Instructor School

[Jimd]

Today was the first day of Defensive Tactics Instructor School. Damn, am I sore, and it ain't even tomorrow yet! :)

Feels like a Bradley rolled a track over my left shoulder blade. Today we practiced jointlocks, wrist locks, arm bars, and throwing each other all over the classroom. We're in the classroom because the gymnasium is being occupied by a banquet for the suits because this is Corrections Employees Week, and all the geeks have to pat each other on the back.

So we bounced into each other, walls, desks, chairs, etc. in the classroom today as we threw each other.

Tomorrow will bring some more jointlocks, and then baton techniques, as well as strikes. We've all been through this stuff many times before, but now we're really getting drilled with it, since we'll be instructing it.

At any rate...even if the entire class marched over my back, stomping as hard as they could, it's still better than being in the prison. I'll take my lumps with a smile.

Four more days to go...

[Dr. Snubnose]

Ahhhhhhhhhh! Welcome to the wonderful world of Defensive Tactics...As a DT Instructor I throw people around everyday...After awhile you don't even notice that your body hurts anymore...Doc

[Michael Cook]

Joint locks? I've been studying Aikido since '97. Remember, the attacker determines what technique is correct for that situation and more of what does not work will not work!

[Dr. Snubnose]

Joint Locks should not be considered for use as a first line of Defense, fine for follow ups which in most cases will work then......so drill drill drill.....Doc

[Simon G]

Jim,

Enjoy! :D

Train like you'll fight, so you'll fight like you train!

God bless,

Simon.

[Jimd]

Today was awesome. The guy we're working with is a former Judo competitor, and he currently referees Judo competitions. He also owns his own martial arts school, practices a LOT, is a corrections sergeant at a very large county facility, and is the training coordinator for that facility. In short, he knows his ****!

The sick bastard had me pinned today, and I was in such pain that I was trying to crawl through the floor to get away. The dude is evil. I like him a lot!

Today we did quite a bit of ground fighting, mostly escaping the mounted position, keeping the baddie away from our weapon side, choking him out, escaping his choke...it was freakin' awesome.

I haven't done a lot of martial arts training for quite a few years, I need to get back into it, seriously. I forgot how much fun it is. The groundfighting is so damn useful, especially when it's coming from someone with so much practical knowledge. When we'd run into problems, we'd call him over and it was guaranteed that he'd have a solution to help us out. And his solutions weren't spontaneous; he'd been down this road before and had already developed solutions to the problems.

On to day three tomorrow...

Oh, and does anyone know....can a person die from receiving too many rug burns to one's body?

[Jimd]

Joint Locks should not be considered for use as a first line of Defense, fine for follow ups which in most cases will work then......so drill drill drill.....Doc

I agree; joint locks are sometimes nice finishing moves, after the aggressor has been thoroughly pummelled/softened up. Also, they sometimes work nicely if an offender is acting up a little bit, but not yet completely flipping out, and not violent.

I've been in a large number of altercations behind the wall to date (unfortunately). Hopefully, the more I study different techniques, the more they'll become a part of my toolbox, giving me options to choose from.

In my younger years, I studied martial arts for about a decade, and on a limited basis ever since. Given a varied basis, I now like to pick up useful techniques and concepts from here and there to add to my toolbox.

Honestly, though, despite the fact that I like my job, I'm getting tired of seeing the ugly side of people, and what they do to each other. I've been behind the wall for nearly fifteen years, and I'm just plain worn out.

[DAYWALKER]

Aloha JimD!

Great class by the sounds of it. You mentioned "protecting your weapons side"...is this during rec or transports in which you carry a weapon?

Anyway, I agree about seeing the bad side of "people"...*ugh*.

DO retain as much as you practically can..."basics" are what usually works the best IMHO...also, keep the Faith, as the Lord makes for a strong shield for BOTH mind as well as body. Take care brother and as "SarGe" would say: 360IJN always.

God bless :cool:

[Jimd]

More groundfighting today. This instructor is absolutely sick! After class, a few of us hung out with him, and he tied us up in various stages of pretzeldom, and never once used the same move twice in a half hour!

I picked up a few simple techniques that I'm incorporating into my reportoire, very effective stuff.

I could get used to doing this every day, seriously.

Daywalker, to answer your question: We're armed when escorting inmates outside the prison for any reason. Also, we're armed if we're assigned to the reservation of the prison. Or for special circumstances on the inside.

[Jimd]

I'd really love to study groundfighting a lot more with this instructor, but he lives across the state, six hours away. It realistically just ain't gonna happen.

If I can pursue it in my locale, though, I'd like to.

I went into this course thinking I likely wouldn't learn very much, but came away with quite a bit more knowledge than I'd bargained for. A very nice surprise, indeed.

I can honestly say, I've increased my survival potential by a large percentage by learning what I have this week.

