Know Your Targets

In reality based combatives / martial arts, ones goal is to quickly and effectively stop your attacker or attackers.  We are not trying to score points, a submission or even a knockout. We are looking to incapacitate, we want to do as much damage as necessary as quickly and effectively as possible as to escape, stop the attack, or stop the attack long enough to escape to safety.

Optimally we are looking for economical efficiency in our techniques and approach to training. The best way to achieve this is to know and understand what the most effective targets are. Targets really fall into two categories, Primary and Secondary. Within Primary targets are a sub group that I refer to as "your soft targets".

I.C.E Your Attacker

 I.C.E is an acronym I use when I am teaching and talking about dealing with situations or confrontations in a broad sense. I.C.E is a good acronym to teach newer students because of it's simplicity to remember. It is also a good way to introduce the concept of situational awareness and confrontation readiness and realization. So lets break down I.C.E.

The Self Defense Golden Ratio 10:5:3:2

Often times martial arts systems become cluttered and confusing. What I mean is  that a system may have 20,30 or more techniques for 1 type of attack. While I believe in being absolutely thorough it has been thought that by studying so many techniques, it may cause a person to falter when it is needed most i.e. I am getting attacked what technique should I use. As well as being overloaded  with techniques, the techniques themselves are often very intricate and involved. Techniques need to be simple, effective, easy to remember and train and even easier to deploy under duress. Through research, study and practice I have come to the conclusion that my "golden ration" is a good measuring stick to use when studying, teaching or training. The ratio 10:5:3:2 is as follows;