From: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: eskrima-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #380 Reply-To: eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest Thur, 9 Sept 1999 Vol 06 : Num 380 In this issue: eskrima: Tuhon McGrath's Footwork eskrima: Cultural Dynamics eskrima: off to war with only one hour training eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #378 eskrima: Pekiti digest eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #378 eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #378 eskrima: . ========================================================================== Eskrima-Digest, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~1100 members strong! Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, Inayan Eskrima, and Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe eskrima-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a plain text e-mail addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. To send e-mail to this list use eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) FAQ and online search the last four years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Mabuhay ang eskrima! Ray Terry, PO Box 110841, Campbell, CA 95011 FMA@MartialArtsResource.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Mikal Keenan" Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 09:17:37 -0500 Subject: eskrima: Tuhon McGrath's Footwork With all five I would teach the same footwork. An open diamond pattern (this would give them both foreword and reverse triangles) and sidestepping. Tuhon McGrath... Regarding the diamond pattern ... this may seem a little spooky, but Monday morning I awoke with thoughts of basing all stick and knife work on the diamond (combined frwd/rvrs triangle) footwork pattern. In my mind I ran through all of the stepping drills that I know (not much :-) and noticed how the strikes/slashes varied from torquing with the step to torquing across the step as learned elsewhere (e.g., step forward with right and strike #1 would be torquing with the step (as I learned in FMA), step forward with left and strike #1 torquing across step [learned elsewhere]). The only additions that I made to the diamond were sidestepping vis-a-vis PTK and sidestepping vis-a-vis Shaolin ... e.g., if in a R lead, step off to R with R foot, turning as if PTK sidestep to R ... can create a sizeable gap, can also step behind with L then step back with R -- both end positions are perpendicular to opponent as with the close range sidestep of PTK [what little that I know of it]). I recently began teaching this footwork to my son but only Monday saw how -everything- could be worked from this simple base. It was ++encouraging to read your post ... like an echo from "out there" somewhere :-) The diamond pattern is ... cool! I have my son run around it in all kinds of regular and broken patterns, e.g. from the reverse into the forward triangle, changing directions, shifting from R to L from the base of the forward triangle (like La Costa 4/8 count [wgt fwd] and Shaolin [wgt rear]), shifting from R to L from base of reverse triangle (like O-Gengada/Genga ["Jinga"]). One of the most significant things that I appreciate about the Malay fighting arts is their compact efficiency which provides (and inspires) the ability to train fully in limited amounts of space (unlike systems that require a lotta room for forms). A teacher that I trained with in the early 80's told me that we should be able to keep ourselves "with it" in the confines of a dorm room. Another told me straight ... "if captured" :-) Be well, Mik ------------------------------ From: "Mikal Keenan" Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 09:48:50 -0500 Subject: eskrima: Cultural Dynamics > First, in my opinion, the correct terminology would not be 'racial > dynamics,' but, 'cultural dynamics.' Race and culture are closely linked in > modern American society, but the two terms are not equivalent. You got that straight muchacho ... and in our increasingly diverse culture, it can be difficult if not impossible to quickly conclude in what cultural "ways" an individual has been indoctrinated/socialized. I know a Korean master who by all impressions sounds and interacts in ways that one might call "Black American" (Afro/African-American, whichever) ... but at the same time he had a -very- strong set of traditional Korean/Confucian "attitudes" re: family, martial tradition, etc. What we see as race and culture are very tribal things ... in fact (another echo here) biologically speaking there is no such thing as a race ... we got tribes muchachos ... and as has been true throughout human history, the larger nation/tribe is a blend of other tribes. If we look at Afro America [especially], Asian America, etc. we will find many variations on genetic and cultural hybridization (Malay means ... :-). H'mm ... need to identify common denominators of rage/aggression that are independent of culture/socialization (see physiological psychology). Problem is that the things that might signify "ready to rock" in all humans may not be readily visible. OK, I'm about to ramble, better get to work. But a last bit of enlightening thought ... repeating: Biologically speaking, there is no such thing as race. Don't believe me, ask your most informed biologist/zoologist. Dispersion yielded variation in response to disparate environs. Hey, I wonder of anyone has ever tried teaching a Chimp or an Ape how to use a stick?:-) I saw a Chimp do a spinning heel kick