| One of the more intriguing aspects of Ki | | | | SENSITIVITY and the DISENGAGEMENT PRINCIPLE |
| Chuan Do (KCD) for beginners and outside | | | | to as quickly as possible DESTROY THE ENEMY |
| observers is Master Perkins' "Modified Native | | | | while maintaining a firm ROOT NO ONE CAN FIND |
| American Ground Fighting." Not only have most | | | | (through balanced MOBILITY), looseness, and |
| people never seen or experienced authentic | | | | body unity.The major differences that require |
| Native American martial arts (because of the | | | | additional training are the use of different |
| dearth of practitioners alive today and the | | | | ROOTING POINTS on the ground--hips, back, |
| even smaller number interested in sharing | | | | shoulders, etc.--as opposed to just the feet |
| their skills with the public), but most | | | | while standing up, and the increased |
| martial artists and combative sport fans | | | | availability of TOOLS, in that both legs may |
| cannot even conceive of an effective method | | | | be used simultaneously from the ground and in |
| of fighting on the ground that differs | | | | ways different from when standing up. Seeing |
| significantly from the grappling methods | | | | as the legs (especially with sturdy boots on |
| (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, etc.) so universally | | | | them) are by far the more powerful limbs of |
| practiced today. To even suggest that a very | | | | the body, it makes sense to take advantage of |
| different method may be equally or even more | | | | their increased usability on the ground |
| effective for real violence immediately | | | | through additional training. Hence, the main |
| evokes skepticism, so conditioned are most | | | | foci of solo training for KCD groundfighting |
| people to consider "groundfighting" | | | | should be the development of BALANCE on and |
| synonymous with "wrestling" or | | | | transition between the various rooting points |
| "grappling."Let's take an analytical look at | | | | available on the ground, and the development |
| what KCD Modified Native American | | | | of the musculature and coordination necessary |
| Groundfighting actually is, why it is, and | | | | to use all the available tools in all |
| how and why it differs from conventional | | | | possible ways . . . and, of course, the |
| groundfighting (grappling) | | | | development of the ability to get up off the |
| methods.DISENGAGEMENT vs. ENGAGEMENTKCD | | | | ground from any position as quickly as |
| groundfighting, unlike grappling, emphasizes | | | | possible!GROUND AVOIDANCEAlthough this |
| DISENGAGEMENT, rather than ENGAGEMENT with | | | | article primarily addresses how the KCD |
| the enemy. "Engagement" here means the | | | | practitioner fights while on the ground, |
| merging of two bodies into a single system of | | | | because the prevention of going to the ground |
| forces for more than a split second's | | | | is such an important factor in real combat, |
| duration. Put more simply, conventional | | | | we will address it briefly here.There are no |
| grappling methods emphasize engagement with | | | | special "anti-grappling" or |
| the adversary in that the practitioner seeks | | | | "counter-takedown" techniques in KCD. One |
| to "tie up with" the adversary in order to | | | | problem with such techniques would be that by |
| apply his techniques. The grounded grappler | | | | the time one realizes their necessity in a |
| on the offensive seeks to minimize the | | | | fight (i.e. when one recognizes the takedown |
| distance between his body and his opponent's, | | | | attempt), it is usually too late to apply |
| hence gaining maximum control over and | | | | them! Instead, the basic concepts of KCD, if |
| awareness of all of the opponent's movements, | | | | trained diligently, will usually prevent the |
| maximizing opportunities to apply attached | | | | circumstances that typically result in |
| joint locking/breaking and choking/strangling | | | | fighters' going to the ground against their |
| techniques.Minimizing the space available to | | | | will. Specifically:1. BALANCE: The |
| the opponent minimizes the opponent's | | | | "hyper-balance" that is a result of KCD |
| opportunities to strike the grappler (using | | | | training makes it less likely that a KCD |
| conventional strikes, at least), and allows | | | | practitioner will lose his/her footing and |
| the grappler to use his full bodyweight and | | | | fall to the ground, regardless of the |
| the strength of his core muscles against the | | | | cause.2. SENSITIVITY and the DISENGAGEMENT |
| isolated weaker joints of the opponent, | | | | PRINCIPLE: The trained KCD attribute of |
| provided the grappler has sufficient | | | | external tactile sensitivity along with its |
