As I make my way across the country I've seen an alarming trend. That trend being that officers are using MMA for DT training. MMA can teach you how to fight no doubt about it over time but it isn't right for what you do. There are huge inherent flaws in this type of training that will give you the wrong training for the wrong situation. Now before you jump my case you should know I've been doing Jujutsu for 34 years and hold a rank of 6th Dan. I trained with some of the earlier UFC fighters from back in the days when it was a tournament. I've worked the corner for US Title fights. I was backstage during some of the earlier UFC's watching guys like Oleg Taktarov, Ken Shamrock, and Fabio Gurgel prep for fights. I've been on the mat with Rickson Gracie, Royce Gracie, and Helio Soneca. I was an Alabama State Heavyweight Champion in sport jiu-jitsu in 1999. So I'm well aware of what MMA is so keep that in mind.
1. The pace is wrong - As BJ Penn pointed out in his Book of Knowledge. When he first started in MMA he had to learn to pace himself.. MMA was different than street fighting because in street fighting you go balls out you can't pace yourself. MMA teaches you to pace yourself because you don't want to gas out in later rounds just like any other sport. The longer a fight in the street goes on the more the chance exists of you being injured or the situation escalating even further.
2. Requires physical prowess to be effective - MMA fighters are always in great shape which isn't true of alot of officers or at least not on that level. A good defensive tactics program should be able to work for every officer not just certain officers. To use an MMA program as your DT program is short sighted and doesn't take into account the needs of all your officers. Plus at the same time you have officers of different sizes and shapes trying to apply the same tactics which doesn't work. What works for an officer 5'2 doesn't work for an officer 6'4. MMA has weight classes real life does not. Alot of the moves are designed to work only on people the same size as you and you need to be aware of it.
3. Takes too long to become proficient - MMA fighters train there asses off. Some of them work 4 to 6 hours everyday on honing those skills. Your officers do not have that luxury. Even with 4 to 6 hours training a day it takes them months to become proficient. When your officers attend a course they need something that works now not later. What happens if they get attacked now...not later? Plus MMA tends to focus on techniques not concepts. Concepts applied correctly work for everyone....techniques don't.
4. The situation is wrong - MMA fights know who they are going to fight and they know it's only going to be one unarmed person. Your officers will never know any of those things. If you teach an officer a course that tells them to go to the ground on purpose in a violent assault while they are wearing all that gear you might as well help their families pick out a casket ahead of time. It is ignorant and irresponsible to do that. Much less the fact that it could be multiple attackers. MMA fighters know they won't be ambushed in the ring either plus they can always tap if they put themselves in a bad situation....but you can't. Not only is it physically different it is mentally different. They are almost nothing alike.
These are only 4 examples and I can go on all day on this stuff but I think you see my point. Alot of the things taught in MMA courses can work for some. The tactics themselves aren't the problem I teach some of those same tactics in my courses. The problem is the structure is not conducive to learning quickly and the stuff just isn't right for everyone. Many times the instructors in the courses don't even truly understand the needs of officers and everything that factors into it. In closing when you choose a DT program for your officers please think about these points I've highlighted and make a more educated decision.
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