Zinn'ka: Shaasskah

”When the Saurid’s art is in Heaven’s Hand, shall the world tremble in fear.” ~ A prophecy from an unknown source

Shaasskah:

General

Shaasskah is a school that emphasizes on that direct impact, meaning kicks and others forms of hand attacks like punches, assisted by various forms of movement like jumping is the effective way of fighting. Thus, punches and kicks, and the amazing jumps and dazing ways of moving the body are the most prominent features of Shaasskah.

Shaasskah start off with the emphasis that to be able to attack, one must have a stable base from which the attacks come from, so the stances are wide and are stable. Then, it is the direct forms of attack. However, this does not means that Shaasskah only has punches and kicks, there are a lot more to learn in Shaasskah than that. As said before, jumps and body movements are considered to be important in Shaasskah too. The jumps and body movements provide the ability for a practitioner of Shaasskah to be mobile and to give amazing attacks. For example, at the higher level, it is possible for a practitioner of Shaasskah to actually change direction in mid-air to provide an unexpected twist to a jumping kick or any other kind of attack. Very simple grapples, locks and throws may be taught as a supplement or as foreplay to direct attacks.

History

The first records of Shaasskah can be found in one of the earliest records of the Royal Guard in the brightenings when Emperor Constantine first formed the Royal Guards.

The records spoke of a need for unarmed close combat training for then newly formed Royal Guard and Baron Rynus von Oreskovich recruited three people for this purpose. The three people were one human and two Saurids. The name of the human was Gaeow Ponpol, an Hriemalans and the Saurids were simply known as Ss’kass and Xsi’ros. It was not known exactly how Baron Rynus von Oreskovich recruited these three people, but from an extract from a soldier’s diary, Corporal Davon Fisin, some ideas can be gathered.

Extracts from the diary:

8773 Brightening 1 of Aperitus

I am to start my lessons in a form of unarmed combat training later in the afternoon. Already rumors of the instructors for this are flying fiercely around. It is known that the two of the instructors are Saurids! The moment that I have heard of this rumor, I dismissed this information as a joke, but the brightening before, I have seen the Saurids and knew this to be true. Never would I think that I would get to see a Saurid! Before I have seen them, I have thought that these creatures were just myths to scare little children…

Of the rumors, the Saurids were part of a tribe that was said to have rescued by Baron Rynus von Oreskovich in his younger brightenings and are now returning a favor. The human was said to be a student of the Saurids in the particular combat skill that was going to be taught by the grace of the Baron.

Hmm, I can’t wait to see what the Saurids will teach me!

8773 Brightening 2 of Aperitus

Last afternoon was quite eventful, already I have seen what the combat skill called “Shaasskah” can do and have started some basic training in it.

The human, named Gaeow Ponpol, first began the training by showing us what Shaasskah can do. And boy, was it a show! Gaeow Ponpol first showed us the basic stances, punches and kicks. Then, it was the jumps and strange body movement. Gaeow Ponpol can actually change his direction in mid-jump! The Saurids then joined in and what they showed was just as amazing.

After the demonstration, one of the guys asked for the history of Shaasskah, and the Saurids replied that Shaasskah came about with the intervention of a power being. Who or what the powerful being was, I could not quite catch it, as Gaeow Ponpol or the Saurids did not put it clear to me. The powerful being could be a god or just a Saurid who was influential enough among the Saurids, but I put my bet on a god and who knows, the god may even be the Unnamed One! The powerful being instructed the Saurids to observe animals in the wild and to provide instructions to integrate that into an unarmed combat skill. Gaeow Ponpol said “Shaasskah” means something along the direction of “Things learned from wild animals”.

And so, we began our training in Shaasskah by starting with the stances… (The extract stopped here as the rest are on the training, which is of no interest in this article.)

It must said that scholars to this brightening still cannot confirm what written in Corporal Davon Fisin’s diary as information to confirm the diary was hard to come by. Asking the Saurids was especially difficult as the Saurids are noxiously close mouthed about their clan’s history and to add to this, Saurids are not easy to find in the cities or in the wilderness.

