The Four Pillars Of Combatives Training

What I find interesting in the RBSD field is the lack of a “holistic” or “Integrated” approach to teaching what I like to call the “Four Pillars” of combatives. As many on this forum will appreciate, there is more to self-protection that just the physical (one of the pillars). This fact eludes many who continue to believe that the other three pillars that I am going to briefly discuss are just “fluff” or “psycho babble” and as such, have no place in the training regime. So what are the four pillars ??????

Pillar #1: Pre Event Show

Pillar #2: The Surprise Guest

Pillar#3: The Main Event

Pillar#4: Post Event Show

The Pre Event Show:

This pillar contains information specific to pre-contact attributes which include but are not limited to:

  • Victimology

  • Predatorology

  • Use Of Force and the Law

  • Verbal and non-verbal skills and attributes

  • Pre-assaultive indicators

  • De-escalation skills and attributes

  • Semantics

  • Predator/Prey psychology

  • Understanding and harnessing the emotional, psychological, and physical effects of fear

  • Making peace with the Grim Reaper

  • Understanding the “Way Of The Street”

  • Warrior Spirit

  • Awareness skills and attributes

I, as well as many other instructors, believe that many confrontations can be averted or even won at this pillar.

The Surprise Guest

Contrary to popular belief, many attacks are initiated utilizing the element of surprise. It is because of this fact, one must incorporate the physical, psychological, and emotional skills that are “congruent” with the body’s natural reactions to a surprise attack be it with a knife, club, gun, or empty handed. This must be done from any and all positions, be it prone, sitting, or standing and in any environment. Many fail to understand this pillar and as such, become cannon fodder to their attacker.

The Main Event:

If one survives the “surprise guest”, or is fortunate enough due to “awareness” to see the fight coming, next comes the main event (the physical fight). At this pillar, Gross Motor skills applied in a compound attack combined with offensive mindset reign supreme. Fine complex motor skills have no place at this stage of the confrontation, but many still teach such skills out of ignorance or willful blindness.

The Post Event Show:

After you have won the fight, the aftermath of your actions now take front stage, which may include but are not limited to:

  • Severe Injury/death

  • Moral and Legal consequences (both criminal and civil) to your actions

  • Post traumatic stress issues

  • Unwanted publicity and arm chair quarterbacking in your local media

  • Family strain

  • Work/employment problems

  • Scapegoating

  • Jail

Any “reputable” self-protection program will cover, in depth, all four pillars. IMO, many programs out there in the “RBSD” market concentrate solely on the “Main Event” with very little emphasis or attention placed onto the pre-event, the surprise guest, or the post event pillars. If what you are studying does not cover the above noted information, then you ARE NOT, IMO, best preparing yourself for REAL WORLD violence, and all its ugly faces.

Strength and Honor

Darren Laur

January 18, 2009 at 6:42 pm | Uncategorized | No comment

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