Strength & Speed

What is Pammachon?

When you hear of Ancient Greek Martial arts, the term most commonly used in Pankration. Pankration can loosely described as wrestling plus striking, most similar to the modern sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Pankration was a sporting event introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC making it one of the oldest martial arts in the world.

The combat application of Pankaration used by soldiers on the battlefield, when by a slightly different name, Pammachon. This includes not only grappling and striking but weapons as well.

While the nuances and details of what they practiced can only be loosely recreated through primarily pottery and using logic of what it was like fighting in body armor with weapons. The concepts of being proficient through all ranges, developing skills for the modern battlefield and borrowing lessons from other cultures/styles is a useful template to apply today.

Ranges of Combat

Pammachon: Encompasses all of the ranges in all situations (self-defense and sport) including weapons and no weapons.

Hoplomachia: Weapon Combat

Support Weapon Range
Projectile Weapon Range
Striking Weapon Range

Pankration: Unarmed Combat

Ano Pankration: Standup Fighting

4. Long Range (“Kicking”)

5. Mid-Range (“Punching”)

6. Close Range (“Trapping”)

7. Standing Grappling Range

Kato Pankration: Ground Fighting

8. Ground Fighting

Is Ancient Martial Arts Useful?

Unless you are a history student, learning an ancient style has limited application. After all, you wouldn't try to take ancient sword tactics and apply them on a modern battlefield with guns.

Many martial arts styles become fixed with set forms and requirements for advancement. By contrast, if we look at combat sports, they constantly need to adapt to an ever changing and ever improving enemy.

This is not a attempt to recreate Pammachon, just a methodology of using their framework to ensure there is proficiency through all ranges of combat because the enemy or your opponent always has a vote in where the fight takes place, therefore there needs to be at least a basic level of proficiency in all ranges.

Meaning of Logo

The outside of the logo is the Greek key design. This is specifically a reference to Ancient Greece where Pammachon or Total Combat started. Pammachon included all ranges including weapons all the way to ground fighting or grappling.

The Omega in the middle is a reference to the last letter of the Greek alphabet. While learning to fight can have great benefits about learning complex skills, improving physical fitness and teaching resiliency overcoming obstacles, the actual use of violence should be a last resort. This is more true in 2020s than ever before where even if you win a physical altercation, you may still be facing violence in retribution, legal troubles or mental issues post-event. To emphasize this violence as a last resort method we use Christianity as a basis for humbling yourself and having the ability to walk away from a situation where the thing that is in the biggest danger of being hurt is your ego. De-escalating or walking away should always be in the list of options and it should be taken given the opportunity. Having a basis in Christianity allows you to make this decision much easier than someone who is filled with pride. The omega is also a reference for God/Christ from the Book of Revelations (22:13) "I am the Alpha and the Omega".

The black and red colors of the color are taken from Orthodox Monasticism, where the monks primarily where black with a red logo on their cassock. Again, this ties into Christianity but also the discipline to train consistently, eat simply/clean and be disciplined in your endeavors.

Overall, the logo is a shield aka apsis (term for Ancient Greek shield). This, like the Omega, emphasizes the importance of using martial skill primarily for self defense. Just like Ancient Greek Hoplites or Soldiers, they would often decorate their shields which is why the Pammachon logo has a design across it.

Where Can I Learn More?

Coming soon