Còmhraig Principia, Volume I
Lower Réidheachd Training

by Randolf in Dark Ages



Hand strikes

Buail vulgaris
"Assail"
This is your basic closed-fist strike. Although many weapons may be used to varying degrees of effectiveness using similar motions, keep in mind that a monk's unencumbered limbs are his unrivaled weapons.
The concept is simple, but takes a lifetime of training to master. There is little likelihood of truly "failing" any such attempt, as any random flailing could be seen as an attack, and I hesitate to even label it a "technique." As you train, however, the influence of your Master on your style, and your own individuality, will begin to emerge in the strike.
It is suggested that beginners start training this empty-handed. Begin with your hand clenched into a fist, palm-side up, against the side of your hip. In a fluid motion, guide the fist, imagining it as a stone, traveling in a straight line from your hip to 2-inches behind the surface you intend to strike. As an exercise, this can be an imaginary surface in the air. The motion should be carried by a rotation of the waist, moving the shoulder of the striking arm towards the target, a levering of the shoulder, an extension of the elbow, and a twist of the wrist such that your fist ends the strike facing palm-down, all in concerted fluidity so that your arm channels all of the Energy of your body to a single striking surface, your fist. Beware you do not fully extend, or "lock" your elbow - meaningless self-injury will delay your training, as well as bring dishonor. In general, immediately reverse the motion after striking to return the fist to a "ready" position. This allows you to strike again quickly, if need be, or use that limb for defense. Extended limbs are inviting targets, especially for grappling and breaking.
As your skill improves with training, you may develop or be taught more advanced hand-strikes. This allows for more flexibility in choosing the appropriate strike for a specific target or situation, thus enabling you to strike harder and miss less often.

Dùbailte buail
"Double punch"
As your ability to fight with your fists improves, further advanced techniques may be learned. Many such techniques allow you to strike more often by reversing the direction of the striking limb after a strike to hit again, or by reversing the rotation of the waist to strike with the other arm.
While the concept is not too difficult to comprehend, putting it into practice is not as simple, and you may miss your second strike as often as not. Also, there is an inherent loss of momentum caused by the reversing motion, so the strikes may seem weaker. As you practice however, and the fluidity of the reversal is developed, your ability to land the second blow will increase - even if you miss the first strike! - as will your ability to maintain, and even increase, the power of your second strike. The most basic of the dual-strikes is what is known among brawlers as "the ol' one-two." Lead with the less powerful arm in a quick snap to either the face of the target, or some other sensitive area, and follow through with all of your strength and momentum in the second strike, maximizing on concussive force. While not particularly elegant, and nowhere near as consistent as I have described, "the ol' one-two" has proved its effectiveness in weakening an opponent in countless bar-brawls.
A more refined dual-strike involves pivoting your body perpendicular to your opponent, minimizing your target areas, and beginning with a lunged elbow strike, followed by a strike with the same fist, using a rotation of the striking elbow either up or down, depending on the size of the opponent, species, and gender.
There are many such combinations of strikes already taught by our Order, and countless other possibilities. Learn well from your Master, absorb his techniques and make them your own. Only repeated usage of a specific combination can ingrain it into instinct. It can not be stressed enough that timing is everything! Though a dual-strike may allow you to overwhelm the guard of a wary opponent, missing the second strike will leave you open to retaliation! It is better to side step an opponent and then unleash upon his unprotected flank. When fighting dishonorable opponents or creatures of Darkness, it is better still to strike from behind.

Nimh buail
"Poison punch"
All creatures produce toxins as a product of life. Younger monks will remember the burning ache in their muscles after a hard day's training by an overzealous Elder Brother or Sister.
Through careful study of the 88 vital points and harnessing his Chi, a Monk can release a quantity of a creature's own toxins into its bloodstream. A great deal of failure will be met at first - before the practitioner becomes intuitively familiar with the individual physiology of a creature. Even when successful, you will meet with varying degrees of success, dependent on a number of factors, most notably the efficiency of a particular specimen's physiology at breaking down its own toxins, and the amount of toxin cached in the sac struck, which affects the amount of toxin that can be released. You would do well to study the anatomy of the various hostile species in Temuair before attempting this technique upon them.
Because flesh and outer covering protect the stores of toxin, whether skin or carapace, Chi is necessary to extend beyond your physical reach and spread the poison. As you hone and refine your ability to control the flow of your Chi and learn to channel it from your extremities with greater precision and effectiveness, less concentration will be required to gather your Chi to strike again.
Note that since the technique makes use of Chi, it is not Magick. No magical power is expended; this is a shaping and extending of your own life-energies. It is important to consider the possibilities of producing effects similar to Magick through the use of Chi.