Actually, this course is targeted for officer survival in hostile conditions, rather than "fighting". The only thing that held us back from learning a LOT more were our department's guidelines

[MeJoomeok]

Jimd,

This guy sounds like a real sicko! I think I love him too! Any chances of you describing how the class was taught. I would be interested.

Does this fellow have a website? Is it entirely Judo based? Got any pics of your rug burns (with clothes on, of course)?

Tell us more...I miss the MBC portion of this website. So I only get to hear the exploits of your adventures through you.

Which moves (detail now), did you think were most valuable to keep in your "toolbox"?

Thanks for the info, in advance.

[Jimd]

Jimd,

This guy sounds like a real sicko! I think I love him too! Any chances of you describing how the class was taught. I would be interested.

Does this fellow have a website? Is it entirely Judo based? Got any pics of your rug burns (with clothes on, of course)?

Tell us more...I miss the MBC portion of this website. So I only get to hear the exploits of your adventures through you.

Which moves (detail now), did you think were most valuable to keep in your "toolbox"?

Thanks for the info, in advance.

I'm not sure if he has a website, I forgot to ask him! I have his email address, though, so I'll be in touch. If he has a website, I'll make it available immediately.

The course was an official Department of Corrections course, so we couldn't deviate from the lesson plan or authorized use of force.....officially. Most of the good stuff that I learned was learned after hours or on breaks.

The real nuggets of wisdom he handed us were how to make some of the less effective moves that the DOC forces us to use more effective.

I also learned a few more escort holds that are truly VERY effective; I could have used these a few times in the past. Also learned how to approach fighting inmates in the safest possible manner, and how to take them down with the least risk to us.

The system that he uses is a combination of Judo, Thai Boxing, Boxing, Wrestling, and other martial arts. Apparently, his dojo is in a gym, and some Thai Boxers train there, as well as other martial artists.

Unfortunately, the DOC is so narrow-minded that we're not officially allowed to teach anything that's outside policy. Every now and then, we'll tell trainees "this isn't in the lesson plan, but it'll make your life a lot easier, and you didn't hear it from me".

Rug burns? Sorry, no pics. Surprisingly, I'm in amazingly good shape for being at the end of a week of being slammed around. I forgot how much I enjoy stuff like that.

Two of the most important things I learned were how to escape from the mounted position if an attacker's on top of us, choking us and/or pummeling us. We stick a finger in the Jugular Notch (at the top of the breastbone) to make the attacker straighten his arms. Then, slam one of his arms over and up, causing him to learn forward. From there, we reach across, under one of his arms (preferrably on the opposite side that our weapon is on, if carrying), clasp hands on the opposite side of his neck, and squeeze as hard as we can.

In several seconds, if done correctly, it's lights out (though we're not authorized to apply chokes). The attacker can be held until help arrives, or we can roll him and come out on top while continuing the shoulder lock.

[MeJoomeok]

Very Cool. Thanks for the response. I hate to deviate from this thread's intended purposes, but you got any other words of advice? And of course all other comments are welcome. Daywalker seems to know the stuff you talk about.

Just to let you know where I'm coming from...I have always had this impression of what DOC and LEO folks are and aren't allowed to do. Are there any glaring things that movies depict and are completely off base?

Thanks for the replies and "Good On Ya!"

[Jimd]

The movies are WAY more violent than we're usually allowed to be, unless our lives are threatened. Our moves are not as flashy as most of those in the movies, either; quick and to the point, no high kicks, etc.

[DAYWALKER]

Unfortunately, the DOC is so narrow-minded that we're not officially allowed to teach anything that's outside policy. Every now and then, we'll tell trainees "this isn't in the lesson plan, but it'll make your life a lot easier, and you didn't hear it from me".



Aloha JimD!

Man, I was LMAO when I read that! Seems to be something "universal" among the UNWRITTEN Code of SURVIVAL on "the inside" among the "floor soldiers". I have said many times to staff that I have trained, "Policy dictates that we cannot do this, but I am gonna show it to you ANYWAY because it might save your LIFE one day..." Besides, there are many PPCT points that you might "miss"... ;)

Ooh...the dreaded feeling of being mounted. I hate that...Good ya learned how to escape it, but as you already know, keep OPTIONS open and be aware of your "plan B" if the taught escape is not working. Example: I was STUCK in my co-workers mount once and the way I was shown to escape was NOT working. SO, I grabbed his outer pec HARD, and SO deeply that I caught the inside of his armpit also. He could not move his left arm "properly" immediately after that and the next three days after. I DID, however, manage to escape his mount. OBTW, YES...we do hit each other when we do our "scenarios"...probably at 70% w/o gear.

Anyway, retain what you can apply at will brother. You'll be surprised ;)

God bless and 360IJN always,
Chad

[Jimd]

Yeah, I throw in some "extras" whenever I'm instructing a class, too.

I often put it like, "Now, when you're bringing his arm around, be sure not to twist it like this, or you'll likely dislocate his elbow..." (wink wink). They get the picture. I didn't instruct them to maim anyone; I showed them how not to.