T.A.W.G. Workout Rewind 5/20/11 – Power and Focus training

Form, Power, Focus, Speed… This is the technical progression from the Kenpo influence on TacArnis training.

Tonight’s workout targeted POWER and FOCUS by using a ‘functional training’ approach.  It’s challenging, fun, and good strength/conditioning to boot.

GOALS/OUTCOMES:

• Using objects as visual and ‘touch’ references to develop awareness of where energy is going and how much energy is being creating
• “POWER” training using the 10 pound medicine ball to ‘trick’ the nervous system into recruiting more muscle/energy than just empty hand alone
• – it’s also a lot of fun to bounce that ball around the room.
• “FOCUS” training with a focus mitt (no pun intended) held in both hands.  This helps students ‘see’ where their energy starts and where they send it because they know where they are starting/sending the focus mitt when the throw it.

Many times – especially as beginning students – we only ‘throw’ our energy TO the bad guy  instead of THROUGH the bad guy.  By using this type of drill/training, students learn faster, get stronger and better conditioned – as well as ‘smarter’ about their movements.  Students ‘own’ their learning since they observe what they are doing, adjust/orient themselves, decide  what to fix or repeat, and act by trying again.. and again.. and again.  This is the OODA Loop in action.

For Self Defense focused martial arts, this is a BIG win win since they are learning to operate independently –  to succeed –  by using the OODA Loop.  I won’t be there to tell them what to fix in a crisis or in daily life.  Don’t get me wrong, I still coach and guide things, but this approach builds self confidence vs. the ‘is this right?’ (constantly seeking the teacher’s opinion about what’s right or wrong).

TAWG Workout Rewind 5/12/11 – Basics Training Inventory

Image via Wikipedia

A good dust kicker.  Thanks to Michele for the chance to run through ALL of the basic self defense techniques, ALL of the basic stick and empty hand drills, ALL of the footwork drills… all of the basic ‘stuff.’  PHEW!

Goals/Outcomes:

• Self Defense basic level techniques:
• Wrist grabs
• Shirt Grabs
• Chokes
• Bearhugs
• Strikes
• Ground
• Wall
• Block Check Counter/Trapping Hands
• Three count
• Four Count
• Two Count
• “One” Count
• “No” Count
• Reverses
• “Hand Flash” drills
• Stick strike/defense
• 12 Angles of attack/defense
• “6 Position Blocking” drill
• “Live Hand” basics
• Footwork/Mobility
• 12 directions of mobility
• Bob/Weave/Slipping
• Stances

Now I know this is a long list.  But, don’t think we stood in rank and file with me calling out like a drill instructor… All of these elements are interconnected so deeply that I just had to make sure there was an ‘opportunity’ for each of these listed skills to be used.

I like to keep things moving, and this was a LOT of stuff to get through… but it was fun, a good workout, and a good ‘road mark’ evaluation.

Real training vs. “REEL” training

Training for reality is about effectiveness.

Training for making a ‘sizzle video or  “REEL” or for demo is about image and presentation.

Both have a place in martial arts BUT it’s very important for instructors to know the difference so we don’t teach ‘show’ when we need to be teaching ‘go’ skills.

Here are some links to videos when I did a keyword search using “self defense, moves, techniques, demos”

1.  Which are “real” or ‘REEL’ self defense and why?

2.  Which one (or ones) accomplishes the ‘mission’ whether it’s ‘real’ or ‘REEL’ training.

Women’s Self Defense

Carjacking

“GO” video

RCT

TAWG Workout Rewind 5/5/11˝

This week we were ‘cutting angles.’

In TacArnis, as in many FMA based systems, moving on angles instead of straight into or away from the bad guy is a big part of training.  We use a drill called “De Cadena” which loosely translates to “Chain” because we ‘link’ with our partner through a continuous flow of trapping hand feed/response.

Training Objectives/Outcomes:

• Using good footwork/mobility to ‘cut the angle’ by moving on the “X”
• Move ‘straight’ past the ‘bad guy’ on the angle.
• Get into his blindspot
• close to counter attack range quickly
• move out of his ideal striking range by closing
• Avoid the ‘side to side’ sweeping footwork habit.
• It’s a lazy habit that makes the drill easier to do.
• It keeps you in front of the bad guy.
• You stay in his line of sight
• the ‘sweep’ pattern eats time.

