Battle Profile-12: Libre Fighting (1 Part)

The interesting approach of this school of knife fighting makes you pay attention to it. Why in some moments the Libre fighting system is similar to the Soviet hand-to-hand combat system? Maybe the answer is that both systems are based on reality? Or something else?
About Libre fighting tells its founder Scott Babb.

General issues:

1. Characteristic style (school, direction) in one sentence
Libre fighting is a non-standard method of working with cold weapons, specially designed for Western types of knives and collisions with cold weapons.

　
2. Style motto (schools, directions)
"The knife is not a weapon"
　
3. The origins (beginning) of the direction (when and who founded)
Libre fighting game founded by Scott Babb (i.e., I) in San Diego, California. I started building the system at the end of 2004, but it took us a couple of years to create the basic structure. By 2008, we had an early, rough version of the system that you now see. I unveiled the Libre fighting game in December 2008. Since then, the system has been constantly improving and improving, and many hands have helped to shape it.
　
4. The ultimate goal of the class (the ideal to which the student is going), the physical and mental qualities that he must acquire
I hope that after learning Libre a person will be destroyed illusions about the violence with the use of a knife. Unlike what many people think when they come to practice, knife fighting is not a beautiful and not “smooth” sight. Duels leave for the movie. The knife attack is fast, chaotic and primitive. And as soon as a person accepts reality, he can begin to prepare how to react to such an attack.
Most of the training in knife fighting consists of a pair of mining and conditioned series. Gradually, this leads to a misunderstanding that a knife fight on a knife is practically a dance. What is it strikes and parry, rebounds and attacks, dynamics. While in reality everything is tight, aggressive and brutal. I saw a lot of guys with the experience of intensive knife fighting, who just froze in sparring workouts, when the opponent just approached, snapped in street style and began to squander in the style of "sewing machine".

　

5. Teaching methods
I believe in the constant development of the base. In each group, without exception. I also believe that it is important to train with a certain level of controlled aggression. There is nothing passive in a situation where someone is trying to kill you, so you need to train with the appropriate attitude.
　
6. Used equipment (shock, wrestling, zalomnaya, etc.)
In Libra, there are no disarmament techniques and creases are rarely used, only in special cases. We prefer injections to cuts for several reasons. The first is that in the western world in many places it is cold most of the year and your opponent is likely to have several layers of clothing - which may prevent the cut from reaching its goal. At the same time, it is possible to penetrate several layers of clothing with a thrust. Also, statistics show that stab wounds are more likely to be fatal than incised wounds.

7. Direction tactics

Taken from our site.
　
1) The essence of Libre in the attack, and not in parrying or trying to move around the defense of the enemy - the defense of the enemy must be broken.
2) Libre's strategy involves exploring the stance, defenses, enemy positions, and using it. The practitioner also uses the legs (movement), feints and the direction of the line of sight in order to break through the opponent's defense.
3) Protection in Libra comes from the use of footwork to control distance, incline, provoke (lure) and neutralize the enemy. Blocks and / or beats are rarely used.
4) The essence of Libre is not in a "duel", but in a "battle." In Libra do not try to pinch the enemy. The system aims to break it in the quickest and most brutal way from the practice arsenal. This is where the term “Libre Fighting” comes from. This is not a traditional martial art, not a “system” or “style”. This in its essence is just a “fight”.
5) Libre does not limit itself to "technicians." We are learning to use anything around to gain advantage. This includes using your own clothes (or your opponent's clothes) to blind, strangle or distract him. Use all that is at hand to throw at the enemy. Spit, bite, pinch, pull hair and beat his head. Break the opponent's head against the wall, curb or table. Libre practitioners learn to improvise to win.
6) The system of Libre is not sharpened by the use of heavy agricultural blades. It is sharpened by the use of a conventional folding knife that can be carried around with you. Therefore, special emphasis is placed on enhanced cuts and attack ONLY vital areas, or to cripple the enemy. A small "street blade" cannot inflict much damage as easily as a heavy agricultural blade. Therefore, too many cuts or stabbing blows are not applied. Each blow with a "street blade" should bring as much damage as possible.
7) Growth is needed in Libre. It is necessary to supplement the system style of battle, which is owned by the user. Libre should adapt to a person, not a person to Libre. It is welcomed when practitioners make Libre their own to use what they have in combination with Libre.

