Pikiti Tirsia Daga sa Daga

[Keeper]

Hi people

I've never been trained in PT but from what I've seen on the net it seems that in their knife to knife drills, their means of defending against a slash or stab is to do this 'parrying away' technique. Using the spine edge of the defending blade to redirect the atacking arm by kind of scooping it out and off it's original striking path.

I'm no expert, I'm just curious to know if maybe that's a little fancy.... I mean wouldn't it be more 'direct' and realistic to just stab at or slash the striking arm (that is, the wrist or forearm of the striking arm) and then grab it with the live hand and counter attack with your blade?

Either way, the PT vids i've seen are impressive.

Please enlighten me folks.

Thanks!

[Reactor]

Hey, Keeper:

Actually, the "parrying away technique" of which you speak is a metaphor for the actual combative technique which is to cut on the first motion. (Actually, there's more to it than this).

As with any training drill, the metaphor is meant to represent the actual technique which generally cannot be performed without harming your partner.

You can appreciate this better by trying to perform this with a wooden training knife and stabbing your partner's forearm. I am fairly confident you will harm your partner and he will not allow you to do it again, thereby making the movement no longer a flow drill. Even the slash can cause burns on your partner's skin.

This isn't really a complete answer, but I think you get the idea.

Hope this helps.

Reactor

[alqhiqeurass]

IMHO, parrying is only a variation of countering your opponents attack. As there is also a combination of parrying and slashing, and just slashing directly as you've mentioned. The contradas drills which is normally done with the sticks, may be applied too using the knife.

As Reactor puts it: "There's more to it".

[Keeper]

So, it's actually symbolic of directly stabbing at or slashing the arm... and using the spine edge of the blade wouldn't actually be used to redirect the attack in actual combat?

Sorry, kind of a newby to FMA so still a little confused

http://www.pamausa.com/Media/vidclips/tucci_volume2.mpg

http://www.pekiti-tirsia.com/kn%20tap.mpg

This is the kind of parrying away thing I was talking about.

Thanks alot guys, the reason for me asking is because I'm just wondering if there's a better way for me and my own training. Always got to be prepared to question your own stuff to find out if there isn't a better way, right?

[LakasPinoy]

Keeper,
your questions are based on the video clips you saw right? it would be hard to explain but most of the knife to knife drills you see are really training you for emptyhands vs knife. Having a knife in your hand not only forces you to be cleaner with your moves but also give you an added agrressive attitude that you should have when you are faced with an armed opponent rather than have a passive/defensive attitude when unarmed. As a knife wielder what would you rather face? The Knife tapping drill you saw is a drill to teach you coordination and movement. You attack and then guide the limb. because it is a drill the hidden strikes are not shown . Actually what you see is the BASIC Start point of the drill series. As you progress in skill it get s very aggressive. At the early stages we just want you to learn how to move and get out of the way or guide the attack . Later on as you progress in skill it gets nasty and aggressive and all the moves become attacks not just countering evasive moves but you have to start out somewhere and this keeps it safer in class.

In actual knife to knife fighting you take bits and pieces of the drill and apply it in real time where both are skilled and such close quarter drills when both fighters are skilled results in one thing..mutual destruction. Knife to knife drills or the combat segment of Pekiti Tirisia is quite different than the drills you just saw. If you train the way you fight so you will fight the way you train then knife to knife drilling does not follow the rule of getting in and getting out (3 secs) To stay in and flow adds to more chances of getting countered or stabbed.
Hope this helps.