Dequerdes: Filipino Training Cross
By Pete Kautz, 2008

Remember the last time you wanted to practice martial arts but didn't have a training partner to work out with?  Happens to me all the time!

Sure, you could whack the heavy bag, but it's not like sparring.  What you want is a challenge, an opponent who is moving and trying to hit you back!  You need someone to bring out your reflexes under pressure and push you to use your art in real time, and static training equipment just doesn't cut it.

With the dequerdes you can get that same energy of a live training partner and bring your solo training to a whole new level.  You can spar, do self defense techniques, work sticking energy drills and even train weapons full contact without worrying about hurting anybody.  This is the kind of training that brings out your natural ability.

Sound good?  If so, then you need the newest James Keating Comtech DVD on 'Dequerdes: Filipino Training Cross'

Dequerdes: Filipino Training Cross Train your skills & reactions with open hands or weapons anytime you want with this easy to build piece of equipment

This 78 minute DVD details how to build two different styles of training cross out of inexpensive PVC pipe and use them for solo training with open hands, hellbow destructions (including the 'salute system' not shown on Hellbows), knife, stick, double stick, bandanna, footwork training, lock flow, standing grappling, sweeps, throws, even ground fighting and submissions!

Basically, if you do something in your art there will be an equivalent with the dequerdas you can practice when you don't have a live partner to work with!

Complete partner break-downs are shown for everything on the DVD, so you learn how to make the connections between "Here is the action with my partner, here it is done solo with the dequerdes".  This way no matter what art you train in you will be able to relate it to the dequerdes!

The dequerdes is a fantastic training device because it challenges your reflexes in a unique way that other pieces of equipment do not.  While other devices like the heavy bag or pell help develop power, the dequerdes develops your accuracy, timing, mobility and cat-like reflexes because it is constantly in motion and can really surprise you!  Training with the dequerdes is like fighting a Tasmanian Devil from the cartoons with its constant cyclone of attacks.

For those of you who've gotten the Hellbows DVD and want to practice the elbow shields and limb-destruction tactics the dequerdes is ideal.  You can really sink in the elbow shots on the fist and arm and then whip the dequerdes around you with the dumog cranks in a way that would be too rough to practice with a partner at speed.

Training With the Dequerdes
Defending the Haymaker: Photo-Technique

Defense against the haymaker or big swinging hook punch is an essential basic to train in the martial arts.  You will encounter the sloppy swing-from-the-boot-tops haymaker more often than the textbook crisply executed jab in fights with lesser trained opponents.  Even when people do have training they often will still resort to these wild punches as they become fatigued or desperate to win.

Some styles will throw these kind of swinging long-arm blows on purpose, such as is seen in certain Chinese arts.  With these Long-Fist styles though, they have more control than the average haymaker as well as the ability to throw combinations from various angles.  In their case, the swinging punch is used as part of a well considered strategy.

Regardless of the level of sophistication the attacker has however, luckily our defense will remain the same!

In this example we're going to use one of the Comtech Hellbow techniques to defend ourselves.  This technique is known as Elbow Shield #2, as outlined in Modern Knives Issue 2 and in Hellbows.

As the dequerdes swings to strike you (1)

Quickly turn and cover with your rear hand
while your lead elbow strikes upward to the arm (2)

Immediately after striking with the elbow
your palm strikes horizontally (3)

This final action can also be used
to cover against a second strike (4)

If so, you can repeat the Elbow Shield
on the other side (5)

So, there you have a very simple and practical defense against the haymaker!

The reason I like to train this kind of work with the dequerdes is that I can practice at a much faster speed and with a lot more applied power and aggression than can be safely used with a training partner when practicing the elbow shields!

When you start to do this with another person, please take it easy on your practice partner and start off slow.  This can really 'nuke' their bicep!  Basically the harder they swing the more it will hurt them.

Dequerdes: Filipino Training Cross Train your skills & reactions with open hands or weapons anytime you want with this easy to build piece of equipment