| Relax. Keep your movement loose. Open up. All these phrases are ones you would normally expect to hear during a typical tai chi practice. But, this isn't tai chi. It is the beginning of a class in Russian military martial art system as taught by Vladimir Vasiliev. (For those readers unfamiliar with Vasiliev's qualifications, let me begin by saying they are impeccable. He was one of the foremost operatives in the Special Operations Unit of the Russian military. Not only is his military combat experience extensive, but he also trained government bodyguards and law enforcement personnel in Russia. Having had the opportunity to preview his latest book, I expected Vladimir to be a man emotionally hardened by the years and rigors of his hazardous former profession. Although fit and competent, Vladimir epitomizes the traits I see and respect in other battle-tested, close-combat teachers. A sense of humor, humility, serious determination and above all a true understanding of the purpose and execution of his deadly art.)
Unlike most traditional teachers and styles, Vladimir Vasiliev and the System concentrate on exploring and understanding the strategy of combat over the techniques of combat.
While Vladimir speaks of being relaxed, one should never confuse this with being lax. The manner in which warm-up exercises are performed soon puts this idea to rest. Push-ups involve training partners supplying resistance, with up to four people doing the exercise in unison. Although this is more like the Special Forces style training I expected, even here the concepts of relaxation and free movement permeate the atmosphere of the class.
Today, Vladimir's lesson focuses on groundfighting. Although it is not the standard fare for military close combat, it is, nonetheless, a subject that has lately garnered more than its share of media attention.
Vladimir begins by explaining that in military operations there is no real distinction made between groundfighting and other aspects of close combat. It is only in sport competition that such a distinction occurs. In a real street fighting or in a military operation, no dividing line exists between where one type of combat ends and the other begins.
However, he added, because soldiers are encumbered by their gear and are usually armed, (remember, the Russians excel at the use of the entrenching shovel) the majority of training revolves around armed or semi-armed tactics and combat from the standing position. Having said this, Vladimir is quick to add that there are certain specific instances where groundfighting is destined to come into play.
The perception that you are exposing yourself can be used as an effective strategy, both offensively and defensively, if your opponent perceives the opening as an apparent weakness and therefore an opportunity to attack.
CROWD CONTROL
For example, in evasion and escape it may be necessary to dispatch an enemy guard by taking him to the ground. In this instance groundfighting would be coupled with training in sentry and counter-sentry tactics. Another situation where groundfighting may be employed is in law enforcement or security. In countering an attack initiated in a crowd, the use of firearms may be prohibited, especially when related to reaction time and collateral damage. Often it is much safer and expedient to take the attacker to the ground. Because of the potential for fatal injury, realistic and effective groundfighting techniques must be employed.
This need for proper technique in obtaining submission from an opponent is related by Vladimir in a serious anecdote taken from personal experience.
His story takes us back to his days as a special operative in Russia. Vladimir and his team were involved in tracking and apprehending three (physically large) and extremely dangerous criminals all wanted for murder. To elude capture, the three chose to leave the city on foot on a dark and moonless night. Besides being moonless, the weather that night was brutal thanks to a constant, driving rain. Tracking the fugitives under such circumstances was difficult and Vladimir and his teammates had to separate. As a result, Vladimir was obliged to follow the criminals by himself.
Vladimir successfully tracked the criminals and intercepted them, as they were moving down an extremely muddy and slippery dirt road. Realizing that he stood as their only obstacle to freedom, Vladimir understood he had to act quickly and decisively to prevent them from getting away. Unfortunately for Vladimir, the criminals also realized the obstacle he presented and attacked! All knew this struggle was to the death. Vladimir must be killed to avoid having a witness to their escape. (They were, at the time, unaware that a team of special operatives was actually on their trail.)
SHEDDING HIS SKIN
Because the path was so slippery, the fight quickly ended up on the ground. During the melee, whenever a criminal would grab at Vladimir's uniform, he would simply yield that particular article of clothing to him. In a short time, Vladimir was fighting without either jacket or shirt. This strategy had the desired effect of preventing the thugs from holding. Vladimir was able to gain a clearly distinct advantage and outmaneuver his opponents.
Coupled with the clothing strategy was another technique Vladimir employed with great success. Because of his specialized training he was able to intercept the strikes both punches and kicks of one opponent and redirect these attacks into another opponent. As a result, the fugitives ended up hitting one another and, in essence, defeating themselves. Gaining the final advantage proved easy and Vladimir held the criminals until reinforcements arrived.
In the lesson that followed, Vladimir demonstrated and meticulously explained The System's essence of combat (in general) and groundfighting in particular.
