Escrima Concepts
Weapons Based Movement
Escrima Concepts, as taught at Cambridge Kung Fu, is a system that looks at the most effective strategies of using and adapting your body (with and without weapons) when defending yourself from both armed and unarmed attackers.
Learn more about 'Escrima Concepts'.
The Benefits of Escrima Concepts
Escrima Concepts is a very practical martial art which is excellent for both self defence and fitness. The physical benefits of our Escrima Concepts classes include increased flexibility, increased dexterity and improved coordination. As students progress through our syllabus and begin to use two weapons, they will benefit from improved left/right coordination as a result of using both their left and right arms and legs simultaneously.
Many of the techniques you will practice do not require strength or power since most of the power is derived from body movement and economy of motion; because of this anyone can practice Escrima Concepts regardless of their build or physical strength.
The Aims of Escrima Concepts
In addition to the physical benefits of our Escrima Concepts classes, it is our aim for all of our Cambridge Kung Fu students to benefit from the self-discipline that comes from studying a martial art and the self-confidence that comes from knowing ways in which you could defend yourself should it become necessary. All of our classes at Cambridge Kung Fu are designed to help students lead a safe, happy, healthy and successful life.
Our Escrima Concepts Classes
In our classes we teach the art of Escrima Concepts as taught by Master Steve Tappin. This is a weapons based system and therefore you will learn to use weapons from your very first lesson. As the name suggests, this is also a conceptual system which means it is the idea that ultimately matters, not the technique, which is true of everything we teach at Cambridge Kung Fu.
The fundamental concepts used in our classes are: Balance, Power, Focus, Timing (speed and distance), and Transition. These concepts are explored to find the safest and most efficient way of ending a fight, using control of both your own and your opponent's weapon and body to make effective use of what you have.
Initially we train with rattan sticks, then as you progress through the syllabus you will move on to use knives, palm sticks, machetes, staff and a whole host of other weapons, including combinations, for example double stick or stick and knife. From the outset you will also train unarmed using just your own body (which is also a weapon) against all the different weapon types. Students learn to interchange weaponry depending on its availability so they can fight just as well with a weapon or without it, learning to adapt the concepts to whatever weapons they are using.
Because you will be using weapons from the very beginning everything is initially taught slowly and with control, aiming to keep students relaxed under the natural pressure caused by using weapons. Once you are comfortable with, and proficient in, the use of basic attacks and defences, students can then begin to add some speed and eventually power.
Learn more about 'Our Escrima Concepts Classes' and 'Small Group or Private Lessons'.
Our Escrima Concepts Teachers
At Cambridge Kung Fu we are very fortunate to have learnt Escrima from some of the top Escrima practitioners in the world, including Grandmaster Bill Newman (Latosa Escrima), Grandmaster Brian Jones and Master Ricky Crofts (Latosa Escrima and Integrated Kun Tao) and Instructor John Morgan.
We are now proud to train and teach the 'Escrima Concepts' of Master Steve Tappin, who is an internationally renowned master of martial arts specialising in the use of unarmed and weapons for self protection. Master Steve, along with his son Wayne, teaches all round the world to top martial artists and special police and military units. Throughout the year both Master Steve and Wayne visit Cambridge to give seminars which are open to all Cambridge Kung Fu students and to grade the students who practice Escrima Concepts in Cambridge.
Our Escrima Concepts Instructor is 'Col Maggs' who is a private student of Instructor Wayne Tappin.
Escrima Concepts Grading
We hold regular gradings for those who wish to progress through our syllabus. For beginners there is an opportunity to be graded every three months (2 of these per year with Master Steve Tappin) when students can choose to take their next grade if they feel ready. For the basic grades, three months is normally plenty of time. For the intermediate and senior grades students should allow longer to prepare, as most higher grades often require more than one grading rotation to pass.
There are 12 Student Grades followed by 4 Technician Grades. There are also several Instructor Grades for anyone who wants to pass their knowledge on to fellow students. Learn more about 'Instructor Training'.
- Grades 1-4 are the Beginner Grades and students working towards these wear a White T-Shirt.
- Grades 5-8 are the Intermediate Grades and students working towards these wear a Green T-Shirt.
- Grades 9-12 are the Senior Grades and students working towards these wear a Brown T-Shirt.
- Students who pass their Twelfth Grade students are then on the Advanced Level and wear a Black T-Shirt.
- Technicians wear Black and Red.
