A question

[martialarts4lyf]

Hi. I'm acttually in a Korean art, tae kwon do. But I took a escrima stick class and I LOVE them. Does anyone else do them? I would love to get all the information and training tips on them that I can. Then class are held only once every other month, so I do A LOT of practicing on my own. Thank a lot.

-Laura

Comments

[teajade]

Dear Laura,

I am fascinated by your entry and username. Good choice! ;-) Anyway. Yes, I have trained four days a week at the least for four years now. I also take private lessons as well. I train in Kemscrima-Doh. This is an art that combines Escrima, which is the first love of the Founder of Kemscrima-Doh (Sifu Glen Abrescy- who is Filipino), who combined it with Kenpo Karate and Kuntao. He did this way back when, to use the latter two as vehicles to bring Escrima into the public more, because, Escrima alone wasn't much heard of yet in the 70's when he began the first of his own schools. We train in these three arts separately, but Kenpo Karate and Kuntao can sometimes be blended as well as mixed with some other influences that he teaches us and brings in. But Escrima remains quite pure.

Sifu Glen Abrescy has a couple of schools in Texas, a few in Arizona, and more in California nowadays. I train at the school where he is, which is fortunate, but any of his schools, would be great to be a part of. There are many other schools that are at least affiliated in some way.

Interestingly, before I joined Kemscrima-Doh, which looking back was the best decision I've ever made in my life, I thought about joining Tae Kwon Do, because I seem naturally good with leg work. Luckily with the combination of all we do, there is still plenty of that! :-)

I wonder if there is anything/anyone located near to you, that you could take Escrima more often.

Well, if you have any questions, let me know. I'd be happy to chat. :-)
Good luck with everything, and have fun training.
Namaste.

[martialarts4lyf]

Hi. Thank you very much for writing me. :) I live in Virginia, near the DC area. I'm not sure if there are any schools in my area that teach the escrima or not. So I've been practicing on my own and taking the classes when ever they are held. It's actually kinda funny, I'm the only one at my dojo that loves them so much. :) I know a lot of the basics, but I wish I could learn more. I know heaven six, heaven and earth, and the one that looks like heaven six, but the strikes go to the legs. Then I also know three or four other combinations (bonkai sp?) and three basic blocks.

I read your intro on your lj. I thought it was beautifully written. I feel the same way about my art. It's changes my life in so many ways. I've had a rough past too, and tae kwon do has helped me is ways I didn't know it would. :)

Thank you again for your response. Take care and I hope to talk to you later! :)

-Laura

Escrima is a fun thing

[oldmandonner]

By what you are describing i'm going ot assume that your are learning the sinawali style. Fun choice. A good basic one that I htink helps to get your body ready for parrying is the 4 count. What system are you studying?

Re: Escrima is a fun thing

[martialarts4lyf]

I'm pretty sure that's what the style is. It's a whole lot of fun. :)I'm not too sure what the system is. I'm in a Korean art and my master instructor invited Master Penieta, the escrima instructor, to give a seminar. It had a good responce so he comes back about every other month. He actually coming this Saturday! :) I'll figure out what style it is.

Can you explain the four count to me? I probably know it, but because I need to do a lot of self-practicing I usually know the techniques but forget the names.

Thank you :)
Laura

Re: Escrima is a fun thing

[major_beefcake]

Sinewali is just a drill both arms to the right with right hand high, right hand downward NE to SW head strike, return to the same position on the left, then do a left hand strike to the mid section (still with the downward angle) and return so you are in the mirror image of your starting position, then do the same strike but this time they come from the left and return to the right. It's a nice drill and worth practicing.

The set you are refering to which is like heaven but attacks the legs is varying known as heck, hell or inferno.

As for schools in the DC area - I don't know any. There was a teacher in Baltimore (whose name escapes me, but he taught at Grandmaster LeeRoy Epperson's dojo).

Just as an incidental my first exposure to kali (essentially escrima) was from my first kempo instructor. My current chi lin kempo instructor is also an escrima instructor. But I have put escrima behind me as my knuckle joints just couldn't stand the damage and I used to have some issues sparring with live weapons - a bit too much adrenaline for me.

Re: Escrima is a fun thing

[martialarts4lyf]

Okay, I know sinewali. It's fun. I noticed a lot of the drills are a little hard to learn, but once you know them you can't forget them.

Ouch. I haven't gotten into sparring with them yet. Master Pilieta told me about how much damage your knuckles can take though.

Re: Escrima is a fun thing

[teajade]

It sounds like to me you are describing Single Sinawalis. Very good, too! As I was explaining, we learn several of these, the first being Singles, then Doubles which are three strikes on the right side, then the same on the left. The next is Double High, which is almost like Doubles except for the second hand is high instead of down. Then there is Inverted, which is extremely difficult to describe in writing as there are many different strikes on one side before repeating the same thing on the left side! Then there's Redonda, which is also "Butterfly" because done fast it looks like the wings of a butterfly!

Sifu Glen Abrescy, the founder of Kemscrima-Doh since the early 70's is Filipino whose first love is Escrima, but combined it with Kempo Karate(as well as Imua Kuntao) in his schools to give Escrima a vehicle, as he didn't think it would stand alone, being that it was barely heard of back then yet in the states.

