Today's training with a Wushu friend

[Ryu]

I have a good friend who learned Wushu, and northern Shaolin kung fu in Hong Kong. (you guys have some **** fast feet ;) )

We trained together today with a lot of sparring and drilling, just passing time away. Very fun!
To get my clinching good against kicks I put the gloves and stuff on him and let him come at me with his stuff. I could just clinch :D
(well I could jab a bit to set things up, etc)
I really like this way of "sparring" a move. I also did this with some ninjutsu type arm blasting. (punching the strike out of midair) Very hard to do constantly when you've got a gloved striker actually hitting you :D
But I pulled it off a couple times nicely.
Any of you guys train this way? Isolate a move, and spar it?
Seems to make my clinching and other techs more functional.

Anyway the day was great. :)

Take care,
Ryu

[Mr. Nemo]

"Any of you guys train this way? Isolate a move, and spar it?
Seems to make my clinching and other techs more functional."

This is one of my favorite ways to train. I always thought the way many schools train there's no "bridge" between drilling techniques and anything-goes sparring. In bagua, I used to pick a technique and try to do just that one, while not getting clocked in the process. When I box sometimes I'll pick one punch to concentrate on and try to set up.

[Merryprankster]

Of COURSE!

To me, its so obvious I don't even understand NOT doing something like that :)

[SanHeChuan]

I agree with Mr.Nemo

"I always thought the way many schools train there's no "bridge" between drilling techniques and anything-goes sparring"-Nemo

I want to see more drilling, sometimes you get these techniques in your forms, and they really take some drilling before you'd even think about using them in sparring let alone for real.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i figured all schools did that.

thought it was just part of technique work

[Kristoffer]

dito

[Jaguar Wong]

I don't "spar" that way, but I do try to "drill" that way. When I'm sparring, the most I'll isolate is a skill set, like bridging into the clinching range, and then try to control the fight in there (the other guy is trying to keep the fight at a longer punching, or a kicking range). I'll also do just punches against someone's full arsenal (not just one punch, just all hand/elbow strikes). I've never done a "just kicking" one, though. I just think the hands are way too important for me to slack on, becuase I need so much work at it.

We've also been working more on takedowns against strikes, but nothing more isolated than that, because we're including all takedowns like scissor legs, throws/trips, shots, etc...

If I'm drilling a technique, I try to get it to work against different types of attacks, but I control the opponent's options though (ok, try some kicks now). That way I know how to get the tech to work, in order to attempt it in sparring. But other than that, yeah, I think that's necessary, and to all those that are "confused" thinking that all schools do that...You know "all schools" don't do this. No need to defend the commercialized McKwoons. ;)

[KC Elbows]

I train that way. Lately I've been sparring some kickers(one TKD, the other Longfist) and I periodically train a specific defense against some kick scenario, and I try to use it in sparring until I start getting it right there. As an example, if I step in at a 45 degree angle, the kickers will usually try to sidekick me when I get there, but before I step 45 degrees again(straight into the opponent). So, I have been working on hooking that sidekick and then throwing the kicker. Haven't gotten to use it in sparring yet, but soon I will. What's nice is that the TKD guy says that steppin in 45 doesn't work, cause he can kick you, and he downs pa kua because of it. The longfist guy knows better, so I'm sure he'll have a response once the kick fails, but the TKD guy is so fixed on one view that I suspect that once that kick is hooked, his offensive strategy will fall apart.

[Ryu]

Heh heh, go get him, KC :)

Hey is paqua a striking art?? I was under the impression it was more like Tai Chi as in throws, pulls, etc.
But I'm kind of a loser when it comes to kung fu...LOL

Ryu

[KC Elbows]

I don't know on pi qua. My old sifu knew some, but I never studied it under him(studied longfist with him). From what little I've seen, your assessment sounds correct, though I'd say tai chi is also a striking art in its own way, but I'm no expert.

[Jaguar Wong]

KC, I don't know how good your TKD friend is, but from my experience, the guys that can talk about how good their side kick is, usually don't have the goods to back it up. I've had the wind knocked out of me by guys that doubt their side kicks, but more often than not, the guys that talk so highly of their side kicks tend to be the guys that think, just because the kick lands, it's 100% effective.

Try this. It's more of a quick double shuffling movement. You said when you move in a 45 degrees, he goes for the sidekick. But instead of planting at 45, just step in, and redirect the momentum of your step to shoot right into him. It's up to you whether you're body is prepared enough to take the kick, but chances are if you're rushing his kick, he'll get stuck, and unable to extend his leg for the full power. If you grab his foot and just shuffle right into him (a quick solid shuffle, no easy stepping stuff), he should really be caught off guard for a throw, or better yet a punch to the head (keep holding the foot with your rear hand, and just plant a solid jab to the face).

But, here's the major warning. Don't do this against a good kicker. If the guy is talking trash, but has the sidekick to back it up (you feel the power the second you finish your first step), then you're better off finding another way. If he's all talk, then this will wake him up a little (although you'll hear the crap about if he had kicked full force you would have blah blah blah...). I had a lot of faith in my sidekick until we upped the contact level. I was a smaller guy, and I found out the hard way that if someone floods your kick, you fall, if you don't know how to fire that kick right in. After weeks of falling on to barbells (we sparred in a garage), I decided to develop that short, sharp sidekick that I still use today for jamming and scoring good head/chest shots when they're open.

[KC Elbows]

Jaguar,
When I step in 45, it is exactly like you say, only stepping 45 to rush back in at the opponent. I know what you mean about jamming the kick by proximity, and I've been doing that a while, but I'm working on a defense for people who can kick with strength. At sparring speed, the TKD player doesn't yet realize that I can soak his power if I want to, but that aside, when I step 45, like clockwork these guys do the side kick, so I plan to take advantage of their habit. Then they'll change it or have a follow up, and I'll be forced to come up with more, and we all become better. Isn't brutalizing each other fun?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i would definately say that tiachi is a striking art. you take their ballance and then brutilize them.

[diego]

ohya you field! tested your grandultimate vs. the lesser centerline of various vermin,eh??.wtf