After the introduce of Shaasskah into the military, Shaasskah was quickly integrated into the military training, becoming the preferred school of Zinn’ka for the military and through the ages become the form that is known this brightening.

The Levels

Basic Level

At Basic level, most school of Zinn’ka has almost the same number and variety of techniques to be learned. So it is that the most basic of stances, punches, kicks and blocks are learned at Basic level.

At the Basic Level, the most important principle imparted may be all attacks come from stable stances. Shaasskah considers stances to be the basis of which all techniques are built on. So it is that much emphasis is placed on the stance from the beginning. A student cannot proceed far without a good stance. Students will also learn the blocks, punches and kicks that the very basic of attacks. The blocks, punches and kicks usually adhere to the simple theory of “To be simple is to be effective”.

Examples of techniques at Basic level:

The Three Basic Stances – The stances taught are the Forward Stance, the Backward Stance and the Squat Stance. These stances are very important, as they will be frequently used in the techniques that are going to be taught in the later levels.

The Three Basic Blocks – The Blocks are the Upper Block, Lower Block and Middle Block. These three blocks are the basic of the blocks and a student can fight effectively with just these three blocks.

The Two Basic Punches – Reversal Punches and the Jab are usually taught as the Two Basic Punches. Of course, anyone can easily use these punches without training, but training is needed to use the punches effectively.

The Basic Kicks – It is known that the legs are more powerful than the hand, and kicks are used to bring out the power of the legs. The Basic Kicks can be the Forward Kick and the Side Kick.

Intermediate Level

From the basic techniques learned at Basic level, the student will now move on to the more powerful variation of techniques learned at Basic level.

The basics taught at the Basic Level are strengthened; while footwork will be introduce to provide greater mobility. Stances are sometimes not taught at Intermediate level depending on the sect, though much more work is expected of the student to excel at the stances. Kicks that are taught will be more difficult to master, and students are now expected to use more than just punches. The punches will now evolve into simple combos of punches, blocks and kicks.

Examples of techniques at Intermediate level:

The Leg Block- A block that is executed with the leg that can be used to block attacks like kicks. Very good technique to use in combination with kicks to give a good combo of block and attack.

The Knife Hand – This technique is executed by thrusting one’s hand forward as though the hand is a knife. With some conditioning and practice, it is possible for one to use the Knife Hand to go through steel!

Turning Kick – A kick that is more powerful, though slower to execute than the Forward Kick. The kick is executed by using the momentum of one turning one’s body and to concentrate the momentum in leg.

Back Hook Kick – Somewhat similar to the Turning Kick. The difference between the Turning Kick and the Back Hook Kick is the direction of how one turn one’s body. Turning backwards and using the heel to hit the opponent is how the Back Hook Kick is done.

Advanced Level

The array of techniques available to the students increased dramatically at Advanced level. Arm strikes, kicks and blocks of the higher order are usually taught at Advanced. Forms, combos, footwork and sets of greater complexity are taught too at Advanced level. For example, jumps and leaps, and linking of a greater numbers of attacks are a sign of greater complexity. Sparring is also essential at Advanced level as a test of real fighting readiness. However, what number of techniques taught will largely depend on each teacher. Some teachers will emphasis on certain areas more or less, and some will even teach grapples. The process of conditioning will usually begin at Advanced level too. Teachers will now guide and help the student to begin in various forms of conditioning and breathing techniques. With these, the students are expected to execute the unpredictability in their skills.

Examples of techniques at Advanced level:

Turning Back Thrust – One good way of using the Turning Back Thrust is to fake as though one is trying to escape by turning one’s back to the opponent and when the opponent least expected it, thrust out with the leg.

The Jumping Kick – This technique teaches the student how to execute a kick while one in the air as one jumps into the air. The various methods of kicking learned before provide a solid base to learning this technique.

Men’s Will – By the Saurid’s view, men are fickle and so Men’s Will is a show of change. Students that have mastered Men’s Will can change one’s direction of one’s jump in mid-air a few times.

