A 2-Person fighting drill from Tjimande

 When I trained with Tristan Sutrisno one of the arts, he reluctantly shared was his families Tjimande (Cjimande). He rarely shared any of this, but then at times what he would share exploded out of him. I never got enough to really know the system, but realizing its worth, I worked very hard to remember and train with what I did receive.

Tjimande (Cjimande) Drill 

with Tris Sutrisno from 1993. 

Filmed at the Derry Boys and Girls Club.

Tjimande is an Indonesian martial art Sutrisno Sensei studied from age 4 with his father and then his uncle. This clinic represents a glimpse at some basic Tjimande training drills.

Stance Note: 

These drills use what I would call a light cat stance. The knees released; you stand light in the cat stance. The spine straight and centered, and the stance has you lower your center of gravity. You work to remain poised, yet balanced and centered, this allows light movement throughout the technique.

Principle Note:

Tjimande isn’t using focused power at the end of a strike. Instead the use of circular motion is the key.  Blocks are parries to move the attacker, or to place them for the following applied technique.  Those parries also retain the potential to strike if requird.

The essential motion in tjimande is free flowing very quick movement. Balance is paramount to make this technique work correctly.

Parrying Hand/Palm Notes:

The parrying palm hand rotates from the palm facing the centerline to the palm turning into the limb being parried.

The parrying bent wrist (similar to Isshinryu’s Seisan 2nd row hand technique) flows from the hand rising on the centerline and then the arm rolling into the attacking limb and the back of the hand flowing across that limb.

Kicking Leg Note:

The kicking tool is the instep. The instep and/or the lower leg strike as a unit. The primary targets appear to be the groin or the inner thigh or outer side of the leg.

This kick seems to be a very quick set-up technique. Striking as a unit of shin and instep will strike into vulnerable striking areas of the leg, lower abdomen.

 

Distancing

Tris made a great point about advanced technique, that it is not the perfect form technique, but must adjust for the space involved between you and the attacker.  

He suggested getting into cat stance, with the front foot just before a wall. Then practice striking with both hands and not hitting the wall. 

Likewise, a cat stance (a little further back) can be used test the front kick.

It is essential to know where you are and how to modify your technique to strike appropriately in that situation.

 

Tjimande Juru 

filmed in 1993

This is what I remember that this 2 person drill was called, but as I was never a Tjimande student, I am not sure this is correct. Nevertheless, whatever its name it is a damned good drill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erXyDCgl8ss

Attacker:    LFF Right Front Punch

Defender: RFF Left cross body palm parry

Attacker:    LFF Left Front Punch

Defender: RFF Left outer palm parry

Attacker:    LFF Left front hook punch to the head

Defender: RFF Left outer palm parry to the roundhouse punch

Attacker:    LFF Right front-front kick 

Defender: RFF Left lower palm parry of the kick above their knee

Attacker:    After the kick is parried place the kicking foot down RFF 

Attacker:    Then their foot sets down on floor they throw a right punch

Defender:  RFF Left outer palm parry

Attacker:    RFF Right Front Punch

Defender:  RFF Left outer palm parry

Note: at the very end of drill the Defender becomes the attacker and the Attacker becomes the defender.

Once the drill is completed the initial Attacker becomes the new Defender and the initial Defender becomes the new Attacker. This means both can continue again and again, often going faster and faster.