Introduction and Videos

Discussion of Chinese historical swordsmanship from all styles.

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gilbride100
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Joined:Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:17 am
Introduction and Videos

Post by gilbride100 » Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:14 pm

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to the GRTC Forum, but I’ve attended two seminars taught by Scott Rodell at Full Circle Synergy in Maine, and I’ve been studying jianfa with Elmo Mackay for about a year and a half now.

Elmo is also a student of mine in the art of the Highland Broadsword, an 18th century Scottish fencing style. Here’s a bout between me (with the broadsword) and Elmo (with the jian):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSnV2KBKFmA

Here’s another bout between Elmo and my senior student Matt Park:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaKBxnkbo54

I’ve also been cross-training in Yin Fu Baguazhang of the Yin Yuzhang lineage. This lineage teaches two short sets for a weapon my Bagua instructor refers to as a “chopper.” Yin Yuzhang wrote a book on this weapon, where he refers to it as a Kan Dao or “chopping sabre,” but it is often referred to as a Da Dao. It is the weapon used by the famous Big Broadsword troops of the Sino-Japanese wars. Yin Yuzhang’s book was written during WWII and was intended for military training, so it’s a lot more basic and “straight to the point” than what most people would associate with Bagua sword-work.

As a historical swordsmanship instructor, it naturally intrigues me to try to use this weapon in bouting, so Elmo made me a wooden chopper and we tried it out. I call this side-project of mine the “Bagua Historical Swordsmanship Project,” but it doesn’t really have any formal existence- it’s just me trying to apply the Yin Yuzhang chopping sabre set I practice to real bouts.

Here’s a bout between me with the chopper and Matt Park with the Scottish broadsword:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JlNzt9pnlM

Here’s me with the chopper vs. Elmo with a spear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdKzwwpXdTc

Another one under what we call the “Bellum” rule set, which represents combat in light armor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywcuD3qHwV4

Here, we decided to try a bout with the TCSL rules to see if it could be done:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me46U8y8rcs

Enjoy!
-Chris Thompson
http://www.cateransociety.com

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