This involves the skills built in the stick drills from Kali, Eskrima, Silat, and Krabi Krabong.
Like Kendo, we spar in armour.
Strikes are made to:
men - helmet
Do - body, though we also include the arms in stick
kote - wrists
Sune - we also strike to shins and knee - this is not done in standard kendo sparring, but it is done with naginata
We then remove the body armour.
We then remove the gloves
We then spar with just a fencing mask to protect the teeth and eyes (and nose for those of you who haven't had a break yet)
One of the goals for 2010 at STMA will be to add stick and the sword sparring in the armour.
We will use the excess funds to purchase 2 sets of student armour, then work to build up skill until weapon sparrng is as regular as rolling and kb.
We also spar nunchaku - with the foam chucks, though in armour we can use rattan chux.
Obviously we have the rattan stix for single and double sparring.
Members will need to look at getting either a rattan sword or shinai for kendo, rattan nuncha, and then later the longer rattan sticks Jo and Bo.
Oak weapons are OK for drilling but are not suitable for sparring, even in armour - we will use the lighter rattan weapons.
We'll start with stix then progress through the weapons.
As we have moved KB sparring up to Full Contact structure, adding boxing, kb and Thai, and full use of pads for drills, then protective equipment for the sparring, we'll do the same in the kobudo for those who want to take it to it's extremes.
Nobody HAS to do weapons work or sparring, it is something we are adding for those interested in exploring this diemnsion of MA and combat.
........ WHITE TIGER MARTIAL ARTS CROYDON ........ SHIRO TORA BUDO KAI ........ South Croydon ........ – Weapons training – Unarmed Combat – Grappling – Kickboxing : Traditional and Contemporary Martial Arts : Practical, Realistic and Effective Street Self Defence : Get a great workout – Learn something – Have Fun! ....... : HIT HARD – HIT FAST – HIT FIRST! : If you want to learn to fight – come to see us!
