| Most people have only been exposed to
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| | opponent.Chin/Head THRUST out.WEAPON HAND
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| John Styers work through the book "Cold
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| | EXTENDED and/or SPLAYED
|
| Steel".It is important to remember that
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| | OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Read
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| first and foremost this book outlines a
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| | THAT AGAIN!Knife LEVEL with ground and
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| BASIC course of close-combat instruction.
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| | NOT POINTED at opponents EYES
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| The elements covered in this system
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| | THROAT!Offhand SPLAYED out to side.Now
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| include bayonet, knife, stick and unarmed
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| | the WHY'S that make this method succeed
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| combat. Styers developed this "system"
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| | or FAIL.First, try this experiment(THIS
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| for BASIC training.The framework of all
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| | IS SOMETHING YOU MUST DO). Don't even
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| of these methods remains CONSISTENT
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| | talk about this "method" if you HAVE NOT
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| through out. The fundamentals for
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| | honestly followed this example:Grab a
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| employing the bayonet, knife, unarmed
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| | REAL SHARP FIGHTING KNIFE.
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| combat and even the stick work are ALL
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| | EXTEND IT at FULL arm's length with
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| the same.Note in particular the "stance"
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| | shoulder "twisted" in for added
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| used for the bayonet, the knife, and for
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| | reach.Tell your training partner to
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| unarmed engagement. SAME stance. The
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| | DISTANCE himself from the weapon to a
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| "body" mechanics involved in all the
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| | RANGE where he feels at a combatively
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| methods presented are at their core
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| | "SAFE" range. Have someone measure that
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| foundation ALL similar. This in itself
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| | distance.PULL your weapon arm in to a 3/4
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| shows "genius".What we see in "Cold
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| | extension and repeat. Have someone
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| Steel" is NOT the STYERS method! It is a
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| | measure that distance.PULL in FURTHER to
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| "system" that STYERS developed for use in
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| | a half bent 90 degree position and
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| BASIC training. John Styers was a man of
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| | repeat.NOW pull the weapon back to the
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| both great knowledge and SKILL in a
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| | hip and do it all again.COMPARE the
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| number of man to man combatives.Those who
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| | measurements at each "distance". MOST
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| knew Styers personally have told us about
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| | people will REMAIN quite consistent in
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| his vast interest, knowledge and proven
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| | the ACTUAL "measured" distance of safety
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| skill in a number of close-combat
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| | from tip of weapon. THEY will ALMOST
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| methods. From the "French" style of
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| | always MOVE in as YOUR arm moves back,
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| bayonet fighting, to "Russian" knife
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| | BUT the "measured" distance remains very
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| fighting, to boxing, wrestling, jiujitsu,
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| | close between ALL the given
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| and of course "dirty" fighting.As
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| | positions.THAT is the KEY to
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| concerns the STYERS knife work as shown
| |
| | Styers.Extend your arm and knife all the
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| in "Cold Steel" it must also be
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| | way OUT. Your partner maintains that
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| considered that this was but a SMALL part
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| | critical safety zone FROM the tip of your
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| of Styers overall skill and ability in
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| | very real and sharp blade. COULD YOU cut
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| KNIFE FIGHTING. Again this was a system
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| | or thrust him EASILY from that position?
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| of BASIC TRAINING!Other sources show this
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| | Not really. A committed BODY lunge or
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| quite demonstrably. The man was a MASTER
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| | step is about all you could do to close
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| of bladework.Now the knife sytem taught
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| | the "gap". Too slow.NOW-Pull that arm ALL
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| in "Cold Steel" is excellent. The
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| | the way in so that it barely breaks the
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| "problems" that are often cited by others
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| | lateral plane of the body. AGAIN, your
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| has FAR MORE to do with a lack of
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| | training partner will have a DEFINITE
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| understanding in the tactics and
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| | tendency to MAINTAIN the measured
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| techniques as "they" present them, than
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| | distance of the safety zone, but HE will
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| it does any practical faults in STYERS
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| | MOVE in. The actual measured distance
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| method.ON TO THE
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| | between him and the tip will vary little.
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| METHOD...................................
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| | HIS safety zone is STILL his safety
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| ..First, Styers was training men for
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| | zone.What HAS changed is your ABILITY to
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| battlefield COMBAT! NOT for a "duel". He
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| | REACH HIM in the fastest most NON
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| assumed(rightly so) that in the so-called
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| | telegraphed manner.FROM the PULLED IN arm
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| "fog" of war men will revert to pure
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| | position, SQUARED TORSO, and BALANCED
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| "animal" instinct and move right in for
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| | stance you can execute the most rapid,
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| the "kill". Think about this! During the
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| | cobra-like attacks or counter-attacks
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| frenzy of real combat you and your enemy
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| | with a great amount of RANGE.ANY position
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| are REDUCED to fighting with knives. Men
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| | OTHER than this one, taken by your enemy
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| are killing and being killed ALL AROUND
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| | WILL put him at a SERIOUS dis-advantage.
