Dragons IN Motion 2

[BruceCalkins]

Hi All Just an update..
http://www.goldendragondojo.com/VideoVault.html

I will be updating videos frequently due to Web Space so I can cycle them.

 

[Aegis]

Could you post an unarmed clip where the attacker actually attacks with good technique and intent? The three takedown clips all have beginner-level attacks, and personally I would be surprised if the blocks would work as shown against full-pace attacks, as if I remember rightly none of them utilise body weight in the blocks, or use balance breaking before attempting a throw..

Cheers in advance.

 

[Ceicei]

I really liked the third clip with your advanced student doing the nunchaku.

You mentioned in another thread that you run a very small school. What is the percentage of beginning students and advanced students?

- Ceicei

 

[Bester]

I'm lousy with chucks, tend to be self inflicted cup checks for me.

 

[TonyU]

Holding the nunchakus close to the chain shows a lack of understanding of the weapon.

 

[BruceCalkins]

Holding the nunchakus close to the chain shows a lack of understanding of the weapon.

Holding it close gives you less reach but more control

 

[BruceCalkins]

I really liked the third clip with your advanced student doing the nunchaku.

You mentioned in another thread that you run a very small school. What is the percentage of beginning students and advanced students?

- Ceicei

I am just recovering from a broken back and surgery. I have mostly White to Orange ranks. Deshi-Kai Larry has been with me before the accident. He is advancing to Purple in our system.

 

[evenflow1121]

What is the belt color rank in your system and what are the requirements?

 

[Aegis]

Bruce: will there be any demonstrations of defences against more commited attacks any time soon? Just asking because you addressed a couple of other posters but failed to respond to my request, and I just wanted to make sure it wasn't lost in the other replies.

Cheers

 

[BruceCalkins]

What is the belt color rank in your system and what are the requirements?

White, Yellow, Orange, Green, Purple, 3rd Brown, 2nd Brown, 1st Brown 1st Black - 10th Black.

To give the requirements I would have to print my entire manual. Besides Basic, Intermediate and Advances techniques they have, Breaking, Kumate, They must design their own Form < (Empty Hand They With Weapon). They have a Bushido Requirement through out but listed in Black Belt ranks. I hope that helps I don't know hoe to give more with out d-loading the whole Manual.. Oh Yea Also they have 6 forms to learn.

 

[BruceCalkins]

Bruce: will there be any demonstrations of defences against more commited attacks any time soon? Just asking because you addressed a couple of other posters but failed to respond to my request, and I just wanted to make sure it wasn't lost in the other replies.

Cheers

Sorry.. I hope to keep adding to the videos. I only have a basic unit for recording and I do have basicly white to orange belt students. Our style dosen't do many flash techniques we train with the basic street brawler punches and kicks. But I will see what I can do.

 

[Aegis]

I didn't ask for flash techniques, and I'm not interested in seeing flash techniques. What I want to see is if your takedowns will work against actual attacks. In none of those takedown videos were you actually in the least bit of danger from the punches. For example, in takedown 1, the attack stops at full extension around 2 inches from your face (i.e. attack could never have hit you) before you contact it to parry, while in takedown 2 the "roundhouse punch" is done witht he arm at full extension before the attack begins, which will be barely noticable even if it hits you. As a result, the blocks do not need to be done well in order to stop the attacks, and I question the effectiveness of them as demonstrated.

In addition to this, the defences seem to rely ont he opponent not withdrawing his arm after his attack, or following up witha second punch.

For example, in takedown 1, if the opponent withdraws his arm as you are circling it, you probably lose the technique. If he throws a punch at your face as you lean in (still right in his target area) to circle his hand, then again you probably lose the lock, in addition to the fight if he hits you hard enough. Finally, there's no way that technique will cause a flip like that. If you twist the wrist as you show in that clip, the arm will buckle as the opponent tries to avoid the pain (I tried this on 2 untrained people to verify this). You might get a hammerlock on if you're fast enough to react, but the straight-arm wrist lock demonstrated almost certainly won't result in a takedown or a break in that direction.

