ComTech Stickwork Concepts

I attended this seminar yesterday at GMac TaeKwon Do in Livingston. Mark opened the seminar by explaining that the stick was simply a training tool in the Philippines and truly represented the sword. The purpose of the seminar was not for us to become stick fighters but was to learn how to effectively utilise an impact weapon in a self defence environment, how to successfully defend against an impact weapon and to build attributes.

We covered the 12 universal lines of attack and then went on to work on a mirror drill with a partner. We and then focussed on different ways we could strike with the stick, mainly the witik which is a whipping snapping motion or the lobtik which is a follow through. Think about a witik being like a jab which seeks bone and a lobtik being a cutting motion. Remember that the sticks represent a sword.

Mark took us through various drills which got us used to our opening and closing motions and logical counters. We then went on to learn our basic 6 count sumbrada. We then went on to look at double stick and went through heaven six, heaven and earth and earth six. Mark explained the need for training with double sticks in terms of attribute building. Its not because we are ever going to be using two sticks in a conflict it’s because it allows us to train both our strong and weak side and super charge our skills. As a result of using double sticks your sparring becomes better, your timing is improved, your locking is easier on your non-dominant side and your self defence greatly improves. As far as I can see it’s a winner. Whenever anyone trains in regular self defence and trains with the sticks you can see their skills develop far quicker than people who don’t. I can see this from training guys in Tactical Edge with sticks and then the guys who only come to Krav Maga. You can see it more in the body movement and being able to utilise angles that are not readily available to people who only train in empty hand.

We finished off the day by working on various combat sets with the stick and then Mark demonstrated everything we had done during the day with a variety of weapons against the stick attacks we had covered . Mark used a metal water bottle, a mug and also empty hands. The movements all remained the same so we wouldn’t have to mentally change gears during combat. It’s a brain buster doing the double sticks but you come away with plenty of drills to work with in class and its all conceptual. From a 6 hour seminar you can come away with months worth of skill building drills. As an instructor you can come away with weeks worth of classes. Again, with all the Tactical Edge and Comtech work you are only bound by your own thinking. Thank you to John for hosting the seminar. If you are based through in Livingston then be sure to check out http://www.livingstontkd.com/ It’s a wonderful facility with an excellent curriculum. All in all a fantastic days training.