Fighting in the Clinch. Craig Douglas, Field Notes Ep. 45

SureFire Field Notes is a multi-segment informational video series with tips and techniques from subject matter experts of all backgrounds. In this episode, Craig Douglas of ShivWworks discusses techniques for fighting in the clinch.
Craig Douglas (aka "SouthNarc") is the founder of ShivWorks, a consortium of like-minded professionals devoted to training and product development in the emerging field of interdisciplinary problem-solving for self-defense. Craig retired from law enforcement after 21 years of service with the bulk of his career spent in narcotics and SWAT. Since 2003, Craig has been teaching globally under the ShivWorks brand and has conducted coursework on entangled shooting skills in nearly 40 states and nine foreign countries. He has taught for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and to three branches of the U.S. military.
shivworks.com/
www.surefire.com/

[@dchiznit209]

FINALLY...AN INSTRUCTOR THAT UNDERSTANDS THE NEEDS OF MESHING MARTIAL ARTS AND FIREARMS

[@peachfuds]

Ronin Tactics is another good one that incorporates martial arts

[@dashady187]

AND the legit martial arts no less.

[@comradeluke2721]

John Wick IRL? Lol

[@alexterrel9594]

Craig is the master. I can not recommend his clinch pick enough, either.

[@Bradley-Thomsen]

A lot of martial arts incorporates firearms and disarming when you get to higher belts. So depending on where you train if you stick with it long enough to learn the foundation you’ll get to learn a lot of these techniques

[@PPSChadwick]

Just finished a Shivworks class this weekend. What an eye opening experience. Everyone who carry’s a firearm needs to take this course.

[@wcropp1]

You may only need empty hand combative skills, or you may only need your gun, but people have been wrestling around with weapons for millennia. A handgun may be a projectile/range weapon, but we live in a face to face contact world. Civilians aren’t walking around on red alert in a war zone. Even the military is finding itself fighting in urban structures and such on the modern battlefield. Regardless, as CCW permit holders, we should all know the stats on the ranges that shootings occur at. It’s probably a good idea to know how to access/defend from weapons in a tussle, and not just train martial arts *or* shooting. Craig’s the man for that kind of material-thanks for the video, looking forward to more!

[@j.jonahjameson3025]

A 19 minute Field Notes vid? There is a God.

[@andy_in_nh9243]

Craig has done a lot of practical research on this topic and he is an excellent instructor! I'm fortunate to have trained with him several times. Highly recommended!

[@labresponsive7161]

I study BJJ...this guy is a great instructor. Very technical, crisp delivery. Thank you, sir.

[@sidyadav7157]

This man is the real deal..... He talks pure logic.. 👌👍

[@williamsmith8790]

Best 19 minutes of training on KZbin.

[@dallasthebassrassler3621]

Amazing breakdown. Lifelong wrestler here, I will be adding this to my practice.

[@kdmatt1]

This is excellent information and training.

[@jamesloubey6474]

Awesome info. I still like watching Craig training John Lovell. This was way more in depth.

[@johnnygimms4523]

This information from Craig Douglas is gold. Thank you so much for the video

[@hoot1141]

Craig is the real deal. I’ve practiced martial arts for 30 years. His techniques are blend of different techniques that are proven to work. His knowledge of wrestling techniques is comprehensive.

[@jackorebaugh6733]

This is a gold mine, coming from a background of 13 years give or take in BJJ and years of wrestling the techniques that he described and taught were easy and incredibly effective moves in order to break contact all explained in under 20 mins, pure awesomness.

[@slatham8616]

I feel like these principles will actually revolutionize my training. Thank you!

[@gilkennedy7638]

Just did a 3 day class with Craig, I don't even want to waist my time talking to anybody about gun or martial art anymore unless they have done some similar training.

[@santanagamingcinema]

I have noticed that my years in wrestling, boxing and mma have had some benefits to firearm training; footwork, body position, posture, elbows staying in, even tactics like initiating exchange etc...

[@TheDissmaster10]

When I joined the army a couple of years back i made the same discovery. Martial arts has benefits to a lot of things in life, like awareness, eye for detail and so on....

[@cosmolinefiend9853]

Santana Gaming Cinema as does athletics such as football, basketball and tennis. I know tennis sounds gay but the footwork those dudes have and the balance is highly effective!!

[@cosmolinefiend9853]

Not tripping over yourself while backing up or strafing is paramount to gaining distance in a gun fight/knife fight.

