Ernie - helmets.

[Mr Punch]

Cheers for the vids on your site Ernie, interesting stuff.

One quick and not too technical question: why the motorbike helmets?!

[Ernie]

Cheers for the vids on your site Ernie, interesting stuff.

One quick and not too technical question: why the motorbike helmets?!

So you can really hit all out and get the feel of a body crumbling , as well as tracking maintaining balance , distance , under that level of out put ,

funny thing is alot of guys are real good at low to medium levels but once they have to hit like the would for real the get all clunky

so we just use it to get past that point , after you learn it's no big deal , you relax and focus your power and shots better ,

that's still one sided ,

later the guy with the helmet gets to defend himself and you have to set up your entry

and once you open that door it's go time no holding back !

just doing sets of this over and over to gain control of your emotions , plus wearing the helmet is a hell of a ride !

-- also when you just spar , there is always a little voice inside that causes you to regulate your out put , be it for not wanting to wreck your sparring partners , or conserving energy for rounds

this way i can remove that little voice , since when you get into a street fight you have no time for doubt , have to channel the fear ,

well anyway glad you took the time to check it out

[Jeff Bussey]

Hey Ernie,
What you said is so true.
When we do static drills in class, everyone can hit fairly well.
In fact, if someone has their hands down and you nail them in the chest (wearing protection) you can hit pretty hard. Ask them to put their hands up (in a static drill) and alot of people lose part of the power from their punch.
Now make the drill dynamic and alot of people seem to fall apart.

I think the main reason for that is that they don't relax and feel like they have something to prove. Causing them to tense up, making their bridge too stiff, they become unbalanced, no punching power ..... blah blah blah

Just felt like rambling on a nice Friday afternoon that's partially cloudy and 11 degrees Celsius. Thank god summer's here
Remember I'm in Canada.

J

[Ernie]

Hey Ernie,
What you said is so true.
When we do static drills in class, everyone can hit fairly well.
In fact, if someone has their hands down and you nail them in the chest (wearing protection) you can hit pretty hard. Ask them to put their hands up (in a static drill) and alot of people lose part of the power from their punch.
Now make the drill dynamic and alot of people seem to fall apart.

I think the main reason for that is that they don't relax and feel like they have something to prove. Causing them to tense up, making their bridge too stiff, they become unbalanced, no punching power ..... blah blah blah

Just felt like rambling on a nice Friday afternoon that's partially cloudy and 11 degrees Celsius. Thank god summer's here
Remember I'm in Canada.

J

Jeff,
Ramble away my brother

But you’re being honest and speaking on a common problem in wing Chun and most TMA

I’m not even going into the whole sparring speech here, that's no for every one

But the reality is the problems that come from hitting a moving target, and hitting a moving target that can hit you back

I find people that are really good in the ''drills or chi sau'' world go to $hit when distance and motion come to play for a few simple reason
1. Its forieghn teriitiory for them, this makes them uncomfortable
2. They ego tells them there good since they kick a$$ in chi sau, so the expect to be good [self expectations] at every thing and then there not they get frustrated and just rush in and get emotional or desperate to reach there [happy place] this creates tension and mistakes

These are great problems to solve if you recognize them and are honest with yourself, let the ego go nothing to prove, but allot to learn from experiencing different things

Creating environments that address not only the technical but the emotional and mental hic ups we all suffer is a proven way to get past these sticky points

In this case I used helmets and multiple attackers to increase the stress overload
Nothing pretty or nice and neat, and half the guys were not even wing Chun dudes, I like to mix people up from all walks

But this is just one way that I might do every few months to give the guys a barometer to feel there growth

so when they go back to what ever school or style the practice they can isolate and work on there kinks

Each in there own individual way: D

you can isolate elements of a fight and never have to ''spar tit for tat '' if that is not your game , the emotional sign wave of a street fight is not the same as a sparring match

though for some they can use a sparring match as a place to work this mindset ,

but for others it doesn't interest them but they still want to work aspects of it

find what works for you and share it we can all learn

[Mr Punch]

Ernie mate, I know why you use helmets! Same as anyone else who trains full-on...

I was wondering specifically if motorbike helmets have any advantages over boxing helmets, MMA helmets, kendo helmets, ancient Greek helmets or First World War spikey kaiser helmets!? I like helmets with as little bulk and as much visibility as possible, but esp the bulk thing. Funnily enough, I have actually trained (once) and been in a situation with a motorbike helmet (once), and have play-fought my karateka biker mate when he wears his (many times) and I hated being on the receiving end... so much more leverage for the attacker.

Or, do you just use them because they're cheaper... you steal them of the bikers you've crunched beneath you... or what?

[Ernie]

Ernie mate, I know why you use helmets! Same as anyone else who trains full-on...

I was wondering specifically if motorbike helmets have any advantages over boxing helmets, MMA helmets, kendo helmets, ancient Greek helmets or First World War spikey kaiser helmets!? I like helmets with as little bulk and as much visibility as possible, but esp the bulk thing. Funnily enough, I have actually trained (once) and been in a situation with a motorbike helmet (once), and have play-fought my karateka biker mate when he wears his (many times) and I hated being on the receiving end... so much more leverage for the attacker.

Or, do you just use them because they're cheaper... you steal them of the bikers you've crunched beneath you... or what?

Mat ,
there made to protect your melon from cement when you fall off a bike , so they can take the pressure of full power shots ,elbows and head butts
i have soft and metal caged gear i use as well , on the clip were i tan da a dude and lop da , he was wearing one for a trial run and it smashed into his face , no way i could blast with any real power ,

even with the motorcylce helmet i have to limit it to 30 sec rounds , guys get all dizzy and sick , if i go longer and this goes on for alot of rounds

if there just sparring light to medium soft gear or i prefer no head gear is best , but that day we were working on isolating just the power stuff

in a few months as people progress i will post more stuff but i'm not into rushing guys , this might get them hurt and that's not my goal

as for my helmet hook up , one of the guys races motorcycles and has a few helmets we can break

[Mr Punch]

Cheers Ernie, that answers my question.

even with the motorcylce helmet i have to limit it to 30 sec rounds , guys get all dizzy and sick , if i go longer and this goes on for alot of rounds

I hear that! Should try kendo in 40 degs, 85% humidity! All that screaming till the lungs you've coughed up are hanging off the inside of your mask and you just gotta have a rest... and then there's the remaining hour-and-a-half of the lesson!... and they don't protect the top of your head from anything! Should ask my sensei if I can try a motorbike helmet for that too!

[Ernie]

Cheers Ernie, that answers my question.

I hear that! Should try kendo in 40 degs, 85% humidity! All that screaming till the lungs you've coughed up are hanging off the inside of your mask and you just gotta have a rest... and then there's the remaining hour-and-a-half of the lesson!... and they don't protect the top of your head from anything! Should ask my sensei if I can try a motorbike helmet for that too!

Ha Ha , man my boys are trying to get me in the full stick fighting armour , in hot Cali weather
i'll wait till i need to loss a few pound in the summer