went from a simple committed lunge to a non-commited straight line attack to blender mode. These are the times when it is best to use a weapon of opportunity.

 

UTKM – 3 Animals you should embrace & embody

Posted: November 7, 2017 by urbantacticskravmaga in UTKM Principles
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Our Slogan at UTKM is “Turning Lambs into Lions.” As humans, our greatest attribute is our intelligence, our creativeness and our ability to adapt. But that does not mean we cannot draw from the animal world and invoke their spirits in times of need. 3 animals invoke the attitudes and approaches that we would like all UTKM Students to have.

The Lion
The Lion.jpg

Image By: Rafapasta CG

The lion, as they say, is the king of the jungle. They are strong, Courageous and their warriors cry in the form of a roar can be heard for miles away. Just as our slogan indicates, no matter what your skill level we want to make you from a lamb following the herd, someone who needs the protection of the masses to feel safe, into a lion. Someone who is strong and courageous and needs no one else but themselves for their personal safety. So when you cannot run, you cannot hide, and you cannot avoid the fight, Be Strong, Be Courageous like the lion.

 

 

 

The Fox
The Fox.jpg

Image By: Rafapasta CG

The fox is the main image in the centre of our logo. They are cunning and quick. In a fox hunt, humans are only successful with a pack of hunting dogs and horses in keeping up. Foxes apply speed, agility to avoid harm. The term sly like a fox doesn’t come from nothing. They are small, silence predators that chose stealth and avoidance over direct conflict. So when you choose to avoid the fight or run from conflict, be cunning and quick like the fox and perhaps no one will even notice you were even there.

 

 

 

The Wolf
The Wolf.jpg

Image By: Rafapasta CG

The Wolf is many things, but weak is not one of them. They flourish in the pack but like the lone wolf can operate independently. They are strategic and adaptable. We are humans after all, which means we are social creatures and like the wolf, we need to be able to work in teams but not crumble should we be alone. Like the Wolf, we are also capable of strategy. Krav Maga is far more than just some techniques; it is a way of life and a strategic approach to conflict. So when you want to apply Krav Maga as a complete system, be like the wolf and strategies and adapt and you will always come out on top.