Do you train for hand-to-hand?
- Thread starter BCDWYO
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Before I respond (Again) to this discussion. I would like to say that I miss Shoulda Zagged. He was truly a gentleman.
I also miss Sergeant Lumpy and I suspect that he is no longer among the quick.
This discussion is 10 years old. When it started I was 48. I'm going to be 58 by the end of the month.
Things have changed. I'm not going to go over my list of ailments, suffice it say I wouldn't last 30 seconds in a real fight and that I have a hard enough time getting up off the floor in yoga class let alone in a fight. Running anywhere is also out of the question.
I want to say this the right way but I don't know if I'm going to.
Avoidance and abiding by the rule of stupids is now my primary strategy.
I also never go anywhere without OC spray. I'm sitting on my couch with a little bottle of UDAP in my pocket.
This is the part that I'm going to get wrong or at least not as clear as I want.
It doesn't matter why you hit me, it's not unreasonable to assume that if you knock me on my butt you're going to check my pockets. Even if you didn't intend to mug me if you knock me down you might as well take my money. And while you're doing that the odds of you finding my gun are better than excellent. That's also the reason that I'm not prepared to Grapple with anybody. If you knock me down or you start wrestling with me I have to assume that my life is in immediate and imminent danger
I don't know how else to say it but I have to assume that if you get your hands on my gun you're going to use it on me.
And that's the mentality that's going to govern my reaction to your assault.
I also miss Sergeant Lumpy and I suspect that he is no longer among the quick.
This discussion is 10 years old. When it started I was 48. I'm going to be 58 by the end of the month.
Things have changed. I'm not going to go over my list of ailments, suffice it say I wouldn't last 30 seconds in a real fight and that I have a hard enough time getting up off the floor in yoga class let alone in a fight. Running anywhere is also out of the question.
I want to say this the right way but I don't know if I'm going to.
Avoidance and abiding by the rule of stupids is now my primary strategy.
I also never go anywhere without OC spray. I'm sitting on my couch with a little bottle of UDAP in my pocket.
This is the part that I'm going to get wrong or at least not as clear as I want.
It doesn't matter why you hit me, it's not unreasonable to assume that if you knock me on my butt you're going to check my pockets. Even if you didn't intend to mug me if you knock me down you might as well take my money. And while you're doing that the odds of you finding my gun are better than excellent. That's also the reason that I'm not prepared to Grapple with anybody. If you knock me down or you start wrestling with me I have to assume that my life is in immediate and imminent danger
I don't know how else to say it but I have to assume that if you get your hands on my gun you're going to use it on me.
And that's the mentality that's going to govern my reaction to your assault.
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Yes, you can
With respect to the bold text, that's only half true and the older you get the less true it becomes. If you are on the wrong side of 55, with physical challenges, your justification for using deadly force increases in direct proportion to your decreased ability to use just your body to fend off an attacker. All you ever need in a gun tolerant jurisdiction is fear of bodily harm or death. The goblin attacking you need not be armed, just physically able to cause serious injury/death.
I took martial arts for 20 years. Can I do that stuff today? Unlikely, but maybe some of it. It's much easier to pay attention to my surroundings and if I perceive danger be prepared to use a weapon.
With respect to the bold text, that's only half true and the older you get the less true it becomes. If you are on the wrong side of 55, with physical challenges, your justification for using deadly force increases in direct proportion to your decreased ability to use just your body to fend off an attacker. All you ever need in a gun tolerant jurisdiction is fear of bodily harm or death. The goblin attacking you need not be armed, just physically able to cause serious injury/death.
I took martial arts for 20 years. Can I do that stuff today? Unlikely, but maybe some of it. It's much easier to pay attention to my surroundings and if I perceive danger be prepared to use a weapon.
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I've found at 55 years old that I can still train fairly intensely. What I can't do is train that way as frequently.
I regularly train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts with professional fighters in their 20s. I currently hold a black belt in BJJ.
I have a number of injuries including no disc at C4-C5, both shoulders surgically repaired, three tendons torn off my groin, a shattered ankle, and a skull fracture from a socket wrench.
I've managed to train around these injuries because I've always kept myself fit and strong. I can still deadlift 450 for reps.
I think the key to being able to train in empty hand stuff well into advanced age is staying on top of your personal resiliency and managing injuries as best as you can.
I teach close quarter shooting skills that involve grappling for a living and have a ton of injured, diminished, older clients (well in their 70s) that are able to participate in training that is properly scaled for them. Certainly there are those that absolutely can't but I think many would be surprised at what they CAN do.
I regularly train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts with professional fighters in their 20s. I currently hold a black belt in BJJ.
I have a number of injuries including no disc at C4-C5, both shoulders surgically repaired, three tendons torn off my groin, a shattered ankle, and a skull fracture from a socket wrench.
I've managed to train around these injuries because I've always kept myself fit and strong. I can still deadlift 450 for reps.
