Kenjutsu - sword

We'll develop sword sets later but for now we'll just setup a curricululm from the varius ryu.

Suburi
Sets you practice on your own.

Kumi Tachi - sword practice with a partner.

Kihon - the basic targets:
Men - head
Do -body
Kote - hand
Tsuki - thrust

Kirikaeshi - 5 step sword drill
Taiatari - a "chi ken" drill, like an NRG drill

5 sets where you attack
5 sets counterattack

mutodori -unarmed sword evasion

ken dori - unarmed sword taking

That should be enough to be going along with.

We also adapt certain largo and serrada drills for sword play.

Stix

Also a lot of unarmed concepts are learnt from stick and transferred across.

Drilling stick improves your reflexes and timing to such a degree that your unarmed combat improves exponentially as a result.

Karate has weapons.
Muay Thai has Krabi.
FMA from Kali and Eskrima develop panatukan boxing and sikaran kickboxing.

FMA - Filipino Martial Arts

At STMA we tap the FMA for the core of our wepons training. These systems have unarmed combat that is drawn directly from the weapons training, which makes them unique in MA.



Kali-Eskrima

The core art. Kali is a blade art while Eskrima is a stick art. As we train with stix, there is not much obvious difference between Kali and Eskrima at the lower levels.

K-E is seperated into sub-systems.

Sinawalli - fighting with two sticks. This is done at the long or largo range.

Serrada - close range single stick art that moves through the ranges of largo, medio and corto.

Largo Mano - long range stick. Often done with the longer 3 foot stick. Builds to longer weapons including sword, staff and spear.

Kadena de mano - knife and hand art - drills include knife to knife, knife to hand, and hand to hand. The hand to hand combat develops from the knife drilling.

Pekiti tersia
One of the Filipino knife systems I trained in extensively which has some great drills relative to kadena de mano and knife training and defence.


Unarmed combat systems:

Panatukan
Filipino boxing, developed from kadena de mano. Has much more use of trapping and destruction than Western boxing. Fills the ground between boxing and Wing Chun. If you are having trouble making your traps work in boxing phase, panatukan has the answers. The knife defence training makes the boxing much more sensitive and effective.

Sikaran
Filipino kickboxing, similar to Muay Thai but much more evasive and sneaky.

Pananjakman
The art of low line kicking, similar to kempo, atemijutsu or koshijutsu. A training phase, becomes an art in it's own right at a higher level.


I don't want to overload you by thinking there are lots of different arts to learn. Quite the opposite - we may well only use 10% of an art like panatukan at a certain level, but we will use it to bridge the gap between boxing and Wing chun and knife to empty hand.

Weapons systems and how they fit together at STMA

Our core weapons system is Kali/Esrkima. This involves training in the single and double sticks.

For double stick we move into the drills from Krabi Krabong, the weapons art of Thailand, and the concepts from nitto kenjutsu, the Japanese art of fighting with two swords.

For single stick we use largo and serrada drills from two ranges, as well as cover corto drills for hubud and lox, as well as how to use grappling range and go to ground range.

We also cover Okinawan kobudo weapons of nuncha and tonfa at serrada range and move largo range into longer weapons bokken, hanbo, jo, bo and spear.

STMA is not one style, it is a system of many styles, and we use a core art to develop skills and drills from other methods.

Weapons sparring

We have now started regular single stick and double stick sparring using the semi free format which exends from the give and take largo drill.

Sparring, once regular, will extend to nunchaku, then sword, and staff, for those who have those weapons.

STMA sessions

Weapons on Wednesdays:

Sticks single and double
Largo stick
Bokken
Hanbo
Jo
Bo
Nuncha
Tonfa


Impact on Thursdays:

Boxing on focus pads
Karate sets on focus pads
Kicks on shield
Thai sets on Thai pads


Sparring:

Boxing
Kickboxing
Thai
Points karate
Freestyle karate
Chi sao
Stick
Nuncha

The 3 phases of weapons training

As I said in class there are 3 phases to weapons training, as there are for kb:

Suburi - solo drills
Kumi - partner drills
Sparring

Obviously sparring brings it all out in real time and it is important to have the proper PPE so as not to hurt each other while "keeping it real".

There will be much more weapons development on Wed sessions.

