Working in a Crowd Article

[RobP]

Following on from a workshop we ran last weekend I've put down some ideas about working in a crowd at:

http://www.systemauk.com/artcrowd.htm

You can also see a video clip of some of the drills done on the day at:

http://www.systemauk.com/video/NMEET05.WMV

Feedback appreciated

cheers
Rob

[Paul Genge]

Nice article Rob.

Paul Genge

[calleo14]

intresting nice article thanks

[inbuninbu]

Excellent article, amde me think about some new aspects of non-violent self-defence, awareness etc.

It's true that most MAs train for a nice, fair, one on one encounter only - at least until BB, which I believe is definately a weakness that needs remedying along with all the other factors that limit the effectiveness of many MA to the classroom. Just practice can help you get used to the feel and mood of an unusual environment like a crowd.

Im not entirely sure I agree about the effect of a blindfold - it's suggested that vision is severly limited in a crowd so wearing one simulates that, but any vision, however limited, is essential in detecting movement and may just give you the edge.

[Paul Genge]

Working without sight is important not only because it similates a possible factor effecting a future confrontation, but because it effects our psyci profoundly.

Once deprived of sight it is possible to learn new levels of sensitivity once we accept our temporary disability and relax. It is therefore very common to practice many of the drills in Systema with and without sight. The interesting thing is that it is often easier to do these drills easier without sight.

For other information on learning to work in crowds I have an article here (http://www.russianmartialart.org.uk/page58.html).

Paul Genge
Russian Martial Arts Northwest (UK) (http://www.russianmartialart.org.uk)

[NINE]

That was a great read and the video looked awesome!

[Ran Pleasant]

Interesting and useful.

[Wax]

Great article.

I'd reccomend that everyone interested in such problems go to a metal concert (something popular but heavy eg. Korn) and have a play in the pit. It is suprising how the techniques mentioned in the article for moving through the crowd work for getting out of a crush. It will also condition you for a mass evac as you gain an understanding of the 'flow' of a large group of people pushing towards a point.

[Captain Kebab]

Excellent article, and the video was great too. I've never trained as such for crowd situations (reading this has made me think it's a good idea) but I followed my football team home and away throughout the 70s when the football hooliganism problems were at their height (I still do, but all-seater stadiums, effective segregation, CCTV and more efficient policing have together meant that the general violence that was so prevalent then is now much reduced) and many things in this article rang true for me.

I never really thought of what I was doing back then as a strategy - I'd done some karate, not much back then, but it didn't address these kind of situations at all. What I thought I was doing was using my common sense to keep out of trouble, but thinking back I got plenty of practice at moving through crowds which were often actively hostile and looking for victims, not drawing attention to myself, keeping in contact with my mates and occasionally looking after my young nephew.

I was always aware that I had to keep alert, assess whether the crowd I was in was mainly comprised of supporters of my team or the opposition, or mixed, and how hostile their mood was - simple things like deciding when to hide my team's colours (in those days we wore scarves which could be conveniently stuffed down your jeans if necessary rather than replica kits) and keeping my mouth shut when my Manchester accent might give me away were what kept me safe. And even now when watching football is much safer, I am always 'switched on' walking to and from the ground, and in the ground, especially at away matches. There is still an undesirable minority which attaches itself to football in the UK who are always ready to kick off.

I never saw it as a training exercise of any sort - I love watching football and was just following my team. At times it was much scarier then I wanted it to be, but despite a couple of close shaves I always managed to avoid any actual trouble.

I couldn't recommend it as a training method because watching football is very much safer then it was in those days, but certainly the sort of tactics recommended in this article are exactly the sort of tactics that kept me out of 'bovver' in the 70s.

[Shadow_of_Evil]

Great articles, great video, great thread...great fun.
I've been in several massive group fights, back in my gang past, and it isn't always what it seams.
Those articles are very correct and containt accurate non BS tips and tactics.
Nice.