Tools Versus Techniques: A quick clarification (Or why boxers get it and most martial artists dont)

Hey guys, sorry for the delay, situation ain't too pretty here in Lebanon so I'm not online a lot these days: A few days ago, a high ranking police official (Captain Wissam Eid, RIP) was killed in a car bomb, along with half a dozen civilians. There was a lot of wounded too, God bless them and save us from those fucking terrorists and shit stirrers.

Tools and techniques, hmmmm, that's a tough one. Marc St Marie, our beloved Malevolent Preacher on the Senshido Forum and Senshido Founder Richard Dimitri posted a few lines about that about 5 years ago (click here: http://senshido.savi.ca/viewtopic.php?t=923).

This small article is me trying to chime in my 2 cents ;)

Let's start with some definitions and examples:

A technique is as follows, use response A to attack X, continue with combo B,C, and D, or shift to E or F if the bad guy does Y or Z attack. For example, Mr. Bad Guy grabs your lapel, and you reply with a wrist grab, wrist lock, and punch to the head. If he tries to punch you while you go for the lock, you elbow and punch him.

Those with street experience can recognize that this approach, although valid, is sometimes flawed; Although each individual response may be effective, there is a possibility that the defendant might either continue with his combo despite it being inappropriate because of muscle memory programming or freezes if a new unmapped attack is used.

Let us imagine for a moment that the bad guy, struggling in the wrist lock, gets closer to the defendant before the latter can finish the combo, grabs the good guy's ear and tries to rip it off. If the defendant never envisioned this possibility, he may freeze and get victimized, attempt to "force" the technique risking injury, or improvise and survive. Sadly, those who improvise are few and far between, with the majority either freezing or trying to go with the original technique (either by muscle memory or by desperation) and therefore get hurt unnecessarily.

On the other hand, a tool is an attack concept. For example, boxers don't parry the attacker's right hand with their own right hand, and then proceed with a right cross and a left hand uppercut. A boxer knows that his tools are the jab, the direct, the hook, the uppercut, and some small variations of the latter. Boxers also understand footwork, bobbing and weaving, parries, slips, forward drive, etc.

At Senshido, we have a saying: "Rather than provide technical aspects for people to use in particular situations, we provide analytical skills that will be useful in any situation." That's why we believe in using tools, tactics, strategies and concepts as opposed to techniques.

So, if some guy grabs my lapel, instead of a head butt knee elbow combo, or a wristlock or some fancy technique. First, I'd assess the situation: What does the guy want? Maybe he's mistaken me for someone else. Is he alone or does he have a pack of bloodthirsty quarterbacks with him, sharpening their knives and telling him "Hey man, keep a piece of him for us". After a tactical assessment, I will use Senshido's 5 principles of Physical Retaliation and the tools best suited for the moment: Spitting, elbowing, raking, gouging, kneeing, headbutting, takedowns, joint locks, running away, using a distraction, utilizing a weapon, etc. IT DEPENDS! Maybe he's too far away for an eye gouge, but not far enough for a rake or a bite or me drawing my kalashnikov and shooting his ass (Just Joking!). It really depends on the situation.

Hell, this is hard to explain using the written word and without visual aids, but I hope you somewhat got an idea. I'm put a short clip in a week or so showing the difference and demonstrating Senshido's Five Principles of Physical retaliation. The principles are simple and will maximize your physical response:

1- Economy of Motion
2- Non Telegraphic Movements
3- Closest Weapon To Closest Target
4- Tactile Sensitivity
5- Primary Targets

More about them soon!