Tethered unarmed combat practice
Thailand December 3 ended the last Todd Group exported CQC course for 2016.
I had a quick turnaround on my return to NZ after the CPP course in Thailand before returning to Thailand to conduct this final CQC course for 2016.
The course was a full muster made up of civi exponents and military pers.
The civilians on course underwent the phase one training package as well as the primary control and restraint training and an introduction to the D-WAR (declare war against rape) counter sexual violence modules from the anti-and counter sexual violence DWAR program.
CQC Practice Lanes
They also received introductions to the Brain to Boot CQC mental toughness package.
The small military group of exponents on course underwent Phase 1 basic training as well as a Phase 2 module and a range of Phase 3 armed combat and specialist Phase 3 unarmed combat skills training related to their roles.
Assault Rifle Disarming
Pistol Disarming
Living CQC in camp including barracks life gives the civvies a taste of military CQC training realities and living CQC day and night. I was the course Chief Instructor assisted by Ken Oesterreich, the Todd Group Germany and Europe Chief Instructor.
Ken is a Phase 3 specialist CQC proponent, has a PH.D and instructs Todd Systems full time as a career in Europe, testament to his commitment and as such achievement.
CQB/CQC MSD DT and CPP are truly referral industries where course reports qualifications and records of instructing service make for respected reputations that lead to offers and referrals.
Only a week or so after the CPP course a Singapore national that completed the CPP course in November in Thailand secured his first protective job and while in country on this CQC course, two referrals for personnel for other countries came in via referral.
Being active in training provision all year every year and with a 90-year record of CQC and MSD training provision that will be celebrated in March 2017 finds us running at capacity and ever increasing courses schedules.
Every courses circuit involves wide ranging CQC related work and business, and this course was no exception.
Testing tactical training dress of distinguished brands manufacturers, negotiating CQC training equipment manufacture, consultancy advance planning for future courses, and setting dates for courses in new countries for 2017 were just some of my additional duties and tasks undertaken.
Pre-course requirements and post course requirements add to the time away but prove the value of the 6Ps – planning, preparation, and practice to avoid pretty poor performance.
Having staff and facilitators in country is a great advantage as trusted indigenous personnel are assets that make the course manager and course instructor’s life that much easier and better. From translation to customs, culture, and smart advice and assistance our in country pers are very important to us.
Some of the reasons why serious individuals apply and take our CQC courses include.
They want to undergo a true military CQC course of instruction as taught to the military and instructed by military CQC qualified instructors. They do not want to train in collection of techniques from various fighting arts, they want a complete military same system course of instruction.
They want the course to include all military CQC training components including drill, skills to command, battle handling exercises and testing that is challenging.
They expect transparency in instructor proof of military CQC rank and instructor qualification.
Many are very interested in the Todd Group instructor qualified lineage dating back to some of the leading pioneers of European military CQC of WW11.
They want to know that the training provider has expertise in CQC trade craft skills including designing developing and manufacturing training equipment and weapons and provides full continuation training resources and assistance.
They enjoy the chance to train on joint military and civilian proponent courses of instruction.
The Todd Group being providers of not only military CQC/ MSD but also training providers of law-enforcement defensive tactics including primary tactical control and restraint and CPP (close personal protection) that has complete commonality enables training in additional trade craft packages that have commonality and are cohesive with CQC.
Being in our 90th year as leaders in our field dating back to our founder the late Harry Baldock establishing the facility in 1927 is something that our rank and file are very proud of.
Many have attended courses they thought were military close combat and believed the instructor was military CQC qualified only to find out this was not the reality and led to their doing some research and seeking us out.
Some applicants apply by referral from military pers that have qualified on Todd Group courses.
They don’t want to train in traditional arts based self-defence but do want to learn skills that the military train in that are the most current.
They understand to be best prepared to combat or counter urban extreme violence you want to be trained in the best of battle proven military self-defence and military unarmed combat.
The previous are but some of the reasons why individuals sign up and front up on course.
Now to the outcome of this final CQC course for 2016. Exponents on course are expected to be quietly confident, selfless, have a high level of intestinal fortitude and be able get along with their fellow exponents.
