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Savate
From MartialWiki English
| Savate | |
| Savate | |
| "Savate" | |
| Also known as | boxe française, French boxing, French Kickboxing, French foot-fighting |
| Origin |  France
|
| Founded by | Michel Casseux, Charles Lecour |
| Primary focus | Striking; Kicking |
| Influenced by | Boxing |
| Similar to | Taekwondoe |
Savate is a combination of western boxing combined with kicking techniques. Unlike other martial arts, only strikes with the foot (not the knee or shin) are allowed. Savate kicks are generally delivered above the waist and hand attacks are a mixture of strikes with a closed fist and open handed slaps.
Contents |
[edit] Concept
Savate places an emphasis on being both graceful and technical in combat, although it has a street fighting background it was considered somewhat of a gentleman's martial art, this is also reflected in some of the additional techniques that are taught in Savate, such as cane fighting.
The pace of savate competition is fast, constant and tactically challenging, sometimes referred to as "the thinking man's kickboxing" its rhythm can best be described as a continuos connected sequence of movements based on timing, distance and opportunity.
[edit] Etymology
Savate takes its name from the French for "old boot" (heavy footwear that used to be worn during fights). In fact, the style is one of the few martial arts in the world that have practitioners habitually wearing shoes as pert of their uniform.
[edit] Technique
Savate was born out of street fighting techniques in the 19th century. This influence can be seen with the use of the open handed slaps (a closed fist was considered a deadly weapon). The high kicks are said to have evolved from sailors fighting on ships, using one hand to balance themselves on the ships guard rail while delivering the attack.
[edit] Weapons
Savate does not place a heavy emphasis on weapons training like some eastern martial arts, however the Cane and Knife do feature in the circulam.
[edit] History
When we think of ring combat sports, Boxing, Muay Thai and Mix Martial Arts generally come to mind, however there is another ring art that has, for the past 170 years, had a major influence in Europe - this art is called sport savate.
An evolutionary product of Western thought the development of savate can be traced back to the second half of the 18 century. By the early 1800s la savate, as it came to be termed, was a simple street fighting art that utilized open hand strikes and low line boot kicking techniques as weapons of attack.
During the 1830s savate would under go changes that would come to have a major bearing on its primary skills sets and training outcomes. Influenced by the aristocrats thirst for anything new along with savate practitioners cross training in English boxing , Parisian wrestling and cane fighting these changes resulted in the arts emphasis shifting from one of street combat to a sport.
Closed fist punches from English pugilism replaced the traditional open hand strikes and mauling techniques while the street kicking came to include both the chest and head as targets. This new combat sport was renamed la Boxe Française or French boxing and together with the later introduction of Chausson (a southern French recreational method using sophisticated high kicks) was restructured making it socially acceptable for men, women, teenagers and children to practise.
[edit] Culture
Savate classes follow a similar format to most martial arts, a combination of physical conditioning combined with techniques being taught and explained to the students.
Savate equipment consists of boxing gloves (gants) ranging between 8 and 12 ounces, depending on the weight divisions, wrestling type boots a mouth guard and groin protector. The uniform worn in competitions is a made of lycra which allows for full body movement without restriction.
Contests are held in a boxing ring or on mats with rounds between one- and - a- half or two minutes in duration, with a one minute rest period. Depending of the level and type of competition the number of rounds range from four to five.
[edit] Notable practitioners
[edit] In fiction
[edit] Get involved
[edit] Links
- Savate on the Wikipedia.
[edit] Footnotes & references
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