European Martial Arts

By G. R.

Embark on a grand odyssey through the riveting annals of martial arts and weaponry with this comprehensive compendium. As you explore the enigmatic origins and progressive developments of both archaic and modern combat systems, this guide provides a unique vantage point into their illustrious past. It carefully weaves together elements of history, culture, and martial philosophy, illuminating the intricacies of each discipline's conception and refinement.

Navigate through the ages and across continents as you delve into the following martial arts and weaponry disciplines:
- Ancient Pale: The mighty wrestling of Greek-Roman gladiators
- Ancient Pankration: The gritty mixed martial arts of ancient Greek-Roman societies
- Modern Grappling: The tactical chess game of control and submission
- Modern Boxing: The sweet science of precision, power, and timing
- Modern Mixed Martial Arts: The ultimate testing ground for combat skills
- Medieval Longsword: The lethal ballet of steel and strategy
- Medieval Polearm with Shield: The art of defense and offense harmoniously entwined
- Medieval Dagger: The lethal dance of close-quarter combat
- Modern Traditional Knife Styles: The precision and elegance of blade work
- Soft Air Guns: The practical application of modern simulated firearm combat
- Defensive Firearms Shooting: Pistol and Shotgun: The disciplined mastery of close to mid-range weaponry
- Dynamic Firearm Shooting: Assault Rifle: The ultimate guide to mastering the most versatile weapon on the battlefield

Each chapter peels back layers of history, intertwining captivating tales of cultural significance and technological advancement that have sculpted the unique contours of these martial arts and weaponry techniques. Gain insights into how the sagacity of yesteryears has amplified the effectiveness of these disciplines, infusing your martial quest with newfound inspiration and understanding.

This book presents a robust collection of drills, transforming your interaction with firearms from mere manipulation to fully-realized mastery. Embark on a challenging journey of skill enhancement with our systematically devised training blueprints, designed to broaden your strategic arsenal.

As a bonus, this compendium invites the hands-on enthusiast to the historical forge. Detailed instructions in the appendix guide you through the creation of your very own plate armor, chainmail, and cold weapons. Engage in this tangible connection to history, and fully immerse yourself in the rich legacy of martial arts and weapons crafting. Experience first-hand the forging of these timeless tools of war and defense, adding another level of depth to your understanding and appreciation of these enduring arts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Giovanni Ricco
• Release date: Jun 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215952146