Takedown 2: in additon to the poor attack and questionable block, this technique will not work on someone resisting. I attempted the technique on the same 2 friends, one about my height and weaker than me, the other shorter and probably stronger. Getting the armlock failed on both of them because while thay are on balance they can resist the technique. Now, when I did the block properly against the correct attack, I couldn't get the positioning at all because of the close distance, and instead did this against the same straight arm as you dealt with. Trapping the arm first and tugging to off-balance the opponent slightly gave more favourable results, but as soon as I went in for the shoulder lock they bent their arms down on to mine as a natural instinct, and the technique failed.

Technique 3 shows a slightly faster attack (which is a nice change) but it still has issues. The only attacks I can think of which would result in an attack like that are knives and sticks. In either case it would be more useful to train with a weapon there (rubber or wood would suffice if you're worried about accidents), and in both cases your block would almost certainly be insufficient again. If you pause the video at the point where your block makes contact with the attacking arm you'll notice that by the time that contact is made, the attack has nearly reached you. In which case it is probably going at near full speed,a nd with a stroger opponent witht he added weight of a weapon, that block will probbaly be a bit like a paper shield. You should either be advancing on to the attack to stop it at a weaker point, or sidestepping so it misses you naturally.

This is good advice for all of your techniques in fact: train against more aggressive attacks and work on your evasions, blocks with bodyweight behind them and takedown selection.

I'm having real difficulty seeing any of those techniques working as shown ina real situation.

 

[Gaskell]

Hi to all.
I have just watched the "Intermediate_Form_Chucks___Larry" video from your site. I see that the person in the video wears a green belt, which (from your post above) is around half-way through the grades for your club/style/whatever. May I just ask (before I start my notes on the "nunchuk form" itself): how long has this person been using the weapon? You will see by my notes below why I ask this.

Now for the main review/rant - in any order, but in note form.
A) Mainly the right hand was used for most of the "form". I know that not many people are ambidextrous, but I also know that you should train to use the weapon as well as possible with both hands. If you are right-handed, you should make more of an effort to practice with your left until you get to the stage that you dont have a "weaker hand".

B) The demonstrator's hands were too close to the kusari (holding the weapon in the jokon-bu area). You will find that it is a lot easier to use the weapon when you hold it in the chukon-bu or kikon-bu. From these areas, you dont need as much strength to move the weapon, and it will flow a lot easier (simple physics about torque/moments).

C) No proper stances. I know the video doesnt show the lower leg or foot positions, but it appears as though it is mainly shuffling on the spot (is he trying the dirk-dance while using them? Or tap-dancing?). The weapons techniques share some stances with Okinawan Karate (similar stances in most JMA I believe), and with that particular weapon Zen-kutso Datchi (forward stance) and Ko-kutso Datchi (back stance) are pretty common.

D) The "lower" techniques. Have you (or the demonstrator) tried these with wooden versions of the weapon used? If you have, are you still fertile? One slip with the "lower" techniques (2mm movement in the wrist) could mean a slight pain in the genitals as the wooden handle connects with your genitals. Yes, it is a good technique for showing control, but maybe it should be in an "Advanced form" instead of intermediate? Some people think that Intermediate is the stage where a practitioner stops clouting themselves across the head. If this is like your style/club/whatever, I suggest you take the advice I have just given you.

E) Erm, where were the blocks?

F) At the end, the practitioner is seen taking a deep breath as he steps back to a formal stance (for his bow). This (to me) shows that he cant control his breathing much during the form. He is putting so much effort into the techniques (which may be due to his grip (mentioned above)), that he needs to take a deep breath at the end. He could at least wait until he has bowed out at the end of the form.

G) All of the stuff in that form was "flashy" stuff! The only ways you could have made it any less "street practical" would be to throw in some flying kicks and use them "weapons" with the LEDs in them! Unless, of course, you are intending on putting any attackers in fits of laughter and running away while they roll on the floor laughing at you.

H) I have kept this one until the end, because it is one of the things that gets me reet annoyed...

it's NUNCHAKU not "nunchuks", "numbchuka" or any variation of them!

