When I developed the Protection Response Tactics Program for the Executive Protection Institute, I focused on creating techniques to learn and concepts and tools specifically designed to be applied in the environments and situations faced by personal protection agents. My goal was to be able to provide students with a new way to look at protection situations, a way to train concepts, and a way of evaluating the information they get in the future. One of the best ways to do that is not to look at techniques from different martial arts systems but to break down physical interactions to their most basic concepts and components. When developing programs like PRT, I must study the rules and environment that the client works in, then filter through my knowledge and experience to expand the program. I’ve been studying martial arts for over 40 years. I’ve developed my own system for learning and exploring the science of fighting and utilizing filters to run new information through throughout the years. Today I am going to share one of those filters with you, 360 Degrees of Destructive Force.
When I am teaching the Protection Response Tactics Program for the EPI team, I will often use the phrase “360° of destructive force.” I get asked about the concert quite frequently during instruction. What I am referring to is the ability to deliver destructive force in any direction around you without having to turn around or adjust your position. I personally use this filter to put different defensive tactics, concepts, and ideas through. The vast majority of techniques are only usable in one direction. A lot of martial art systems are completely designed around dealing with a single opponent. For myself, this is one part of the defining qualities of a sport-based system. In other words, the technique or method is only designed for, or only considers a single opponent.
Whenever I learn a new technique or a new concept, I will run those ideas through my principle-based filtering system to see if they meet the requirements of further pursuit. As mentioned, one of these filters is the 360 principal. The technique should be able to have at least some basic answers that can be delivered in each direction; in front of you, to your right, to your left, and a threat that is relatively close in behind you. To expand on this, you should also be able to deliver the technique while standing, squatting, kneeling, sitting, and laying. Studying your concepts or techniques that can address these situations will significantly limit your list of available options, but it will force you to choose options that can be applied in many different situations. It will also build a framework dealing with multiple opponents inside the critical distance; in other words, they are close enough to you to touch you. I have seen a lot of videos of recent protests where law Enforcement or security individuals were placed in the middle of a crowd of potential threats. This position inside groups/crowds is a classic example of needing information and techniques in a situation that can be applied in any direction. When dealing with a crowd, the agent will usually be required to apply a higher level of energy. To take this one step further and relate more to the protection agent’s realm, we additionally must follow a specific set of rules when we are applying defensive tactics.Protection agents must be able to engage in situations that involve all levels of force and energy while remaining within legal limits and appearing socially appropriate.
We also must consider that it will be a client-based defense method and not a self-defense system. In other words, you are not just protecting yourself but also protecting a client. If a protection agent is tasked with safeguarding any client in the public eye, most of their interactions will require a lower level of force and be very visible to the public. One example would be working a red-carpet event where you will have to deal with slightly aggressive fans that have no real intent to harm. In this case, you have a client to protect as well as a fan to be considerate of. The client is not going to want an agent to upset and rough up their fans. You need to be able to effectively direct the client and the other person while doing so in a way that feels non-attacking to the fan. This situation requires an agent to be effective while applying a lower energy level. To be a highly valued security agent, you need to have specific applications to utilize in every level of force.
Additionally, a protection agent must consider how everything they do looks visually. All the tools used must be visually acceptable and socially acceptable. Both things will determine how you apply control or force, even when dealing with multiple opponents. I say this all the time when I am teaching at EPI. You may be entirely in the right to do what you must to protect your client. Still, a bystander might catch a video or photo of the exact moment you appear to be doing something you shouldn’t or taking action a bit too far. Unfortunately, that one image may be taken out of context and can be used against you.
As mentioned earlier, delivery of your technique should be possible in the standing position all the way down to the lying position. Generally, a lot of these physical placements are considered out of position placements. These are basic positions that we apply to every concept in my Academy as they occur naturally in altercations. There is a gap in most defensive tactics training that fails to address the positions you encounter between standing and lying. Even when lying down, various positions and environments must be studied. You may be in the middle of a floor, up against a wall, or on furniture (to name a few). The truth is once you start applying techniques to different scenarios and environments, it gets even more complicated than the positions we have mentioned here. For example, imagine taking whatever method you’re working on and doing it from the driver’s seat of a motor vehicle or sitting inside a restaurant booth. Additionally, most protection agents are responsible for a principal, as we mentioned above. So, an example of an additional scenario to place any technique in would be doing it while escorting your principal out of a room. All of this is considered application while out of position. This concept should be a standard point of reference for a Protection agent when viewed in a defensive tactic application.
The term I use when teaching out-of-position fighting is “dog boxing”. There are certain ideal positions for the body to be in during a combative exchange. It is commonly taught and trained in multiple Martial Arts that the student will seek to be on balance and have their body aligned in a solid position. They do this because you can produce more destructive force if you understand good mechanics and have an excellent body placement. This body placement, of course, is correct; if you can maintain the ideal position, balance, and alignment of the body while in a fight, that would be fantastic. But the truth is you don’t always get to choose where you will be. Especially if you must deal with two or more points of threat, you could easily be put out of position. For example, you may end up on the ground pinned between your opponent and a vehicle. I have been thrown across the table and over the hood of a car during a combative exchange. In those moments, I found myself not in an ideal position for defending myself. When placed in these out-of-position scenarios, most people strive to get back into a position of control and balance. This response is human nature and often will happen out of reflex, especially if these desired positions have been ingrained in the body through continuous training. The problem is that during the transition, as you struggle to get back into a good position, you are vulnerable. Not only are you vulnerable, but generally, most defensive tactics or martial art systems will teach you nothing about how to fight out of these positions. You are stuck in the “gap.” Dog Boxing is an organized study of being comfortable and delivering a destructive force out of these awkward moments. If done correctly, a dog boxing student will become comfortable regardless of their position. They will have answers to apply in each place or use as they transition back to a position of superior placement. Out-of-position training should be part of any methodology or training you commit yourself to. It should at the very least be discussed so that you are aware of it, and you can pursue future information or growth in that area if you choose to.
Students learn more about these concepts and other filters during PRT training at EPI. We also learn concepts and techniques that were developed specifically for protection agents with consideration of protecting a client and dealing with single and multiple opponents in a variety of settings. Whether you are new to the protection field or a seasoned agent, you will come away from PRT with a new way of viewing defense protection tactics and training methods to continue developing your skills. If you’ve taken the course previously and could use a refresher, you are welcome to join as well.
Alan Baker, PPS; Executive Protection Institute Graduate, NLA Member