The Physics of Combat

This is a brief synopsis of a lecture I give when training: law enforcement, military personnel, executive protection specialists, and/or RBSD Instructors, etc....

It's very common, as humans (more specifically in the world of martial arts and CQC/CQB) that we latch hold of a great new concept and cling to it without question.

Before moving on, it is not the intention of this lecture to be esoteric or to proselytize anyone. Mention of things often considered "religious" are only used to bring home a point and illustrate that same point.

I pose this question to you, would you do so with concern to the possibility of an afterlife? I have asked this of many and I have had very few reply that yes, they would latch hold of the very first concept which would offer them a good afterlife. Nearly all have had some variation of the following: "I would diligently research and to the best of my ability scrutinize every aspect and detail to be sure I truly was attaching my well being to something which would deliver EVERY time". Many have said they would search out multiple sources and multiple critics then compare and contrast the information. Others still said they would go a bit further and become an intellectual expert on the subject in order to better make a right decision.

Now having said that, why do you suppose we latch onto new combat concepts as if they had been delivered by a higher power? Yes, perhaps they were - I will simply concede that point now.... However for the sake of this lecture my point is simply why do we not scrutinize those skills which may save us in this life as much as we would tend to for those things which may secure our afterlife?

I personally think we get a "guru mindset" which blinds us to possible ineffectiveness in a skill. I propose one develop a good method of determining the validity of a technique or skillset. I personally use the following method in addition to "does it fit within Krav Maga principles":

NOTE: This is a partial list

1) Understanding the physics of the conflict for which this skill/technique is intended
a) is it empty hand to empty hand?
b) does the attacker have a knife?
c) does the attacker have a gun?

2) Am I alone?
a) am I on the job?
a1) if I am, who is with me (fellow officer, client/principle, etc.)
b) am I in a public place?
b1) if I am, what is my environment
b2) are there innocent bystanders?

NOTE - there are others, but for now I will try to keep this short and therefore I will only attempt to address a few of these points/subpoints.

In order to best evaluate I think we will look at empty hand versus hand gun. In this evaluation we will use the semi-automatic as an example though we may touch on revolver a little bit.

Here we go.....

The semi-automatic is a magazine fed weapon. Without intending to over simplify the operation, there are single action only, double action only and dual or single/double action semi-autos. The single action requires the firearm be cocked (a bullet in the chamber) manually for the firearm to discharge a bullet, the most famous of which is the M1911 handgun. This weapon often requires the slide to be racked for the first round to be discharged and each subsequent round will be fired by single action as the recoiling slide will cock the hammer as it goes back and then the weapon will be reset for firing as the magazine spring assists in chambering a round as the slide goes back forward. Double action will pull the hammer back with each trigger pull (this is primarily a function of revolvers) - there's one short reference to a revolver, but an important one in understanding it's influence on the physics of an empty hand encounter with one. However, Glock and Kahr (as do other manufacturers - i.e. the Smith and Wesson Sigma series) use a double action only design on their semi-auto firearms as well. With these, the operator must rack the slide in order to chamber the first round, then with each subsequent trigger press the magazine and slide will chamber the next round (explained above). The single/double action is typical of many semi-auto's. The function of this trigger mechanism is identical to a DA revolver. However, the firing mechanism automatically cocks the hammer or striker after the gun is fired. This mechanism will cock and release the hammer when the hammer is in the down position but on each subsequent shot, the trigger will function as a single action.

There's is a VERY brief overview of HOW the semi-auto works. Now, how does this physical operation of a semi-auto affect the physics of a conflict? Let's just look at one model for now. We'll use the SW Sigma 9MM, a double action only weapon. This weapon was designed to combat the Glock model of weapon and keep Smith and Wesson in the running for selling to Police Departments.

If faced with this weapon, while out for the evening. Perhaps in a mall, after having left dinner in the Olive Garden, you are with your family; wife,10 year old daughter, 5 year old son and the 2 year old twins. You've stepped out into the parking garage and are approaching your vehicle. You've been distracted by the antics of your children and suddenly, from out of no where, your are faced with an assailant using this weapon. You're wife is on the left pushing the double stroller with the twins asleep inside, and the other two children are behind and to your right, but only slightly as they are walking right next to a wall. It doesn't matter why at this point so PLEASE, let's not major on this point, but you decide to act as opposed to giving the criminal your wallet and valuables. This where one MUST understand the operation of a semi-auto weapon.

