Real World Combatives Training For Civilians

The effectiveness of your combatives skill set is only as good as your ability to deploy those skills in real world scenarios—when seconds and split-second reactions mean life or death.

The ability to take defensive measures, deploy a weapon, and defend yourself, your wife, kids, and other innocents against surprise attack—this all requires well-trained reaction times.

This is why Warrior Poet Society has developed the EDC Combatives – Force on Force training course working with Josh Griffiths, a current Special Forces operator who specializes and trains others in everyday combatives.

An EDC Combatives Course for Everyone

We started developing these one-day and multi-day courses with  Josh and other combat professionals because of the critical need to hardwire tactical skill sets into muscle memory for everyday use–for everyday civilians.

The courses begin to transform hard-won “combatives credentials” into street smarts.

Just because you have a lightning-fast appendix draw and flawless pistol form doesn’t mean you can deploy your gun during a lightning fast attack from multiple people–all while protecting loved ones and innocents around you. And can you actually ensure that they aren’t going to steal your weapon and use it against you and your family?

So while the principles taught in EDC Combatives are utilized by military, agencies, and law enforcement, our particular approach is also geared toward everyday civilians who suddenly find themselves and innocents in a war zone.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth the Pounding You Avoid

There’s nothing like a good, safe pummeling in a professionally-simulated gym environment to teach you situational awareness.

So just to be clear (and as you’ll see in the video with our friend Josh Griffiths), the EDC Combatives training we offer involves attackers coming up and actually tackling you–in the “safety” of a gym while wearing protective padding.

There’s just something instructive about having 200-plus pounds of aggression come at you from multiple angles. In addition to teaching you how to disentangle and draw your weapon, this kind of real-world simulation also reminds you: “I probably should be careful not to let that kind of attack happen.”

Plus, you get to draw on and safely “shoot” (with simulation paint rounds) and draw knives on (using our special simulation knives) all your new-found friends as instructors count down the seconds before the simulated wounds “neutralize” assailants. Sounds fun, right?
It is fun, but it’s also the type of real-world training the Special Operations professionals rely on in life or death situations.

Frequently Asked Questions About EDC Combatives Training

Here’s a rundown of some of the FAQs we receive about our EDC Combatives Training:

What is EDC Combatives?

The EDC Combatives training is an adaptation of the Special Operations Combatives Program (SOCP), a realism-based, task-specific system designed to bridge the gap between foundation training and the unique needs of modern-day Special Operation units.

Huh? What does that mean?

The military’s SOCP courses were developed to fill specific needs and shore up the weaknesses found in defensive tactics and combatives programs. It was originally focused to meet the needs of fighting in CQB environments, which often includes fighting in body armor, fighting with and retaining multiple weapons systems, and detaining and handcuffing perpetrators and insurgents.

What kinds of specific techniques are taught during EDC Combatives?

Our EDC Combatives training teaches weapons retention, reaction to a 360-degree ambush, response to tackle or other grappling scenarios, SOCP Dagger training, and force-on-force fighting with UTM (paint rounds) to simulate real altercations.

Why should civilians take Intro to EDC Combatives (even if they have taken other self-defense classes)?

Our EDC Combatives training creates a powerful fusion of advanced weapons training (such as our Pistol 3 class and other defensive CCW courses) with the combatives training found in traditional martial arts (Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai). The course pulls all that together for real world, worst-case-scenario application.

Being a ranked competition shooter is great, but what happens when you’re tackled to the ground? Being an accomplished wrestler or grappler is great, but what happens when there are multiple attackers and you’re with your 7-year-old daughter? Do you still have the skills to win that fight?

What are some day-to-day scenarios trained in the EDC Combatives course?

The EDC Combatives course helps to prepare you for (God forbid) random attacks or acts of violence, mugging, abduction, multiple attackers and confrontations that require lethal force.

The course also addresses weapons retention, single-handed shooting, and use of the SOCP Dagger.

You’ll also vastly strengthen the critically important skills of situational awareness and understanding body language.

PRO TIP: Avoiding a deadly altercation is the best defense.

Is this class only for big “SOF” type guys?

No. Although the original SOCP training was originally designed for and is now used by units in the Army, Air Force, USMC, Federal Law Enforcement and Police, our EDC Combatives course takes into account multiple body types, emphasizing technique rather than brute strength. In addition to training fellow SOF members, Josh has instructed wives of soldiers (including his own wife), many who have no background in fighting or shooting.

What makes the SOCP dagger so special?

The SOCP Dagger, designed by Greg Thompson and produced by Benchmade, is a pillar of SOCP readiness. Our EDC Combatives Training utilizes a special simulation dagger to train for real-world use with the real version. The dagger’s ring and flat design provide solid weapon retention, even when combined with a two-handed grip on a pistol or rifle. It’s also easy to conceal in your waistband or pockets/pouches in your kit.

Many of the techniques taught in EDC Combatives involve the use of the dagger, because in the event of an attack, the dagger becomes a tool for keeping your other weapons safe, breaking free from a “bear hug” or other detainment and, when necessary, as a stand-alone system.

Class requirements

You must be 18 years of age or older, a US Citizen, legally allowed to possess a firearm, and in good enough physical condition for “sparring” drills. (Exclusions to force-on-force training segments are considered on a case-by-case basis and at the discretion of our highly-trained instructors). This course exemplifies what we mean with our admonition to train hard and train smart.

We hope to see you there.

Sign up for Warrior Poet Society’s EDC Combatives course here.