| I wanted to get this message out to practitioners of | | | | both sticks in a display that would almost equal a little |
| stick fighting concerning the reality of combat in | | | | baton twirling girl's abilities. |
| general but I will use the example of what I call | | | | I can see your face right now. How dare you compare |
| Combat Cane Fighting to make my point. | | | | the swift twirling propeller-like motions that we can do |
| A few years back my very close friend and colleague | | | | with our sticks with that of a baton twirler! I am not |
| won a very high level full contact stick fighting | | | | saying that a baton twirler can stick fight. I am only |
| championship. (I have not gotten his permission to give | | | | saying that it takes so much time to learn to twirl the |
| his name at this time). What was of primary interest to | | | | baton or the sticks that your best development of |
| me is this: He was fully capable of performing all sorts | | | | internal qualities gets lost. There is only so much good |
| of fantastic choreography (forms) with double kali | | | | that a kata can bring a person. |
| sticks. He is a master martial artist with decades of | | | | I was at a Fu Jow Pai tournament many years ago in |
| experience in a number of arts. He trained personally | | | | Manhattan. It was a full contact match. During the |
| with world renowned masters. His description of what | | | | intermission a man gave a beautiful display of the |
| it took to win after hours of grueling competition of full | | | | spear. He basically was a spear twirler. My good friend |
| contact stick fighting was this: | | | | said to me something like "Wow look at that spear |
| "I basically was able to strike with one stick over and | | | | move!" I instantly said without thinking that the spear |
| over again like an animal and through sheer adrenaline | | | | which is made of bamboo would shatter if I stuck my |
| and stamina won. Not one fancy technique helped | | | | hand out and hit the shaft. Five seconds later the |
| anyone to win." | | | | spear hit the back curtain and shattered. I think that this |
| Let's look at this more closely. | | | | was not lost on my friend. |
| In a real life and death frenzy-filled fight there is no real | | | | The reality of self defense using a stick dictates that |
| time for calculated moves. Sometimes, as a police | | | | you use the heaviest, strongest material possible that |
| officer, there is some time to plan because most of | | | | that can do the most damage while being easily and |
| the time you are called to respond to whatever crisis | | | | quickly wielded. This obviates many lighter materials |
| is happening. This is where some planning can be of | | | | commonly used in various martial arts in favor of |
| importance. Once the monkey gets caught in the | | | | dense woods and steel (such as you would find in a |
| blender all bets, however, are off. We are primarily | | | | specially made walking cane--which is also legal to |
| concerned with what happens at the point of impact, | | | | carry). |
| so to speak. | | | | Training with such a stick to adapt to the inherent |
| All the preamble that leads to the split second high | | | | chaos of real violence dictates a non-regimented |
| speed contact of the fight is not as important as | | | | training methodology focused on laws of physics and |
| having built within you the highest degree of survival | | | | adaptability over patterned techniques. |
| attributes. Balance, timing, sensitivity, pre-cortical visual | | | | Imagine jumping from one wobble board to another |
| ability, to name a few. | | | | placed haphazardly and simultaneously Drop-striking full |
| It would seem to make sense that the best way to | | | | force against pads moving all over the place. This is an |
| develop skill as a fighter is to mimic what has been | | | | example of what is needed to develop real life fight |
| reported to happen in some actual altercations. This is | | | | preparation. Now imagine doing it in dark conditions. |
| a step in the right direction. Now imagine how things | | | | Now imagine someone pushing you off balance while |
| would change if you trained with some scenario based | | | | you move from one board to another gradually picking |
| concepts and were able to tap into a reservoir of | | | | up the pace and mixing the attacks from one place to |
| abilities that most people don't ever develop. I know | | | | another without warning. This is step one in the |
| some development happens just by acting out | | | | dynamic training methodology for stick fighting. This is |
| scenarios but imagine if you developed balance that a | | | | all after first learning how to hit in general. |
| ballet master would be envious of. Now as you step in | | | | This is what Guided Chaos training is all about. No |
| and out of range of a stick or other weapon you | | | | memorization, just movement and drills to enhance |
| would have enhanced your ability to move in paths at | | | | your abilities to train like the above method describes. |
| a higher rate of speed with more power. So if you just | | | | Start slooowwwly and develop speed gradually |
| played Punch and Judy games with your sticks you | | | | without memorized forms. |
| would fare better for a real fight than if you twirled | | | | |