I hosted another Simunition event last Saturday, and I was working with a highly diverse group of Kravists in terms of age, sex, and training experience.
For those of you unfamiliar with Simunition – it is a set of self-defense and training products that includes a specialized barrel and slide that fits both a proprietary hard plastic marking round filled with liquid, colored soap and a Glock frame. The outfit is designed to allow for real life handgun encounters with a lower level of force (that is, not deadly) application. In short, I used a Glock frame and Simunition set-up (and associated safety equipment) that shot a hard plastic marking projectile at approximately 300 feet per second to test the trainees handgun defenses from the front (leveled at the chest).
The results were varied – with one trainee making six defenses in a row without being marked (bar an insignificant graze) and others making six defenses with only one success. In slow motion, the videos I filmed at the seminar tell the story – leaning first, initiating the body defense too soon after the hand moves, and bailing out (activating the wrong shoulder and fading from the altercation) were exclusively responsible for the failures. On the other hand, those that followed the prescribed hands/body/feet movement protocol had substantial success.
I cannot stress how significant the principles of Krav Maga are in facilitating success/safe control during violent encounters. As Kravists, we must force ourselves to develop the motor skills required to secure our safety, and much of that starts with adherence to the hands/body/feet movement principles when faced with a handgun threat. For an illustration of the incorrect movements mentioned above, check out the video below.