Rapid Assault Tactics

This is a Feng Wei module that functionalises Applied Fighting Arts for the Street.

The Fence and KO punch

Interception set

Jab loop drill as an Entry

Jik Chun Choy straight blast

Basic traps with lop sao and pak sao

HKE - Head, knee, elbow

Shime - shokes with gi and "hadaka" no gi

This is use of boxing, Wing Chun, Kali, Thai, and Jujutsu in an uninterrupted "auto transmission" (no "gear changes") flow.

When you first start applying different arts it's like changing gear on a car. Dump the clutch, put the vehicle in "boxing" and that's what you're in. You need to change gear to "Wing Chun" and then to "Jujutsu".

The training we do in the flow makes it an automatic transmission - you change "gears" automatically beneath the surface without conscious direct effort.

kit order

All members are required to have the basic kit for training, which means the starter pack of gloves and stix.

If you already have your own gloves, you still need stix.

Also consider the recommended list for things you don't have but might want to get into.

Do you have the "uniform" of boxing boots and and gi pants?
Or are you still making do with trainers and track pants?

Do you have a judo gi for grappling work?

Do you want to get into more sparring with shinguards and a groinguard?

Do you want harder contact sparring so will want boxing gloves, gumshield and headgear?
Perhaps you like the grill headgear that Ren and I use?

Do you want more weapons? Sword, jo, bo? Nuncha, tonfa? Shinai? And are your stix coming up for replacement yet?

We recommend everybody gets their own focus pads. Do you have yours?
Do you want your own kick shield and/or Thai pads?

Get your orders in and make sure you ae fully equipped!

Interception

This is done against any kind of attack at the Entry phase.

STOP HIT
Against a wide hook punch we intercept with a STOP HIT to the face.
This can be a Choy blast, power jab, or eye jab

KEN KUDAKI
Against a closed line punch, such as jab or cross, we INTECEPT the punch allowing it to run into the elbow, breaking the attacker's hand.

KICKS
Against an attacker who steps forward, we kick the shin of the lead leg as soon as it comes into range - longest weapon to closest target.
This can be a boot cap or side of shoe to the shin or knee, or a round kick to yako or fukato point on the leg.

Against a wide round kick we can intercept by kicking the groin or supporting leg.

Against a puncher we just drift back to kick range, out of range of his punch, and kick the lead leg or groin.

WE do NOT do these moves in sparring, these are Street Combat moves.

Interception in sparring is done with straight lead punch or kick to the body, and done safely.

Sparring at STMA

We now regularly cover:

With PPE:
Kickboxing
Boxing
Thai boxing
Freestyle karate

No pads:
Traditional points karate
Wing Chun Chi sao

weapons kumite:
single stick
double sticks
nunchaku

special sessions:
Grappling
Vale Tudo

Sparring at STMA

We now regularly cover:

Kickboxing
Boxing
Thai boxing
Freestyle karate
Chi sao

less regular:

Grappling
Vale Tudo

we are bringing in:
karate kumite
weapons kumite starting with single stick

Weapons sparring

Following the demo that Tork and I gave at the end 2009 session, we will be starting regular stick sparring starting this week.

As usual, the seniors will spar first with myself, then each other, and we'll filter it down through the grades.

We are basing this on largo give and take drill into semi free to free sparring. Later we'l bring in the use of serrada drills and work on closing down the ranges.

Freestyle karate set 3 and 4

Set 3

j - ura - gz
ura - gz
gz - ura
gz - j - gz
Gz - r haito
- henka "drive by"
- henka g, h, maw, ura

ura - gz - r maw
gz - r maw - gz


Set 4

kek - ura
r maw - ura
mae - ura
maw - ura

Freestyle karate set 2

Jab, gz, maw
Jab, gz, rear maw

These are first done static, then wth the holder moving back to kick range before presenting the pad for the kick. This is to develop distance and timing.

As you need to work these static, then with the step, and on both sides, it's a complete set and quite a good round.

