Postby Jack Lynn » Wed Sep 29, 2004 5:54 pm
I'd say you should get a basic education in hand-to-hand and hand-to-knife techniques from somewhere modern and build your style out from there on historical lines. Stances used in ARMA's armed fencing have some applications in unarmed fighting but they often work off different principles and priorities. For example I'll block kicks with my lead leg; blocking a sword this way would be unpleasant and painful. My basic stance in unarmed sparring holds my back foot pointing more forward than the stances I use with my bastard sword. This actually feels a bit less comfortable but it makes my roundhouse kick faster. Stances will vary, you must adjust accordingly.
Also, not all modern or historical techniques will apply perfectly to your style. The man who taught me the very basics of street fighting was a cage fighter, bouncer and the toughest guy I've ever met. I'll leave his name out for now, just to preserve anonimity until I can ask him if its OK to identify him. He showed me how to fight but my style is fundamentally different from his. I am 6'2", significantly taller than he is. I am also less muscular so, in the end, we weigh about the same amount. The man who trained me is a grappler and ground fighter, but I try to keep my opponent back with my jab and drill in as many kicks as I can. My body shape (which I like to call ape with long legs) favors a style based on strikes. I have some ground fighting techniques but, when sparring with a trained opponent, I will avoid the ground like the Black Death.
In conclusion, some modern training might help you gain an understanding of how to use historical techniques. I would suggest looking for someone with real fighting experience to show you the basics. Anyone who fights in the UFC is going to have a good grounding in both striking and grappling. High school and college wrestling isn't bad and might help you if you are trying to develop a “pure” WMA style but remember that fighting an opponent who is striking at you is going to be different, so cross train with boxers. That’s a good rule in general; cross-train with anyone willing to do so and watch them spar or fight when they're not, it will help your style and might teach you new moves to use in the future.
