WWI Hand-to-Hand "Training Video"

While I doubt that the army used the video below for training purposes in World War I, it does contain footage of WWI training as it took place. The action looks fast and choppy because it was played at today's projector speed which differs from that of this film's era.

1909 Middleweight Champ Mike Gibbons demonstrates the boxing techniques, and Captain Allan C. Smith leads in the Jujitsu demonstrations. You will find my comments below the video



Boxing punches are much faster than traditional karate punches, and contests -- sans kicking, of course -- of boxers vs. karate practitioners have borne out their superior effectiveness. I have discussed the advisability of striking with a closed fist as opposed to open hand strikes here.

The come-along holds demonstrated in the video might have some practical application for military police, but I fail to see its application in hand-to-hand on the battlefield. The nest series demonstrates the palm heel to the chin and the palm heel in combination with the knee to the groin and shows that these techniques were around long before Fairbairn incorporated them into his system of combatives.

Interesting use of games to teach teamwork & coordinated effort.

I know I didn't cover it all. That will leave room for you to comment. Please do.