It was a great idea really. We practice them all separately, but the Kuntao and Kempo Karate can be blended sometimes, as well as with some other influences.

I mention all of that because you said your first exposure to Kali/Escrima was from your Kempo Instructor. Interesting!

THe four count

[oldmandonner]

Allright the four count, to best describe this think of someoone standing directly in front of you. Now the four strikes are going for the head and knees.
Hold both of your ratans in front of you vertically like II.
You strike first with your right ratan, that is a shot to your opponents left side of their head
Strike two is a shot to their right knee and then return your ratan to the original starting position
Third strike is with your left ratan that is strike the your opponents right side of their head
Fourth strike is a shot to their left knee. Then return ot original position and start again.

The four count gets mofified later in by adding a twirl stick and a drop stick making in a very simple and effective sinawalli patern. I hope that helps

Re: THe four count

[martialarts4lyf]

Oh! I know that one. That was the first thing I learned. Then later you can add it a third technique right? After you the strike to the knee you do another strike that would look kind of like a back fiste if it were open hand. I hope you understand what I'm talking about. It's a new weapon for me and it's hard to me to explain. Thanks for the help! ;)

Don't mention it

[oldmandonner]

I think that you are takling about adding a flip hit inot hte mix. Have you learned how to do a windmill rodunda?

Re: Don't mention it

[martialarts4lyf]

Yeah, I think that's what it is.

I am learning the sinawali style. Stick class was SO much fun today I love it. We did all of our drills with partners today. I noticed it's easier to learn the drill with a partner. We did the four count when we kneal to one knee after the third strike, and as we come up we do the four one. Then we did the five count, then we combined them...we did a lot of stuff. :)

Yes, I'm pretty positive I know the windmill rodunda. I think you use one stick. You flick you're wrist striking to the crown, then a forward cirle striking to the crown, then you flick your wrist striking to the crown. Next you strike in front of you towards the opponent's knee bringing the stick to the other side of your body. Flick your wriste striking to the crown, forward circle striking to the cown, flick your wriste striking to the crown. Then I strike across to the knee like I did earlier (but the other side) and I'm back to starting point. Is that correct?

Re: Don't mention it

[teajade]

Yes it is sooooo much easier with a partner! I thought you might be doing Sinawali. That's so great! Last year, I got permission from both my principal and Sifu had me teach just the basic Sinawali drills to some 3rd and 4th graders who had to qualify to get into my after school "Intro to Martial Arts" class that I held at work, for eight weeks, once a week. This is ALL we did, but they LOVED it. I didn't even introduce the sticks until the last two classes. We did it all empty-handed. One of the main reasons is because the interest was soooo great and I didn't want to turn anyone away, and the area I had to use was small, and brand new no experience kids, with sticks???? Wasn't going to take that risk! ;-)

Hmmm, we actually do the redonda with two sticks and in a drill, it is just done to the other partner who is holding their sticks flat, but in application, it is used as both striking to various targets or as creating a massive shield in defense. But you may be learning it in either drill or application differently somehow. :-)

Re: Don't mention it

[martialarts4lyf]

It's much easier and more fun with a partner. :)

lol. Yeah, beginner inexperienced kids with sticks doesn't pain a good picture. :)

We did the rodonda without a partner. I'm not sure if there was a two stick version. He only taught it to us with one stick. It was a very basic class, and he didn't cover it in the more advanced class I just took.

Did you get blisters from practicing with the sticks? I am and I was wondering if anyone else did. :)

Re: Don't mention it

[teajade]

Yeah, redonda doesn't really need a partner for the technique. But a stationary object is good to contact your sticks with, at least, but mid-air works, too when you're first learning. But we have only ever done this with two sticks, so I don't know about a one stick version. Oh and I did ask Sifu about terminology. See, he is from "old school" back when he was little and trained by his Filipino uncles who lived in the Philippines. Original traditional Escrima didn't have or need names or numbers... to be marketable in the instructor dojo type setting though, they had to adopt some.

Anyway, the Heaven Six and all of that is indeed Sinawalis. He recognized that, and explained all of what I just mentioned above.

I don't remember if I blistered from sticks to be honest, but... I certainly did from my Sais!

Re: Don't mention it

[martialarts4lyf]

Is your redonda pretty much the same in movements though?

Maybe I just have sensitive hands. heh heh. They'll get use to it after I while I guess.

You know sais too?! I love those. I want to learn those sooo bad. :)

Re: Don't mention it

[teajade]

Is your redonda pretty much the same in movements though?

I am assuming it would be, at least the same concept.

It's a little difficult to picture how you are doing your redonda, but with one stick, I am imagining that the other hand is "active" at least?

I can see how at first the hands are definitely sensitive. I may have gotten blisters, maybe betweem the thumb and first finger- which is definitely where I got them from the sais. The palms of my hands are already a little caloused from weights.

I do know sais, too. I really got into them after I got a pair of my own from a friend for xmas a few years ago. When I tested for black belt I did a kata with them. They are not the easiest weapons to manipulate!
:-)