sparring in unarmed/dagger combat

[JeffGentry]

Hello all

I am just wondering something's about sparring unarmed and against dagger, i have my own belief's on the subject and am just wondering how some other's do, now in general i can see doing technique's slow and then a little faster, i see picture's in manuel's and photo's in our manuel's and they look simple, then when we spar people just want to use the new technique and i am not a cooperative opponent so when they go down they get rattled and want to fight on the ground, i try to stress the importance of getting up from a take down as fast as you can, i believe these technique's rely on surprise and they do not alway's work in the initial clash and you have to use surprise and do someother thing's to distract your opponent, wrestling/ringen is reliant on surprise and speed, so when we sparr should we sparr doing only one or two technique's and that is it or just goto wrestling/ringen and try to learn how to defend ourselve's and look for the opening to use the technique's we know, i believe the more we just wrestle the more we will learn, and the stronger we will become, and the better at defending ourselve's we will be.

Jeff

[Casper Bradak]

Try all of the above. Wrestle, spar with daggers, sometimes spar working on only certain techniques with the dagger.
One drill I've done for demonstration/teaching purposes, since so many of the dagger techniques are, like you mentioned, reliant on suprise, and so much intent with the attack, is when we're about to do some repetitive technique practice with the daggers, I'll have someone do the attack against me with no resistance (using padded dagger wasters) and for example, thrust me in the chest with full intent several times.
On the third time or so, when they're getting their form down and really focusing on stabbing me, I execute the counter, and wow. It really demonstrates how it can work against an opponent intent on really sticking the blade into your body.
The technniques work so much better, people go flying, it's great.

[KatherineJohnson]

Now that's a cool idea. deffinitly gotta try that now.

[JeffGentry]

hey guy's

I like the idea of actualy wrestling hard and just learning what we can, along with working on technique and all the rest it just seem's not many are willing to do this like they think if you don't learn this or that technique it is of no use just wrestle, i consider just "free" wrestling to be like the press drill.

Jeff

[Casper Bradak]

Absolutely. The techniques had to come from somewhere. Free play at wrestling, wether you know any techniques or not, is what will teach you feeling, balance, leverage, spontanaity, timing, distance, and give you the strength and stamina to do it all. The list goes on.

[Jack Lynn]

An alternative to wrestling the man with the dagger is to kick him. I know alot of guys that adhere to one tactic or the other when dealing with SSPs (short, sharp and pointies).

[KatherineJohnson]

Kicking works pretty well for me, Generally I try and check their dagger with my left hand using the "first master of the dagger". Come in with a kick or a knee to the midsection or legs to close the distance and distract, and then counter stab with my own dagger.

[Shane Smith]

Jake and I had an interesting casual unarmed- versus -dagger bout at the International Event wherein I was unarmed against his dagger. I likewise was able to land a good kick or two to the pelvis/hip to hinder his momentum until I was able to close and punch into the solar plexus with my right while setting aside the thrust with my left as John made incredibly hilarious Bruce Lee sound effects off to the side <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" /> you had to be there I suppose but it still cracks me up to think about it <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[JeffGentry]

Hey guy's

Kicking works pretty well for me, Generally I try and check their dagger with my left hand using the "first master of the dagger". Come in with a kick or a knee to the midsection or legs to close the distance and distract, and then counter stab with my own dagger.

i have been known to step on toe's or knee's or anything i can to distract an opponent, alot of people get mad when you kick them.


Again if you wrestle alot, and learn the dagger technique's i think it will be easier, this is another thing that relies on surprise and speed for the technique's to work, one thing i have found is alot of time's people try to screw around and not realy commit to ther dagger attack's and practicing that way is pointless if it not a commited attack it is nearly impossible to catch there hand/elbow to gain control of there dagger and use any technique's, i know now when i attack with a dagger i am going for a total blade sink, the attacker has got to realy try to stab you though or it will be nearly impossible to actualy do the technique's, i had a bruise on my forearm for about a week and a half were Jaron blocked one of my dagger attack's.


Jeff

[JeffGentry]

hey Folk's

I found this drill, i think it was an article on realfighting.com, it looked interesting so we are going to try it.

Here it is:
Decide once your mind perceives the threat, and you have oriented yourself to it, your mind will then decide what to do. In any combat situation there are only three choices: fight, run away, or submit. What you decide to do will be determined by not only what you have observed, but other factors as well: your fear level, confidence level, fatigue, or whether you are injured or not. Some people when faced with danger become paralyzed with fear and just stand there doing nothing - this act would fall under submitting.

1. Have two fighters facing each other, both with their eyes closed. Move their positions slightly, still keeping their eyes closed. Upon the command, "Go!" both of them will open their eyes and begin sparring. This forces them to observe then orient, and it helps their scanning abilities.

2. Place a student (the trainee) in an empty room and have them close their eyes. Bring a few students (trainers) into the room while loud music is playing so the trainee cannot hear where they position themselves. Have one trainer run at the trainee, have another to the side with a rubber knife, and yet another who starts running away upon the command, "Go!" (This is also the command for the trainee to open their eyes. Such training will force the trainee to become faster at orienting.

The United States Marines have an expression called, "Violence of Action." It does not mean going around being violent. It means that whatever your action, whether right or wrong, you go into your combat plan with complete confidence, and with the mindset to carry it out to the very end - aggressively.

I'll let you know how it goes, if anyone else try's it let me know your thought's on it, i have seen similar drill's.

Jeff

[Casper Bradak]

That sounds pretty good actually. I may give that one a try.

[JeffGentry]

Hey Casper

Yea i have been cosidering something like this for awhile to develope overall awareness in a fight/battle scenario, this looked fairly simple and very adaptable to our purpose's.

Let me know what you think of it.

Jeff

[Mike Cartier]

we are going to implement some regular grappling practice and dagger figure into our curriculum this coming year. i think we will start with some basic wrestling drills, pummeling, sumo style push to snap down and swimming the hands to underhooks from the neck and elbow clinch. Throw in some ground striking and some simple chokes (guillotine etc)
The work in some takedown defenses to help defend against grappling. and throw in some reversals to help when you have already been grappled.

For dagger we will start with some basic block and counter strike drills to gain familiarity with a fast moving weapon.
We want to start wearing daggerds when we spar longsword so when we grapple we will have more options than grappling.

[JeffGentry]

Hey Mike

I have been thinking of getting some of the rubber knive's to use, i think that is a good idea to start wearing them when fencing longsword, i told Jaron when we go for our free scholar testing(which will not be for awhile in my case) i want you guy's to be scared of me rushing in to ringen am schwert, i realy like that aspect of this the ringen/am schwert realy fascinate's me.


Jeff

[Doug Marnick]

Directed to anyone who wishes to respond: How do you practice wrestling/unarmed techniques and still maintain the necessary safety?
Getting whacked with a padded sword will hurt and leave a bruise. Fine. A good throw or maneuver, IMO, has the greater potential to injure a limb. I know I can't afford to miss work because of a twisted knee or sprained ankle. I'm willing to take my shots as much as the next person but what limits do you set on unarmed sparring? I want to learn, study, practice grappling, but I am reluctant to take the risk of injuring myself or my opponent. The Practice page contains guidelines for sparring with weapons. Can anyone provide guidelines to safe unarmed sparring that is still effective and useful? Thanks and be well.