PLA hand-to-hand combat training

[Big-E]

I saw a PLA training video the other day that involved some rather complicated martial arts. Are all PLA soldiers martial arts experts? What brand of martial art do they train with?

[armage]

I saw a PLA training video the other day that involved some rather complicated martial arts. Are all PLA soldiers martial arts experts? What brand of martial art do they train with?

It's probably just the SWAT, PAP: Anti-Terrorist, or PLA Spec Ops (all including airborne and marines), then again most of the troops sit around doing nothing so I guess they probably have some martial arts trainning..
It was probably Wushu or Shaolin (highly doubt it's Shaolin, even those spec ops guys can't pull of the moves the Shaolin Monks can do)
ALL college students in China need to do a mandatory 20 days (vary from different places) PLA trainning (unless they got medical excuse)... so i guess they can learn alittle kungfu there

[Waylander]

Why should any normal soldier learn more about hand to hand combat than how to ram his gun or his spade into the face of the opponent. (I'm not talking of SOFs and units like that)

[Shingy]

Why should any normal soldier learn more about hand to hand combat than how to ram his gun or his spade into the face of the opponent. (I'm not talking of SOFs and units like that)

They most likely done learn more in hand to hand combat, but they like it as a hobby over there perhaps, i seem to remember martial arts being quite popular over there, and its always hand for a JUST IN CASE situation where you might happen to have possibility if it ever happens that you would be in a situation where martial arts is more useful.

[Aussie Digger]

Why should any normal soldier learn more about hand to hand combat than how to ram his gun or his spade into the face of the opponent. (I'm not talking of SOFs and units like that)

To assist with fitness, morale and discipline aspects of military life. Unarmed combat training is a very useful skill in these areas and obviously has some usefulness if a soldier should find himself weaponless or spadeless and helps makes the fights at an opposing units boozer (pub) VERY entertaining on a friday night after the end of a long and boring exercise... :D

[Waylander]

Yeah, for sure it is a good sport activity like many others which helps you to maintain fit.
But for using them in a military context it would be more usefull to invest the time in a better shooting training especially for rear units like logistics which seems to be a lack in many armed forces.

I try to remember your last sentence if I ever should meet some Aussi soldiers during a reserve exercise. :D

[Aussie Digger]

Yeah, for sure it is a good sport activity like many others which helps you to maintain fit.
But for using them in a military context it would be more usefull to invest the time in a better shooting training especially for rear units like logistics which seems to be a lack in many armed forces.

I try to remember your last sentence if I ever should meet some Aussi soldiers during a reserve exercise. :D

I agree but as you know all military units have a training program and there's always downtime. IF you have someone qualified to instruct though, unarmed combat training can be conducted virtually anywhere at any time.

The Australian Army is actually recognising that it is a useful military skill that has fallen by the way since WW2 and is making reasonable strides towards integrating it back into the normal training program. Particularly now that unarmed combat is being combined with "less than lethal" capabilities such as batons, OC (Pepper spray) etc and also riot control training for peace keeping operations, where the use of lethal force is often counter-productive...

Yep, a beer and a fight, that's us... :D

[dioditto]

Yep, a beer and a fight, that's us... :D

<dioditto breaks a beer bottle>
"WHO WANTS SOME ? WHO WANTS SOME?"

[eklektos]

Hi first time poster here. The martial arts used by the Chinese military is called San Shou (also spelled Sanshou or Sanda).

Basically, the Chinese government brought together a bunch of experts to create a simple form of hand-to-hand combat. The result was San Shou. Whereas, traditional Chinese martial arts has a lot of art form in it, San Shou was based on simplicity and functionality and real-life combat. So there is a lot of grappling involved such as joint locks and choke holds.

I'm sure you can find my information by googling San Shou.

[rattmuff]

Why should any normal soldier learn more about hand to hand combat than how to ram his gun or his spade into the face of the opponent. (I'm not talking of SOFs and units like that)

I do agree... but then came a harsch week of extensive krav maga training and after that the guard/post training which also included some krav maga. All the swedish low-life creatures called conscripts must apperantly know some hand-to-hand combat in case all ammo is depleted or you are guarding a vital object during peace time and want to "take care" of a unauthorized mean person.... Man, and I'm just an army chef.

[eckherl]

Hi first time poster here. The martial arts used by the Chinese military is called San Shou (also spelled Sanshou or Sanda).

