British Fighting Techniques

Fighting styles and techniques are often most closely associated with Asian martial arts. However, there are strong traditions of European martial arts with roots that go back as far as many Asian styles do. Great Britain is an island nation that has fought for its survival at various times during its history. It is perhaps unsurprising then that there are a number of good indigenous fighting techniques that are native to Britain.

  1. Close-Quarters Combat

    • Close-quarters combat, also known as CQC, is a system of combatives and fighting techniques of the World War II era that was codified by William Ewart Fairbairn and Eric Anthony Sykes. The system was designed to provide simple, quick and effective fighting techniques to British Commando units. Fairbairn eventually dubbed the system "Defendu" and published some instructional books on it.

    Bartitsu

    • Bartitsu is a martial art that was originally developed in England in the late 1890s. The system earned noteworthiness when it was referred to by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in this series of Sherlock Holmes detective stories. Bartitsu employs elements of boxing along with judo and jujitsu techniques. Although not much was heard of this style for most of the 20th century, in the early 21st century it began to experience something of a revival with bartitsu clubs and studios opening up in England and America.

    Quarterstaff

    • Using a quarterstaff is a traditional English form of stick fighting that utilizes a hard, wooden staff that is sometimes equipped with a metal tip. Fighting with a quarterstaff is a long-established tradition in England and is most closely associated with the character of Little John, who was one of Robin Hood's band. In a modern context, sporting versions of quarterstaff fighting techniques are still taught to English Boy Scouts.

    SAS Hand-to-Hand

    • The Special Air Service, or SAS, is roughly the British equivalent of U.S. Navy SEALs. SAS commandos are instructed in a rough-and-tumble, fast and direct system of hand-to-hand combat. While the system used in the SAS employs elements of other martial arts, it can perhaps most accurately be described as a modern updating of the CQC techniques developed by Sykes and Fairbairn during World War II.