Like their Eastern counterparts, western martial artists had to be able to use a variety of weapons and endure gradings. In London in Elizabethan times, to qualify as a weapons instructor and open a fencing school, students had to have recognised qualifications in the 4 grades - Scholler, Free Scholler, Provost, and Master- these had to be passed in a public display by fighting against numerous opponents, sometimes over several days with a variety of weapons... These “prize fights,” were fought with genuine weapons although the edges were blunted. :woo: As well as double & single-handed swords, shield, daggers and polearms, WMA training in europe included flails (nunchaka), Quaterstaff (staff) and anything that could be utilised as a weapons... (see pic below!) Louie
Hi Ghost Frog, The illustration is from a German manuscript, dated approximately 1510 - 1550 by Paulus Hector Mair and called "Opus amplissimum de arte athletica...", It can be viewed/downloaded courtesy of the AEMMA from this link http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/mair/mairHome.htm Louie
Grades are Western not Eastern As a matter of fact, and if you look deeper into it, the grading system is a Western Idea, not Eastern. they only adopted the Grading format once they started to promote their art to the West, so in effect the Westerns martial arts influenced the Eastern Martial Arts. It was not than long agao in the east that they only had 3 forms of grade. 1. You Practice the art. 2. You taught the art. 3. You knew nothing about the art. Now we all learn from each other. Best regards and sticks up Pat :woo:
It is still the same for many eastern schools, where I train kung fu there is no belt system, the seniors are the ones who know the forms better/have been there for longer period of time/have better combat skills and then theres the sifu and then theres the people who just joined and are struggling with stances. Just a little informative bulletin
Western Influence Let us also not forget that the term "martial arts" is a Western term. The arts of Mars, the god of war. According to this article - http://cebueskrima.s5.com/custom2.html - the Filipino martial arts were heavily influenced by the Spanish martial arts. Ran Pleasant ARMA DFW
You would be surprised by just how much, as well as this the british also influenced several Filipino Warriors fighting styles to help them beat the Spanish, Lets not forget the british where in the Philippines for some 5 or so years in between the spanish reign of the country. Pat O'Malley Cheif Instructor Rapid Arnis International
