Krav Maga Week: Fight Quest Part 6

The boys see if they have what it takes to fight like Israeli Commandos.

Krav Maga Week: Fight Quest part 5

Krav Maga Week: Fight Quest part 4

Seems I missed Thursday. Sorry, I was busy with work.

Krav Maga Week: Fight Quest part 3

The boys continue their training in the lethal moves of Krav Maga.

Krav Maga Week: Fight Quest part 2

M1911 Week: Continues...

Krav Maga Week: Fight Quest part 1

Krav Maga is a modern system of Israeli unarmed combat. It emphasizes striking early, hard, and often with immediately crippling results.

I dunno. YMMV as they say. I've heard that civilian training like you might get at a strip mall can be complicated and convoluted. On the other hand, there are plenty of professionals who swear by this stuff.

As I've said before, going unarmed against zombies -- well, any of the bogies and boggarts we discuss, really -- ain't a good idea. But you gotta have something to fall back on, and it does teach you how to move correctly in a fight. The thing about krav is that it isn't some ancient, sacred art that was optimized for fighting armored warriors on horseback. It exists in the here and now and understands mobility -- and also the kind of encumbrance that modern warfighting gear can have on a fighter.

M1911 Week: Shooting Part 1

You may have noticed I fell a little behind this month... and again last week. So I'm getting this series out to you anyway.

M1911 Week: OSS Point Shooting

Part of a classic training film from WWII showing the inimitable Col. Rex Applegate training US spies, saboteurs, and commandos in how to use the M1911. Applegate taught the still controversial Point Shooting technique, which uses the theory that at short ranges, the shooter will naturally point toward the threat.

M1911 Week: Point Shooting

Vintage World War II training film on Point Shooting technique with the M1911A1

First Aid: Self Tourniquet

There's a lot of nay saying about first aid in the zombie preparation world. I don't know why. Sure, if one of those rotting shamblers bites you, you're done for. Do us all a favor and put the bullet in your own head.

But all kinds of things can go wrong in the zombie apocalypse. And chances are good there will be shortage of trained doctors. (I suspect many of them will be compromised in the opening stages as they are called to treat the infected.) So you need a basic knowledge of first aid.

Here we look at using the tourniquet. It's useful for many combat-type injuries. While I advocate cooperation among survivors for the long term benefit of all, I am not naive. Others will not take the long view, and chances are good you will encounter hostile human survivors.

Keep in mind the tourniquet is not a long term solution. It is intended to treat you immediately until someone can get you safe for better treatment.

US Army Shotgun Training Video

Basic use of the shotgun from the US Army.

FMA drill

Sorry; I've been collecting and posting so many FMA vids over the last two weeks that I've lost track. I don't think I've posted this.

If I have, let me excuse it by saying that drills are important to any martial art. You need to drill your melee weapon skills, and you should carry over to drilling your firearms skills. Drill, drill, drill. It's the heart of preparation.

FMA Week Too: Beginner's Sparring

The secret to developing practical martial arts skills is resistance against a thinking, live opponent. (Yes, this is ironic since so many of our opponents are technically "dead.") Sparring -- early and often in the martial artist's career -- is probably the best way to develop true skill. But often the examples we see are high level practitioners who have been sparring for years, even decades. This can intimidate beginners, who are afraid they will just look silly trying the skills with which they are still uncomfortable.

We've seen several examples of people who are excellent fighters, so I thought it might be worthwhile providing an example of beginner's at play. You'll see how tentative they are. You'll see mistakes. There is obvious room for improvement. All of that is completely understandable at this level. The goal is only to try hard and use what you've learned.

FMA Week Too: Bonus Pikiti Tirsia Drill

Drilling is important for martial arts skills.

FMA Week Too: Fight Quest Part 3

The guys continue to train with sticks and knives so they won't be hurt too badly during the final challenge.

FMA Week Too: Fight Quest Part 2

The boys continue training in the brutal FMA. They also re-enact the fable of the City Mouse and the Country Mouse, as one trains in the maountain jungles, and the other trains in the crowded city.

Both of them get hit with sticks.

FMA Week Too: Fight Quest Part 1

Once again we follow two intrepid martial artists as they train with FMA masters in preparation for a challenge match.

FMA Week: Human Weapon Escrima Part 5

The final installment of HW's Escrima. Will Jason win his stick-fighting match against an Escrima champion?

Mythbusting 101: The Utility of Martial Arts

A well-meaning -- but obviously naive -- young friend of mine wears a t-shirt with the logo "Jiu-Jitsu Kills Zombies."

This is dangerously wrong and will get you killed.

Jiu-jitsu is an awesome martial art against mortal opponents, but there is nothing in the arsenal that will handle the Undead menace. Zombies do not feel pain. They do not need air. And they will still keep coming after you on shattered joints.

Worst of all, Jiu-Jitsu requires the expert to close with and grapple the zombie. This is exactly where the zombie wants you: close, where his teeth and claws can do their damage. And let's not forget that this will mean prolonged exposure to the zombie's bodily fluids, which may infect you. We certainly shouldn't forget that getting caught on the ground with a zombie is a recipe for disaster when his friends stumble onto the scene.

I was trapped in a bar once by some dork who talked my ear off about how his Ninjutsu was awesome and most certainly zombie proof. Please. Ninjutsu? This isn't Naruto, you mouth-breather. Smoke bombs and hiding in the trees isn't going to help you one bit against zombies. Although I admit all bets are off if ninjas face off against zombie pirates.

Ninjas may be able to hug tree limbs for hours, but time means nothing to the Undead. They'll just mill about the roots of the tree until your mom calls you home for dinner. And what ninja doesn't still live in his mom's basement?

So what martial art does work against the walking dead? Have you seen the Filipino Martial Arts? Variously called escrima, arnis, or kali, Filipino Martial Arts start the new student using two foot long sticks. But those sticks are representations of -- and soon replaced by -- giant jungle knives! You'll quickly learn moves that will help you lop off limbs, eviscerate corpses so they trip over their own guts, and stop 'em cold with decapitations or bisected brains.

Going hand-to-hand with the shambling hordes is unwise. Wrestling around with them is suicidal. Unless you're Chuck Norris, I strongly advise you to use weapons and learn to use them correctly.