Tonight session was based around the RAT system which I understand was developed by Paul Vunak.
The RAT system is pure self defence. More than that it is simply about Self preservation with the aim of taking the thinking out of what you are doing in order to eliminate as much as possible the effects of adrenaline dumps, the need for complex techniques and fine motor skills in high stress situations.
Please note much of what I am writing about is from my own learning and limited experience - there are other experts in this field but this is my understanding.
There tends to be two aspects of martial arts - Self Perfection (skills, techniques, drills, sparring) and Self preservation (it's all kicked off and you have to do what you need to do in order to walk home or you'll end up in a hospital).
Undoubtedly, if trained well, the self perfection aspect of the arts, namely the attributes, will enhance your ability at Self Preservation. However, the one aspect of Self Preservation that will get you through a potentially life threatening situation (and lets face it if someone is threatening you they are not concerned about your wellbeing in the slightest) is your mental attitude and ability to switch on aggression.
It is this aggression and forward pressure that the RAT system is based on and is one of those difficult things to train. In a club you want to challenge each other but also take care of each other. Practicing the RAT requires you to basically steam roller your partner, which can be quite conflicting.
Personally I find this difficult in general and as such have spent a lot of time looking into "aggression" and how to develop the "on/off switch".. and I'm still working on it.
However, I do feel that you need to experience the aggression side of things so that you have a frame of reference so that you "know" what to expect (obviously ever situation is different) as without some feel for it you will not know how you are going to react in the actual situation.
This can be practiced in a few ways: (disclaimer - some of these are not pleasant and not healthy to do all the time!)
1 min of army milling (big gloves, gum shields NO DEFENDING just hitting each other)
Visualisation (WARNING this is not pleasant - you mentally get yourself into an aggressive state by visualising in as much detail as possible attacking someone - a pre-emptive attack, all out violence but one way only... just you attacking them - this also requires you to dehumanise your target... to literally see them as a selection of things to hit.. as I said not pleasant but I am just talking about theory here)
lots of sparring rounds at various intensities (possibly pad rounds too with an aggressive pad holder) - to get used to people trying to hit you regularly.
Shout scream swear - verbalisation can also help you get into a more aggressive state - I believe Steve Morris speaks about the importance of this and essentially raising yourself to a level of violent aggression that is greater than your attacker - you are intending to smash or break everything you touch.
So what is the RAT?
Essentially it's - cover, straight blast while running through the attacker (then depending on numbers of assailants or severity of their intended assault) - head but, knee, elbows
Break down of technique:
1) Fence (slightly square stance hands extended in front of you to give you space) at this point make a lot of noise about no wanting trouble to de escalate the situation.
2) Cover - they have decided to attack - bring an elbow in front of your face (it doesn't matter which one) basically kiss your bicep, tuck chin into shoulder, hand on the top of your head. point of elbow should be in front of your face so that is what they hit
If the do a wide hook/haymaker you can block with blade of arm and simultaneously hit (with a LOT of forward pressure)
3) straight blast - AGRESSIVLY chain hit (like wing chun) but run at them as you do this 5 or 6 hits on the head should see them being forced backwards (you are wanting to create space to escape - taking them out is a bonus) get your shoulders into it as well.. again it's not a classic wing chun hit more like a Rottweiler driving a steam roller
Then depending on the situation you can either run and escape, manipulate the person to be a shield f there are more than one of them of if they were intent on causing serious harm carry on with...
4) Head Butt - during straight blast, grab their head (racking eyes as you do it) pull their head DOWN onto the top of your head (you need to crouch a bit to get under them)
5) Knee - drive your knee like a spear through them
6) Follow up with elbows (e.g knee with right leg you follow with left hook elbow and right downward elbow... opposite if you knee with left leg)
Drill it: (partner pad holding)
We broke this doen into sections:
1) Cover a hit (partner wearing big glove) then straight blast a Thai pad forcing them back
2) straight blast a focus mitt then clinch and bring pad down onto your head for head-butt
3) Knee a Thai pad and follow up with 2 elbows on the pads
Again I must stress this is the OH SHIT series of drills - pure self defence and intended to focus on aggression and forward pressure - there is MUCH MORE to martial arts than this but this does need to be drilled and worked so that you can develop that On/Off switch - basically be the nice guy that turn into the Hulk on command if needed.... not an asshole all the time!
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