TRAINING

 

VADAKKAN SAMPRADAYAM (NORTHERN STYLE)

       The vadakkan style of kalarippayattu is mainly based on the flexible body movements. It allows the body to move freely in any angle. Hence with regular practice one can perfect the body. Kalaripayattu is necessary to those who practice kathakali, and dance or like this arts those need flexibility of body.                                    

MAIPAYATT

    It is the exercise concerning only to body flexibility and for balance and also helps us for perfect landing.

KOLTHARI (WOODEN WEAPON TRAINING SYSTEM)       

         KETTUKARI (LONG STICK) :

                    

    After having mastered most of the maippayattu forms, a student of kalarippayattu is allowed to take his or her first weapon the long stick .The long stick made of bamboo and should be bitter taller than the body length of the person .the long stick  height should be nearly of 170 cm .

                 

        As the stick is a pole weapon , it should be wielded with wide movements . In order to be able to perform multiple attacks , the rolling of the stick is done in circles . In most of the long stick forms and exercises both the attacker and defender do the same movements.

 

        The manner of handling the stick demonstrates its nature . Each weapons has its own nature, and can only be used once this nature is understood . Because the long stick is wielded in long circular movements , the direction of attacks is always perpendicular to its longitudinal axis .

                   

        Apart from long stick fighting , there are also forms to learn stick rolling , which are performed solo . stick rolling is important , because it teaches how to control stick , and to get a feeling for a long stick and how to use it .

           The specialist in kalari can attain the speed of 120 hits/minutes with opponents .

 

          MUCHAN OR CERUVADI (SHORT STICK):

                  

        Short stick is used to teach the student how to act in a fight with fast-moving weapons. The stick is only about 40 or 60 centimeters long (three hand spans), and its strikes and maneuvers are performed at high speed and at very close range from the opponent. This forces the student to overcome the natural human fear of being in the vicinity of potential danger. Because of the speed of the attacks, the agility of the practitioner has to increase dramatically.

 

        The tip of the short stick is used to strike. Therefore the weapon can be wielded in two ways: as a whip, or as an extension of the arm with circular movements performed in the same fashion as the long stick.

Good kalaipayattu practitioner can attain the speed  of nearly 300 hits per minutes with opponents .

 

     OTTA

                   The otta is peculiar to some of the northern traditions of Kalarippayat.  The weapon is a short wooden stick shaped into a curve nearly 75cm in length . When otta is practiced, one man holds the otta, pointed downward, and the other a short stick, pointed upward. The otta indicates the downward flowing energy, which is used for attacks performed from down to up. The short stick refers to the upward flowing energy, or attacks performed from up to down.

 

          The otta is especially designed to be able to penetrate most of the marmas or vital points of the human body.  Because of its shape, the weapon jabs the marmas in the right (i.e. most damaging) direction. The stick can reach many vital spots located on the back even by an attack from the front or the side. One otta attack on such vital spot will disable the body; a combination attack on several points is usually fatal.

           The otta can be also used in combination with a lock. Because of the curve, the lock will cause pressure into several marmas at the same time.

ANKAMTARI  (METAL WEAPONS TRAINING SYSTEM) :

                  The training with wooden weapons is an introduction to the use of iron weapons (ankamtari) , and forms the third part of the training. The practice with the iron weapons is added for more advanced students, who are supposed to be able to control their weapon in order to prevent accidents.

  KADARA :

                 

        A kadara is a dagger with a double-edged pointed blade. The dagger is made in such a way that the hilt is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blade.

 

    This construction makes it possible to cut through armor, because the full body strength can be put behind a thrust.     

  

VALUM PARICHAYUM (sword and shield):

              The sword is nearly 90 cm long and the shield is 43 cm in diameter.

The Val has a curved blade, and the curika, used in the spear exercise has a straight blade. The former is very useful for chopping, while the latter can be used for stabbing as well.

 

        The Val is used in combination with a shield in the series of exercises in which the sword is circled very closely around the body. These exercises are done to reach a technique in which a cut is delivered at the moment of drawing the sword. The forms also show how to throw sand at the opponent using a shield. This technique became famous because it is considered one the secret fighting techniques .

It is a very dangerous and interesting weapon in combat.