Formal kumite, takedowns and 'flurries'

What we did on Friday 17 August 2012

Formal kumite practise and analysis.

Intro study posture and balance.

Takedown, knockdown, throw, decking.

Flurries, including takedown.

Gross motor movement.

Result: Compromise sparring ongoing at a slow to steady pace without a break to develop relentlessness.

The so called ‘formal’ kumite or what maybe should be better called Yakasoku kumite (association of the hands by agreement) has been bugging me for a long time now.  I maybe shouldn’t be so pedantic in wishing for there not to be overlaps in our training procedures; it results from a wish for reduction and to cut the vast mass of material back all the time to a manageable amount – but without loss…

Tony made a very good job of introducing takedowns into Kata Channan, a number of which reproduced those in the second half of the formal kumite.  Ever since I have been less than happy with part two of the formal kumite,  because of the repetition.

So on this session I asked for a review of the formal kumite takedowns on balance with those shown or implied within Tsukami Waza and Kata Channan.  It must also be born in mind that every technique within every of our kata has, even if not shown, an implied take-down to conclude.  The results of this review cum analysis may take a few sessions to reveal themselves.

…and talking of grappling and tornado hand techniques, there is confusion about similar names.  You should note the following:

Tatsumaki:  Tornado

Tsukami:  to grip, to grapple

Tsumasaki:  tiptoe, tips of the toes

There is also confusion about the terms ‘takedown, knockdown, throwing and decking.

Takedowns refer to the act of receiving an attack and then purposefully depositing an opponent on the ground.  This can be any way, by means of joint locking techniques, a knockdown, by throwing, unbalancing etc.  In Shinseido these are all ‘takedowns’ or what I tend to call, by way of slang, ‘decking’.  The term takedown does not imply that you have to go to ground too, although you could as a subsequent ‘policing’ control.  My philosophy is simple; I like to wear pretty colourful shirts and have an aversion to dirtying my clothes.   I would not wish to soil my clothing by rolling around on the ground, or even kneeling upon what could be a dirty wet surface.  I prefer to remain on my feet and have the attacker lie on the ground, preferably in a state which disallows him resuming an attack.

I am very much in favour of continuing a counter sequence relentlessly until the attacker has capitulated or is incapacitated to such extent that he cannot continue the assault; that, after I have already taken all reasonable care to avoid and prevent such assault in the first place.  Many martial arts train in an automatic stop after one or two counter techniques that form part of a well rehearsed but short drill.  I have had a number of students who had difficulty in engendering an ongoing ‘flurry’ (of techniques) mindset as a result.  Members should practise identifying available kyusho (vital or vulnerable points) during the execution of such a sequence.

We also recognised that in a real assault situation our fine motor movement may be compromised.  This should always be borne in mind when practising counters and takedowns, especially those that result from some complex joint locking procedure.

We thought it a good idea to extend our wakai kumite (compromise sparring) to embrace relentlessness and takedown, nor as a finale to a long sequence of counters, but at anytime the opportunity avails itself.