You are right handed and thus grab the weapon with your left hand as you remove yourself from the line of fire. You then drive it into his Left hip while delivering a right handed punch to his face or throat.

In order to effectively pull off the typical older Krav Maga application of a gun disarm as described above, one must be able to take the weapon out of battery to avoid potentially shooting those around them. For instance, you are right handed and thus feel more comfortable using your left hand to grab the weapon. As you do so, you have to push the slide and ONLY the slide approximately 1/8 of an inch to the rear (toward the assailant) to render the trigger ineffective. If at any point during the conflict you allow the slide to come back forward, the trigger WILL work again and the firearm can be discharged. SO, let's say you are able to somehow pull this part off (under stress, fear and a massive adrenal dump). Now, continuing a look at this older application of KM, you punch the bad guy in the throat or face. He, being 205 pounds, was not expecting this and falls backwards. Are you strong enough to prevent this person from being able to redirect the weapon back you, or worse on a member of your family? What then? Will the aggressor be gracious and just leave without his goods!?! Doubtful at best....

Let's examine a few variables now. First let's consider he does not fall backward, he simply decides to just put his other hand on the front of the weapon just behind front sight. Then he side steps and pushes HARD on the front of the gun. It is now back in battery and is aligned on one of your two children near the wall or yourself. Perhaps both, if they have moved behind you, they are still in danger as the 9mm has a reputation for passing through a close target and hitting another behind the primary. Don't most of us, or even television, teach/train our children to hide behind us when afraid? Isn't this a somewhat instinctive response for most children? Here is another variable, as you remove yourself from the line of fire, and grab the weapon while simultaneously driving the gun toward the opposite hip of the attacker, YOU cause what is known as a "flinch response" in which (due to the shock) the bad guy presses the trigger. Now one of your two children will either be hit directly by fire or a ricocheted bullet from the fire YOU caused.

What does all of this lead to? I think it leads to a need for an evaluation of the “guru” effect taking place in the world of Krav Maga. There are many great and charismatic instructors teaching a myriad of things which were useful when they were first considered. Now, with a history of persons being injured or killed (or causing the death of partners in life and on the job) those skills need to be tested and evaluated full speed and full power against an aggressive, role playing attacker determined to avoid capture and intent on getting what they want at any cost.


It's hard to decide what to keep and what to delete when condensing a 1 hour lecture into a few bullet point (please excuse the pun). Having said that, may I give you the moral of the story? In full contact, full speed trials MOST older Krav Maga applications fail the test of reality. My friends Moshe Katz and Itay Gil both use their shops as reality laboratories. Itay once told me that when he was in YAMAM and promoted to lead tactics instructor his commander asked him: "what do we need to change?". His reply? "Everything"!! Good men were being badly hurt and killed when using what we refer to as traditional Krav Maga. This is not to say those older applications hold no merit, they are just behind the science of conflict. We now know that, even for highly trained persons, gross motor skills are far more likely to be successful in a high stress, life or death situation. I will perhaps write about that portion of this lecture at a later date, but will avoid it for now as I don't want to take away from the purpose of this article. Which simply put is, many if not most older Krav Maga applications are now behind the scientific curve; if that's not putting too fine a point on it. They employ small digit manipulation against a far more gross motor action from the attacker. They require a person to go against simple physics and physiology and absolutely MUST be accompanied by a "surprise" to the attacker. Again, there are usable tidbits, but much of it needs to be rethought - tested full speed and full power against a larger, stronger attacker who gets one direction - Attack Me. No more scripting of EVERY attack from our training partners. This simply builds a false sense of security.

Okay, before anyone puts the “I would never do that with my family present” defense out there, PLEASE as I asked before, don't do that. Unless you have been through this kind of scenario repeatedly, scientific surveys of persons who have faced this PROVE you don't know what you'll do until you have faced it. Even then, your reaction would likely change based on the previous encounter should you be forced to face it again. Next, IF you are someone who has faced this repeatedly, that defense is still lame because you didn't learn the most valuable lesson the first time. Stop going back to that location! All kidding aside, let's keep this discussion focused on the parameters I have laid out, whether you believe them to be realistic to you personally or not.