once ... no jive! No jive! Vamo. Be well, Mik ------------------------------ From: Bladewerks@aol.com Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 10:47:48 EDT Subject: eskrima: off to war with only one hour training Bill, Its an interesting question,but only one hour?Man i hope he has a good memory! First, one hour is nothing.The chances of retaining any kind of sophisticated fighting skill with only one hour of training is slim to none.I dont care how good of memory or phisical attributes you have.What these 5 young men need to do is to learn to listen to their fighting instinct.Which im assuming they have since they are going off to war.So with that stressed to them...killer instinct--fighting instinct(how to spark it and channel it) I would put a stick in their hands and gear up with fencing mask,gloves,knee-elbow pads,and start kicking the shit out of them.Then as the hour passed I would show various attacks and ways to defend--evasion,footwork,finding objects of oportunity,as far as the stick attacks,keep it simple with intense combination attacks-angles 1--2--3--4 5-(in my method).Some very basic trapping/intering skills.Stress building speed,aggresiveness, power.Some people might call this Caveman Stick fighting--ohh well,remember we have only one hour to "introduce" someone to combat with weapons. As far as knife and stick or double stick,or sombrada/sensitivity drills and such,forget it,if one hour is all I have with someone going off to war in a stickfighting universe, im gonna give something that will give them a fighting chance. If they cant handle gearing up and going full contact with/without grappling and really getting hit,forget it--buy them a nice body bag. Sweat More Bleed Less Barry ------------------------------ From: Eagle556@aol.com Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 12:48:36 EDT Subject: eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #378 >>> Lets say you were asked to do this with five different young and physically fit guys who were going off to war.<<< Well since I have had a little experience with this I will pass on my thoughts. Of course I am going to put these individuals in the universe that I lived in for my years of service time. The first thing that I have them do is to put on their gear. This includes their primary weapon (M4 or M16), their secondary weapon (M9 or .45), their web gear, and anything else that they might have on them in a combat situation. If they are packing a machete or some other type of long knife I have them put on their rucksack as most of us carried our long knife attached to the rucksack. Then I would work on their transition drills. This would entail being able to transition from their handgun to their knife or machete. Since they are at the point of having to use their knife this means that they ran out of ammo for their long gun, they transitioned to their handgun, subsequently ran out of ammo for it and are now at the knife stage. I don't care what grip the knife comes out in although in my limited experience most come out in the heaven grip. All I care about is that they have the ability to deploy the knife before the enemy has a chance to kill them. Next I would work on where to target. Targeting would partly depend on the area one is operating in and what type of knife they are carrying. Although alot of us carried sheath knives perhaps the most common knife was the Swiss knife or some other variation thereof. Depending in what area one was operating in the enemy usually had different patterns of web gear which would affect where to target. The throat is most always a primary target, but other targets such as chest or stomach are oftentimes covered by web gear. In addition to this I would also work on getting off the line of attack. That's about it in a nutshell. The last thing that I would address is attitude, but of course in the units that I served in proper attitude was rarely a propblem. Take care, Rob ------------------------------ From: Taojen1@aol.com Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 17:46:25 EDT Subject: eskrima: Pekiti digest Tuhon Bill wrote: < From: "BILL MCGRATH" > Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1999 23:28:47 -0700 > Subject: eskrima: Pekiti-Tirsia seminar & Question > > I have had a few occasions where I had to train someone in a very > short amount of time. > > My question is; if you had only a short time to work with someone, > what would you show them? Let's make things really tough and say that > you had only one hour to train them. Lets say you were asked to do > this with five different young and physically fit guys who were going > off to war. In the universe this question lives in each of the five > would be armed with one of the five weapon categories classically > taught in many FMA's. Which specific techniques would you teach them > in each weapon? For example, I might teach the five guys the > following: > > Single stick/sword: Double force (left hand re-enforces right wrist) > horizontal and diagonal strikes. Keeping the strikes simple would > allow me time to show how to vary the timing of the attacks to create > openings quickly. I would show how to convert an uppercut into an > umbrella. I would teach just one high forehand thrust to the face and > just one forehand punyo combined with a grab. Butch: Good choice, moveover, why not aim for the legs since most people expect high line attacks to the face/eyes and instinctively will defend them. People do not expect low line attacks so use low line