Full Contact No Armour Training

[Michael Miller]

Discuss...
http://vimeo.com/4688098

[Kentao5]

This is ultimite experience to say the least.  My only question would be why(?) and this is where training with protective equipment comes into play.  The protective equipment can let you train without regard for injury which I see when everyone is padded up and continues to smack each other only because of the padding.  Bottom line is when you are training, you have got to respect the hit.  The padding will allow you to train and continue training instead of recovering from injuries, but you have to respect the hit.

[Burton]

Yes, that was a very good experience for the two, but why risk serious injury in that manner? Interesting that the "stick fighting" part looked quite poor from our perspective. Then it was just Vale Tudo done by two white belts. (Nice armbar attempts, but no finishing strategy.)
  One note- when you use lighter sticks like they have in the video, the blows are not nearly as damaging as when you use a heavy stick. Keep that in mind for self-defense.

[paulism1101]

I have some experience with the Sayoc guys and let me say they are very serious about their training. Coming from an Inosanto background I wasn't very impressed with their stick work, BUT their knife material seems to be their diamond in the rough. It's very detailed, direct and to the point. They look at vital targets and really talk in great detail in why they do what they do. It might be the best knife stuff that I've seen, IMO it's better the inosanto blend or PTK. Although, no offence to BFK, I haven't had the opportunity to watch your knife material.

As for the video, I agree with everyone's statements above. The possibility of someone getting very hurt out ways the value in that type of experience. Although at some points it seemed like they were pulling their punches and stick strikes.

On an interesting note, a very High Level Sayoc Instructor is standing in the background watching them fight (spar?). I wonder if this wasn't a debate between two attendants that got tested out in the woods. Or perhaps some type of test.....

[Burton]

Regardless of style or system or methodology, the most important aspect of functional training is to try it out against a fully resisting opponent while maintaining some measure of safety.

[WanderingKnight]

I completely agree with Guro that style/system does not matter, any style/ system can form as a foundation- however the pillars on that foundation is realistic training (sparring with full resistance) with protection (starting with decent to prevent injuries to an extent depending on personal choice).It is the executioner behind the technique/ behavior/ expression or fight that matters.

Going along with the mood of the current thread I'd like to post a Stick-fight clip of Guro Felix Cortes from Sayoc.This fight is rich in solid techniques. Also interesting is Guro Felix's occasional two hand grip of the stick during the fight that enabled him to choose either one(hand) for the next strike. Great strategy must say.

In Respect to Guro and my fellow comrades.Hope you like it.

/WK

http://vimeo.com/18379667

[Burton]

Well, again, I think they need to do a lot more sparring. There were almost no set-ups, no leg strikes, poor accuracy. The hand switching was done very well and seamlessly. Watch our BK class and you will see some excellent tactics due to all the rounds of sparring done in every class.

[Jarlo Ilano]

I wonder if they agreed not to hit the head or legs, or this was very light sparring...

If it was "whatever goes", I would have gone for the leg!

[marcus]

you cant fake that , they are friends , somewhere they dont want to get hurt or to hurt there friends badly.

thats not something i find wise or smart personnaly

[James McRae]

I believe that functional sparring has to hurt without the possibility of really getting hurt.  In other words, there have to be painful consequences for bad technique/strategy, but injuries should only happen by accident, not as a necessary consequence of the training.  This stick sparring looks a bit like kyokushinkai karate sparring, in which they go 100%, but with limited targets (e.g., you can kick, but not punch, to the face).  It seems like they are only hitting to the hand/body with full-power; head shots seem to be either non-existent or pulled for safety.  I'd rather wear a 3W fencing mask and light gloves and be able to hit whatever I wanted with full power (with the knowledge that none of us would wind up in the ICU that evening).  

[WanderingKnight]

I admire the first line of your post James. Very well put sir.

[Burton]

True. Must have incentive to avoid shots without risking injury each time you spar. That is the ideal. That said, there is nothing that replaces the experience of going very hard when you know that a mistake will result in injury. Not for everyone and not mandatory, but quite enlightening.