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Savate
(Contributor: Tobias Ratschiller - tRatschiller@pass.dnet.it)
Intro:
A native French kicking style.
Origin: France
History:
It was developed in the last century, and its origins and relationships,
if any, to other Martial Arts are unclear. There are stories about
French sailors picking up techniques in Eastern ports, bringing
them home and integrating them with local foot fighting and fencing
techniques.
"French Boxing-Savate" was founded in 1970 in France. It consists
mainly of precise striking with the hands and low foot-striking
and appropriate defense-techniques. The hand-techniques are similar
to boxing. Special attention is paid to develop elegant and soft
movements.
Description:
It primarily encompasses kicking techniques somewhat similar
to Tae Kwon Do or Karate. It includes punching techiques from
Western Boxing and stick fighting techniques based on French rapier
fighting. It is very stylized and more extended than most Eastern
kicking arts.
Training:
Three different forms are taught:
- Assaut: technical fighting, the opponent must not (or nearly
not) be hit.
- Combat Technique: fighting with semi-contact
- Combat Total: full-contact fight with KO allowed.
Usually together with Savate is taught "La Canne", a mostly defensive
art using wooden sticks."
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