Dog Brothers, and on

[Pharabus]

I don't know about everyone else, but I do not like getting hit in the fencing mask with rattan strikes. They're loud and jarring, and I don't have a hit-for-hit mentality when wearing one.

A WEKAF mask, though, I would agree with.

I agree, it is actually very intimidating to take a hit on the mask, certainly something I try to avoid

[Permalost]

I agree, it is actually very intimidating to take a hit on the mask, certainly something I try to avoid

Not to mention a decent punch or kick.

[Hiro Protagonist]

Hehe, thanks again. I will - unless something goes seriously wrong - be moving to southern Bavaria, probably around the Munich area. A bit far from where Lonely is located, actually.

Probably, some context: I am becoming a teacher at a German prep school, and will know the place I am appointed to in February... Around February. So, for the next two, three months, I am staging my return to Germany, after three years in Spain, and three years where I was either writing all day, or on the road. (Which should explain why I usually come to the EuroTDs somewhat undermotivated: While I think I frankly am still in a pretty decent shape for a man my age, I have been a long time without consistent training.)

So, yeah, I don't mind picking up something fun, to get back in the swing of things. Little secret, I am actually quite decent with the Japanese bokken; back in the wild 90s, I worked out with it every day. What?! The 90s were different!

Now, I have a couple of questions, since I have some time to fill with *gym*:

1. Any books/videos/articles I should read? I am aware book learning is something highly disouted in the MA community, but for me personally, it works, at least to get a feel how things are supposed to look.
2. All the little Escrima stuff one learns in WC is bullshit, amirite?
3. Should I train with Indian clubs? What is a proper fitness routine for a stickfigher?
4. What style should I look for, exactly? What orgs are legit, what are bullshit?

If you can help me out with that, that would be awesome.

[Permalost]

Little secret, I am actually quite decent with the Japanese bokken

How do you know?

[*]Any books/videos/articles I should read? I am aware book learning is something highly disouted in the MA community, but for me personally, it works, at least to get a feel how things are supposed to look.

Um, the Filipino Martial Arts by Dan Inosanto is a good start if you can find it. Filipino Marital Culture by Mark Wiley's a good book to get an overview of FMA styles.

DBMA has a ton of DVDs availabe for purchase, and there's great stuff there. Without a partner and training though, its no good.

[*]All the little Escrima stuff one learns in WC is bullshit, amirite?

Some is, some isnt', I reckon. Ironically enough the Dog Brothers is where I learned that there are some WC fighters out there who are good. The area where it falls apart is if someone wants to try to stickfight with a WC wedge stance/goat stance. You need to be able to move your current location immediately and dynamically, and adhering to a strict WC stance is not good for this.

Also, I'm sure there are WC teachers who figure they're a master and they've read an eskrima book, so now they're qualified to teach FMA, or FMA concepts, or sinawali that was really in the chi sao all along. In other words, bullshit. This sort of "I'm a master of X, so I'll casually study Y and teach it" isn't just a chun thing though.

[*]Should I train with Indian clubs? What is a proper fitness routine for a stickfigher?

Lonely Dog's workout videos are a great place to start. I don't think Indian clubs are standard by any means for stickfighting training, but I certainly use them and know at least one Dog Brother who uses them as part of regular training. In the beginning, stick drills should be fine.

[*]What style should I look for, exactly? What orgs are legit, what are bullshit?

Well there's a whole subforum devoted to this stuff, so check it out.

Simple answer- look for the groups that actually spar/fight. You know what the Dog Brothers vids look like so you have some idea what the training should look like. It doesn't have to be super hard all the time, but there should be "free play" between practitioners.

I've seen kickboxing, Jujutsu, sambo, judo etc used to good effect during gatherings; any good fight training can become useful. There are also some fighting tactics I've seen/experienced that I haven't encountered anywhere else- the "personal bag of tricks" of some experienced guys. Knifework combining FMA and BJJ, for example.

[Honey Badger]

I'm not saying that taking a shot with a fencing mask is any fun, buy I've seen too many videos where guys will take a hit to the head just to get a single or double leg and take the stickfight to grappling range. I've had a few partners do the same.

[Hiro Protagonist]

How do you know?

Hehehehe. Extensive testing against whoever did want to engage in my neo-samurai fantasies! Was my greatest hobby, and I probably would have stuck to traditional weapon arts forever, but... The station that I watched on Friday nights after coming home from the club stopped airing Okami, and started airing RINGS.

Always kept the love, but really, all the Japanese TMA stuff in Germany seems to suck. Escrima, not so much, so this is where I want to try my luck next.

Um, the Filipino Martial Arts by Dan Inosanto is a good start if you can find it. Filipino Marital Culture by Mark Wiley's a good book to get an overview of FMA styles.
...DBMA has a ton of DVDs availabe for purchase, and there's great stuff there. Without a partner and training though, its no good.

Will check it out, many thanks. No, to clarify, I don't mean to do some self-instructing ****, or whatever. Thing is just, I find that I am more of an eye person than a feel person - if I see two people show a movement, I can replicate it more easily than if I am instructed directly. So, training videos and books have their use to me.

Lonely Dog's workout videos are a great place to start. I don't think Indian clubs are standard by any means for stickfighting training, but I certainly use them and know at least one Dog Brother who uses them as part of regular training. In the beginning, stick drills should be fine.

Do you happen to know where I can buy really heavy ones? All I found so far are some 3-5 lbs weights, and that's simply too little.

Simple answer- look for the groups that actually spar/fight. You know what the Dog Brothers vids look like so you have some idea what the training should look like. It doesn't have to be super hard all the time, but there should be "free play" between practitioners.

Thank you very much! I see, though, that my confusion seems sort of explainable. :-)

[Fuzzy]

I don't know about everyone else, but I do not like getting hit in the fencing mask with rattan strikes. They're loud and jarring, and I don't have a hit-for-hit mentality when wearing one.

A WEKAF mask, though, I would agree with.

The noise from being hit in the visor of a WEKAF mask is really disorienting and often a bit painful.

My problem with them is the padding on the top and sides, cos even when I'm concentrating on "realism" there is still a point where I start trading strikes because it just doesn't hurt (unless you're fighting an experienced WEKAF guy who likes to smash you where the helmet is weak).

[tim_stl]

I'm not saying that taking a shot with a fencing mask is any fun, buy I've seen too many videos where guys will take a hit to the head just to get a single or double leg and take the stickfight to grappling range. I've had a few partners do the same.

As much as a hit to the mask is jarring and intimidating, I've never seen someone treat getting hit in the mask with the same caution and reaction as getting hit in the face.

[DerAuslander]

As much as a hit to the mask is jarring and intimidating, I've never seen someone treat getting hit in the mask with the same caution and reaction as getting hit in the face.

Or getting stabbed in the face, or hacked with a machete.

[Fuzzy]

Or getting stabbed in the face, or hacked with a machete.

Again, how do you practice getting hacked with a machete?