I’ve long realised that the sports world holds many gems that the martial artist can glean from. Concepts and techniques that can effectively be adapted to the combat arena of our arts.
What I always try to develop in my students is a change in mindset. Let every movement be a learning curve. Let every item be an improvised tool for self protection. In fact the motto of the Military Unarmed Combat Cell in both the USMC and the Australian Military.
“ONE MIND, ANY WEAPON”
Is relevant.
Those who are familiar with my background is will know that I source a lot of my principles from Olympic Fencing. In its purest sport form, it is not at all a combat art. However, the ATTRIBUTES developed through the practice and application is INVALUABLE. The distancing, the timing, the explosive attacks, the efficient defense, minimal movement. All these have been incorporated into FFS.
Numerous students have asked for advice on what other “system” would be a good supplement for FFS. I always suggest they do a stint of fencing. One just need the mindset to “tweak” the principles into a workable combat movement.
Let’s take another example……BASEBALL.
Even fewer people know that I used to be a baseball pitcher in my high school days. The fact that I was probably the slowest fast ball pitcher, contributed to the fact that I don’t advertise that skill too much 
But the standard baseball pitch (ie throwing a ball) translates to one of the most powerful strikes in my arsenal. I actually did an earlier blog entry on this. If you analyze the baseball throw, it has all the excellent body dynamics of a strike, the way the body and arm is chambered, to its progression to the follow through.
Try this exercise. Take any item and throw it. Do it several times. Then go in front of your heavy bag, and using the EXACT SAME ACTION throw your hand at the bag. You can use your palm, edge of fist or fist. Try all of them.
Make sure you use the SAME THROWING ACTION. You will soon discover the power you can generate.
Once you are familiar with the movements and making good impact. Let’s now adjust the movements for a better application to the combat arts.Instead of drawing your arm right back. Start with you hands on guard position. I like using John Will’s “Shield”, which also looks like Rodney King’s “Crazy Monkey” guard.
From the position where your hands are ON YOUR FOREHEAD. Step into the bag and THROW YOUR HAND to your target. Make sure you don’t draw your hand back. Start your strike directly from your forehead.
You will find that it will telegraph less, and you sill still generate excellent power. As you get familiar with it, then you try more and more to minimise the initial movements. The great thing about this method of striking is it’s flexibility and deception. You can strike the opponent’s head, but with the same motion, you can change the target to the ribs using THE SAME MOTION. Hence, your opponent will have difficulty to discern where you are actually going to hit him…..very hard to defend.
The other strike I favour is what I call “Throwing the Frisbee”. Go out and throw a Frisbee hard…….it doesn’t have to be a Frisbee; it can be a plastic plate, a flat piece of board or even a laptop that is acting up (that’s another story). Take note of your body mechanics. You notice that you chamber your arm and body. Then you body actually starts to turn before your arm. Rarely to do they move at the same time. It’s the same body mechanics as in pitching the baseball, but on the backhand side.
Now go out and try the same movements with the heavy bag. Then proceed to minimise the initial movements. Then do the same motion starting from the guard.
After a while, you will find with a little variation, you can strike at any angle.
The purpose of this blog entry is to help you discover that every motion, every sport, every martial arts out there has gems waiting to be discovered. With the proper mindset, anything can be converted into effective, efficient systems.
COMMENT ON THE IMAGE: Can you imagine the power and impact generated by the pitcher if he connects with a fist, palm strike or hammer fist. Imagine the power if he is holding a hammer, axe or any other improvised weapon.
Ray Floro