[@derekp6636]

Came here to see Craig! Great tips again. I like how he focuses on the footwork and leverage rather than fancy techniques. Twist arm and punch in the face.

[@scottcoombs3201]

Excellent information! Thanks, Craig!

[@MrJamesjustin]

Mate that was really interesting. Talk about taking the pandamonium out of a situation. This is simplified retention of control of the situation. It's gold.

[@flubberghosted2472]

“Cycle back and forth between wrecking his arm & punching him in the face.” 😂💯🏆

[@richardluntz6169]

Glad i found this. As a civilian who carries it is paramount that i have some idea of what can happen when in close proximity to a danger.

[@preacher1776]

Love the wrestling fundamentals in CQB. Spent years in wrestling, then to BJJ and this is a great description of techniques in a street fight..

[@johnsmith-oz5kj]

Did a Shivworks course last weekend. EXCELLENT training! You will learn a lot and throw out a lot of bad / unrealistic crap you've been shown before.

[@KettlebellGunsmith]

Can't recommend his classes enough. If you can get to his classes, or even better, he's even remotely close to your area, take the class. I've had numerous friends new to the world of realizing you are responsible for your own safety and those you love. No one will be there to help you if someone starts some dumb fight. I've told all of them that taking Craig's class is a huge eye opener and will put them down a good path. Even if you aren't a "gun guy" Craig's classes are invaluable.

[@TheArizonaRanger.]

Learning how to not get stabbed/shot and learning some clinch work to take my BJJ class Craig Douglas is the man, would love to see him start his own channel.

[@AmericanMinuteman95]

It seems like so long since we had a field notes. I’ve missed you Surefire!

[@joeyripswell]

Bjj purple belt here. These are good techniques. This is a program i'd like to participate in. Nice work

[@MrRebar15]

Super, super tips thanks fellas. God Bless.

[@JackShen]

I attended one of Craig's Amis classes (armed movement in structures). Learned sooooo much, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to attend. And Craig is a funny and cool guy to chat with. being the new guy and they all thought I was 19.. I was 27-30 don't exactly recall, but i look young. They gave me the tinted face mask, during the second half of the class where we had to sweep a structure in the dark. They all got kick out of it. needless to say I shot at every silhouette, which sadly included my mock wife who was hostage in that scenario, dead between the eyes.

[@savoirfaire6181]

Craig Douglas. Modern Master!

[@shawnsleigher470]

great advice and info..keep up the awesome work..Thank you for your service.....

[@isaacvalentin4786]

Finally a defense instructor that demonstrates grappling efficiency as well as weapons tactics. You CANNOT wield nor defend against a weapon properly if you don’t not know how you feel variable change in tension, direction and intentions of your adversary.

[@camhester4251]

good stuff , i'm going to show my 22 year old daughter these techniques she carries apendix IWB

[@walterguanaes3274]

Very good. I have the oportunity to train retention techniques and i realize that if the suspect grap your pistol you will have thousands of seconds to do any thing. That why the constant train and mindset of surviving is indispensable.

[@josecoyote6079]

Excellent I practice Bjj and this is very important to learn thank you

[@caleblee4856]

I love this company great company Craig Douglas is one the best dudes out there WOULD NOT SUGGEST MESSING WITH HIM

[@oilesquire]

Been to two of his classes. Jedi Knight level fighter AND teacher, Rare combination. His cues are brain branding irons.

[@kenkellogg54]

Retention Shooting is the key to real world gun fighting. Thankyou Crag. This type of gun fighting is what private handgun carry permit holders need. Not speed 3 gun style shooting. Nothing wrong with practice and knowing it. But in real world not battle field this works..

[@joshgarner573]

Great video. Lot to chew on.

[@johnnywishbone932]

I love his real world methods. Everything needs the pressure testing to sink home the skills.

[@aphysique]

Like to see them go in full speed in live time!!

[@silascochran9705]

Thank you for your service your sacrifice I'm taking the time to make these videos🇺🇸🦅❤👌

[@SouthpawActual]

Excellent content

[@jorgefernandez6407]

Excellent instruction here!!!

[@kapapbadboys7608]

Great stuff 👍👍👍

[@j_bourne6496]

Outstanding concepts brother.

[@angrychickin]

First of all I have to say that I love his mentality and really appreciate his approach. However, I also have to say from over a decade of experience (and anyone who has wrestled will agree) that a tie-up with anyone close to your skill level and strength is really exhausting. This is why you have to have to have to know how to insert hits from any of those positions. They literally and figuratively knock your adversary down a few pegs (depending on how good you are and how many hits you land). It makes everything so much easier. I love wrestling but I don't love constricting myself (or anyone) to a singular platform.

