open hand or weapon

[andurilking2]

what does eeveryone prefer?
i personally prefer open hand 100%

[pesilat]

Originally posted by andurilking2
what does eeveryone prefer?
i personally prefer open hand 100%

Why pick? I love training in both. As far as fighting, I always prefer to use something that doesn't bruise, bleed, or feel pain.

Mike

[c2kenpo]

Mostly train in open hand but sticks and staff just in case that attacker happens to attack me whilest I sweep the floor.....

Now where did I put that set of Sai again.....could you hold on a minute??

Have fun,

David Gunzburg

[pesilat]

Originally posted by c2kenpo
Mostly train in open hand but sticks and staff just in case that attacker happens to attack me whilest I sweep the floor.....

Now where did I put that set of Sai again.....could you hold on a minute??

Have fun,

David Gunzburg

:) Ahh, but why look for my Sai when I'm already holding a book in one hand and a bottle of water in the other - two perfectly good weapons "locked and loaded".

Mike

[MartialArtist]

I like open hand. My favorite to train in is flat out hand-to-hand combat (although swords are creeping up). However, in a fight, I would rather prefer to have a weapon. A weapon is an advantage, not a disadvantage. Preferably, a long-range weapon, such as a firearm.

People talk all of valiant hand-to-hand combat (meaning swords, spears, open hand... Melee combat). The Spartans, the Japanese, and many European nations. The valiant soldiers/knights/samurai who spend their whole life training only for it to end in the hands of a peasant with a crossbow or another ballistic weapon with minimal training.

[c2kenpo]

Originally posted by pesilat
:) Ahh, but why look for my Sai when I'm already holding a book in one hand and a bottle of water in the other - two perfectly good weapons "locked and loaded".

Mike


Great thought pattern there Mike. Using anything as a weapon is a great idea. One of our students came up with a kata that used his school boobkbag and the items that were attached(such as his book) as weapons for defense.

Dave Gunzburg

[Blindside]

People talk all of valiant hand-to-hand combat (meaning swords, spears, open hand... Melee combat). The Spartans, the Japanese, and many European nations. The valiant soldiers/knights/samurai who spend their whole life training only for it to end in the hands of a peasant with a crossbow or another ballistic weapon with minimal training.

As totally an aside, a crossbow was never the weapon of a "peasant." It takes disciplined training to load and fire such a weapon under combat conditions. Units of crossbowmen were often professional soldiers or mercenaries, but certainly not "peasants." Pre-gunpowder it was hand-to-hand that decided the huge majority of battles, off-hand I would only consider the mongols to be the exception to that general rule. Even including the (over-rated) effects of the English longbow on battles....

But back to the topic at hand....

I love hand-to-hand, but have a huge attachment to all things pointy and sharp.

Lamont

[pesilat]

Originally posted by c2kenpo
Great thought pattern there Mike. Using anything as a weapon is a great idea. One of our students came up with a kata that used his school boobkbag and the items that were attached(such as his book) as weapons for defense.

Dave Gunzburg

Very cool. Yeah, the "anything as weapon" kind of goes hand in hand with my FMA training. It's weapon-based and conceptual so practitioners end up seeing the whole world as one big weapon. The FMA empty hands are good, too (I'd give them even odds or better against any others in the world). But, to my mindset, fighting with empty hands is only done when I see no other choice or the situation dictates it. Except in specific types of situations, empty hands are my last resort and usually mean that something's gone wrong (i.e.: I've lost my weapon or wasn't able to get hold of something before the fur started flying).