attacks often. Also most people do not read low line attacks coming in very well and most people do not know how to defend against low line attacks very well. Most people naturally attack the head and face by habit/ training. > > Double stick/sword: Fluid Attacks. This is where you are in a basic > chamber and the bottom hand hits first in a backhand, then the top > hand delivers a powerful forehand. It is like a boxer's jab-cross > combination. Butch: This is good, moveover, if you keep attacking both high and low line in a rapid manner, a human being is not capable of defending all of his body targets at once. Double stick/sword helps you attack high and low line better. > > Sword and dagger. After teaching basic forehand and backhand > horizontals and diagonals with the sword, I would have the student > hold the dagger in icepick grip (less likely to be lost during the > messiness of combat) and show him one basic eyejab and one basic > cut/disarm with the dagger hand. Butch: Good for close quarters work however maybe the forward/saber grip would be better at longer range to snipe at extended limbs/knife hand etc.. > > Knife: I would first ask if he was going to carry a large fighting > knife or a small folder. If a large fighter, I would have him hold it > in hammer or fencer's grip (depending on the handle shape and the > weight of the blade) and the small folder in icepick grip. In each > case I would spend 5 minutes going over the best targets for the grip > being used. I would divide our time between 3 or 4 basic attacks per > grip (emphasis on slashing with the big knife and stabbing with the > small) and the basic rudiments of knife tapping while holding a knife. Butch: If the student was going to war, a big Bowie knife would be nice for cutting and choping techniques at long range. The Bowie gives extra distance to fight out of. Also, the Bowie is big enough to use it to parry larger weapons (rifle with bayonet etc.. used against you. Also, the big Bowie would be psychologically intimidating to your opponent. Would teach techniques of John Styers for Bowie knife use along with your 3 or 4 basic attacks etc thrown in. > > Hands: Elbows, knees and one neck break or choke from the front and > one from the rear. Butch: Good. Would also teach some of John Styer's concepts of close quarters combat. Kick at long range -then move in for elbow strike follow ups as appropriate. If opponent's hands are spread apart, strike between them. If opponent's hands are held high, strike low. If opponent's hands are held low, strike high. Use fakes going high and low. Attack, Attack and Attack. Opponent cannot defend all of his body at once. Go for the eyes, throat, groin and joints. >This is an extremely important question to look at and think about. This is the very question that the western allies had to ask themselves during the beginning of World War II. Being totally unprepared, especially in hand to hand fighting, the allies had to come up with quick and effective programs very fast to defeat more skilled fighters from asia and elsewhere. So a few people developed hand to hand courses during World War II that had reasonable success. Moreover, the question applies to our street reality of today. Most people do not have the time or desire to study martial arts long term. Alot of people are not in the greatest physical shape such as older citizens and those with physical limitations. However, if these people want to learn self defense, what options other then firearms do they have? The only option is short term self defense courses. The problem with those courses is what techniques do you teach people in a short time that will work or allow them to run away to safety as soon as they can. I am glad that Tuhon Bill McGrath asked this question because our school has thought about this many times and never really came up with a well rounded course. Face it, a 60 year old women is not going to be able to judo throw some 250lb weightlifting punk on drugs etc.... So teaching some judo throws to her may be out of the question. I am quite interested to hear comments about this question from the folks at ED. Butch ------------------------------ From: SReiter000@aol.com Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 20:59:36 EDT Subject: eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #378 In a message dated 9/8/99 10:56:11 PM Pacific Daylight Time, eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com writes: << From: "Joe & Doro Hironaka" The following is an excerpt from the US Border Patrol Use of Nondeadly Force Policy. My question is, are other agencies policies as restricting? My main concern is for the prohibition of the choke holds and strikes to the solar plexus and groin. >> all official agencies have similar rules - the reason "law suites" - this crazy country allows criminals to successfully sue (can you say rodney king) policing agencies for using force to protect themselves - steve ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Thu, 9 Sep 1999 18:49:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: eskrima: . ------------------------------ End of Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #380 **************************************** To unsubscribe from this digest, eskrima-digest, send the command: unsubscribe eskrima-digest -or- unsubscribe eskrima-digest your.old@address in the BODY of an email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com in directory pub/eskrima/digests. 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