Stand-up Unarmed Video?

[ziggybob]

Hello and glad to be here,

After sitting down and reviewing some DB videos for some help in stick-foot coordination it struck me that one of the situations that arises in a fight  is the very distinct possibility of facing a stick/knife carrying opponent while being "unarmed" yourself. Have the Dog Brothers considered addressing this subject with a single or multiple videos on the various style's and system's (Pekiti Tirsia, Maphilindo Silat, Bukti Negara, etc.) approaches in handling this scenario? If so, what is your ETA on the tape or tapes?

I realize that the footwork, strike and block angles and other subjects already addressed in current videos are equally as useable with or with out a weapon. However, the finer points such as hand orientation to the blade, do you sweep a blade in front of your body during a "tap", propper hip and body torque used in a kick, knee, elbow, or hand strike, etc. Also, general methods and theories as well as drills such as trapping and flow drills you use in your training. Another subject could be physics of the fight such as do you attack the elbow or hand of an incoming strike.

Anyway, you get the idea. The Burton Richardson clips were great to see and it would be fantastic for those of us who gain much of our training and direction from the DBMAA through Pack Gatherings, Videos, and articles, to see the DB's interpretation of their empty hand system.

Having said all that, I know that the DB's focus is on weapons and stick fighting in particular. But in a real combat as well as the sparring situation the truth is that you, at some point, will be "weaponless" and I can think of very few organizations and individuals that I would rather hear from on this subject than the Dog Brothers.

Thank you very much.

Best regards,

Ziggybob
(Robert Marlow)

[Crafty_Dog]

Woof Ziggybob:

Tail wags for the kind words.  

Some preliminary points:

*"The Dog Brothers" are a band of sweaty, smelly psychopaths with sticks."  We come from a variety of teachers, systems and styles.

*"Dog Brothers Martial Arts" (DBMA) has as its mission statement to "Walk as a Warrior for all your days."

*A DB fight is a fight, not a stickfight.  We often have situations where one or both fighters are weaponless.

*I certainly would not deserve the sobriquet "the Crafty Dog" were I to comment on other systems/styles!  My clear preference is to always acknowledge from whence we receive ideas, techniques, training methods, etc.  Guro Inosanto is my role model in this (as well as everything else)

OK, lets look at the matter of Empty Hand, which I have been researching the last year or so.  Towards this end I have been traininig and researching certain ideas and theories at the RAW Gym in El Segundo.  RAW is a very strong MMA gym.  The Head Coach is Rico Chiapparelli -hope I spelled that right- and has many world class fighters such Frank Trigg (way to go last night in the UFC Frank!) Vladymir Matyushenko.  Many world class fighters go to train there.  It is fascinating and educational to watch them train and spar.  Rico has been a great help, and FT and VM give me valuable pointers too.

I train/spar in Rico's class wherein virtually everyone is an active amateur or pro fighter.  Some of the guys I have absolutely nothing to offer-- e.g. VM handles me like I handle my 5 year old son.  Others I can give a good sweat to  

Kali promises the movements of the empty hand are like those of the weapons and at RAW I have begun testing this premise.  I fight like I fight with two sticks.  This includes the bilateral triangles, attacking the limbs, and other things.  This gets some strange looks from people the first time they see me waving my arms around but I am not without results    especially when my sparring opponent does not overwhelm me with superior youth (typically there are in their 20s and I am 52) and conditioning.  It puts a smile in my heart when I pull off these things that are so far outside of the current generic MMA paradigm.

The curriculum I have developed I call "Kali Tudo" (r)  The foundation of DBMA KT is Inosanto Blend Kali-Silat which is a very, very broad term.  There are hearty doses of Krabi Krabong (the military forerunner to Muay Thai) and BJJ-Vale Tudo and some other things too.   It is worth noting that the material is constructed with 360 degree street criteria in mind.  

The standing striking skill set is best manifested by someone with good grounding in our footwork and double and single stick approach to DB stickfighting.

