ES - fighting in the West

Mark A. Arnold maarnold at gte.net
Sun Apr 25 09:23:17 PDT 1999


See quotes below for context.

A fighter that used to come to Glaslyn practices used this Escrima style. My
impression of that stance is that it leaves 2 big openings (of which I often
took advantage)...

1) Cross visor: From in that stance, to block the cross visor shot, you must
either blind yourself with your own shield or expose your sword arm in front of
your shield. Against that stance, throw the cross visor and see how your
opponent reacts. If he doesn't react, he's dead. If he blinds himself, throw
the cross visor as a feignt and then wrap shot his forward leg. If he exposes
his sword arm, feignt the cross visor halfway, then turn your sword downward
with your wrist high to take his arm.
    If you are using that stance, you may be able to block the cross visor
without blinding yourself and without exposing your sword arm by using Sir
Simon's blocking technique. Sir Simon fights florentine (the best in the
kingdom, I have heard) holding both swords such that their hilts are next to
his ears. He can block almost any shot by simply throwing back the appropriate
elbow. Sir Simon showed me this after the fort battles at Bordermarch, using
Honorable Lord Airaklee Wolf as his pell. Timing is everything with this
blocking technique. I've never seen anyone else use it. Though Sir Simon's
defenses appear impenetrable.

2) Leg wrap: If you are in that stance, you've basically pinned your own
shield. I don't have to apply any force with my shield to pin yours. I just
have to get my shield in your shield's way to keep you from moving it to the
side to protect your forward leg. If you use that stance, might I suggest
cuisses.

    Given these drawbacks to the Escrima style, yet having heard that this
style was effective against Magellan in the Philippines, I can't help but think
that certain strategies have been omitted in the teaching of this style in the
West.

Llew Mailin / MKA Mark A. Arnold
maarnold at gte.net

--------------------------
Todd Marsh wrote:

> I went to a fighter practice in Santa Clara, CA<snip>

> The usual style<snip>

> The basic stance seemed to be with the shield under the chin and the bottom
> of the shield at a 45
> degree angle to the body.  The sword was held with the hand near the ear,
> and the blade hanging down the back.<snip>

Matthew Saroff wrote
> <snip>The hand position comes from (I've been told) Escrima, a Philippine
> > stick fighting style (very effective, ask Megallan), the Ansteorran stance
> is more of a boxing stance.

Lady Simone wrote
> <snip> Saw several demonstrations of it in my time in the Phillippines<snip>

Matthew Saroff wrote
><snip>People were killed through plate armor with sticks.  It's pretty
impressive.


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