B.A.S.H. Combatives & Survival

Vehicle Go Bag

2011-12-15T01:28:00.000-08:00

VEHICLE GO BAG

Survival Systems for Your Vehicle

Survival experts agree that you should always have at leasta minimum of survival items in your vehicle at all times. People who take road trips or just drivingin remote or wilderness areas for the day may run into serious trouble if theirvehicle breaks down or if they become lost or stuck in bad weather. Additionally, if a natural or man-made disasterstrikes while on the road, a vehicle Go Bag will be an invaluable aid. The following list includes items and tipsfor surviving the unexpected. Make sure you know how to use everything in yourkit or vehicle “Go Bag.”

Listed Alphabetically

Categories

· Communications: With the widespread use of cell phones thiscategory, for the most part, is taken care of. That said, cell phone signals/coverage in remote or wilderness areas isvery limited. When travelling, oneshould always leave a travel plan with friends or family members. In addition, a device such as the SPOTSatellite Personal Tracker is worth consideration.

· Fire: At least 3 different methods should beincluded. For example, a firesteel, stormproofmatches, and butane lighter make a great combination. In addition, it is a good idea to includetinder of some sort, e.g. store-bought fire tinder from a local camping store;or petroleum cotton balls made by wiping Vaseline on a number of cotton balls(store all tinder in a water proof container).

· FirstAid: Don’t skimp on this. Buy a hiker’s first aid kit then customize itwith additional items to suit your specific needs. Add some trauma/hemorrhage control items andOTC medications. You will have to use alarger pouch to fit the additional items—it’s also a good idea to put all itemsin a zip lock bag first. Get FirstAid/CPR certified and buy a paperback on wilderness first aid or get certified. Include a first aid reference guide in yourkit.

· Hydration: Keep at least 3 gallons of drinking water ina BPA-Free water container in your vehicle at all times. Use a hydration backpack as your go bag, plushave either a 1 liter stainless steel water bottle or a BPA-Free waterbottle/canteen and metal cup. Make sureyou have at least 2 or 3 different methods available for purifying water, e.g.purification tablets; water filter/purifier; metal cup for boiling water;emergency water purification straw.

· Illumination: A hiker’s headlamp; a small flashlight; and amini LED “keychain” light like the photon micro light is a greatcombination. Take spare batteries, aswell.

· Insulation: Layering is key! A wicking layer next to the skin; then theinsulation layer(s), such as fleece or wool; and the outer layer for wind andrain. A rain poncho, as well as hiking boots,socks, gloves and hat appropriate for the location and season should also beincluded. You may have to sleep out forone or more nights, so your vehicle should always have either a wool blanket,such as an army blanket, or a sleeping bag in it. If you do not have a blanket or sleeping bagand find yourself in a survival situation where you have to sleep outdoors,gather natural materials in the area to act as insulation and padding, then usethe emergency mylar bivy bag, which should be included in your survival kit, tocover yourself with.

· Navigation: A compass and map(s) of the areas inwhich you’re travelling. GPS is greatbut can fail. You should always have amap and compass with you! Considerenrolling in a map & compass navigation class. At the very least, purchase a paperback onwilderness navigation. After you’vestudied the book, keep it in your kit!

· Nutrition: Have some easy-to-prepare, non-perishablefood ready to go, e.g. mountain house backpacker meals; MREs; or emergencyhigh-calorie food bars such as Mainstay brand. Take along some trail mix and power bars, as well.

· PersonalDefense: This category can varydepending on a number of factors, including your training and comfortlevel. In addition to firearms, thereare a number of personal defense devices available. Whichever option(s) are chosen, be sure toobtain proper training and know the legalities for their carry and use.

· Shelter: In an emergency, your vehicle should be yourfirst shelter choice. However, forwhatever reason, you may no longer be with your vehicle. In such cases you’ll need some type ofshelter. Tent, tarp, cave or lean-tosurvival shelter—doesn’t much matter as long as it does the job (make surenatural shelters are safe before using). As a minimum for emergencies, consider purchasing a survival tarp, 4 – 6light weight tent stakes and 50 – 100 feet of 550 paracord. Learn how to set up a tarp shelter.

