The circular disarm? -- myArmoury.com

Lafayette C Curtis · Posted: Thu 27 Sep, 2012 2:50 am Post subject: The circular disarm?

My acquaintance with classical and modern fencing has been minimal, apart from what little I learned from a classical sabre workshop several years ago, so for some time I thought that the Hollywood "circular disarm" was a purely theatrical technique with no or little utility in actual fencing. However, I've been collecting fencing manuals more aggressively in the past few months, and guess what I discovered?

P. Frank · Posted: Thu 27 Sep, 2012 3:18 am Post subject: Re: The circular disarm?

Raman A · Posted: Fri 28 Sep, 2012 8:46 am Post subject:

Sorry if this too off-topic but I've seen something similar in kendo as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_WxFBtfv7o

It's pretty rare, though. Perhaps because the weapon is much heftier than a smallsword and gripped with both hands. Beating the shinai away is more to just open the opponent up for attack. However, disarming is common enough for there to be rules about it and I have no doubt that it could be consistently done to anyone who has too light a grip on their weapon.

Lafayette C Curtis · Posted: Mon 01 Oct, 2012 2:41 am Post subject:

What does one do against an opponent clever enough to wind and thrust into a lower opening, then? This is what usually happened when somebody in my local group tried a circular sweep like this with the longsword: the would-be victim would just let it happen at first, but once the blades had gone past the horizontal flame all he had to do was to flip his blade around while maintaining the bind and his point would naturally end up in the opponent's stomach. This is my best guess as to why the circular disarm wasn't featured in European swordsmanship prior to the 17th century, but then maybe the different characteristics of the smallsword (as well as the way it's gripped) means that the dynamics work rather differently in this case.

Radovan Geist · Posted: Mon 01 Oct, 2012 3:22 am Post subject:

Talking from my personal experience, with small-sword it does work, but it´s technically quite complicated, and if not executed properly, you end-up on the losing side.

1) you have to catch your opponent in tempo (either after binding his smallsword, which is rather rare, or after a successful block)
2) after sweeping your opponent´s blade aside, the point of your sword should stay in the line of attack (then, even if you don´t disarm your opponent, you can continue with your attack)
3) it definitely works better against an opponent with a weak grip of the sword.

Sam Barris · Posted: Mon 01 Oct, 2012 8:06 am Post subject:

I was an epee fencer in college and whenever possible since then. The technique in question is valid, but what has already been said is accurate; you have to catch your opponent completely off guard or it will not work, and if you telegraph your intention, there is every chance your opponent can turn the situation to his or her own advantage. That said, if you pull it off, especially early in the bout, I've found the psychological impact of disarming one's opponent can pay dividends for the duration. It tends to leave you a bit shaken, to be relieved of your weapon like that. I've felt this myself and observed it in others, depending on which side of the move I was on. So even if the judge calls a halt before you can land a touch, you might still benefit from having done it when the action continues.