shadow shredding

[[ted]]

So I got some tips on shadow fighting when in Montreal (thanks Jeff), but am watching the Get Real DVD at the moment and its on the section with working the shred with your eyes closed to work on tactile sensitivity. That got me thinking...how the heck do other folks work the shred if they are solo training? You have tips or tricks? I am still working on move from raw visualization (thinking through scenarios) to putting it in a shadow fighting or shredding form. To me the issue is I don't have that feedback, so I can only get so far...impossible to work tactile sensitivity with only yourself (well, in most things )...anyone had much success finding away to shadow shred?

[adamuk]

Hi Mate

I've never had a problem shadow shredding as I can visualise an opponents face in my hands in great detail.

What I have done with students is give them a light weight soccer ball to hold and then let them start to claw it, gouge and even elbow. This works because if they let go of the ball to elbow or try to do looong movememnts the ball drops out of their hands.

So e.g. rip, tear away and then fire off a short elbow which will work but a retracted thai elbow gives the soccer ball time to drop to the floor.

Also dont do it with a pillow/cushion......to soft!
Use a light plastic ball which is the size of a head (soccer ball is perfect) as it wont damage your hands/fingers but will give you resistance and make you move from one gouge, strike, tear, rip to another a lot easier.

Hope this helps.



Adam

[[ted]]

Adam, thanks for the idea, I'll give it a try with one of my balls



I think I can visualize the face, but turning that into visualizing the feedback from my shredding is where I fall short. Then again, I've always had a tougher time with shadow work, shadow boxing, etc.

[[ted]]

Sweet, that actually helped out quite a bit tonight! Busted out a workout and then mixed in some shadow work..actually helped with visualizing where the targets might end up given whatever was applied (palm here, head moves here, etc)....just helped to have a tactile cue or marker. Thanks Adam!

[Rod Smith]

Wicked idea Adam… never thought of that. I'll give it a try.

[drgndrew]

G'day Guys,

I use Ed,

Ed is a Solid Polystyrene Head just like the ones you she in wig shops, hairdresser, and hat stores. Picked him up for around $10.

gives me a face to work with (mind you I've worn a fair bit of it off mow) and and doesn't complain like the missus.

[BrendanW]

You could always try a Body Opponent Bag (BOB) dummy, i think this would be useful as you can move around it to work on footwork also as well as it having realistic facial features.

[BrendanW]

A bob dummy may be useful due to its realistic facial features as well as giving you the option to work your "ghosting" footwork, there are various types of different quality but all achieve the same thing.

[Richard Dimitri]

Hey Brendan, welcome to the forum brother... thank you for the input, however, I would like to ad 2 things:

1. Please give us an introduction to who you are, what brought you to our forum, experience etc. when you have a moment

2. Re the BOB, though its a great tool, it is also a very limited tool as it doesn't have any human reactions therefore in effect, depending on the amount of time spent training on it, it could possibly develop bad habitual patterns of Shredding, let me elaborate... a human being while being shredded will panic, flail, and violently try to escape the predicament he finds himself in at the moment constantly shifting and affecting the footwork, timing and proximity, therefor directly affecting the choice of tools being used... the BOB dummy won't move at all.

Thanks, looking forward to more of your input my friend.

[[ted]]

I've used the soccer ball idea pretty regularly now...usually have it around during regular shadow work, and add it in depending on whatever "scenario" I'm working shadow through. I've also found that adding the context of whatever I'm working on really helps. Outside of that, I still kind of feel that not working specific form of any kind is more beneficial. I like to think that if it comes to the physical aspect of shredding, it'll happen more efficiently without a ton of specific work. The bigger piece is all that other "stuff" that is easily taken for granted. Kind of hard to work de-escalation in shadowing, you know what I mean....

[BrendanW]

No worries Rich. i knew i had to just wasn't sure where i should introduce myself.
My name is Brendan, living in Sydney australia, following two years of wing chun training discovered RBSD ordered several of the senshido instructional dvds and attended 3 days of the 2007 Sydney senshido seminars, i also have products of geoff thompson, sammy franco, ray floro and tim larkin.
I have known about the forum for quite some time and thought if i want more knowledge this is probably the best place and hopefully can help some people along the way.

I do agree rich the BOB dummy is a limited training toll, i just found that the realistic facial features are useful for tool and target development and first strike targeting. Unfortunately nothing can beat live training. I find solo training is difficult at best however shadow shredding helps and i will have to try the soccer ball idea. hoping to get to some future seminars to.

All the best
Brendan

[Richard Dimitri]

I do agree rich the BOB dummy is a limited training toll, i just found that the realistic facial features are useful for tool and target development and first strike targeting. Unfortunately nothing can beat live training. I find solo training is difficult at best however shadow shredding helps and i will have to try the soccer ball idea. hoping to get to some future seminars to.

Cool bro, just thought it should be said... glad you enjoyed the seminars, will possibly be in Brisbane this year for public seminars and in Sydney but for a seminar for the private school Cranbrook, won't be giving any public seminars in Sydney this year...

My best to you and yours my friend, glad to have you here.

[Livo]

won't be giving any public seminars in Sydney this year...

[Tap_or_Choke]

Glad to see you take it lightly, Livo...

[Richard Dimitri]

[BrendanW]

Oh well, no publics in sydney just means a road trip to brisbane