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GET TOUGH! How To Win In Hand To Hand Fighting
This book, by the man who taught them, shows how the British Commandos fought in the Second World War in unarmed hand-to hand combat. It shows how they won their fights – even against enemies who were bigger, stronger, and armed. Brute strength is not required. This book shows you how to put a thug out of action with your bare hands, so fast he won’t know what’s hit him.
Get Tough is filled with clear, graphic line drawings which, with the easy-to-follow directions, demonstrate the Fairbairn System. The author, Major W. E. Fairbairn, was a tough Police officer who spent 30 years with the Shanghai Municipal Police, where he learned ju-jitsu (Judo), Chinese boxing and other martial arts. He was senior instructor to British Special Forces during the war, and was the co-inventor of the legendary Sykes-Fairbairn Commando knife. While in China he became the first foreigner, living outside Japan, ever admitted to Kodokan Jiu-Jutsu University in Tokyo where he was awarded the black belt, second degree. Combining all the knowledge thus acquired he developed a system that stopped the Shanghai terrorists in their tracks, demoralised the Nazis, and probably proved a decisive factor in the success of Allied Special forces in World War Two.
This is a must book for the armed forces, civilian defence groups, police, security guards, and indeed anyone whose life may be threatened.
Get Tough is filled with clear, graphic line drawings which, with the easy-to-follow directions, demonstrate the Fairbairn System. The author, Major W. E. Fairbairn, was a tough Police officer who spent 30 years with the Shanghai Municipal Police, where he learned ju-jitsu (Judo), Chinese boxing and other martial arts. He was senior instructor to British Special Forces during the war, and was the co-inventor of the legendary Sykes-Fairbairn Commando knife. While in China he became the first foreigner, living outside Japan, ever admitted to Kodokan Jiu-Jutsu University in Tokyo where he was awarded the black belt, second degree. Combining all the knowledge thus acquired he developed a system that stopped the Shanghai terrorists in their tracks, demoralised the Nazis, and probably proved a decisive factor in the success of Allied Special forces in World War Two.
This is a must book for the armed forces, civilian defence groups, police, security guards, and indeed anyone whose life may be threatened.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1942
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 22, 2008
One of the people that has had the most impact on how people fight and kill other people without using firearms in the modern era is William E. Fairbairn.
Fairbairn was a Police Commisioner in Shanghai in the 1920s, was one of the first non-Japanese black belts in Judo (certified by the founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano), and during his time in Shanghai, devised systems of both close-range gunfighting and hand-to-hand combat--assets that were desperately needed for him and his men (both westerners and ethnic Chinese) when locked in lethal struggle with the ruthless Triad gangs (many of whom were crack shots, and highly skilled in Chinese Boxing, aka: kung fu). He called this system "Defendu", and it was one of the first "Western Hybrid" arts, derived from elements of Japanese and Chinese fighting arts.
The art of Defendu addressed unarmed combat as well as the use of sticks, knives and improvised weaponry (as well as defending against same) with a feral savagery that seems to be distinctly different from other systems of the time. It is *not* a "gentlemanly art of self-defense"--far from it. Also, please note that this is a system that is meant to be learned and assimilated *rapidly*--another point that distinguishes itself from other methods.
At the onset of WW2, Fairbairn provided his services and insights to the British and American forces fighting the Axis threat. His method, which became known during WW2 as "Gutter Fighting" or "the Silent Killing" course (and which was constantly refined and perfected through the course of the war), was taught to commandos and other Special Forces units, guerillas, saboteurs, and the agents of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS, the precursors to the modern CIA, via his student Col. Rex Applegate, as well as Fairbairn himself), and the British SOE (Special Operations Executive, the precursors to the modern MI-6, with Eric Sykes).
Fairbairn's system is a direct influence on many modern reality-oriented fighting systems (as in, non-sport-oriented), such as Israeli Krav Maga, the Model Mugging/IMPACT women's self-defense method, and other forms of modern combatives. It is still taught to people who have a real need to have hard skills to manage and survive a violent encounter, and is one of the most tested and effective methods of hand-to-hand fighting to date.
For more information on Fairbairn's system, and his book GET TOUGH (as well as others), I recommend one visit the website: http://www.gutterfighting.com.
Jack Bauer? James Bond? Jason Bourne?
This is the REAL THING.
Fairbairn was a Police Commisioner in Shanghai in the 1920s, was one of the first non-Japanese black belts in Judo (certified by the founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano), and during his time in Shanghai, devised systems of both close-range gunfighting and hand-to-hand combat--assets that were desperately needed for him and his men (both westerners and ethnic Chinese) when locked in lethal struggle with the ruthless Triad gangs (many of whom were crack shots, and highly skilled in Chinese Boxing, aka: kung fu). He called this system "Defendu", and it was one of the first "Western Hybrid" arts, derived from elements of Japanese and Chinese fighting arts.
The art of Defendu addressed unarmed combat as well as the use of sticks, knives and improvised weaponry (as well as defending against same) with a feral savagery that seems to be distinctly different from other systems of the time. It is *not* a "gentlemanly art of self-defense"--far from it. Also, please note that this is a system that is meant to be learned and assimilated *rapidly*--another point that distinguishes itself from other methods.
