Blauer's SPEAR system and XY/BGZ entries

[TrainingDummy]

Hi all, this is my first post, please don't flame the newby.

I've noticed a superficial resemblance between the spearing palm entries of of BGZ, xingyi's pichuan, and Tony Blauer's SPEAR RBCT system.

I'm keen to explore drills that embed this strategy faster than what I'm currently doing, which is static 2 man drills that progress into free sparring.

My current issue is that I tend to over commit the lunge which leaves me open to takedowns and/or my partner simply stepping around the entry. I've recently replaced it with a western boxing jab with much better results, but I can't help but feel that I'm missing something.

If anyone else has gone down this direction, I'd much appreciate your input and advice on the relevance of Blauer's SPEAR training and it's crossover with IMA.

Thanks,
Dummy.

[BruceP]

Maybe talk to Tony first.

[DeusTrismegistus]

Do you have a video of the lunge you are talking about?

In general when you move forward to enter/attack and you become "overcommitted" or vulnerable to throws it is because your center of gravity is too far over your front foot. More than likely the reason you have more success with a jab is jabs are supposed to be more of a feeler/setup move. So you don't move forward as much when jabbing as when doing the spearing palm stuff.

Slow down the entry until you can keep your balance better then practice it there awhile before speeding it back up.

[TrainingDummy]

Maybe talk to Tony first.

As far as I know Tony doesn't do IMA. I'm interested in making my BGZ work better in sparring, and particularly wondering whether the drill progression in SPEAR was a better progression than the BGZ that I've previously been exposed to.

I'm more interested in the opinion of someone who has checked out both and has something to say about it.

Thanks,
Dummy

[JAB]

Why not train with someone who can actually just use their shit? If you have to piece meal.... that is a big red flag IMO. If you are not getting the results you desire you need to take a look at:
-your training
-your teacher
-yourself

Cheers
Jake

[mixjourneyman]

Why not: it takes a little while to learn (in your body) how to use IMA skills. Just practice, evaluate, apply it, re evaluate, and practice some more. Eventually you will start being able to use the skills. OTOH, JAB has a valuable point. You may not be getting instruction that is up to standard. Certainly something to think about.

[TrainingDummy]

Why not train with someone who can actually just use their shit? If you have to piece meal.... that is a big red flag IMO. If you are not getting the results you desire you need to take a look at:
-your training
-your teacher
-yourself

My teacher, friend, and training partner, Walk the Torque, can use his shit just fine. It's when I use his shit on him, it don't work so well. His alignments are superior to mine, so I can't contest an extended arm angle at the trapping range. I'm currently using a JuJitsu-ish game of using boxing/savate to enter and take-down, where my ground game (roughly equivalent to a blue belt BJJ) is superior to his.

But that wasn't my question.... My question is concerning BGZ and whether Blauer's system has any cross-overs. I like his system, we all know it's good stuff in the RBCT area. But are his DVD's/ materials worth it for someone who's primary interest is IMA?

Thanks,
Dummy

[mixjourneyman]

Well there you go, you can't beat your teacher because he is still better than you.
Walk is pretty dam good, you will probably be training for a while before you can beat him lol.

[JAB]

Well bro I cannot beat my teachers either, so there you go. Sounds good to me.

Blauers DVD's are not worth the paper they are printed on IME. Never trained with him though.

Jake

[edededed]

What is this lunge you are talking about? I don't think that bagua's piercing palm has all that much in common with xingyi's piquan, but there isn't really an element of overcommitting in either, is there? Also, most of us are not really familiar with Tony Blauer's SPEAR system, so...

[Walk the Torque]

The question I am tempted to ask is what are you trying to achieve with your piercing?

Different functions require different strategies, angles and set ups.

[Strange]

i, also, cant beat my teacher
if i do, then its because he lets me

[Daniel]

Paoquan of Xingyi is, to me, one very obvious instance where you can use the flinch response. Same for our system´s version of Horse.

But personally I would also put forward the view that the training of IMA is geared towards replacing the flinch response with something more present, aware, and complex. This might be more useful, but it also takes longer time and more training.

I have never trained with him, so maybe Blauer makes this point himself in his material.



D.

Sarcasm. Oh yeah, like that´ll work.

[TrainingDummy]

Blauers DVD's are not worth the paper they are printed on IME. Never trained with him though.

Thanks Jake, that's exactly what I wanted to know.

The question I am tempted to ask is what are you trying to achieve with your piercing?

I've been thinking a lot about this. I guess what I'm trying to achieve is the strategy of rise, drill, overturn, fall in sparring. Against a partner who is very committed and/or uses excessive muscular tension I can get a good handle on my partner's center in the rise, drill phase, and this gives me an opening to apply an technique relatively unimpeded in the overturn,fall phase.

However against an attack that isn't committed or against someone who doesn't have excessive muscular tension I feel that I've actually overcommited my defense. Against you in particular, you use my tsuan/ spear palm as a bridge to -my- center. I feel like I'm playing a defensive game, and playing a defensive game is not a high percentage winner for me against skilled partners.

Since this strategy is not working for me against superior opponents I've been replacing it with a western boxing jab or cross as an offensive defense. At least when I'm using a fully extended strike (compared to the bent elbow used in rise,drill) there is a genuine attack and the opponent must do something about it or get hit. I'm no longer playing defensive and can force my opponent to move.

[johnwang]

what I'm trying to achieve is the strategy of rise, drill, overturn, fall in sparring.

You can always use upper cut, hook punch, back fist to set up your "spear palm" than to use your spear palm as your 1st move. After you have built your bridge with your upper cut, hook punch, or back fist, your spear palm can be used as an octopus's arm that wrap around your opponent's body.