Observation: Movement and Timing
Topic: Cutting from the Wrist
Movement and timing in combat can often be the difference between walking out or being carried out. The proper use of these tools can't be stressed enough for the person who wants to be more than just a brawler. These differences are often seen in the types of combatant that you see in the middle of a fight. It takes determnination and hard work to become a fighter... It takes all of the above and then some to become a strategist (martial artist). The difference is all in the details (and the details are there for anyone willing to look close enough).

Movement and timing always work together to mount a defense that will always look more like you're on the attack. A person who throws a punch and then ends up on the receiving end of one instead, is probably the victim of these kinds of tactics. Many times these tactics work best against stronger and tougher opponents who tend to go in with straight line attacks to take down their targets. It's very true that the shortest (and usually the easiest) path to a target is a straight line. That being the case, a person who moves out of the path of that line and counterattacks along a different one can usually turn the tide of the fight.

This isn't to say that taking the straight in route isn't going to work. There are going to be many times when one direct attack is all you need. There will also be times when you can let the other guy have the straight line so you can step out of the way and let him "bull" right past you. It's when he passes or lets his attack throw him off balance that you can use that "timing" to take him down.

Classic examples of this kind of timing and footwork are: the boxers slip, the zoning attack methods of the asian martial arts, and the elusive and methodical parries of fencing. All this add up to people realizing it is better to let the "bull" run past and attack from a flank.

The classic mistake comes in when the timing is off. This can lead to getting caught in your own defense (whether it be being off balance or not able to turn in time to counterattack). Having the timing off and trying to move is just as bad as attacking with your eyes closed. You will not be ready to do what you need to when you need to do it. Just like in Chess, you need the right move for the right time.

Recently in my own training I have begun to see the need to move. We can apply this to any situation in training. Even in times when space is an issue or not letting your opponent know what you're doing (telegraphing), timing and movement can still come into play. One type of training I have been doing a lot of is maintaining balance and combat "composure" while being thashed against a corner or wall. Enviornment training is something that you don't see a big need for until you get trashed in a restaurant or bar when there are chairs and people and slippery floors...oh my. I was once told that the Romans and Greeks used to train thier soldiers in fields littered with debris so that they would be accustomed to steping over things in combat. This "wall" training is very close to to the same idea. A wall (or the ground) is an excellent striking surface for one opponent while an equally great surface for the other opponent to use for leverage.

In all this type of training, timing and movement are crucial to surviving the encounter as the winner. If the timing is off a bit you could end up greeting the wall in "uncomforatble" fashion. If the footwork is off, you won't have the necessary balance to drive the techniques to save your skin. In either case, you will be in for a hard lesson.

Just like in martial training, I have had several "lessons" lately in my other areas of life in regards to movement and timing. One aspect of life that has seeped in my training is the tendancy to linger some where I'm not supposed to be. Just like in fighting when you are pressing an attack and you stay on one line of attack for too long, a person becomes predictable and easy to counter. I've noticed that this has been happening in my training far to often lately. Time to get to work then...

Ahhh...Fresh air
Topic: Cutting from the Wrist
I love working out outside. You feel a lot more free than working in the conifines of an enclosed space. The other thing is that when working outside in a natural setting, you have stuff to trip over and un-even ground to contend with. Much more realistic than working inside a studio on flat ground.

Benefits of working out doors is there are also many more distractions to consider when facing your training. Cars passing by, people walking through your training area ( always fun when you are using bladed weapons ), animals that are upset you are training in their back yard ( still looking for that Racoon that took down one of my partners a few weeks ago )all contribute to keep one's mind off of the game and dangerously occupied. Not a good thing when some one is either swinging a fist or some other object at your head.

For the last few weeks we ( some of my cronnies and I )have been testing blades for the Orochi Sword Store . We have received several models to test ranging from the basic models ( paul chen practical and practical plus ) to more exotic brands (such as Thaitsuki, Nahuarra, and the home brand of Mr. Graves' budding empire, the Oni Forge line). Of the models that I tested, the Oni Forge Folded model was clearly the best of the bunch. Sporting a well bellied sori (curve of the blade) and sublime edge, the Oni Forge Folded model ate through everything we whacked into. Several attempts to botch cuts with the blade yeilded little effect to it as it still bit deep into the targets. Examining the blade for after affect saw the edge nice and clean with no pock marks or dents from the cuts (semi-dried rolled straw mats with bamboo reeds in the center, a practice that is usually discouraged ). I would highly recomend to anyone looking to buy a Japanese sword with the intent of using it for cutting excersizes and martial arts practice to consider Mr. Graves as the source to go to for quality blades (with superior quality control) that fit every budget.

During the last cutting practice we did, i pulled out the companion sword (wakizashi) and decided to do some one handed cutting. The dynamics change just a bit when you loose the levered power of the second hand to help through the target. However, Loren had furnished me with a quality "side sword" and I made short work of the targets with little effort. As the blade was not being tested to see how bad I could wreck it, I put it through the targets with a mind to test my technique with the weapon rather than how bad I could bend the thing.

