I was well accustomed to the “mad minute” with boxing gloves as a common toughener practice for military CQB/CQC courses when I started instructing on military courses over two decades ago and well before that as an exponent coming up through the ranks.
In my early days, as part of my training in physical culture combat sports as well as military combative training, unorthodox boxing with gloves and bareknuckle as well as wrestling were common practice. Kill boxing and wrestling as they were also referred to allowed skills not permitted in combat sports. Such training with a level of controlled aggression was part of the toughener and sickener practices. Combat sports illegal strikes and kicks as well as using your wrestling and grappling basics to seize secure control and contain the target for striking and stamp kicking were primary practices. I trained boxers for many years as well as instructing unorthodox boxing and wrestling at the old Baldock institute to our unarmed combat proponents.
Myself like my former instructors have always been very clear that such practices as boxing and wrestling are tactically flawed for military close quarters combat and although the unorthodox versions provide far more dirty and even deadly options they are still not considered primary proven options for military Kill or get Killed close combat.
The basic principles of combat sports though do provide some very good physical components that compliment combative capabilities and aid in military combative skills executions.
Hold position by means of Greco Roman and Freestyle wrestling basic principles are such combat sports derived from European military close combat and such codes practices provide sound physical advantages.
When you consider in mad minute boxing type milling every time the whistle is blown the entire course change opponents and there is a real risk of heavyweights facing welterweight’s or middleweights or even super heavyweights facing lightweights.
Injuries were common in relation to minor nose breaks black eyes and knockouts which is not a problem and to be expected.
Then there could be the more serious injuries including serious facial fractures and head injuries.
The problem was with no weight divisions and often candidates having considerable discrepancies in prior boxing training the risk factor of serious injury were a reality that could affect or end participants career hopes.
Parachuting scuba diving and many aspects of the roles of elite forces personnel could count individuals out with specific head injuries incurred through boxing milling.
One reason for this apart from weight and prior training discrepancies is by the nature of gloved milling the candidates arsenal is restricted to gloved punching it out.
Another flaw is that military combative proponents are always told to take out their enemy and not take them on and boxing type milling promotes taking one’s opponent on and contradicts military CQC covert or dirty deadly enemy neutralisation.
Many of the clenched fist boxing type milling skills are negative practices in military close quarters combat.
My recommendation was the introduction of the Todd systems combat milling which promoted training variations of skills employed in the Todd systems combative packages executed from point blank bodily contact range or at furthest close range.
The implementation of skills that have commonality with skills used to neutralise the enemy is a real advantage in skills confidence competency and retention of primary practices.
Now open hand palm heel strikes in CQC are employed to cause internal serious injury and combatants are made well aware of this.
They employ the skills in combat milling to test their enemy parties cover guard and deflection capabilities over directly targeting life support delicate bodily vitals that if impacted could cause serious injuries or worse. Controlled aggression and accurate target selection under combat milling conditions provides realism with controlled contact and is beneficial to mental and physical combative capabilities enhancement and truing up their cover guarding capabilities.
Cover guarding.
Cover guarding deflecting an inside the cover guard strike.
The outcome of the introduction of the Todd systems of combative milling is that all candidates have equal opportunity to dominate or be dominated by means of expanded skills options. They learn how to reduce risk under an unarmed barrage by maintaining point blank bodily contact range where they can make fast mapping assessments adjustments and execute decided options to regain dominance.
Locking horns to provide cover guarding, reduce strikes impact and working for inside enemy guard dominance and advantages.
Combative milling provides capabilities to target low middle and high quadrants providing far more expansive capabilities than just boxing type milling.
Low Quadrant combat milling oblique chip kick with hardened shell shin protection.
The increased targets as well as considerably more offensive skills including kicking skills and bodily contact clinching seizing and securing combined with striking and kicking skills is a great equalizer.
The outcome was very different to the boxing milling where the bigger trained puncher would have the advantage and generally dominate.
Exponents are always informed that any form of milling including combative milling is tactically flawed over battle proven close quarters combat where the objective is to take the enemy out.
They were also informed of the advantages combative milling provided in relation to ensuring they can endure a barrage of unarmed assault and set up and execute their combative counter engagement of a formidable enemy.