| sensitivity, agility, endurance and knowledge | | | | application according to the disengagement |
| to make the techniques work against his | | | | principle (whereby the practitioner strives |
| opponent. Even when conventional striking | | | | to remain as disengaged with the enemy as |
| methods are integrated into grappling, as in | | | | possible while remaining engaged enough to |
| the popular "ground and pound" strategy of | | | | cause damage--to "stick but not get stuck") |
| Mixed Martial Arts competitions, the striking | | | | can prevent a grappler from achieving a |
| is usually performed from prescribed | | | | strong clinch with the KCD practitioner, as |
| positions of maximum engagement (e.g. punches | | | | the KCD practitioner's body always seems to |
| from the Mount position or knee strikes from | | | | "squirt" out of attempted grips and holds |
| the Side Control position) so as to maintain | | | | while striking into vital areas and |
| control over the opponent's movements while | | | | disrupting the grappler's balance from |
| creating just enough space for the grappler | | | | unexpected angles. This negates a common |
| to strike.KCD groundfighting, on the other | | | | grappling takedown strategy: to first tie up |
| hand, implores us to remain as disengaged as | | | | the opponent in a standing clinch in order to |
| possible. Rather than tying up with the | | | | suppress his strikes and gain control over |
| enemy, a KCD practitioner strives to maintain | | | | his balance, and then to take him down from |
| his/her own freedom of movement, rather than | | | | there.3. DROPPING ENERGY ("absorbing the |
| committing his/her body to merging with the | | | | overtravel") and the SPHERE OF INFLUENCE: KCD |
| movements of a single adversary. Contact with | | | | practitioners' use of dropping energy to |
| the enemy, rather than being tight and | | | | "absorb the overtravel" of strikes (as Master |
| constant as in conventional grappling, is | | | | Perkins has explained in Newsletter #18) as |
| fleeting and minimal, consisting primarily of | | | | well as keeping strikes within the sphere of |
| kicks, strikes, slams, gouges, rips and quick | | | | influence (to prevent "reaching" with |
| wrenches. The principle of disengagement | | | | strikes) means that KCD practitioners are |
| allows the KCD practitioner to utilize an | | | | unlikely to overcommit to strikes. Taking |
| element relatively unavailable to the | | | | advantage of a striker's overcommitment to |
| conventional grappler: MOBILITY.GROUND | | | | his strikes is the main means whereby an |
| MOBILITYWhile a good grappler is mobile | | | | experienced grappler can shoot in for a |
| relative to his opponent, in that he is able | | | | successful takedown from outside of contact |
| to rapidly climb all over and around the | | | | distance. If he cannot force the opponent to |
| opponent's body, the engaged aspect of | | | | overcommit to long-distance striking attacks, |
| grappling prevents the grappler from being | | | | it becomes very difficult for a grappler to |
| mobile relative to the total environment. | | | | achieve a clean takedown without first |
| While he is attached to his opponent, working | | | | achieving a controlling clinch (addressed |
| towards the opponent's defeat, the grappler | | | | above in point #2). Additionally, dropping |
| is not free to rapidly move around the | | | | energy (along with BODY UNITY) allows very |
| environment he is fighting in.The KCD | | | | powerful strikes from very close range, which |
| practitioner, specifically because he remains | | | | can further frustrate a grappler's efforts to |
| disengaged from the enemy (through trained | | | | safely close distance.4. LOOSENESS: The KCD |
| rapid, convulsive and yielding movement and | | | | practitioner's trained looseness makes it |
| sensitivity), is free to move wherever s/he | | | | very difficult for a grappler to control the |
| wishes. Further, rapid mobility across the | | | | KCD practitioner's body, even if a grip is |
| ground (primarily in the mode of rolling) is | | | | achieved. For example, against an untrained |
| something that is trained constantly in KCD | | | | person, a grappler can force the whole body |
| groundfighting training. This kind of | | | | off-balance simply by manipulating one arm, |
| training is notably absent from most | | | | as the untrained person naturally tenses up |
| conventional grappling programs, simply | | | | against the grappler's grip. However, many a |
| because it does not fit into the grappling | | | | grappler has grabbed a KCD practitioner's arm |
| paradigm of constant engagement.SPORT vs. | | | | only to realize that "he's got nothing," as |
| COMBATThe contrasts explored thus far expose | | | | the KCD practitioner's looseness allows him |