Working with a new sword group, I have been trying to clean up the technique that I have (which has rusted over the years due to a lack of training partners in the current school I attend as well as my own neglegence to test my technique). I really am enjoying the training I am receiving in the use of the wakizashi. I only have the very first form (which my form is terrible) but I am enjoying the two person applications of the weapon as well as trying to use it against oponents with longer weapons (such as the long sword, staff, spear, etc.). Good training.

My training in Kali has recently taken some unexpected turns as my instructor came back (after a long absence to the class do to prior commitments) and has been showing us some typically good stuff. One item that registered on the charts was a series of limb destruction techniques for attacking an incomming appendage. Smash, crackle, pop are the order of the day as some one attacking you is either fed knuckle or elbow on the attacking limb to break rythm (and if we are lucky bone) to give us time to do what we do. I have also been practicing the motions of the destructions shown with a sharpee marker to accent the strikes. Striking with a closed hard pen has always been a favorite since I first saw it (why didn't I think of that before) and now I try to work it in whenever possible.

Also on the Kali front, I have been doing a lot of knife work with the aluminum trainer that I have and in response I feel that the added practice has been improving my skill in that area. I brought out the large and in charge dagger the other day and took some swings on suspended rolled targets to see if I either had a sharp knife and technique or a good Babe Ruth swing. Knife definately needs to be sharpend as I couldn't get it all the way in to the target without it swinging ( but I did send shards of the stuff into the parking lot).

My Kempo practice is starting to fustrate me a bit as I don't have training partners that are my level at the moment to really lay into. I have some partners that I can work with that allow me to build the muscle memory of slow partner work but as for doing the manuevers at combat speed with some one really trying to take off my head... it has been sorely lacking as of late. The problem is that every time some one gets close to the shodan level in the training they either quit or move (either away from the school or into the school; in which case like me...they have to now learn the system and rank in).

I don't see myself as a person who can only train with yudansha (ranked practitioners) and I am definately not a snob that only views hard technique as a way to train. But there are definately things that I am missing at the moment. Partnered weapon practice, kata application and variation, embugata (combative free style practice) and definately my favorite, NAGEWAZA (throwing another human being)are all elements of my training that I have been getting very little work in as our class size is small. This has led me to find those outside of our school to train in these aspects with. It is not easy in the area I am in to find those interested in combative martial arts training. The focus of the area is mostly competative arts and the "real deal" is getting harder to find as most of them are going uderground.

Oh well... Time to stop writing and start training.

Regards,
Walt

Iai-waza and a big stick
Topic: Cutting from the Wrist
Last night I went back to class and of course helped to teach the kids classes and moved onto some of my own stuff before class. I took one of the Chen swords that Loren had sent me and tried some iai-waza with it. This is where I made my rookie mistake for the evening. My first mistake was that I didn't fix my dogi after I had been doing ukemi with some of the students. The other rookie mistake was not taking the time to get familiar with the three foot knife I was swinging around. At one point I noticed a small peice of my higagi (the wrap over jacket) hanging loose. During one of the sword draws I was doing, I had nicked the jacket and because of the way it was sitting against me, it provided enough resistance for the blade to cut. This loosely translates as I need to pay more attention to my form ( as well as my jackets ) otherwise I am going to be an expert in sewing-fu.

Also last night during the Shinko-Ryu Kempo class, little old me was approached by my sensei and asked about my long staff forms. He had mentioned that he had not seen me do them in a while and wanted to see if my skills were up to par. I demonstrated both forms that I know and he was satisfied with my performance. Although I know I can make the most of every kata and make sure I show the instructor what he wants to see, there is always room for impovement. And I know from what I did last night what parts I have to improve on.

This weekend we are starting some basic cutting excersizes with the test blades from Orochi Shinken. I am going to video my cutting demo and get it out of the way so that way I can concentrate on some of the torture tests by some of my fellow kenshi.

This should be fun.

Regards,
Walt

Topic: Cutting from the Wrist
I have recently been talking to Loren Graves of Orochi Shinken Sword Store about testing some blades for him. He wanted me to try out some of his swords to see if they were true to the taglines that came with them (live blades, cutting sword, battle ready, etc...). After some lengthy conversations with him we have decided to do some torture testing with these blades.

I am going to be testing first trying kata and iai in order to test the common functionality of the blades. I also will be doing tamishigiri (cutting straw and bamboo targets) with the blades to test whether or not they are good to their names or just fancy overpriced wall hangers.

I have already ordered my cutting targets and have been practicing some iai in order to get ready. I have not been doing much tamishigiri with a katana sword lately as I have been working extensively trying to perfect my first cut (kata) with a kodachi. I have also been doing extensive target cutting with a knife. Mostly with the folder that I carry all the time and with my SOG desert dagger. I recently ordered a CRKT Hissatsu and I should be receiving that any day now. My goal is to be able to get through a large knot of a free hanging rope. As of yet I have only managed to put a good bite into it but have not been able to go through yet. Time to go practice more I guess...

Walt