Purring - A Traditional British/US Kicking Art

Discussion in 'Western Martial Arts' started by Louie, Aug 19, 2004.

  1. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    Terry Brown's group, The Company of Maisters, attended the 2004 Cotswold Games earlier this year to demonstrate English Martial Arts. A member, Paul Woodburn entered the Shin-Kicking contest and posted the following details.

    The basic rules are;

    - Each competitor wears a white lab coat. This is simply to provide each
    opponent with equal gripping opportunity.

    - The collar must be held. To let go is to forfeit.

    - The opponents must kick eachother in the shins ONLY. Any other kick loses
    the point.

    - The aim is to kick your opponent to the ground. No sweeps, throws or
    similar are permitted. It must be a kick that takes him down.

    - Grappling is allowed, but you may not grapple them to the ground. Only a
    kick will suffice.

    - Opponents may (if they wish) pad their shins with straw.

    - A point is only scored when your opponent is on the floor, upon his back.
    You may not wrestle him onto his back.

    - The winner will have the best of the three points.


    Further reading on the art of Purring, the traditional form of kicking practiced throughout the UK to the USA, can be found at:

    http://ejmas.com/jmanly/articles/2004/jmanlyart_couch_0804.htm

    Louie
     
  2. UKscrapper

    UKscrapper I kick ass therefore I am

    Sounds to me like an extremely lame idea. :eek:
     
  3. Cudgel

    Cudgel The name says it all

    AHHHHH
    Can I not escape the discussion of purring.
    I wuld commment on purring but umm Im not sure whether to here on the western-arts group. Grrrrrr
    Choices
     
  4. NeonxBurst

    NeonxBurst 1st Black

    UHH does anyone else see this as a highly pointless idea?
     
  5. Cudgel

    Cudgel The name says it all

    I actually for one feel that foot to shin is a very important skill to know
    You ever been kicked in the shins?
    it hurts alot
     
  6. Stuart Rider

    Stuart Rider Valued Member

    Totally agree.
    One of my favourtie practical techniques.
    Try taking a few kicks on the shins from someone
    wearing a decent solid pair of shoes.

    Well worth working on this simple yet highly effective kick.
    To dismiss it would be fool hardy.
     
  7. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    Shinny shin shin....

    Again I totally agree, I recently watched a Vunak video with FMA low-line kicks. I certainly wouldn't question a Filipino's effectiveness in shin-kicking and can see the applications in this traditional western art.

    Louie
     
  8. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

    Yeah the technique is certainly useful but a competition where two people stand there and kick hell out of each others shins does seem abit pointless. Others competitions in the similar vein could be head butting, Knee to the genitals and ear biting (known as TysonPurring). ;)

    The Bear
     
  9. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    Hi Dave...

    I'm sure at one time all of those techniques would have been used in these competitions. :D

    Here's how the participant 'Woody' thought of his experience;

    "As far as my own experience of the Shin-Kicking goes - I found that injured
    shins were the least of my concerns. The main taxation on your body occurs
    along the underside of the arms and at the backs of the knees. You will
    usually spend two minutes per round grappling with someone, trying to keep
    your balance and kick at the same time. Wrestlers may find it difficult
    because the usual solid planting of the feet is no longer an option. Also,
    it is very taxing in general, particularly if you're a skinny lightweight"

    Louie
     
  10. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

    Hey Louie, long time no hear,
    It just seems a little specialised I guess. I'm sure the players find it a hoot but I still remember my Muay Thai shin conditioning, black shins aren't pretty!


    P.S. We have produced our own singlesticks, red oak, really tough but sting like hell when you get hit. Baskets next!!!
     
  11. Yoksha

    Yoksha Valued Member

    The martial art of shin kicking has quite a long history in Yorkshire (UK). Apparently it was common practice at fairs and the like. The aim was to kick your opponent into submission by striking their shins whilst wearing hobnail clogs (ouch). It was not unknown for participants to die from their injuries.#

    This is NOT a joke....its a historical fact. Its a damn good job that some martial arts die out through lack of use though eh?
     
  12. NeonxBurst

    NeonxBurst 1st Black

    When I was saying it sounded pointless i didn't mean the technique, but I meant the idea of kicking the crap outta eachothers shins
     
  13. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    Old values!

    Hi NeonxBurst...

    I think when this art was originally practiced not only was it one of the few forms of entertainment, it played an important part in social status and character building of the time, the idea being to prove that you were a man, able to withstand pain, strong and couragous, with the whole town watching.
    The same mind-set applied in certain forms of stickfighting performed here in the UK and also in the US in which both 'gamesters' stood their ground while aiming blows at the unprotected head, the person who got 'first blood' was the winner.

    As joining a gang and getting into fights seems to be the modern equivelent for young men (and now women), perhaps we should be returning to these kind of practices . :bang:

    Louie :rolleyes:
     
  14. CFT

    CFT Valued Member

    What are the risks like of breaking someone's shin bone (if that is a correct term)?

    Aside from Filipino martial arts, I wonder how Wing Chun's sticking leg drills would prepare someone for Purring?

    Nothing at all stupid about this practice, IMO. How good an idea is it to go and hit people in the head (boxing of course!)?
     
  15. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

    Er, no I don't think mutilating the kids is a good idea. Safe, controlled martial training I agree with but kicking hell out of each other is no way to build confidence and mutual respect.
    I personally think that purring should remain the domain of the domestic cat.

    The Bear.
     
  16. NeonxBurst

    NeonxBurst 1st Black

    Nah we wouldn't have this problem if parents were more strict. When I was little I was told ONCE and if I didn't listen I picked my self up off the floor. IMHO if the parents woulda spanked the kids more and made them pick theirselves up off the floor when they back talked they certainly wouldn't be the way they are, and I'm not saying being abusive like leaving bruises, but if you smack the little brat across the mouth once and he picks his little butt up off the floor once he wouldn't back talk anymore, and if he had his butt red two or three times he'd learn!
     
  17. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    As joining a gang and getting into fights seems to be the modern equivelent for young men (and now women), perhaps we should be returning to these kind of practices .

    Hi Dave

    I wasn't suggesting kids as my post mentions young men and women...
    and in the 'ye ole tymes' they eagerly volunteered as a means to prove how much of a man they were.

    As a child who had to fight or face the dire consequences from my parent I do not condone hitting children nor have I employed the same policy on my own children, as the child becomes more afraid of the parent than any other outside force which lasts a lifetime.

    But if any of my my teenage children wanted to be a shin-kicking champion rather than one of the 2 bob mob, I'd be a proud dad ;)

    Cheers,
    Louie
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2004
  18. Pat OMalley

    Pat OMalley Valued Member

    Absolutely right,

    Having been involved in Gangs both on the East end of Glasgow and the East End of London as a kid, I could not agree more with Louie's sentiments.

    Think about it, shin kicking is no more senseless than breaking bits of concrete with you head :bang:

    Regards


    Pat
     
  19. It is a fact. My Father used to do it in his childhood!
     
  20. TheMightyMcClaw

    TheMightyMcClaw Dashing Space Pirate

    I think this proves pretty well that the British people are out of their minds.
     

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