| the primary difference between conventional | | | | her to move the rest of his/her body |
| ground grappling and KCD groundfighting: Most | | | | decisively independent of the controlled arm |
| modern grappling methods are designed for a | | | | to retain balance and attack the grappler. |
| SPORT paradigm, while KCD groundfighting is | | | | The importance of this combination of |
| intended for REAL COMBAT. Because of the | | | | Looseness and Sensitivity cannot be |
| always present possibility of multiple | | | | over-emphasized. It is the emodiment of all |
| attackers in real combat, purposefully | | | | the internal principles talked about in KCD. |
| engaging with a single adversary on the | | | | The practitioner learns to move his body as |
| ground, thereby sacrificing mobility, is an | | | | if his attacker's skin is red hot and |
| extremely risky strategy. While the story | | | | scalding yet he must still feel where he is |
| exists of a grounded grappler's buying time | | | | and where he's going; this completely changes |
| against multiple attackers by manipulating | | | | the mindset from force and control to touch, |
| his engaged opponent as a shield against the | | | | evasion and destruction. The image is, as we |
| kicks and punches of the other attackers, | | | | like to say, one of carrying a hot potato in |
| this is hardly a reliable enough strategy to | | | | your hands across a room without dropping it. |
| count on. A far better strategy is the exact | | | | It's too hot to hold but too important to let |
| same one a KCD practitioner would use on his | | | | go.Generally, training the KCD principles |
| her feet: Remain MOBILE and disengaged in | | | | will allow the KCD practitioner to deal with |
| order to prevent the attackers from targeting | | | | a grappler as with any other fighter. Special |
| you for effective strikes and grapples while | | | | attention is given to aspects of contact flow |
| lashing out with powerful, accurate, | | | | and combat application particularly germane |
| full-body attacks against the closest | | | | to grappling (e.g. feeling the level change, |
| attackers, while attempting to create a | | | | finding and indexing on the head, body unity |
| window to escape the crowd.This is exactly | | | | and dropping to stop momentum, close range |
| what the KCD multiple attacker strategy | | | | destruction, destroying the grappler while |
| consists of: constant, unpredictable movement | | | | being taken down, etc.)INTENTIONALLY GOING TO |
| (in the mode of rapid, stomping steps while | | | | THE GROUND: "EMERGENCY OFFLINING"While going |
| standing, and rolling when on the ground); | | | | to the ground in a real combat situation |
| rapid, powerful, full-body striking at all | | | | should generally be avoided, under certain |
| angles (dropping strikes and kicks while | | | | circumstances, going to the ground in |
| standing, and dropping kicks [primarily], | | | | particular ways may be the best course of |
| body slams and strikes on the ground); and | | | | action.In KCD, intentionally going to the |
| looking to escape the mass attack (breaking | | | | ground may be characterized as a form of |
| out of the crowd to run away while standing, | | | | "emergency offlining." Getting offline from |
| and creating space to get up and then run | | | | an attacker's charge is a fundamental concept |
| when on the ground).PROVEN IN WORLD WAR IIIf | | | | in KCD. It is usually accomplished while |
| this groundfighting strategy sounds novel or | | | | standing by stepping to the side (and |
| unproven, note these excerpts from the book | | | | preferably forward) of an attacker with |
| Kill or Get Killed by Lt. Col. Rex Applegate, | | | | appropriate timing, positioning and |
| one of the greatest works on close combat of | | | | follow-up. However, sometimes the |
| the World War II era:"Avoid, if at all | | | | practitioner may not have the space or time |
| possible, going to the ground with your | | | | to move to the side (e.g. in a confined area |
| adversary. . . . One injunction you should | | | | multiple attacker situation), or must |
| heed: Once going to the ground, never stop | | | | immediately get his/her vital organs further |
| moving. Start rolling and try to get back on | | | | away from the attackers' weapons (e.g. |
| your feet as quickly as possible. If you | | | | knives) than a sidestep in the given |
| can't get up and can't roll, pivot on your | | | | environment would allow. If offlining cannot |
| hips and shoulders so you can face your | | | | be accomplished to either side, and if the |
| opponent and block with your feet any attempt | | | | KCD practitioner cannot levitate, changing |
| to close with you.Remember, it is not | | | | the angle can be accomplished in only one |
