Postby Stewart Sackett » Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:30 pm
I don't know of any manuals dealing with unarmed combat that date that far back &, unlike weapon arts, unarmed combat doesn't leave archeological evidence like swords, shields, spears, armour, etc.
It is likely that 12th century unarmed arts were similar to those of the 13th-15th centuries. Emphasizing standing grappling with throws & arm breaks, as well as pins (so that a downed opponent could be dispatched with a knife) & striking with the hands, feet & knees. Unarmed blows in later medieval fighting seem to be predominantly a means of off-balancing opponents & achieving pain compliance to facilitate more reliably incapacitating maneuvers (such as the aforementioned throws, arm breaks & stabbing) or to escape from holds & I’d guess that the same would be true of the earlier martial arts of the region.
That’s all speculation of course; the earliest primary sources I’ve read have been histories, biographies & epics not fightbooks. Such books mention fighting but do not offer technical description. All the same, I hope that helps. Out of curiosity: what was the context of this other conversation? Were specific claims made in regard to 12th century English fighting techniques, or comparisons drawn between English & Japanese warriors of that period?
All fighting comes from wrestling.
