If you got hit, it's your fault.

[DT4EMS]

If you were hit, you made the mistake.

Here is the way I train people. It is the "tactics" not the techniques people need to understand. There are PDF and video clips that explain each of the "techniques" discussed within the tactics below. You just need to know where to look to find them. (*wink*)

So lets look at how we can fix this (the mistake of being hit) and understand my thoughts on why we (DT4EMS) train the way we do. Let’s look at the “tactics”.

1) Don’t be on an unsafe scene. Now we wish this could happen all the time, but is not always possible. Do what you can to stay away from the areas you know are prone to trouble. (Bars, Corners where dopers hang out, unlit areas, your buddy’s bedroom with his wife etc)

2) Awareness. You have to be aware of your surroundings in order to prevent an assault. Be mindful of “who” is around and pay attention to the little things.

3) Maintain a safe distance. This is when the person started approaching. Your hands go up in NVP (non-violent posture) and you back away if possible.

4) DTP- If you failed with 1-3, the DTP can buy you a second to correct your mistake.

5) Basic Ground Defense: If the DTP failed and contact was made and you were knocked to the ground…. Tuck your chin, bring your knees up and yell on your way down. The BGD keeps a person from you.

6) Escape the Mount (Basic Ground Drill) for if you made a mistake and let them mount you.

At every level you would remember your principles of DT4EMS. So, if you undersatand "where" you are at in the setting of the "mistake" you will know what you need to do to escape.

Oh yeah,...........wear a vest cause that will solve everything. (sarcasm intended)

 

[DT4EMS]

If you look at 1-6, the idea would be....if you were at #6,work to get to #5 then work to #4 and so on.

If you were at #1 you want to prevent from going to #2.

See it is "tactics". The tactics will be what saves the rescuer's behind, not the techniques. You can fail to achieve proper technique and still be OK.

 

[Jon]

Just out of curiosity - are you promoting "ground-fighting"??? Going through "Self Protection Measures" training last month, we were told that "ground fighting" was evil, bad, and a good way to get "our" a** kicked.... then again, we're traning from an almost LEO perspective (OC, Baton, Poss. Firearm).... just curious...

 

[DT4EMS]

Just out of curiosity - are you promoting "ground-fighting"??? Going through "Self Protection Measures" training last month, we were told that "ground fighting" was evil, bad, and a good way to get "our" a** kicked.... then again, we're traning from an almost LEO perspective (OC, Baton, Poss. Firearm).... just curious...

Nope. the ground is the last place you want to be on the street. But it shows how complete we have tried to make the DT4EMS program.

Look at the progression of 1-6. You are always trying to get back to #1. You are on the ground because you messed up. But we don't want people to think just because they have hit the ground there is no option. But it is not our first option.

Remember submission is not what the EMS provider is looking for.

Escape is the number one priority.

 

[Jon]

Ok... I got you.

As I said.. I've been trained with "submission" in mind.. not escape. This is good and bad, depending on how you look at it.

 

[DT4EMS]

IN my regular self-defense school we add more to it of course, but the goal is still not submission. For example....

The main way I want people working to pass a guard is to use eye rakes and multiple groi stikes to get the person to open their legs.....then swing the aggressors leg over etc.

When we use key locks, they are taught with a rapid "flip of the hip" to cause instant joint destruction. Also we teach that when a person in class "taps" they only stop the forward pressure...they do not let go.

Subtle differences like that for when people are training several times per week. We still train them in the appropriate levels of force, and the right and wrongs of doing things...... it's just we don't train for sport at all.

 

[DT4EMS]

One more point so people don't get mad at me.....

What I mean by "If you get hit it's your fault" is to force people to follow sound tactics. If a person always tries to get to #1 they will take personal responsibility for their safety.

So no, becuase you got clobbered from behind...... it doesn't mean it is your fault. It is just a way of "helping" people remember some crucial steps to scene safety.

 

[DT4EMS]

It is so hard to explain this without being in person: It is similar to above with a little "more" explanation of the "why".

Understanding my thoughts on why we train the way we do. Let’s look at the “tactics”.

Since DT4EMS is not a karate class, a ground and pound class or law enforcement defensive tactics people get confused about what we do.

We try to give the EMS provider a systematic approach to how an assault, not a fight, unfolds.

1) Don’t be on an unsafe scene. Now we wish this could happen all the time, but is not always possible. Do what you can to stay away from the areas you know are prone to trouble. (Bars, Corners where dopers hang out, unlit areas, your buddy’s bedroom with his wife etc)

2) Awareness. You have to be aware of your surroundings in order to prevent an assault. Be mindful of “who” is around and pay attention to the little things. (What is being said ?, What is the mood of people around? etc.)

