KUTHU VARISAI - A BASIC OUTLINE

Kuthu Varisai is a Martial Art of Tamil Nadu in India, which is said to be the  MOTHER OF ALL OTHER MARTIAL ARTS IN THIS WORLD.

YES.... ALL OTHER MARTIAL ARTS OF THIS WORLD ARE EITHER A DIRECT OR INDIRECT DESCENDANT OF KUTHU VARISAI AND SILAMBAM.

Now, we are going to see in detail about the stages of training in Kuthu Varisai.

Solo Routines

Kuttu Varisai has got different stages of Training. They are : 

1. Solo Routine or Solo Patterns
2. Patterns Practiced with Partners

Patterns practiced with partners

The following 6 stages are practiced as Solo Routine or Solo Patterns. They are : 

1. Salutation 
2. Punches 
3. Kicks 
4. Patterns of Defensive Stances 
5. Basic Fight Patterns (Similar to Katas of Karate and Kung – Fu) 
6. Advanced Fight Patterns (Similar to Katas of Karate and Kung – Fu, but very Advanced level Training)

The following 6 stages of Training are practiced with Partners or Opponents, for better understanding of a real time combat and full contact fight. 

1.  Basic Grappling (with Grips and Locks) 
2.  Advanced Grappling (with Advanced Grips and Locks) 
3. Evasion of Attacks (Defensive Patterns) 
4. Attacking Sequences (Offensive Patterns)
5. Close Combat Locks 
6. FULL CONTACT FIGHT.

THE 6 STAGES OF SOLO ROUTINES / PATTERNS

SALUTATION

Salutation

There are 4 different types of Salutation used in Kuttu Varisai. They are : 

1. Salutation to pay homage to their respective Gods 
2. Salutation to show reverence to the pedagogue or Ahsan, from whom one learns this art. 
3. Salutation to indicate the Sportsman’s Code of Healthy Rivalry to the Opponent at the Ring to prove his mettle through Fair Play 
4. Salutation to the Anxious Gathering who have congregated to witness and enjoy the Chivalrous Contest.

PUNCHES

Punch and Elbow Strike

Punches used in Kuttu Varisai can be broadly classified into two types. They are : 

1. Basic Punches 
2. Variations of Basic Punches, known as Intermediate and Advanced Punches.

BASIC PUNCHES

There are 6 different types of Basic Punches used in Kuttu Varisai. They are : 

1. Front Punch 
2. Side Punch 
3. Turn Around and Back Punch 
4. Upper Punch 
5. Middle Punch and 
6. Lower Punch

ADVANCED PUNCHES

There are about 20 different types of Advanced Punches used in Kuthu Varisai, mainly the Variations or Improvised Versions of the Basic Punch Patterns. They are : 

1. Back Fist 
2. Eagle Claw 
3. Eagle Strike 
4. Elbow Strike 
5. Extended Knuckle Punch or One Knuckle Punch 
6. Finger Pokes or Scissor Finger Strike, Eye Strike 
7. Four Knuckle Strike 
8. Hammer Strike 
9. Hook Punch 
10. Jab Punch 
11. Knife Hand Strike (similar to Karate Chop) 
12. Mouth of Hand Strike 
13. Palm Strike or Palm Heel Strike 
14. Ridge hand Strike 
15. Spear Hand 
16. Spinning Back Fist 
17. Straight Punch or Cross Punch, Rear Hand Punch 
18. Thumb Strike 
19. Tiger Claw or Throat Strike 
20. Uppercut Punch

KICKS

Kuthu Varisai kicks (Adithadi)

The different types of Kicks used in Kuttu Varisai are : 

1. Step Forward Kick 
2. Static Standing Position Kick 
3. Left Leg Kicks 
4. Right Leg Kicks 
5. Front Kick 
6. Back Kick 
7. Side Kick 
8. Roundhouse Kick after Parrying 
9. Roundhouse Kick to Face / Head 
10. Roundhouse Kick to Ribs 
11. Wave Kicks / Reversed Roundhouse Kick 
12.  Jump / Flying Kick 
13. Roundhouse Kick at Ground Level 
14. Horse – Back Kick facing Forward with hook backward to groin level with back of Heel.

Classifying Kicks based on Basic Kicks, and Advanced Kicks, they can be classified as :

BASIC KICKS

Some of the Basic Kicks used in Kuttu Varisai are : 

1. Front Kick 
2. Roundhouse Kick 
3. Side Kick 
4. Traditional Back Kick

Some of the Advanced Kicks used in Kuttu Varisai are : 

1.  Axe Kick 
2.  Butterfly Kick 
3.  Calf Kick 
4.  Crescent Kick 
5.  Hook Kick 
6.  Reverse Round / Heel Kick 
7.  Flying Kick 
8.  Scissor Kick 
9.  Vertical Kick (Thrust Kicks, Push Kicks and Side Kicks) 
10.  Multiple Kicks, without putting the leg down

Some of the Other Variations of the above mentioned Basic Kicks are as follows : 