Boxing Set 2

Double jab entry
J, C entry
long cross
J, C - H, RH, U
J, C - U, RU, H
J, C, H, RU, C

Thai set 2

J, C, dte
c, kao
tiip, C, H, C
J,C,H, Dte, kao
J, C, salute, H, Kao

Thai set 1

Jab, Cross
C, sok
H, sok
Double kao
Double dte

Feng Wei Set K1

Against step and round punch:

side step and bil sao to angle #1
garn sao to angle #3
outside bil sao to angle #2
garn sao to angle #4

hubud defence to #1
low bud def to #3

defence against thrust #5

KB work - sets and reps

Sets and reps are a Western "gym" ways of training, as opposes to an oriental "MA" way.

You pick a particular exercise and practice a certain amount of reps, eg 8 or 10, then do a certain amount of sets, eg 3 or 4.

You develop these sets on the gym equipment - the bags or pads.

At STMA we break our kb sets into 4 techniques:

Boxing:
Jab
Cross
Hook
Uppercut

Thai:
tiip
dte
knee
elbow

Round kick:
left front
left rear
right front
right rear

Hook:
lead
rear
spin
tornado

Kekome:
left
right
spin
Tornado

Jump:
body - side
body - spin
head - js hook
head - crescent

Boxing Set 1

This is the first set of 6 ABCs you need to learn on the pads and apply in sparring:

Jab, cross
Jab, cross, jab
Cross, jab, cross
Jab, cross, jab, cross
Cross, hook
Rear uppercut, hook, cross
Rear uppercut, rear hook, hook

Freestyle karate Set 1

This is the basic set of ABCs you need to learn on the pads and apply in sparring:

Jab, gz
Jab, maw
Jab, gz, maw
Jab, gz, rear maw
Gz, maw, gz
Maw, gz, maw

STMA Sub Groups

We have started drilling members into sub groups to work on a specific area.

Any member can join any sub group and it gives you a chance to specialise and learn an art, or an aspect of an art, in more depth.

The groups so far:

woodies - those doing eskrima

boxers - those doing boxing

wing chunners - those doing chi sao

karateka - those who stick to the karate SC structure rather than box

swordsmen - those doing longer weapons such as sword and pole

Thai-ers - those doing Muay Thai drills on pads and sparring

we'll obviously add new sub groups as the need arises

Sparring Rules

1. Sparring standard uses the Semi Contact Kickboxing-Freestyle Karate format and structure. This means touch contact with kicks and punches to the body and pull all head shots. No kicks below belt or to legs - that is for lo kix and Thai structure sparring.

2. Sparring in Full Contact structure allows head shots with contact. You ONLY make head contact if your partner is wearing the proper gear - headguard and gumshield. You ONLY punch to the head if you are wearing boxing gloves.

3. Training partners agree level of contact. ONLY go above touch contact if both parties agree.

4. NEVER catch an opponent's foot. If you haven't blocked or evaded his kick it stands as a score. Because he has pulled it you have not been hit hard. DO NOT catch his foot. You would not be able to do this if the kick had been full power.

5. Acknowledge when a hit lands. You can say "oss" or "touche", but do acknowledge it. Don't just carry on falling way after your partner has landed a kick or punch you failed to block or evade.

Combat conditioning

This is something necessary for those who want any kind of full contact career or want to fight VT or MMA.

You need to learn to take a hit.

As you can't take a groin shot, groin guards are mandatory in all kinds of competition. Other than that you need to learn the godan defences.

Similarly you can't take a proper head shot, you can't condition yourself against concussion and you certainly can't take an eye jab or throat strike. So everyone wears gumshields and, apart from the most full on matches, you wear head gear.
And you learn to defend your head.

So you need to condition the "5 points" for contact:

Abs
Forearms
Upper arms
Thighs
Shins

You condition abs by punch for punch
You condition arms by punch for punch
You condition thighs by kick for kick
You condition forearms with blocking
You condition shins with blocking

Nobody has to do this intense conditioning.
If you want to compete you MUST.

Anybody who wants to do this will do it with myself and other interested members.

It is NOT mandatory at STMA, but it is something we can offer.

Boxers - to be a boxer at STMA

To be a boxer here all you need is the boxing gear.
(sounds like a poem)

But seriously, all you need so is acquire the boxing gloves, headgear and gumshield and you will be able to join in the "boxing bit" which involves the line and corner drill, the defence and counter drills, and the sparring.

This is a bit different from freestyle sparring in general as it just uses hands and pretty much just punches to the head, with body blows being secondary. So as with ABA and BBBC standard, we need proper PPE to do this phase of the training.

