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Leg Fencing (Tape 2B): T.O.P. Tool Drills
A Product Review by Phil Elmore
When Scott Sonnon sent me a copy his three-tape Leg Fencing set and asked that I do an honest review of it, I was a little intimidated. I'll admit it: I tend towards a weakness that many in the martial arts have, and that is that I prefer striking with my hands to kicking with my feet. This is a natural bias in human beings, I think. We're used to using our legs for little else than walking around, whereas we use our hands and arms for just about everything else.
Well, growth can be both painful and unsettling -- but it is worth it. If you're looking to increase your leg flexibility, power, control, and speed, the Leg Fencing series is one you should consider.
TAPE 2B
The production values of Tape 2B are similar to those of the first two tapes. The sound level of the intro and outtro music is too loud when compared to Scott's speaking voice, though this is a minor complaint. Closer shots of Scott and his training partners are fine, and the camera moves up and down as needed to capture torso and leg movement. Wide shots, in which the camera pans back to reveal more of the color-lighted background, appear a bit dim in comparison to the closer shots. Everything on the tape is visible and audible.
The tape begins with a discussion of the Trinity Tactic and Training Protocol. Scott discusses bound flow and says that every time you intend to do one thing, deliver a single technique or motion, you are binding your flow each time that single action ends. To stay in flow, you must minimize the time between techniques. Don't do a single thing. Do three different things at the same time. But be warned: this is not a technique. "If you think of it as a technique," Scott says, "you've just sucked the training value out of it." The trinity tactic and training protocol is a training tool. Your task is to flow in a fluid drill and apply the principle, not throw it as a technique. The concept quite logically leads to the "saturate" phase of the T.O.P. strategy, in which you overwhelm your opponent.
The drills continue, picking up where tape 2A ended. (Normally, training should be conducted alternating from static drill to fluid drill, not as a series of static drills in succession.)
In the Static Drill Under-Hook Blocking Knees, a shoulder-depth secure clinch at hip depth is required. Scott demonstrates the proper clinch needed to block the opponent at the hips, thus blocking or mitigating knee strikes. The fighter must feel the weight transfer, developing accurate threat perception in the process.
In a segment on Static Drill Fine Points, Scott demonstrates how to remove your elbow from the clinch by moving it to the hip to pull it out. From hip depth, you can't apply knees too well -- you need space. The drill works on the point at which the hips are "married" to facilitate what Scott calls "flight lessons," or takedowns. One very good point Scott makes here is that your hips must be out to protect you from grappling, which makes you vulnerable to strikes -- but if your hips are in to protect from strikes, you are vulnerable to grappling. When your opponent's hips are out, strike him. When they are in, throw him.
Discussing Fluid Drills, Scott tells us to start from the "secure" phase -- the clinch -- with the hips out. Training partner Dan and Scott demonstrate this, blocking each other's knee strikes. Scott reminds the viewer to keep the knees bent, maintain a secure hold, and keep posture low.
In the Static Drill Takedown #1, Defensive Hip Throw, from the overhook/underhook clinch, the fighter must feel the knee coming in and up the body. "Marrying with the force," he throws the opponent over his hip.
In the Static Drill Takedown #2, Wizzer, the fighter pulls his elbow back, lifts the shoulder to expose the wrist and get wrist control, and, with his other hand on the back of the opponent's head, jams the shoulder down. This drops the opponent. Anyone familiar with wrestling from high school will recognize the application of this control over the opponent's head.
The Static Drill Takedown #3, Lateral Hip Lift, involves moving across the opponent's body, pulling his hip into yours, and screwing upwards as his weight transfers while delivering a knee. Scott lifts Dan completely off the floor doing this move.
In motion, locking arms and power transfer arms can loosen. The Static Drill Head and Arm Clinch at Hip Depth with Knee Strikes teaches the opponents to take advantage of this in getting a good head and arm clinch.
In the Static Drill Takedown #4, Gut Wrench Body Wave, the fighter inhibits the opponent's diaphragm through the "gut wrench." He performs a "body wave" to life and take and opponent down from that gut wrench as his hips come in. This delivers shock and gives the fighter a chance to saturate the opponent with strikes.
In the Fluid Drill Protocol, Hip Depth, Scott explains that once the training partners get to, say, elbow depth, they must work their way back to shoulder depth to deliver strikes, throws, and takedowns at hip depth.
In a segment on Transcending Range and Range Compression, Scott has donned a pair of padded gloves without fingertips. In practice you may not get the "secure" phase, he reiterates. You may have to go directly to "shock" and "saturate." Don't isolate your weapons to a particular range, he says. Instead, learn to move and compress range as needed. This is related to flow.
Fluid Drill Protocols for Elbow to Shoulder Depth, Wrist to Elbow Depth, Shoulder to Wrist Depth, and Wrist to Shoulder Depth follow. One of the more important points among these is that wrist control is a fundamental exercise, paramount to keeping your balance and controlling your opponent.
In the Dynamic Drill Protocol, Transcending Range with T.O.P. Strategy, the opponents start from non-contact range and move inside to apply the Secure, Shock, and Saturate strategy. As they get closer, they reduce variables and increase their ability to collect data about each other.
In the Dynamic Drill Protocols for Bloodsport, Evolution, and Role-Play, Scott describes a number of ways to make training more interesting while exploring and better learning the training strategies of different styles and specific fighters. I particularly liked, and can relate to, the drill he calls "Bloodsport," in which an opponent uses a specific (and often quite different) style. In sparring or combat drills this is something I have seen both of my martial teachers do.
Throughout the Leg Fencing series, Scott refers to other tapes, such as Flow Fighting, Fisticuffs, Immovable Object - Unstoppable Force, and others. He has established an impressive body of work to which you can refer for more detail on a variety of subjects, though I believe the Leg Fencing series stands fairly well by itself.
Scott begins each tape in this series with a quote: "Be more prepared than the challenges you will face."
I believe his material goes a long way towards helping you accomplish this goal.