DBMA Manhattan Recent Class Notes

[Russ]

DBMA Manhattan (LG Russ' Patio)
Monday, March 29th, 2004

In attendance: Sean Bohan, Agapito Gonzalez, Brandon Carter, LG Russ.

I.  Warm-up: Single Stick (Left Handed)- Diagonal Down Forehand Strike (Caveman) to Redondo (lifting punoy high to bring the Redondo strike as close to the body as possible when it drops).  Step forward with rear leg for Diagonal Down Backhand Strike to Redondo.  Repeat for each forehand to backhand movement.  Switch to right hand.

Next I had each student try it with a baseball bat to help get the kinks out!  Literally, if there are any kinks in your wrist elbow or shoulder when you are swinging a heavy weapon, your body will let you know it!  They then went back to rattan (left handed and then right handed) and looked much smoother.

II.  Explanation of DBMA Dumpag structure (see DBMAA Dog Bytes, Archives #1).  

Translation of this structure to Knife Defense.

Freeflow: apply these principles in an unstructured scenario against more than one knife (two to be exact- one drawn, one concealed.... later to be drawn).

III.  Two Against Two Knife Fighting Principles:
1) Divide and Charge
2) Pick and Roll

We ran these scenarios freely several times switching the dominant team.  Guro Crafty taught us this material in November 2003 at Inosanto Academy (Brian Jung, Rog and Milt Tinkoff, and a few of the DBMA regulars in LA were there for that class).

IV.  Review of the material from Parts I. and II.

It was an excellent class!  

Woof,
Russ
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DBMA Manhattan Class
Friday, March 26, 2004

Using Stick Fighting Body Mechanics to Emphasize Empty Hand Skills: I wanted to improve the empty hand body mechanics of one of my guys, so I decided to use the stick swinging mechanics he was already familiar with to illustrate proper empty hand hip and shoulder movement.

1)  Single Stick- Diagonal Down Forehand Strike (Caveman) to Redondo (lifting punoy high to bring the Redondo strike as close to the body as possible when it drops).  Step forward with rear leg for Diagonal Down Backhand Strike to Redondo.  Repeat for each forehand to backhand movement.

Empty Hand translation- Jab, (step back to switch lead), Jab

The Jab can be replaced with an open hand check if the Metrinome is rushing in on you, it can also be an eye gouge.  What this does is maintain your fighting distance as you are being crowded.  We drilled this with the Metrinome rushing in and the Fighter hitting then stepping back to hit again.  This is a good structure if you are worried about a weapon being drawn (such as a bouncer in a bar) because it allows you to monitor the Metrinome, instead of getting close and personal just yet!

2) Double Stick- (Krabi structure) Double Jab with lead hand as you drawn back rear hand for a Caveman and step through to opposite lead.  Step through once more for a lead Hook with the tip of the stick.

Empty Hand translation- Jab, (step forward to opposite lead) Jab, (step forward to opposite lead) lead Hook.  This works an aggressive advancing attack.

Pad work- remembering the hip and shoulder movement needed to make the sticks swing properly, we moved to some basic Muay Thai boxing drills.

1)  Jab
2)  Jab, Cross
3)  Jab, Cross, Hook
4)  Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross

This was all done with movement and with the Metrinome striking back at the Fighter illiciting the Fighter?s proper cover or parry.

In preparation for the Los Triques material, we reviewed proper mechanics of the Muay Thai round kick: feed leg to partner stepping on the 45 degree (hold for 5 seconds checking form).

Next, we reviewed the two stick patterns above and then finished off with Inosanto Blend Siniwali Abecedario:

1) Abecedario 6 Count- High Labik/Low Witik/ High Labtik on each side

2) Abecedario 8 Count- High Labtik/Low Witik on each side and then High Labtik/High Labtik on each side.

3) Combine Abecedario 6 and 8 Count

4) Add Heaven 6, Standard 6 and Earth 6 to the mix.

All of this material was designed to bring our basics up to par so once we are out in the park again we can really hit the DBMA Siniwali and Los Triques material hard!

Woof,
Russ

Hope to see some of you out in the Park with us this Spring.  Check back here (at the Public Forum) for details!

[Russ]

DBMA Manhattan Central Park
April 19th, 2004

DBMA Double Stick Basic and More....

We are finally back in the Park after a long, cold Winter!  We met at Columbus Circle at 7:10 and then headed over to Sheep Meadow to train.

As we walked, I explained the nature of the training we were preparing to do.  Our training would begin with some basic coordination drills which meet the force in a mirror image (ie. heaven six).  We discussed the concepts of meet, merge and follow and how our double stick training would be aimed at creating the merge.  To do this we would need to break the mirror image pattern of drilling that we are so often used to doing in Filipino Martial Arts training.  This is where the Upward Eights would come in to play.

Class began by warming up our bodies using several Snake Range movements with our double sticks:
1) Gunting (scissors)
2) The clock (counterclockwise)
3) Umbrella movment
4) Redondo 6
5) Upward Eights

Footwork- we worked to major footwork principles:
1) Lower Canines across the Gum (/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\)
2) The Diamond
-Each person coordinated stick movement into the foot work to the best of their ability.

Siniwali- all on the Female triangle:
1) Heaven 6
2) Upward Eights
3) Upward Eights against Heaven 6

At this point, several girls in string bikinis got up off the lawn to dress and leave.  For some reason, there was a pause in the training.....

Adapt in DBMA footwork principles into the matrix of #3:
1) Outer Diamond
2) Drive By
3) Lower Canines

By the way.... this is a tremendous amount of material.  We have been building up these separate principles one at a time (as is the nature of DBMA training).  This allows each individual to work to the best of their ability.

Now.... just to totally screw up everyones thinking, we added in the Redondo 3 Siniwali from the Off-Lead.  This is a more Krabi Krabong influenced footwork matrix combined with the Redondo 3 stickwork.  You can also add a hinge step after the 3rd strike combined with a 4th strike of course!  We trained the Redondo 3 more horizontally than diagonally or vertical.

We drilled these until our brains were fried and the sun was down and then walked out of the Park toward the light of the new AOL/Time Warner building and the "Biography" sign.  Ah.... New York in the Springtime!