Thursday, July 7, 2011

gotten either email nor Round 46!

I have not watched the DVD but I listened to the music...so far, it's not settling well with me but maybe when I learn the choreo it will make it all better. It does seem like R45 just came out and my classes are still enjoying that round a lot. Read the comments about not getting the email about being charged for 46. Hmmm...wonder what's going on at the corporate level.

I taught Round 46 yesterday and my class Loved it! The choreography goes great with the music and the turbo is fun!!!

Did you (and others) get an email about being charged and it being shipped? Just wondering since I haven't gotten either email nor Round 46! (But did get my credit card charged of course ;)
Can't wait to see the round...

I didn't get any emails, but my card did get charged. My card gets charged later than some. So I called PBP and they said yes it did ship, as to why there was no email who knows. A few rounds ago I never received an email saying it shipped but got the round in the mail. I'll be checking the mailbox Tues

Mine came in the mail today! That was a unexpected surprise! Yaya!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

After Action Report on Bartitsu Classes This Weekend

I taught four Bartitsu oriented classes this weekend at the Midway Village History Museum's Chatauqua in Rockford, IL I taught a pugilism and a Bartitsu class on both Saturday and Sunday. The Bartitsu class was based mostly on Vigny's walking stick system.


I was happy to get student's from the crowd for all of the classes. I had children participating in three out of four of the classes, I have never taught six and nine year old girls pugilism before :-{)



The Curator of Education was pleased enough with the response to suggest we would be invited back next year. I am hoping we can set up an area of our own so we can talk to folks about historical martial arts and physical culture between the classes.



I also want to thank my friends and students Michael Pennock and Antina Richards-Pennock for helping with the classes and of course the president of Gallowglass Academy, and my wife, Andrea for taking photos. We will post the photos as soon as we get them out of the camera

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Blades And Brawling

Looked at some basic savate kicks & how they can be used to gain, create, or maintain range in a neo-Bartitsu context - Chasse Frontal, Chasse Lateral, Coup de pied Bas, and Fouette. Then we looked at how to crash range past these kicks and what some options are after closing. Especially enjoyed the throws/sweeps after crashing/capturing a Fouette. Then cane defense against knife, cane defense against cane and knife combo, then cane and knife vs cane and knife.

Could I bother you for the details on the cane work? Specifically the cane vs. knife?

Basic stuff. Cane-in-one-hand: 


1) Traditional weapon presentation: strike at the hand/knife, head, ribs

2) Folsome/Mediterranean: strike at head.
3) Use distance maintaining/creating techniques such as push-kick & thrust w/ cane


Cane-in-two-hands:  Variation of a spanish style James Loriega teaches mixed with some Fairbairn. Cane to front, bars attacks with sweping movements. Backhanded "flick" attacks. Full-moulinet horizontal forehand strikes which rechamber in the off hand while the primary hand (right, f.i.) releases and the hands switch roles with the new primary hand (left, f.i.) which throws another full mulinet forehand. Reverse chamber bayonet strikes, etc.


 "Sword" grip? (hammer or sabre?) "Traditional" meaning saber or hammer-fist presentation (not ice-pick) with weapon hand leading.


Strike mechanics? In this one, chambered from a high position, bata or a high FMA position.



Grip reference "Folsome"? This is an empty hand lead, knife hand held back position. Among other things, it is very useful for when you are concerned that someone might try to grab or otherwise attack your knife hand/limb. If your knife hand is your right, then you adopt a boxers style, left leg/hand forward stance and hold the knife in the reserve position.


Grip/guard details? I need to get some time under James Loriega some day. This is similar to Glen Doyle's irish stick system. The cane is held horizontally in front of you with your knuckles up, palm down. IMS, Walker shows something similar as well, though I think his version holds the stick high above the head.

Reverse chamber? It's a crappy term that I just invented on the fly. It does an absolutely atrocious job of describing what I mean. From the above referenced horizontal stick position, both hands gripping at equal quarters, palms down, turn side-wise to your target an thrust with either end of the cane. It's like a short jab bayonet thrust except that instead of the thumbs of both hands pointing the same direction with one palm up and the other down, both thumbs now face each other and both palms are down.

OK, I just double checked Walker and I guess it wasn't him but darned if I can remember who. You gotta clue or have I just taken one too many sticks to the head? Longhurst? Are you thinking of Cunnigham? He has a "double guard"- a two-handed grip with both hands pronated, holding the cane at about 3rds. Thanks for the extra details. A lot of what you were doing lines up, more or less, with my take on Cunningham.

Bingo. He was describing some elements of the Vigny system. Similar. But I was actually thinking about Longhurst's description of part of Vigny's system: "but it is not necessary to use the weapon with the skill of M. Pierre Vigny to discomfit a chance assailant. To use a stick as he does requires long training and assiduous practice. It is impossible to convey on paper any idea of the marvelous system of strokes and parries this master has evolved. Against one skilled in his system half a dozen assailants would be powerless, so irrepressibly effective is the use he teaches of an ordinary thick Malacca cane.


Standing on guard with the feet in a line, he grasps his stick with a hand at either end, his arms being held above his head. Whether the blow will come from the right or left depends altogether upon the attack he intends."