· Signaling: More than one type, e.g. signal mirror andemergency whistle; and your flashlight at night. Know how to make a proper and safe signalfire, as well.

· SunProtection: Hat, sunglasses, properclothing and sunscreen.

· Tools: In addition to a standard emergency vehicleroadside kit, your vehicle survival kit/go bag should include a good quality fixed-bladeknife (minimum blade length of 4 inches) and a good quality multi-tool (with asaw blade). Other tools to considerinclude an e-tool/folding shovel; folding camp saw; and camp axe. Include a roll of duct tape in your kit, aswell.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Knowinghow to use all the items in your kit cannot be stressed enough. Consider taking a wilderness travel orsurvival course. At the very least,purchase a book or two on wilderness survival and disaster preparedness andtake some time to practice using the items in your kit—don’t wait until alife-threatening situation occurs!

Combat & Survival Fitness

2011-11-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

The three pillars of fitness: muscular strength and endurance; cardio-vascular conditioning; and flexibility are all important for complete fitness and should be approached in a balanced manner. Once a good base of fitness is achieved, the focus of the combat athlete's fitness regimen should shift toward "sport-specific" training. This, combined with a variety of related cross-training will fine-tune the mind-body component of the combat athlete. Listed below are some of the exercise and fitness fundamentals (CrossFit Journal) that everyone should be familiar with before beginning a fitness regimen.

General Physical Skills*

Cardiovascular-Respiratory Endurance: The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
Stamina: The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
Strength: The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
Flexibility: The ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
Power: The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
Speed: The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
Coordination: The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
Agility: The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
Balance: The ability to control the placement of the body’s center of gravity in relation to its support base.
Accuracy: The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.

World-Class Fitness in 100 Words*

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.
Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, clean & jerk, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc., hard and fast.
Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense.
Regularly learn and play new sports.

Warm-up*

A proper warm-up should consist of one short duration cardio effort, e.g. ½ mile jog or 5 minutes of jump rope; a 2-set circuit of BW squats, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and back extensions. This covers the five basic motions: squat, push, pull, bend and extend. A light sweat is a good indicator of a successful warm-up.

A proper warm-up prepares us mentally and physically for activity. Physiologically it induces a host of responses including increases in heart rate, stroke volume (blood pumped per heartbeat), cardiac output (blood pumped per minute), oxygen extraction by the muscles, blood pressure, pulmonary ventilation (amount of air moved per breath) and core temperature. The increase in core and muscle temperature increases the elasticity of muscle and tendon tissue, increases nerve conduction rates and increases the speed of muscle contractions.

*CrossFit Journal: www.crossfit.com

Pistol Malfunctions

2011-11-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

Malfunctions/Stoppages (also known as "jams") are fairly common with semi-automatic pistols. Though most modern semi-autos are relatively reliable, it is important to train the proper responses for these malfunctions. The first response for all three malfunctions is an Immediate Action Drill called a Tap-Rack. Note: With a type-3 malfunction, a simple tap-rack will not fix the problem, but for tactical training purposes having to do with the development of conditioned responses, this step is always the first response. Additionally, it is highly recommended that these drills be performed using snap-caps, rather than live ammo.

Type-1 Malfunction – Failure to Fire: You pull the trigger and get a "click" instead of a bang. This is the simplest type of malfunction and the easiest to fix.

o Often a type-1 malfunction is simply a case of a round not being chambered (e.g. you didn't rack the slide after you inserted the magazine).

o Another possibility is that the round has a bad primer (known as a "misfire") so the round did not fire when the firing pin hit the primer.

o A potentially dangerous situation is a "hangfire" in which the burning of the cartridge's propellant is delayed. Only attempt to immediately clear the malfunction during a real confrontation. This is due to the risk of the round eventually firing. If you experience a hangfire, keep the gun pointed down range for at least 10 seconds before attempting to clear it. When clearing a malfunction, always keep the muzzle pointed down range!

o An additional cause could be that the firing pin has broken (a broken part which does not allow the gun to fire).

