An interesting experience

[Midnight-shadow]

So, in training yesterday we did an exercise where it was 1 defender vs 3 attackers. The attackers carried pads and they would slowly close in on the defender, only stopping when they received a solid hit to their pad. It was the defender's job to deliver a solid hit to each pad before the attackers reached them.

This seems like a very simple exercise and it is in theory, but actually doing it is a very daunting process. Not only do you have 3 people closing on you at the same time, but you have to make sure you hit with enough accuracy and power to stop them in one hit, and make sure you use techniques appropriate for the distance.

For someone who is relatively new to the Martial Arts (I've only been practising for around a year) I found it tough to maintain my composure in this situation. My body stiffened up and I found myself throwing out any technique I could in a frantic manner, with very little accuracy. There was even one point where I aimed a front kick at an attacker and ended up kicking below the pad giving them a dead leg.

I'm not going to lie, it was pretty eye-opening to see how easily I crumbled in such circumstances and all my technique and training went out the window. What worries me is that this was a scenario where the attackers were simply walking towards me with pads, like zombies. They weren't using any techniques on me, or trying to block or dodge my attacks, and I still struggled to land decent hits on them.

This was a very humbling experience and shows just how much I still have to learn and how much more experience I would need before I could use what I've learned in a real fight.

 

[Ironbear24]

That sounds very fun!

 

[Bill Mattocks]

We do it in our dojo. Frustrating and chaotic. Which is good.

 

[Martial_Kumite]

We do something similar to that, except it is medium contact sparing. It really does get hectic and can cause a lot of panics if not done regularly (or if you just thrive in chaos). It is usually reserved for higher ranks because they have enough knowledge and control to be able to not kill each other. It can allow people to get a sense of space and timing.

I personally enjoy it. A little chaos can lead to great things.

 

[Midnight-shadow]

We do it in our dojo. Frustrating and chaotic. Which is good.

Indeed, and it really hammers home the point that if you are outnumbered and can't take your opponents down in a single strike, you are in big trouble.

 

[Buka]

Uh oh. The greatest Martial Artists I've ever known appear to be in big trouble.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

So, in training yesterday we did an exercise where it was 1 defender vs 3 attackers. The attackers carried pads and they would slowly close in on the defender, only stopping when they received a solid hit to their pad. It was the defender's job to deliver a solid hit to each pad before the attackers reached them.

This seems like a very simple exercise and it is in theory, but actually doing it is a very daunting process. Not only do you have 3 people closing on you at the same time, but you have to make sure you hit with enough accuracy and power to stop them in one hit, and make sure you use techniques appropriate for the distance.

For someone who is relatively new to the Martial Arts (I've only been practising for around a year) I found it tough to maintain my composure in this situation. My body stiffened up and I found myself throwing out any technique I could in a frantic manner, with very little accuracy. There was even one point where I aimed a front kick at an attacker and ended up kicking below the pad giving them a dead leg.

I'm not going to lie, it was pretty eye-opening to see how easily I crumbled in such circumstances and all my technique and training went out the window. What worries me is that this was a scenario where the attackers were simply walking towards me with pads, like zombies. They weren't using any techniques on me, or trying to block or dodge my attacks, and I still struggled to land decent hits on them.

This was a very humbling experience and shows just how much I still have to learn and how much more experience I would need before I could use what I've learned in a real fight.

This reaction is not unusual. We start with a movement-only version of the same thing. Actually two of them. One has more speed, using the pads, and only dodge/blend/redirect responses. The other is slower, uses more attackers (if available), no pads, and only movement (no redirect). There's a long progression that eventually leads to a small number of fast-paced exercises (open light sparring, full-speed blending with a mob, multiple attacker simulations, etc.). The early exercises are kept slow and technique-free to allow students to focus on relaxing and moving, because those are the things that seem to go out the window first.

 

[ImagineClouds]

So, in training yesterday we did an exercise where it was 1 defender vs 3 attackers. The attackers carried pads and they would slowly close in on the defender, only stopping when they received a solid hit to their pad. It was the defender's job to deliver a solid hit to each pad before the attackers reached them.

This seems like a very simple exercise and it is in theory, but actually doing it is a very daunting process. Not only do you have 3 people closing on you at the same time, but you have to make sure you hit with enough accuracy and power to stop them in one hit, and make sure you use techniques appropriate for the distance.

