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COOPER'S COLOR CODES

I believe it was Col. Jeff Cooper who devised a color code system for teaching mental preparation.  Canadian Combato utilizes the color code to teach students about preparedness, and to help them go into action quickly.  Understanding the "color code of combat" is your first step to being able to fully implement your hand-to-hand skills in real life.

Let's take a look at the color code.  *Note* Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the code and don't just skim over the descriptions. You need to burn these colors and their meaning into your mind. Success in combat/survival-defense is more dependant upon a ready-to-go mind than any other combative element.  There are four (4) colors in the code: White, Yellow, Orange, Red. As we progress from one color to the next we are more prepared to deal with the threat that is facing us.

Condition White
This is the condition of least preparedness. It is akin to sleep walking. The person in condition white is unaware of who or what is around him. Great examples of this condition can be found during the Xmas season. People are so fully involved in there efforts to shop and battle the crowds that they pay little attention to anything that is happening around them.  In condition white you have NO choice but to RE-act to any threat of violence. That's providing you even get the chance to react. Many people are so quickly overwhelmed that they don't even know what hit them.  Please note- ALL "self-defense" techniques that most schools teach are really based upon this condition. How does someone grab you with both hands IF your aware and ready for him? How does a knife get pressed to your throat IF your aware? The answers is- they don't. Only by living in a fog can these attacks occur. If caught in condition white even a combat expert can be quickly overcome.  Condition white is only appropriate for when you are locked safely inside your home.  As soon as you leave your home you want to go to....

Condition Yellow
This is a state of relaxed alertness. You are aware of what is around you, and what is happening. By being in yellow you make it very difficult for an assailant to surprise you.  Should you be suddenly set upon you would at least have time to get off the attack line. This would be accomplished by the use of "body shifting".  In Jiu-jitsu systems body shifting is often call "Taisabaki".  However if you were to note anything suspicious or out of place, if you were to become aware of a threat, you would instantly escalate into.....

Condition Orange
Is this state you are not only aware, you are alerted TO a potential danger. You are aware of a threat and are ready to go into action.   It is here in condition orange that you will attempt to de-escalate a potential threat. Should that not prove successful, it is being in condition orange that allows you to "pre-empt" the attacker. Condition orange cuts to the bare minimum the time needed for you to "attack the attacker". You are now like a jungle cat, your body is quivering waiting to pounce, your mind is focused on your prey.  Should the threat move into your "safe zone" ( a distance of about 5-6 feet) you will move to......

Condition Red
This is it!  The fight is on!!  You instantly attack into your attacker!!!  You MUST stop the threat!  There is no holding back!   You gave your attacker a chance to avoid this stage back in condition orange, but he has forced the issue. It's now up to you to end it! 

It is important to clarify a few things.  The color code is a symbolic way of describing these various states of awareness and alertness. No actual colors are seen by you.  Also there exists varying degrees of intensity.  For example one might be in a "light" yellow and hence need a pure self-defense technique that might usually only be required in condition white.  One could also be in a "dark" yellow, in which case you would more than likely be prepared to pre-empt the threat.  There is no time frame for moving through the color code. The escalation through the various stages might be almost instanteous.  It's also important to understand how alertness can prevent an attack.  Criminals are looking for prey, they don't want a challenge. They look for people who are in condition white.   The color code of combat serves as a "mental peg". A mental peg is a way of attaching various techniques and their meaning into your memory.  For example- a low sidekick is a great technique when in condition orange.  Your aware of the threat, you've set your course of action and all that needs to be done is trigger it.   On the other hand the sidekick is a POOR choice from condition white. You simply will not be able to get the kick off. You most likely will be completely out of position for such a kick. Your balance will likely be comprimised and you'll need both feet under you in order to stay upright.  This is one of the reasons that many martial artists can perform so badly when on the street. It's not so much that their techniques are poor, it's just that their trying to do them at the wrong time- namely from a position of playing catch up. They're several steps behind the attacker and their choice of technique only makes things worse.

A simple way to utilize the color code is this phrase- "Ready, set, go!"  Yellow is ready. Orange is set. Red is go!  Print this out and study it hard. The understanding and use of the "color code of combat" is your key to survival.

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