Sparring and Weapons

Amerikick - Sparring & Weapons

Sparring

New AmeriKick Policies

Amerikick Rib Guard is added to the sparring package.
Amerikick Students will need to have sparring gear by the rank of purple belt.
Amerikick Students must have the Official AmeriKick Patch on the left side of their uniform. (over their heart)

Beginner Sparring

Sparring is a great teaching tool for students to learn the practical aspects of self-defense. All classes are run in a safe fashion with the students wearing protective equipment.

Students must have equipment to participate in class. See an AmeriKick staff member for more details. View News & Event Calendar on the page for class schedule.

Advanced Sparring

In Advanced Sparring, students demonstrate their ability to effectively defend themselves using Kenpo techniques. They must demonstrate effective, well-defined, and controlled punches and kicks, in a manner that demonstrates an understanding of Kenpo principles.

The techniques should be executed in a manner that, even if blocked, they display power and a understanding of strategy and placement. Technically perfect techniques that lack power and placement are useless. Sparring should be as realistic as possible without causing injury to the opponent. Safety gear is mandatory.

View Schedule for times.

Modern Arnis

Arnis is a Philippine martial art based on the use of sticks and training the practice of different weapons.
In contrast to other martial arts, e.g. Kenpo, the student begins by training weapon techniques.

Weapons offer various advantages; they let the person using them acquire greater self-confidence in fighting situations, they keep the opponent at distance and make a more effective defense possible.

"Sticks" are the first weapons in Arnis training. They are about 60 cm long and consist mostly of rattan or fire-hardened wood. As training progresses, other weapons, such as knives, machetes (bush knives), or long sticks, are also used. Even items of everyday life like belts, umbrellas, or rolled-up newspapers serve to train the application of the techniques. This is a great advantage Arnis offers in contrast to weaponless martial arts. Arnis techniques are applicable in many ways, so that in any situation one is likely find items to execute them with.

Arnis Techniques

At AmeriKick, the Arnis teacher does not only train his students in the use of techniques of attack with weapons, he also instructs them in techniques aiming at the defense against and the disarming of armed and unarmed opponents. In addition techniques of throwing and holding opponents are essential part of the training. Primary emphasis is laid on the increase of the ability to concentrate, spatial seeing and flexibility as well as training with weapons. Concentration in training and respect of the master, the fellow-students, and the instruments of training are of supreme importance.

As Kenpo has its katas, Arnis has its own systemized and memorized fights against imaginary opponents called "anyos". The first anyos are carried out with one stick or machete each, the advanced anyos with two sticks or machetes each.

Arnis as a Means of Self-Defense

All this makes Arnis a very effective means of self-defense which can be learned by everyone. Even after a short period of time the student can execute very effective techniques in self-defense.

It is advisable to learn Arnis in combination with other martial arts such as Kenpo or Aikido. Such a combination of weaponless martial arts with the techniques of Arnis proves to be very effective for defense.

Weapons Training:

A requirement for Blackbelt. Amerikick offers several weapons training courses and specialized courses for Blackbelt club members.

History of Weapons

Nunchaku

The Nunchaku was made famous by Bruce Lee and his movies. It is a swinging weapon that requires a lot of practice and expertise to master and actually use. Without training, you'll just end up hurting yourself. Try striking a heavy bag with a pair of nunchakus and see what happens. You'll probably have it swinging right back at you striking you where it hurts most.

Nunchakus (also known as "nunchucks") were used because they could be adapted for many situations. Aside from being easy to carry, the nunchakus were used to defend against most any weapon from a bo to a sword. By trapping the blade of a sword with the chain between the two sticks, a Ninja could entangle and disarm a sword-wielding attacker. The same concept applies to almost every other weapon. The nunchakus were not just used for defense, they could also be effectively employed against an enemy in an offensive way.

Kamas

The Kama was a tool used by farmers to cut rice and grass but seldom taught as a weapon. The Kama is a defensive weapon that was used against sword and Bo attacks. An Amerikick student with training and practice can manipulate these "tools" as an extension of the theirs hands.

Bo (staff)

The Bo is a long wooden staff for herding livestock, guiding boats or used as a way of carrying supplies in baskets. In this instance the Bo was placed across the shoulders and the baskets would hang from either side. Although there are two styles of the Bo, the average length of both is 6’ with a diameter of 3.5 inches. The Chinese Bo keeps an equal diameter along its entire length where as the Okinawan style tapers at each end. This tapering makes for a much more focused and affective strike. Regardless of the style, its ends are used to strike and disable an opponent in targeted areas.