Taking A Sword Away From An Attacker With A Martial Arts Technique
I have said that the Eight Catchers are the highest expression of Martial Arts training. And, I have said that you should study extensive fighting disciplines, Karate, Taekwondo, Kenpo, whatever, before you begin your minimum of two years of practice on solely the Catchers. That said, here is a thumbnail sketch of the Sword Catcher, it is basically an Aikido technique, and images can be found in Monster Martial Arts newsletter X-5.
There are two halves to the sword catcher, though, to be sure, you must do them with perfect Coordinated Body Motion and make them into one. The first half is a simple two step into the attacker. The second half is an easy wrist twist technique.
When somebody comes at you with a sword they have the advantage of distance, and you must make up for that advantage. The best way to make up for it is to take two steps. The first step is straightforward, and the second step you turn and let the rear leg move behind you, so you are looking in the same direction of the attacker.
When I first learned this is was described as a 'mirroring' technique. Simply, as you stepped you duplicated your attacker's body, and so that, sometime during the technique, his foot was next to yours, the limbs of your body matched his, as if looking in a mirror. Of course, his image had a sword, and all you had was a picture of him in your mind.
As you closed with him, shortening the distance and eventually mirroring him, you did the second piece of the technique, a wrist twist. Specifically, your hand went over his wrist, you hooked his forearm with your palm, and you moved with him. The intent was to mirror his motion, and then take over it, and then circle him into a lock.
Timing is, of course, the whole thing. As he attacks, you step, as he swings his arm, you match the swing, as his body follows through, you help it. And you take over it and swing him into a disarming sort of a wrist lock.
This technique can be done against a punch, a knife, all manners of weapons. However, it is choice for a sword because of the precise way it handles distance. And, it is the Catcher of choice because it requires so much out of the student if he is too make it work. Simply, while there may be other techniques that will work better, this one forces the student to evolve in the best manner.
Can you see what he is thinking before it happens? Can you merge with his force and direction so that he is not offset by your manipulations? Believe me, practicing the Sword Catcher Martial Arts technique for a couple of years will definitely help you do so.
There are two halves to the sword catcher, though, to be sure, you must do them with perfect Coordinated Body Motion and make them into one. The first half is a simple two step into the attacker. The second half is an easy wrist twist technique.
When somebody comes at you with a sword they have the advantage of distance, and you must make up for that advantage. The best way to make up for it is to take two steps. The first step is straightforward, and the second step you turn and let the rear leg move behind you, so you are looking in the same direction of the attacker.
When I first learned this is was described as a 'mirroring' technique. Simply, as you stepped you duplicated your attacker's body, and so that, sometime during the technique, his foot was next to yours, the limbs of your body matched his, as if looking in a mirror. Of course, his image had a sword, and all you had was a picture of him in your mind.
As you closed with him, shortening the distance and eventually mirroring him, you did the second piece of the technique, a wrist twist. Specifically, your hand went over his wrist, you hooked his forearm with your palm, and you moved with him. The intent was to mirror his motion, and then take over it, and then circle him into a lock.
Timing is, of course, the whole thing. As he attacks, you step, as he swings his arm, you match the swing, as his body follows through, you help it. And you take over it and swing him into a disarming sort of a wrist lock.
This technique can be done against a punch, a knife, all manners of weapons. However, it is choice for a sword because of the precise way it handles distance. And, it is the Catcher of choice because it requires so much out of the student if he is too make it work. Simply, while there may be other techniques that will work better, this one forces the student to evolve in the best manner.
Can you see what he is thinking before it happens? Can you merge with his force and direction so that he is not offset by your manipulations? Believe me, practicing the Sword Catcher Martial Arts technique for a couple of years will definitely help you do so.
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