FLEXIBLE WEAPONS

Brian Pike of Silat Suffian Bela Diri provided an introduction to the scarf as a flexible weapon. Equipment first Flexible weapons as a generic category can include a wide variety of everyday objects – most of which were once readily available objects or farming tools, such as the latigo (whip), chains, rope, and daily dressContinue reading “FLEXIBLE WEAPONS”

BAGUA OPENING HANDS

For some time now, I have incorporated a basic hand and body exercise into my “warm up” sequence from Bagua Zhang – “opening hands” (see 3:36 for a reminder). The Bagua movement in isolation may seem awkward at first. I present it as a global body movement adding trunk and hip rotation and done oneContinue reading “BAGUA OPENING HANDS”

KATSUJINKEN: The Life Giving Sword

Alan King had a comedy routine in the 1980s based entirely on obituaries – all culminating with the punchline “survived by his wife.” So I was amused to find this obituary: But amusement was soon replaced by other emotions. Outrage at the atrocities of the Bataan Death March (a chronicle of the rescue mission to free theContinue reading “KATSUJINKEN: The Life Giving Sword”