At the onset of WW2, Fairbairn provided his services and insights to the British and American forces fighting the Axis threat. His method, which became known during WW2 as "Gutter Fighting" or "the Silent Killing" course (and which was constantly refined and perfected through the course of the war), was taught to commandos and other Special Forces units, guerillas, saboteurs, and the agents of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS, the precursors to the modern CIA, via his student Col. Rex Applegate, as well as Fairbairn himself), and the British SOE (Special Operations Executive, the precursors to the modern MI-6, with Eric Sykes).
Fairbairn's system is a direct influence on many modern reality-oriented fighting systems (as in, non-sport-oriented), such as Israeli Krav Maga, the Model Mugging/IMPACT women's self-defense method, and other forms of modern combatives. It is still taught to people who have a real need to have hard skills to manage and survive a violent encounter, and is one of the most tested and effective methods of hand-to-hand fighting to date.
For more information on Fairbairn's system, and his book GET TOUGH (as well as others), I recommend one visit the website: http://www.gutterfighting.com.
Jack Bauer? James Bond? Jason Bourne?
This is the REAL THING.
September 9, 2020
Although he was employed by the British military, Fairbairn was an exemplary student of Asian defense tactics. His vicious fighting style is memorialized on paper through this publication. The martial arts form is blunt, but that does not stop it from being exquisitely effective. This video shows the sheer force of his training techniques.
November 13, 2014
So...
Maiming an opponent with your bare hands is easier than it sounds.
You can knock someone unconscious with a matchbox!
And kick break someone's spine by throwing your opponent to the floor!
I only read this for research, but damn, I felt like training this with my mother (she is 40 pounds heavier, way stronger than me and once knocked some heavy-builded 20-year-old man with the side of a knife - he had the mark "Tramontina" in his back for days) and turning into some girly form of badass-ery!
Maiming an opponent with your bare hands is easier than it sounds.
You can knock someone unconscious with a matchbox!
And kick break someone's spine by throwing your opponent to the floor!
I only read this for research, but damn, I felt like training this with my mother (she is 40 pounds heavier, way stronger than me and once knocked some heavy-builded 20-year-old man with the side of a knife - he had the mark "Tramontina" in his back for days) and turning into some girly form of badass-ery!
September 23, 2024
The illustrations were easy to follow, and the book was a fun way to explore combatives from World War ll. While some techniques felt dubious, I understand that is more of a testimony to how much modern combatives have evolved. In many ways, Fairbairn was the first to systemize a method of close quarters combat, and I believe his methodology for the most part has stood the test of time.
May 29, 2024
kill nazi good
July 24, 2010
One of the seminal books on unarmed combat, with practical, effective techniques proven on the battlefields of World War II and still very relevant to soldiers on today's battlefields, law enforcement officers on the thin blue line, or civilians interested in self-defense. Just remember that reading a book is no substitute for training with a competent instructor (for example, DefendU) and practice. There are also techniques from judo, aikido, aikijitsu, jujitsu, Krav Maga, and armed self-defense that should be integrated to form a complete, modern system of self-defense.
October 2, 2012
I love how blunt it is. Example:
Seize both his hands with your right and flip him downwards...Finish him off with a kick to the face.
The drawings are really good and it's actually quite interesting to read. It's written so that it's easy to access and it is relevant for people interested in self defense. It has pretty much every situation you'd be in and a (slightly bad sportsmanship) way to get out of every one.
I'm going to spend all of tomorrow practicing it on my friends. Kidding. ;-)
Seize both his hands with your right and flip him downwards...Finish him off with a kick to the face.
The drawings are really good and it's actually quite interesting to read. It's written so that it's easy to access and it is relevant for people interested in self defense. It has pretty much every situation you'd be in and a (slightly bad sportsmanship) way to get out of every one.
I'm going to spend all of tomorrow practicing it on my friends. Kidding. ;-)
March 28, 2013
Brilliant book, well presented and timeless self protection manual. Capt. W.E Fairburn was doing mixed martial arts long before many, many others. Cannot recommend highly enough............like Geoff Thompson/Peter Consterdine( 2 of the best self protection authors) meets Mr Chumley Warner era.
Brilliant book welcome addition to any library.
Brilliant book welcome addition to any library.
February 5, 2015
I read this years ago. In fact, I think I had a copy at one time. I didn't appreciate it much then.
Now, older and wiser, I see its value. While some of the techniques may be outdates or ineffective, the spirt of the book is there. Keep self defense (or your offense) simple, brutal, and effective. I'm glad I re-read it.
Now, older and wiser, I see its value. While some of the techniques may be outdates or ineffective, the spirt of the book is there. Keep self defense (or your offense) simple, brutal, and effective. I'm glad I re-read it.
December 9, 2009
This is the self-defense manual for the rest of us. The goal isn't to make one a martial artist; it is to teach some of the most brutal techniques conceived by the mind of man for saving one's life when things go very bad.
June 30, 2011
Fairbairn served as the Shanghai police chief under British rule. He developed fighting and defense techniques for his native policemen as well as for the British coomandos and American Marines.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews