Doble Baston – Double Stick
Once basic familiarisation has be been gained to further enhance single stick, knife and empty hand training multiple weapons are then introduced, including but not limited to double stick, stick and knife and sword and knife. This is an in-depth multi disciplined area because of the different characteristics and strategies appropriate to the different weapons used which can greatly enhance awareness of open lines, progressive attacks and defences when used correctly.
Customarily double stick training can be classified into three areas: Coordination drills, flow drills and combat techniques with each area developing different skills and attributes. Coordination drills are a starting point which are used to improve your non-dominant side and are generally performed with both practitioners doing the same movement at the same time, therefore enhancing coordination, timing and synchronisation between the two weapons. The movements of the drills being practised do retain practical applications, further more also translate into empty hand techniques. Several different chambers are employed in double stick training including open, closed and parallel chambers which additionally have practical translations dependent on the type of attacks and defence required in that moment.
Following initial familiarisation of basic coordination drills the next stage is to practice counter for counter flow drills rather than mirroring your partners strikes you will now develop reactions and defences which require a much higher level of coordination and building on previous concepts, attributes and strategies, further more these drills again retain direct translation to combat application. In more advanced stages the practitioners mind is further stimulated with the introduction of applying drills in left verses right, mirror, matched and reverse applications which open up supplementary opportunities to take advantage of safer lines of attack, tie ups and off balancing the opponent.
Consequently both previous areas are building blocks for the combat techniques used in sparring, one of the most efficient and effective tactics in double stick sparring is to use one stick for defence and simultaneously attack with the other which can be done by you initiating the attack or your opponent leads and you counter. One approach used is the Ginunting entry which is a counter attacking method whereby a false opening would be presented to draw the attack which is then parried or blocked with a simultaneous strike to the opponents arm or hand which would then be followed up with striking combinations previously practiced. Double stick coordination, flow drills and combat techniques have no limit to variation and need to be practised outside the framework of the drill and translated to the movement principles of empty hand concepts thus in theory the practitioner only needing to understand multiple weapon principles to gain a feel for the Filipino Martial arts.
