Hubud Lubud; To tie and untie (loosely translated from Tagalog)
Almost exclusively taught as a sensitivity drill in Filipino Martial Arts.
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Since working Hubud, and making it a cornerstone of my training, it has revealed itself as a multifaceted exercise, with three main areas:
Attribute building
Strategic overview and
Tactical application
For building fighting attributes, Hubud is a great expandable drill.
In its most basic form, it teaches; threat recognition, sensitivity, timing,
flow, and transition. Since it consists of three fairly Gross Motor Movements,
once learned, it gives a good base of defensive responses. It is also modular,
meaning, it does not teach in a by rote fashion. Each piece of the drill performs
a good defensive action to aggressive attacks.
You can also work Hubud to practice other techniques. Start Hubud with your training partner, and after a few rounds, start throwing in guntings, limb destructions, insertion shots, or low kicks, etc.
Or use Hubud as a moving base to start training techniques from a moving base.
The best attributes this drill imparts are sensitivity and flow. Varying the intensity of the drill, as well as the timing, teaches one to feel the attack, and respond as required, not as you may have planned.
All of the above is directly related to flow, or moving in the most beneficial manner to effectively accomplish your goal. Getting well versed in sensitivity and flow leads to real skill in trapping, skill that can be done real time, instead of just for show. And finally, as we progress through Hubud, we can use to build attributes in things such as knife and short weapon work.
The strategic overview that comes from Hubud Lubud is keeping your center and exploiting the center of your opponent. Every move covers and protects your center line, and opens and clears your attackers center line.
Tactically, Hubud provides an "immediate action drill" which provides three means of defense and offense in one logical progression. Each movement can be performed as a stand alone defense, if you are able to follow it with an immediate counter attack. But when performed in a synergistic manner, as a whole, it works wonderfully, providing defense, mobility, offense, flow, and an opening into your opponents center.
Each of the three motions in Hubud can be applied in both an offensive or defensive capability, as needed. In other words, the first motion, which appears in the drill as a rising deflection/block, is very effective at this purpose. But, with a difference in range and intent, it could also be an effective blow, such as a forearm upper cut to the throat/jaw area.
To borrow a great bit of terminology from Kuntao Silat instructor Bob Orlando, they can be applied in either block mode, or in strike mode.
Finally, when you add in the switches, it leads to a form of fighting ambidexterousness. Practicing Hubud will not teach you to write with both hands, but it will expand your options in combat, by letting either side to perform the action needed, without getting in each others way.
