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Ranges
Ranges. Subject very worthy of debate. I would
like to say it all depends on the individual. Learning that certain techniques
apply only at certain ranges is the first step in learning your body mechanics.
Once you have this understanding, the part that I feel many schools fail to
teach and many non-fighters fail to understand is that it is how you link these
ranges, how you move from one range to the next is the other side of the coin.
This principle is something that is often learned too little too late. The Dog
Brother Martial Arts Association teach the concept of 7 ranges. Snakey stick
(the range in which you can study your oppenent and/or use your stick and body
mechanics to disguise your intentions), stick squared (the sticks can touch each
other, but not the hands), largo mano (touch the hand/arm), medio (touch the
head and start to use the live hand), corto (punching, elbowing, kicking),
standing grappling (clinching), stickgrappling (do I have to explain this?). For
a better description visit the Dog Brothers web site at www.dogbrothers.com.
Bruce Lee taught 4. Kicking, punching, trapping, and grappling. I originally
learned 3. Long, middle, and close. I still advocate use in teaching 3, however
it doesn’t mean that I don’t acknowledge stickgrappling, standing grappling,
stick squared, or snakey stick. My instructor taught me how to move and evaluate
my opponents but didn't give it a range. The same goes for the other ranges.
Through the way that DBMA teaches though, I understand why they teach it as such
and applaud and support it. Use what works. The teaching of ranges is like the
teaching of angles and strikes, it is a tool used to teach an individual to
fight. As a certain legend with the initials B.L. once said "use no way as
way". To my understanding, DBMAA uses drills called Attacking Block Drills
that are meant to link the ranges, I’m not totally sure, but if they do, it is
a very resourceful way to train in closing the gap. You may specialize in a
ceartain range, but in order to fight there, there are other ranges that one
must deal with. For example, as a close range fighter, what happens if the
opponent you fight has a longer weapon and is a long range fighter? What happens
if you have a long weapon and are a largo mano fighter, but your weapon breaks
or your opponent is very good at closing the gap. Through experience, you can
find that it take very little skill to safely close the ranges. These are things
that are easy to find once you get in the water. Other deciding factors in the
range your in is your weapon size, target that your focus is on, and your size
all matters.
This is an example of how combat is universally the same, yet
different to interpretation of the individual. Bruce Lee always said the
individual is more important that the style. The "ranges" thet are
"taught" are always included in the totality of real combat whether
given a name or not. Each individual to his or her own preference. As you can
see, no way is the right way and no way is the wrong way. Some ways are easier
to understand for some people, others are easier to learn to others. No way as
way.
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