Thread: Distance
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Old 08-14-2002, 05:24 AM   #7
DaveO
Dojo: Great Wave Aikido
Location: Alberta, Canada
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 543
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One of my old Army close combat instructors - Sgt. Carl Dunnings - had us doing a drill once that at the time I thought extremely odd - although I've since learned its value. Here's what he had us doing: (BTW, this was with bayonets in hand.) One soldier would attack, one defend. The defender was responsible for maintaining a steady distance between them, while the attacker tried to either close or extend the distance. The tactics: If the attacker backs up, the defender moves forward, maintaining distance. If the attacker moves in, defender moves to the side, maintaining distance without giving up ground and initiative. After several passes, attacker and defender would switch roles when attacker backed up. The distance started at 10 feet, then once we got better at it, Sgt. Dunnings shortened it to 5 feet. Awkward to tell, a lot more awkward to do, but once we'd done it for a week of classes, it became a fascinating dance - 2 armed soldiers gliding in, out and around one another, maintaining distance, waiting for an opening, striking when it presented itself.

One of Sgt. Dunnings' quirks was the use of real bayonets - no rubber for him! Gave us great incentive for success, increased attention span too. (BTW - as long as he trained us, no-one actually got cut - bad, at least. )

Last edited by DaveO : 08-14-2002 at 05:28 AM.

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