Fighting Success: Fighting Distance and Developing your Fight Strategy

By budo-warrior ~ December 31st, 2008. Filed under: Techniques, Tactics, and Procedures.

randori

The biggest determining factor in a close fight is space or distance between you and your opponent or opponents. Seems obvious really if you think about it. Either you can touch someone or you can’t! If you cannot effectively touch them or if they cannot touch you, then there really is no fight! Lets talk about distance and how it affects the fight.

There are basically three fighting distances, Long Range, Mid Range, and Close Range. Long Range attacks are essentially any attack outside of 21 Feet Mid Range would essentially be within 21feet to the point to just when an opponent can grab or strike with hands or a knife. Close range is anything within empty hand or knife striking range.

Long Range Strategy. What is so magical about 21 feet.? Well I am not sure EXACTLY, but defensive tactics for police training have determined that this is the “golden rule” for closing distance. That is, you cannot draw a weapon before your opponent can close distance on you. Outside of 21 feet, you have the ability influence the fight by drawing a weapon or react proactively to the attack. Try practicing outside of 21 Feet some time. Practice closing distance from this distance and see how difficult it really is to do! What might be some of the strategies you would use at this range? Running to a position of advantage? Drawing your weapon?

Mid Range Strategy. Inside of 21 feet, things start to change dramatically. You really cannot run anywhere, nor can you draw a weapon if it was not already drawn. So what do you do? How do you gain fighting dominance to once again create enough distance to escape, or to gain control of the fight? What if your attacker has a weapon? How do you control that weapon? Do you kick or punch to create enough space and time to get away? Do you go forward into the fight and clinch in order to gain dominance? Mid Range is really a point of transition, you don’t want to remain in this range very long as it can be most dangerous. A fighter has to make a decision fast to either go to the close fight, or disengage. Remaining in this range is probably not a good idea unless you are the one with the significant tactical advantage (i.e. stick or sword).

Close Range Strategy. If your opponent can effectively grab you or stab you with a knife you are in a close fight! The Key word here is Effectively. For sake of practice, lets assume that we can’t get away. Ideally you can maintain your balance remain standing and gain dominance, create space, and control the fight or escape. However this is not always possible and one or both of you go to the ground and the fight becomes a ground fight. Training at this range can be emotionally challenging and difficult for many as it is close, fast, and aggressive. Training scenarios at this range should include edged weapons, weapons retention, dominant body positions, and opponent standing.

Multiple Opponents. We can’t complete this topic without talking about two or more opponents in a fight. Obviously it impacts the situation.

Long Range and Multiple Opponents. In Long Range, they still must cover a same distance as one fighter, but with two or more persons, they can shutdown angles and isolate escape routes, thus closing distance more readily than a single opponent when they work as a team.

Mid Range and Multiple Opponents. In the Mid Range, we have the same issue except we now have less reaction time. While you are dealing with one opponent, the other opponent is able to attack and gain the advantage.

Close Range and Multiple Opponents. In close range, well, you really have your work cut out for you as one or more opponents can pin or isolate your ability to move or fight while one or more work on finishing the fight.

We can’t account for every conceivable scenario, nor are there any fail safe techniques or strategies we can employ in our training. However, our training should provide us the opportunity to adequately train in all three ranges. The one common element in all these ranges is Physical Fitness. This is probably the most important skill we can bring to the fight outside of the mental toughness it takes to survive and win. That is another topic for discussion!