…Military combat self-defence training in the Lithuanian Armed Forces is divided into three levels. At level one, soldiers learn basic techniques and acquire fundamental self-defence knowledge. Level two focuses on counterattacks and more complex combinations.
“At the highest level, tactics come into play – trenches, pits, rooms. Contact training includes fighting one-on-two, three-on-three, how to use a knife, stick, improvised weapons most effectively. All situations where a soldier might not be able to use their firearm and how to respond,” said Šeškevičius, describing level three.
Changes in military training began to influence the sporting side of combat self-defence, especially after the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ combat self-defence tournaments were revived in 2015.
“There was little protection against injury risks; only an eight-point scoring system limited the fights – once you reached those points, the match ended.
With the introduction of a more military-focused approach, we began incorporating technical elements and implementing better protective gear. As injuries and fractures began occurring, commanders became reluctant to send soldiers to compete. So we started refining the rules and adding safety measures. Competent instructors are essential – otherwise, injuries remove soldiers from their core military training, something commanders understandably want to avoid.”
The evolution of combat self-defence in the Lithuanian military
American Buddhist Net 