The Feint – Another show of change can be seen in the Feint. With the Feint, student can use this to confuse the opponent as where the student will pretend to kick the opponent at one place and when the opponent least expected it, kick the opponent in another critical place.

Expert Level

Before any teaching can begin, the students will go through some tests first. After going through some form of self-training, the student should have a good idea what and how to use the art. Tests will be held to test on these skills. A demonstration of the trainee’s power is needed. Sparring is one form of test held. After the tests are held and the teacher is satisfied with what is presented, will the teacher went on with deeper techniques. Sometimes, the test can take place over a long period of time as the student travels to fulfill the requirements of the tests.

At Expert level, arm strikes and combos are not taught, or if taught are limited. This is because the student at this level should be able to come up with their own forms of combos and arm strikes based on the theories taught at Advanced level. For forms and sets, however, the concentration on these usually increased as forms and sets are much more difficult than combos to create by oneself. These along with the kicks with the optional addition of grapples will make up the majority of the techniques learned. The process of conditioning will be continued, with option of the student learning new forms of conditioning and other special techniques.

Examples of techniques at Expert level:

Blind Fighting – Some consider Blind Fighting to the showpiece of Shaasskah. Blind Fighting concentrate on how to fight in the absence of light or when one is blind by the use of touch, sound, smell and some said taste.

Back Flip Kick – It looked to be an acrobatic movement but the Kick is in actual fact a very useful kick to execute when one is facing an attack from above or that one is looking to give a great blow by back flipping.

Saurid’s Breath – With all that dazzling movements that is in Shaasskah, one needs to maintain one’s balance. So Saurid’s Breath, so named for the expressionless of a Saurid, can be used to help one maintain balance and focus.

The Multiple Kicks – The basic principle behind Multiple Kicks is for one to control the body and with great speed execute multiple kicks without the leg touching the ground. With the Multiple Kicks, the student can kick the opponent as many as ten times before the opponent is defeated from the impact of the kicks.

Master Level

A student is by now a deadly weapon of both hand and feet. There are not much a teacher can teach except that of principles and perhaps the closely held secret of each sect. The process of learning at Master level is much lengthy than that of any levels. The first being that the students will have to travel to other places, learning from and assessed by various teachers. The student may be defeated or may emerge victorious after each encounter, learning and modifying what the student has learned. The student will be expected to be back before the original teacher showing off what he understood and learned.

By now, the student is expected to be able to create forms, sets, combos and even footwork. Some exceptional student even can create their own versions of kicks and arm strikes. This is also the same for conditioning and special techniques. By Master level, a student should be able to do all those on his or her own. Tests will be held to test all that. It is only after the tests are held, will the original teacher of the student begins the last few stages of Master level. The original teacher will first reveal the deadest techniques of each sect to the student, the student is expected to learn and absorb what was taught. Then, there will be a few sparring contests of which the student is to win most of them. After all that, there will theory tests by various teachers. And the last step, in order to gain Master level, is for the various teachers to agree that the student is worthy of Master level.

Example of techniques at Master level:

Fist of Iron – In order to execute Fist of Iron, a lot of conditioning needs to be done. Next, are the breathing techniques to help make the fist to become strong and tough like iron. Then, it is just a simple task of punching the fist out.

The Death Drill – The Death Drill is a kicking technique and can be considered to be the pinnacle of the Forward Kick or any kicks for that matter. Armed with the various methods of jumping, conditioning and kicking techniques, a student can launch into the air and with great control over the body and mind execute a kick that can smash through any defense. The name of this technique came about as one moved the body and leg to provide a drill-like movement.

The Breath of Harmony – A method of breathing that is suppose to help the student in the execution of all the student’s technique. By synchronizing breathing, concentration and the vibe of the surroundings, the potential of one’s mind and body will be released, and the student should be able to put more force and precision in all of his or her techniques.

Crush of the Fist – With that much emphasis on direct attacks, Shaasskah also provides defenses to such attacks besides blocks. Crush of the Fist is one such technique that teaches the student on how to crush an opponent’s fist with the apt use of one’s hands and legs.