The ON GUARD POSITION:
Guns and Knives
Does Standing Obliquely Create Visual, Distancing & Spatial Anomalies ?
On going Research: By JAK
ON GUARD ! We all know what we mean here. Get into a defensive position, a fighting stance. Much has been written about taking a proper fighting stance in knife encounters. There is everything out there from the ridiculous & stupid to the cleverly deadly levels of knife play. Each advocates a different stance (let's forget grips, knife types, etc, this is about the guard or how you present yourself to the opponent). Where does truth lie ? Is one way of standing that much better than the others ? I think so, in this short overveiw I will attempt to show you why and how. The ultimate decision is yours, as always. But, with enough circumstantial evidence for me to present to you, maybe you'll see things differently after reading this. Perhaps you'll perceive something here others may have missed. Maybe I'll just outrage you. Who knows, but here we go....
CROSS COMPARISONS
To even discuss an on guard position or Fighting stance is funny to me because it should come naturally to you. Logic,
instinct and sound reason should guide one to the right stance that is best for them, at that time and moment. (EX:
Obviously fighting on ice is different from fighting on a carpeted surface).There are always exceptions to every rule. So no one way of standing or one position of fighting guard will prevail all of the time. Weather, injury, weapons choice and other factors dictate (to some degree) how we will face or encounter the enemy. Given that we recognize these things, we now need a standard, generic version of the guard that can react well to a variety of situations and different threat levels. There are a number we should outline here for gun or knife. (You get the picture)
weapon hand to rear / Checking hand fore
weapon hand lead / Cross body load / Checking hand to fore
weapon hand lead / Empty hand to rear
weapon hand behind back / Checking hand in fore
weapon & live hand matching / Square on w/ opponent
*(The aspect of the weapon being held high or low in these wards are just variations of the guards outlined above.
EXAMPLE: 1. Knife to rear, checking hand fore: The knife could be low or high, standard or reverse grips, farther or
closer from body etc..! For gun fighters think Speedrock versus the isosoles. Weapon to fore or to rear)
SOME FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Anyone who has studied the ways of the duellists of the past are probably aware of the fact that many duellists knew that how they stood and how they dressed was a major influence on the outcome of the fray (in their favor). They would advocate to a new comer to the duelling scene to stand facing their adversary slightly obliquely. Half facing front and half facing side. Now, many have speculated as to the reasons why this would be. Most authorities in this area (Read: Historians and scholars) are correct in assuming the very logical and intelligent conclusion that by standing in the oblique manner the target area presented for the enemy would be much smaller. True ! And quite an obvious
observation as well, one that even a novice could make based upon common sense. But, until you have been shot, or have shot at another, it's speculative of these experts. They have little or no experiences of their own to draw upon, thusly they rely on logic, common sense and the experiences of others. Not a bad way, but also not a complete way of understanding the essence of our topic either. Someone with shooting experience, who has shot at a target that is square on to the shooter knows that it is easy to hit center mass (chest area). But, anyone who is familiar with firearms can also tell you this. Take that same target you could easily hit facing square on a minute ago and now turn that target to a 45 degree angle, half facing, NO longer square on with you. Notice that your hits start becoming irregular, notice how it becomes harder to hit the target. Now add tension and fear, add movement and anger, now have that same target be able to shoot you back....wow, it gets even more difficult to hit that oblique target. Add to this that the duellists were great advocates of long coats, broad flowing shirts. Contrasting colors which caused illusion and segmenting of the attention (BIG Black frock coat, long ! White, billowy shirt, Black pants slim, but not tight). They knew, as does a modern stage magician, that contrast + angle = illusion. They understood that flowing garmets could decieve the eye of the beholder (Aikido players know this from their Hakama wear in practice. It creates the illusion that they are floating and gliding). (Professional bodyguards know this and have their clothes tailored to hide the weapon. ) Even the well respected "Weaver stance" that handgunners have used now for over twenty years exploits this factor too. Currently it is popular to disparage the Weaver position as being old and too slow to get into action. As one expert points out to invalidate the Weaver, "There are too many lock-up points that need to be acheived with the Weaver Stance in order to shoot quickly and efficiently". That's just a crock of biased, inexperienced, no brain shit ! Listen pal, any gun can be shot, from ANYposition, whether you hit the target or not may be a another story though. Too many lock ups ? It's NOT ALL about killing others in the fight ! It is half NOT getting killed too !! That's where the Weaver has it hands down over the Isosoles, Chapman and other shooting stances/guards. The Isosoles and the rest are frontal facing methods are a cop thing, NOT a gunfighting thing. Yes, cops use guns, but, they are NOT gunfighters. A gunfighter does not use their tactics, if he did, he would die ! Cops usually have their guns drawn on others, few cops truly engage in "gunfights" proper. Oh hell yes, you
can shoot from other positions, I won't deny that, HELL, I can shoot hanging from my heels for that matter.
