Counterpoint Tactical System - Official Website of Zach Whitson

Counterpoint Tactical System

The Counterpoint Tactical System, or CTS, is a weapon-based, integrated martial art designed for the street with an emphasis on tactical counter offense. It includes elements of Doce Pares Eskrima, Pekiti Tirsia Kali, Jiu Jitsu, Silat Serbatik, Wing Chun Kung Fu, and Parker Kenpo.

The purpose of CTS is to train, produce and certify students and teachers who are well versed in every phase of civilian armed and unarmed combat. CTS has a survival-based philosophy; it is not intended as a sport. The goal is to produce top-quality martial artists who can hold their own against strikers, ground fighters, multiple opponents and weapons. Classes are conducted in a controlled and professional manner, with student safety heavily emphasized.

Sparring is an important element in learning how to deal with real-world violence and is a major component of CTS training. It is one of the best ways to develop strategies and timing, and to learn how to control and manipulate range. Modern safety equipment is used, allowing students to develop their skill while staying healthy and safe. It is very important for students to realize that it is not acceptable to use sparring as an ego enhancer, or to spar without regard for the safety of others. Sparring classes should be approached with the intent to learn more about one’s self, and to develop technique and strategies.

Some systems teach a multitude of self-defense techniques, but in sparring they use a different and much more limited set of techniques. In some systems, students spend the bulk of their training on techniques they will never be able to use effectively in sparring or in a real fight. CTS uses only those techniques that are proven and possible in real-life situations. The techniques, tactics and drills are practiced as elements of sparring, and only proven methods remain as core curriculum.

Students will be introduced to progressive categories of training. These categories include empty-hands training, including striking, stand-up grappling and ground fighting; weapons tactics, such as single and double stick, single and double knife, staff, spear and sword; and stick and dagger, also known as espada y daga. In order to have students progress in an organized manner through these categories of training, a definitive structure is laid out by belt ranks. Each belt rank consists of three categories, or blocks, of training. As the student progresses through the CTS system, each block stacks on top of previous training blocks, allowing the student to easily see the connection from one level to the others.

Beginning students will be taken systematically through the basics of stick, knife and empty-hand training, learning how to use the weapon for maximum results. They will also learn how to counter attack, whether armed or unarmed. Students will learn what the optimum targets are on an attacker, both anatomically and tactically, as well as specific methods to quickly finish an attacker. The student will also learn how to use natural weapons - empty hands - to engage an attacker, putting him or her on the ground with decisive strikes, locks and throws so the student can successfully finish and safely disengage from an attack. Most important, at this level the student will begin to learn how to maneuver quickly, flanking an opponent and positioning himself or herself to gain the advantage.

In the intermediate stages of training, the student will learn the nuances of range - its relationship with the weapon and how that applies to combat survival. The student will also become familiar with subtle differences in the way a weapon is held or wielded, and what adjustments must be made as the situation changes from instant to instant. The student will also learn how to quickly escape from ground submissions and get back to his or her feet. At this level, through the practice of techniques, tactics, drills and sparring, the student will begin to develop the important skills of countering an attack.

At the advanced level, the student will start to become proficient at fighting, countering and outflanking trained fighters. The categories, or building blocks, from earlier training will be revisited, but at this level, tactics and techniques are developed and fine tuned to produce instant results as the student becomes capable of engaging multiple opponents and weapons. The student will now start to see and realize the interconnectedness of the system and begin to understand its sophisticated simplicity. Students will also begin to develop a light, yielding touch that will make it difficult for others to feel the student’s intent or realize the student’s counters until it is too late for them to react.

At the upper end of advanced training, the student gets exposure to other weapons, such as the bolo (sword) and spear, as well as modified weapons designed specifically for CTS. At this highest level, espada y daga is further developed and practiced. Espada y daga training is very sophisticated not only because it requires the use of two weapons simultaneously but it trains the student to quickly recognize the different issues associated with each weapon and adjust to the immediate situation. On the street recognizing a threat is very important and espada y daga conditions the student to understand the threat and make split second tactical decisions that mean the difference in success and failure.

CTS is not merely self-defense that teaches one to react to a situation after it starts. At its core, CTS is a tactical fighting system that teaches an individual to use offense and counter-offense in order to strategize and work three steps ahead of an opponent . CTS is not a sport. The mixed martial arts of sports venues like Pride and the UFC have changed the face of martial arts and have enormous value as empty-hand methodologies. However, when someone armed with multiple weapons who is well versed in their application enters the confrontation, the tactics must change. Ignoring the issues presented when a weapon is involved can get an individual killed. For example, attempting a common MMA takedown, lock or submission against only an average knife fighter could make for a very rude awakening.

Although CTS includes the tactics of other disciplines from around the world, it holds the Filipino martial arts as its base. The martial arts of the Philippines have always been a mix of fighting disciplines. Most FMA systems contain some degree of the various disciplines such as Panatukan, a punching and street boxing method with its roots coming from hand-held weapons; Dumog, which specializes in grappling and ground fighting; and Sikaran, which uses the leg techniques of kicking and stomping. Pangamot demonstrates how to fight against a blunt weapon with only your bare - or empty - hands.

The single stick, also referred to as Olisi or Baston, is the weapon used most as a CTS training device. Swinging a stick conditions the student’s arms and body in a way that can’t be duplicated with empty hands, or even weight training. Working the stick will give the arms new attributes such as enhanced coordination, flexibility, strength and speed- attributes well worth their weight in gold when the going gets tough. When the students flexibility, speed and strength are enhanced punches become faster and stronger, locks become tighter, timing is perfected, resistance more pliable and counters instantaneous. Hidden within the stick technique is knife and sword training that will be revealed only when the student is ready.

The overall goal of the Counterpoint Tactical System is to safely bring students to a physical and mental level of ability and understanding that enables them to deal with life-threatening situations, whether it be with single or multiple opponents, standing, on the ground, armed or unarmed. CTS is a living system, with Zach Whitson its founder remaining active in the continual development and analysis of combative tactics. Because of this, the system continues to change and evolve in order to stay current with the continual evolution of modern day martial arts.

Zach Whitson, Founder

Counterpoint Tactical System