Editing Hand-to-hand combat (section)

==History==
{{See also|History of physical training and fitness}}
Hand-to-hand combat is the most ancient form of fighting known. A majority of cultures have their own particular histories related to close combat, and their own methods of practice. The [[pankration]], which was practiced in [[Ancient Greece]] and [[Rome]], is an example of a form which involved nearly all strikes and holds, with biting and gouging being the only exceptions (although allowed in [[Sparta]]).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gardiner |first1=E. Norman |title=Greek Athletic Sports and Festivals |date=1910 |publisher=MacMillan |location=London |page=438}}</ref> Many modern varieties of [[martial arts]] and combat sports, such as some boxing styles, [[wrestling]] and [[Mixed martial arts|MMA]], were also practiced historically. For example, Celtic wrestling is mentioned in the [[Tailteann Games (ancient)|Tailteann Games]] dating back from somewhere between 1839 BC to 632 BC (academics disagree) to the 12th century AD when the Normans invaded. Other historical forms of close combat include the [[gladiator]] spectacles of ancient Rome and [[Tournament (medieval)|medieval tournament]] events such as [[jousting]] or [[Historical European martial arts|medieval martial arts]].

[[Military]] organizations have always taught some sort of unarmed combat for conditioning and as a supplement to armed combat. Soldiers in [[China]] were trained in unarmed combat as early as the [[Zhou dynasty]] (1022 BCE to 256 BCE).

Despite major technological changes such as the use of gunpowder, the machine gun in the [[Russo-Japanese War]] and the [[trench warfare]] of [[World War I]], hand-to-hand fighting methods with the [[knife]] and [[bayonet]] remain common in modern military training, though the importance of formal training declined after 1918. By 1944 some [[Germany|German]] rifles were being produced without bayonet lugs.

===Modern hand-to-hand combat techniques===
[[File:USMC-00949.jpg|thumb|Corporal Alvin "Tony" Ghazlo, the senior bayonet and unarmed combat instructor at [[Montford Point]], demonstrates a disarming technique on his assistant, Private Ernest "Judo" Jones.]]

[[Close Quarters Combat]] (CQC), or [[World War II combatives]], was largely codified by [[William E. Fairbairn|William Ewart Fairbairn]] and [[Eric A. Sykes|Eric Anthony Sykes]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lett|first=Brian|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3JO0DAAAQBAJ&pg=PT168|title=SOE's Mastermind: The Authorised Biography of Major General Sir Colin Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC|date=2016-09-30|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=978-1-4738-6382-8|pages=168|language=en}}</ref> Also known for their eponymous [[Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife]], Fairbairn and Sykes had worked in the [[Shanghai Municipal Police]] of the [[Shanghai International Settlement|International Settlement]] (1854–1943) of [[Shanghai]] in the 1920s, widely acknowledged as the most dangerous port city in the world due to a heavy [[History of opium in China|opium trade]] run by organized crime (the Chinese [[Triad (underground society)|Triad]]s). CQC was derived from a mixture of [[judo]], [[jujutsu]], [[boxing]], [[savate]], [[wrestling]] and [[street fighting]].

After the [[May Thirtieth Movement]], Fairbairn was charged with developing an auxiliary squad for [[riot control]]. After absorbing the most appropriate elements from a variety of [[martial arts]] experts, [[Chinese martial arts|from China]], [[Japanese martial arts|Japan]] and elsewhere, he condensed these arts into a practical combat system he called [[Defendu]]. He and his police team went on to field test these skills on the streets of Shanghai; Fairbairn himself used his combat system effectively in over 2,000 documented encounters, including over 600 lethal-force engagements.<ref name="CHAM">Chambers, John W.; Fairbairn, W. E. ''[https://irma.nps.gov/Datastore/DownloadFile/486417 OSS Training in the National Parks and Service Abroad in World War II]'', Washington, D.C., U.S. National Park Service (2008), p. 191 (PDF), [https://web.archive.org/web/20140413205748/http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/oss/index.htm Archived] from the original on April 13, 2014</ref>
The aim of his combat system was simply to be as brutally effective as possible. It was also a system that, unlike traditional Eastern martial-arts that required years of intensive training, could be digested by recruits relatively quickly. The method incorporated training in [[point shooting]] and gun combat techniques, as well as the effective use of more [[ad hoc]] weapons such as chairs or table legs.

