As a tactical athlete you are required to close with and destroy the enemy. Often times the combat training has become so dependent on hardware that the individual operator losses an edge of dominance. Being able to competently defend oneself with out the use of a weapon system can dramatically increase your combat effectiveness as well as mental preparedness for combat. You can type in to a search engine for combat training DVD’s and over a million systems or “experts” will teach you deadly skills for $19.95. The fact of the matter is to become truly proficient a person has to train for a good amount of time in the proper environment. I would like to boil down to just a few basic moves that have proved useful for me in the military and in combat. This is not designed to be a complete system nor will it improve your effectiveness in combat simply by reading an article. I just want to help push you in the right direction if seeking new ways to improve combat training sessions and MMA skills.

The rear naked choke is probably the most recognizable MMA move that I feel can be very useful to the tactical athlete. The move is applied from behind an enemy and by placing the wind pipe in the angle of the elbow and by applying pressure a combatant can incapacitate an enemy. The choke works by cutting off the blood supply to the brain and because of this can work very quickly. In training this move can be applied slowly and adjusted until the opponent taps out or submits. One problem with this choke is it must be applied from behind an opponent so it must be coupled with movement techniques to be executed properly.

The knee could be the most devastating of the close range attacks available to a combatant. When combined with a clinch the knee can provide a use of force in combat for those situations where a combatant is highly aggressive but does not rise to the level of needing deadly force. A knee to the face or chest can quickly drop the will to fight out of an enemy. In a combat training session it is very important that the knee blows are used in a controlled and measured manner to keep from damaging training partners. In fact outside of combat a full force knee blow should only be used with proper protective equipment or against a heavy bag. When executing a knee blow be sure to have a forward leaning stance with the stabilizing leg positioned so to provide the most possible balance.

The mount is often said to be the most dominate positional advantage a person can attain in single unarmed combat. Though the mount is not an ideal position for true life and death combat it seems to happen often enough due to intention or chance that training the mount can prove to have tremendous benefit. As important as training to attain the mount it is at least as important to learn proper defense from the mount. In combat training the mount can be trained with very little equipment and with relative safety so long as rules are abided by so as to not cause any real harm to the opponent. Practice the mount in combination with other combat training and during non live fire training to gain a proficiency in both attaining and escaping.

It may seem basic, but I find it very rare to see a person deliver a proper straight punch. This most basic of combat skills is not taught in most combat training schools because it is assumed that everyone knows how to deliver a straight punch. The fact of the matter is most operators swing wildly and in a more rounded fashion than what would be prescribed by the straight punch. A straight punch, both jab and cross style should be projected forward and returned on the same line. A rounded “haymaker” style punch is much more common and is generally projected from behind the center line of the attacker. The rounded style punch may deliver more power but is often easily recognized by an opponent and can also be easily deflected or block due to the fact that it takes longer to deliver and can be hard to aim. Practice a straight punch with focus mitts and on a heavy bag be mindful of the technique and use of the hips and feet to generate power.

Abel Cossas is an Army Special Forces Operator and combat instructor, for more information on the Tactical Performance visit his blog. Be sure to go to the premier Training Combat site on the internet.

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