French Martial Arts

Underground
41

NateTurnedMaiaLightsOff - that sounds like a TKD style kick. 


Savate's kicking sounds (and looks, at first) a lot like asian kicking styles, BUT it's very different. The relationship of the knee to the trunk is more like a muay thai kick--the body spins to generate power, and the knee rips around into the kick. Savate kicks have a BRUTAL penetration because of (1) this use of the knee, and (2) the extension of the hip at impact.

I grew up doing TMA and it took me forever to re-learn to kick with proper Savate technique.

Oh, and last year I was honored to train with Richard Sylla on two occasions. He is a LEGEND in the ring, and is an outstanding instructor. I'm hoping to take him up on his invitation to visit him in France.

42

twinkletoesCT - Oh, and last year I was honored to train with Richard Sylla on two occasions. He is a LEGEND in the ring, and is an outstanding instructor. I'm hoping to take him up on his invitation to visit him in France.


Absolutely!

He was featured in one of the savate documentaries(I think it was the one with the blonde chick, but it might have been the human weapon episode; I'll try to find it) and even years removed from his fighting days/shape, Sylla moved VERY well.

43

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkfW9ucgAS0

^Here's the clip.

Interestingly enough, the blonde chick goes to see Robert Paturel in beginning for a glimpse of savate defense. The part with Sylla starts at about 4:30.

44

Ahhh, I remember this episode!

M. Sylla is no longer heading up INSEP, and now has a small private gym near his home, outside Paris. I believe he said the team name is "Bulldog".

I was honored to spar a round with him, and it was amazing.

45

^I'm jealous.


Budget allowing you should definitely take him up on his offer.

Maybe someday I'll learn some french and take a trip to Paris. If I do, I'll be sure to visit some of the salles there, as well as ADAC to meet Paturel and Quequet. In the meantime, however, I'm hoping to catch a Saignac seminar sooner or later and keeping my fingers crossed that Matt Thornton decides to bring Daniel Duby back over to the states at some point.

46

I trained some Savate when I was doing JKD. I ditched most of it when I was training Muay Thai. Seeing these vids reminds me of how cool Savate was.

Thanks for posting.

47

ttting a good thread to add a boxe francaise instructional.

Kamel Chouaref. They say he's pretty good.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTYzMzAyMjA=.html

48


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lcv0cLcMyE



^Savate, French Foreign Legion style!

49

The Canne stuff looked cool. Demo? Anybody know if it's been represented at a Dog Bro's event? If so, how'd they do?

50

ttt

51

"but if clinching is allowed, then muay thai owns every other style on feet."

I disagree. If you watch one of Nicholas Saignac videos he spars Mark Stewart in the ring and Stewart tries the clinch quite a bit. Nic counters within the clinch with a variety of foot sweeps on the low line. Mark appears to be having a hard time dealing with Nic in the clinch. Just watch the videos and you will see what I'm talking about.

52

^Have you got a link to the Saignac video you're referring to? All I can find are short clips of his instructional set from back in the day:

http://rutube.ru/tracks/1314392.html

http://rutube.ru/tracks/1314474.html

53

ttt for later

54

 That vid was sick! Savate is awesome too



(And how quickly some of you Americans forget what the French did for you...be fair)

55

edit: brainfart.

56

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PCuxkjNEew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOoO41fZjNg


^Taken from Salem Assli's 3 dvd set on savate. I dunno, I get a little bit of a Wonkavision/Mike TeeVee vibe from the production value, but other than that it actually doesn't seem like a bad set. Consider the fact that it's English language and sells for like $70 and I might have to buy it sooner or later...if only to admire Assli's unitard!

Always meant to buy the 10 volume set he did with panther productions years ago. Nowadays it's pretty cheap yet from what I'm told still remains one of the best sets for teaching the fundamentals of savate.

57

I have the 10 volume set, and it's fantastic...especially the middle three tapes on Combos and the later one on defenses.

I have seen a good deal of the 3dvd set and I really need to buy that one too. It's good.

58

^Good to know about the 10 volume set. I remember back before panther productions got bought by century they used to have short clips of most of their video collection. The savate set looked pretty solid. Not sure why I never pulled the trigger on buying it. Guess I was got caught up in wondering what kind of faggotry was going on with the unitards, all the while I was rolling around on the ground with other men in my pajamas and/or underwear! lol

59

I know, the whole wrestling with shirtless men thing is SO much manlier!

60

Yeah, martial arts are often a sexually ambiguous mess that simply divides people on the basis of confusion...

;)



btw, I was rewatching the Saignac clips and the first one does indeed show the sparring footage ReneH mentioned. At about the 4:50 mark you see Saignac being pressured against the ropes and he fires off a lowline kick/sweep that threw his opponent off balance and gave him space to circle away. Pretty slick!