Keep Class Fun and Exciting with Multiple Opponent Drills

Originally published on January 31st, 2016 by Dustin B. Denson

Keep Moving

Pekiti-Tirsia Kali stresses the importance of maneuverability through footwork training.  Initially, the footwork is practiced solo to develop mechanics, attributes, precision, and cardiovascular fitness.  Eventually, striking with the weapon and footwork is combined and utilized within a combat flow against another student to further develop timing, offense, counter-offense, and the strategies and tactics that are learned while progressing through the Doce Methedos.

How to protect yourself and take the offensive during a multiple attacker encounter is actually taught from the beginning in PTK, but you can find the roots of this advanced footwork in the Sixth Method with cross-stepping.  It continues to be developed and expounded upon in the Eight and Ninth Methods and even more so in the later Methods and Advanced Systems.

The bottom line is that you have to be able to move and change direction quickly while striking, protecting yourself, and applying the tactics of long and close quarter combat.  This is the domain of the Fifth and Sixth Methods of PTK.  Movement must be reflexive and strategic.  This is developed by creating and training various multiple attacker scenarios.

Structured Drills for Faster Skills Development

It is important to establish scenarios with predefined parameters.  Obviously, once you walk out of the classroom, there will be no rules or parameters; but, in order to learn how to move and strike while being engaged by multiple attackers you have to start somewhere.

So, consider simple scenarios first, such as two on one.  This can be complex enough once one starts thinking about how the variables can change.  Where are you positioned?  Are you positioned more to the right or more to the left or in the center of both attackers?  How far away are they?  What kind of weapon are you employing?  Do you have to draw it or chamber it from a low position?  Are they stationary or moving towards you?  What's behind you or to the sides of you?  Answering these kinds of questions will help to create and refine drills.

Basically, you must consider the basic journalist questions:  who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Tactics - KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)

Basic strikes learned in the beginning are the most effective for protection and attacking in multiple attacker situations.  These are the strikes learned in the Personal Protection Skills Program and the basic Military CQC Level 1 Qualification Course.  These strikes include the fluid and broken diagonal forehand and backhand attacks, the backhand horizontal attack, and the broken vertical attack.  Broken thrusts and backhand horizontal jabs are also effective.

Training multiple attacker scenarios are also an effective way to teach how different strikes can be used to quarter and prevent others from bridging and closing on you.

Have Fun!

Finally, multiple attacker drills are fun for the class.  Students enjoy this kind of challenging training and it is an opportunity for them to see how what they have learned can protect them.

It also gets everyone in class involved, training together, and talking "shop", which improves overall understanding for all involved.  I always encourage questions, because it can help shape future drills and scenarios that may have been on a student's mind, but not covered during regular classes.