It is not vital to do the "boxing bit" and all members will learn the boxing phase, the padwork and the FC structure of KB. And of course the functionalisation for the street combat.
But to do actual boxing you need the proper kit.

You cannot do boxing with bag gloves, SC gloves of MMA gloves. You need boxing gloves.

This will be a seperately drilled part of the class from the main group, and part of the regular training.

Class Times

Classes are held at:
Caterham Methodist Church Hall, Coulsdon Road,
Caterham on the Hill
(near Tescos)

Wednesday 7.30pm to 9.30 pm

Thursday 7.30pm to 9.30 pm

Monthly membership: £35 for unlimited sessions
or
£5 a session pay as you go

STMA Kit Price List

Essential list

Gloves for sparring
Bag gloves for impact and light sparring £15
Boxing gloves for FC £20
Gumshield £1.50

Stix £15
A pair of stix for krabi, sinawalli and serrada.

Judo gi £30


Recomended list:

Groin guard £10
for guys

Headguard
SC foam head £15
FC full face £30

Shinguards £10
For kb

Clothing
Kung fu pants or gi pants £10
Boxing boots £25

Weapons
Bokken £10
Shinai £20

rattan nuncha £10
rattan jo £13
rattan bo £15

Tonfa
Tonfa oak pair £20
Foam practice pair £10

Nunchaku
Foam/cord £5 each - pair £10 - practice and spar
Foam/chain £7.50 each - pair £15 - intermediate
Wood/chain £7.50 each - pair £15 - kata and "pro" practice


Optional extra:

MMA gloves
Basic training Firepower gloves £20
Pro Star gloves £25
Bad Breed £30

Hand inner glove £5
Boxing Vest £10
Boxing shorts £10
Thai shorts £10
MMA Shorts £20
Blitz T shirts £10

Female Maxi Guard £20

Thai pads £50 a pair
Boxing rope £10
Knife £5

Dealing with 5 or more attackers

This is maybe the most difficult scenario and is a matter of spirit before tactic before technique.

Very few people can really fight through 5 attackers. I have seen it done, but that is an exceptionally well trained and tough person and a lot of luck.

The first thing to do is change your mind set:
there is actually no such thing as being attacked by 5 people.

You are being attacked by one plus one plus one plus one plus one.

The main man will be coming for you and his mates will be folowing him.

If he takes you down, they will all follow his lead and pile in.

You have to reverse this.

The best method is to double tap the main man and the closest of his mates.

BANG! BANG!
"Who's f**king next?!!"

Now, if all 3 rushed you they would cause you a problem.

But you are not dealing with THREE people. You are dealing with
one plus one plus one.

Each ONE of them is thinking "Not me" and backing off.

The Karate kata Jutte means "Ten hands" - meaning the ability to fight opponent's at once. It is the 2nd dan kata. This is where our spirit, tactics, and LASTLY techniques can be found.

Combat Concepts

Longest weapon the closest target

This is a combat concept.

It means what it says:

Use your low lead kick to hit the opponent's leg as he steps into range.

Use your lead jab to his face, or eye jab to the eye as he moves in.


Lin Sil Die Dar

This is a combat concept.

It means similtanous block and strike.

We have various ways of practicing this.
It's harder to do, but more effective than "block then punch".


That "coffee table" moment

This is a combat concept.

You have all had that experience where you've "barked" your shin on the coffee table when crossing the room in a hurry. It makes you forget what you were originally rushing to do and focusses all your attention on the site of the pain.

In combat we strike kokutsu, the shinbone, with a hard kick, to give him that "coffee table moment". It makes him forget all about attacking us.


Buffalo eyebrow

This is a combat concept.

One of our primary concepts is that we defend angles of attack rather than worry about specific weapons or what style the attacker trains in.

The strike that comes in to the left side of your head is angle #1. You defend it with the appropriate block.

It doesn't matter if the attacker is:

a "street fighter" throwing a haymaker
a boxer throwing a hook
a karate stylist throwing a shuto
another stylist throwing a ridge hand
throwing a crane beak
throwing a "buffalo eyebrow"
or anything else

"Buffalo eyebrow" is of course made up. It's not a real technique (as far as we know!)

It provokes laughter when we cover this concept in class and that helps you remember it.