Jian Vs. Escrima

Discussion of Chinese historical swordsmanship from all styles.

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bond_fan
Rank: Chang San feng
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Jian Vs. Escrima

Post by bond_fan » Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:17 pm

Just wondering how one might fight this escrima style using a jian?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0P2zjs4 ... r_embedded

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Re: Jian Vs. Escrima

Post by Scott M. Rodell » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:52 am

bond_fan wrote:...wondering how one might fight this escrima style using a jian?...
I don't know if this is the only style of escrima swordplay, but in general, it is very close to jianfa in the way the players deflect with circular motions & so on. Given this, a jianke wouldn't play this style in a manner significantly different that he or she would another jianke. Given the shorter length of the weapons used in this demonstration, one thing the jianke should be on the watch for is the escrimador moving in close, inside the jian's reach. So controlling the distance with good foot work is important, as always. The jianke should also put to use his advantage of longer reach. The escrimdor has a hard time reaching the leg, where as the jian can more easily. Thus, it is quite possible they are generally unprepared for attacks there.

BTW, we also use this sort of slow motion practice in Chinese Swordsmanship. It is an excellent way to practice & naturalize techniques at a pace that allows the student to see & understand what is working & what is not, in a way that is real in the sense that it is spontaneous & just fast enough that one can not think about what to do next.

Thanks for posting this video, it is quite interesting. I think these guys would be at home at one of our trainings as we would at one of theirs...

bond_fan
Rank: Chang San feng
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Re: Jian Vs. Escrima

Post by bond_fan » Mon Jan 24, 2011 12:31 pm

Laoshi,

Thanks for you input! I talked to my friend Victor Damian, who trained under Sonny Umpad, and asked him why the practitioners seem to turn around a lot before striking, which seems different than Chinese dao styles, where the blade is drawn in a circle around the body before the strike and he told me it is to evade and strike with power using the momentum of the body movement. I hope to talk to him about this more in depth before he leaves on a sabbatical of sorts.

After watching the video again I noticed that it seems the escrimadors try to get a low stance and often have their leg extended and using short range of motion they will take advantage of someone using long exaggerated strikes that miss the target. So as you have instructed it seems it is not good to over swing on the strike and to keep the jian in a position aimed at the opponent after striking, so should the jianke miss that he still has his blade aimed at the opponent, who my rush in for an attack and right into one's waiting blade.

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