Rick Tew

Rick Tew Action Video 2000

Combat grappling leg sweep and low stance application.

One of the more common martial art sweeps or takedowns can be applied from a standing grapple.

It’s important to keep a low center of gravity with your upper body leaning forward and into or lower than your opponents (otherwise they can sweep you too).

Another point to make is that you want to match your ground leg with the position of the leg that will be swept. This means stepping forward into that position so that your foot is in line with theirs.

Beginners practicing our Strikes and Kicks form.

We use this form to introduce students to the variety of Strikes and Kicks available in the martial arts.

It’s also used to help beginners develop their form and movements in their first few days training at the camp. Which is the case here.

In time, they will perform with more strength, flexibility, agility, stamina, and speed.

Low sweep kick “practice” and application with a basic combat scenario that includes a knee sweep and mount.

Sorry for the birds 🐦 chirping 😏 there was a nest just above us that we didn’t want to disturb.

Please note that most of our drills are to teach body movement and applications. They are not meant as tactics for - do this if they do that.

A few areas are able to be broken down to the obvious (guard up if you get punched) but for those that haven’t trained in the system, it is easy to mistake what we are doing as a complete technique as opposed to practicing smaller applications from the skill book.

In this case, the students are practicing how a low sweep kick might be used but also working on their combat grappling.

Also, apply some common sense as you wouldn’t kick an opponent in the the shin without boots and very often it’s to avoid hurting your training partners knee.

Forearm block/redirect, basic stick manipulation and a low sweep kick.

Footwork is also being used for these beginners in order to train a variety of moves with one drill.

Forward Roll and Horse Stance application with rear elbow strike as part of our Intro to Martial Arts

Intro to Martial Arts rolls and falls awareness exercise.

Students practice rolling with the eyes closed as well as walking to objects previously spotted with the eyes open.

Developing basic stick coordination and manipulation through a simple drill as part of our intro to martial arts camp in Thailand.

Martial Science rolling fall - intermediate class Thailand 🇹🇭

People visit from around the globe to join in a training program while also on vacation.

In this clip, intermediate students are practicing a rolling break fall and advanced students will practice the air fall.

Learning to fall is important if thrown to the ground. Remember, there won’t be a mat in the real world.

The elbow connects with the knee to create a shield and barrier to protect you from a grappling situation (especially a mount).

The kicks would be targeted at the knees but we aim a bit high for flexibility and practice. The ground leg bends with the foot touching the knee to create another shield.

I hope it goes without saying that you would not kip up in a combat situation. The goal of the Martial Science is to train the body in various moves.

Although we focus on offering practical tactics for self-defense, we are also interested in the other aspects and benefits the martial arts has to offer.

If you’d like to learn more about this Martial and the Art concept, I can send you a link to an article where I explain it in more detail.

Intro to Martial Arts Therapy - beginners class Thailand 🇹🇭

People come from around the globe to participate in a training vacation.

In this clip, students are practicing a jumping and ducking fitness drill.

Small jumps get the body in motion and kickstart the heart for action.

This drill also helps students who have a harder time understanding the hands should go above the head (listen to the audio) when ducking.

The higher your hands, the more protection the forearms offer. Protecting the brain is more important than the safety of your arms.

Most important is to have fun and use the body in new ways so as to constantly be activating a kind of mental and physical muscle confusion.

This increases practical fitness skills while keeping the classes fun.

We try to keep classes fun and informative but also flexible and new. We avoid being strict and repetitive.

Our goal is to offer and promote a fun way to train and workout while still getting close (often one-on-one) instruction and guidance).

I often film students when they practice so we can review material and they have a historical record. Often, I can show them in the class what they are doing or need to be doing right away.

Because I am focused on the student, there are fewer videos of me being the Narcissistic Ninja - also I’m usually the one filming :)

I teach small private group classes (Sensei to Student style) where students can learn and practice the basics in my 5 Level system (Link in Bio for details) that begins with:

Stances
Rolls
Falls
Strikes
Kicks
Mindset
Self-defense
Stick, knife, sword

And a whole lot more ;)

Because students are on an education vacation with us (Thailand or California), they have time to spend training each day without distractions.

Although we do a lot of things (hanging out, coaching, travel, outdoor adventure, meditations etc), away from the mat training too.

In class, we include some stretches and exercises to develop the splits and strengthen the wrists.

We follow a set routine from the stances as part of our Ninja-Yoga, which I also like to call Not-Yoga for those that just want the benefits without the added spiritual connection.

The Thailand 🇹🇭 Tokay gecko 🦎 at the Retreat on Koh Samui island 🏝.