lhommedieu

It's true that "right of way" rules, point areas, etc. do not accurately reflect the entire nature of a sword-fight. Ditto the size and weight issue of the swords involved. What's more to the point (if you'll excuse the pun) is that Olympic fencers are competing on a point system that allows a certain amount of risk to get a point. Historical-style fencing is more conservative. However, when you measue an Olympic-class fencer's physical attributes and the skill level brought about by that level of training against that of todays's historical-style fencer: the Olympic-class fencer has a superior advantage. A further point is that many Olympic-style fencers are very familiar with historical-style fencing and practice both styles. There are only so many ways to move a sword, and the willingness to follow one set of rules in one context does not preclude the ability to follow another set of rules in another context. Best, Steve Lamade

Bart wrote: "A real fact of the matter with stick work is that you will go through sticks. If you have rattan sticks, and they last for a long time, chances are you're not doing much stick to stick work, tirework, or bagging. And those are important practices which develop rapid and powerful striking ability." With this in mind, an inexpensive way to get sticks with which to train is to buy rattan from the folks that sell caning supplies. Two resources: http://www.bambooandrattan.com/ http://www.caning.com/ Just ask them to cut to the length and diameter that you want, and they'll ship to you. They're not pretty and haven't been burnt, etc. - but they are a utilitarian resource for training. I've never had much use for taping sticks either, although I usually keep a roll of black electrical tape in my bag just in case someone is on their last stick. Once the stick is frayed enough to need taping, it usually feels pretty "dead" and should be discarded. Best, Steve

Most JKD teachers that I've met or know of (and whom I consider pretty good) have at one point or another decided to spend some time in a foundational art, and have recieved teaching rank in that art as well. If you like the striking aspect of JKD consider boxing; if you like the trapping aspect then delve into traditional Wing Chung; if you like the Filipino martial arts then try another form of eskrima, etc. Case in point: Dan Inosanto has teaching rank in several several martial arts and continues to train in many of them - but he teaches JKD. I think JKD can give you a sense of what the possibilities are and can be an excellent vehicle for your training. I am certainly not saying that you have to explore other arts - you have more than enough on your plate with JKD. All I am suggesting is that your JKD can be made richer when you bring back other experiences into your training. Isn't that what Bruce Lee advocated? One suggestion: if you decide to train in a traditional art, plan to spend a lot of time in ONLY that art, and keep training until you recieve a teaching rank. Best, Steve Lamade

Re. the sizes and differnent kinds of Filipino martial arts sticks: Stick length is often determined by the kind of sword for which the stick is a surrogate. I practice San Miguel Eskrima, for example, and our stick length of about 32-33 inches reflects the fact that a pinute would be used in place of the stick if you were using a sword. A friend of mine practices both Pekiti Tirsia Kali and Serrada Escrima; a stick length of about 26-27 inches reflects the fact that a ginunting is a representative sword for Pekiti Tirsia Kali; a stick length of about 18 inches reflects the fact that a bolo is a representative weapon for Serrada Escrima. It's interesting to note that it is generally the length of the weapon that dictates the footwork, angling, distancing, and body mechanics of the art (and thus makes various Filipino martial arts look different from one another). With respect to the terms "kali," "arnis," and "eskrima": There are dozens, if not hundreds, of regional terms used for armed combat in the Philippines that reflect the enormous cultural diversity of the nation. These terms are often in languages or dialects that are only spoken in one area of the country and nowhere else. The most common terms that come from the Spanish are "arnis" and "eskrima," and although there is some etymological evidence that the term "kali" does in fact connote the use of weapons, the actual use of the term in the Philippines is rare to the point of being almost nonexistent. However, when the Filipino martial arts were first promoted in the the United States, the term "kali" was used to draw attention to the ancient aspects of Filipino martial arts, which gave rise to an interpretation that "kali" represented the ancient arts, "eskrima" the arts that arose during the Spanish occupation, and "arnis" the arts of the modern era. Other interpretations of the terms give them geographical significance: "kali" represents the arts of the southern Philippines, "eskrima" represents the arts of the centeral Philippines, and "arnis" represents the arts of the northern Philippines. The bottom line is however that "arnis" is the most common general term used in all parts of the country, and that regional terms are more likely to be recognized in those areas of the country. The terms "kali," "arnis," and "eskrima" are used interchangably here in the United States and in Europe, and I suspect that they will become a part of the lexicon in much the same way as "coke" or "xerox" have. If you go to the Philippines, however, the terms "arnis" and "eskrima" are recognized as generic terms for the Filipino martial arts. Best, Steve Lamade Instructor San Miguel Eskrima Association