OK so I don't have any coin in this game any more. At this point I don't teach any longer, dojo is closed etc etc. I haven't done any cross training with other groups for some time as well Now for discussion., this person was cooked here for a while. I would admit to being biased at one point. Now would just like some open minded discussion on technique. Thoughts [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujAXTYRwhkY&list=TLBYz-SE2WGGjVXVv9A0VUzaEPaPKH3uJ2&index=11"]Sogobujutsu a look at one technique - YouTube[/ame]
It's basically the same principle as kali. Anything is a weapon and the angles don't really change. Is this a new thought in Ninjutsu? I thought it was a already widely used concept? As to what I think of it, I think it's a great concept.
I noticed arm hanging and the uke, after he would punch would just stop and stand there with his arm out. I keep waiting for him to keep attacking, but they just stood their while they were tossed about.
its a ronald duncan offshoot so its a hakko ryu derivative. poor posture, poor tactics, pretty breakfalls, good spirit.
I'll post another. He's not an offshoot of Duncan, that much I know. This one is a little long so you may need to jump here and there. It's recent. [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeL5RLcKwns"]Advanced Aiki Waza, a response to internet trolls - YouTube[/ame] I'm also looking for the aiki crowd to chime in.
Here is a better example in my opinion. No it is not Ninjutsu, no school I've seen in that system moves like this. But he has been discussed here. Just for discussion [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-1W0d6eqTo&list=PLE41048F577B50ADB&index=2"]Sogobujutsu Part 2 - Absorbing the Enemy's Energy - YouTube[/ame]
It's a bit tedious to watch him doing the same thing wrong from different angles over and over and over and over.:bang: Could just be he's a Satan worshipper, LOL. Anyway, you shouldn't try to raise up a guy's arm and walk under it, you should just walk under it while changing your level. The intro talks about universal principles and how great their school is but I see no spiral motion, just poor footwork, dangerous and ineffective technique, and poor Japanese terminology to look cool. The circular footwork at the end after the uke has been thrown is time consuming and unnecessary and he has poor posture. As mentioned before, the uke just stands there waiting with his offside hand out of the game. Wouldn't want to learn from this guy, and he wears his hat inside the dojo but I guess as a soke that he can make that decision. Utter garbage(the 9:11 mark is especially funny as the second uke gives him his arm again to allow the throw).
More nonsense. This guy is like a snake oil salesman, if you want to know his lineage buy his book. I just want to know why they wear jika tabi and hats in the dojo.:dunno: It's not worth posting anymore of his videos unless you want people to vomit a bit in their throat, at least CMA do that kind of line demo with a bit more pizzaz.
Quote: "Uploaded on Jun 20, 2011 These videos are small segments taken from a short Demonstration real of David Falcaro showing his art Sogobujutsu. Originally this was put together in 2005 for Chuck Norris. An acquaintance of mine, Bob Wall, promised to pass on this Demo to Mr. Norris. In the hopes that Chuck would invite us to some elite martial arts"
The way he holds his arms forces the person pushing him to press in line with his spine. So, unless the person doing the pushing is strong enough to compress a spinal column, or if the person being pushed has weak core muscles, this trick will work for most people. All you have to do is keep your shoulders raised. [EDIT: and also, because he is forcing the person pushing to push down, instead of forwards, he takes the strength of their legs and core out of the equation, and this serves to unbalance them more.] Adding more people does nothing, as they are pushing in a different line to the person in front, which will naturally end up in that front person being squeezed out of the middle due to not being able to exert pressure on two vectors simultaneously and being put off balance. Though, you can see at around 42" that the video is cut just as they are pushing him over.
I did agree with a couple of things he said the first time he was showcased here. There's just something about Him though that screams 'fake'. I'm not sure if its the really crappy structure he takes a lot of the time ( bent/ twisted/ not grounded and out of balance=weak). Or the stunt men, aka uke's whom have one usable limb whilst the rest of them is paralyzed ? But if people enjoy it, good for them! I just can't gt past the inherent flaws in his movement and kamae. Is the OP impressed a d looking for confirmation? If you like the look of it go for it, don't be concerned by anyone else's opinion.
This. Just this. I've done this a few times and seen others do it before. There's so many ways to rig this to look impressive but it is, to all extents and purposes, a parlour trick. Kinda fun one to do though a couple of times. I was always the guy that if I was expected to join the queue and push on people in front of me, I'd put my hands in a lower position (usually a fraction above the pelvis rather than on someone else's shoulder blades) and drive up, breaking the chain of movement. Virtually guaranteed to get everyone except myself to fall over. Most people I've seen do it usually brace their palms against the elbows of the person pushing them, so if that person could unbalance them they just add more pressure to the elbows. Pretty much kills any pressure dead.
Like I said I'd be slightly biased. I am not educated in certain elements of movement. Not perfect, not expert so just looking for discussion. Maybe not the "snake oil" I like Dave, I've known him and trained with him and his guys extensively with my guys. I've felt what he does, and his teacher for that matter. I found it compelling. Never really agreed with everything, to me it is pretty complex. I don't know why all of it works or why it wouldn't I guess I just liked the videos, the spirit in them. Frankly taken the average or most advanced Ninjutsu students, vs the combative movement I have seen first hand at his dojos. I'd be more inclined to believe his dojo would be superior. But as seen opinions are everything. I haven't seen or trained with Falcaro Sensei in some time. We've lost touch. Mind you I'm not teaching at this point, have nothing really to do with the Japanese arts for reasons I had stated once before. So it was more just discussion. For the record he would be one person I would say prior to saying he is just crap, to go train and see the full package not what is on video only. He holds an annual Tai Kai that is a great weekend. Food included too. But I didn't post this to start a slam fest, however I know that some critique would occur
The snake oil comment comes from his appeal to testimonials, the "I'm really above this but I will respond to naysayers because…" comments, and the "If you want to know my lineage, buy my book," crap. Sounds like Anshu Christa, another person with another undeserved title. Pretty much any non-Japanese person calling themselves Soke should be given a wide berth. He is demoing some pretty basic aiki(do/jutsu) concepts, but not as convincingly as Japanese masters of it. The flaw in many of the things I've found is that once you let go, the techniques no longer work. He has poor posture, footwork, and does many things that wouldn't work or might but are dangerous. As such, I am underimpressed. Again, compared to people with real skill in aikido/aikijutsu, he is still pretty low on the totem pole, but if you haven't been exposed to something similar before, I could see how it might seem appealing.
If you cant take critism, best not ask for honest feedback. if your judging them on combatative movement any judo or BJJ blackbelt would wipe the floor with all of them all day every day.
If your looking for a hobby I'd say go for it, anything you enjoy is good for the soul IMHO. Be it line dancing, flower arranging or yellow bamboo. From a usable point of veiw however; This sort of thing can look great in demos and get " oooh....aawe" sounds from the crowd, however IMHO it requires a conditioned attack and conditioned response from the uke, remove either and it's falls on its face, but it DOES work in their dojo just not at the kickboxing, judo or night clubs. His fees are good though and he seems pleasant enough and is passionate about what he is doing, I think he's jumped the gun a bit, does not have half the skill he thinks he does and should continue with his teacher for a few decades longer. It's also very 'samey' reminds me a bit of that RVD home study BB from Geelong, omete gyaku for breakfast lunch and dinner and as a special treat omete gyaku all week end.....
I'll look it up, is it soggy bottom boys on Facebook That's the name I hear in my mind when I see his sogo bujutsu or whatever it is. "In constant sorrow"
