Amal wote these up from our class in Central Park last night-
In attendance: Agapito, Miguel, Amal, Brandon, LG Russ
Today's Topics: Body Mechanics, Hourglass, Running Drills.
On the way to the sheep meadow, Russ stressed the point that how we train is how we fight. Train sloppy, fight sloppy; train well, fight well. Train as you would fight.
We started by practicing the Atienza/PKT technique for generating power-strokes.
The strike is initiated with the stick tip hidden behind the shoulder at an anchor point. Strikes are practiced slowly at first to emphasize body mechanics and to avoid using only the arm for power. Weight is transfered from the chamber-side leg to the follow-through side, (ie rt to left for a RH forehand).
To aid in pivoting the hips, the chamber-side foot can come up on the toes and pivot. Russ emphasized the idea of dropping the body weight during the swing.
We practiced swings with both hands, and with sticks and axe-handles or baseball bats.
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We then moved into hitting while moving, by practicing the hourglass drill.
From a left-lead stance, stick in RH, starting at the bottom right corner of the hourglass:
a) step-and-slide on a 45 angle forward and to the left, with an angle 1 swing.
b) repeat the step-and-slide, with an angle 2 swing. End by bringing the rt foot to the back of the lt knee.
c) step the rt foot across the top of the hourglass, so it's even w/ the left, shoulder-width-and-a-half. Angle 1 strike. End by bringing the left foot behind the rt knee.
d) step back with the left foot for a step-and-slide 45 degrees back and to the left.Angle 2 strike.
e) Repeat backward step-and-slide, give angle 1. End by bringing the rt foot to the back of lt knee.
f) Step across the bottom of the hourglass with the rt foot (to
shoulderwidth-and-a-half) giving angle 2. End by brings lt foot up to back of rt knee.
[Observation: The strikes at c and f happen with obvious hip torqueing. The trick is to put as much hip torque into the other strikes as possible, while still maintaining fluid footwork.]
The same thing is done reversed; start in rt-lead, stick in RH, at the bottom left corner. Step-and-slide forward and to the right on a 45, giving angle 1 strike ... etc.
Do both directions again, with the stick in the left hand.
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Then we partnered-up with double sticks for the Inosanto-blend running drills.
All drills start in left lead.
1) "simple"
a) step forward into rt lead, give RH angle 1. Opponent steps back into right lead also giving RH angle 1.
b) Give RH angle 10, (low BH slash) without moving. Opp. does same.
c) RH angle 1, without moving. Opp mirrors
d) spin counter-clockwise 180 deg, finishing with LH angle 1 (high BH slash). Opp steps back into a left-lead, give LH ang1.
e) Step forward into right lead, and do a redondo-3 (from RH closed chamber: RH angle 1, LH angle 1, RH angle 1 from behind the head). Opp steps back into Rt lead and does the same combo.
2) "hi-lo-hi' SAN RAFAEL
a-c) do steps a)-c) from drill 1.
d) left foot cross-steps forward, behind and past RT foot, LH follows-through from c) behind the head to give angle 1. Follow through by initiating a counter-clockwise 180 spin. Opp cross steps back with rt, also goes behind the head w/ LH , but ends with ang 1 JAB.
e) Continue spin, giving RH angle 10 (Low BH diag) JAB. Opp counters with RH angle 10 jab, without moving feet. Opp is still in a false-lead (RT shoulder forward, RT foot back).
f) Continue spin to left lead, giving (spinning) LH angle 1 JAB, ending in RH closed chamber. Opp counters by turning hips clockwise into a true-left lead and also gives LH angle 1 jab to RH closed chamber.
g) Step forward into Rt lead and give redondo-3, ending in LH open chamber. Opp mirrors backwards.
h) Both partners are now in RT lead. a-g are repeated with the leads reversed.
i) Both partners end in LT lead. Switch roles (you retreat, opp advances), and do a-h again.
3) "Double" SAN MIGUEL
a) Step forward to RT lead, both sticks give angle 1 simultaneously. Opp steps back into RT and does same.
b) Step forward again to LT lead, both sticks give angle2. Opp mirrors.
c) Repeat of a)
d)-i) Repeat of drill 2)
4) "Dos Equis"
a) From open chamber, Step forward to RT lead, give RH angle 1. Opp mirrors backwards.
b) RH angle 2, without moving feet [or maybe a small shuffle step like in Krabi drills?]. Opp Mirrors.
c) Step forward to left lead, LH angle 2 (FH slash down). Opp mirrors.
d) LH angle 1, without moving feet. Opp Mirrors.
e) Step forward to Rt Lead, RH angle 1 slash. Opp mirrors.
f...) The rest follows d)-i) from drill 2.
5) 'Heaven 6'
a) From RH closed-chamber, (left foot forward) step forward to RT lead, give RH angle 1. Opp mirrors backwards.
b) Without footwork, give LH angle 1. Opp Mirrors.
c) Again without advancing, give RH angle 1 JAB returning to a LH closed chamber. Opp mirrors.
d}-i) repeat of drill 2).
PURPOSE of drills: to train aggressive, fluid, rapidly advancing attacks (and countering by retreating with hits). Practice without partner with full speed and aggression to get the true feel.
Brandon showed us his Lacrosse gloves that he'll be using for sparring on Saturdays. We're invited down to play.
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GREAT JOB AMAL!
The Inosanto Running Drills helped my Siniwali game tremendously. James Stacy is the only one I've met who remembers all 5 St. names of them though.
-LG Russ
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Woof:
Lets see, there's St. Raphael, San Miguel, St. Gabriel, St. Uriel, and St. What-the-hell.
Yip!
Crafty Dog
