White Tiger Martial Arts Croydon : STMA and The Street

We use the term "SAS training" as a catchy title

Sport/ Sparring - ART - Street Fighting / Self Defence

The evolution in STMA has always been focussed on the ART, the Traditional MA passed down to us, with Modern Functionalisation

British Shiro Tora is Functionalised to be Practical, Realistic and Effective for Self Defence on the Streets of Britain in the 21st Century

We do Sparring regularly in Kickboxing, though we do not concern ourselves in the other Phases, Grappling or Weapons - nobody is training to be Functional for any kind of Competition

We do not concern ourselves too much with fighting as it was in the "old days" apart from what is Functionally relevant

eg IAI with the KATANA may not be directly relevant as we would not be carrying the Katana in a belt needing a "quick" draw" when the fight starts, however the Concept, skill and fast reflexes allow us to draw any Weapon we are carrying when needed quickly in a REAL situation

This version of STMA started in 2009 and is what we practice today

We are not so concerned with Street Fighting Self Defence these days and it not any Member's primary concern

While The Guvnor was a former NightClub Doorman, having "retired" is not now concerned with facing life threatening situations every weekend

Tank has more real world experience than probably any of the other Members, though himself not directly concerned these days

Ice has probably seen more "Medical Street" situations than anyone and is aware of threat levels while "out and about"

Baloo, when he was with us, was still at the end of a long career in the Security Industry, most recently Retail

Chip, when he was with us, was a serving Police Officer in South London

The previous version of STMA, from the end of the 20th Century, crossing into the start of the Millennium, was very much focussed on Street SD

When working at the Clubs, myself and my Crew would have our training sessions on Monday and Wednesday then Friday and Saturday we went "live"

Though we used the SAS approach, we were very much practicing and Functionalising for the situations we would be facing at the weekend

Over my first couple of years, and the many situations I dealt with, I altered the practice at my Class Sessions for this purpose

I had some of my students take up the job and become Doormen - I also had friends from the Door come to train at my Dojo

By the time I got my own Door, becoming Head Doorman, I had a pool of about a dozen Members so was able to put my own Crew together, pick my own Team from Dojo Members

Other Doors in the area were made up of some of the Dojo Members, and we sometimes rotated staff

After a situation, we often did a review, initially at the Club, then sometimes back at the Dojo on Monday

Often, after we had the customers out and the place was closed while the bar staff were cleaning up, doing bottles, etc, the Security Team would review and practice in the club, on the Dance Floor - we had an unofficial Saturday night 2am Dojo session for the Door team - one of the great advantages of this was the Orientation of practicing in our own working environment, and advantage over the "opponents" we would be facing

As I have posted elsewhere a doorman will face three main situations - at this point the confrontation will start, be contained, or escalate

One - customer at the door refused entry

Two - customer inside who you have to ask to leave

Three - customers start fighting, you need to stop the fight and get them out

All the techniques and tactics we teach for SD come from these experiences, my personal experience, and seeing it work for those I have taught who applied them in the same situations

Nothing is guesswork, assumed or made up - it is REAL

The primary SD lists are developed from this:

The Fence

The One punch KO - Sucker Punch - Sniper Option

The Eye Jab

Blocks - YES they work though as "adapted" versions

Locks - Ikkyo, Waki Gatame and Kote Gaeshi in particular

(other locks have been used to great effect eg Sankyo - and I once broke the wrist of an "opponent" who grabbed me with Nikyo)

Chokes - the Sleeper in particular

HKE - Head, Knee, Elbow

(I once used the headbutt on an "opponent" on the top step and sent him back down them

Kicks

(including head kicks to a downed opponent - only under the most extreme situation )

Throws

(a hip throw on the Street in one case)

Newaza Ground - never the best place to be but if it goes there you need to know what to do - not NOT believe people in things like "BJJ" who say "all fights go to the ground" and to "take the fight" to the ground when they have never been there, never done it, never seen it done, or understand the consequences

(and I have been underneath a huge heavy opponent using a modified Guard while pressed up against an obstacle and had to make that work)

Weapons - though officially not advocated whether Security or for SD, a person can choose to carry a Modern Weapon should it's use be necessary

Knuckle Duster
Yawara
ASP or other stick/truncheon weapon
Security torch
Any kind of wooden stick, improvised or adapted eg pool cue head

With the current STMA sessions, when we do refer to SD techniques and tactics they are based on this long study and refining of this highly successful Method

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Tuesday 14 March 2023

STMA and The Street