Ron Saturno - Setting the groundwork for the use of short weapons

I'm sitting here at the computer putting down what was passed to me a long time ago. If we stand in a vertical position and put our elbows and knees at 90 degrees, both elbows and knees are parallel and are the same distance. Elbows and knees are therefore equal distance short weapons. Knee them, reset your weight and follow with the elbow is a bread and butter move with Escrimador's. Elbows and knees are just some of our short weapons. Hips and shoulders are even shorter weapons. Because of the olecranon of the ulnar bone we really don't have to swing our torso into the blow like many believe. A short and snappy strike with the elbow can handle most problematic people and you won't radically effect your base or your ability to throw quick follow up blows. The elbow is also pretty devoid of pain sensors and we can hit pretty damn hard without feeling a lot of pain. I have seen the elbow severely damaged, so it still remains a tool with limitations.The knees are just as effective pain inducers as the elbows, if not more so, because of your leg weighing more than your arm. People who can raise their knee "up" into the target and therefor bring in their powerful glutes into the fracas are people who bear watching very carefully. We should be careful that they stay a safe distance from us. Both elbows and knees are rotated from the waist, more specifically the lower elixir field, dan tien, sea of chi, testes and ovaries gland chakra, call it what you will. The short blows expand from this area and are especially effective if expressed in connection with the legs. In order to create good power we have to throw from the dirt. Power begins at the earth and up thru the body and ends up "in" our target in the form of a wave. We need to snap the knee up into the target and quickly regain our balance. Lifting and than striking and holding the knee in that position just begs for trouble and I see it all of the time. If you observe someone "not" throwing with the help of the earth, then you'll be observing someone "not" hitting with their full potential. Guys who grab you and pull you into their knees while pushing up from the earth at the same time, just hit stupidly hard. Guys who grab you and pull you into their fast traveling elbows, just hit too damn hard. This push and pull application of forces is the hidden secret of many a martial art. It works in many ways and in many applications of force. Guys who fly into you with their body weight hit damn hard as well if they hit you, but the pulling while striking is what I do and so I won't venture an opinion as to what is superior. Pulling while pushing works well for me and since elbows and knees are close weapons in my mind: I will personally stick to what I know and have practised. If you can fly, why not why, I say. At over 200 lbs. I don't think that I can fly much anymore, well maybe after a 6 martini lunch....


I promised to start in on weapons and distance. So I am just setting the groundwork for the use of short weapons. In my Escrima "everything" is a weapon. My mind, shoulders, elbows, knees, fingers, etc,. and even whats in my pocket. My belt, hat and shoes as well, change and wallet. Tomorrow I'll start in on elbows and knees from the mind of an Escrimador. Hope that you'll enjoy it. Oh, by the way L.A. was a great place to be the last week.




Other articles by Master Saturno:

• Basic Movement Theory
• Basics in Defense
• Basics of Serrada
• Freight Training! (Body Alignment & Power Transfer)
• The Secret to Surviving Fights 
• "Your fight is with time"
• Vidclips of Serrada Basics and Angles of Attack
• Audio Interview (97 mins!)
• The Very Heart and Soul of the Filipino Martial Arts
• "A reason to live is the greatest gift that a teacher of FMA can ever give."
• "You have to teach everything you know, because this forces you to learn more."
• Espada y Daga
• More about Espada y daga
• Espada y daga, part 3
• "Espada y daga properly performed violates common sense." 
• Comparison of Short stick vs Long stick
• "Every hit 'must' have the potential of ending the fight, period."
• The firstest with the mostest is the bestest.

Notes

My deepest gratitude to Master Ron Saturno for his kind permission in allowing me to repost his articles to my site. 

You can contact Master Ron Saturno via:

Email:  5masterserrada@gmailNOSPAM.com (take out the "NOSPAM")
Phone:  209-513-8027
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/ron.saturno