8. The presence of training battles (sparring). In what form, according to what rules are held?
We start sparring with Blender. Blender is sparring in tight spaces (around 6 X 5 feet). This forces the student to be aggressive, and also teaches him to compete with an opponent who shows the same level of aggression. This takes them out of the dueling mood, and puts them in a situation that is closer to what they face in the real world. As soon as they show the right attitude and skills, they will be allowed to spar in the open air. Although they will still be practicing Blender regularly.
　
9. Physical training (general and special) - including work with weights, free weights, your weight
Most of the people I teach individually are black belt owners / instructors in other systems, military or law enforcement officers. So I usually train people who are already in "combat form."
　
10. Work against the group
We put emphasis on work against several opponents, and unlike many systems, we start early to train students in such situations (after 3-6 months of training).
　
11. Situational training
We work out a large variety of street situations, and sometimes we train on the street, in alleys or parks, in order to increase the degree of realism in training. The specific situational training depends on the student. Law enforcement officers, for example, can work out a situation where a firearm malfunctioned, and a student is attacked by several opponents. The knife can then be used to give the officer the opportunity to check the weapon and start using it again. In the case of a civilian student, we can put her in a situation that reflects domestic violence, or the start of an assault with the use of violence that can lead to sexual violence.
We also have an anti-theft / urban survival program called the Black Box, which is based on real cases of abductions in Mexico City. The type of activity of the majority of people who pass this training is associated with a particular risk, and they have experience of serving in the army or law enforcement agencies.

Comments

[zoknyay82]

Probably not bad, with a knife, he has been striving for primitivism since the time of Fairburn, and this is not bad, in my opinion. Classic martial arts cease to be applied and more and more look like some kind of ballet. :-)

[Uzer 13.]

In general, this is a street fight with a folding knife. And the preparation method is the lack of any method. I advise you not to rely too much on a folding knife, this is not a very reliable tool. In addition, it is desirable to have a gas spray in another pocket, there will be more from it If you are not in Nigeria or other ivory shores, then after self-defense in this way you will have to sew gloves or roll logs in places not so distant. There are some standard positions of defense against a knife with a good result, you should not neglect them, and you should be diligent in the gym until the automatism of movements is developed. The basic rule of self-defense is, if you can’t portray anything without a knife, then the knife will not help you. This is especially true for an ordinary citizen who is not very burdened with good physical preparation.

[Riv]

I read about this school and saw their video. All preparation comes down to creating reflexes in a beginner: "Attack first" and "Do not be afraid of the enemy." In general, this is certainly correct, but a real duel between two such fighters is a guaranteed mutual suicide.

In fact, the very idea of ​​martial arts is not the destruction of the enemy, but the cessation of its aggression. Of course, it happens that the enemy dies. Or you die. But this is not a prerequisite. Example: does the enemy have a knife? Make him think you have a gun. Does the enemy have a gun? Make sure you have a bulletproof vest and special forces unit under command. Etc.

"The rule of war is not to rely on the fact that the enemy will not come, but to rely on what I can meet him with; not to rely on the fact that he will not attack, but to rely on that I will make an attack on myself impossible for him. "

[fennekRUS]

Judging by the commercials, the essence is to get together in a clinch and poke where you reach. But will the rival wait so unnaturally when they run out of him? Even the reflex jerks of an opponent’s hand with a knife, I'm afraid will make this pyrrhic victory. The blade was especially touched by the attacker's neck, and holding it, even if it simply jerks when it hits with a knife, will open the attacker's carotid artery. (IMHO) And if the enemy actively breaks the distance and uses the second hand, most likely the attacker will thus receive a strip of steel in the hypochondrium (and he will attack it himself) But it is fearless and looks effective and aggressive. All IMHO, put on a helmet, ready to catch cons

[Megatron]

Honestly, it’s not very clear to me why in modern Russian realities an ordinary citizen has a knife fight. It is needed only by special forces personnel who are directly involved in hostilities as part of applied skills.

Because when you attack a person with a stick, spray can or similar weapon using similar skills, 99% of you will sit down.
If they attack with a knife and you also have a knife, the probability is less, but sit down.

