wayne hansen wrote:The sword guard facing either way has its advantages and disadvantages
TheFS is not a jian and all double edged swords are not the same
Wu and Yang weapons are quite different
I still maintain knowing the jian allows you to use the any dagger in an effective manner
The main problem with a blade is are you willing to breach the flesh
I had two students I was teaching Tulisan knife fighting one a surgeon the other a chef
One liked how I showed him how to attack the organs
The other liked how I severed the tendons
As I stated I have shown those who are knife fighters they had no problems with my teaching
Those of you who have Edgar Sulite’s books look in the photos you will see me teaching him exercises and Tony and Toffer
looking on
I think it is his balisong book
I don’t have it or I would post it here
Knowing how to handle a jian will help a little with a knife, sure, but knowing how to handle a knife is better. They both offer their own advantages, disadvantages, and considerations.
My #1 rule for a knife fight is that they are informed of the presence of the knife by the wound it leaves, the corollary being assume everyone has one.
Number 2 rule is not to get attached to preference for a weapon.
Let's be clear. Wudang jian as studied and practiced in the Taijiquan world (learning the wudang form) is not sufficient preparation for sword or knife fighting.
In and out itself it does very little useful to prepare a student for the realities of edged weapons fighting.
Do you disagree? You think learning that one little form is gonna make you Inigo Montoya? If so please state it clearly.
The specific nature of the jian make it less practical today. I'm training to respond better to my life, not to escape it in exotic Oriental fantasy.
To that end, the sword is for yi and waist training. Challenging upper body strength.
For actual fighting possibility, I like a kerambit and dao... and stick. Much more directly applicable to situations and weapons and improvised weapons I'm likely to find myself in and that my students are going to find themselves in. A small knife, a machete, a flashlight, a cane, a stick.
The dao form has a lot more practical information in it for students to learn how to access the power they are developing in those situations.