Monthly Archives: March 2013

Do you C-step? C-Step and your surrounding

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The C-Step

c-step1The c-step (as illustrated to the righ) is an important aspect of the foot work in Modern Arnis as well as many other martial arts.  As a quick maneuver it can help you avoid an incoming hit or object, and it can also help you quickly switch angles.  However, often times, I see this movement being executed incorrectly, mostly because students do not understand the full scope of the c-step. Yes, it is quick and can help you move around quickly but it also can help you sense your environment without having to look around.  Let’s first talk about how a few things regarding how to execute the c-step (this is not a guide to the c-step)

  1. Your body should not move vertically.  Often I see students who straighten out their legs every time their feet meet and then lower themselves as they step.  The body should remain steady vertically as you step.
  2. Only one foot should bear your weight when moving.  Sometimes people execute the c-step as if they are walking, transferring weight from one foot to the next.  Ideally, when the foot that is moving leaves the floor it should be lifted vertically staying parallel to the ground as it moves through the “c”.
  3. Foot should not drag on the ground.  The foot should remain about a centimeter above the ground but should not touch the ground and it should not be angled. 

Now why are these steps important?  The reason these steps is because they help you move in an environment where the ground may not be as even and free of object as the mats in your school. 

Keeping your body level keeps the body in balance.  Try moving up and down as you’re doing the c-step and back into a bench or a chair or even someone kneeling over.  You will immediately sense the lack the balance. 

Only one foot bearing your weight keeps you stable.  Walk backwards into a wall and see how your body reacts.  Imagine that during a confrontation.  Now use the c-step.  You’ll notice that because it is a non-weight bearing heel that hits the wall, you are able to adjust accordingly.

Keeping your foot parallel to the ground keep you from stepping on things.  This is pretty straight forward.  Step on a stick and what happens? Your foot slips.  How walk into a stick using the c-step properly.  You push the stick out of the way or sense it rather than stepping on it.  Keeping it parallel to the ground also ensure that you don’t step over something because your foot is angled, only to bring your weight down on it when you plant your foot. 

And the c-step is not only useful for confrontations in the street.  As a parent I can personally vouch that this skill has saved my hide many a time avoiding toys in my kids room at night.

Can Weapons Improve Close Quarter Techniques

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stickstrike2When people think of weapons, they immediately think of long range fighting techniques.  But weapons can significantly improve close quarter techniques as well. Using a weapon tranforms how your body works, how it moves and how it reacts.   Over the years I’ve observed several ways in which weapons have helped me adapt to open hand/close uarter techniques.

  1.  Staying close to the body.  Because you’re not the only one with a weapon, you learn to keep your hands and elbows close to the body, extending them only when striking.  Keep them, extended unnecessarily only creates a nice target for your opponent’s weapon.  This habit carries over to empty hand where techniques are executed close to the body.
  2. Body shifting .  Given the speed at with weapons move, the ability to block requires not only putting obstruction in the way of the attacking weapon, but also getting your body out of the way.  This is reflected in the practice of Sinawali.  This ability to maneuver is essential in close quarter combat for not only moving around your opponent but other objects and obstacles.
  3. Reaction speed.   Parallel to number 2, given the speed of weapons, your hand-eye coordination significantly improves.  Since the distance that an opponent’s punch or kick has to travel is minimal in close quarters, the quicker reaction times are a distinct advantage.
  4. Strength and flexibility.  Using weapons trains and strengthens and stretches all the stabilizing smaller muscles in the wrist and hand that aren’t as frequently used in unarmed combat.  This gives the hands much more flexibility and effectiveness required for close quarter combat.

There are probably many other ways that weapons help your body perform better in close quarter combat.  What have you observed in your own practice?