Close Quarters Combat
CQC
Developed By Larry Klahn
Copyrighted 2005
Learning Objective
 Personnel will gain the confidence and
proficiency in various unarmed defense and
offensive techniques to be able to maintain
control of themselves in a close quarters
combat situation, and in doing so controls the
fight
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Training Goal
 To gain the skills necessary to stop an attacker
 Control the enemy
 Apply restrains
 Turn the enemy over to other personnel
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Warrior Mindset &
Developing It:
 Society’s outlook on warriors and perception
of self
 What is the mental picture
 Duty/mission to survive a conflict
 How to train to be indomitable and develop the
attitude “never give up the fight”
 Repetition of techniques
 Esprit de corps
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Recommended Reading
 Lt. Col. David Grossman has written two
books
 On Killing and On Combat
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The Psychology of Conflict
 Ask oneself – “What am I willing to do to
survive?” The answer must be “Anything!”
 Note: The words Soldier and he or his are used
in a unisex manner in this presentation and
manual. CQC is for all soldiers regardless of
gender, age or mission responsibilities.
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Importance of a
“Just Cause”
 There is an old saying among warriors that “if
the cause be just.”
 What the “Cause” may be?
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Anger & Fear in Combat
 Fear - controlled part of the survival
mechanism
 Anger – keeps you moving, fighting & brain
thinking
 Failure in combat
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Anger & Fear in Combat Cont.
 Berserker rage
– How is this addressed
 Static and scenario based training
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Four Possible Responses to Conflict
 Retreat
 Surrender
 Posture
 Fight
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Coopers Color Codes
• Jeff Cooper
Color
Meaning
White
Unaware
Yellow
Aware & Ready to Respond
Red
Action State-Acting in a
decisive & tactical manner
Black
Blind Panic-No plan, erratic
response- hope for the best
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Mindset Goals
 Mindset training - “habit”
 Assess surroundings
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Verbalization
• Lose being bashful!!!
• Verbal stuns (loud command voice yell)
stuns the cerebral cortex.
• This results in the enemy blinking and or
flinching giving the soldier the tactical
advantage.
• Striking, how effected?
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Verbalization Cont…
 When you yell in a loud heavy command voice
 Do not fight in silence – by verbalizing/yelling
 Breath Control
 Conditioning
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Verbalization Cont…
• Specific Commands
– Back!
– Down!
– Stay down!
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Stress Inoculation
• “Inoculated into the world of violence” Grossman - On Killing
• Specific types of verbalization used in
training designed to “stress”
• Mindset development
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Remember
 The purpose of this training is to give the
soldier real skills which are simple and
effective and can be done in daylight or
complete darkness (tactile/feel) and in full
battle gear.
 However – If the soldier has skills learned in
other areas – boxing, martial arts, wrestling,
football, law enforcement etc. Do not throw
away these skills – add CQC to them.
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Threat Assessment: Danger signs
 Body Language – pre attack postures
 Opening and closing the fists
 Shoulder shift
 Muscular tension in the face or shoulders
 Boxers/fighting stance
 Exaggerated motion
Danger Signs Cont…
 Exaggerated Breathing
 Verbal threats
 Closing the distance to the soldier
 Thousand yard stare
 Hands suddenly disappearing behind the back
or into clothing
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Remember to
“See” and “Look”
 Eyes up and Head moving.
 Really “see” what is out there.
 Least 100 yards out, not 25 or less.
 MOVE YOUR HEAD!
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Vigilance
 Be vigilant at all times and places
 Know where cover is when at a FOB or any
location
 Do not assume that any location is secure
 “Know” where cover is
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Types of Cover
Concealment
Soft Cover
Hard Cover
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Autogenic Breathing
 Square breathing, tactical breathing, breath
control or combat breathing
 Responses to stress are automatic
– Heart rate
– Blood pressure
– Oxygenation of blood
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Autogenic Breathing
 Autogenic breathing is this: breath in deep for
a count of 4
– Hold for a count of 4
– Exhale for a count of 4
– Be empty for a count of 4 and repeat
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Purpose/Mission of CQC
 “Bring
our soldiers home alive” This
is the mandate of CQC and our
mission.
 Train the soldier in the physical and
mental skills necessary to survive
and win a Close Quarters
Engagement.
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Techniques Taught
 Must be simple
 Easy to repeat and retain
 Mass repetitions until proficient
 Done and practiced in full combat gear
 Done while standing, kneeling or on the
ground
 See CQC Manual for the specific techniques
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Percentage of Soldiers Trained
Air Force
13%
Army Reserve
87%
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Secret Training
Techniques for Success
 Amateurs train until they get it right –
professionals train until they cannot get it
wrong
 Repetition, Repetition, Repetition
 No secrets – no ninja magic – just sound
principles applied and practiced
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