Knife
Something I would like to focus more on in keiko is knife defence. My understanding of it at present is as such;
Firstly, if you can run, run! Thus include running, sprinting, jumping, hurdles etc in your conditioning regime. If you perceive the threat and even if it's only half apparent we really should be getting out of there. Work those legs and really work on hauling arse. Something we will work on in keiko is using a form of metsubushi, i.e. coins in pocket, dirt, sand, spit etc to create a smoke screen which might just give us an extra second of space. From there - BOOM, get the hell out of there. Look for safety, a place to hide or a weapon. This we will focus on also. Use of a chair, a coat, a broom stick, a bottle, or anything that can give you the the edge or create some form of equilibrium.
The second measure to the equation is dealing with the knife. In our keiko, for this to be real and proper, stabs and cuts will be whole hearted, committed strikes, packed with aggression and violence. Remember that we want to train as realistically as possible and thus we will probably be using head gear. Sewing machine like stabs, slash-stab combos and slash combos will be worked. Three types of principles will be worked. (1) If you are too late, minimal torso rotations to counter a tsuki (stab) and hold the knife at your abdomen area (2) if it is perceived, the pushing and driving back of the opponent (ala jumonji, hoko or SPEAR system). And (3), if we are somewhere half way and freak out, then getting our midsection out of the way and controlling and attacking the knife hand will be an option. This is a method seen in our Koto-ryu and something I recently saw Sifu Luke Holloway demonstrate on youtube.
My attitudes and opinions will change and evolve (as intelligence and understanding should) and I would like to you all to take this element of our keiko very seriously. Reflect, meditate and ponder as I feel it is something becoming more and more prevalent in our society and quite pertinent to our everyday well being.
Keizoku wa chikara nari (repetition builds strength)!!
Firstly, if you can run, run! Thus include running, sprinting, jumping, hurdles etc in your conditioning regime. If you perceive the threat and even if it's only half apparent we really should be getting out of there. Work those legs and really work on hauling arse. Something we will work on in keiko is using a form of metsubushi, i.e. coins in pocket, dirt, sand, spit etc to create a smoke screen which might just give us an extra second of space. From there - BOOM, get the hell out of there. Look for safety, a place to hide or a weapon. This we will focus on also. Use of a chair, a coat, a broom stick, a bottle, or anything that can give you the the edge or create some form of equilibrium.
The second measure to the equation is dealing with the knife. In our keiko, for this to be real and proper, stabs and cuts will be whole hearted, committed strikes, packed with aggression and violence. Remember that we want to train as realistically as possible and thus we will probably be using head gear. Sewing machine like stabs, slash-stab combos and slash combos will be worked. Three types of principles will be worked. (1) If you are too late, minimal torso rotations to counter a tsuki (stab) and hold the knife at your abdomen area (2) if it is perceived, the pushing and driving back of the opponent (ala jumonji, hoko or SPEAR system). And (3), if we are somewhere half way and freak out, then getting our midsection out of the way and controlling and attacking the knife hand will be an option. This is a method seen in our Koto-ryu and something I recently saw Sifu Luke Holloway demonstrate on youtube.
My attitudes and opinions will change and evolve (as intelligence and understanding should) and I would like to you all to take this element of our keiko very seriously. Reflect, meditate and ponder as I feel it is something becoming more and more prevalent in our society and quite pertinent to our everyday well being.
Keizoku wa chikara nari (repetition builds strength)!!
Comments
It's the crackle sound it makes, and the knowledge that it's not a inert training tool, that gets your brain rattling around in a way that's very difficult to replicate, even with very dedicated (and rightfully scary) training partners working as your attackers.
If you get the chance to train with one, do it. We love it (although the older dog hates the sound, so we limit its use around her).
:-)