[@seandavidr]

The problem is that if you attempt a strike you may sacrifice control and allow them to get a knife or gun.

[@seandavidr]

And that includes giving them access to your own weapons. As shown in some other videos in close quarters the assailant has nearly as much access you your weapon as you do. More access if they know how to grapple and you don't.

[@nwboarder253]

Ground breaking. I haven’t seen anything like this since the first week of Jiu Jitsu.

[@pahwraith]

This is really cool. But I'm a purple belt and I'm still iffy doing this vs a taller and larger opponent when it counts. I'm training to throw knees in the clinch with Muay thai. I'm not gonna try to arm drag or duck under in a struggle. This ain't a wrestling match. He's getting an knee to the crotch/midsection and elbows to the face asap in a standing clinch. I would definitely love to train with him though.

[@Youtubeuser1aa]

@@pahwraith he would show you what works and doesn't

[@TheTyrial86]

@@pahwraith When dealing with someone who has a knife you have to close distance and wrestle. Greco-Roman is the best for this because it is simple movements and allows you to control a standing opponent. People throw out wrestling, but it is the basics of all MMA. Mau thai is great and all. But 75% of it is thrown out in a street fight. You should look at combatives to get a better idea of why.

[@SergioArroyoSailing]

fantastic video. looking forward to the next one

[@vaynegaming1267]

came here because of Craig :)

[@donh1572]

I would love to see a part two, showing Craig’s use of the clinch pick knife he has on his belt

[@Spectre361]

Don H go check out Craig’s video with the clinch pick on John Lovell’s video channel

[@TheDissmaster10]

Just ordered one. Sadly shipping to Germany takes pretty long.

[@GuillermoLopez-bs4gg]

Love the way he mixed it with wrestling

[@Mo-LoveMeForever]

I’m a disabled younger woman & I walk with a cane & everyone always stares at me.. It makes me feel like I’m a target & I do make an excellent target.. I’d love to find some vids for people like me who carry but who are now physically vulnerable..

[@jamicub39]

The under hook works like a charm. I made a move like that on a sheriff when I had to beat him and calm him down. Sheriff Scharfield !!? Never forget him he ruined my life with paperwork.

[@Redbeard.Combatives]

@southnarc incredible video

[@shelbyedward2506]

Awesome video .

[@rsreatheaers2489]

Thanks for making this video

[@MichaelLeopold1]

Score! Loved this.

[@eddyflo2978]

Craig = Epic knowledge

[@MRsolidcolor]

learned a lot of this in wrestling. (back in the day) its always good to have some kind of hand to hand.

[@whooptapus8298]

not gonna lie foot to foot is a little better

[@n0thinbutn8uretv19]

If you train in unwatered down traditional martial arts. Learning open hand then on to weapons in that order gives a great awareness. The gun is just another extinction with its own variables. I say we grapple your going down thats basic judo.

[@randyroberts2301]

100% wrestling, once again proves to me that wrestling is the most effective martial art/ combat sport

[@patmaloney1140]

Still need finishes *cough* Jiu-Jitsu *cough* I ♥Judo too.

[@stanshumer1726]

My question in response to this video is should I even spend much time on striking arts for self defense, or more on grappling arts like Greco wrestling, BJJ, etc...? Thanks for the lesson. Priceless information.

[@TheTyrial86]

You should look at striking like boxing to learn to evade strikes. Tools like flash lights and knives can be used in similar ways to punches. The thing is. Learn all four. Firearms, wrestling, striking, and combatives.

[@jasonmordecai7485]

Well presented and practical

[@theunknown4570]

Many street fights. #1 tip i learned. Strike first and hard. And make a crazy yell when you do it.

[@waynebattersby9461]

Some good stuff I am a BJJ blue belt and have been in Krav Maga for years. I am always a leader for my church’s safety team

[@johnouellet8700]

Excellent information

[@scottmeyer9196]

Great training!

[@Asherons]

Everyone does the exact same thing when you put some fingers in thier eyeballs not matter what they are grabbing for or holding. They abandon all logic, scream and grab thier eyeballs then usually pass out.

[@edgarvasquez4414]

Great video

[@wereallgonnadie3355]

Where do I take this Tactical Hugging class?

[@dwrutsgnt4225]

Good information

[@jimf1964]

I'll tell you a major and minor problem. If you think you're going to be able to hang on to someone's arm with just your hand, you're in lala land. Especially if the guy is way stronger. Some of this is pretty good, but some just looks good with a guy standing static. Just my opinion of course.