And with a knife against the gun - most likely you will already be shot, so if you don’t throw it, there’s a wedge everywhere.


It is more interesting to read about modern martial arts aimed at neutralizing unarmed people armed, in particular, they are very interested in the direction of Krav Maga, I would be very grateful for a detailed article on this military equipment.

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: Megatron

Because when you attack a person with a stick, spray can or similar weapon using similar skills, 99% of you will sit down.

Well, it's better to sit down than lie down. Into the ground. Besides, you are not quite right. Modern "feathers" with which it is allowed to walk (meaning short-bladed knives) are unlikely to kill an attacker, but a couple of deep cuts can very well stop his fighting impulse ... although they may not. But if you are beaten on the head with a stick, then first you need to calm down the attacker, and then think about the consequences, otherwise there will be nothing to think about.

[Riv]

Well, right, the consequences ... However, you need to think about them not when you are revealing a knife, but when you take it with you.

[fennekRUS]

Quote: Andrey from Chelyabinsk

Well, it's better to sit down than lie down

Best fight ever. (C) A counterattack in the forehead is a gesture of despair, "pan or disappear". Does religion forbid you to throw something at the attacker and "legs, feet, keep my ass out of trouble"? And the hack shown in the article above did not fit the special forces at all. If the task is to remove the sentry with a knife, then an attack in the back and without noise, without a pretentious swoop. With one blow.

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: fennekRUS

A forehead counterattack is a gesture of despair, "pan or go"

And as a rule, the only reasonable way to conduct a street fight

Quote: fennekRUS

Religion forbids you to throw something at an attacker

As the wise uncle Fyodor said: "In order to sell something unnecessary, you must first buy something unnecessary, but we have no money." A couple, two gifts, or even one thread come up to you on the street and strike up a predictable conversation. When will you look for / pick up this "something"? But what if the matter is on the asphalt, and there is nothing nearby?

Quote: fennekRUS

and "feet feet - keep my ass out of trouble"

Well, I personally have too much weight, so I can’t escape anymore. But if you manage to sit on the attacker - to him a khan!

[fennekRUS]

Quote: Andrey from Chelyabinsk

to him khan!

Glad you have a sense of humor For some reason, gifts do not suit me, except that the hanygs sometimes beg for ruble, although they are also far from an athlete. ) Apparently all the same, you shouldn't climb the habitats of such typuses?) However, how many people, so many opinions. With my hand in my pocket, I confess, the knife lies there, "shob bulo")) Thank God, the use is exclusively domestic. TTT

[Megatron]

Well, it's better to sit down than to lie down. To the ground.

This is certainly indisputable, but you will not be every gopnik who is not very cultured asks to "smoke" - to stab with a knife, even a short-bladed one. The balloon is all in this regard every good alternative, albeit not always universal, zapshikal, swept (optional) and went on.

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote: Megatron

This is of course indisputable, but you will not be every gopnik who is not very cultured asks to "smoke" - to stab with a knife, even a short-blade one.

Yes, to be honest, I don’t carry anything with me at all. Just because for many years I was engaged in all kinds of hand-to-hand combat and with my hands I can do something (although I lost my form for a long time and thoroughly), but with a blade - no. But the reflexes remained just on hand, so that if something happens I will brush them off :))) Rukummi, in principle, can be used against a stick (if the attacker does not know how to own it, of course), but against the knife I will feel bad, yes.

[Razvedka_Boem]

The spray is not as effective as you might think. And when used in a confined space, the one who uses the spray itself falls under its action. And the knife is such a thing that if it appeared in the hand. then they will kill. Or you will kill. And if you are not ready for this, then you do not need to take it (to carry with you). But if you really want to, it will be psychologically more efficient to carry a sapper blade (not sharpened) or an ax in the car ..) they do not belong to melee weapons and you can always say - food to the country. He won’t save from the pros, but he’s completely gurgling.

[Megatron]

At the expense of the ax - I agree. If anything can be done with a butt.

[Siberia 9444]

Is that an ax? but in general, a knife during self-defense will cause a stupor at the soldier because in the genes the fear of knives and how many centuries people fought with swords and sabers knives!?