Unlike most traditional teachers and styles, Vladimir and The System concentrate on exploring and understanding the strategy of combat over the techniques of combat. That is, they are not concerned with a fixed response to a set of predetermined situations. As Vladimir explains, in combat, fear makes you perform actions contrary to what the situation may call for.
For example, you may be used to holding a knife in only the reverse grip (blade down), he explains. During an encounter with the enemy you find yourself holding the knife with blade up. If you train in fixed response or are faced with a scenario not covered in your training then fear may cause you to attempt to reverse the grip, rather than simply delivering a straight thrust as the situation calls for.
In groundfighting as in other facets of combat, it is important to understand fear and deal with it accordingly. If you relax, you lessen the tension, which is usually the physical manifestation of fear. Once the tension/fear is reduced, you will be able to prepare a suitable counterattack.
FORGET THE PAIN
A specific situation in groundfighting or grappling may involve a person or persons trying to apply painful twisting actions to your limbs or joints. Although your natural reaction is to tense up to resist the pain, this response will actually intensify the harm. If, on the other hand, you allow yourself to view the total situation rather than concentrating only on the area afflicted with pain, you will easily reduce the pain focus. This allows two things to happen:
"You will reduce further injury by discontinuing your (natural) tendency to tense up; and
"You will free up your mind and give yourself the opportunity to respond to the situation in a creative manner.
Coupled with this natural response in combat comes a deeper understanding of the strategy of combat. Of particular benefit is knowledge regarding the movement of the opponent in response to manipulation of specific target areas of the body to obtain the upper hand. (Or, at the very least, position your opponent to obtain the upper hand through a series of intermediary steps.)
EXAMPLE 1
The Strategy:
Utilize rotational force to deflect a blow or kick. Understand that striking the back of the knee joint will cause it to bend, thereby collapsing the body.
The Application:
You are lying on the ground. You open your body up, creating a target which your opponent attempts to kick or stomp. As your opponent attempts the stomp, contact his leg with your knee and either kick or hook/deflect his foot.
EXAMPLE 2
The Strategy:
Redirection of force. Range of motion of joints. Utilizing lever action (rather than simply muscular strength) to apply pressure to the joint.
The Application:
You are on the ground. Attacker throws a kick from the side to your head. Contact his leg with your forearm. Raise your elbow and lead his leg over your head toward your other arm. (Redirection of force).
Use your right arm to push his foot up while hands are pushing down on the knee. (Lever action/range of motion of joints.) Follow up with an ankle lock. (Lever action/range of motion of joints.)
In both instances the defender did not attempt to use strength alone to defeat the opponent. Given the disadvantage of being on the ground, strength actually has little importance in the execution of the techniques.
In both instances the defender did not attempt to use strength alone to defeat the opponent. Given the disadvantage of being on the ground, strength actually has little importance in the execution of the techniques.
To understand how this principle works defensively, consider the following: You are on the ground. Your opponent is kicking or striking at you. Your natural tendency is to roll up in an effort to protect yourself. While a natural reaction, your rolling up has three disadvantages:
- It restricts your movement;
- It restricts your vision, especially if you cover your head or face;
- It causes you to tense up, thereby assisting in your own injury. (Remember our previous discussion on relaxation?)
By restricting your movement, you are restricting your own ability to counterattack either through a direct application of force (striking or kicking) or through strategy. Although it is not always necessary to see an opponent to successfully strike him (you can strike and hit a target with your head turned) it is a distinct advantage to observe his action and movement. Determining angle of attack along with other pertinent intelligence all aid in success in combat.
To successfully exploit covering-up as an offensive strategy, it is imperative you first train to overcome your real natural tendency to cover as a means of self-protection. Offensive strategy exploits your opponent's perception that you must be covered to be protected. (After all, that is what his instinct and training dictates!) Covering is simply a ruse on your part. By presenting an exposed (or what it perceived as exposed) or open target you are actually controlling him by drawing your opponent into a trap and gaining the advantage by knowing exactly where your opponent will strike.
As soon as he sees an opening, your attacker automatically considers it a weakness in your defense, a break in your armor, so to speak. By the time your opponent realizes his mistake, this Russian military will have already claimed another victim in the groundfighting war.
The logic of the movement is impressive and the technique taught by Vladimir is effective. Even though he doesn't claim to emphasize groundfighting, and his instruction of relax and open-up still echo of tai chi, it's all part of the strategy and the deadly efficiency of The System.
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Dennis Rovere is a military and security-training consultant located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He last wrote in Inside Kung-Fu about this training with the Chinese Wu Jing. He may be reached at (430) 253-6032 or (403) 252-5980 (Fax). Toronto-based Vladimir Vasiliev operates the only school in North America that teaches the System. He can be reached at (905) 881-4711 or (905) 886-7634.
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