The Definitive Tactics Thread

Again, focusing on the tool gets you shot or stabbed.  The weapon is the mind and intent of the wielder of the tool.  Shutting off the brain eliminates the weapon….and the threat.

But the vids were cool to watch.

If you noted, I stated “For entertainment purposes only”.

On the other hand, the black belt being shot numerous times and barely surviving may not have done the wrong thing.  In fact, the odds are that he would have been killed and barely surviving beats not surviving at all.  Sometimes there are no good choices … only the best of some bad choices.

I’d rather have physical and mental toughness to improve my chances of survival AND martial skills AND a firearm than just a firearm.  But none of them are a guarantee of survival.   

But I thought those dozens of cans of sardines in mustard sauce in my basement meant that “I’d never be hungry again.”

CS

I guess I’d like to see Viktor Marx disarm a serious bad guy from 6-8 feet away.  Maybe he could, but what fool holds a gun to your head from 12″ away with one hand?  And the purpose of removing the mag from the weapon?  I’d be racking that slide and making ready, ‘cept the bad guy would probably be crawling all over me. Parlor games…Aloha, Steve.

I need to have a mouth guard for the ECQC class and I imagine it needs to be a martial arts type designed for being struck in the head or mouth area.

The first one I looked at had some comments about hard plastic causing fat lips or split lips when hit, so I tried to find some aimed at martial arts rather than field sports.

As I am writing this it occurs to me that maybe all the force on force activities will have the protective face masks so mouth strikes may not be as much of a danger as I am thinking, but unless there is some overriding reason I suppose I would like to get one that would be useful both with and without a face mask.

Here are two that I have my eye on.  If you think something else is better feel free to say so.  I don’t mind spending between $20 and $30 for a good one, but since I am not planning on a lot of martial arts activity more than that might be pushing it.

http://www.shockdoctor.com/product/double-braces-mouthguard.aspx

http://www.shockdoctor.com/product/nano-double-fight.aspx

I would appreciate it if some of the martial arts guys could pont me in the right direction.  I would prefer to purchase from Amazon if possible.

Thanks.

Joe 

For the third time, that’s why I wrote “For entertainment purposes only”. 

Joe – either one of those will work.  I’d go with the first one because it looks to have a larger air channel.  I used a single brace mouthgaurd during my TF training and was constantly aware of my lower teeth being unprotected.  You will still probably get a bloody lip, but at least the teeth will stay in place.

Also, very important.  Buy and wear a cup……trust me. 

I saw your disclaimer (twice), ao.  I’m pretty observant in that manner.  Just commenting on the content of the video, not your decision to post it.  Almost everything is worth taking a look at, and critiqueing.  Aloha, Steve.

Dogs,

Thanks for the advice on the mouth guard.

I already have the cup from a previous air soft FOF class.

One other friend recommended neck protection for simunitions or air soft.  I saw some relatively inexpensive paint ball neck covers so I will get that as well.

Joe 

Well, I survived the ECQC class.

It was a real eye opener regarding how fast bad things can happen to you and how unclear scenarios are while they are unfolding.

Given my age and physical condition I did not work at the extreme pace that the younger guys with martial arts experience did, but I was pushed right up to my limit and I was amazed at how much effort I was able to put out when I had to, especially when I was in the middle being watched by the entire class.

The mouth guard worked very well.  At one point my helmet came off and I took a punch to the jaw, but I don’t think it was a hard punch because it did snap my head back.

After it was all over I took stock of the damage:  one arm bruise, six torso bruises and about five dime-sized red welts from the simunition bullets.

I experienced a lot of the psysiolgical stress features that have been talked about in my training and in books that I read:  tunnel vision, auditory exclusion, not feeling pain.  I did not feel most of the simunition hits and only saw the welts after I got home.

Another thing was that I had a difficult time remembering the details of the scenario.  We also had many instances of the three scenario participants all having different versions of what just happened.  This reinforces the concept that it is a bad idea to be running your mouth off immediately after an incident because you probably have it all jumbled up.

It was a great class and really helped me to assess what I can and cannot do in real world situations.  It also called into question some of the techniques presented in other training classes.  I don’t think they will work in a situation where you cannot be certain of the intent of the unknown person until they are well inside your zone of safety.

I don’t know how I would have survived the class had I not begun a crash eating and exercise program last February that resulted in me losing 20 pounds before the class.

I will be continuing with the Convict Conditioning exercise program that Ivory Jackel told me about, singing my Waving Flag theme song – “When I get older, I will be stronger . . . “

Thanks for all the advice on the procective gear and information on the class from those who attended previously.

Joe