1. Axe Kick 
2. Back Kick
3. Butterfly Kick 
4. Butterfly Twist Kick (A more advanced version of Butterfly Kick) 
5. Crescent Kick 
6. Cut Kick 
7. Foot Sweep Kick (known in Karate as Ashi Barai)
8. Flying Back Kick 
9. Flying Front Kick 
10. Flying Side Kick 
11. Front Kick 
12. Hook Kick or whip Kick 
13. Jumping Back Kick 
14. Jumping Front Kick or Flying Front Kick 
15. Jumping Spinning Crescent Kick 
16. Jumping Spinning Hook Kick or Jumping Reverse Hook Kick 
17. Knee Strike 
18. Round Knee Strike or Lateral Knee Strike 
19. Push Kick 
20. Roundhouse Kick or Round Kick 
21. Double Roundhouse Kick or Jumping Double Roundhouse Kick 
22. Downward roundhouse Kick, also known as “Brazilian Kick” 
23. Scissor Kick 
24. Shin Kick (Used in Muay Thai) 
25. Side Kick 
26. Hopping Side Kick or Step Behind Side Kick, Skipping Side kick 
27. Spinning Crescent Kick 
28. Spinning Hook Kick or Spinning Heel Kick, Spinning Whip Kick, Reverse Roundhouse Kick, Reverse Hook Kick 
29. Spinning Roundhouse Kick or Turning Roundhouse Kick 
30. Stomp Kick (In Karate : Fumikomi Kick) 
31. Tornado Kick or Jumping Spinning Roundhouse Kick, 360 Roundhouse Kick 
32. 540 Roundhouse Kick 
33. 540 Spinning Hook Kick

PATTERN OF DEFENSIVE STANCES

Defensive Stance

Pattern of Defensive Stances (known as Nilay Kattu in Tamil), are the Techniques of Escape and Dodge an attack in a Full Contact Fight of Kuttu Varisai.

There are more than 10 Patterns of Defensive Stances used in Kuttu Varisai.

These Techniques are used to Dodge, Escape and Defend Oneself from Multiple and Armed and / or Unarmed Opponents.

Every positions / movements in this pattern are guarded well to prevent from opponents attacks. Usually, instructors will test each students in every single positions / movements by making some sorts of full-contact attack sequences to see defensive positions well-guarded by student. This routine is sometimes painful / hard for beginners in Kuttu Varisai and Silambam.

BASIC FIGHT PATTERNS

Basic Fight Patterns are known as Sala – Varisai in Tamil.

There are about 13 Sala – Varisai’s out of which the very first Sala – Varisai is called as Guru Sala – Varisai, which means, paying respect to the Teacher.

The remaining 12 Patterns resembles Katas used in Karate and Kung – Fu. The 12 Basic Patterns are primarily for beginners, before they go for Advanced Patterns and before they learn new techniques for a Real Time Combat in pairs.

ADVANCED FIGHT PATTERNS

Advanced Fight Patterns are known as Thani Sala – Varisai in Tamil

There are a total of about 5 Advanced Fight Patterns, which resemble advanced Katas of Karate and Kung Fu.

Advanced Fight Patterns are the last stage of Training in Kuttu Variasi for Solo Routines, and they form the Basis for training for a Real Time Combat in Pairs.

THE 6 STAGES OF TRAINING PRACTICED WITH PARTNERS / OPPONENTS

There are 6 stages of training practiced with partners or fellow students, they are: 

1.  Basic Grappling (Grips & Locks) 
2.  Advanced Grappling (Grips & Locks) 
3.  Defensive Patterns (Evading Attacks) 
4. Offensive Patterns (Attacking Methods) 
5. Close Combat Methods 
6.  Full Contact Fight

BASIC GRAPPLING METHODS:

Kuthu Varisai Grappling

There are 10 different types of Basic Grappling available. Once these 10 methods are mastered, the students gets ready to learn advanced grappling methods

 

ADVANCED GRAPPLING METHODS:

Advanced Grappling

There are 5 different types of advanced Grappling methods. These are either a variation of the basics or some are a combination of two or more of the basic grappling methods.

DEEFENSIVE PATTERNS:

Defensive Patterns are for evading the opponents attack. There are 10 different types of defensive patterns. These patterns are practiced with 3 variations on all the 12 arsenal directions.

 

OFFENSIVE PATTERNS:

There are 5 different types of Offensive Patterns. This is the final stage of the Attacking Method, it teaches Striking, Counters and Grappling as combinations. Almost every part of the body is used and every move uses the whole body (kinetic linking) to achieve maximum power from the practitioners strikes, locks and counters. Offensive Patterns has 3 variations for every strike, grip and counter in their arsenal and 12 angles. Once these techniques are learnt the practioner only has to use them in different combinations to come up with an unlimited number of attacks and defenses         

CLOSE COMBAT LOCKS:

Close Combat Lock

Close Combat Locks is the stage in which Offensive Patterns and Advanced Grappling Methods are taught as a combination.

It teaches how to use the locking techniques and fighting techniques to use in a close range combat.

This is the MOST EFFECTIVE system of Martial Science for STREET COMBAT.

FULL CONTACT FIGHT:

Full Contact Fight

This is the final stage of training in Kuthu Varisai. In Full Contact Fight the students learn Striking, Counters and Grappling as combinations. Almost every part of the body is used and every move uses the whole body (kinetic linking) to achieve maximum power from the practitioners strikes, locks and counters. There are 3 variations for every strike, grip and counter in their arsenal and 12 angles. Once these techniques are learnt the practioner only has to use them in different combinations to come up with an unlimited number of attacks and defenses         

Towel or Cloth Lock in Kuthu Varisai

There are five main stages of Full Contact Fight in Kuthu Varisai. They are

1. Empty Hand vs Empty Hand 
2. Empty Hand vs Long Staff 
3. Empty Hand vs Short Staff 
4. Empty Hand vs Knife 
5. Empty Hand vs Fighting multiple Armed and Unarmed Opponents 
6. Towel or Cloth vs Weapons and Empty Hands