02/17/2026
As we get closer to Shillelaghs by the Shore, I thought I would share this article again to prepare everyone for optimal practice.
BEING A GOOD OPFOR WHEN PRACTICING THE DOYLE STYLE
For those without a military background in the group, âOpforâ simply means a group that imitates the Opposing Forces in a training exercise. In the case of the Doyle system, the âOpforâ would be a training partner representing the one-handed Irish Stick Fighting systems that a Doyle might encounter in combat.
Here are some tips to being a great Opfor for your training partner.
The first thing to remember is that stick fights donât start in kicking range, both parties are aware of the danger and reach of the stick, so the action usually begins one full step out of stick range. To initiate an attack as the opfor, you should have to take one step to strike your partner with the end of the stick, otherwise they should have attacked you already. Donât attack from the Doyle ready position, attack from the ready position of a single hand stick fighter. Start from a distance that a conflict would actually start at, not sparring range.
Now letâs talk about targeting. When I train people that have different experience than myself, they will often hear me say âYou are being too nice to meâ. They often mistake this to mean to come at me faster, harder, and with more aggression, and though I donât shy away from this, what I am usually referring to is targeting. By targeting, I mean donât pull your technique. Aim for the target that a true assailant would be aiming for. As an example, it does your training partner absolutely no good if your thrust to the head is two feet off the mark. The reality is that they wouldnât even have to parry that attack.
Let us use angles one and two in the second generation of the trinity blocks as further examples. However, keep in mind that this applies to every attack in the system.
When feeding the Opfor attack for a Doyle Style Angle 1 Gen. 2 Trinity Block (Herefore, referred to as an Angle 1 G2), begin at the proper fighting measure. You should take one full step swinging the tip of your stick toward your opponentâs temple or jaw. When I trained with Glen, he always specified that the attacks for angles 1&2 were to the head and not the shoulder or ribs. By targeting the ribs or shoulder you cause your training partner to learn an improper block which can lead to real problems when attacked by someone who actually is targeting the head. They have learned to lower their block to cover the rib area but leave the head dangerously exposed. Not just to a direct strike to the head, but also a ricochet off the initial block because the lowered position encourages the momentum of the stick to continue upwards. As an opfor your job is to be sort of like a pitching machine, you fire the strike to where they are, not anticipating where they are going. Like a pitching machine, the intensity can be regulated. You can speed up or slow down as necessary, but the target remains the same. Swing to the target with the intent that if they donât move you will tap that target. This doesnât mean swing for the fences right out of the gate, it means aim and continue toward that target. If they do their block properly, they have nothing to fear. The Doyle system was designed for this. In essence, stop assuming they need you to cheat for them. Stop being so nice. That is what I mean when I say âYou are being too nice to meâ, I mean swing to the target and donât assume that I wonât cover it. That doesnât mean you have to go super hard or fast and risk injury, it means you can train safely without robbing your partner of the repetitions that will actually teach them to be protected. I encourage everyone to implement this into their training and explore the other attacks. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out and ask me. I am more than happy to assist and clarify. Through all of us the Doyle legacy is preserved. I hope this helps everyone to be a better opfor, we all rise with the help of each other.
Ever Forward is more than just a motto, itâs a mantra and combat philosophy.
About the photos: In the first photo, you see Christopher Crittenden being the perfect OPFOR against a Doyle Fighter. In the other two photos you see what I mean by intent and focus at the target.
