Other surfaces include the upper vamp with its tongue, metal eyelets with cord or wire lacing or maybe a buckle; as well as the heel blocks with its pointed corners and its posterior wedge. Metal studs and protector plates were strategically implanted about the sole and heel.
These protrusions delivered by their own means of delivery can cause far more damage than just standard kicking. By understanding this added potential it adds awareness to a situation that could have far reaching consequences.
A 1894 comparative film study of human movement initiated from a defensive attack position and a offensive attack position.
The defensive guard was favoured by salles perfecting the precision of La Boxe Francaise - kickboxing as a sport. It demonstrates position and body mechanics whereby the dominate kicking leg or hand is placed at the rear.
The offensive guard was favoured by salles dealing with the varying distances in streetfighting and weaponry. It demonstrates position and body mechanics whereby the dominate kicking leg or hand is placed forward as in a fencing position.
The
Chasse Croise is the most
powerful,
driving kick of the Savate syllabus.
Charles Charlemont 1898
John F Gilby's book "Secret
Fighting Arts of the World",
published by Charles E Tuttle 1963, has an
interesting chapter based on fact and
fiction. Chaptered "The Last of the
Great Savate Men" the illustrations
show the above sequence, in drawing form,
to depict his fictional Baron Fegnier in
action. The other two high kick drawings
were taken from Professor Cruppeninck.
Bruce Lee
(1940-1973) borrowed the kick, renaming it
the "Leading Side Kick" to
become the most powerful kick in his Jeet
Kune Do. He impressed many by the amount
of force he could generate in kicking an
impact shield held by an assistant.
The Chasse Croise
is relatively an easy kick to deliver
provided you stand lateral to your target.
It is best delivered to the legs or lower
body however it is also very effective to
the arms and upper body.
From on guard, either on
the spot or make a short step forward,
press your weight down onto your lead foot
while executing a hand span to carry the
body forward and to deceive, push or grab
your opponents arm.
Using the rebounding
muscular elasticity in the leg, spring
forward, directing your rear heel towards
your target as you cross (croise) it
slightly behind your lead foot. This
torque's the pelvis so it can be driven
behind the kick.
The kicking leg is
abducted and flexed with your heel aligned
to target. As your leg travels through
this "arming" phase, your hand
span is withdrawn to shield the body in
unison with the rear arm pivoting from the
elbow and laid in supination with
hand/finger control to stabilize the arm
and upper spine.
The heel is shot like a
piston through the target. The pelvis and
the whole body in balance augments the
power output. You should register a feel
of effortless impact if the kick is
delivered with correct placement and
distance. Remember to exhale on point of
contact.
The whole movement is to
be executed in one smooth committed
action. The Chasse Croise has been tried
and tested for over 150 years and will be
practiced for a long time in the future.
There are a number of variations to this
kick with one being the Chasse Sautant.
This kick is often seen in the ring, due
to the closer relationship of the
athletes.
Generally, this is where
the front leg springs immediately into the
"arming phase" carrying the body
forward whilst the supporting leg hops
after the movement to reinstate lost
balance. The hopping foot meets the ground
at the same moment the kick impacts the
target.
Author Glen Barclay sums
up the traditional method rather
eloquently. "Savate is at once
immensely systematized, highly and
deliberately artistic, extremely secret
and the most reassuring thing with which
to be familiar".
