Back in the day in Leo's basement.... If someone had a question about a technique Leo would get up and show you how to execute it. it would usually leave no doubt in your mind of the effectiveness of the technique. Sometimes after practice some of the senior graduates/instructors who would hang out in the basement after Leo would leave.. would be working on techniques from the class or other things they may have learned elsewhere. Of course arguments would arise on wether it would work at full speed under pressure. Who come to mind are Guros Dave Paer & Rot Atay...if they disagreed one of them would say " Lets put on the pads and see" so they would pad up and the argument would be settled after a few skimishes.
This would happen many times back in the day... it was their way to test theories, concepts and techniques. It is still the way that Bahalanamulti-style comfirms anything may have a question on.
i bring this up because i spoke to a graduate/certified guro last night. who was assiting a master in a seminar in Spain.He questioned the master of his system... why every time he does a certain technique that he gets hurt.
The master than shows him again.. in slow motion how to execute the technique. Of course it works. The guro than does it at full speed and the master is unable to perform the technique under pressure...in short the master got upset and did not work out with the guro for the rest of the seminar and talked bad about the guro to the other participants.
if this was in the basement back in the day..... they would have just put the pads on and lets see.
I am not one to say what one can or can not do, rather I am an avocate of what one can make work and stay alive in real combat......this will vary with each person based on body/perception of given events
It's not a block? Then what is it? A preemptive strike to the opponent's hand as he swings downward? Same motion, right? Same vulnerability to having the hand smashed. If wielding a bladed weapon and applying it, yes, it is effective. With a stick, not as much.
it is but a moment in time on the way to another strike, useing anything like an acual block is playing a power game so the littler one will always loose, think of it more like a deflection with forward pressure and not so "right angled"..........or not which ever works best for you
It would be great if you can post video of using it in a free flow sparring match...full force without your opponent telling you "this is the strike I'm coming at you with".
Sonny- eventually I will get down there to stockton and we can get together and go over some stuff if you like, to be truthfull forums to me can get combersome.........I'm sure some a much more skilled with words than myself. I spend most of my time either in private training with GM Latosa, SiFu Boztepe, or teaching.........my strength lays in the teaching in person as opposed to via computer ;-)
I'm not in Stockton either but definitely need to make that trip myself to meet up with GM Dentoy (my privates are in SLD w/ his nephew, Jesse, here in LA). Guros Carlito and Ron promised me a bbq when I get there so that would be a great opportunity if we can all get together and show what we're discussing in this thread in application. You know those Filipino BBQ's where a bunch of FMA enthusiasts always make it an impromptu seminar. hehe
thought you where in stockton for some reason, I'll be in LA Oct 8-11 or 12 PM your digits and we'll see if we can't put some time together.........I'll bring my nerf bats so we can workout without a bunch of cumbersome body armor ;-)
it's Terry Joven that is in stockton I think.........need to get down there to meet him as well, spoke with him on the phone really nice fella
As to the particular individual not being able to effectively utilize a particular principle/concept/movement, the weakness usually lies with the individual not the aforementioned principle, etc. At the same time, if someone is going to teach a particular method they better be able to back up what they preach.
Anyone that follows the FMA should have seen the dozens of video clips showing the 'umbrella/roof' block used in full force testings and competitions.
Personally, I hold no stock in the espousing of individual's that lack the understanding, training, or ability to employ the methodology/teachings of FMA.
Remember that it was once believed that it was humanly impossible to run a 4 minute mile. As soon as it was broken (and others understood that it could be done), others broke the 4 minute mile as well. Now there are high school students that can achieve the feat. The largest barrier to achieving something is believing it can not be done...
Without video to demonstrate where the supposed weakness lies in say the roof block like this instance it's really wordy and laborious to have a detailed discussion about it. Mostly because we are not all skilled writers who can describe things with words with a high degree of skill. However I think if there is a true point to be made it doesn't take that much to make it clear. I would like to see video of the supposed failure the highly regarded russian spaznatz expert found. I think after almost a millenium of development since the infusion of Spanish fencing into the indigenous arts of the PI and Indonesian fighting arts someone would've figured this out sooner. If you can't make a roof block work there's not much hope for your FMA or MA career.
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