I can remember a former heavy weight boxing champion on a course in the combat milling on the end of skills very different to the boxing he was accustomed to stating that’s not milling and his training partner saying you’re right it’s combat milling.
I had never been a big fan of unnecessary training equipment especially protective equipment however there are some very vulnerable human bodily parts that if contacted with could result in serious injury or even life-threatening injury.
Mainly the throat side of the neck to the rear and the nape of the neck.
The thyroid cartilage vertebral arteries and spinal cord and cervical vertebrae are very delicate life-support vitals that especially with lesser skilled and controlled combatants require protection.
The protection should act as a deterrent as well as the last line of cover and protection of the underlying bodily vital.
Prototype military CQC neck protection.
Rear view military CQC prototype neck protection.
Hard shelled outer covers with high-density bonded shaped foam under protection including if necessary the hard shell outer being color coded most likely in red increase safety especially for basic level exponents lacking in control competency.
This is very important for nape of neck protection.
The CQC stamping kicks in combat milling for safety are exchanged for oblique chipping kicks and because of combatants wearing combat boots hardened riot option protectors can eliminate painful slow healing shin injuries.
Shin protection against combat boots in military CQC milling.
Neck and shin protection combined with covert or overt groin protection for military CQC milling.
The one piece upper and lower brain pad mouth guard provides not only teeth and jaw protection but also by clenching the lower mandible to the upper reduces the effects of whiplash and promotes combative low intensity cycled breathing.
Combat milling is always described as less than a tactically correct option for military close quarters combat but an essential practice to develop intestinal fortitude and familiarization with unarmed contact when under assault.
Psychological and physical close to point-blank range primary practices of hard targeting are developed through combat milling.
The participants learn how to reduce risk and increase safety by means of making themselves harder targets and reducing their opponent’s capabilities.
They learn how to crowd and shut down their training partners maximum velocity levels during close to point-blank range combat milling.
Pushing forward battling for inside guarding advantages maintaining forward momentum and restricting enemy counter striking options and reducing striking capabilities.
One arm in and one arm out locking horns.
They also learn how to set up and execute their combat milling options to regain control.
The risks and dangers of blocking and leaving exposed quadrants vulnerable to unprotected attack become blatantly obvious and the need for cover guarding and deflection over blocking are a necessity if they wish to ensure the highest levels of self protection.
Many proponents of military close quarters combat being highly driven competitive alpha male types enjoy the close quarter’s nature of combat milling and must be reminded that it is not tactically correct for operational close quarters combat quick take outs and is merely a means of toughening and hardening up of individual combatants.
It identifies their individual strengths and weaknesses giving the instructor the opportunity to identify individual faults and correct them.
It’s a great means to test and true up the individuals cover guard and deflection capabilities.
As explained to the exponent’s that anyone can deliver an offensive action especially to an unaware target however it takes inner resolve and skill to reduce risk against a barrage of unarmed offensive assault weather the storm and regain momentum and control.
There is a fine line between achieving the benefits and advantages physically and mentally provided from combat milling and ensuring exponent’s do not employ such take on skills for their personal self defence and operationally in close quarters combat where the need is for primary take out practices to neutralise threats quickly quietly and safely.
You show special operations combatants most combat sports and they will relish in the opportunity to test themselves and their Buddy opponents but it must be made clear that this is not a replacement for their close quarters combat battle proven options where there are no rules referee’s or safe training environments.
Bearing this in mind I have found the benefits outweigh the negatives in developing combative and mental toughness in the individual combatants.
Combat milling is always started in the front stance and guard toe to toe and exponents are instructed to maintain close to point-blank bodily contact range at all times.
Strikes are all executed with open hands in the flat hands positioning to avoid digital dislocations.
Depending on the level of the exponent’s prior combat milling training striking skills range from forearms and elbows delivered roundhouse or diagonal to test their opponents front cover guard through to straight line cross palm heel strikes and chin jab uppercut palm heel strikes.
More proficient advanced or specialist level proponents may also include bent fork finger targeting of the eyes.
Stamp kicking skills are employed only at an advanced or specialist level by means of controlled leverage and training partner cooperative putdowns with the leg stamp and oblique stamp kick putdowns.