[@liwilynemeterio4177]

Gold Gold Gold technique!!! Voice like Kevin Costner Head and stand like Robert De Niro

[@UrbanTiger74]

Good stuff!!!

[@lvgeorge]

Gotta keep the attackers fingers Off your Pistols trigger! Nice techniques, I gotta learn them. Thumbs Up!

[@cocorkiller2322]

Dont let crazies within 10 feet.. my approach

[@BC4SelfImprovement]

Haha right !!

[@lestatpl123]

Great stuff! Whats that blue gun that shoots pellets???

[@dementegg]

I wish the tactics where shown in real life speed and with resistance. It sounds good in theory can we see it in r al time speed?

[@rodolfobonilla4136]

Felicitaciones,,, excelente clase! Pregunta: que marca es el Holster para la Glock que usas?Saludos desde México*

[@waynemartin7543]

Leg sweep would cut the video time in half.

[@fatman7100]

I second that notion.

[@c_mac7773]

This guy is REALLY fucking smart. Hopefully I can train with him one day

[@theavail2138]

Good stuff

[@ianlondon2888]

Be careful with that elbow pin. Cops that encounter real threats get surprised when perp is strong and may have wrestled or did time. These perps move and adjust quickly. If that elbow pin fails and you have a bad holster, you're going to have a bad day.

[@da1cru1]

This was a very informative video though I did have one main issue throughout. I do understand there was probably info left out as this is a public forum. but if someone actually did reach for and was able to get their hand on your weapon is there anything to block or prevent them from simply pulling the trigger as opposed to trying to directly remove it from you? To clarify I would imagine if someone did try to take your weapon they would try just that, to take it, and I would imagine they could get their hand on it and possibly move it a little before you can do that arm block, so before you get their arm locked or even just after why wouldn't the person simply try firing the weapon, with the intent of hitting your leg, etc? Anyway, great vid. Thanks....

[@markjohn9309]

da1cru1 look up weapon retention

[@KenpoBill]

Where did you get the blue/black training pistols from?

[@timwalsh6283]

Question: on both techniques; duck under and arm drag, you body locked under the arm. Why not over the arm to pin it to the body? I have found that over the arm takes away their brace when taken to the ground. Just wondering what the tactical value is of going under the arm (mouse trap) on body lock. Thanks!

[@kinbolluck476]

Weapons on the waist

[@kinbolluck476]

In theory anyway

[@gat1gigs782]

the cuddle hahahah!

[@BandStar2]

I'm by no means crapping on the Greco-Roman wrestling, it certainly works, especially with someone that knows how to use it. But I will suggest also taking a look at how the samurai would work in a similar situation. They didn't have the benefit of moving like wrestlers, seeing as they were wearing armor that weighed as much as they did, but the most successful methods that survived the warfare was getting the opponent where they couldn't do anything, and then killing them. There are actually lineages that had sword draws, while the opponent was already falling to the ground, and broken.

[@aky19832001]

Fighting for control in a clinch when the guys going for your forearm is terrifying if you do t know what to do.

[@greywinters5016]

what kind of watch is that?

[@vadisfrone9722]

15:38 you shot us all ! 😢

[@dannyg9052]

HELL YEAH

[@amielikristoferi2600]

My brother and i tried practicing ducking under the arm, i find it hard, hes 5 foot 7, im 6ft..

[@brr4762]

All moves are not for everyone. You can still make it work with practice. Work arm drags more

[@Neo--X]

Craig has exposed himself to some nice elbow and knee strikes.

[@eXWoLL]

Tried getting behind, got stabbed and shot to death while playing with the arms. GG

[@isaacvalentin4786]

Well this is a gun fight. You suffocate and control a gun. With a knife you’d want to circle away from sharpened side the blade, if both sides are sharp or it’s a double ended weapon you back away facing the assailant while turning to one side or the other. This of course, is generalizing the attack. But my point is, gun shoots far... get close and either take it away, control the hand or force them to empty the clip on the ground/sky... knives stab and slice, stay away and if you find yourself perpendicular or behind... hit them with combative until the threat is neutralized. Neutral being integral, bc if you hit unnecessarily hard or too many times you can incur legal ramifications.

[@JohnBlaze505]

How to give really good hugs:

[@kodaspaws]

completely legit. although @ 11:10 you're better off just pushing over his heels rather than tried to pry the wrist like that.

[@krwiles]

Too close for missiles. Switching to guns!