Keeping distance.....

[Guest]

Hey there.

How does one go about keeping distance between his opponent when his opponent is determined to close the gap and take it to the ground? I'm a pretty skinny guy, but I've got good reach and can put some decent power on my strikes.

So how do I keep what I see as my biggest advantage (reach) effective? Footwork will be the answer I'm sure, but any good tips?

Is this covered in the instructional tapes?

Any input apprciated. Thanks guys.

[Crafty Dog]

Woof "Guest":

Of course footwork is a vital part of the answer.  I would expand that to say it is a matter of combining SCIENTIFIC footwork (most certainly including lots of triangles) with the simultaneous use of one's weapon(s).

In DBMA we work on this a lot.  It does cause us to lose people whose ego gets irked when they discover how much lower in this regard their level was than they thought, but in my opinion our integrity requires that we do not indulge this weakness but rather confront it.  As I like to say "The fastest progress comes from working the weakest link of the chain" and for many, many people this is a weak link indeed.

To manifest triangles fully in DBMA one should be able to fight with either foot and either shoulder forward, ideally with either hand.  We call this "bilateralism".

As one develops skill in this regard one can enter into the scientific application of the triangles for the purpose you mention-- which we call "St. Foom" (Stay The Fornicate Off Of Me").  This includes not only our skills, but knowing which structures and games to use against which structures and games of the opponent.

With regard to our instructional tapes, most immediately applicable to your question are:

1) First Series: Real Contact Stickfighting #2 Power
2) Second Series: DBMA #3: Combining Stick and Footwork-- soon available in DVD
3) Second Series: DBMA #4:  Attacking Blocks-- in that your purpose is to stop the close, this one should help you understand an important category of how closes are accomplished. -- soon available in DVD.
4) Second Series: DBMA #5:  Krabi Krabong-- excellent for many things, including covering a lot of distance forward or back ward with primal strikes.  Available any day now in DVD.
5) Currently in post-production: Working Title: Diamond Triangle Attacks-- The Snaggletooth Variations.  Probably available before Xmas.

Questions regarding purchase of videos should go directly to Cindy, our Vice-President in Charge of Reality at info@dogbrothers.com

Does this help answer your question?

Woof,
Guro Crafty

[Guard Dog]

I myself am rather lanky and don?t have to much weight behind me but from my experience a good power shot can stop even the biggest goon from coming in.  Check out the first tape in the series on power.