Dear Shaolin Family,
Sifu has started posting the weapon sets on the home page of the website. The first set is the Ho Family Flowing Water Staff Set. Link below. Let us take the preparation for this course to the next level
Below also find the next question and answer of this series. Enjoy
Blessings,
Claude
Sifu has started posting the weapon sets on the home page of the website. The first set is the Ho Family Flowing Water Staff Set. Link below. Let us take the preparation for this course to the next level
Below also find the next question and answer of this series. Enjoy
Blessings,
Claude
Question 1b:
What are the considerations for the length of a sabre so that it can be most effective in combat?
Answer:
Those who used a sabre for combat found that an ideal length of a sabre, including its handle, was slightly longer than their arm. If you hold a sable at its handle, and place it along the back of your straightened arm, the pointed tip of the sabre should be a few inches above your shoulder.
This length is best at bringing out the fighting qualities of a sabre. If it is too short, it looses its ferocity, which is a prominent feature of a sabre. If it is too long, it looses its flexibility, which is another important characteristic of a sabre.
The main fighting features of a sabre are cutting, chopping, slashing, and reverse sweeping. This length is ideal for such features. This length keeps an opponent far enough so that he cannot grip the exponent’s hand holding the sabre. If the sabre is too short, an opponent can grip the exponent’s hand before he can executes the various sabre techniques. Hence, in order to m move into the sabre exponent, an opponent has first to move past the threatening blade of the sabre.
On the other hand, if the sabre is too long, it will interfere with executing these techniques flexibly. An important technique of the sabre is known as “weaving flowers”. Here a sabre exponent uses his sabre to deflect an opponent’s weapon attack, like the thrust of a spear, the chop of a Guan Dao or slash of another sabre, then circulate his sabre round his head and body, and strike the opponent with a characteristic sabre attack, like a slash, a cut, a chop or a reverse sweep. If the sabre is too long, it would be clumsy to execute theis “weaving flowers” technique.
Besides its length, some considerations should also be given to its weight. A sabre is heavier than a sword but lighter than a Guan Dao. It should be heavy enough to chop an opponent into two pieces or cut straight into an opponent’s armor. The sabre normally used in wushu demonstrations today is too light and flimsy for such purposes.
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What are the considerations for the length of a sabre so that it can be most effective in combat?
Answer:
Those who used a sabre for combat found that an ideal length of a sabre, including its handle, was slightly longer than their arm. If you hold a sable at its handle, and place it along the back of your straightened arm, the pointed tip of the sabre should be a few inches above your shoulder.
This length is best at bringing out the fighting qualities of a sabre. If it is too short, it looses its ferocity, which is a prominent feature of a sabre. If it is too long, it looses its flexibility, which is another important characteristic of a sabre.
The main fighting features of a sabre are cutting, chopping, slashing, and reverse sweeping. This length is ideal for such features. This length keeps an opponent far enough so that he cannot grip the exponent’s hand holding the sabre. If the sabre is too short, an opponent can grip the exponent’s hand before he can executes the various sabre techniques. Hence, in order to m move into the sabre exponent, an opponent has first to move past the threatening blade of the sabre.
On the other hand, if the sabre is too long, it will interfere with executing these techniques flexibly. An important technique of the sabre is known as “weaving flowers”. Here a sabre exponent uses his sabre to deflect an opponent’s weapon attack, like the thrust of a spear, the chop of a Guan Dao or slash of another sabre, then circulate his sabre round his head and body, and strike the opponent with a characteristic sabre attack, like a slash, a cut, a chop or a reverse sweep. If the sabre is too long, it would be clumsy to execute theis “weaving flowers” technique.
Besides its length, some considerations should also be given to its weight. A sabre is heavier than a sword but lighter than a Guan Dao. It should be heavy enough to chop an opponent into two pieces or cut straight into an opponent’s armor. The sabre normally used in wushu demonstrations today is too light and flimsy for such purposes.
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