# Why do we still train with Long Blade?



## kaliace (Aug 30, 2004)

Greetings, 



I often get this question. The Argument is that no one here in the United States will carry something like a Gununting or Bolo. Well check this out and use it the next time you get that question, 



http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/08/16/city_gangs_turning_to_machetes_police_say/



I heard of this on Paul Harvey of all places. This is a great example of why we still must focus on our training as if it where a real blade. 



Thanks,

Michael G Olive

www.rattanclub.com


----------



## tshadowchaser (Aug 30, 2004)

As seen in the photo on that page our youth seem to like big weapons.

Myslef I carry a rather large (11 inch ) blade much of the time.

Learning against a large blade is a strange feeling at times. Heck learning against a small one is not fun sometimes.

Better to learn how to use and defend against than have no idea what to do when one is comeing at you


----------



## Feisty Mouse (Aug 30, 2004)

Holy... something.  Good for the last kid interviewed, who just took off when confronted with gang members.


----------



## Bammx2 (Aug 30, 2004)

I see it becoming a "catch-22" situation.

 Being an american who spends a lot of time in the UK,I see them banning EVERYTHING you can use to defend yourself with and that only leaves the criminals with all the weapons.
And since law abiding citizens don't run from the police,they are the ones going to jail when an incident has occured.
 Now don't get me wrong...there are certain things just don't belong,i.e: no civilian NEEDS a fully automatic assault rifle,yet there are responsible people who do own them and don't carry them on the street.
 Same with machettes and swords.
In the UK,they have started a law that NO ONE can own anything,period!
 They are trying to target people who own MA schools as well...you know,people who practice thier art with swords.... with PRACTICE swords!
They like to penalise the whole country for the actions of a few morons.
 I have carried a knife my whole time in the UK and have never had to use it once in a a defensive situation,but if I ever do...I'll damn sure have to pay for it in a british court!
 It's like getting charged for what you MIGHT do,not what you have done.
It's a double edged sword(pardon the pun)....you're bent if you have something to defend yourself,and you're real bent if you don't!
Where do we draw the line?


----------



## Feisty Mouse (Aug 30, 2004)

That's a good question, and I know it's come up when talking about firearms and gun ownership in other parts of MT.I wish I had a quick and useful answer.


----------



## JPR (Aug 31, 2004)

There are a couple of reasons that come to mind as to why we train with long blades.  

First, it is traditional.  Many of the FMA were originally intended to develop blade skills.  Many of the drills / strikes don't make sense unless you think blade (thrusts and raking strikes for example).  



Second, is to acquire knowledge for defense.  I find that the more I understand how to use a weapon, the more I begin to understand how to defend against the same weapon.  As some posts have pointed out, you just might be facing a machete wielding person on the street.  If you have never trained into yourself the awareness of a longer blade what are you going to do?



Third, is to have more fun and variety in training.  It is just an interesting change.



Forth, it enlightens the principles behind the techniques.  When you change from weapon to weapon or weapon to empty hand you begin to make the mental leap from technique (how to, fixed pattern) to principle (why to).  When you see how a principle works regardless of the weapons employed you then "own" it and can use it more effectively and efficiently.



JPR


----------



## OULobo (Aug 31, 2004)

JPR said:
			
		

> There are a couple of reasons that come to mind as to why we train with long blades.
> 
> First, it is traditional.  Many of the FMA were originally intended to develop blade skills.  Many of the drills / strikes don't make sense unless you think blade (thrusts and raking strikes for example).
> 
> ...



I agree with all that. 1) Tradition, 2) Defense, 3) Fun, 4) Technique translation learning tool. I personally carry a US standard issue machete in my car, . . . . for when I go hiking . . . , and a ball bat, . . . for those random pick up games. I have long blades in every nook and cranny in the apartment. I can only think of two places in the whole apartment where I can stand without a long blade handy (I only have short blades handy in the john and the kitchen). I recently read an article about a streetfight here in the states where a person came out of his apartment with a replica sword and started attacking. Long blades may be less common, but they are still around.


----------



## Kenpodoc (Aug 31, 2004)

Most of us never fight with a knife but we still train with a short blade.  I mostly do it for fun and would never want to have had a good reason to train with a blade lon or short.

Here are my reasons for training long and short blade.
1. It's fun.
2. Different blade lengths handle differently, practicing with multipole lengths makes us versitile.
3. In the US swords are every where and lunatics abound.
4. It's traditional to train with swords in some arts.
5. Remember it's fun.
6. On a more practical level, while I never carry a sword, I have use machetes both here and abroad.

Respectfully,

Jeff


----------



## Gary Crawford (Aug 31, 2004)

I don't do allot of Filipino arts,but I do a lot of knife training.I have found it usefull to exagerate movements when learning something new until I feel it's flow.Sometimes I will do knife drills with a katana to make them flow better. A big blade like that makes mistakes and unneccesary movements easier to see and feel.


----------



## MJS (Aug 31, 2004)

I've always believed that if you want to be able to defend against it, you need to train with it, or at least have an understanding of it.  

Thats one of the reasons I enjoy the FMA.  When it comes to defending the stick or blade, no other art can come closer!

Mike


----------

