Professor Max Pallens Senkotiros Featured On The Instinctive Edge!

[Brian R. VanCise]

Here is a deeper look at Senkotiros on my blog The Instinctive Edge!

http://brianvancise.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/senkotiros/

 

[arnisador]

Wow, that's a lot of clips!

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Wow, that's a lot of clips!

You know Arnisador I always try to please.

 

[Perpetual White Belt]

That's probably only half the clips on Youtube as well! I know I've got a little 20 sec clip there, but there's no sound. I have a couple of others too, but for some reason they wouldn't load to Youtube. (Same camera, same file format, I can't figure it out.) They're on my Myspace though: www.myspace.com/silverdragonmartialarts

 

[Phil Mar Nadela]

Thanks for the clips!

 

[chris arena]

Thanks for the clips!

This really brings the point in as to the importance of free flow play. The instructor teaches each student and challenges him as he comes up!

I have been doing (although not yet at the skill level of Mr.Pallen) the same thing with my students. Immediately after they can do the typical Modern Arnis type 6 count flow drill fast and in proper form, we start with free flow as the #7 part of the drill, going slowly at first.

I have found that it takes about 1 year from starting out as a beginning student to develop good, instinctive give and take, free flow sumbrada skill. Second year, we inject the live hand into the mix in a bit more serious fashion and it just keeps developing from there. If the student isn't at least to this point, then in my opinion, the teacher has failed him. I have so far taught about 10 of my little group at the time level posted and nobody ever felt pushed or pressured.

In essance, I feel that if your school instructor is not adding this type of play, then it is time to look elsewhere. It is not competition, but partner sharing that teaches both the teacher and the student. But it takes a decent and skilled teacher to pull it off properly. In my opinion this is the way to build a stick player. Far better than the fully padded type of contest with everybody whacking away with padded sticks, like some kind of silly pillow fight. Done that and learned nothing, except the the 10 or fifteen times I slammed the opponents stick hand and got no points? Also, even if the player decides to go into the typical Karate school padded stick fight, then at least he will hav developed some degree of form and style!

These video's prove that point. Max Pallen is somebody that all of us aspiring teaching instructors need to look up to.

Chris A

 

[Perpetual White Belt]

Grandmaster Pallen can have you doing Gumon(counter-for-counter sparring)as shown in the videos in a weekend seminar. Using his drills and progressions I can usually have my students doing it at a basic level with-in 4-6 months. Padded and live stick sparring is taught as well.

 

[chris arena]

Sounds about right for me, about 6 months, I start them out once they are comfortable with 6 count flow . I am a stickler for flow too. I just don't want to see them chasing themselves around the gym, but staying tight and holding thier ground. Also, I teach Datu Worden's Short Staff Sibat System as well and it takes some addl time to get it all across.

I have done a bit padded sparring in the past, using a padded stick, stick hand glove and helmet only. We try to leave the live hand free in order to try to "keep it real". I tried the fully padded stuff to and it just did'nt feel like I was really doing stickwork, felt more like a pillow fight. But thats just my own opinion.

At present, we are working on getting some decent helmets. Our budget is tight. I am planning on getting two medium sized helmets for now and hopefully most of us can get our melons in them.... Your thoughts and recommendations would be welcomed.

Thanks.
Chris A.
ps. I hear that Remy Jr. the Caballes group and Senkotiros are getting together later this month in San Leandro, wish I could come down from Tacoma, WA. I have been training under Datu Kelly Worden for the past 15 or so years. Say hello to Remy Jr. for me if you attend. Remy Jr. will be up in our area in June. However, I will be attending my daughter's H.S Graduation and will miss him this time. Dang.

 

[Perpetual White Belt]

I wish I could be there, but I'm all the way over on the otherside of the country in PA. I did get to train with Dr. Remy at the Senkotiros Sama-Sama though.

I think Century still carrys their brand of Padded weapon helmets. I've used them and they seem to work quite well. I believe that they are slightly cheaper than most.