jellyman, i wasn't strictly directing my points at you. I should've made that more clear.
As far as a drill to develop kicking, I'm sorry, but kicking a knife out of someone's hand is the stupidest and one of the most irresponsible things I've ever heard. And the fact that this drill takes place makes the suggestion that you won't get cut. What is a person supposed to think when they see this on a demo, that it's a drill for kicks? Too many of the demos I've seen and witnessed make this notion of evading like water, without being touched. And people wonder why systema has this reputation.
"As far as a drill to develop kicking, I'm sorry, but kicking a knife out of someone's hand is the stupidest and one of the most irresponsible things I've ever heard."
So if it was a focus mit, you would have no problem?
"And the fact that this drill takes place makes the suggestion that you won't get cut."
Man, maybe I should just stop listening to whatever Vlad has to say about what he means and what things are for, and just ask someone on the internet. Do you see how silly this sounds to me?
"Too many of the demos I've seen and witnessed make this notion of evading like water, without being touched."
We also have drills in video where we take hits and work from contact. You practice pure evasion to become more elusive, you practice taking blows to become more resilient. If we believed just in pure evasion, why would we learn blow absorption? In the real fight you will probably employ a mixture of these skills.
"If by "Orthodoxy" you mean things that have been proven time and again to be effective then yes I guess so."
No, I mean you are arguing from what you know.
Personally, I looked at the video and said to myself "Rob is not fighting like he cares what happens". Then I asked him - and he said he didn't care what happened.
First, I see you like to pick and choose what to comment and somewhat quote out of context. I said that in the demo vids and in person, I have seen this "kicking drill." I said what exactly do you think the average person who doesn't know anything about sytema would think? You avoided the question because you know they'd think the obvious.
And, yes lol, a focus mit would be a fine choice because you're teaching a student to kick a knife out of someone hands. A mit is a general target. A knife is a knife. lol I'm gonna tell my school we should teach kicking drills using assault rifles, ya know, to practice kicking. please.
Ok, then, you practice evasion and aborption. That clears it up.
These arguments always end up the same. Nothing ever seems to get accomplished...
"focus mit would be a fine choice because you're teaching a student to kick a knife out of someone hands. A mit is a general target. A knife is a knife. lol"
A training knife is a training tool. We use it in more than one context.
Nitecrawler, I am just fed up with these irresponible Coaches giving People a false Sense of Confidence. These People are going to go out onto the Street and get themselves, Friends or Family injured or killed.
This Garbage reminds me of the first few Weeks of 'American Idol' where everyone REALLY believes they have an amazing singing Voice and when told they suck Ass, they are confused and SHOCKED.
Usually followed up by some decent Logic and Arguement that makes Sense, only Problem is an Arguement that makes Sense and the Reality aren't necessarily congruent.
Both. Much of the systema footage I have seen is, in my view, irresponsible and certainly doesn't help systema's cause. It is part of the reason why it's current reputation. Krav Maga also has this problem at times with the vids. So, don't think I'm isolating it here. This is a problem in martial arts period and some arts suffer more than others, as a result of these poor marketing strategies.
At the two places I attended, one of which demo'd this drill you speak of, it was shown as a knife defense. They were chopping the person's wrists and the knife falls out. They did this many times.
Look, I've said my peace, right. You've said yours. The whole point of this thread was the fact that this person's claim was he came from mma and moved towards systema. I tried systema out and I don't see it as something useful, at least something useful where I should devote sufficient time and $$$ to its cause. I don't see it as something valuable to the average joe who just wants to live his or her life and do something fun, challenging, and friendly, without the constant thought in the back of the mind that I'm training for a street situation. I think that about says it for me. Don't think I didn't appreciate your views and opinions. I learned certain things. There are some things about systema that have good value, but there is not enough for me to invest my time into it. I just don't see it.
In fact, I feel the same way about other arts, not just Systema. So, again, please don't think I'm isolating all my energy towards systema. Krav Maga and other combative or RBSD systems have detracting qualities that I just don't agree with honestly. It goes back to what Matt Thornton says: Why? Keep asking questions. Why do you want to take such and such art? I believe there are right reasons to take something. But I also believe there are wrong reasons.
"This Garbage reminds me of the first few Weeks of 'American Idol' where everyone REALLY believes they have an amazing singing Voice and when told they suck Ass, they are confused and SHOCKED."
LOL
"At the two places I attended, one of which demo'd this drill you speak of, it was shown as a knife defense. They were chopping the person's wrists and the knife falls out. They did this many times. "
Karl Tanswell talks about an incident he had with a Sistema instructor which sounds familiar to your experience. I can't seem to find the video. Hopefully, someone can link to it or embed it.
"I mean look I'm not saying that you should look like a professional boxer/MT guy, but seriously bro, you need to at least learn to keep your shoulders up, chin down etc... Your gonna get Knocked the fuck out throwing like that."
Yeah except when I did tuck my head, instant grab and knee.
"They were chopping the person's wrists and the knife falls out. They did this many times."
Did they hit your wrist very hard forcing the knife from our hand as you attacked spontaneously, or were you supposed to just drop the knife? If the latter, not the systema I know.
Now if it was the cat from Buffalo, I'm not sure what he's like, but I've heard good things about fighthouse here and elsewhere.
"Hey bro, as I said I'm not a preofessional or anything but I would hope that if I had any glaring signs in my game that could potentially get me hurt, that someone would point them out to me, so don't sweat it "Do unto others..." and all that stuff :)"
Fair enough. To be honest I was not very happy with my own performance, as you may have noticed by my own commentary to myself as TheTypenator.
In fact, I've used the footage to get feedback from others within Vlad's too.
That said, other people who've had to fight that guy thought overall I did okay. Subbed a guy twice and the first fight didn't have me take a knee or that. For myself, just shows where I have to improve.