Nabard Combat System: Speed, Rhythm, Effectiveness

This afternoon in my Nabard Combat System training class we were working on a bag technique.  Master Safakhoo was emphasizing that our reactions are often too exaggerated.  This got me to thinking. 

The tendency of students (especially those that are new) is to either over exaggerate our movements like we are in a movie (no offense JCVD), or to not move enough thereby not transferring power correctly into our punches and kicks.   As Master was saying, it is very important for us to move, but we must also do so with purpose.  We need to know not only where the punch or kick is intended to strike, but from where we start.  If we are over exaggerating our movements we have too far to move for our next strike.  If we move to little, our strikes are ineffective.  With the Nabard Combat System, the balance in the middle of these two extremes is crucial.  Fine tuning our movements so that we are where we need to be at all times not only means we have the opportunity to be faster, but we also have the opportunity to interchange our movements between strikes, grabs, and blocks.  Therefore, Master was focusing on our range of motion today, with particular emphasis on knowing your body position and where your arms and legs are at all times.


Another focus for students must be rhythm.  As a student becomes more comfortable with their body and the movements within the Nabard Combat System, the rhythm of their strike transitions must become more consistent and quicker.  By working on rhythm and consistent transitions, a student will shorten and eventually eliminate those small gaps between strikes which allow an opponent the time to adjust and/or take over.  That is why we start with 3 strike combinations then build up to a 12+ strike combination.  Start with a small combination then keep adding to it all the while maintaining and improving the rhythm and consistency of the strikes.