The basic combat milling includes only boot toe kicks and oblique arch of boot chip kicks and knees directed above the beltline unless under battledress groin protectors are worn and contact levels enforced.
Check countering an oblique chip axe kick.
Counter checking a knee kick.
Exponents are instructed prior to combat milling in the execution of stationary attack combinations that incorporate multiple targeting of the lower and upper quadrants bodily targets with both strikes and kicks employed in combination.
Attacking upper and lower quadrants in combination with strikes and kicks proves the effectiveness of deception creating increased confusion by having to deal with the protection of bodily targets located in multiple quadrants.
It also proves the importance of forward dominance maintaining momentum and pushing the offensive to improve defensive capabilities.
Counter offensively exponents immediately on actions on transition from a front guard to a cover guard closing distance to point-blank bodily contact range to shut down as much of the effect of their opponent’s unarmed physical capabilities as possible.
Roundhouse strikes are absorbed through the rigid cover guard with straight and upward strikes being deflected using combative sighting to identify the striking limb and the strikes inward travel line.
Deflection of a strike is achieved by deflecting the striking arm with the directly opposite arm when it comes between the cover guard redirecting the strike outside and past its intended target neutralising both arms for that immediate moment in time.
Inside cover guard strike deflection.
The deflecting forearm travels no more than a few centimeters and immediately returns to the cover guard position.
Close quarter knees and kicks are neutralised by combating the kick with a kick simply by pivoting both boots to the rear boot open stance side raising the lead leg and employing the arch of the sole of the boot in a downward controlled levered motion to check the kicking or kneeing leg and or instep of the boot in the air.
Pic 1 sequence at close quarters in combat milling check countering a kick or knee attack.
Pic 2 Pivoting from front onto side on stationary protective evasion.
Pic 3 check countering the oblique combat milling chip kick.
The pivoting action to the open guard side turns the target major vitals away from front on to side on as well as being conducive with setting up the check kick counter option.
When the combatants have mastered the basic combat milling strikes kicks cover guarding and deflection more advanced offensive and counter offensive combat milling skills will be introduced.
Again exponents are advised that many of these combat milling practices are not primary offensive or counter offensive assault military CQC options but are close range to point-blank range emergency options that develop the means to when compromised deal with a formidable enemy threat and also enhance through training physical and mental toughness.
Preventing seizure by reducing target mass turning from front onto side on to the open stance side and attacking the mound of the forearm of the attempting seizure arm prior to initiating one’s own combat milling counter engagement develops sound last resort preventative capabilities.
Skills to counter head seizure and head manipulation as well as preventing lifting, leg shooting and tackling are all part of advanced continuation combat milling training.
Protecting ones side and rear flanks through opponent alignment and counter engagement is a tactically correct CQC option employment that enables combatants to reduce the risk of ever exposing their side and rear flanks to enemy engagement and is part of CQC milling.
At point-blank bodily contact range exponents are instructed on the importance of achieving the inner guard over outer guarding.
They are also shown how to in a one arm in and one arm out cover guard manipulate their opponent by pushing against their upper arm from the outside changing their direction and providing a new line of attack by exposing the side and or rear flanks.
One arm in one arm out locked horns cover guard prior to employing enemy re-direction..
One arm in and one arm out locked horns enemy re-direction.
The importance of maintaining or re-gaining momentum by using body and head positioning weight distribution a lowered centre of gravity and a ground affinity that promotes controlled forward momentum are all instructed important practices of combat milling.
Combat falling and tactical immediate recovery and continued combat milling are instructed in situations where ones footing is lost and they are decentralized.
The emphasis in basic and advanced phase 1 and two level CQC respectively is anti-grappling skills to prevent grappling or if compromised counter grappling skills to escape any seizure and counter engage your enemy neutralizing the threat.
The reason for this is the military CQC proponent is always told to consider the enemy regardless of their physical attributes appearance or considered wounds injuries disadvantages or disabilities as formidable and do everything to prevent any advantage to them.
They are told to consider them bigger stronger physically fitter highly skilled bent on killing them and potentially armed in other words never underestimate one’s enemy or show them any other consideration than dirty deadly ruthless deliberate destruction for military CQC.
