Weapons are a valuable tool in combat and self defense. Weapons extend range, multiply damage, and draw the focus of the opponent. One thing the modern martial arts community realized about combat is that unless there is realistic full contact sparring, there is no way of knowing if a technique works. Many traditional martial arts have been exposed by modern martial arts systems that have live sparring.

In this video, the Dog Brothers host a fight club with training weapons at Gokors gym in LA. A hundred martial artist bring their rattan sticks, training knives, protective gear, hand to hand combat skills, and even nunchucks.

A few patterns you’ll notice:

Weapon fights can end in empty hand martial arts. The armed combatants begin at a greater distance than empty hand, but their combined forward aggression soon have them meet in the middle for grappling and other hand to hand techniques.

2. In grappling range, weapon control is the most vital concept. An armed fighter can still win from inferior position. In the video, fighters on bottom mount or standing with his back taken are able to do plenty of damage if their weapon is left uncontrolled.

3. Skilled empty hand combatants use their weapon to lead attack or draw the focus of opponent, then follow up with martial arts techniques. Some opponents do not expect empty hand techniques, so it catches them off guard.

Specific martial arts techniques

0:56 Muay Thai Clinch and knees

1:03 Low spinning hook kick off a duck. It buckles the opponent’s lead leg pretty good

1:06 Lead leg roundhouse that floors the opponent

1:12 Judo Ogoshi hip throw off the over under tie

2:38 Judo Osoto Gari leg reap off the over under tie, into a little scramble

2:44 Submission attempts

3:29 Attempted leg lace from bottom guard on standing opponent

Dog Brothers website: https://dogbrothers.com/

Alex has been a competitive multi sport martial artist since 2007, a martial arts coach since 2008, and a functional fitness coach since 2014. Check out Superhuman Digital Gym’s Facebook page for a complete fitness curriculum.

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