SHOOTING is not what's at stake here friend !
The game in real life gun
fights is about NOT getting SHOT.
That comes 1rst, believe me !
So, in seeing the rise of the popularity of the Chapman and especially the Isosoles shooting positions, it tells me that the police and the citizens have bought into the dangerous misconception that they will be doing the shooting/killing.
It's a "guns out" situation they are being prepped for..a projected situation where they plan on them being the only
one with their "gun out". A cop mentality that will get them and you killed in short order if you play it in the mean
streets. That's why people who have employed these methods in recent times have not fared well at all. Many of today's lethal force encounters it seems that just about all shooters, knifers involved get fucked up ! That's Unaccepatble !! Yet,gunfighters like the legendary Lance Thomas of California (Watch his real world shoot outs on video pal, then you decide !) are not seen striking any of the now popular "shoot'in stances" when they are in action. Why ? Because those positions are designed for limited play in specific zones of semi-violent endeavor. Cop-world again. They can only encompass a partial mastery of real gun or knife fighting because of the specificity and the rules they must play by. No one else use those rules. The Weaver does it all, hunting, fighting and more. The Weaver is just one of MANY fighting positions that are combat oriented. but, outside of the Weaver, these positions are no longer being taught. Gunfighting is no longer being taught. Marksmanship, weapon handling and pre-meditated murder are now what is on the tactical table before us. they have recieved new labels, but murder is the factor, not fighting or personal defense, no matter what their brouchure says !. This is why modern gun men (cops or citizens) come off so poorly both in the fight and in the court later. It's not your breath that stinks friend,
it's your tactics !
AN EXAMPLE
In his book recently re-edited book through Paladin Press "Hit or Myth" Master Gunman Louis Awerbuck goes into this angle / illusion / motion equation even more. Perhaps in a manner that better relates to the modern gun
man or martial artist. He shows you how to create and train with targets that are really challenging (replicating a bit
more of the reality of the fight). By learning simple things at the range, involving experiments with targets, colors and
motion we can then use that data to harm the opponent and preserve ourselves. Because men no longer duel, this
knowledge of how to stand and why we do it has been lost forthe most part. Remember, ranges may vary, weapons may vary, but this material is workable with pistol or knife equally. The illusion cast is the same: It's easier to hit them,
more "aliveness" is seen in your actions and it's much harder for them to hit you with either bullet or blade. Please read "HIT or MYTH" when you can. Pay attention, empty your cup, there's a lot of truth in that little book. Much of it is not in alignment with the accepted versions of dealing with conflict today. That's why it'll keep yer ass alive son !
THE USE, EXPLOITATION & DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT COMES NATURALLY
Learned scholars please consider this. At some point in the near future please try this simple experiment. (What the
experiment is about is the nature of how human beings have been engineered. Our structural layout is an obvious one, with obvious strong points and equally obvious weak points. Let's go ! OK, take out your bow or pretend, now draw the bow, no arrow, just draw as if to shoot. Stop there, notice your general body position, make a note of it. Ok, now take out your deer rifle, empty, no rounds, make as if to shoot. Rifle to shoulder, etc.. Note the positioning of your body and the weapon. Move along now. Next we will take the Weaver stance as spoke about earlier. Please note how all of these methods replicate one another in their means of standing and their relativity to the weapons used. You can be either right or left handed, it will not matter. This is the natural or universal way to use a projectile weapon. OK, what about swords and knives ? Well pal, think a minute,...they are not projectile weapons are they ? (No throwing, either smartass, that makes them into a flying weapon, different from a projectile weapon still.) With hand held weapons (versus a projectile weapons) things change in physical appearance some. But, in conceptual essence they have NOT changed. The same principles of stance and guard are employed, but modified for the particular weapons used. To the novice it may seem different, but once seen & learned correctly, the concept becomes apparent as being the same. Now to conclude your little experiment with me I challenge you to take up the same weapons as before and shoot that bow using the Isosoles or Chapman. Shoot your pistol, rifle, shotgun and bow using the isosoles and you'll see NO cross references and it simply will not play out well for you. Why learn ten different ways for each of your ten weapons ? To confuse yourself even more during high stress ? Friend looky here, logic and nature dictate that it's wiser to have ONE UNIVERSAL way that works FOR ALL weapons old or new. Why fight it ? Stop being an idiot and buying into theory from those folks who only partially know what they are talking about. Instead, buy into what you instinctually know is right and what works across the board for all weapons types (plus providing you a a margin of personal safety that the other so called fighting positions simply cannot !
