Q: 

Hi Brad, thanks for the cool site -- lots of practical advice. You sound like you're on the same wavelength as me and a couple of training buddies. We're prison guards in a medium security jail in New Zealand. Mostly cruisy, sometimes not. We are taught a 3-person restraint system that does work pretty well -- it's based on head restraint with 2 wristlocks. Anyway, that's the official way. I was wondering about your way. I've seen several references on law enforcement oriented sites to an offensive, or entry technique called the wedge [it appears to be a double handed thrust of some sort, Tony Blauer advocates it]. Do you know anything about this? My background is in Okinawan Karate, plus boxing and a bit of Gracie groveling on the floor [yuk-messy, but real!] I wonder if this wedge move is similar to the reinforced punch you see in classical kata?

A:

I'm hearing all sorts of terms like "SPEAR" (Tony Blauer), "Shield" (Rich Ryan), and "Shield" (Tom Proctor)  I don't have any experience with Tony Blauer's SPEAR, but I've trained with Proctor and he's shown me his take and I've seen Rich Ryan's. They all seem to be similar, but different in a few ways. Ryan and Proctor seem to use their "wedge" type of position in more of a hard style way to physically block an attacker. Ryan uses his forearms to "block" a blow or tackle. Proctor uses the lead hand of the wedge (and yes, his shield seems to be more like the reinforced punch you mentioned) to interrupt a punch by blocking the guy's shoulder.

I've had better luck with the Gracie method.  It follows Musashi's "Use your everyday stance as your combat stance and your combat stance as your everyday stance". I use it empty handed as well as when I have my duty weapon on. My hands are up guarding the center line forcing the attacker to swing around my guard. My hands can reach out to area block and entrap the attackers arms as I enter or, alternately, my hands come back to my head with my elbows flared out to protect my head as I enter.

You might also find that you can get better success with your entry when you verbally challenge the opponent to "set" the parameters of the fight. In other words, you can say something like, "look mate, I know you think you're pretty tough, but you'll never lay a glove on me" while pointing to your chin. Set the context of the fight so that he is predisposed to try and punch you in the jaw. It makes your entry smoother and less crazy when you only have to face a swing to the head. Of course anything can still happen, but it seems like most of your opponents are going to be headhunters anyway and this just adds a little bit more of a guarantee of a haymaker to the head.

I demonstrate this technique along with takedowns and control methods in the upcoming DVD "Advanced Police Combatives" that will be coming out this summer.

Best of luck. Stay safe.

Brad Parker