The above video shows a practice session of an Escrima Filipino stick fighting drill using the Ratan Escrima sticks. This is the second Escrima drill that we practice in the kobudo program I run at The Academy of Traditional Karate, after the Cinco Teros five strikes drill. As the name suggests, this Escrima drill is composed of various High/Low strike/block combinations. There are four simple combinations.
The basic pattern is:
- High/High
- High/Low
- Low/High
- Low/Low
The High/Low drill can be practiced in different ways. In the above video we show three different ways to practice the drill with increasing difficulty.
- While stationary do all four combinations with Right hands first then Left hands.
- While stationary do each combination alternating Right/Left hands.
- While stepping do all four combinations with Right hands while stepping in one direction and then with Left hands stepping in the other direction.
When first learning the drill, just practice with the Right hand to learn the simple sequence. Then practice with the Left hand. Next put the two together performing the four sequences first with the Right hand, then with the Left. Once you can easily do the drill on both sides, you can practice alternating between the Right and Left sides with each of the four combinations. After mastering that you can perform the drill while stepping forward and backward. In this moving version, step forward as you work through all four combinations with the Right hand. Then repeat all four combinations with the Left hand as you step backward.
Handle the sticks as if they were machetes by leading with the wrist and slashing with the sticks rather than leading with the tips and just bouncing them off each other. When performing the low strikes try to crouch down a bit as if you are striking to the knees rather than just hitting each other’s sticks.
We videoed this practice session in our backyard on 07/10/22. Stay tuned for our next post which will include an additional Escrima drill that we also videoed, Heaven.
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