# IRT Rattan Sparring With Body Armor And Without!



## Brian R. VanCise (Apr 18, 2010)

Enjoy these clips over at my blog:

The Instinctive Edge


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## Rich Parsons (Apr 18, 2010)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Enjoy these clips over at my blog:
> 
> The Instinctive Edge


 

Brian,

Thanks for sharing. I know you start with more armor and work your way down to less and less armor. This is a good approach for people to feel safe and to learn that getting hit is not the end of the world. 

I did see a lot more respect for the cane with less armor than with the full armor. People did more moving around and picking their points of closing versus just walking in swinging and hoping. 


Thanks


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## Brian R. VanCise (Apr 18, 2010)

Hey Rich,

Yes as you know in IRT we start out with padded sticks and headgear to build confidence, aggressiveness and let them develop their skill sets.  Then we move to Filipino Body Armor to introduce rattan without too bad of results just some serious bruises generally on the forearms and legs.  Finally rattan with fencing masks, gloves, knee pads and elbow pads to bring more of a realization and to promote defensive skill sets more.  Seems to work and personally I think it is a lot better to develop your skill sets first and then go full contact with fencing masks then to jump right into it from the get go.  I am sure you saw a few faces you recognized too!


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## Brian King (Apr 18, 2010)

Hey Brian,
In the first clip (with armor) you are heard to tell the two sparring to get away from the walls. Is this to protect your walls and their sticks or is there a tactical/practical reason?

Nice clips sir

Regards
Brian King


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## Brian R. VanCise (Apr 18, 2010)

Brian said:


> Hey Brian,
> In the first clip (with armor) you are heard to tell the two sparring to get away from the walls. Is this to protect your walls and their sticks or is there a tactical/practical reason?
> 
> Nice clips sir
> ...


 
Hey Brian,

No just to keep them moving and performing rather than a lay and pray on the walls.  I would much prefer action as we only spar for limited time.

Brian


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## terryl965 (Apr 18, 2010)

Brian nice clips but let me ask this would the wall not be one of the safer places if you are really being attacted so ypu are able to keep the assaulant in front of you at all times? I know this was for training but just wanted your views on this.


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## jks9199 (Apr 18, 2010)

terryl965 said:


> Brian nice clips but let me ask this would the wall not be one of the safer places if you are really being attacted so ypu are able to keep the assaulant in front of you at all times? I know this was for training but just wanted your views on this.


My take:  Walls can provide some safety in an attack, in that there's a direction you can't be attacked from.  But it also can be an illusionary safety, because it's also a direction that you can't move in.  With a stick, it'll limit some of your options, too, depending on how close you are to the walls.  (I know cops who have whacked other cops, put holes in walls, and even lost their grip on their own baton opening an expandable baton, for example.)

I was taught that there are three aspects to safety when working with weapons:  Safety to yourself; Safety to your mates (those around you); Safety to your weapons.  For this exercise, staying away from the walls would also reflect on two of those safety rules -- mates & weapons.  Others in the group were undoubtedly along the walls... and neither the walls nor the sticks would fare well from repeated impacts of the sticks against the walls.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Apr 19, 2010)

Hey Terry,

Sure you can use a wall to help neutralize an attack and also to push your opponent back and potentially gain some dominance.  So utilizing the wall can be a plus.  Look at the first video and you will see a practitioner utilize a takedown from his back to the wall that we practice regularly.  Back to wall, side step have an underhook and roll and walla the other guy is down on his back and you are in the crossbody.  So utilizing the wall can work both ways.  Of course we are just sparring for a limited period of time and I want the guy's working in the center, on the wall, on the ground.  I do not want someones *whole skill* *set* development to be pushing someone to the wall and then staying there stalling so that they do not get hit.  *Contact is good!!!*


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