Leg strikes

Breab
"Kick"
A number of leg-strikes fall into the general heading of "kick." To strike with your legs requires a good deal of practice before the balance to execute such techniques with any power becomes instinctive. Be warned that attempting any of these techniques while encumbered with weight disproportionately distributed around your Center is dangerous and ill advised, if indeed it is possible at all.
Do not be discouraged that when you begin, your precision and power is found sorely lacking. Only patient training can develop the awareness of your Center to the point where you can deliver the full power of your legs through the elegance of balance and precision.
To begin training, remember to stretch extensively first. The muscles used for many kicks are not used often in day-to-day life.
Beginners should start with the basic leg strike, sometimes known as a "front kick." From any standing position, shift your balance to the foot you will not be striking with. In a single, fluid motion, raise the knee of your striking leg, bent, such that your upper leg is parallel to the ground and perpendicular to your lower leg. With a quick snap, extend your lower leg so that your entire leg is nearly fully extended, toes curled upwards, so that you strike with the ball of the foot, and immediately bend the knee so that the lower leg returns to a perpendicular with your upper leg. The raised foot should be placed down where it was raised. For greatest power, the striking surface of the ball of the foot should be aimed at one foot behind the surface you wish to strike.
That is the breakdown of the motions used for training of the kick, both in balance and power. There are some obvious adjustments to be made when used in combat: Firstly, the entire technique, from the balance-shift to the return of the foot to the ground, should be done in a single, fluid motion. Allow no time for your opponent to read your intention by seeing your shift in balance, nor give your opponent the opportunity to take advantage of your instability during your preparation to kick. It is a pretty good idea to shift quickly between different bases of balance during the course of combat to keep your opponent guessing. Secondly, use the retraction of the kick strategically! Advance a step with the striking foot after kicking, or retreat, or even use the opportunity to shift your stance. Strike and move!
Some other basic kicks include the "side kick," striking to the side of your striking leg with either the bladed "edge" of your foot, or the heel, and the "roundhouse kick," which uses your entire leg as a lever with your hips as a pivot.
Remember to train thoroughly with both legs! Overly relying on one side or favoring a particular limb makes your actions predictable and increases the chances of a minor injury to the limb bringing defeat. Do not indulge in such obvious weaknesses.
As you train, the balance for these strikes will become more intuitive, and the specific muscle groups will increase in power and endurance, allowing you to strike harder and more often and miss less.

Ard breab
"High Kick"
These are specific leg strikes aiming for an opponent's head. A certain degree of proficiency in basic kicks is required before you develop the necessary flexibility and balance to execute the same kick at a higher target. Straining more at the tendons than kicks aimed at the torso, higher kicks also tend to snap back down faster, have less power, and miss more often. Stretching thoroughly is a must before practicing higher kicks!
The advantage of learning to strike at a higher target area is readily apparent: with enough practice, a Monk can strike once at an enemy with a kick, and quickly reverse direction to strike again at its head, before the foot even touches the ground! This tactic becomes increasingly important against especially powerful or skilled opponents to maximize an opening in their defense.



Tactics

Tionndaidh
"Ambush"
To step behind an engaged opponent and strike his blindside is a fairly simple concept to grasp, but is very difficult to actually execute. A great deal of speed and agility is required to seemingly dance around a wary opponent, as well as a well-developed sense of timing and careful observation. In addition, a great deal of time is necessary to recover from this burst of speed, though thankfully, sprinting makes use of different muscle groups than many kicks.
The most simplistic form of this outmaneuvering technique requires only an awareness of an appropriate opportunity and a triggered release of adrenalin, allowing you to slip swiftly around an opponent. More advanced practitioners have been known to leap in excess of 30 feet, aided by Chi, landing deftly behind a startled foe!
As can be expected, extensive practice of the sprinting and leaping muscles, as well as exercising control over the release of adrenalin, will build endurance for the use of these muscle groups and allow quicker, more effective application of the technique. Be mindful of tactics when using this technique! Do not, in your zealousness to outdo your opponent, sneak behind him only to realize that you have trapped yourself in a corner, or worse, surrounded by his fellows! If you should ever forget and do so, or blindly step into an ambush, remember that this technique may be used to slip past an opponent to flee, as well.