Mike

[lost_tortoise]

I am too old and rickety to be doing the mano y mano thing anymore, so I prefer to have a weapon and good 5K time (although I am severely lacking in the latter, so a weapon may have to suffice). To reiterate what Mike has said, I like to use whatever I have on hand as a weapon (I have even been successful using my jacket for sarong techniques!) The less pain and blood loss, the better IMO!

geoffrey

[pesilat]

Originally posted by lost_tortoise
I am too old and rickety to be doing the mano y mano thing anymore, so I prefer to have a weapon and good 5K time (although I am severely lacking in the latter, so a weapon may have to suffice). To reiterate what Mike has said, I like to use whatever I have on hand as a weapon (I have even been successful using my jacket for sarong techniques!) The less pain and blood loss, the better IMO!

geoffrey

:) Yup. As I think you're aware, Geoff, I love flexible weapons work with jackets/shirts/etc. In fact, I think I mentioned that previously in this thread ... but I'm not bashful, I'll say it again, loud & proud, "I LOVE FLEXIBLE WEAPONS!" ;)

Mike

[MJS]

Depends on the situation. I'm not the worlds greatest puncher, so as far as being in close goes, I would use elbows and knees. If I had a weapon, and depending on the situation, sure I'd use it. We all carry weapons with us everyday---car keys, a comb, a pen, or a belt. Don't forget about a rock or stick as well!

Mike

[andurilking2]

ah yes the reason i practice iado is because when i get into a fight at work the winner is usually the better with a sword

[MartialArtist]

Originally posted by Blindside
As totally an aside, a crossbow was never the weapon of a "peasant." It takes disciplined training to load and fire such a weapon under combat conditions. Units of crossbowmen were often professional soldiers or mercenaries, but certainly not "peasants." Pre-gunpowder it was hand-to-hand that decided the huge majority of battles, off-hand I would only consider the mongols to be the exception to that general rule. Even including the (over-rated) effects of the English longbow on battles....

But back to the topic at hand....

I love hand-to-hand, but have a huge attachment to all things pointy and sharp.

Lamont
Hmmm...

The Parthians

I never said ballistic weapons are the reasons for winning battles. One on one, it does make a difference. And archery did decide battles many times, although cavalry or infantry were used to flank or sweep them and finish them off.

William I at Hastings in 1066

And I was wrong, peasants did not use crossbows. But the use of crossbows did not take much training at all. Sure it was slow to load, but it can kill someone who spent their entire life training. For example, Richard the Lionheart was almost killed by a crossbow by what many nobles considered a measly person.

[MartialArtist]

Originally posted by andurilking2
ah yes the reason i practice iado is because when i get into a fight at work the winner is usually the better with a sword
:confused:

[tonbo]

I prefer open hand. If my oponent wants to bring a weapon that I can take away from him, then I will happily oblige. I don't want to return the favor, just in case they are better than me.

:)

Peace--

[Elfan]

Open hands all the way, they are great cause they can pick things up to beat people with ;-)

[TallAdam85]

in the school i like training with my hands and also weapons but on the street well i will use my hands but a weapon would be easyer but I would then get in the law trouble.

But to this day I have never been in a Real Fight

[gman]

I really enjoy both. I prefer learning open hand techniques because that is more than likely what would happen in a real street fight. I like to learn weapons for the other reasons. A change of pace from pounding on each other with hands and feet all the time. Also even it's just perceived it feels more historical to learn weapons. I know sounds stupid but thats the way it seems to me. I mean its fun to learn sticks but there aren't that many guys in my hood carrying staffs, chucks or swords around.

[Ender]

Originally posted by tonbo
I prefer open hand. If my oponent wants to bring a weapon that I can take away from him, then I will happily oblige. I don't want to return the favor, just in case they are better than me.

:)

Peace--

*LOL...good one

[Shinzu]

i prefer to fight with opened hand, but i do like the knowledge of weapons. there is so much cordination it takes to master one weapon let alone many.

[TLH3rdDan]

Re: swords
quote: Originally posted by andurilking2
ah yes the reason i practice iado is because when i get into a fight at work the winner is usually the better with a sword


oooook... hummmm i have been debating posting on this and well the evil side of me won... where on earth do you work that you carry a sword around with you? and since you said you have never studied formally in anything other than your mystery art... where did you pick up Iaido?

[A.R.K.]

open hand or weapon

I would say it is situational.

I voted both.

:asian: