Hubud untangled

Lately I have seen alot of talk about hubud lubud (or hubad), the Filipino martial arts flow drill. Is it useful? Is it a waste of time? There are good arguments for both positions. 

    Honestly, I can take it or leave it and have actually done both at various times. When I first learned hubud I loved it and would train it with anyone who was interested. Then as time went on and I gained more knowledge of what real violence was like and how to train more 'alive' I tossed the drill to the side as largely a relic.

    In the last several years though, I have reintroduced it to my students. Why? What do I now see in this drill that I didn't before? What purpose does it serve. 

   First, let's look at what it isn't.

1) It isn't fighting or sparring. Hubud doesn't represent real world violence in any true sense. Its not meant to. There are ways to 'amp' it up, which we will get to, but understand that it is not meant to take the place of other, more 'realistic' firms of training.

2) It isn't necessary. I'll say that again, hubud isn't necessary. Its just one drill among many and isn't essential to one's development in the fighting arts. I like to say that hubud, along with other flow drills, is a stepping stone, not a cornerstone.

   With those caveats out of the way, let's look at what hubud can provide and hopefully clear some misconceptions.

     First, hubud is a possibility generator. That is to say, it allows one a simple structure in which to be creative without the threat of heavy consequence. In this structure, possibilities can be explored. Where and how to 'find' certain techniques. How to remove barriers and change levels. How to defend quick changes of angle. Etc. 

     In this sense, hubud is a bit of controlled chaos. There is the base 'shell' of repeated movement, but there is plenty of room for improvising and breaking structure. Again, this allows the student to access a certain amount of creativity without feeling overwhelmed. 

   Hubud is a form of 'play' and play is a major component of learning. When we play we find joy in what we are doing and we relax. When we relax, we are better able to access our creativity and try things we normally might not. 

     Play allows us to get in touch with our own bodies; to get a feel of how we move and respond to stimuli without undue pressure.

   Also, in truth, play is its own reward. You don't need an excuse to play. If you constantly go all out and train hard, you can lose the joy in what you do and burnout is right around the corner. I often do a round of hubud at the end of a session as a 'decompression'. 

     I also feel that a portion of the negatively surrounding hubud is based on fundamental misunderstandings. Some will say that it doesn't represent a realistic attacking structure. Nobody attacks with a forehand chop to the neck. True. But put a stick in your hand and you now have a punyo strike to the head. Or put a knife in your hand and you have a common ice pick stab or forehand slash. 

    Also, for me, the empty hand version is more a form of hand fighting. So the initial move could represent a grab attempt, then the rest of the drill becomes a generator for standing locks, arm drags, manipulations, etc.

   What about the repetitive nature of the drill? Again, it is just a platform to work from. By creating a familiar structure, you can explore chaos. And both sides get the same framework. This is similar to the over / under 'swim' drill in wrestling. No one fights by continuously digging for underhooks, but it provides a platform for technique. 

     So these are just a few initial thoughts on hubud in general, but can we do anything to 'improve' this drill? Absolutely.

     First off, once the basics are second nature we can inteoduce broken rhythm. We can break in and out of the drill at unexpected times with strikes from various angles, pushing, pulling, level changes, etc. With weapons, we can change angles rapidly to illicit a fast reaction from our partner, then return to the 'shell'. To me, this is where hubud is always meant to go. If you are just doing the shell with a couple of repetitive techniques thrown in, the maybe the criticism is justified. 

    Next, we can amp up the intensity. Add pressure and speed. Get a bit more sloppy. Throw on some helmets and add some consequences to missing a cover or failing to jam the blade arm. This makes hubud a bridge to certain kinds of sparring. Having a base structure to come back to narrows the parameters and thus makes it a good way for some to experience a bit of sparring with fewer variables. Again, this is a bridge to other forms of training and shouldn't be thought of as an end in itself. 

    So there you have it. My two cents that you didn't ask for. I am sure there are other answers to these criticisms as well as other criticisms. At the end of the day, its what you make of it and what you get out of it. At the end of the day, every drill, every training technology is just a raft to carry one across the river. Once on the other shore it is not necessary to lug the raft around on your back. Walk on. 🐺

Ps, I know there are various spellings of hubud, I just went with the one I have known and used the most over the years.