Developing Short Strikes

[RobP3]

Here's the preview for our latest Class Download on developing short strike power. Includes selective tension, lines of force, structure, angles and targeting

[dspyrido]

Two things:

1. Striking the limbs - from this video I can't tell if you strike the limb as a replacement for striking say the face or torso OR it is teaching a slight variation of a defense which adds a little tap to the counter but will also incorporate a strike to the face and torso (maybe at the same time?).

2. The short power strikes you demo are on "dead" opponents ie standing waiting. Many systema demos (& others who demo short power) seem to do this but a movement of a 1-2 inches can deflect it. So to stop the movement do you also add grabs and other controls? As an example I know the short power would work nicely if i was to also grab the back of someone's head before applyng it.

This video only seems to show short power applied to a free moving body so just a training vid?

[RobP3]

Hi

1. Yep, there will also be a strike to the face/torso. Ideally you should be working straight against those, but sometimes you may get caught out and have to work with whatever is nearest. Or it may not be appropriate to hit someone in the face, so the limb strike is to set up some kind of control

2. Yes, this is just a development stage. So we are concerned initially with our own structure, finding the correct angle / position on the partner and so on. Next stage is to add in more movement, for both people. As far as the deflection goes though, in use these type of strikes are designed to be difficult to see and are usually a counter - eg slid in under the attacking arm into the ribs or similar. Or they work well against grabs or similar restricted spaces. They aren't really designed for distance-sparring type work, then we switch more to fig 8 or wave type hits

[dspyrido]

Hi

1. Yep, there will also be a strike to the face/torso. Ideally you should be working straight against those, but sometimes you may get caught out and have to work with whatever is nearest. Or it may not be appropriate to hit someone in the face, so the limb strike is to set up some kind of control

2. Yes, this is just a development stage. So we are concerned initially with our own structure, finding the correct angle / position on the partner and so on. Next stage is to add in more movement, for both people. As far as the deflection goes though, in use these type of strikes are designed to be difficult to see and are usually a counter - eg slid in under the attacking arm into the ribs or similar. Or they work well against grabs or similar restricted spaces. They aren't really designed for distance-sparring type work, then we switch more to fig 8 or wave type hits

Thanks - clears up my questions.

I'll look out for a long range sparring vid. Not sure why you would fig 8 when a straight line would make sense.

[RobP3]

I plan next session to be doing more application based work on the short work and will hopefully get some footage down.

If a straight line is needed, then it can be a straight line. Fig 8 or wave doesn't have to be a big looping movement necessarily, it can be a small rotation of the shoulder for example that fires off the strike. I'm finding more though if you are in range for a linear strike, the short-hit mechanism works well.

We tend not to use too much "long-range" sparring (I'm thinking sports-range work), I find it doesn't fit so well into the kind of work most our our guys are involved in. It tends to be generally close-in stuff, so on a low level dealing with re-direction, going up through grappling / restraint and into things like people quickly closing range and punching. Depends too on the space available / environment.

We tend to use LRS more as a tool to get people moving their feet initially, or working evasion and with mulitples, we find in those cases it's a good tool for dealing with being "rooted to the spot"