Well, I like to think so. But my trainer partners in Kali/FMA class might think otherwise. Even though I am a woman I am not known for being most graceful or controlled martial artist. I’m more known for being strong and smashing things like a hammer because Dan Inosanto always says that it is important to possess both feminine and masculine qualities as a fighter. So you can tell I like to break gender norms.

 

That’s why sometime instead of wanting to do the drills that look all pretty I’d rather be spar or just do stick grappling (the double leg being my favorite.) But even though I deal out real damage I try to at least make it look good. Even if it’s not as good as Paul, check out the new episode of Throat Punch Thursday. Then you guys can tell me if I have grace and strength, like a happy buffalo. Or just watch to learn a double leg with a stick.

 

Inspiration:

 

So you are probably wondering what this episode is even about. It’s a long story. When I go to Dan Inosanto seminars one of my favorite things he does is tell great stories from his life. At one seminar he told a story of when he was training Kali as a boy. His instructor kept saying “no grease!” Dan Inosanto thought he meant to Filipino faster like grease lighting. So he kept going faster and faster. His instructor then said again “no grease!” He didn’t understand. Then he realized his instructor was saying “no grace.” His instructor was from the Phillapenese so he had a thick accent, which is why he misunderstood.

 

I thought that that story was one of the funniest things that Dan Inosanto has ever said at a seminar. He then went into the importance of being graceful as well as strong as a fighter. AndFilipinoculture it is very important to have both feminine and masculine chararteristics as a martial artist. Dan Inosanto said that women are typically more graceful practitioners and that men are usually stronger. He went on to say that there are some very strong women out there. It was at that point in the seminar that all my trainer partners looked at me. Cause I have no grease!

 

Technique:

 

I really enjoy stick grappling. Considering that I love grappling in general when you get a stick it makes it even more fun. One my favorite techniques in stick grappling, mostly because it was the only one I could pull off in sparring, is the double leg with the stick.

I double leg with the stick is a great techniques because even if you are not a great wrestler you can stick pull it off. This is because the stick does part of the work and your opponent cannot sprawl out of the takedown.

So knowing drills is great but sometimes you need to just take the fight to the ground. Happy stick grappling!