 

[The Kai]

let me guess.....these "forms" demonstrate natural movement, with no pre conceived motions"? So you pretty much are making these cr** up?
Keep using blunt and padded weapons for your own safety

 

[Ceicei]

This is good advice for all of your techniques in fact: train against more aggressive attacks and work on your evasions, blocks with bodyweight behind them and takedown selection.

I'm having real difficulty seeing any of those techniques working as shown ina real situation.

Remember, he did say that most of his students comprise of beginners (white-orange). They have to learn the basics first. The more realism and commitment are developed when they increase in rank.

That is why within Kenpo (at least with EPAK and probably within other styles, too) we start off at the "ideal" (or textbook) phase of training before going on to the next series of phases that deal with variations to teach the necessity of adapting. [Variations such as readiness, environment, attacker level, changing techniques to fit, ad infinitum.]

It should be the instructor's responsibility to guide the students to that level training and the students' responsibility to put in the effort to train progressively. If an instructor does not do so on a consistent level with all his students, then there is a problem with training.

- Ceicei

 

[Aegis]

Ceicei: with all due respect, he's supposed to be a 10th dan, not a beginner. As such, I would expect to see him able to demonstrate techniques against a more committed attack while still retaining enough control to not hurt his student.

If you are not training against a proper attack (at half speed, this still works) then there is no point in even blocking, as you have no incentive to do so. If someone I was teaching was punching so that their arm was at full extension 2 inches in front of my face I'd ask them to step forward 6 inches and do it again rather than do the move against a poor attack.

Remember, these videos were originally requested as part of the enquiry into Bruce and his ability to set up a new system and call himself a 10th dan. I would expect to at least see some demonstration of defences against slightly more realistic attacks. Defending against a half-assed attack doesn't demonstrate any ability, so I'm asking to see something a little better.

 

[The Kai]

From watching the underbelts (they are easy to spot, chinese uniform top with a japanese weapon) It does'nt seem that they are being instructed on the basics what so ever.

Please keep in mind that these is a self proclaimed weapons master, and acoording to the website can teach all the weapons on the face of the earth (and a few from farther reachs)

 

[Aegis]

Ok, once again someone has given me negative reputation for asking what I think is a perfectly reasonable question. So, once again, I ask whoever it is to have the common decency to at least contact me by PM to discuss what they mean by the word "chill". I'm not going to stop questioning what I feel is something worth the effort because of a few negative reputation points, so if you want a real effect, try communicating!

Of course, given the fact that so far all of the negative reputation points I've recieved have been anonymous, I won't hold my breath for someone to actually talk to me about what they feel is wrong with my posts.

Constructive criticism people! That's what I'm trying to do here, at least return the favour!

Apologies for the brief topic hijack.

 

[Gaskell]

(and a few from farther reachs)

Could that be where these "nunchucks" are from?

 

[BruceCalkins]

WOW I knew that you would find a closed minded way to make more of a pain. I am working with some of my students for our site not your training or amusement. In our style we use the Kenpo phylosophy of.. A Strike is a Block and a Block is a strike. With proper snap to the radial nerve it is not required to drive a hard stance or Block. The strike and snap does the work. I will not use full power techniques on my underbelts for your fun. If it didn't work for you. All I can say is you didn't have the right training. It works for everyone of my students every time. And the Lock in movement 2 needs a soft block and timing because you are using the other persons movement against him. You do not want to stop him motion. as for movement 1 I have full control of the hand and it is not getting away and I teach distance to my students. When you do a move you need to be at full reach. If you are not at the right distance and something goes wrong you GET HIT. This is why I teach them to move back to the end of the punch on that move and let the opponent exaust his/her energy before you move. The Bad Guy dosen't know you are going to Block they expect the punch to lay you out or they wouldn'y throw it... Unless you only fight Martial Artist that expect Blocks and parrys.

As for the Chucka Movements... Larry has only beel working with Chucks for 4 months and I think he is doing just fine. His stance was low and bases and he started with a Block and strike. They went into a free form movement. as for the hold... To Each His Own... I find the hold closer to the chain gives more control on the spinning moves and so do my students. so that is how we do it.. If you do it a different way... Great, enjoy and keep it up.. That is your way and I respect that.