Basically, the Chinese government brought together a bunch of experts to create a simple form of hand-to-hand combat. The result was San Shou. Whereas, traditional Chinese martial arts has a lot of art form in it, San Shou was based on simplicity and functionality and real-life combat. So there is a lot of grappling involved such as joint locks and choke holds.

I'm sure you can find my information by googling San Shou.

Good post - Most Asian ground force units do in fact practice martial arts and it is a mandatory requirement for physical training. The 1st Tiger division in South Korea used to have it as a requirement that all members become black belts in Tae Kwon do, it was a matter of prestige to get the golden fist patch as part of their uniform.

[Waylander]

@rattmuff
For sure there are procedures to control persons during guard duty wothout using your weapons as well her ein Germany.
But these are just basics. And you still have your weapon and maybe your spade if you guard something.
Hand to hand combat has its place in army training.

But I think that the time you need for train more than just some basic skills in martial arts is better used for normal combat training.
Just because you are going to use them much more than hand to hand combat.

[scraw]

@rattmuff
For sure there are procedures to control persons during guard duty wothout using your weapons as well her ein Germany.

A friend of mine assigned to look after Army gear on display at the local show had axe handles issued to him and his mates to deter the overly curious.

[wp2000]

:D I think for most solders in peace time, they fight weaponless

[Big-E]

:D I think for most solders in peace time, they fight weaponless

Or maybe they don't fight at all... :nutkick

[Aussie Digger]

Here's a video on Australian Army unarmed combat training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0HqHUn8UAA

[eckherl]

Here's a video on Australian Army unarmed combat training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0HqHUn8UAA

Good clip - were they regular ground pounders.

[Big-E]

Good clip - were they regular ground pounders.

It was a demonstration team... probably top of their class diggers.

[icelord]

It was a demonstration team... probably top of their class diggers.

So yeah, Regular RAR:D

[Pathfinder-X]

The PLA practice combat Sanshou as mentioned by one of the posters earlier. It combines striking, take-downs and a little bit of grappling. No fancy moves whatsoever compared to those Kungfu movies. It's more comparable to Mixed Martial Arts style fighting.

Hand to hand combat training is not only great for physical training, but can enhance a soldier's mental toughness and confidence in his abilities. I feel much better now going to night clubs than before I took up kickboxing and Jujitsu few years ago. We do have a hand to hand combat course in the Canadian army, but I never attended it and learned the arts on my own time.

Here's a video on Australian Army unarmed combat training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0HqHUn8UAA

Do they teach any wrestling or grappling in training? It seems like they stop whenever someone hits the ground.

[Stuart Mackey]

Here's a video on Australian Army unarmed combat training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0HqHUn8UAA

Heh, NZ army does the same stuff, more or less. Nice thing about it is that its always under constant development.

[Aussie Digger]

The PLA practice combat Sanshou as mentioned by one of the posters earlier. It combines striking, take-downs and a little bit of grappling. No fancy moves whatsoever compared to those Kungfu movies. It's more comparable to Mixed Martial Arts style fighting.

Hand to hand combat training is not only great for physical training, but can enhance a soldier's mental toughness and confidence in his abilities. I feel much better now going to night clubs than before I took up kickboxing and Jujitsu few years ago. We do have a hand to hand combat course in the Canadian army, but I never attended it and learned the arts on my own time.



Do they teach any wrestling or grappling in training? It seems like they stop whenever someone hits the ground.

They too teach a mixture of martial arts styles and techniques that "work" ie: the headbutt shown in one of the moves.

That video was of a demonstration team, obviously they put on the "flashiest" moves for the crowd, though I can tell you from my unarmed combat course years ago, that we do indeed get "down and dirty" when training for this...

Grappling is very much a part of the training. As is biting, gouging, headbutting, punching, kicking etc.

[Pathfinder-X]

Nothing warms my heart more than seeing a good ol' fashioned shoulder wheel as performed by these two Chinese soldiers. I still prefer double leg shoot though.

[eckherl]

Nothing warms my heart more than seeing a good ol' fashioned shoulder wheel as performed by these two Chinese soldiers. I still prefer double leg shoot though.

Hey - it looks like they are having it out in a rice paddy field, HARDCORE! do you realize what they put in the soil for fertilizer. Try getting a tank unstuck from one. :shudder