[[File:Учебные сборы 1976 год.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Hand-to-hand combat training in the [[Soviet Army]], 1976]]

During the [[Second World War]], Fairbairn was brought back to Britain, and, after demonstrating the effectiveness of his techniques, was recruited to train the [[British commandos]] in his combat method. During this period, he expanded his 'Shanghai Method' into the 'Silent Killing Close Quarters Combat method' for military application. This became standard combat training for all British [[Special Operations]] personnel. He also designed the pioneering [[Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife]], which was adopted for use by British and [[United States special operations forces|American Special Forces]]. In 1942, he published a textbook for close quarters combat training called ''Get Tough''.<ref name="CHAM"/><ref name=get-tough>Fairbairn, W. E. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Vu4AAAAACAAJ&q=Get+Tough Get Tough!]'' Paladin Press, 1 December 1996. {{ISBN|978-0-87364-002-2}} Retrieved October 12, 2014</ref>

U.S. Army officers [[Rex Applegate]] and [[Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle|Anthony Biddle]] were taught Fairbairn's methods at a training facility in [[Scotland]], and adopted the program for the training of [[Office of Strategic Services|OSS]] operatives at a newly opened camp near [[Lake Ontario]] in [[Canada]]. Applegate published his work in 1943, called ''Kill or Get Killed''.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Modern Reality Self-Defense and Close-Quarter Combat Systems |author=Kevin Brett |url=http://www.aikiproductions.com/history-of-modern-self-defense/ |website=www.aikiproductions.com |access-date=October 12, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015133818/http://www.aikiproductions.com/history-of-modern-self-defense/ |archive-date=October 15, 2014 }}</ref> During the war, training was provided to British [[Commando]]s, the [[Devil's Brigade]], [[Office of Strategic Services|OSS]], [[U.S. Army Rangers]] and [[Marine Raiders]].

[[File:Rangers in Action 10-African Land Forces Summit-US Army Africa-13 MAY 2010.jpg|thumb|250px|Rangers in Action 10-African Land Forces Summit, [[US Army Africa]], 2010]]
Other combat systems designed for military combat were introduced elsewhere, including European [[Unifight]], Soviet/Russian [[Sambo (martial art)|Sambo]], [[Army hand-to-hand fight]], Chinese military [[Sanshou]]/[[Sanshou|Sanda]], Israeli [[Kapap]] and [[Krav Maga]]. The prevalence and style of hand-to-hand combat training often changes based on perceived need. Elite units such as [[special forces]] and [[commando]] units tend to place higher emphasis on hand-to-hand combat training.

Although hand-to-hand fighting was accorded less importance in major militaries after [[World War II]], [[insurgency]] conflicts such as the [[Vietnam War]], [[low intensity conflict]] and [[urban warfare]] have prompted many armies to pay more attention to this form of combat. When such fighting includes firearms designed for close-in fighting, it is often referred to as [[CQB|Close Quarters Battle]] (CQB) at the platoon or squad level, or [[Urban warfare|Military Operations on Urban Terrain]] (MOUT) at higher tactical levels. A 2023 study using data from the [[Iraq War|Iraq]] and [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|Afghanistan wars]] found that the majority of hand-to-hand combat involved grappling techniques instead of striking.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Phil |title=Study Shows That Most US Army Hand-To-Hand Combat Is Grappling |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/study-shows-that-most-us-army-hand-to-hand-combat-is-grappling/ |website=JitsMagazine |access-date=27 April 2023}}</ref>

=== Sport ===
{{Main|Combat sport}}
Most combat sports involve hand-to-hand combat. Hand-to-hand is also a sport that involve striking, throw, ground control and submission. It is used with kimono and with gloves of 12 once.