First weapons

[Langenschwert]

Just another reason to learn swordsmanship, while I'm at it: When fighting with swords, one has to learn above all how NOT TO GET HIT. Assuming that the combatants are unarmoured, even relatively light sword blows can incapacitate a person, or at the very least stun him enough to give his opponent enough time to finish him. Thus to learn swordsmanship to a high level requires BY DEFAULT a precision that is seldom necessary unarmed arts. In unarmed combat, one can take a punch to close to grappling or whatever. In swordsmanship, there is no such wiggle room. If you get hit, you're likely dead. As deadly as stick combat is, sword combat ups the ante quite a bit.

Another thing to remember that is often forgotten: The basis of swordsmanship is grappling. The tactile sensitivity required of a good swordsman is derived from wrestling. Be aware of how to weave one's grappling skill into the weapon art. In German swordsmanship (for example), grappling is crucial to the sword art as a whole:

Anywho, just some more thoughts.

Best regards,

-Mark

 

[David43515]

I love Arnis and Esrima, but I would suggest the staff as a first weapon. Staff work teaches you to use both hands simultaniously, improves your stances and helps you understand the paths that the weapon moves in easier than other weapons. (ie: learning the movments in a staff`s big circles and then shrinking them down is easier than learning a knife`s small circles and trying to expand them outward) Plus, just like your escrima stick training, all your staff work is applicable to empty hand work.

Plus, good staff work is the basis of all other long weapon work. If you know staff, you know 70% of spear work or 80% of trident or halbred work.

 

[clfsean]

What ever your teacher says you need to start with, that's what you start with.

To the spear & halberd comment, definately so if the staff is a single ended staff (rat tail). The single & double ended staffs are similar but the dynamics & many of the techniques are different.

 

[7starmarc]

Is this for a beginner in martial arts, or for an experienced empty hand practitioner who's now interested in weapons?

If they are experienced, is there a weapon, or weapon group which is associated with their root style?

Overall, I like the staff weapons to start, they tend to emphasize connection throughout the body. Also, the length makes it easier to see errors and visualize correct movements (like starting with larger body movements and making them tighter as you get better).