| necessary to go to the ground once YOU have | | | | direction: downwards. The KCD practitioner |
| placed your opponent there. You can finish | | | | must go to the ground.The methods by which |
| him off with your feet. Your enemy can do | | | | the KCD practitioner goes to the ground are |
| likewise if you remain immobile on the ground | | | | very different from those used by most sport |
| and stay within range."(p. 15--emphasis | | | | grapplers. Nearly all the methods sport |
| included in original)"When on the ground, | | | | grapplers use to take a fight to the ground |
| subjected to attack from a standing opponent, | | | | (e.g. wrestling takedowns, judo throws) |
| the individual can use his feet to prevent | | | | involve bringing their most vital areas |
| the adversary from closing in or | | | | (head, neck, chest) very close to the |
| administering a coup de grace." (p. 16-17)"At | | | | opponent's hands. This creates a major |
| the first opportunity he should try to regain | | | | problem in real combat situations that |
| his feet."(p. 20)Despite being an expert in | | | | require going to the ground--situations in |
| sportive methods of ground grappling, Lt. | | | | which one GOAL of the maneuver is to GAIN |
| Col. Applegate, like John Perkins, understood | | | | distance between the fighter's vital areas |
| that under real combat conditions, where | | | | and the weapons of the enemy! The methods |
| multiple adversaries may have boots and other | | | | used in KCD, based on Native American |
| weapons fully capable of ending things in an | | | | takedown maneuvers, do not suffer from this |
| instant if offered a good (stationary) | | | | problem. They involve dropping, diving, |
| target, a) lying on the ground is generally a | | | | spinning and rolling to the ground at angles |
| bad place to be, and b) when on the ground, | | | | that present the practitioner's feet towards |
| the sportive strategy of engagement must be | | | | the enemy, while moving the upper body away |
| abandoned for one of disengagement and | | | | from the enemy's weapons. The simultaneous |
| mobility.THE STRATEGY MUST MATCH THE GOALThe | | | | takedowns are done with the feet and legs and |
| grappling approach of full engagement with a | | | | have a good chance of seriously damaging the |
| single adversary in order to apply pins, | | | | enemy's lower body (primarily breaking the |
| joint locks and chokes is ideally suited to | | | | knees). They also set up the practitioner to |
| allowing a grappler to convincingly and | | | | use his/her legs on the ground (again keeping |
| demonstrably control and dominate a single | | | | the vital areas of the upper body away from |
| opponent without seriously injuring him. This | | | | the enemy's weapons) to quickly end any |
| is why grappling is such a perfect method for | | | | subsequent groundfight.TIPS FOR SURVIVALHere |
| sport competition, where the object is to | | | | are some training tips to consider as you |
| demonstrate one athlete's superiority over | | | | begin your path to combative groundfighting |
| another while preserving both athletes to | | | | expertise:1. STICK WITH THE PRINCIPLES: |
| perform another day.In contrast, the KCD | | | | Because KCD groundfighting looks different |
| approach of disengagement, with contact | | | | from KCD stand-up training, people sometimes |
| limited primarily to the impacts of powerful, | | | | assume that the basic KCD principles of |
| full-body kicks, body slams, strikes, | | | | balance, sensitivity, looseness and body |
| wrenches, rips and gouges, is not very well | | | | unity do not apply. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER |
| suited to pinning an opponent in place or | | | | FROM THE TRUTH! Balance in any position on |
| forcing him to admit defeat before serious | | | | the ground is what allows all the "crazy" |
| damage is done. What it IS suited for, | | | | maneuvers to be effective. Sensitivity |
| however, is maintaining the KCD | | | | (including tactile and subcortical visual) is |
| practitioner's freedom of movement and | | | | necessary to guide the practitioner's |
| mobility, allowing him/her to move | | | | movements across the ground and into the |
| sufficiently to prevent a lethal pile-on or | | | | enemy, even when the practitioner's head may |
| boot party from multiple attackers and create | | | | be moving and turning rapidly to keep away |
| space to stand up, while dealing out | | | | from danger. Without looseness, the |
| disabling and possibly lethal damage to the | | | | practitioner's body will quickly be broken |
| attackers.THE WEAPON FACTORAnother contrast | | | | against the ground itself, especially during |
| between KCD groundfighting and conventional | | | | the falling and diving maneuvers. Looseness |
