Modern Street Combat

Hi Dave,
Hope your well mate Just a quick few questions regarding the MSC. How much ground grappling is trained in your MSC? and is there any boxing style of punching used? or is it all open hand strikes. Also what kind of weapon training do you teach within the MSC.

many thanks mate.

Hi Pre-Emptive,

I'm not Dave and I certainly wouldn't claim to speak on his behalf but I can give you an answer from my ten plus years training SDF material.

There is a significant ground grappling element within the SDF training syllabus. The MSC concept being to know enough to do damage and prevail at any range or position and be "comfortable" in any platform or transition. Emphasis placed on achieving dominant position and transition to standing while maintaining that dominance.

We teach/train both open and closed hand strikes. My personal philosophy is that it's a choice for the indivudual. We lay out the pro's and con's of open hand and closed fist striking and leave it to the individual to make the choice. Provided the delivery is correct and optimum then there is no issue. The closed fist strikes are not delivered in a "boxing" framework. They are delivered in a way that is more conceptually linked to "PAG" bareknuckle striking. There are obvious similarities but large differences in the two.

Weapon training comes into the SDF philosopy and methodology early. The emphasis being based on the prevelance of violent encounters which include weapons and the common weapons utilised in those attacks. We train with a view to prevailing against the types of weapons and attacks we will face in today's society. As a result we are constantly evaluating the types of weapon, the aspects of delivery for the most likely weapons, the attributes of the most likely attacker etc.

So, this would include but not be limited to training sessions like the student being attacked by someone wearing a "hoodie" with a fixed blade knife or a stanley blade deployed from inside the hooded tops front pockets. The intent being that we reproduce an experience as close to "realistic" as possible with all training.

I'm sure Dave will have a lot more to add, all the best
Chris

Apologies for the late reply, but I have just got back from hols

Thanks to pre-emptive for his interest, and to Chris for his very insightive reply... Chris has just about summed up MSC well and really there is little to add.

Other than our sources for 'perrtdonal combat material' are very varied and not 'stuck' to one or more ideals and disciplines.

On an overall basis we probably use more Western than Eastern methods and principles...

In fact I dont (personal choice .. not a 'law/rule' of the MSC) dont use ANY oriental kicks any more... biut certainly dont dismiss them for those practitioners who do use them.

Purring, Crayling, Pag, Savaux,Chausson, Catch etc etc are all used.
perhaps one answer to your groun grappling question is the old adage . 90% of fights end up on the floor .. possibly true, but 100% start standing..

There are only THREE ways you dont drown in water..

1. someone saves you ... not one to rely on!!!!
2. You stay away from water ... still no guarantee you wont fall in
3. youl learn to swim

that goes with all secanarios ... so learning ground is an essential.. but AVOIDING being there first is more essential

as a final point.. MSC is the product of my 51 years training the martial/combat arts, and took 20 years to come to the point it is now..
it also has gone through several 'name changes' ... each one reflecting a different or differing stage and concept.

Hopefully with the type of instructors I have such as Chris, and many others, the stage it is in now will not be a final or stagnant stage.

personal and individual input is PRIME, and we dont breed (nor want) robots or clones.

thanks again, and cheers Chris

Thanks for the Replies more then answered my question

Just one further question. I work shifts and if I couldnt make the MSC classes as they are on set days, would I be able to train privately and still learn the system. I understand i'd get more attention to detail in private instruction, but I wouldnt get to train with diffrent people, as in I wont be able to test what I've learned against various training partners. What would you suggest one 6 hour training session a month or a two hour sessions fortnightly. Its not ideal i'd like to attend the classes but due to recent change in working hours I cant. many thanks.