To practice, insert a magazine into the gun with an empty chamber. Point at the target and pull the trigger. You will feel a "click" also referred to as a dry fire. With the heel of your palm, hit the bottom of the magazine to make sure it is seated properly (this is the "tap"). Then “rack” the gun by pulling the slide straight back and letting go. This will cycle a new round into the chamber. Reacquire your target for another shot.

Type-2 Malfunction – Failure to Eject: This type of malfunction is also known as a "stove pipe" because the spent brass often sticks half way out of the ejection port, resembling the top of an old stove's pipe.

o The symptom of this malfunction is a "dead trigger" (no click, just a little bit of movement) and most likely some brass sticking out of the ejection port (but not necessarily); and the slide will not be completely in battery (all the way forward).

To practice, remove the magazine from the gun and empty the chamber. Lock the slide back and place a snap-cap or empty brass casing vertically in the ejection port; pull back on the slide and ease it forward to trap the round in the ejection port; insert a magazine; point the gun down range at the target and pull the trigger. Tap-Rack, then reacquire your target for another shot.

Type-3 Malfunction – Failure to Feed: This is a feed-way stoppage, also known as a "double feed," which means that too much brass is competing for the same space in the chamber.

o A type-3 malfunction can occur when the extractor didn't get a good grip on the spent round; or the extractor is gummed up or broken.

o It can also happen if you rack your slide and you don't rack it with enough force.

o Often there will be a visible casing seated in the chamber (fired or ready to be fired) and another round from the magazine has been pressed up against it, trapping it in place.

To practice, remove the magazine and empty the chamber; lock the slide back and point the gun down range or toward the ground; place a snap-cap or empty brass casing in the chamber; insert a magazine, then ease the slide forward (this should grab one of the rounds from the magazine and press it against the back of the chambered round); attempt to fire a shot. When the gun does not fire, immediately perform a Tap-Rack and attempt to fire again (it will not fire due to the double feed, however, this step is always done for tactical conditioning reasons). Since the Tap-Rack did not fix the problem, you now know that it is either a double feed or the gun is broken. At this point you must strip the magazine from the gun; rack the slide two or three times to clear the chamber; insert a fresh magazine and rack the slide one more time to load a round into the chamber.

· When handling and training with firearms, always follow all safety rules at all times.

· When training malfunction drills, use snap-caps whenever possible.

· Always train at a safe and legal location, preferably one designated for firearms training.

· When training at a shooting range, be aware of and follow all range rules and etiquette.

· Always wear eye and ear protection.

· Always transport firearms in a legal manner.

· When not in use, always store your firearms unloaded and with a trigger lock or other secure method, such as a gun safe.

· Keep your firearms clean and lubricated.

Reaction, Response & Motor Skills

2011-11-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

RESPONSE LOOP

This is the process that must occur, at various speeds and on different cognitive levels, for any physical action to occur. Our model is a simplified version of the famous O.O.D.A (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) Loop taught by Lt. Col. John Boyd for dogfighting in high performance jets. The word “reflexes” is often used as a catch all term to describe this process, which is actually a combination of PERCEPTION skills, cognitive processes (DECISION), and, in trained individuals, conditioned responses (ACTION). Actual reflexes are hard wired movements that you are born with that completely by-pass the cognitive brain and travel no farther than the spinal cord. You must move through this process constantly, continually making adjustments as new info comes in, hence the “loop.” The response loop can be broken down into mental & physical, both of which are impacted by the neuroendocrine response.

CONDITIONED RESPONSE

This is known in most training circles as “muscle memory”, which is a great descriptive term for practical purposes, if not completely accurate. Correct repetition of a movement does strengthen the neural connection between brain and muscle, making the movement smoother, faster and more efficient. The misconception starts when people think that the desired motion will completely by-pass the cognitive brain in the same way that an actual reflex does. The shear number of repetitions that it would take to accomplish this is so high it is very unlikely that any practical number of techniques could be brought to the level of “reflex”, though a well rehearsed skill can be so fast as to appear nearly so. When we use the term “reflexive” we are talking about a conditioned response, flowing off of an actual reflex (startle response), used in a reactive situation.

