You don't have any more information, do you, Nina?

December 28, 2006 3:45 PM

The type of self-defense demonstrated on the Fox series 24 is quick, brutal and decisive. Although obviously make-believe TV, it strikes me that this probably an accurate portrayal hand-to-hand confrontations when somebody knows what they are doing. What style of self-defense does the character Jack Bauer employ in subduing or neutralizing his targets?
posted by quadog to Grab Bag (18 answers total)

I don't watch the show. But if you are looking for quick, decisive type of self defense, Krav Maga might be something to look into. Very efficient movement and a hell of a work out too.
posted by CCK at 3:51 PM on December 28, 2006

I don't know if it is the specific style that Jack Bauer uses, but in the Jason Bourne movies (with Matt Damon) a very similar 'quick, brutal and decisive' style is used.

This style is called 'kali', or more correctly, Eskrima.

I am not sure whether this same style is used in 24, but it looks pretty cool :)
posted by TheOtherGuy at 3:54 PM on December 28, 2006 [1 favorite]

I'm not an expert on the subject, but it reminds me of the styles of hand-to-hand combat that came into being around WWII, combining elements of Eastern martial arts with more Western "scientific boxing," and an elimination of the more ritualistic aspects of the former in favor of perceived effectiveness.

You might want to check out any of the works by Fairbairn, since he's considered something of a founder in the field, in particular his book Get Tough. Or you could just get yourself a copy of U.S. Army Field Manual 21-150, Combatives. It's public domain, downloadable here (1992 rev.). I suspect the USMC has its own manuals devoted to similar topics.

For web sites devoted to the topic, you can Google "combatives," or "gutter fighting," but I wouldn't trust any information that didn't come from a reputable source.
posted by Kadin2048 at 4:00 PM on December 28, 2006

it's JHR, it was in "Lethal Weapon", too -- scarily violent, effective shit. it was created by prison inmates, and it's a perfect fit to Jack Bauer's thuggish, sociopathic, grimly fascist personality
posted by matteo at 4:01 PM on December 28, 2006

I always assumed Jack was using some form of Suntukan technique. It involves quick, powerful open or closed fist punches which are usually combined with elbow strikes and attacks to the various nerve centers of the body temporarily paralyzing your victim. Matt Damon used something similar in the Bourne Identity I think.
posted by hojoki at 4:01 PM on December 28, 2006

I have been watching a ton of 24 lately, and I have some training in "ryukyu kempo", which used pressure points (kyusho-jitsu) to knock people out quickly (which is why it is sometimes called "5 second fighting"). I would guess that Jack Bauer uses a lot of pressure point technique to take people down quickly and lock/release their joints.
posted by nekton at 4:11 PM on December 28, 2006

The show probably uses a style of stage show that mixes various styles. Among the others mentioned above, Krav Maga is another example of "quick, dirty and effective" fighting.
posted by frogan at 4:14 PM on December 28, 2006

Not sure about Jack Bauer, but Tony Almeida was a "Certified Instructor" in Krav Maga.

Tony's technique was not particularly strong, though. He is dead. Also, while he was alive, Jack was always punching him in the face.
posted by Slap Factory at 4:15 PM on December 28, 2006

CCK writes "But if you are looking for quick, decisive type of self defense, Krav Maga might be something to look into."

Well, yeah. Krav Maga is explicitly designed to take the fucker out, whatever it takes.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 4:16 PM on December 28, 2006

Something quite similar, called CQC ("close quarters combat"), is used in the Konami video game Metal Gear Solid 3. They got an expert practitioner, then stop-motion filmed his movements and incorporated them into the game.

You can read a brief history of it here.
posted by ikkyu2 at 5:00 PM on December 28, 2006

24 is an amazing show, didnt really think abt it till now but yeah that kind of combat seems real. The "bourne" movies also feature similar combat style
posted by radsqd at 5:03 PM on December 28, 2006

Matteo
Do you have a cite for the style used being Jail House Rock?
posted by Divine_Wino at 5:25 PM on December 28, 2006

There was also some form of close-quarters fighting technique used in Batman Returns. I don't know the name or the specifics, and, to be honest, Christian Bale looked kind of hokey trying to do it, but the trainers / stunt people in the DVD's "special features" looked pretty good doing it. Sorry I don't have a name for it. I believe it was named after the two guys who developed it.
posted by Alt F4 at 7:35 PM on December 28, 2006

Close quarter combat as taught in the UK and US militaries in WWII and afterwards was sometimes referred to by the names of two of its main developers and instructors, Fairbairn and Sykes. There is also a dagger named after them which is what most people mean when they mention those two names together.

See Kadin2048's post for some references. Another book that describes the style is Rex Applegate's Kill or be Killed. In my opinion though, Get Tough, is the one to go to.

If you are looking for a contemporary who has done some research in this manner of fighting, google "Carl Cestari".
posted by BigSky at 9:22 PM on December 28, 2006

I don't watch the show, but I second the suggestions of Krav Maga. It focuses on ending confrontations quickly and often brutally. (i.e. fingers in the eyes, punches to the groin, breaking anything you can, all recommended.) Many US law enforcement agencies train their officers in it.
posted by knave at 10:01 PM on December 28, 2006

The Batman film used Keysi Fighting Method.

The Bourne movies use FMA and were choreographed by Jeff Imada, who's one of Dan Inosanto's guys.

The fights in 300 are based on FMA too.
posted by the cuban at 5:28 AM on December 29, 2006

If you're looking for a very effective martial art, you'd probably be best served with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I have a black belt in Shudokan Karate, and I've come to realize that while it's great exercise, pretty much any strike-heavy art is not as useful as a wrestling-style art. See the fine bullshido site for more info.
posted by felix at 9:08 AM on December 29, 2006

Yeah. Keysi. That's what I couldn't remember from Batman. Also, reading back over it, I realized: It was Batman Begins, not Batman Returns.
posted by Alt F4 at 1:11 PM on December 29, 2006