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When we think of ring combat sports Boxing,
Mauy 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.
Joseph Charlemont, a student of Louis
Vigneron, codified the various methods of
savate adding fencing principles and
refining the kicking, boxing and wrestling
skills. He wrote two manuals on French
boxing his most celebrated work, L' art de
la Boxe Française et de la canne published
in 1899, presents a complete and
sophisticated sportive method which covered
the four general ranges of weaponry, kicking
, boxing and stand up grappling.
Charlemont's system forms the technical
syllabus which modern sport savate is based
on.
Today the sport component of savate is
practised as an amateur French kick boxing
method with the emphasis being placed on
constant movement, clean kicking techniques
and amateur boxing principles.
Over the years grappling has been removed
and is no longer permitted in competition,
though it is still taught today as part of
savates self-defence curriculum.
The kicking skills of sport savate can be
classified into three categories chasse
- kicks delivered in a piston type manner, fouette
- round kicks using a whipping action of the
knee and balancer - kicks using a
swinging motion of the leg.
The specialized foot wear worn by modern
savateurs when they compete permits all
sections of the boot to be used to as points
of percussion. For instance the fouette, the
most popular kick used in sport savate, uses
the hard toe of the boot to literally
"stab" into targets between and
around a tight guard. The chasses use the
heel of the boot to "crush" and
"stomp" targets , balancers often
"slap" with the sole of the shoe
and the coup de pied bas utilizes the inside
edge of the boot to "cut" into the
shin bone.
Students of savate soon come to realize
the sturdy wrestling, like boots, make a
considerable difference in the delivery of
kicking techniques when compared to the bare
foot variety. Damage produced by the boot
often shifts the emphasis from power to that
of pin point accuracy which is central to
sport savate. This accuracy is developed by
using specialized glove target training
drills which also facilitates an
appreciation of distance and foot work.
In competition, kicks may be delivered to
all sides of the legs and front and sides of
the body and head. Sweeping and reaping the
legs are also permitted. English boxing
techniques include le directs -
straights, le crochet - hooks &
crosses, the upper cuts and swings.
Desplacement or foot work plays an
important part in the delivery of kicking
and boxing combinations. Decalage
involves manoeuvring the body with either
the lead or rear leg in an offensive manner
to effectively achieve greater power when
kicking or punching. Deplacement on
the other hand involves angular footwork
which carries the body along a path that
will minimize the impact from your opponents
attack.
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. Over the years the
sport has attracted world class fighters
within its ranks, Richard Sylla, Ernesto
Hoost, Ivan Hippolyte, and Alain Zankifo are
but a few European fighters to have gained
world titles in both sport savate and
international kickboxing.
There are three levels of competition,
the first is "assuat", which is
based on the ability to deliver kicks and
punches as light touches. While the emphasis
in assuat is placed on correct technique and
precision of hits a high degree of physical
fitness along with speed, combinations and
strategies is important. Bouts last four
rounds and decisions are awarded by way of
points only. The next level is
"combat" with hits delivered with
full contact and decisions are awarded on
points, TKO or KO.
Finally "pre-combat" is the
last level of competition where competitors
must wear head protectors and shin guards
and the decisions are based on the combat
level of competition .The advantage of the
three levels of competition is that no
savateur is permitted to compete in a level
beyond his or her ability. This reduces the
occurrence of major injuries in the ring.
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.
Today the sport is governed world wide by
the Paris based Federation Internationale de
Savate (FIS) which monitors and supports
affiliated member nations through out the
world. There is a following in every country
in Europe, with other affiliated federations
in Australia, Japan, Africa, USA, Canada and
South America.
A true western combat sport, savate has
travelled a rational eclectic path for over
200 years. Its history has been linked with
Street fighters, English pugilism, French
wrestling, fencing, the aristocrats and
military training. Savate, like boxing and
wrestling has much to offer today's ring
based fighters who take the time to learn
its skills properly. |
