Man has been fighting hand to hand for a very long time. Before he figured out how to throw a rock at someone, he probably bitch-slapped his neighbor over something.
As we evolved and progressed, we quickly learned how to make weapons, with every improvement becoming more and more lethal. Look at where we are today, with smart bombs and satellites capable of launching attacks!
But, the need for hand to hand combat skills for today’s military professionals has never been overlooked or ignored. Special Forces teams around the world spend countless hours honing their skills on how to subdue their opponent using just their bare hands and maybe a knife. This is called “Close Quarter Battle” (CQB)
Let’s take a quick tour of five countries and see what their elite soldiers study for in preparation for a test on close-quarter combat.
U.S. Special Forces
A popular question is, “Who receives the most hand-to hand training, SEALS, Green Beret, Marine Recon, Delta, or A.F PJ’s?” Depending on who you ask, you will probably get a different answer.
All of these groups use a combination of these disciplines.
- Jiujitsu
- Judo
- Aikido
- Krav Maga
Here is a brief video showing some techniques by a U.S Strikeforce member.
India’s Para Unit
Para (Special Forces) is a special forces unit of the Indian Army‘sParachute Regiment and is tasked with missions such as special operations, direct action, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism,unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense,counter-proliferation, counter-insurgency, seek and destroy and personnel recovery.
Here is an example of how these guys train. Pretty intense!
Britain’s Special Forces and Elite Units
The UKSF is made up of several different units, all highly specialized in their respective fields. The role of Britain’s special forces, such as the Special Air Service, has transformed over the years; from defeating Hitler, to facing down the Soviet Union, to their current preoccupation : fighting the global war against terrorism.
Here is a short clip discussing Britain’s SAS bodyguarding training.
Russian Spetsnaz
Specnaz later referred to special purpose or special operations forces, and the word’s widespread use is a relatively recent, post-perestroika development in Russian language. The Soviet public used to know very little about their country’s special forces until many state secrets were disclosed under the glasnost (“openness”) policy of Mikhail Gorbachev during the late 1980s.
Since then, stories about Specnaz and their supposedly incredible prowess, from the serious to the highly questionable, have captivated the imagination of patriotic Russians, particularly in the background of the decay in military and security forces during perestroika and the post-Soviet era.
Here is a short clip proving why the Russian Special Forces are among the baddest in the world in hand to hand combat.
Israeli Special Forces
Israel’s Special Forces is made up of the Sayeret, and the Mista’arvim.
The Sayeret are reconnaissance units in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), specialize in intelligence gathering and surveillance. In practice, these units specialize in commando and other special forces roles, in addition to reconnaissance (the degree of specialization varies by units and current needs).
Mista’arvim is the name given to those counter-terrorism units of the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Border Police in which officers are specifically trained to operate undercover, in enemy territory, in order to assassinate or capture wanted terrorists.
Here is an example of how hard these guys train. Anyone want a body shot?
So there was a very brief glimpse into only five of the world’s Special Forces (CQB) training. Ready to sign up?
Obviously, all of the above professionals are highly trained don’t try any of these moves at home. However, if you are interested in martial arts, or just self-defense. I encourage you to shop around and find a reputable trainer/gym and start working out with them.
Not only is it a great way to stay in shape, but you never know, someday the skills you learn might come in handy. Hopefully you never have to use them. Peace.
