Stick in right hand, knife in left hand. The knife is held at heart height against the chest with the blade pointing forward. The stick is chambered on the left shoulder.
The 4-count combo flow was – 1: backhand angle #2 (stick) 2: high stab and step with the left leg (knife). The stick is chambered under the left arm as the high stab is delivered. 3: backhand angle #2 (stick) as the knife cycles to the right upper arm as you 4: stab with a backhand on the high line to the head.
Drilling the 4-count in the mirror then with a partner, mirroring the flow. The sticks make contact on both attacks, the first knife stab, because you have taken a slight right step before the left one, you are both out of the stabbing line. On the reverse backhand stab, you stop each other at the forearms by hitting his stab with the forearm. Him to you also
Next, different striking families were inserted for a 3-count followed by the 4-count combo flow. For all of the striking families, we had to consider our range and ensure we were not flat sticking. Rather, we needed to hit with the last 4 inches of the stick.
1: 3 count (angle #1, #2, #1) forehand-backhand-forehand then into the 4-count flow.
2: 3 count upward forehand-backhand-forehand then into the 4-count flow.
3: 3 count abanico backhand-forehand-backhand on the high line before inserting the 4-count flow
4: angle #1 forehand-roof and extend knife hand forward-angle #1 forehand then into the 4 count flow.
For the rest of the session we worked on counters to the angle#1 stick attack followed by a straight stab to the abdomen.
Against #1 stick attack, zone off to the right as you parry with the stick and ‘check’ with the knife to his stick hand followed by an angle #4 with your stick across his abdomen. The idea was to parry and check then sweep with the stick, with little to no time in between the 2 motions. My own time gap was way too long, as if 2 separate motions and not one smooth one. Yet.
As above with the initial stick attack but then he added the stab to the abdomen. Zone off to the outside and put the stick (tip up) to the back of the hand and finish with the 4-count flow practised earlier in class.
As above but the attack comes quicker so you must counter on the inside by zoning to the left, either with the stick then knife, or knife then stick as the parry and check. Pass the knife hand and get to the outside and add the 4-count flow.
Adding strips and disarms after the abdomen stab. Using the thumb to clasp his wrist whilst having the added pressure of your knife acting as a painful fulcrum on his wrist to the disarm or strip.
This was my first time doing stick and knife and I found it both fun and incredibly taxing. Working bilateral motions for the whole night made me realise that I don’t have a left arm or that my feet can’t yet work independently of the rest of the body. Recently, Paul McCarthy of Cognitive Kali gave a talk about the positive effects of bilateral movements (such as kali) are remarkably good for the brain in terms of its function and health.
In addition, Steve talked about the defender not waiting for the attacks. In the section of the class where we would feed with stick then knife attack, the onus was on the defender to work as there would not be time to respond to a given attack. Tonight, I died many times because I was either waiting for an attack to respond to, not moving quicker enough or not zoning enough. Understanding that the first time you do any new skill, you are likely to be horrible at it, for that it the point. If we were all polished after 5 minutes, then what is the point of learning? The development, improvement and refinement of skills and movement is what the beauty of this journey is about.
