Add a Layer, Subtract a Layer

Today during the daytime class, we played with sticks. Specifically, we worked on some strategies to deal with when your partner has a stick and you don’t.

The simple answer is: don’t get hit and either get way OUT of range or don’t get hit and get into clinch range. Either of these options nullifies the advantage of the stick (extended reach).

We assumed, for the purposes of class today, that getting out of range was not a viable option. So we went through a long series of steps to try and figure out how to bridge the gap without getting hit. Our attempt went like this:

Step 1: stand still and breathe.
Step 2: move feet.
Step 3: continually move towards then away from partner.
Step 4: utilize the hands defensively (block or frame)
Step 5: utilize body motion defensively (duck, bend, etc)
Step 6: utilize feet defensively (use kicks of low attacks)
Step 7: clinch (negate the range advantage of the stick)
Step 8: strike offensively
Step 9: take the weapon away

This was a layering process. We spent about 5 minutes in each layer so that students could hopefully absorb each new piece before adding more. To finish class, just for fun (and to play with stick range at full speed), the students did some free for all stick sparring.