training for armored combat

Training For Armored Combat

/ Armor and Weapons, Buhurt, Fitness / By

People coming in to join the Buhurt / Armored Combat community rarely have a strong background in fighting. Some do, but most do not. Because of this, it is particularly important to have a curriculum to teach new folks how to fight. Specifically, training for armored combat. Being able to fight is the most important thing in a combat sport. Many of these skills are the same that knights of old would use.

This article is full of many different bullet points. Over time, they will be linked to appropriate videos. If the bullet point does not have a video, check back at a later date and it will likely be done.

What types of combat stances are good for Armored Combat / Buhurt?

  • Boxing – Excellent stance that teaches balance, strength from hip movement and fast feet.
  • Tae Kwon Do – Many different stances, but often provides a strong “fore and aft” stability used to throw dynamic kicks. These movements can be incorporated into armored combat.
  • Fencers stance – A stance excellent for training in duels and one on one combat. It helps a student utilize a strong base along with good “fore and aft” stability.
  • Muay Thai – Excellent movement and base for the combination of wrestling and striking. Among one of the best stances to use in Buhurt.
  • Kickboxing – I teach primarily the Kickboxing stance for beginners as it is a good mix of defense and striking power.

What are movement basics when training for armored combat?

  • As you’ve surmised, Buhurt and Armored combat has not defined direction. As a participant you must be able to move in all directions with equal speed, strength and balance.
  • Line drills: This is to drill and reinforce the movements learned. Have them walk in lines while maintaining their proper stance. Explain why these drills are so important. Walking is a controlled series of falls, etc. Demonstrate what happens when you lose stance or move incorrectly against a skilled opponent.
  1. Punching:
    1. Boxers dance: How to connect your whole body when throwing a punch.
    2. Basic punches: Jab: Teach student how to throw a jab.
    3. Basic Punches: Cross: Teach student how to throw a cross.
  1. Movement with punches: When you think about hitting, think about MMA or Boxing. Armored Combat / Buhurt requires a strong stance and ability to move and hit in all directions. The best way to think about it is simple, when you are in striking range (weapon or otherwise)
  1. Forward movement with punches: Jab
    1. Forward movement with punches: Jab/Cross
    2. Backwards movement with punches: Jab
    3. Backwards movement with punches: Jab Cross
    4. Side movement/Angling with punches: Cross
    5. Line drills: More line drills to reinforce the above movement techniques with punching. This further ensures the fighters know how to move while maintaining their stance and attacking/defending.
    6. Working focus mitts. It is incredibly important to always work focus mitts when learning punching. It gives the prospective fighter a target and someone to react to.
    7. Heavy bag work.

Introduction to Weapons

  1. How to grip the weapon, OK grip vs hammer grip and why hammer grip is bad.
    • Single hand sword strikes: Duels.
    • Single hand sword strikes: Melee
    • Two handed strikes: Duels
    • Two handed strikes: Melee.
    • Line drills with weapons strikes while moving.
    • Focus mitts with weapons
    • Pell/Heavy bag work

Introduction to Grappling

  1. Grappling style: Wrestling
    1. Pummeling
    1. Achieving Double underhooks.
    2. Arm drag
    3. Duck under
    4. Slide by
    5. Basic throws/trips
  2. Grappling style: Muay Thai
    1. Pummeling
    2. Achieving Double collar ties
    3. Achieving Plum position
    4. Utilizing knee strikes
    5. Breaking clinches
    6. Basic trips.

It should take about 5 months to go through this entire curriculum if you are teaching it properly and harping on good technique.

Grappling is the most important thing to learn but is learned last, why? Because its easier to learn grappling after learning proper body mechanics, and it’s easier to teach body mechanics through striking than it is in grappling.

After this curriculum is taught it’s all about evaluating the students to determine what their individual needs are and training them to that. However, the full curriculum should constantly be revolving around, reinforcing the basics always.

Over time I will go into more depth and do some videos about each one of these various sections to break it down and explain it better than in this curriculum.  Thank you for your time reading and I hope this was helpful.