disarms

There are of course doubters. Typically those who doubt the efficacity of any given disarm are well-prepared to anticipate the technique. In short, they know the trick and therefore know how to defeat it. This is a false dichotomy because “disarms are accidental if not incidental.” Disarm techniques are taught because one must know whatContinue reading “DISARMS”

DOMENICO ANGELO – small sword

The rapier’s evolution moved to a shorter blade circa the late 17th century and increased in popularity to become the court sword (épée de cour), dress sword, or small sword. Domenico Angelo Malevolti Tremamondo (1717-1802), began his study of the sword in Italy under Andrea Gianfaldoni, and then in France under Teillagory, where he completedContinue reading “DOMENICO ANGELO – small sword”

SAN NO TACHI

The third paired sword exercise – we broke it down into its constituent movements of uchi komi and kiri kaeshi then rebuilt it as a flow sequence. But each component has its purpose – its bunkai. Any given point in the flow could be a terminal movement. Uchidachi’s opening gambit of kiri kaeshi could remove shidachi’sContinue reading “SAN NO TACHI”