Video Clip Series: Learning the Combat Applications of Butterfly Knives against Other Weapons

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Shaolin Wahnam Video Series

Review of the UK Summer Camp Weapon Course July 2007

The Butterfly Knives – Part 15
LEARNING THE COMBAT APPLICATIONS OF THE BUTTERFLY AGAINST OTHER WEAPONS

David and Martin are working out some effective applications of the Butterfly Knives against the sword

Instead of merely telling the participants the applications of the Butterfly Knives against various weapons, Grandmaster Wong asks them to work out the applications themselves. This is an invaluable part of the training, as it enables the participants to experience the actual process of how combat applications were evolved by past masters. It also enables the participants to have a deeper understanding of combat principles, which they can later apply to other weapons as well as to unarmed fighting.

Of course, the participants do not start from scratch. Earlier, while they were learning the Butterfly Knives Set, Grandmaster Wong demonstrated some Butterfly Knives applications and explained their underlying principles. The participants are also well versed in kungfu combat philosophy from their practice of our basic combat sequences. They also take note of some crucial differences between unarmed combat and combat with weapons.

For example, in unarmed combat you may clash arms with your opponents. But when you are holding a pair of Butterfly Knives, clashing your short, light weapons with heavier or longer ones would be disadvantageous. In unarmed combat, you may sink your stance or rotate your waist to neutralized an opponent’s force, but this may not be advisable when you have a long weapon like a spear piercing at you, or a heavier weapon like a staff coming down at your head.

Please note that you can download the video clips onto your own computer and view them at your leisure. Place your computer pointer at the picture or one of the links, and right click. Choose “Save Target As”. Select the directory or sub-directory where you wish to keep the video clip. Click “Save”.

A picture-series of the set can be found here

Applying the Strong Points of your Weapons
Sifu Mark Appleford is working out with Martin how to use Butterfly Knives against a sword. (The stick Martin uses represents a sword.” Notice that both of them are applying the strong points of their respective weapons. Do you know what the strong points of the Butterfly Knives and of the sword are?
The size of the video clip is 1.18 mb.
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A Weakness in this Butterfly Knives Response
David applies his Butterfly Knives against a sword used by Alex. Alex purposely freezes his movement to allow David work out a good counter against the deadly sword thrust. There is a weakness in David’s response. Do you know what it is.
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An Advantage of Double Weapons
The video here shows David releases the weakness in his respond to a sword thrust (shown in the previous video clip) and has rectified it. He is using the advantage of double weapons. Do you know what this advantage is?
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Butterfly Knives against a Staff
What would you do if an opponent smashes a long weapon like a staff on your head? Martin shows a good response with the Butterfly Knives. The movements here are slow because the participants are working out the appropriate movements for various attacks. When they have established their techniques, they can speed up their movements.
The size of the video clip is 0.52 mb.
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Working Together and Helping One Another
Now Martin attacks Sifu Mark Appleford with a staff. Working together and helping one another is an important aspect of our Shaolin Wahnam training. Not only it improves both our understanding and performance of combat, it contributes to building strong comradeship amongst one another.
The size of the video clip is 1.06 mb.
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Short Weapons against Long Weapons
Sifu Anthony Korahais is working out some counters against Sifu Marcus Santer who attacks with a staff. Sifu Anthony understands the strong points and weaknesses of a short weapon against a long one, and is making good use of this knowledge. Can you draw some general principles from this video clip on how you can effectively use a pair of short weapons against a long weapon?
The size of the video clip is 1.34 mb.
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Counter against a Horizontal Staff Sweep
What would you do if an opponent sweeps at your waist with a staff? Sifu Anthony Korahais shows an effective counter using the Butterfly Knives. Notice that Sifu Anthony avoids clashing his short weapons against a heavier, long weapons. Good footwork is necessary. Then they reverse role. Reversing roles in combat training enables them to have an idea of what an opponent would feel and act.
The size of the video clip is 1.91 mb.
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