Improvised Weapons

Discussion in 'Self Defence' started by Tommy-2guns..., Aug 5, 2007.

  1. Tommy-2guns...

    Tommy-2guns... southpaw glassjaw

    Hello there,

    How do you folks out there teach improvised weapons in your lessons?Im looking for just some things to freshen up what i normally do when i teach my little sessions,Weapons are a small part of what i go through and tends to centre around Two Modes

    1)Drilling with the Actual weapon - lets use the beer Bottle for an example,then situation sparring with its less harmfull equivelent - A half filled plastic bottle in this case-Then ill have the defender in the scenario either surrounded(hostile) or have people scatered about to simulate a club/bar enviroment(neutral), and then pass the bottle to a random person i walk past and then they attack at a time of their choosing and i usually stop it on the second good strike with the weapon(unless the lucky guy defends well and disarms the attacker :) ) and then change the scenario/person.

    2) Improvised weapon Randori,which is basically a free sparring avenue to use or defend against(or both) a set of common improv weapons (pens,chairs,bottles etc),usually without a scenario and just used as a testing ground for the techniques,and the tiredness and adrenal rush does well to simulate the physiological reactions to adrenaline and fear and this (i hope) sorts the wheat from the chaff when finding what could be usefull to that individual.

    So i ask you,what games and formats have you found work well for improvised weapons sessions?what have your students found usefull and even what has not gone down so well?

    cheers
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2007
  2. Jang Bong

    Jang Bong Speak softly....big stick

    Can't help much as in our classes we talk about 'adaptations' to techniques we are doing using improvised weapons (pool cue instead of staff, etc) but don't directly act on them. One that we re-visit occasionally is the use of the belt (off your trousers) for defence and restraint.

    After saying that - I'd love to come and play in your class :) it sounds FUN - especially the scenario work.
     
  3. Anth

    Anth Daft. Supporter

    We don't really do much weapons work at all in our club now, though a few of us went through some knife defences that ended up going into groundfighting fairly often one night. Now its the summer quiet period though, I may see about trying some improvised stuff sometime.
     
  4. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    From what you've said Tommy I take it that you are teaching them to defend against improvised weapons rather than use improvised weapons themselves against attackers?
     
  5. Tommy-2guns...

    Tommy-2guns... southpaw glassjaw

    I do a bit of both really, although you are right that it is,in the main in the defence from an attack as opposed to attacking with, but thats not a preference of mine as such,its just something i havent gone into myself in any good detail.
     
  6. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    With regard to using improvised weapons for defence - there are of course pros and cons. Often the use of a weapon causes us to focus too much on the weapon and miss other opportunities when they present themselves. In addition the cross extensor reflex may make it difficult to transition from holding a weapon to doing something more appropriate with that hand.

    With regard to what you are doing with the weapons - sounds good. A modification I would suggest is to put out more weapons but brief the desired attacker beforehand - that way rather than 'having' the weapon they have to go through the pre-fight manouvers of acquiring or withdrawing the weapon prior to use - gives the defender all important cues to look out for - a part of training that is in many ways even more important than learning how to deal with the incoming part of the attack.
     
  7. Tommy-2guns...

    Tommy-2guns... southpaw glassjaw

    Cheers for that, yeah i had the idea of making a set up of chairs and tables with such items that could be an ashtray,bottle,stool,(insert generic Pub weapon here) and then choosing before hand one or two people to initiate agression at any time,leaving it up to them weather they employ weapon X or Y,so they can work on their - Diologue,deception,distraction,destruction (of the Geoff Thompson style) whilst the designated defender can work on his fence work,pre emptive striking and verbal skills.

    I see what you mean about the benefit of the drawing of the weapon,the trouble is ive always found that something hard to work with, as i dont go into the realm of knife work,the only thing that can be 'drawn' is the scenario,of the confrontation occurs whilst the bottle is in the hand,the pool cue is already in the hand,sometimes having an ashtray on the table can be picked up with speed works,but most of time we dont go much into things that can be drawn out so to speak,but its something id love to look into although i agree i should work more on how the weapon is aquired.

    On attacking with an improvised weapon however,drawing and using The Pen is something i do use,normally its preceded by a question or concealed by a movement of the fence when i go through it but i leave it up to the attacker for them to conceal it as they naturally would.

    Yeah you can really notice them focusing utterly on the weapon, even though many time's oppotunities arise for any number of attacks to be countered or the weapon man has a clear shot with his freehand,but i find thats what makes it interesting,one of these days ill get to filming so i can kind of do a 'filmed feedback' type thing,which may help rectify that,but of course it is a natural reflex for most people to go for the 'arghh,bugger,grab the bottle!' approach :D
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2007
  8. Orangeseger

    Orangeseger YouTube =/= Training

    When I read "improvised weapons" I got this picture in my head of a bunch of MA students runnng into a toolshed and grabbing random objects to fight with.

    I'll go with an axe or a giant two-man saw.





    I think it is good to learn how to improvise, thats why I like any kind of stick fighting. Sticks, poles, bars, they're everywhere!
     

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