Catching-Up !

Ahhh. I typed in my name for this place on google search to see what came up. And someone had noted it. So ... this jogged me back into action here again. Thanks Dojo Rat !

I have been meaning to put up progress on here and talk about things. It gets a bit demoralising when no one replys to my messages here #but# if its being read by at least one person who goes off and ponders then its worth it. Also if it helps me reflect on ideas then this needs to be kept up.

OK. Whats new. I have been looking at footwork on the Kali / Silat side of things. Wing Chun does seem to have a paucity of official footwork so I have always been wanting to check up on the Silat side of things.

What I have been doing is stepping on a 'V' shape - first one side then the other. This gets me to the outside gate. In a way this IS what the 116 movements does in the form it makes you move from centre to flank, back to center to flank .... in a 'V' shape if you like. BUT here the 'V' Kali does just go to the edge 1st of all - not just if the center is blocked.

Also I have been stepping in on the male triangle ... imagine a pyramid pointing forwards. I have been stepping forward to the point away from me with a circle step [like in the form that goes to the leg sweep in the 116 movements.]. The legs meet at the peak of the triangle and I sweep one foot back to the corner of the base. The sweep is called a biset - it drags back to base.

I tried to make a short video of myself using the dummy for a test. The dummy had no leg on and I was just seeing what it would look like. I was really hitting the dummy hard and wacking it - showing off if you like - and on the video you cant pick this up at all really ! I have more respect now for the videos I see on places like youtube. I bet these guys do really have some force in there that doesn't come across on that medium.

Using the dummy without the leg plugged in is very useful. I have reconfirmed this after watching Jospeh Simonet's slam set tape I have. It lets you do things that are prohibited by the 'official' form or space wise - like stand toe to toe and 'pummel' like grapplers for underhook.

I will post some pics here of other training things I have done or attempted and gave up!