For someone who is relatively new to the Martial Arts (I've only been practising for around a year) I found it tough to maintain my composure in this situation. My body stiffened up and I found myself throwing out any technique I could in a frantic manner, with very little accuracy. There was even one point where I aimed a front kick at an attacker and ended up kicking below the pad giving them a dead leg.

I'm not going to lie, it was pretty eye-opening to see how easily I crumbled in such circumstances and all my technique and training went out the window. What worries me is that this was a scenario where the attackers were simply walking towards me with pads, like zombies. They weren't using any techniques on me, or trying to block or dodge my attacks, and I still struggled to land decent hits on them.

This was a very humbling experience and shows just how much I still have to learn and how much more experience I would need before I could use what I've learned in a real fight.

thank you that you shared this experience. I try to find excercises like this and collect them so in the far future i could train my students. if you have more of these excericies pls share them with me

 

[Paul_D]

This was a very humbling experience and shows just how much I still have to learn and how much more experience I would need before I could use what I've learned in a real fight.

Because in a "real fight" you would wait until the three of them approach you before doing anything?

 

[Midnight-shadow]

Because in a "real fight" you would wait until the three of them approach you before doing anything?

If I knew they intended me harm I would probably run away before they got within range of me, but anything can happen.

 

[Paul_D]

If I knew they intended me harm I would probably run away before they got within range of me, but anything can happen.

But then they'd just run after you. I was thinking more about pre emptively taking one out, then lining the other two up so they are one-on-one and then one-on-one, rather than two on one.

Also, once you've taken out one, you can verbally intimidate the others into thinking twice, but these are skills which are rarely practised. People tend to trying fighting three people at once, primarily because their instructors only know how to fight, and have little understanding of the realities of criminal violence.

 

[Midnight-shadow]

We do something similar to that, except it is medium contact sparing. It really does get hectic and can cause a lot of panics if not done regularly (or if you just thrive in chaos). It is usually reserved for higher ranks because they have enough knowledge and control to be able to not kill each other. It can allow people to get a sense of space and timing.

I personally enjoy it. A little chaos can lead to great things.

We did some all against all light open-hand sparring too, which again was an eye-opener. You could be focused on someone in front of you and suddenly get a strike to your back.

 

[Spinedoc]

We practice this frequently in Aikido. Especially at higher ranks. Randori, and we get tested on it too. At nikkyu, it will be a 2 person randori, which means 2 attackers...at ikkyu, it will be 3 attackers, and at shodan it will be 4 attackers. There are certain principles that you want to engage with multiple attackers.....work the edge, DO NOT under any circumstances, simply remain the middle, keep moving, engage attackers by moving toward one of them at a time...select who you want to deal with first....etc.etc.etc.

BTW, what's even more fun is weapons randori. My Shidoin not long ago had me in a 3 person randori w weapons. One person had a jo, one had a bokken, and one had a tanto. THAT was fun......

 

[drop bear]

But then they'd just run after you. I was thinking more about pre emptively taking one out, then lining the other two up so they are one-on-one and then one-on-one, rather than two on one.

Also, once you've taken out one, you can verbally intimidate the others into thinking twice, but these are skills which are rarely practised. People tend to trying fighting three people at once, primarily because their instructors only know how to fight, and have little understanding of the realities of criminal violence.

You could try to verbally intimidate the guys you are training with.

It wouldn't work with the guys I train with. But your results might differ.

 

[kuniggety]

You could try to verbally intimidate the guys you are training with.

It wouldn't work with the guys I train with. But your results might differ.

I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!

 

[drop bear]

I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!

 

[Langenschwert]

We do a similar drill as well. One person is surrounded by 3-6 people with pads who swarm in and the defender has to try to not get surrounded while striking the pads. If we are short on pads, some of the attackers merely interfere with the defender, momentarily grabbing the defender's arms or giving them a shove.

It's very frustrating and exhausting. But still pretty fun.

 

[drop bear]

We just try to cram 20 dudes in a room and spar without getting in each others way.

 

[JR 137]

We just try to cram 20 dudes in a room and spar without getting in each others way.

I love those classes. You never what you're going to unintentionally get hit with.

Reminds me of the wrestling room in high school.

 

[drop bear]

I love those classes. You never what you're going to unintentionally get hit with.

Reminds me of the wrestling room in high school.

Mmmm...... Yes unintentionally.