3) Maintain a safe distance. This is when the person started approaching. Your hands go up in NVP (non-violent posture) and you back away if possible. The NVP makes it harder for people who are “witnesses “ to say it looked like you were the attacker or you were wanting to fight. Safe distance would vary depending on the threat presented. If you noticed the problem here, you would go to #2 then #1.

4) DTP- If you failed with 1-3, the DTP can “buy you a second” to correct your mistake, and try to get to #3, then #2 and so on. It is the constant idea of escape that is in mind. Not knocking a person out or submitting them. The essence of the Double Tap Parry IS the parry. Not a block. If your hands were up (#3) it is like swatting a bug away from your face as you LEAVE. Going to #3

5) Basic Ground Defense: If the DTP failed and contact was made and you were knocked to the ground…. Tuck your chin, bring your knees up and yell on your way down. The BGD keeps a person from mounting you.

6) Escape the Mount (Basic Ground Drill) for if you made a mistake and let them mount you. If mounted the idea is to escape it, create space and work to #5, then 4, 3, 2, 1.

DT4EMS has nothing to do with training a person to “fight”. Fighting is hard but self-defense can be very easy. When you think of the goal… to get off of the unsafe scene (#1).

It is tactics not techniques. A clinch or a ground and pound (both very effective) could be seen as aggressive and the EMS provider who wins the street battle would ultimately lose the courtroom battle and the battle of the Media.

Most attacks on EMS are not life threatening, some are. So a person needs to have sound tactics, not techniques.

Some of the video clips that we put on our website show the progression of how the DTP can be used in many situations. In a DT4EMS class the DTP moves into Elbow Control or, A head Takedown or the push off escape. The videos just show how regardless of “what” you trained in before you can blend the principles/tactics into your training. But the most important thing is TRY NOT TO GET HIT with the first attempt and LEAVE.

Most of the two days is built around preventing the first strike, punch, push, grab, slash etc from taking place. That is what makes us different. IF you look on the internet for fight clips you will see almost every one of them has two things in common: 1) Two willing participants and 2) The fight started with an outstretched limb.

Attacks on EMS and others have no ground and pound involved. Most are a spontaneous attack that catches the victim by surprise. The stories of EMS providers attacked with a pipe, shot, stabbed, punched; kicked etc. can be read in several places. Not one story of an EMS provider being ground and pound has surfaced. Not that is hasn’t happened , but statistically it has been strikes with empty hand or weapon attacks on EMS. So for EMS providers (not fighters) the goal has to be avoidance, if caught off guard go through the steps above to get away. ( 1-6)


So DT4EMS is not 100% effective. No system is. Human conflict is dynamic. But what we must do is like self-defense triage, the most amount of good we can with the time we get.

I had to fight to get administrators to let me have 16 hours with their people……. And sticking with legal reasons we include the levels of force, laws of self-defense and patient restraint… that eats up time during a class. Then we teach Survival Mindset and reaction time the how and the why’s.

SO DT4EMS is a class for EMS, not to fight, or beat a person up or compete in the UFC or do anything of the sort….. our goal is #1 above.



These steps (1-6) must be fundamental in escape training. If a person in trained several times a week in any art (Kali, MMA, BJJ, Krav-Maga, Haganah, Anything Blauer or Cucci, Sayoc, Kali-Silat, etc. They wouldn’t need DT4EMS.

BTW I am a huge fan of MMA. I think MMA changed the way people train. It changed the way I trained and the way I train people.

I hope it clears some things up. If you can find a gym and train regularly in some of the arts I listed I applaud you.

Until then stay safe. 

 

[gradygirl]

I'm not sure if you've read this, but there is a book called The Gift of Fear. It was recommended reading for a class I took similar to DT4EMS, though not related to EMS. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know about it in case you aren't familiar with it, it's a great, though serious, read.

 

[DT4EMS]

I'm not sure if you've read this, but there is a book called The Gift of Fear. It was recommended reading for a class I took similar to DT4EMS, though not related to EMS. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know about it in case you aren't familiar with it, it's a great, though serious, read.

I haven't heard of that one. I did look at some of the text. Very good points. I think it would be a good read. There are several out there that are along the same lines dealing with survival mindset and refusing to lose. Those are rules in the DT4EMS course.

That is the "battle of the mind" we prep people for.

Here is a link to a clip where there is an explanation of the DTP with three strikes. The idea would be to create space to get back to #1. You will see the "PARRY" allows me to escape, then ELBOW CONTROL buys me the next second.

Not every situation would require the "strikes" after the DTP but it is a basic we do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWl5xHr211o

 

[gradygirl]

Are you the one in the red sweat pants?

 

[DT4EMS]

Yes.... I know they were a litte baggy......... we were doing ground escapes that day and I wanted to be comfortable.

 

[gradygirl]

You move so fast. h34r: That poor guy you were demonstrating on looked real bewildered after some of those moves.

And no worries about the pants, baggy sweats are my dorm uniform, I was just trying to figure out who was who.