| grappling that illustrates their respective | | | | combined with sensitivity is also what allows |
| foci (combat vs. sport) is how the hands are | | | | the KCD fighter to not be dragged into an |
| utilized in each. In conventional grappling, | | | | immobile grappling clinch. You must learn to |
| the hands are used almost constantly to hold | | | | move your body like a writhing mongoose or a |
| and control the opponent, and also at times | | | | furiously twisting, spitting alleycat. Would |
| to balance on and push off of the ground or | | | | you want to grapple a 160 pound alley cat? |
| strike the opponent. In KCD groundfighting, | | | | Try putting it in a headlock or a mount or a |
| however, the hands are almost never used | | | | figure 4? Of course not, it would be |
| against the ground or to hold the enemy, and | | | | insanity: you'd never get a grip on its body |
| are used only secondarily for momentary | | | | as you're being torn to shreds.Finally, body |
| striking, gouging and ripping. During | | | | unity is what makes the ground kicking and |
| training, the KCD practitioner is admonished | | | | rolling maneuvers so damaging to the enemy. |
| to keep his/her hands as free and | | | | The attacks come from the whipping and |
| unencumbered as possible. This is because KCD | | | | dropping (yes, even on the ground!) of the |
| acknowledges the fact that in real combat, | | | | whole body, not just the legs, allowing them |
| hand-held weapons are often a factor in the | | | | to cleave through the enemies' bodies rather |
| outcome. Therefore, KCD groundfighting is | | | | than bouncing off harmlessly. The original |
| designed to integrate seamlessly with weapons | | | | Native American fighting methods KCD |
| use. This is inherent in the art's Native | | | | groundfighting was distilled from were |
| American roots, when a practitioner would | | | | characterized especially by a loose |
| have been expected to have tomahawks and/or | | | | gracefulness and uninhibited use of the |
| hunting knives in his hands while fighting in | | | | entire body as a united weapon to destroy the |
| close combat, on the ground or otherwise. The | | | | enemy.2. REMEMBER CONFINED SPACE: Remember |
| modern KCD practitioner may instead have in | | | | that if one of the possible reasons to go to |
| his/her hands a carry knife, a cane, or a | | | | the ground is to be able to get your vital |
| weapon of opportunity that may be picked up | | | | targets further away from a weapon in |
| from the ground (e.g. a brick, a bottle, or | | | | confined space, you need to be able to do all |
| dirt to throw in the enemies' eyes). | | | | the maneuvers in a confined space! Do not |
| Groundfighting with weapons, as well as | | | | practice all of the diving and falling |
| picking up weapons from the ground in the | | | | attacks only by diving across the room into |
| midst of a fight, are frequently practiced | | | | wide, ballistic arcs. You should be able to |
| aspects of KCD training.SENSITIVITY AND | | | | drop to the ground within your own space and |
| DESTRUCTION vs. CONTROL AND SUBMISSIONTo sum | | | | take out the legs of the person right next to |
| up what we've covered so far:Sportive | | | | you. Going to the ground like this starts out |
| grappling SEEKS the ground in order to gain | | | | with a sensation similar to dropping on your |
| CONTROL over a single opponent in order to | | | | feet. Like a marionette that's had its |
| make him SUBMIT to the grappler's will. | | | | strings cut, your whole body suddenly goes |
| | | | limp and drops--only rather than catching |
| KCD AVOIDS the ground due to the dangers of | | | | yourself within an inch, you let the drop go |
| being on the ground in a real combat | | | | all the way to the ground while spiraling or |
| situation (as opposed to in a sporting | | | | collapsing to land at the correct angle to |
| match). However, if forced to the ground, the | | | | allow you to take out the enemy as you fall. |
| KCD practitioner uses DISENGAGEMENT (through | | | | When you do it properly, you should seem to |
| sensitivity), MOBILITY and MAXIMUM, IMMEDIATE | | | | your enemy to suddenly disappear--only to |
| DESTRUCTION OF THE ENEMY (including use of | | | | reappear next to his broken legs, your boots |
| WEAPONS if available), just like while | | | | against his neck and head.Ari Kandel is a 1st |
| standing up, in order to minimize the danger | | | | degree Black Belt in Ki Chuan Do, the |
| while on the ground and stand up as quickly | | | | adaptive, free-form internal art created by |
| as possible. | | | | former forensic homicide investigator John |
| | | | Perkins. He also appears in the KCD Guided |
| Generally, KCD groundfighting uses the same | | | | Chaos Groundfighting DVD. |
| strategy as KCD stand-up fighting: Use | | | | |