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| YOU. YOUR natural instinct for SURVIVAL
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| | He will almost ALWAYS be offering YOU
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| will seize you by the throat. You will
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| | something, whereas YOU will be offering
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| grip that knife as strongly(your LIFE NOW
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| | NOTHING.His range and speed will be
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| depends on THIS ONE WEAPON) as possible
| |
| | effected by HIS position. Your range and
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| and MOVE RIGHT IN FOR THE KILL!(WASTE ANY
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| | speed will be ENHANCED by
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| TIME and someone else is going to KILL
| |
| | YOURS.IMPORTANCE of BLADE POSITION: Keep
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| YOU) You are NOT going to "spar" or
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| | that blade tip POINTED at the angle
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| "duel", you ARE going to KILL, survive
| |
| | stated. WHY? At that angle it is MUCH
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| and move on to your next threat or
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| | more difficult for the opponent to gauge
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| objective. Styers KNEW what real "kill or
| |
| | the size and length of your blade. May
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| be killed" combat was like. He realized
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| | seem like a MINOR "point", but in a real
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| that MOST men in this dire situation will
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| | KNIFE fight I'll USE anything that MAY
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| instinctively SEIZE their knife either in
| |
| | give me an edge.TECHNIQUE:ALL you REALLY
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| an "overhand" or "ice-pick" grip or an
| |
| | need is a thrust, a snap-slash(DO NOT use
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| "underhanded" type "hammergrip". They
| |
| | the back snap cut with this!), a
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| will ATTACK with a determined KILLING
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| | "stop-hit", and the "hand-cut". The step
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| intent. THAT IS THE BASIS for the Styers
| |
| | over and stab is also useful.If
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| method!Now the "elements" of Styers
| |
| | "In-Quartata and Passata-soto" are NOT
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| method rest on BODY position, ARM
| |
| | comfortable for you, DON'T use them!
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| position, and KNIFE position.Here is
| |
| | Since BOTH of these moves are MEANT as
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| where so many "experts" go right OFF
| |
| | "defensive" counter-attacks against an
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| TRACK. Forget any "technique", thrust,
| |
| | OVERLY committed assault they are NOT
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| slash or "whatever". WITHOUT the
| |
| | mandatory.The FIVE moves stated above are
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| FOUNDATION of proper BODY, ARM, and KNIFE
| |
| | MORE than enough. PRACTICE THEM moving
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| position all the "technique" in the world
| |
| | forward, backward and flanking left and
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| is MEANINGLESS!Without a REAL
| |
| | right. I personally DO NOT train the
|
| understanding of Styers FUNDAMENTAL
| |
| | "back" snap cut on the "snap-slash"
|
| tactic and what MUST be done to make it
| |
| | because I know of an incident in a real
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| EFFECTIVE, all THIS becomes NO MORE than
| |
| | fight where the knife was dislodged from
|
| two guys trying to cut and stab each
| |
| | the grip on the "return" when the target
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| other. THIS IS NOT what Styers
| |
| | reflexively pulled his shoulder up after
|
| envisioned.On to the "meat & potatoes":1.
| |
| | taking the first slash across the right
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| Stance-Whether you assume the "Styers"
| |
| | temple and eyes. This is the story I have
|
| position from a "classic" fencer's pose,
| |
| | heard so I won't comment further.TARGETS:
|
| as Styers demonstrates(for continuity) or
| |
| | As far as "targets" go...............well
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| simply advance(lead leg) retreat(real
| |
| | the BEST real world advice I can offer is
|
| leg) one pace, as long as your UPPER
| |
| | just GO for FLESH! If you see skin, GO
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| torso remains square and you body rests
| |
| | FOR IT!Fingers, hands, wrists, throat
|
| "springlike" on your legs you're doing
| |
| | neck and face. The "step over and stab"
|
| OK. BALANCE must be rested on your center
| |
| | SHOULD be saved for the coup d'
|
| point and the rear heel RAISED. Toes and
| |
| | grace.John Styer's influence was really
|
| KNEES pointed FORWARD!KEY POINT: Body
| |
| | BROUGHT to bear AFTER WWII. His methods
|
| SQUARED. Torso ERECT. Chin PULLED IN.
| |
| | were developed during the Korean War era,
|
| BALANCE centered. Rear HEEL RAISED.2. Arm
| |
| | long after his discharge from the
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| Position-Gripping the KNIFE: Blade
| |
| | USMC.AND........................His job
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| vertical to ground. Thumb EXTENDED down
| |
| | as a FLAG salesman is what brought him
|
| backstrap. Slight upward CANT or
| |
| | into contact with military bases and
|
| "cocking" of blade.Weapon bearing hand
| |
| | servicemen ACROSS the country!There are
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| and arm: Pulled IN. Upper arm slightly
| |
| | more anecdotes and more info but this is
|
| BACK from vertical. Elbow tucked into,
| |
| | enough for now.I always get a "kick" when
|
| not away from side. LOWER ARM raised on a
| |
| | guys dismiss different methods and/or
|
| plane EVEN with opponents THROAT/EYES.
| |
| | ideas out of hand. Then when I ask them
|
| Weapon hand SHOULD NOT break the latreral
| |
| | to "show me", they get the WHOLE GODDAMN
|
| plane of the upper torso! THIS IS
| |
| | thing WRONG! Of course it looks like
|
| KEY!Offhand hand: Pulled in just like
| |
| | SHIT. BECAUSE YOU"RE DOING IT LIKE
|
| weapon bearing hand.COMMON ERRORS:Wrong
| |
| | SHIT!Ok, hope some of you got some useful
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| foot placement.Leanining over or into the
| |
| | insight.
|