NEUROENDOCRINE RESPONSE

Commonly known as the “adrenaline rush” this is your body’s response to a perceived threat. The fight or flight response releases chemicals called catecholimines into the bloodstream that cause the physical effects usually associated with this state. The startle response, which most people have experienced at some point, is one of the most recognizable of these effects. A sudden stimulus causes you to flinch, hunch the shoulders, flex the knees, and the hands come up with the elbows bent. This is a reflex that cannot be physically eliminated, but can be reduced or avoided through awareness. The startle response is designed to protect the body from incoming blows, but you must train to change gears into the attack mode as soon as possible. The feeling of the heart skipping a beat is caused by norepinephrine, the elevated heart rate that results must be controlled in order to prevent the downward spiral into panic. The changes in motor skills, reaction time, and cognitive function that accompany elevated heart rates can help or hinder the fighter, depending on the range and weapons used. As gunmen have noted since western times, it is usually the cooler head that can act deliberately under pressure that wins a gunfight. At hand to hand range the higher heart rates that degrade the fine motor skill needed to shoot accurately mean an increase in speed, strength and cognitive reaction time. The neuroendocrine response can also be divided into physical and mental phases for a specific type of training called Stress Innoculation. The mental phase is centered on controlling fear, which is amplified by the release of cortisol into the bloodstream.

COGNITIVE REACTION TIME

This is the time it takes you after perceiving the threat, to decide on a response and for the brain to send the nerve impulse to the muscle. Type and strength of stimulus is a factor, with audio stimuli resulting in faster times than visual stimuli. Cognitive Reaction Time mirrors motor skill in that it is subdivided into simple & complex reaction times.

SIMPLE REACTION TIME

This is best illustrated by competition shooting matches or cowboy fast-draw type events. The competitors are reacting to a stimulus (usually audio) that they are ready for. They have only one well rehearsed response, no decision making needed. The range of reaction times, which is the time after the start signal until the start of movement, is around .17-.20 milliseconds for athletic individuals, with .25 ( a quarter of a second), being average for most people under these conditions. These may seem like inconsequential numbers, but this lag time between perception/thought and action is at the heart of the action beats reaction principle that makes such CQC techniques as gun disarms possible. Add surprise, low light, shoot-no-shoot decisions or any number of possible field conditions to such a canned event and these times begin to rise sharply. Even something as simple as talking will cause you (or the opponent) to have to change gears before doing something as simple as pulling a trigger.

COMPLEX REACTION TIME

As noted, under field conditions complex reaction times are the norm. This is governed by HICK’S LAW, a 1952 study that showed that single choice reaction times increased by 58% when two choices were available. The times increase with the number of possible options. More recent studies using modern equipment have shown that a trained individual can choose between numerous conditioned responses much quicker than the earlier study would suggest.

FINE MOTOR SKILLS

This includes any task that requires hand/eye coordination or use of the small muscles of the hands and fingers. Tactical tasks in this category are precision shooting, full draw-stroke of a weapon, manipulating a folding knife into the locked position, trigger pull, and reloading an auto pistol or revolver.

GROSS MOTOR SKILLS

These are simple movements that use the large muscle groups, including running or bi-lateral movements such as two-handed pushing, warding-off and grabbing motions that people naturally use when attacked at close range. This results in the often seen defensive wounds on the hands and arms of violent crime victims.

COMPLEX MOTOR SKILLS

These are skills that require a series of independent movements (more than three), involving several muscle groups. This would include a full draw stroke from concealment, with type of concealment, familiarity (repetition), and type of holster/carry all being factors. A unilateral movement that requires a push/pull motion or stabilization on one side of the body while force is produced by the other, such as punching or the weaver shooting stance, technically, fall into this category. A skill can be both fine and complex.

B.A.S.H. Combatives & Survival

Vehicle Go Bag

Recommended Reading

Combat & Survival Fitness

Pistol Malfunctions

Reaction, Response & Motor Skills