T.A.W.G. Workout Rewind 4/12

Thanks to Tom, Tony, Rick, Andy, Sabrina, Alex and Dianne for an awesome class – again!

A special thanks to Andy for joining us.  He brought a great work ethic, energy and enthusiasm.

Training Objectives/Outcomes:

• The “Layering” of movements – head movement, hand blocks, footwork.
• “Train like you fight” footwork – practice movement to find ‘avenues of escape’
• FMA blocking is ‘zone defense’ not ‘point defense’ movement.

We even made the time to shoot the “Hand Flash” drill for the “Skills and Drills” article.

Apologies for no T.A.W.G. Workout Rewind for 4/5/11 – Michele, Tom, and Tony sweat a lot while we tried some twists on standard training drills.

Drills for Skills: Preparation not… well, you know.

The Tactical Arnis motto is to “Train Smart.”  One way we do this is focusing on the ‘big picture’ training goal of our program – preparation for self defense.

Other martial arts programs focus on the ‘art’ of their martial art system in order to preserve the tradition, others focus on the sport and competition, and still others want to use martial arts as ‘character building.’  Different people train for different reasons and it’s good that they can find a school that fits them.  But, there can be a ‘danger’ when there is a disconnect between what you are training and why you are training it.  That’s why Tactical Arnis training is clearly focused on one objective – preparedness.  Personally, this is a bit ironic since I train for something I would rather avoid, but Shakespeare gave Hamlet the best explanation for this enigma:

“If it be now, ’t is not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all.”

(Hamlet. Act v. Sc. 2.)

An example of a drill that develops preparedness is the “Hand Flash” drill borrowed from my time training with Bobby Taboada in his Cuentada Balintawak System.  This drill is an empty hand version of the ‘defense and counter’ training approach that is signature of Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) in general and Balintawak specifically.

The “WHAT” of doing the drill is to isolate and develop quickness and speed.  ‘Quickness’ is your ‘first twitch’ explosive move that takes you from ‘zero to 60mph’ whereas ‘speed’ is your ‘top speed’ once you get going.  The “WHY” is NOT to master the drill for it’s own sake, but to prepare students for the ‘furball’ of reality.  If we look ‘pretty’ too… well that’s just a bonus.

This is a great drill and shows up in other systems, although it may be done differently. Click the links below:

Balintawak Basic Defense and Counter (Stick Version of the “Hand Flash” drill)

Modern Arnis – Hubud and Siniwali Boxing

Siniwali Boxing Feeds

Tactically Speaking: Do you have “Excalibur Syndrome?”

This video was not created for the “Joe or Jane Civilian” audience, but the “Excalibur Syndrome” mentality is not exclusive to Law Enforcement Officers (LEO), Military, and/or other ‘Operator’ types.  Do a quick google search on ‘swords for home defense’ … Continue reading →

Great explanation of OODA Loop and how theories only go so far….

Normally I spend more time rolling my eyes at how unrealistic TV action/crime dramas can be, but I was impressed at the concise and clear explanation of OODA Loop on “Numbers”.   I was also impressed with the way this clip ended.

For more OODA Loop info, check out my buddy Tom’s blog posts on the topic here.

Work Smart, Not Hard

This has the ‘Indiana Jones and the Swordmaster’ feel to it.

T.A.W.G. 3/29 workout rewind

Thanks to Tom, Tony, and Sabrina for shredding through technique to get to purpose.

Training Objectives/Outcomes:

• The devil is in the details – so keep things ASAP (as simple as possible) to get it over ASAP.
• Training specific ranges (corto/close, medio/medium, largo/long) is only for TRAINING!  Reality means changing ranges to get the job done.
• Sticks should be ‘punched’ out instead of ‘swung out’ to keep your hand inside the ‘body rectangle.’
• Blocks are strikes and strikes are blocks.

Habits are hard to break and training habits don’t always translate to good application.  Training drills are essential to get better at specific skills, but should not be confused with application drills.  Tom, Tony, and Sabrina did a great job of changing gears when we switched between training for skill development and when we were training for application.

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