[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-662306-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-662306-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","fm-21-150-preface-chapter-1-introduction-hand-to-hand-combat-training","FM 21-150 - Preface - Chapter 1 - Introduction - Hand-to-Hand Combat Training","","FM 21-150 provides guidance for rifle-bayonet fighting and hand-to-hand combat, structured as basic and advanced training. The manual explains how techniques are first studied by range and later considered in the order encountered during combat engagements. Chapter 1 focuses on introduction and combatives training, emphasizing why close-quarters skills remain critical when firearms and grenades are impractical or fail. It outlines combat principles including physical balance and mental balance, along with position, timing, distance, and momentum, to help fighters defeat opponents effectively.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/fm-21-150-preface-chapter-1-introduction-hand-to-hand-combat-training/662306/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/fm-21-150-preface-chapter-1-introduction-hand-to-hand-combat-training/662306.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Margaret","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-29","2026-10-28",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":22},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"What is the purpose of combatives training in FM 21-150?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"The manual explains that battlefield conditions may require silent elimination and close-quarter unarmed fighting. Combatives training supports soldiers when forward units cannot rely on firearms or grenades, helping save lives.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"What basic principles must a hand-to-hand fighter know?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"FM 21-150 lists essential principles such as physical balance and mental balance, plus position, timing, distance, and momentum. These principles guide how to defend effectively and create opportunities to attack.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"How does FM 21-150 describe positioning for defense and counterattack?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"The defender should move to a safe position so an enemy attack cannot continue unless the enemy changes position. For counterattacks, the fighter should move the body off the opponent’s line of attack, commonly using a 45-degree angle for safety and tactical advantage.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},662306,1793210477,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,109,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":110,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":106,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":22,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":79,"read_time":144},137451207643,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_3d24733baf745e90a7e4bdd5f77d97b2","*FM 21-150  \nFM 21-150  \nFM 21-150  \nPreface  \nThis field manual contains information and guidance pertaining to rifle-bayonet fighting and hand-to-hand combat. The hand-to-hand combat portion of this manual is divided into basic and advanced training. The techniques are applied as intuitive patterns of natural movement but are initially studied according to range. Therefore, the basic principles for fighting in each range are discussed. However, for ease of learning they are studied in reverse order as they would be encountered in a combat engagement. This manual serves as a guide for instructors, trainers, and soldiers in theart of instinctive rifle-bayonet fighting.  \nThe proponent for this publication is the United States Army Infantry School. Comments and recommendations must be submitted on DA Form 2028 (Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) directly to Commandant, United States Army Infantry School, ATTN: ATSH-RB, Fort Benning, GA, 31905-5430.  \nUnless this publication states otherwise, masculine nouns and pronouns do not refer exclusively to men.  \nCHAPTER 1  \nINTRODUCTION  \nHand-to-hand combat is an engagement between two or more persons in an empty-handed struggle or with handheld weapons such as knives, sticks, and rifles with bayonets. These fighting arts are essential military skills. Projectile weapons may be lost or broken, or they may fail to fire. When friendly and enemy forces become so intermingled that firearms and grenades are not practical, hand-to-hand combat skills become vital assets.  \n1-1. PURPOSE OF COMBATIVES TRAINING  \nToday’s battlefield scenarios may require silent elimination of the enemy. Unarmed combat and expedient-weapons training should not be limited to forward units. With rapid mechanized/motorized, airborne, and air assault abilities, units throughout the battle area could be faced with close-quarter or unarmed fighting situations. With low-intensity conflict scenarios and guerrilla warfare conditions, any soldier is apt to face an unarmed confrontation with the enemy, and hand-to-hand combative training can save lives. The many practical battlefield benefits of combative training are not its only advantage. It can also—  \na. Contribute to individual and unit strength, flexibility, balance, and cardiorespiratory fitness.  \nb. Build courage, confidence, self-discipline, and esprit de corps.  \n1-2. BASIC PRINCIPLES  \nThere are basic principles that the hand-to-hand fighter must know and apply to successfully defeat an opponent. The principles mentioned are only a few of the basic guidelines that are essential knowledge for hand-to-hand combat. There are many others, which through years of study become intuitive to a highly skilled fighter.  \na. Physical Balance. Balance refers to the ability to maintain equilibrium and to remain in a stable, upright position. A hand-to-hand fighter must maintain his balance both to defend himself and to launch an effective attack.  \nWithout balance, the fighter has no stability with which to defend himself, nor does he have a base of power for an attack. The fighter must understand two aspects of balance in a struggle:  \n(1) How to move his body to keep or regain his own balance. A fighter develops balance through experience, but usually he keeps his feet about shoulder-width apart and his knees flexed. He lowers his center of gravity to increase stability.  \n(2) How to exploit weaknesses in his opponent's balance. Experience also gives the hand-to-hand fighter a sense of how to move his body in a fight to maintain his balance while exposing the enemy’s weak points.  \nb. Mental Balance. The successful fighter must also maintain a mental balance. He must not allow fear or anger to overcome his ability to concentrate or to react instinctively in hand-to-hand combat.  \nc. Position. Position refers to the location of the fighter (defender) in relation to his opponent. A vital principle when being attacked is for the defender to move his body to","cbCaiqEmOxgGwo6v","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiqEmOxgGwo6v","pdf",5229299,232,"English","# Preface\n# Chapter 1 - Introduction\n## Purpose of Combatives Training\n## Basic Principles\n### Physical Balance\n### Mental Balance\n### Position\n### Timing\n### Distance\n### Momentum","[{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of combatives training in FM 21-150?\",\"answer\":\"The manual explains that battlefield conditions may require silent elimination and close-quarter unarmed fighting. Combatives training supports soldiers when forward units cannot rely on firearms or grenades, helping save lives.\"},{\"question\":\"What basic principles must a hand-to-hand fighter know?\",\"answer\":\"FM 21-150 lists essential principles such as physical balance and mental balance, plus position, timing, distance, and momentum. These principles guide how to defend effectively and create opportunities to attack.\"},{\"question\":\"How does FM 21-150 describe positioning for defense and counterattack?\",\"answer\":\"The defender should move to a safe position so an enemy attack cannot continue unless the enemy changes position. For counterattacks, the fighter should move the body off the opponent’s line of attack, commonly using a 45-degree angle for safety and tactical advantage.\"}]","FM 21-150 - Preface - Chapter 1 - Introduction - Hand-to-Hand Combat Training | PDF",585]