The Bando Scorpion System in a Nutshell

This was copied and pasted from the American Bando Association website: www.americanbandoassociation.com

Patience, stealth, and precision are combined by the scorpion as it transforms a hapless rodent or bird into a hearty meal.  The prey is easily defeated by a progressive attack that begins with the strategic trapping of limbs and ends with a fatal injection of poison.  Scorpion masters in ancient China, Tibet, India and Burma took their lessons directly from nature, reflecting in this unique style of fighting the survival strategy of the deadly scorpion.

Tactically a grappling system, the Scorpion Style is one of the nine "animal" combat methods incorporated in the American Bando Association.  The Scorpion System is characterized by seizing and holding techniques that simulate the hunting patterns of actual scorpions.  Striking methods within this style are designed to produce a "poinsonous" effect on the nerves and muscles of humans-again, to simulate the scorpion's hunting pattern.

The scorpion style in Bando has evolved into a sophisticated combat approach, which combines the scorpions fighting instincts and temperment.  Some martial artists might attempt to compare the scorpion syle with the better known praying mantis style practiced in Chinese systems. But, the two styles have very little in common.  In reality, the scorpion style is closely linked with two other animal syles in Bando that derive their techniques from poisonous animals - the cobra and viper styles. Also, many weapons and techniques found within the bando eagle style are closely linked with scorpion approaches.

Scorpion fighting behaviors are imitated by combining human limbs into trapping, pressing and pinching motions.  Fingers, knuckles, palms, elbows and knees.  Even the head and chin are used by scorpion stylists to gain control in a fight.

Three types of targets are definited in the scorpion style, with highest priority given to areas where penetrating strikes are most effective.  Primary targets are the eyes, throat, and groin.  Most often, hand weapons are used against these primary targets, and the goal is to puncture or pinch highly sensitive areas.  When primary targets are well-protected, the scorpion sylist will attack nerves in the arms, leg and torso to cause pain that can weaken an opponent.  Bone, muscle, and skin nerves are likely to be attacked during combat, depending on an opponent's position.  There are even nerves in the hands and feet that can be pinched or struck with disabling results.  Whenever possible, strikes and pinches will be executed to immobilize weapons or to injure targets that will stop an opponent.

Conditioning methods common to many martial systems are used in the scorpion style.  Weight training, aerobic conditioning, stretching and calisthenics are all used to improve performance.  There are, however, specific training which enhance the effectiveness of various techniques.  Specialized training approaches are used to imporove flexibility of the wrists and to invrease hand strength for effective grappling and striking.  Weights and customized devices are used to enhance wrist motion and strength.  Striking drills with coarse sand or gravel are helpful for conditioning fingers and knuckles for the pinching techniques.  Also, leather and vinyl targets are used in striking drills to simulate the skin, soft bones and muscles of an opponent.  Other training methods involved striking and grabbing bags filled with sand, usuing various leg and arm techniques.

The scorpion style is comprehensive and complex, yet the principles are readily obtained from the animal  In the true spirit of bando, nature serves as a teacher to those martial practicioners who follow the scorpion.

Local Travels

Last Thursday, Sayaji Osborne asked me to come with him to another martial arts school about an hour from Cincinnati, one that was not of our system. We spent the ride up talking about some of his history in the Bando system, as well as my ideas for expanding in the Greater Cincinnati area.

We made it to the school, and spent the hour we were there going over one simple move. It amazed me that it took that long for the older, more experienced students to pick up on this. It was a simple block to stop a very wide variety of attacks, and led directly to a trap/attack from our Python system. This block is taught to brand new folks. Basic.

What I noticed in the students of the other school was one major thing: The concept of evasion was not in the mind of any of them. Bando is an elusive system, which appeals to me because I'm not exactly a large guy. I'm 5'10" and 165 lb. with a small frame. I can take a hit, but I don't like it. So Bando immediately appealed to me because it teaches the fighter to be elusive and to stay off the center line of combat, therefore you theoretically get hit less and can deliver some nastier strikes. In nature, predators attack from the side and the rear, not the front, because the prey has more defense at the front, as well as the element of surprise.

Over the course of the hour, I watched in detail how the students had been taught to move, and looked for instinctual movements. As I watched their stepping and hand positions, I realized that all of this was instilled through training, not instinct. When I trained previously in another martial art system, I had been taught not to dramatically move my head as I moved the strike away from my face. This is a problem. Instincts tell you to move. Training should compliment instincts.

During a dagger training seminar a few weeks ago, I realized that an evasion from our kicking drill was perfect for avoiding a slash to the legs. Herein lies another problem. You could just as easily start punching and elbowing at the lower body with a little bit of training and finesse, which will not only devastate your opponent by shattering his foundation, but add confusion as you start to attack multiple levels of the body, all the while moving in such a way that strikes from your opponent do not land or simply slide off.

The more weapons in your arsenal, the better prepared you are.
A wise warrior defeats his opponent with his mind, not his fists.

One Year Later

It's been somewhere in the nature of a year that I started training in Bando. I've been knocked around, laid out, and spent many days after training hobbling about like an old man (the past three days included) because of the sheer physical stress as well as my body learning new ways of moving, "muscles you didn't know you had". I've almost passed out from training in 100+ degree heat, I've felt so cold that my fingers and toes may fall off. I've trained in the dark, the heat, the rain and the snow. And I wouldn't trade a second of it. I've found a home that matches my thoughts and is showing me how to implement them in my life. I've found a circle of like minded people that are growing in the same ways. I may not be able to walk very well right now, but I still fight in my own ways to continue on this path. Growing hurts. Change sucks. But the benefits are worth the pain.

I will forewarn you, I am going to voice my opinion here. I am going to speak on a real level, not about fantasy. I am going to use grown up words. If you don't want to read dirty words, or you want to sit and complain about my opinions, then leave with your thoughts.