I have begun teaching this material in depth to DBMA Guro Benjamin "Lonely Dog" Rittiner, DBMA Lakan Guro Jeff Brown and Chris Gizzi.  

Lonely manifests this material in vigorous sparring against quality players with great skill and success.

Jeff Brown is a highly advanced silat man (in many other things too) in his own right (under Guro Inosanto and Pa Herman Suwanda) and as you read this we are looking to get him a fight at King of the Cage to put this material to a sterner test.  

Chris Gizzi has what it takes to be a dominating world champion should he decide to go down this road.

We have already shot the first DVD of "Kali Tudo" (r) and will be editing it after the Gathering of the Pack is over (current editing efforts are on the conversion of the first and second series to DVD, and on "The Dog Brothers Greatest Hits.")  It focuses on some of the angular crashing striking combinations of the system and some follow ups.  

Anyway, it is time for breakfast so I will sign off for now.  I will address the question(s) on knife soon.

Woof,
Guro Crafty

[ziggybob]

Guro Craft,

Thank you for the reply. It will be very excititng to see this information on DVD. One of the things that draws me to DBMA is its honesty and respect given in regards to the sources of the various Instructors and Systems from which the DB have come to draw their influences and knowledge. In doing this DBMA has directed me on a search of my own to see with my own eyes and experience on my own the techniques of some of the greatest sources of Self Defense Martial Arts available.

As far as responses on specific questions that I had asked, I would be very interested in any input you may have as well as any of the posters on this forum.

Good luck to Jeff Brown on the King of the Cage quest. Give 'em hell!

Thank you again and I will anxioulsy await the release of you Kali Tudo videos.

Best regards to all,

Ziggybob
Robert Marlow

[Crafty_Dog]

PS:  Ziggy, what Burt Richardson clips?

[Crafty_Dog]

Ziggy:

Concerning Stick versus Empty Hand:

Stick vs. EH is something that comes up not infrequently at DB Gatherings when someone loses their stick (e.g. after getting whacked in the hand).  For most people what happens next is quite suprising.  The now EH player usually succeeds in closing instantaneously.

The curriculum of DBMA includes this area, which looks at things from both sides of the equation-- when he has the stick and you don't, and when you have the stick (or close analog thereof) and he doesn't.  I confess to be rather tickled with myself with this block of material and as I write find myself wondering if there would be interest in a DVD-video on it.

This certainly is an area of great interest to law enforcement (especially corrections officers!) and some military people.  There is a special block of material for them (gun retention issues, lethal force issues, and some other things are also addressed)

Woof,
Guro Crafty

[ziggybob]

Guro Crafty,

PS:  Ziggy, what Burt Richardson clips?

"Clips" was not the best term for the material I previously mentioned.
At the end of the Panther Productions RCSF vol. 3 there is a section that contains Mr. Richardson and Mr. Griffin showing the empty hand applications of some the siniwalli techniques. Although not weapon against EH, it was educational to see the manner and situations in which these techniques were used.

"The curriculum of DBMA includes this area, which looks at things from both sides of the equation-- when he has the stick and you don't, and when you have the stick (or close analog thereof) and he doesn't. I confess to be rather tickled with myself with this block of material and as I write find myself wondering if there would be interest in a DVD-video on it."

Speaking only for myself I can say without a doubt there would be interest in this material. I hope you consider releasing this information.

Thank you yet again for your response. I'm sure, you, like most everybody else in this modern day and age of technology created to make our lives simpler - the hours we have available to invest in the matters we love seem to be already taken up with work. I do appreciate your time.

Best regards,

Ziggybob

[Crafty_Dog]

Woof All:

Just a quick update:

We are about 80% done editing the DVD of "Kali Tudo"(tm)

The stick/palm stick vs Empty Hand material is evolving at a very high rate and we should be shooting a DVD on it in the next couple of months.

Woof,
Crafty Dog

[Guard Dog]

Crafty,
  Did you happen to see my question pertaining to the material in the Insturctors section?

Gruhn

[Crafty_Dog]

Woof Ryan:

I'll go check in a few minutes.

Guro Crafty