Eskrima interactive lessons?

Yep... And circles, and diamonds, and (sometimes, briefly) squares, and all of these have straight lines (circle has radius, and is flat when viewed from the edge, before anyone calls me out)... Although, a square, viewed from a different angle becomes a diamond...

I'm being incredibly flippant, triangle footwork is a very good place to start, but "correct" footwork is whatever means you can hit without being hit. So, boxing-like footwork is good in the right context, fencing-like footwork in another context, triangular, square, diamond and circular movements all have their time and place.

Clear as mud? Which one is right? Yes

 

Funny as it may sound, and I know this happens with age, but i'm 35 next month not 53 ... but I have shrunk almost 1 inch since the discs in my back have given me a problem.

 

Oh ok cool. I actually bought some oak dowels and sanded them down really smooth. I also got some tung oil ( I hope it's the right kind). Man, those oak dowels you can feel the weight of soooooooooo much more and just slapping your hand or your leg with it, you can feel the density as well.. I enjoy the sting though I have to admit lol.

 

I know EXACTLY what you mean about enjoying the sting! Must be that masochistic nature! I have a mantra for when I get caught with a decent shot (pain is in the mind, pain is in the mind), and find that 'squeezing' makes it better (not go away, but better), especially if it's a shot to the finger...

Oak is cool to swing around and to use as a fighting weapon (with a limited life), but watch out for training with it until it fails, as, if it has dried out it may well shatter/spinter.

One of the reasons rattan is commonly used for training sticks is that when it fails it just pulps and looses structure gradually (so you can replace them in a timely manner) rather than hard woods which can fail suddenly and spectacularly, creating nasty sharp splinters and flying shards that always target your eyes...

Can you obtain rattan sticks through your class/instructor? If so, use those for most of the time.

 

I can get them cheaper online, but yes I can get them. I plan on keeping the oak dowels well oiled with the tung oil every so often so they are conditioned well. It's supposedly an oil that looks good, does it's job well, but is also easy to hold on to.

 

I have other reasons why I enjoy the sting... a history in which it was part of my life, but yes, you do develop a certain amount of tolerance and almost love for it that it makes you feel alive.

 

I work mainly single stick for drills, mainly because my thinking is along the lines that I am more likely to be able to grab a single stick (and complement it with open hand or a knife) than I am to have two. I love doing double stick drills because they are fun, but my focus is on single (although I work both sides). For stick length, we use the armpit to fingertip method for a rough length.

 

Mmm, yes, kind of, but don't forget that the drills (in any weapon area) aren't just for direct application, a key concept within FMA is attribute crossover between weapon areas.

So, as one example, you could think of double stick drills as a method of practicing maximum power empty hand (and single stick, for that matter!) motions (hitting, clearing, whatever) without actually having to punch, slap, hack or elbow your training buddy in the face!

It also allows both of you to practice simultaneously, rather than with pads where one holds and the other hits - twice the training volume (or half the time).

 

but of course you can still do some types of stick drills with singles... not the jabs and such but the forehand and backhand strikes at least correct? I want to also learn how it crosses over into knife drills. For instance... you could do a heaven six with 2 knives much like with the sticks, but just shorter distances or no? Obviously going to the legs would be less of an option because the knife would be so much shorter.

 

Thought you might be interested in this SiB

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyb3zvKWb2I"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyb3zvKWb2I[/ame]

 

and another

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TtP4x-sRew"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TtP4x-sRew[/ame]

 

Classic line, delivered in his frighteningly calm voice: "after you have defanged the snake, you can kill it" just so

 

Simple, effective direct - classic Vunak

It was good to be in PFS at that time...I still wish things had worked out better, but it was not meant to be and I couldn't be happier than where I am

 

Thanks man... interested in learning all about this!

 

i'm trying to pick up on these... the others are ok, but the "floret" i'm not getting.

 

very good vid Simon... appreciate that a lot. I can definitely see how that would perhaps be more effective than double sticks in the hands of 2 people who are equally skilled. The "free" hand would definitely be helpful with my combat hapkido especially.

 

Florete is almost a spiral done in a horizontal progression. Word if advice; watch the weight of your stick as you start out because too heavy on florets makes learning it tricky