What weapon martial arts are out there?

Discussion in 'Weapons' started by HollowMoon, Apr 24, 2014.

  1. blindside

    blindside Valued Member

    Depends on the school, some of the FMA have broader curriculum than others, as do the individual teachers. Most FMA have a club/stick curriculum as well as a knife section. Some of the FMA focus on stick use, others are using the stick as a stand in for a short sword like a machete. Some instructors only teach counter-knife, others, probably most, also teach the offensive end of knife use. Less frequently taught are staff/spear. One of the common themes in FMA is that there is a similarity in use between different weapon categories. A couple of vids to illustrate:

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc3uVss_NAc"]Weapon Transition skills of Kali - YouTube[/ame]

    [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvrvoBIq__k"]Pekiti Tirsia Kali - YouTube[/ame]


    Old thread should you go looking for instructors:
    http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87607
     
  2. Christianson

    Christianson Valued Member

    The long bladed weapons -- halberds, spears, etc -- are quite uncommon at this point. Even rarer are schools that would start you on those weapons at an early stage. The only traditional Japanese schools which I can think of are Toda-ha Bukō-ryū, Tendo-ryū, and Jikishinkage-ryū for the naginata (halberd), and Hōzōin-ryū for the spear. I'm not aware of any non-koryu that wouldn't expect at least a year or so of foundational work on other weapons before starting you on long weapons, but that might be ignorance on my part.

    Studying the sword is quite a bit more common, and it really comes down to what's available nearby to you.
     
  3. GoldShifter

    GoldShifter The MachineGun Roundhouse

    I have a vague idea about some other FMA schools but I know most will start with a stick, single or double, (Eskrima guys, correct me if I'm wrong, I started with double stick but I also started with sinawali so heh.) Then work their way down to the knives and empty hands. A bladed weapon is a bladed weapon, for the most part. I mean a butterfly knife is different from a steak knife, but most of the concepts still apply. The way I look at it, is that you start from a longer range b/c that gives you more lee way in timing, then work your way down to shorter ranges like the knives, and then hand to hand. With a little change here and there, you can transfer what you learn with a stick to a knife to your hands.
     
  4. Bozza Bostik

    Bozza Bostik Antichrist on Button Moon

    We start with single stick. Then stick and palm stick*, we move on to bladed weapons and double stick work from there. But after the stick / palm stick drills, it isn't so rigid.

    For bladed weapons we use knives and machete-type weapons a lot. I was taking private lessons and got into doing a lot of tomahawk stuff (maybe my favourite weapon).

    Hollowmoon, as others have said, it depends on the school / instructor what is the preferred or most common weapon you'll use.

    We have two eskrima systems taught in our school. One of the systems, Pekiti-Tirsia kali uses spears, but not very often. It's a very small room we use :)

    * (palm stick picture for Hollwmoon - A stick that fits in the palm of your hand).

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2014
  5. dormindo

    dormindo Active Member Supporter

    Another thing to consider is that FMA may blend well with certain aspects of capoeira, particularly the footwork. I've never done FMA, but a friend of mine that used to train with our capoeira group has done silat for years and feels that the two blend well. On MAP, ap Oweyn has done both (if I remember correctly), perhaps he can give his opinion on whether they blend or not.

    Oh, and what is available in your area?
     
  6. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    I haven't done capoeira. I've read that the two blend well technically. And I've discussed it at some length with our resident FMA/capoeira crosstrainer, Lily Sunshine. But me personally, no. I'm a fan of capoeira. Not a capoeirista. :(
     
  7. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Mmmm....do I smell flesh simmering in stock?
     
  8. Bozza Bostik

    Bozza Bostik Antichrist on Button Moon

    Capoeira, FMA and silat.

    My knowledge of all three of those arts is very limited and I'm really not the person to write about these things.

    But I personally think there is a lot of similarities between the three arts. Then again, I think there's more similarities than differences between all arts and a lot of the arguing in the MA community, quite honestly, confuses (and bores) the pants off me.

    But yes, I think there is a lot of simarility between FMA and capoeira foot work. The basic footwork in FMA is often a triangle and upside down triangle, which is really not much different from the ginga. They're both very simple footwork patterns but can be used for pretty much anything; entering, avoiding, coming off line, feigning, drawing, confusing etc etc

    And although capoeira doesn't drill a regular triangle footwork pattern it is used to set up kicks and close the distance on an opponent.

    But it's not so much the techniques as such, but more to do with strategies and the emphasis placed on them. Hope that makes sense.

    I don't even know where to begin when discussing footwork!

    A lot of the "body bumping", take downs and sweeps are also very similar. You won't see "big" judo style throws, but FMA and capoeira both like to get in close, slam, (du-du-du, let the boys be boys!), off balance, then sweep, trip or just knock the person over.

    AS I said, not the best person to discuss these things (and I think I have to finally accept that I need glasses!) so I hope there's a little bit of insight there.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2014
  9. YouKnowWho

    YouKnowWho Valued Member

    The CMA long fist system has the following weapon training:

    - Dagger,
    - Dao (single edge knife),
    - Jian (double edges sword),
    - Miao Dao (long 2 hands single edge knife),
    - staff,
    - 2 sections staff (one long section and 1 short section),
    - pole,
    - spear,
    - Guan Dao.

    The only concern that I have is, if you spend 3 years in your open hand training, you then spend 3 years in your weapon training. Will it be better to spend your whole 6 years in your open hand training instead? Life is just too short to do everything.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2014
  10. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    I'm surprised you didn't hear the screams from browning me in a griddle pan first :(
     
  11. Frodocious

    Frodocious She who MUST be obeyed! Moderator Supporter

    I've been watching Masterchef - my roasted MAPper is taking on Michelin Star status! :D
     
  12. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    I'm smirking but politeness subdues me greatly :(
     
  13. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    I'd say that life's too short to worry about whether you've mastered something if something else interests you. If he's interested in studying weapons, he should study them. Not wait until he achieves some arbitrary level of proficiency in a skill he's likely to never need anyway.
     
  14. dormindo

    dormindo Active Member Supporter

    My apologies, then. For some reason I thought that you may have done some brief workshop/encounter thing. I'm sure I'm confusing you with someone else on here, then.

    Edit: Oh and I should have also mentioned that my friend did FMA itself (for only about a year I think) in addition to Silat, which he'd done for quite some time.
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2014
  15. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    Sadly, I haven't. Though I may give it a try at work. There's a Brazilian culture club at the college that has capoeira.
     
  16. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Boy George was always interested in topiary.

    Mitch
     
  17. ap Oweyn

    ap Oweyn Ret. Supporter

    Great. Now "I tumble for ya" is going to be running through my head for the rest of the day. Probably apropos, if I take a shot at capoeira.
     
  18. HollowMoon

    HollowMoon Valued Member

    Thank you. Both of your posts have been very informative. At first I wasn't sure about FMA, but I might actually be interested now. I'll certainly have a look for some local clubs/schools. :)
     
  19. HollowMoon

    HollowMoon Valued Member

    Apparently, there is actually a Kobudo school here in the UK. I had a look on the website and I was surprised to find that they are willing to teach people without any experience in karate. I didn't see any prices or locations on the website, so I'm sending an enquiry.

    I think I'd want to check out this place before committing to anything, but I may just have got a lucky chance here.
     
  20. HollowMoon

    HollowMoon Valued Member

    Thanks for the video links! Looks quite fun and interesting actually. I'm going to have a look for FMA clubs/schools near me. :)
     

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