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STORY BY ARI KANDEL, MATT KOVSKY & LT. COL. AL RIDENHOUR USMC

The term 'Native American groundfighting' might raise a few eyebrows among martial artists. Many mistakenly think such tribal cultures had no organised forms of combative arts, while others may be skeptical that any true teachers of such skills have survived the centuries of cultural destruction that Native American nations have endured. And yet, one American group of hardcore realists — including a lieutenant colonel of the US Marines — is teaching a modified form of the Native Americans' method as part of the Guided Chaos reality-based defence system. Here, GC instructors Ari Kandel (4th Degree), Matt Kovsky (6th Degree) and Lt. Col. Al Ridenhour USMC (7th Degree) explain why they believe Native Americans had the right stuff for when things go wrong in a fight.
 
0ne of the more intriguing aspects of Guided Chaos (GC) for beginners
and outside observers is Master John Perkins'modified Native American groundfighting'. Not only have most people never seen or experienced authentic Native American martial arts (because of the dearth of practitioners alive today and the even smaller number interested in sharing their skills with the public), but most martial artists and combative sport fans cannot even conceive of an effective method of fighting on the ground that differs significantly from the grappling methods (wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, etc.) that are so universally practised today. To even suggest that a very
different method may be equally or even more effective against real violence immediately evokes skepticism, so conditioned are most people to consider `groundfighting' as synonymous with wrestling or grappling.

Let's take an analytical look at GC modified Native American groundfighting and how it differs from conventional groundfighting (grappling) methods.

DISENGAGEMENT VS ENGAGEMENT

GC groundfighting, unlike grappling, emphasises disengagement, rather than engagement with the enemy. 'Engagement' here means the merging of two bodies into a single system of forces for more than a split second's duration. Put more simply, conventional grappling methods emphasise engagement with the adversary in that the practitioner seeks to 'tie up' with the adversary in order to apply his techniques.
 
The grounded grappler on the offensive seeks to minimise the distance between his body and his opponent's, thus gaining maximum control over, and awareness of, all of the opponent's movements, which in turn maximises opportunities to apply attached joint-locking/ breaking and choking/strangling techniques.

Minimising the space available to the opponent also minimises the opponent's opportunities to strike the grappler (using conventional strikes, at least). It also allows the grappler to use his full bodyweight and the strength of his core muscles against the isolated weaker joints of the opponent, provided the grappler has sufficient sensitivity, agility, endurance and knowledge to make the techniques work against his opponent. Even when conventional striking methods are integrated into grappling, as in the 'ground-and-pound' strategy popular in Mixed Martial Arts competitions, the striking
is usually performed from prescribed positions of maximum engagement (e.g. punches from the mount position or knee-strikes from the side-control position) so as to maintain control over the opponent's movements while creating just enough space for the grappler to strike.

Standing disengagement: 'pierce' rather than grab

GC groundfighting, on the other hand, implores us to remain as disengaged as possible. Rather than tying up with the enemy, a GC practitioner strives to
maintain his/her own freedom of movement, rather than committing his/her body to merging with the movements of a single adversary. Contact with the enemy, rather than being tight and constant as in conventional grappling, is
fleeting and minimal, consisting primarily of kicks, strikes, slams, gouges, rips and quick wrenches. The principle of disengagement allows the GC practitioner to utilise an element relatively unavailable to the conventional grappler: mobility.

GROUND MOBILITY

While a good grappler is mobile relative to his opponent, in that he is able to rapidly climb all over and around the opponent's body, the engaged aspect of grappling prevents the grappler from being mobile relative to the total environment. While he is attached to his opponent, working towards the opponent's defeat, the grappler is not free to rapidly move around the environment in which he's fighting.

The GC practitioner, specifically because he remains disengaged from the enemy (through trained rapid, convulsive and yielding movement and sensitivity), is free to move wherever he wishes. Furthermore, rapid mobility across the ground (primarily in the mode of rolling) is something that is trained constantly in GC groundfighting. This kind of training is notably absent from most conventional grappling programs, simply because it does not fit into the grappling paradigm of constant engagement.

SPORT VS COMBAT

The contrasts explored thus far expose the primary difference between conventional ground grappling and GC groundfighting: most modern grappling methods are designed for a sporting environment, while GC groundfighting is intended for real combat. Because of the ever-present possibility of multiple attackers in real combat, purposefully engaging with a single adversary on the ground, thereby sacrificing mobility, is an extremely risky strategy. While the story exists of a grounded grappler buying time against multiple attackers by manipulating his engaged opponent as a shield against the kicks and punches of the other attackers, this is hardly a reliable enough strategy to count on. A far better strategy is the exact same one a GC practitioner would use on his/her feet: Remain mobile and disengaged in order to prevent the attackers from targeting you for effective strikes and grapples while lashing out with powerful, accurate, full-body attacks against the closest attackers, while attempting to create a window to escape the crowd.

This is exactly what the GC multiple attacker strategy entails:

• Constant, unpredictable movement (in the mode of rapid, stomping steps while standing, and rolling when on the ground)
• Rapid, powerful, full-body striking at all angles —including dropping strikes and kicks while standing, and dropping kicks (primarily), body slams and strikes on the ground
• Looking to escape the mass attack (breaking out of the crowd to run away while standing, and creating space to get up and then run when on the ground).

