October 23-27 was the final phase 2 advanced training course for 2023, conducted at Todd Group HQ.
The course included extensive phase 2 advanced content delivered by a preferred, irregular military close combat training means, providing attendees with an informal training regime that promotes self-decision making not only in skills options selection but also in training output levels and individual skills completed repetitions.
This form of training delivery provides the opportunity for exponents to use the primary principles to decide on best and safest means of objective achievement/threat neutralisation.
It fosters the capability to decide on and use skills in a manner and by means fitting with the threat and situation.
The course being conducted at Todd Group HQ provides fully equipped training facilities with custom developed, in-house mil CQC training kit.
This is not our hobby and is certainly not a sport. It is our full time dedicated commitment to our tradecraft of which we have been doing for the past 96 years.
Courses attract practical realist types that know what they are looking for and know when their capabilities are not fit for purpose.
This tradecraft specific kit enables high repetition practical and realistic training experiences where high level momentum and committed skills executions contact is possible.
Unarmed hand to hand combat training without the utilisation of impractical and often cumbersome head and body protection is the priority when it comes to our controlled aggression training in CQC, and having custom developed equipment for heavy contact impact that fits with the skills employments is an important part of competency and confidence development.
It also provides the ability to maximise high repetition, hard, heavy and hostile contact impact training from both an unarmed offensive assault skills execution option and an unarmed counter offensive assault familiarisation with close quarters contact and inoculation against the effects of contact.
Courses of one to several weeks of intensive training are the best way to achieve increased competency and develop capabilities that enable formidable threat neutralisation.
The course was also introduced to our European CQF skills training that includes skills from our ancient and more recent European combat sports as well as battlefield and urban operators bare knuckle combat and fight skills.
There has been a recent increase in interest in the old foul bare knuckle and wrestling based dirty tricks fighting from yesteryear from both combat sports fighters and close combat enthusiasts.
Phase 2 advanced exponents need to rack up a minimum of 400 training hours before volunteering for phase 2 advanced testing and this is best achieved by attending multiple week-long intensive courses of instruction, as it reduces skills fade realities of long term, short duration sessions training.
Phase 2 advanced testing is considerably more physically demanding with the combative clinching and battlefield ground combat actions on components when compared to the Phase 1 basic threat neutralisation by targeting of delicate human senses and life-support systems as part of enemy incapacitation, as well as the destruction of extremities.
There are no gender categories or weight divisions and to overcome such aggressors the advantages of of battle field foul means and methods provide the best and safest chances of winning over merely surviving.
Exponents need to be practical realists committed to self-improvement and objective achievement by means of high levels of inner resolve.
They need to understand all the mental toughness required components as part of effective threat neutralisation strategies and be able to conduct themselves under safe tradecraft training practices by means of controlled aggression.
They need to learn and practice the skills until they cannot forget them and they can execute them with high level competency.
There are no PAMs, manuals, photographs or video footage when it comes to our Phase 2 advanced and Phase 3 specialist skills training. This is to protect the restricted nature of the training and to ensure only those that have been vetted, accepted for training, passed testing and have been promoted and accepted for advancement have access to such training. They have earned the right and it would be unprofessional and disrespectful to provide such training to those that have not met the course joining requirements and earned their promotions.
Many variations of advanced and specialist skills fall under specific threat neutralisation categories but do not have specific titles. Exponents and proponents learn the skills and know not only how to execute them but also in what situations and circumstances such skills will give the best and safest chance of effective threat neutralisation. They do not need to have individual titles and it very much comes down to learning and practising skills until they cannot be forgotten and they can be conducted with high level proficiency.
In the past 40+ years we have identified, tested, proven and promoted high numbers of Phase 2 advanced and Phase 3 specialist members. This is important for providing national and international depot’s training and for the continuation of our training provision, leading up to our 100 years anniversary in 2027 and the next century of our training provision.
The course ended as it started, with no fuss, and thoughts of attending upcoming courses in 2024.
The member’s only self-minder course will be conducted in November and the final course for 2023 is the Phase 3 specialist proponent’s course that will be conducted in our international hub country of Thailand in December.
Courses information on course joining application facility www.toddgroup.com
