DTT, congrats NOW you got my attention

**Dr._Tzun_Tzu** · Posted On: 12/29/2007 1:29pm

Originally Posted by selfcritical

To put it more specifically, I see you dropping your weight and not striking while your weight is free-falling. Your weight should be pulling the stick through if you're attempting to recruit the energy of a falling step or dropping your hip into a strike. Think of it like the stick being attached to your center of gravity by a string- if they don't move together, it's because the weight isn't pulling anything through the string. The arc of the strike should in some way bring the stick to where your weight is while your body mass is in motion.

thanks,..."pulling weight through a string conected to center of mass" I like that.

I watched my video again and I see myself doing exactly this, as you are saying, but I will play with it more this weekend. It is shadow hiiting so the timing is weird, what is the "contact" point anyway...:badgrin:

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 4/24/2008 11:50pm

It just now occured to me to add this here instead of starting a new thread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPCx3XiUsqI

does the person you're fighting have wekaf experience, DTT?

**Dr._Tzun_Tzu** · Posted On: 4/25/2008 5:22pm

Originally Posted by selfcritical

It just now occured to me to add this here instead of starting a new thread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPCx3XiUsqI

does the person you're fighting have wekaf experience, DTT?

beat me too it thanks.

The first guy is our very own Switchblade. You should have seen everyones face when I said some guy named switchblade should be showing up to do escrima!!! then i reminded them it was his Bullshido user name. Alot of non-forum members there. I am not sure how much experience he has in competition.

The second guy is a wekaf fighter having done it for twenty years I think. Switchblade can answer that better. They had the gear and the practice with the rules and so had an advantage in that regard. I had to borrow most of the gear and it didn't fit right, but it was not really that hard to get used to it. The rules were simple, no empty hand strikes or kicks, no throws or sweeps. Dis-arms get a point (though we didn't use points) and stop the fight to restart.

I don't remember his name so I will call him Slash. Slash and I talked about it and he agreed that the wekaf rules and training only that will create bad habits, as the armor lets you do stuff that is a real no-no without it. Things like reaching out and taking a hit on the left arm as you grab their attack and go for a disarm. But disarms stop the fight and give you a clear point. He said they do sword and shield too though, and using the left arm as a block if you have a nice small buckler is really good. Moore and Switch did some no armor long stick full contact with padded sticks (no video) which was pretty cool too.

an interesting observation. Switchblade and I have less experience with this stuff and our round is very sloppy. Alot of clinch and tappy tappy on the heads. But when I sparred with Slash, he has the knowledge and experience to keep it more real, which fits more with how I train. (as in stop and restart if a hit could have been an obvious fight ender) So we have alot more clean strikes and recognize them and so we re-establish distance and go again. I felt this showed the value of this type of training if you can keep a clear focus on the reality of combat that is prevented by the armor.

I felt pretty good about it. I had many successful #2's up into his wrist/hand followed by a series of clean #1's to the helmet and neck before he countered. One time I drilled a series of number 1's to the head while he did the twists and twirls popular in his style(1:50 to 1:57) which is exactly what I talked about previously on here. I had alot of #2/#1 combos onto his weapon hand. These are what I practice and I was able to do them under pressure. I do stop alot and need to correct that if I am competiting. He didn't stop so several times I am just standing there while he drills me.....

I did really like how Slash worked the serrada. I know I sound negative toward all the twisting and taking the weapon behind the head on here, but it has merits and I think he showed that. He didn't do it as a dead pattern but as a defensive attacking pattern(good) and he scored alot of cuts with it. He had his disarms down cold and since my glove palm was smooth and loose I really had no chance to not loose my stick.

here is more video from another angle. The second half is another Latosa guy named Adrien who has done a wekaf rules tourny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUQn4duiiF0

I welcome any comments especially things I can do better.

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 4/28/2008 2:01am

So to clarify, the round we're watching here is you and switchblade, with you in the white pants?

**Frank White** · Posted On: 4/28/2008 4:21am

I'm the first guy in black, 'Moore' is second. (lets change his name to Slash because Mr. Moore is our old high school history teacher, and Slash sounds cooler.)

I learned Muay Thai and Doce Pares Escrima from him. I quit Escrima when I moved in 2001, and didnt compete. I havent trained Escrima since, except a few times. Slash has, and is an instructor in the Doce Pares system, as well as a student in other systems.

Adrien capitalized on the fact I continuously had my left arm out as a target. It is the first time I wore armor in seven years, and was mixing up my kung fu with my escrima, which shouldnt have been a problem except the in-fighting thing. I was unhappy with my performance, but had a good time.

Slash does excellent disarms, and gets away with fancy moves because he likes to toy with his opponents. His martial arts training probably goes back to 1980. Nicest guy, but definitely someone you want on your side.

**Dr._Tzun_Tzu** · Posted On: 4/28/2008 11:38am

Originally Posted by selfcritical

So to clarify, the round we're watching here is you and switchblade, with you in the white pants?

I stayed suited up while Switch and Slash traded out each round. Same with the video with Adrien.

So its Me in the white pants going against Switch, then Slash. Then Adrien going against Switch and then Slash.

**Frank White** · Posted On: 4/28/2008 1:31pm

HAHA! Thats because me and Slash are both way out of shape. If we bring one more guy next time, we might go 3 rounds.

**Ryno** · Posted On: 4/28/2008 3:49pm

In that first fight you guys are just smothering each other, and having to make due with slapping hits. Both of you are charging in, and just getting too entangled. Notice the guys in the last fight scoring decisively as the range changes. They are using range and angling to set up good shots, then they flurry on the inside, then often score again upon the disengagement. On the transition between ranges they have enough space to get in some hard shots.

I'd probably focus on range transitioning and getting good clean powerful shots upon entry and exits. Also, DTT, watch out for just leaving your stick hand out there ahead of you. It's a pretty fat target at long range. Just keep that hand moving a bit more to make it a little tougher to hit, and to avoid being predictable with what your attack is going to be.

Also, checking is good, trading hit is not. I'll try to watch the clips again and give more feedback on this later.

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 4/28/2008 11:06pm

Was the space very small? It felt like you were somewhat boxed in

**Dr._Tzun_Tzu** · Posted On: 4/29/2008 9:48am

The space is long but it is somewhat narrow. and since one wall is all mirror, you have to very careful in that direction. I had to stop Slash from backing up one time.

Adrien and Slash actually fought and backed up right into me while I was filming from the back corner. I need to upload that.