BLADES NEXT !
Now, the sword or knife must be placed in the fore. Weapon to the front. (Look close and see: A right handed shooter stands with his rifle at his right shoulder...left leg leading. Weapon side preference to rear. Same with Weaver and the
pistol. Same for Karate. With sword and knife the weapon side preference now must come from rear to leading positions. This is the modified fencing position. Again half facing and very alive..like the old FBI one handed shooting (instinct) methods using the flashlight. Yes, that's right, a picture is forming for you now. Consider WHY the classic
"IN QUARTTA" movement of the knife man is a classic ? It plays off the half facing illusion and just sucks the opponent right in to their demise like fucking magic ! AND best of all, YOU do not get hit or cut in the process ! Shweet Dude ! Schweet as kandy ! The whole position stance and In Quartta action play off the side facing illusion of distance, angle and a slight swaying motion. Real magic based on exploiting the opponents weaknesses and your strengths. Don't forget that timing is a major factor in both gun and knife work. Have you ever watched someone surfing in the ocean ? Do you ever, ever, see them locking into a Zenkutsu dachi (Chapman) and going stationary ? Do ya see them using a lot of frontal facing positions either ? NO YOU DO NOT ! But, you do see them, in order to keep their balance and aliveness, use the side facing stances like we have outlined here. You'll see crouching stances w/ hand up to the rear & leading hand (GUN) held straight to the fore as in classical fencing and FBI instinct methods ! Why ? Because control and balance, breathing and instant action are required to surf the big waves, just like balance, judgement and instant action is part of surfing through a big assed gun or knife fight too !!! In close quarter gunfights (like those of Lance Thomas's) I can absolutely guarantee that you'll be the loser if you play the gunfighting shit that most of these academies are extolling today. Close quarters gun play is much more like knife, fighting than most think it is, that's because they are neither gunmen or knifemen. I am both friend and I have fought to the death in both arenas of combat. I have felt the fire of the fight and the cold breath of death as it passed me by for another. I have felt the bite of the courts when one is captured by the system in the red, smoking aftermath of a lethal force encounter.
CONCLUSION
There is, as Sir Richard Burton said, one universal means, all the rest are inconsequential variations. I must concur. So the debate of the right stance can be generally settled by the realization that there are few options available other than
those "natural" methods we have discussed here due to the nature of our structural design, our limitations due to gravity, age and the physics that comprise the controlling factors of sucessful life on this hostile planet. If you disagree
with me, then you are not a scholarly man, nor are you posing an "intelliegent debate". You are a target, dead meat
pal.Your version is just well worn pulp that you've read and have heard now from years of reading lies from the ignorant. YOU have no real opinion or experinece, just a human parrot repeating catch phrases about a very unusual subject. Even cop/military experience does not validate being stupid, so ya can't play that on me either. Survivors and losers, winners and weiners...HAW...this is not about some misguided game of false loyalties. This is about staying alive when death comes a knock'in. Pure & Simple. A black and white equation if there ever was one ! If you choose to cling to the silly modern methods, great, don't come about me blabbing their worth. Enlightenment can come as easily as "emptying your cup" for some. You'll see truth if ya do. Or stay stupid and contained within the walls of what the established order WANTS you to know about life and death conflict. It's there you will die if you are ever forced into fighting for your life with weapons. If you do not by some chance, it will be in large part due to luck and to the stupidity of your adversary. Not due your skills. Besides as I said in the opening of this piece, I can't believe that anyone has to be taught this shit anyhow !! Geeez ! Whats wrong with you Pal ? Make your own decisions, observe for yourself. Are Americans and people in general so "dumbed down" that you need operating instructions with a roll of toilet paper now ? How about a ten page manual for that challenging Bic ball point pen ? C'mon blokes sprout some teeny balls of your own down there ! YOU choose the best ways, YOU choose the best cane/gun/knife/book/car for yourself...don't ask someone else whats best for you, Christ on a crutch ! YOU carry the responsiblity of your actions, thoughts and words. Be a good man and that'll do fine ! I'll see ya around, hopefully in a good way. If not, well, I guess we'll cross that bridge together when it happens, won't we ? Thanx for listening.
James A. Keating / Master at Arms
