Randy Couture Closing the Distance and Clinchwork, essential study for 'Nouveau-Bartitsu'

Greco-Roman wrestler Randy Couture, who had also boxed whilst in the Navy, was a true pioneer of modern MMA.
He is most well-known for his success using a style/tactic that came to be known as 'dirty boxing'; a blend of Greco-Roman clinch fighting with boxing punches, perhaps not unlike some of the methods used under the London Prize Ring and earlier rules.

In the instructional video of his that I'm posting, he shows 'elbow destructions' apparently entirely consistent with descriptions of those within Bartitsu, whilst seeking to clinch.
He also uses boxing punches to the same end, as well as the front kick which is also a technique shown by Vigny in the Bartitsu club.

http://www.bartitsu.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Vigny-demonstrates-savate-in-Bartitsu-Club.jpg



Some, who are scared of reality and prefer to remain cocooned in a world of books and LARP-style games, might argue that 'this is modern sport technique, and not historical!'.

Quite obviously, it's much better to learn from people who are successful at fighting- and by our own successes in fighting, than just by playing away 'blind' from historical source material, and 'imagining' what a fight might look or feel like!

People who already fight in some capacity will think this is so obvious as to not merit mentioning-
yet far from everyone who bases their methods on the historical material DOES actually fight, from the evidence available to me.

In fact, perhaps instead of using the original sources as the inspiration and framework to guide their development of a coherent fighting system, many prefer to retreat into fantasy and play acting?

If not, surely they would follow the examples of the Bartitsu club instructors, and actually spar and test their skills in open challenges.


Which is much safer to do in a boxing, wrestling, jiujitsu/judo, savate, MMA or Dog Brothers gym (as long as Vigny is used in any DB experiments, I see no issue with using that testing ground), than by going down Barton-Wright's and Vigny's purported route of 'engaging toughs' in the street to see how well our techniques work (I used to do that myself, and it's not clever or sensible, if you want to stay out of trouble and keep your conscience clear...)!


So, this video for me is gold, as not only does it show effective techniques and functional drills, but it's all consistent with our source materials (and base arts).
Not only is it consistent with our source materials (and base arts), but it's effective and functional!

So you'd do well to constantly cross reference your historical sources with real sport fighting (preferably actually engaging in some combat sports yourselves), as well as studying footage of street assaults and robberies, and seeing what works and what doesn't in those terrible situations.
In my training, I aim to balance those 3 driving forces; historical, sport and street.

The more we develop a working synthesis of the 3, the more real/useful our 'system' is, and the more justice it does to the original fighting art/s we all love so much.

After my habitual rant/preaching, here's Randy...! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXLHUt8P5A4


'As to boxing, we have guards which are not at all like the guards taught in schools, and which will make the assailant hurt his own hand and arm very seriously.'

E.W. Barton-Wright


'He (Vigny) has also a guard in boxing on which you will hurt your own arm without getting within his distance...'

 From the Pall Mall Gazette (1901)


'If one gets into a row and plays the game in the recognised style of English fair play – with fists – the opponent will very likely rush in and close, in order to avoid a blow. Then comes the moment for wrestling...'

E.W. Barton-Wright


' Again, should it happen that the assailant is a better boxer than oneself, the knowledge of Japanese wrestling will enable one to close and throw him without any risk of getting hurt oneself.'

E.W. Barton-Wright


'In order to ensure as far as it was possible immunity against injury in cowardly attacks or quarrels, (one) must understand boxing in order to thoroughly appreciate the danger and rapidity of a well-directed blow, and the particular parts of the body which were scientifically attacked...........judo and jiujitsu are not designed as primary means of attack and defence against a boxer..........but (are) only supposed to be used after coming to close quarters, and in order to get to close quarters, it is absolutely necessary to understand boxing........'

E.W. Barton-Wright


Barton-Wright summarised the essential principles of Bartitsu as:

1. To disturb the equilibrium of your assailant.
2. To surprise him before he has time to regain his balance and use his strength.
3. If necessary, to subject the joints of any parts of his body, whether neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, back, knee, ankle, etc. to strains that they are anatomically and mechanically unable to resist.