Check this out re how one of our coppers was able to adapt the Brabo choke in a very difficult environment:

Adapting Urban Krav Maga techniques

How many times have you been training and tried a move or technique to find it did not work on your training partner? If it did not work on them you think, perhaps it would not work in a real environment when it counts. This is where you have to adapt the situation or technique to suit you and not get fixed on repeating the same move, which you know does not work for that particular opponent/s.

Firstly you need a good grounding in the basics of Urban Krav Maga as a starting point so you know what you’re adapting. When training you will see that most moves in Urban Krav Maga work for everyone, but there are some that work better for heavy people, some favour a lighter more flexible person, male or female.

If you find the technique is not working because your opponent is bigger, heavier than you or not as flexible then make it work. Experiment a little with some guidance if needed from the instructor to see what will.

While we are on the subject of adapting lets also take into account clothing, yours and theirs. When training we wear a T-shirt, track bottoms and trainers. The weather could be warm; people in the street wear lighter clothing, which works well for striking and grappling.

Most of the time it’s a sweaty partner that makes it hard to grip arms, hands or head. But think when it’s cold or winter you will be wearing several layers of clothing restricting your movements, your assailant is also wearing a thick coat or jacket, several layers, gloves or a hood pulled up. Will the same techniques work when you can’t grab, punch or strike the targets effectively, or will you be able to adapt what you do know too come out on top?

I will recount an experience I had at work where I had a chance to put this into practice.
My colleague and I had a call to a house where a male was drunk and on drugs. The family wanted the male to leave the premises. We escorted him down the stairs (which was feat in its self) and into the waiting ambulance. The male was compliant at this point so I stayed with him and my colleague was going to meet me at the hospital.

On the way he began to shout, scream, howl and wave his arms around and sit up on the trolley and tried to grab the ambulance operator. The ambulance guy grabbed the man’s legs as he was tying too wriggle them free of the trolley straps. I tried to control his arms but it was not happening. We were both sweating and I was having trouble getting a good grip. So I adapted a ground technique that I had been having a go at in training. I wrapped his arms across his chest, using my arms to pull his together, a sort of scarf hold. I then braced one foot against the side of the ambulance to get a little more leverage. I used my left forearm to defend against him biting me (which he tried several times).This also gave me the advantage to relieve the pressure on his chest at intermittent times when he was lucid and compliant. All the while this was going on I was trying to get some help on the radio in the back of a moving ambulance. Eventually my mates arrived and took the p**s at my predicament but did help me out (after laughing). The male was safely taken too the hospital and all was well in the world.

After the incident I reflected on what had happened and saw this as good example of adapting a ground technique in an enclosed hot environment I never expected.
I would not have used this technique with more than one attacker.

If you do end up in a similar scenario where you are restraining a person, remember, depending on what technique you are using, relieve the pressure around the chest area if needed, so the person can breathe and apply pressure/pain compliance only if they try to kick off again. (This does not mean when they say “I can’t breathe” or “it hurts” you let go, keep control). This is especially important if the attacker is on drugs or has been drinking. Remember do not compromise your safety; it can take some time until police arrive and you can not rely on the public to help you.

“Adaptation means not clinging to fixed methods, but changing appropriately according to events, acting as is suitable”
ZHANG YU (Sun dynasty, 960-1278) Commentary on the art of war.

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