Hence the TODD systems two acronyms for military CQB/CQC
Take out death destruction.
Tactical operational death destruction.
The short description being eliminate the threat or incapacitate prior to eliminating the threat sometimes referred to as dispose or disarm disable prior to disposal the 3-Ds.
At the phase 3 specialist combat milling level anti and counter armed combat milling is part of the specialist combat milling continuation training.
Controlled combat milling is essential at all times especially at a basic level where proficiency by the exponent’s has not yet been gained and as such there is a higher risk of accidental injury.
It is also important that the attitude of the individual participants is consistent with controlled aggressive training, testing one’s opponent’s cover guard capabilities over deliberately targeting delicate vitals.
With proficiency intensity can be increased in a controlled manner and increased unarmed options offensively and counter offensively introduced until the combat milling provides capabilities to neutralise wide ranging unarmed close to point-blank range threats by means of last resort emergency combat milling practices.
It’s all character building and provides emergency skills that will when up against a formidable enemy and compromised enable them to regain control take the initiative and neutralise the threat without ever losing confidence or entering into the dangerous self-doubt victim zone.
There will be broken noses cuts bruises fat lips and general toughener sickener type training minor injuries that are all part of the course and character building.
As combatants lock horns at point-blank range in their cover guards the hollow sound of head-to-head cranial contact will be amplified inside their cranial bones and the sensation of impact will feel reasonably painless bringing a look of surprise to the odd face.
It is important that this aspect of the combat milling does not encourage exponents to opt for employing such take on techniques operationally over battle proven specialist threat neutralisation or take out techniques.
Many combatants’ civilian and military I have trained relish the opportunity to test themselves and true up their cover guard. They like the opportunity to employ anti and counter capabilities against their willing buddy enemy parties and they have to be reminded that this is for mental enhancement and physical combative contact inoculation by exposing them to controlled levels of the threat. They are reminded that while this will develop mental and physical toughness that will be needed to endure the realities of a close quarters encounter against a formidable enemy, it is not the primary proven and terminal military close quarter’s combat operational skills that are the best means of operational objective achievement for life or death encounters.
Combat milling is also the primary means to ensure exponents maintain operational alertness and situation awareness by controlling physical and psychological responses to close combat stimuli.
Often they are given minimal allowed combat milling skills initially and as combat milling continues are given instructions in relation to the addition of more combat milling capabilities to ensure they are keeping their senses at high alert and are able to receive and decipher information orders and instructions in an instant at real time.
This again is important for the execution of their armed and unarmed military close combat requirements, where they need to be in total control of them selves physically and mentally and able to make sound decisions by fast mapping on the move while listening to commands and instructions.
I utilise changing combat milling command and instructions volume to ensure participants remain alert and of course they have to remain focused on the enemy party opponent in front of them.
Commands instructions ranging from a whisper through to the megaphone including using a whistle to initiate and stop combat milling all promote remaining focused while keeping all senses open.
Combat milling rounds range from 30 seconds through to 3 minutes and usually all participating exponents will get to combat mill against each other at least once and often multiple times.
Outside the required skills components the importance of combative breathing maintaining an affinity with the ground and being able to fast map on the move, resist or yield and asses decide and execute the best and safest options to dominate are instructed.
The following photographs were taken of two combatants practicing basic combat milling.
Todd systems phase 3 specialist proponents CQB milling includes anti-weapon strong, weapon retention and disarming skills combined with all the basic unarmed CQC milling skills.
This provides specialist proponents with a practice capability to employ offensive and counteroffensive armed and unarmed options with the important factor of confusion ever present and the requirement for constant assessment decision-making and correct options execution.
The introduction of battle dress and weapons capabilities makes the CQB milling that much more interesting and combined with the introduction of unfamiliar environments low lighting audio distractions and multiple enemy threats and you have a very practical means of training and enhancing combatant personal attributes skills and tactics.
The important phase 1 basic combat milling is the foundation of all combat milling and is the requirement for all advanced and specialist combat milling.
You get two confident and competent combatants accustomed to high intensity combat milling and is immediately apparent the benefits of such conditioning training provide.
Combat milling coming back from the dead pugilistic fighting kill sports are some very important practices that come under the toughener and sickener phases of combative conditioning.
