Stuart,
Hello there, I hope that all is well. I always train my students to strike with intention, meaning that they have to be able to hit what they`re striking at and when they do they should have enough power in which to bring what they hit to the ground. Every strike that we throw has to have the potential to be able to break the head of our opponent other wise we should`nt throw it at all.
The question becomes whether it`s an impact weapon or an edged weapon being used, as there are different rules governing the proper usage of each. The way that you will strike with an edged weapon differs greatly from the way that you will strike with an impact weapon. With an impact weapon you need to strike allowing the tip of your garote to flow through the center and break naturally completing its path to your back in order to maximize your power potential. Whereas with an edged weapon you don`t need such a bastardization of movement in order to be effective. The edge of the blade compensates for the lack of excessive motion involved. So the general rule is that with an impact weapon you should strike with "Big" circles and with an edged weapon you should strike in "small" circles as to return and hold center more quickly after violating your centerline.
With an impact weapon it`s necessary to strike "big", although narrow (eye to eye), as to generate enough power by which to be effective. However, in doing so you will violate your centerline and a person with good speed, timing and position will be able to cut your centerline and move out of range before you are able to come back with your second strike. So it is extremely important that you don`t waste or miss with your first strike (non-telegraphic striking) but if you do than you have to bring the second strike (recovery strike) back twice as quick as the first went out as you move out of range in order to close your centerline to your opponents potential counter assaults.
There are many factors involved in striking with intention. Attributes are at the top of the list. We all need to be able to respond with speed, timing, power, position, non-telegraphic striking, recovery, and a heightened sense of awareness in order to be effective. one attribute over the other is unacceptable. All of your attributes have to be present and working together in unison in order for you to be effective.
Speed without power is wasted as you can hit your opponent but with your opponent taking note that you don`t have the power to hurt him nothing short of death will keep him from rushing in and tearing your head off. If he does`nt respect your abilities to hurt him you will not keep him away from you. With a knife you have a little bit more leverage here... But with a stick your strike either has power or it does`nt, it is what it is...
Likewise power is wasted if you don`t have the speed or timing necessary to contact with your opponent, and both power and speed are useless if your timing is poor. Speed, timing and power are all wasted if you are so far out of range that you don`t have the ability to launch an attack or respond with a counter assault with-in the small "window of opportunity" available to you due to poor position, whereby you will be so far out of range from your opponent at critical times that you`ll miss those opportunities that avail themselves to you. good position as with all of your attributes is crucial.
Recovery is another big issue especially if you are dependant upon power. The way that you recover from a "hit" or "miss" will be different. As I stated above that if you strike "big" strikes although narrow you will need recovery strikes in order to close your centerline quickly once you violate it. Usually the recovery strike will immediately be thrown across the temple as to give you enough time to slip out the back as it passes your opponents centerline allowing you safe passage to a place of safety in order to assess the damage inflicted or the situation in general. as well anytime that you throw a strike you should recover high on the opposite side as to have access to one of your power shots should you need it. Never stop a strike unprepared to throw another, even in drill form be prepared to continue should something happen unexpectedly. Always be poised to react with positive effect against an immediate threat.
Now to answer your question at hand. There are many ways to train for accuracy without compromising power or vice-versa. Still targets are easier to hit than moving targets. Start simple and work up to the more complicated aspects in your development.
1)~ hitting still targets i.e. tires (draw two eyes on the top of the treads and strike eye to eye), bush sparring (trying not to touch the leaves), leaves (trying to break off the tip without tearing it from the tree), cigarete sticking out from a tree, striking the t`shirt of your training partner only hitting the fabric of the shirt with no contact of skin, striking at the trunk of a tree not hitting the bark but getting as close as possible to it, etc... There are many and these are just a few, be creative and invent your own as well...
2)~ Place tape on your wall in the order of your "abecedario" and number each piece of tape according to your systems abecedario (1-12) and strike full power without contact as if in your minds eye you`re striking through the center of each piece watching the tip of your "garote" or "baraw" go through the center for accuracy. This is great for largo-medio type training.
3)~ Stand in your fighting stance and with full power and speed strike ikis 1 and 4 in LAMECO (1 and 2 in most systems) with intention and then have your training partner throw an empty gatorade bottle to your face at random and with out breaking your flow try and lock in and destroy the bottle but continue striking with power until your training partner throws the bottle towards your face again unannounced, etc... As you become better incorporate your footwork and have your training partner throw the bottle in a little faster.
4)~ Hand sparring. Get boxing gloves, hockey gloves, Lameco hand armor or what ever you feel like using. The intent is to spar with your training partner only targetting your opponents hand in the beginning. although there are many progressions to this type of sparring i`ll speak of the most basic here. when your opponent tries to hit your hand try and make him miss but as well try to make him pay for the miss. The hand is 10 times more mobile than the head so if you`re able to hit your opponents hand at will than the head will be of little challenge to you in a fight. The harder that you strike the more that you will violate your centerline leaving it wide open for counter potential from your opponent so as in anything else recovery as well as speed, timing, power, position and non-telegraphic striking are necessary for you to do well against your opponent. Once you become somewhat effective remove the padding used in the beginning progression of this type of sparring and raise the stakes somewhat by going for one anothers bare hand at full speed and power. By the way broken knuckles usually take about 6 weeks to heal and broken fingers a little longer if you tape together as you should. Swelling in your wrist should go down within a few days, unless of course you have a hairline fracture or break.
This is one of many ways that I would spar with Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite during our private sessions only with no padding or hand armor while using medium weight rattan. Against someone with skill this will hone your awareness, defensive skills as well as your offensive ones. With much pain hanging in the balance if you are lacking in any of your attributes...
I hope that some of this helps you guys out. As always take care and be well...
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~ Guro Dave Gould