I think the key to being able to train in empty hand stuff well into advanced age is staying on top of your personal resiliency and managing injuries as best as you can.
I teach close quarter shooting skills that involve grappling for a living and have a ton of injured, diminished, older clients (well in their 70s) that are able to participate in training that is properly scaled for them. Certainly there are those that absolutely can't but I think many would be surprised at what they CAN do.
Baltimoreed11754
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No, not at 72. That's why I cc every day and shoot often.
When an undergrad I was too near a sudden bar fight and got swept into it quite by bad fortune and my geographic location - no clue what it was about. I was 6 foot 1 inch and a sinewy 180 pounds and a guy held me by the ankles at arm's length and used me to pile drive objects that were, apparently, already on the floor with the top of my head. I rather lost all interest in fisticuffs after that. I'd do whatever was required, if necessary, and if it ever happened again I'd fight filthy. My son and I do work the heavy bag fairly often but that amounts to a cardio workout for me.
Had a bud that was one tough hombre, large, temperamental, fast and actually liked to fight. We're no longer acquainted - I knew that hanging out in his vicinity could result in serving as a pile driver again someday. He said he phased out of it in his mid 30s because as good at fist fighting as he was, he occasionally met guys that were measurably better at it.
Luckily, since college, my situational awareness has kept me out of frays.
Had a bud that was one tough hombre, large, temperamental, fast and actually liked to fight. We're no longer acquainted - I knew that hanging out in his vicinity could result in serving as a pile driver again someday. He said he phased out of it in his mid 30s because as good at fist fighting as he was, he occasionally met guys that were measurably better at it.
Luckily, since college, my situational awareness has kept me out of frays.
Hand to hand?
I will dazzle my opponent with my glacier like reflexes.
I will dazzle my opponent with my glacier like reflexes.
at 85 I have an aluminum cane designed for self defense.
I'm 70. By myself I'll give the best I got. In a crowd I'm surrounded by much easier targets. Too bad we can't fight our way into a better world. Joe
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Will be 73 in a few weeks. Have hip replacement, 2 C- spine fusions and about to get 2nd one redone, pin in thumb of left hand, 4 carpitunnel releases ( 2 in each wrist) arthritis from head to toes, shoulders to fingers. I do not go into questionable areas during the day and dang sure not at night. Been CCW one of my LW Commanders and will continue to until.One may guess what might happen if some thug starts to get close to me, remember the 21' rule.
intouchorg
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I'm 57 and basically do this workout twice a week, if possible. I wrestled in high-school and trained in American Kickboxing, bjj and mma into my 40's. It's a good idea for everyone to at least use the machines at the gym. Many have discounts for seniors. The video was taken last year, btw.
My Gym Workout - YouTube
My Gym Workout - YouTube
Zombie thread! 2014!!!
Why hands when I have a gun?
I'm 74 now. When I was much younger and a FTO, I would tell the new guy, "the headbone is harder than the handbone" if you got to hit someone use a flashlight, nightstick, jack or sap.
I haven't been in that situation in more than 30 years. Pistol whipping a thug with a Airweight J frame doesn't seem to be an option. I'd likely choose door number two.
I shoot once a month with group of other geezer LEO's, none of them notice printing on me. Nor do I spot it on them. We all believe at our advanced age surprise is our best advantage.
I haven't been in that situation in more than 30 years. Pistol whipping a thug with a Airweight J frame doesn't seem to be an option. I'd likely choose door number two.
I shoot once a month with group of other geezer LEO's, none of them notice printing on me. Nor do I spot it on them. We all believe at our advanced age surprise is our best advantage.
Shrek Of The Arctic
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I turned fifty this year. I work in Corrections where I still occasionally get to "sprint and rassle", often with a nice thick and lingering cloud of pepper spray hanging in the air. I can still do it, but Lawdy! I sure do feel it for a couple of days afterwards!
Outside of my department required training (Which I consider to be generally next to worthless) I just do the same grappling I've done since I was younger. I just quit much sooner, and I'm sure to roll with partners who really mean it when they say "let's roll at fifty percent" That being said, it is darn hard to bite back the ego and not try to hang with the younger guys. But...I was gifted a badly torn up shoulder from training that serves as a reminder of what happens when I let my ego get out of hand. That shoulder helps me make future smarter decisions in that regard...
Outside of my department required training (Which I consider to be generally next to worthless) I just do the same grappling I've done since I was younger. I just quit much sooner, and I'm sure to roll with partners who really mean it when they say "let's roll at fifty percent" That being said, it is darn hard to bite back the ego and not try to hang with the younger guys. But...I was gifted a badly torn up shoulder from training that serves as a reminder of what happens when I let my ego get out of hand. That shoulder helps me make future smarter decisions in that regard...
But it's interesting to see how people's perspectives have changed
Yes. The topic is still relevant irrespective of time.
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