Exponents on course do not have to concern themselves with transport, meals, water, laundry, or training equipment as it is all provided.
Everything is organised for them and aimed at ensuring they have a top training opportunity and the best chance at successful phase testing if they so wish to volunteer.
Training in a military environment and in this case with a major week long training exercise going on all around the course provided a unique atmosphere.
Phase 1 Unarmed Evasive CQC Lines Training
Ultimately it is the exponent’s level of competency and mental toughness that will determine the outcomes. They need to be realists in their self-evaluation of their state of readiness and preparedness to pass a phase test.
Volunteering to test when you have not fully committed to training with attention to every detail and with high level controlled aggressive intensity is unwise and shows a lack of understanding of the individual’s actual capabilities and of what is expected and required.
Having instructors living on course available to answer questions and assist with practising and critiquing is a considerable advantage over non-residential courses of instruction.
Civilians have to dispense with their civilian ways of thinking as an individual and become part of a close tight group of like-minded CQC exponents to best achieve competency. They need to move as a group, work as a group, and communication and conducting themselves inside the course instructions is very important. The duty orderly on course is their immediate point of contact and he is responsible for barracks and other duties.
Training levels and testing outcomes can be very different on every course and every testing phase, even though the training regime is the same. Weak candidates on testing phases that are not skills competent can cause problems, as other candidates do not want to cause them injury and as such hold back which can affect their outcomes. This is why such candidates must be removed from the test phase as soon as they fail to achieve skills and commitment requirements.
It really comes down to exponents in training being confident and competent, and testing candidates knowing their capabilities are up to phase testing requirements and then being prepared to do their very best to surpass the testing requirements.
Exponents were introduced to all the Phase 1 skills, including unarmed offensive assault, unarmed counter offensive assault, seizure prevention, seizure escapes, edged weapon disarming under incoming assault and when ambushed at weapon point or edge, long bludgeon and edged weapon disarming under incoming assault and bludgeon weapon ambush disarming.
CQC conditioning from the toughener and sickener training packages were introduced later in the week to true up exponents hard cover guard capabilities as well as prepare them for contact realities of testing and assist with mental toughness under actions on.
Long Edged and Bludgeon Weapon Disarming
Evasive Edged Weapon Disarming Drilling
Tethered Oblique Stamp
Tethered Ground Threat Neutralisation
Four candidates volunteered to undertake the Phase 1 test on day six of the course. Unfortunately all four were removed from the testing phase early on, as they did not achieve the required levels of competency or commitment.
The outcomes prove the worth of the testing phase and the state of conducting testing being hard, heavy, and hostile. This is a must so it does not advantage or prejudice any candidate, they need to be highly skilled and draw from within the required inner resolve and intestinal fortitude, as well as taking on-board the testing instructors hard and heavy real time stripping down if candidates are not performing, or not get what is expected of them. It is what it is and all candidates must surpass the required level plus all tested modules in tactics skills and mental toughness.
Even though the test phase did not produce any promotions to Phase 2 advanced it was a good week long course of instruction that run very efficiently. Setting and maintaining our highest standards of training provision and conducting testing phases is most important to the Todd Group.
The testing phase proves the individual candidates ready, willing and preparedness as well as their tactics and skills competency capabilities. Candidates must be self-motivated and able to deal with the hard, heavy, and hostile testing environment if they want to prove themselves and achieve promotion and rank.
Testing outcomes range from 100% failing to achieve the objectives as in this case through to 100% pass rates and everything in between depending on individual candidates testing state of readiness and performance.
While Todd CQC training and testing is not applicable and would not appeal to the masses, it does provide the opportunity for serious committed exponents of European military unarmed combat and European military self- defence to be as close to undergoing a military CQC training course as possible, as well as testing the military CQC way which is uncompromising when it comes to skills proficiency and mental toughness.
2017 will be a major year for the Todd Group with celebrating our 90th anniversary at the end of the annual Australasian Course March 2017 at Camp Todd and the old Todd Group HQ combined with conducting courses in several more new countries.
2017 courses are posted on www.toddgroup.com and www.eliteactionadventure.com
Email inquiries [email protected]