If this groundfighting strategy sounds novel or unproven, note these excerpts from the book Kill or Get Killed by Lt. Col. Rex Applegate, one of the greatest works on close combat of the World War II era:

"Avoid, if at all possible, going to the ground with your adversary... One injunction you should heed: once going to the ground, never stop moving. Start rolling and try to get back on your feet as quickly as possible. If you can't get up and can't roll, pivot on your hips and shoulders so you can face your opponent and block with your feet any attempt to close with you."

"Remember, it is not necessary to go to the ground once YOU have placed your opponent there. You can finish him off with your feet. Your enemy can do likewise if you remain immobile on the ground and stay within range."

"When on the ground, subjected to attack from a standing opponent, the individual can use his feet to prevent the adversary from closing in or administering a coup de grace."

"At the first opportunity he should try to regain his feet."

Despite being an expert in  sportive methods of ground grappling, Lt. Col. Applegate, like  John Perkins, understood that  under real combat conditions, 
where multiple adversaries may have boots and other weapons fully capable of ending things in an instant if offered a good (stationary) target, lying on the ground is generally a bad place to be. He also knew that when on the ground, the sportive strategy of engagement must be abandoned for one of disengagement and mobility.

MATCHING STRATEGY TO GOALS

The grappling approach of full engagement with a single adversary in order to apply pins, joint locks and chokes is ideally suited to allowing a grappler to convincingly and demonstrably control and dominate a single opponent without seriously injuring him. This is why grappling is such a perfect method for sport competition, where the object is to demonstrate one athlete's superiority over another while preserving both athletes to perform another day.

In contrast, the GC approach of disengagement, with contact limited primarily to the impacts

of powerful, full-body kicks, body-slams, strikes, wrenches, rips and gouges, is not very well suited to pinning an opponent in place or forcing him to admit defeat before serious damage is done. What it is suited for, however, is maintaining the GC practitioner's freedom of movement and mobility, allowing him/her to move sufficiently to prevent a lethal pile-on or 'boot party' from multiple attackers, and create space to stand up, while dealing out disabling and possibly lethal damage to the attackers.

THE WEAPON FACTOR

Another contrast between GC groundfighting and conventional grappling that illustrates their respective foci (combat versus sport) is how the hands are utilised in each. In conventional grappling, the hands are used almost constantly to hold and control the opponent, and also at times to balance on and push off the ground or strike the opponent. In GC groundfighting, however, the hands are almost never used against the ground or to hold the enemy, and are used only secondarily for momentary striking, gouging and ripping. During training, the GC practitioner is admonished to keep his/her hands as free and unencumbered as possible. This is because GC acknowledges the fact that in real combat, hand-held weapons are often a factor in the outcome. Therefore, GC groundfighting is designed to integrate seamlessly with weapons use. This is inherent in the art's Native American
roots, when a practitioner would have been expected to have tomahawks and/or hunting knives in his hands while fighting in close combat, on the ground or otherwise. The modern GC practitioner may instead have in his/her hands a folding knife, a cane, or a weapon of opportunity that may be picked up from the ground (e.g. a brick, a bottle, or dirt to throw in the enemies' eyes). Groundfighting with weapons, as well as picking up weapons from the ground in the midst of a fight, are frequently practised aspects of GC training.

DESTRUCTION VS SUBMISSION
 

In summary, Guided Chaos groundfighting is perhaps best defined by the essential differences between its overall goal and strategy, and those of sport grappling:

The sportive grappler seeks the ground in order to gain control over a single opponent in order to make him submit to the grappler's will. GC, on the other hand, avoids the ground due to the dangers of being on the ground in a real combat situation (as opposed to in a sporting match). However, if forced to the ground, the GC practitioner uses disengagement (through sensitivity), mobility 
 
and maximum, immediate destruction of the enemy (including use of weapons if available), just like while standing up, in order to minimise the danger while on the ground and stand up as quickly as possible.

Generally, GC groundfighting uses the same strategy as GC stand-up fighting:
Use sensitivity and the disengagement principle to as quickly as possible destroy the enemy while maintaining a firm root no one can find, through balanced mobility, looseness, and body unity.

The major differences that require additional training are the use of different rooting points on the ground — hips, back, shoulders, etc. — and the increased availability of tools, in that both legs may be used
simultaneously from the ground and in ways different from when standing up. Seeing as the legs (especially with sturdy boots on them) are by far the more powerful limbs of the body, it makes sense to take advantage of their increased usability on the ground through additional training. Hence, the main foci of solo training for GC groundfighting should be the development of dynamic balance on and transition between the various rooting points available on the ground, and the development of the musculature and coordination necessary to use all the available tools in all possible ways ... and, of course, the development of the ability to get up off the ground from any position as quickly as possible. Therein lies the key to survival, whether you're a soldier or civilian. 
 

THE GUIDED CHAOS GROUND STRATEGY

• Seek to disengage rather than control. Avoid entanglement with a single, stronger enemy —and remain prepared for accomplices.
• Keep your head away from the attackers' feet and your hands free for weapon use. Keep your boots flying with scissor, jackhammer, hook, crescent and stomp-kicks.
• Aim for quick debilitation, survival and escape. When you can, get up and run! To achieve all the above, practise grounded disengagement using high-speed spinning, twisting and rolling.
• To save your life, forget locking: attack the assailant's neck and eyes instead.
• Respond to takedown attempts not with sprawling, counter-grabbing or pulling guard. Instead, drop, crack the spine, rip into his eyes and throat — and if you're going down, disengage.