fighting the weapon first

[rojcewiczj]

The other day I did some weapon sparring with a friend of mine using long-swords made of impact grade hickory; so these swords are quite strong and very much capable of breaking bones. Given the danger associated with striking each other with such weapons, we were faced with the dilemma of either not swinging powerfully, trying to navigate our way around the other persons sword in order to touch the each other, or instead swinging powerfully in striking each others weapons but then making gentle contact after creating an opening through that powerful swinging. What immediately became clear was that who ever more effectively struck their opponents weapon could bounce that strike into another strike during a temporary opening. This led to a clear realization in terms of distance, in which one need not be close enough to strike the opponent in order to be close enough to strike the opponents weapon. After an opening is created one can smoothly move into range to contact the opponents body. Alternatively one can seek to sneak past the opponents weapon and move directly into range for striking the body which generally resulted in the sneaker being easily thwarted as they walk into a swing that they don't want to deal with.

I think this has very meaningful implications in terms of bare-hand fighting as well. I think its very common for bare-hand sparring to consist largely of people trying to attack around the opponents guard as they move directly into range to attack the body; however, when we look at traditional Chinese boxing we see many movements that don't simply have the function of striking the opponents body, but rather have function in dealing with the opponents weapon.

For example, lets look at the generic movement of metal in the five element boxing of XingyiQuan. If we consider the initial drilling action as taking place when the opponent is out of range to strike your body but within range for you to strike their arms, then we can see how, in a moment of relative safety, one can drill into the opponents arm as they either launch a fake attack or hold their arms in readiness. If ones attack against the opponents weapon is successful then an opening will immediately manifest and one should follow immediately with stepping forward and attacking the next target, most likely some vulnerable part of the body. If no opening is created then one can maintain the range of being out of reach and continue action against the opponents weapons.

The movement of wood is another good example of this reality. Often one sees in demonstrations, the instructor blowing through an attack in order to lay into the opponent with multiple strikes. What is often overlooked however,
is that it is that initial blowing through of the opponents weapon which allows for success in attacking the body. The advantage of the wood movement can be seen in the way that punches can be used against the opponents weapons in rapid succession, not in the ability to strike someone many times in the face.

Indeed, as Bruce Lee said, "boards don't hit back". If you are fighting someone who is fighting back, the opponents means of fighting can be identified as their weapon. To fail to confront and deal with the weapon is to attempt to avoid the fight itself, to treat your opponent merely as a board to be struck. In confronting the opponents weapons and dealing with them prior to attack, one faces the fighter and seeks resolution of the fight. Successful evasion is evasion which allows for further action, meaning a true evasion is also an attack against the opponents weapons. To acquire movements which can neutralize the weapon is the fruit of martial art. To hurt someone who is vulnerable is violence, to turn the violent into the vulnerable is Art.

[fuga]

Sounds like some good learning was had.

I train with weapons as well and understanding fighting ranges is a critical concept. Our first range is actually the range where weapons cannot touch. I'd recommend exploring this range since this is often the range where you lay traps and set up reactions. Then the range move from weapon to weapon, weapon to hand, weapon to body, striking, clinching, and grappling. There's also the concept of an exiting range.

Each of these ranges present the ability to use different (and sometimes multiple) weapons and to attack different targets.

Have fun and keep sharing what you learn.

[rojcewiczj]

Thank you Fuga for your feedback. Indeed, at every range new weapons may be deployed and old weapons deployed in new ways. Addressing the opponents weapons takes on a new form at every range.

[jaime_g]

One thing that shocked me was the different qualities of weapon materials. Wood bounces, dull steel slips, but sharp steel bites and is sticky. Removing the weapon off the central line becomes much more interesting when it's sticky and the game of getting openings develops into a chess play instead of knocking away with blows.

[fuga]

Jaime, great observation. I mostly work with wood so lots of strikes to clear. Interesting to think about the material.

[MaartenSFS]

Interesting post. Recently I've become more aware of the importance of attacking the limbs as a target. I forgot what idiom this is but it has to do with taking the wood from underneath the fire.