Book preview

European Martial Arts

Published by Giovanni Ricco

~~~~

Copyright 2023 Giovanni Ricco

Content

Introduction

Foreword

Western Martial Arts

Total Fight

Which Weapon is best?

Martial Arts vs Sports

Key Elements of Fighting

Strategy

Age of the fighter

Type of fighters

Specialised or generic fighter?

Best single shot or combination?

Fighting feelings

Unarmed

Introduction

Fighting without gloves

Right Hand vs Left Hand

Modern Fighting Disciplines

With or without Gloves?

Boxing

Kickboxing

Grappling

Mixing techniques

Legacy of Ancient Combat

Pale (Wrestling)

Pankration (Mixed Martial Art)

Cold Weapons Cold Weapons Introduction

An In-depth Look at Medieval Weaponry

An Examination of Cold Weapon Combat Types

The 15th Century Interplay of Wrestling and Fencing

Delving into the Lives of Gladiators and Comparisons with Medieval Knights

The Chainmail

The Plate Armour

Medieval Ages Helmets

The Shield

Longsword intro

Two-handed Sword

Training with Longsword

Hand Positions for Longsword

Longsword Stances

Longswords Exercises

Polearm Introduction

Introduction, Emphasizing Safe Training Environments and Protective Gear

Azza Guards

Polearm with shield

Dagger Introduction

Traditional Knife Fencing

Training Intro

Dagger and Knife guards

Dagger and Knife Exercises

Double Daggers

Team Fight Strategies

Firearms

Shooting Introduction

A quick look to three types of Firearms

Pistols:

Rifles:

Assault Rifles

Soft Air Guns for Training

Type of Rounds

Emphasizing Safety Measures

Left and right shooting

Training in Confined Spaces

Training in Open Space

Training with Pistol

Training with shotgun

Training with an Assault Rifle

Multi Weapons Training

Stage Combat

Environment

Open Environments

Controlled Environments

Constrained Environments

Realistic Environments

Other useful Trainings

Workout Plan

Running

Inline Skating

Kayaking

Climbing

Appendix

Master Fiore dei Liberi

Special Swords

Falcata DIY

The Khopesh

DIY Plate Armour

Giovanni’s Martial Arts background

Martial Arts Injuries

Introduction

Foreword

The main concept that drove the author in his learning and training of martial arts is that a well-rounded martial artist should be able to fight with bare hands, cold weapons, and firearms. This manual provides a cultural background for the martial artist and practical exercises to integrate the three great families of martial arts: unarmed, cold weapons, and firearms. The martial artist can use it as a reference for personal development and a starting point to become a complete fighter.

European Martial Arts

It is common to associate martial arts with Asian countries, thanks to the efforts of martial artists like Bruce Lee in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was a skilled Wing Tsun athlete, a discipline that falls within the wide group of Kung Fu. Bruce Lee was also the founder of the popular Jeet Kune Do discipline, which can be considered one of the first modern mixed martial arts.

Popular Japanese martial arts include Karate, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Aikido, Kenjutsu and others. Simplifying, we can say that Karate is a type of kickboxing, while Judo is mainly stand-up wrestling. Jiu Jitsu is a mix of Karate and Judo, with a popular variant being Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is mostly ground-based wrestling. Aikido combines sword, kickboxing, and stand-up wrestling techniques, and Kenjutsu is the art of the sword. South Korean Taekwondo and Thai Muay Thai, which both fall under the kickboxing category, are also popular in Western countries.

Indian martial arts are linked to Kung Fu, and it's worth noting that the founder of Shaolin Kung Fu was a legendary Indian monk named Buddhabhadra. In India, there are many wrestling styles, but local masters are not always open to sharing their knowledge, which is why their disciplines are not as well-known in Western countries.

African martial arts are a largely unknown world to Europeans. An example is ancient Egyptian tombs dating from 2400 BC to 1000 BC, which depict wrestling actions and provide enough material to partially resurrect the discipline. This is an ongoing project for the author.

European countries have also developed many different martial arts that are quite ancient. For example, ancient Greece and Etruria had the ancient Olympic games, which were mostly linked to religion and the warrior attitude of athletes. The last discipline in ancient Olympic events was a run between fully equipped athletes with war defensive and offensive weapons (panoplia).

Ancient Olympic disciplines that can be considered as proper martial arts include Pyxmachia, equivalent to boxing; Pale, a form of wrestling and its variant Hortepale, stand-up wrestling; and Pankration, equivalent to modern mixed martial arts (MMA) and a key style of the popular UFC roster.

Romans developed Olympic disciplines to entertain their audience, similar to the Gladiators events, which were just violent shows. For example, ancient Roman boxers would add short blades inside their hand protections (caesti) to cut the skin of the fighters, avoiding mortal wounds so that the 'bleeding show' could last longer.

When the ancient Olympic disciplines were banned in the 3rd century AD, only wrestling survived as a proper martial art in Western countries. Before the end of the Middle Ages, a new form of martial art called fencing was born. Fencing is a word based on defence, the key feature of these styles.

There are many fragments of fencing manuals, such as the British code I.33, which depict monks training with swords and bucklers, a type of small shield. The oldest complete manual that has survived is the 'Flos Duellatorum' from 1409, a time when printing techniques were not yet available. The manual was hand-written with descriptions of techniques and many pictures.

During the Renaissance, many manuals from Italy and Germany were produced. Martial arts evolved according to weapon manufacturing technologies. From the 17th century, light firearms were developed systematically .

During the 19th century, highly regulated duels with cold weapons were common. These developed fighting techniques were later used in modern Olympic fencing disciplines. In the early 20th century, cold weapons were no longer used in armies as they had been in the past. Instead, light firearms were the main form of training for assault troops. Today, martial arts focus on short blades and light firearms. Proper training is conducted in dynamic environments that simulate realistic combat situations. Almost every country has developed its own training system for specialized troops and police. However, there are also modern groups that teach martial arts to civilians for self-defense purposes, but the effectiveness of these systems is debated.

Total Fight

Total Fight is a holistic approach to martial arts training that embraces a wide range of techniques, weapons, and contexts. This method emphasizes on versatility, adaptability, and improvisation, which are key characteristics of a well-rounded martial artist. It breaks down the barriers between traditional and modern styles, integrating them to provide a more comprehensive skill set that can handle any situation.

A fundamental part of the Total Fight concept lies in its refusal to specialize in just one style or weapon. This approach believes in the necessity to be proficient in a range of martial arts techniques, both ancient and modern, as well as various weapons – cold blades, firearms, or even improvised weapons. This prepares the martial artist to be able to defend themselves effectively in any given context, much like our ancestors who had to use whatever was available to them for self-defense.

Total Fight also stresses the importance of understanding the historical background of each martial art. By doing so, practitioners can understand the reasons for the development of certain techniques and the contexts in which they work best. This offers a more nuanced view of martial arts, recognizing that there is no best martial art but rather that each has its own strengths depending on the situation. The historical perspective also fosters a deeper appreciation for the art and philosophy behind each style, enriching the learning experience.

Another crucial aspect of Total Fight is environmental adaptability. Training should not only be done in open spaces but also in confined, realistic environments that include common objects which might become part of a real fight. This approach fosters a better understanding of the fighting environment, thus honing one's improvisation skills and ability to use the environment to their advantage.

The Total Fight concept encourages creativity and improvisation, even when it comes to armor and weapons. The DIY approach in the appendix, offering guidance on creating your own plate armor, chainmail, cold weapons, and shields, embodies this spirit. Not only does this enhance the practitioner's understanding of these weapons and their usage, but it also fosters a sense of resourcefulness and self-reliance, key attributes of a total fighter.

In conclusion, Total Fight is an all-encompassing approach to martial arts that emphasizes adaptability, improvisation, and a deep understanding of multiple fighting styles. By training in this way, martial artists can equip themselves to handle any situation with confidence and skill, embodying the true essence of a total fighter.

Which Weapon is best?

During training sessions, it is common to explore the strengths and weaknesses of different weapons. However, it's imperative to stress that the concept of the best weapon is often illusory and highly dependent on an array of contextual factors. The unpredictability of the world and its wide range of potential scenarios necessitate that we don't become overly attached to one particular weapon as the absolute best.

The comparison between a pistol and a rifle is one such instance. Both firearms are excellent in their appropriate contexts. A pistol's compact size, ease of concealment, and sufficient magazine capacity make it an apt choice for close-quarters engagements, such as in urban environments. On the other hand, a rifle's greater range and accuracy make it better suited for open, larger spaces where distance is a factor.

Similarly, when considering