Getting started stickfighitng-help

[Chad W. Getz]

Someone recently wrote me asking some advice on starting stickfighting. I thought this might be a nice thread to start with some tips on how to get someone started. Maybe some beginner drills, why you think they would be applicable to contact stickfighting. How has it helped you, etc., etc. Most of you know how I view the components of the fight, so it may sound like echoing, but here's something I replied to him:


In my opinion, if you want to be a complete stickfighter you will need to:

1. Be able to fight in long range. This is where all "duel" fights begin. Before you can get close to him or he can get close to you, you will be at long range. Basically, at long range, you will need to protect your head, your legs, and your hands, though not necessarily in that order. Being able to "meet the force" against the hand or arm/elbow would be most desireable, although, be prepared that it, more often than not, this will not take a man out of the game, although I have done so in the past. Understanding distance and timing is your biggest friend here.

2. Be able to close the distance against him or be able to counter someone closing the distance on you. Someone will either close the distance running at you with his stick in front of him, as a block to one of your attacks, or as a charging attack (jumping at you with a caveman swing). I personally like to clinch after I close, but you can also run in and "stick" them and hit them while they are flying backwards. Ways to counter the close are either by clinchng or sidestepping, which, even though I've seen it done successfully and had it done successfully to me I wouldn't place the farm on, but that's just me.

3. You need to be able to clinch with the weapons and understand locks and hitting in the clinch. How to retain your weapon in the clinch and gain control over your opponents weapon.

4. You should be able to understand at least how to not be taken down. Of course, knowing how to take someone down as well is valuable knowledge.

5. You should be able to grapple on the ground with the mix of weapons as any of: 2x2, 2x1, 2x0, 1x1, 1x0, etc. Practice submitting, out striking, standing up, etc., etc.


Maybe Quietanswer, Jim McRae, Burton, Alvis, kuntawman, James Walker, or anyone else with some stickfighting experience could throw some help out this way as well with some opinions. Sorry for volunteering you guys, but the FMA board has been kind of dead as of lately.

[Kevin]

Hey... howz 'bout me?
I stickfight... and I have the bruises to prove it!

Here's what we worked tonite(stickwise)...
We did this while wearing the Macho headgear w/cage, and using padded sticks.

A)The feeder and trainee move around and the feeder throws a shot at the trainee. The trainee fades back(moving upper torso *and* legs)... avoiding the blow and immediately returns a shot of his own. The two move around some more & the process starts over...

B) The feeder and trainee move around and the feeder throws a #1 or a #2 at the trainee. The the trainee meets the incoming blow with a block while closing with a shot of his own. The two move around some more & the process starts over...

=...the avoid and counter & the block & counter**

The feeder starts off throwing light shots that the trainee can handle with little diffuculty. Gradually the intensity of the shots increase to a level that enables the trainee to be succesful maybe 75% of the time. Thus pushing the trainee but still leaving him with a sense of accomplishment.

Then we did padded stick sparring with our newbie (4th class). Then my training partner and I sparred with rattan. Good times!!!

~Kev
*Wheres the ice pack?*

[Chad W. Getz]

Yea Kev...but how do you start students off sparring? What are the basics of it that you explain, etc.?

[Kevin]

Hi Chad,

Not sure if I fully understand your question, but I'll give it a shot (never stopped me before ).

I use drills like the ones I described above to train some of the basic ideas before I start them in sparring. I usually start the newbies off with padded stick sparring to the hand so as to not overwhelm them and to allow focussing on attacking and defending just the one target. Then I go to padded stick sparring with all targets allowed. Alive hand hitting (ie-punches, elbows, knees, kicks) is allowed, but the new guys seem to just concentrate on using the stick for the most part. As one progresses, these other tools come into play naturally. I guess when a guy starts to feel somewhat confident.... that is when they start using rattan instead of the padded sticks.

If someone is having trouble with a certain aspect of their game, we address that thru isolated sparring. For example, if a guy is dropping his stick to block attacks to the legs(and leaving his head open), we might isolate the legs and hand as "legal" targets... with the reminder to handle the leg attacks by moving the target out of range. Likewise if a guy is having trouble with a certain angle attack, defending a target, or making an attack work we address those thru isolation drills/sparring.

I try to keep the drills alive by having them done out of movement, using safety equiptment so contact can be made (helps to drill you defense where a guy is really trying to make contact). I also love Burtons analogy to weight training... using progressive resistance. Giving the trainee enough resistance that he is forced to grow... but not so much that he is buried by that resistance.

To be totally honest... even though I have been traininig martial arts for about 25 yrs... I have only been running my class for a little less than a year. These are my ideas right now... I'm still trying to polish my training progression at the moment.... you never stop polishing, but I'm probably in one of the rougher stages. On a side note, I have a young guy who is training with me who had his fourth class on Wednesday. The first class we did no stick... the second class we worked angles of attack and defense, the third class we did padded hand sparring, and wednesday we opened up the other targets. While he has no previous training, I think he would probably hold his own with some of the guys who I have trained Kali with for several years... yet who never spar....JMO.

Oh well.... I've written enough.... I lost my train of thought about 5 minutes ago! Gotta get ready to go outside do alittle yard work and enjoy the weather (it's supposed to hit 55 today! Probably doesn't sond that great to you Chad... put it's all relative )

Later...
~Kev

[Chad W. Getz]

Yes, that is a little more what I as looking for Kev. Thanks. And, no, 55 doesn't sound that geat to me, it's about 80 degrees and I'm on my way out the door for some fun in the sun with a tank top on.