ISMAC 2009 - Fundamentals of Tethering an Opponent

The mists of Time have a frustrating way=2 0of obscuring even the most recent events of our historical past. Thus, while copious information exists on the development of older weapons such as the catapult, the crossbow, and the firearm, the specific origins of more recent ones – such as the bowie knife and the push dagger – are lost in the speculative accounts of the last two centuries. To wit, one hears as many discrepant histories of the bowie knife’s origins as of the man for whom the weapon is named. In like manner, the push dagger’s origins are equally subject to unverifiable conjecture and hypothesis.

Compact in size and light in weight, the push dagger is almost as formidable a weapon in the soft hands of the unskilled as it is in the hardened hands of the very experienced. While the push dagger may not always be a suitable weapon against a well-armed assailant, its traditional attributes of speed and surprise can effectively negate an unarmed opponent’s strength and aggression.

Workshop Breakdown:

The Five Push Dagger Attributes

The Three Types of Targets

Basic Thrusts
Basic Slashes
Defensive Applications


International Swordfighting and Martial Arts Convention		Hosted by Art of Combat, inc. & New Dawn Duellists Society
Conlegium Fraternitas Armorum ~ United Brotherhood in Arms
Since 2000, one of the premier and oldest International conferences for the study of Historical Martial Arts, hosting accomplished and leading instructors from around the globe.

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Next Event: 10th Annual ISMAC May 22nd-25th, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan Sponsored by Detroit Metro Airport Westin Hotel

The American Push Dagger
INSTRUCTOR: Maestro James Loriega ROOM: TBA
DESCRIPTION: The mists of Time have a frustrating way=2 0of obscuring even the most recent events of our historical past. Thus, while copious information exists on the development of older weapons such as the catapult, the crossbow, and the firearm, the specific origins of more recent ones – such as the bowie knife and the push dagger – are lost in the speculative accounts of the last two centuries. To wit, one hears as many discrepant histories of the bowie knife’s origins as of the man for whom the weapon is named. In like manner, the push dagger’s origins are equally subject to unverifiable conjecture and hypothesis. Compact in size and light in weight, the push dagger is almost as formidable a weapon in the soft hands of the unskilled as it is in the hardened hands of the very experienced. While the push dagger may not always be a suitable weapon against a well-armed assailant, its traditional attributes of speed and surprise can effectively negate an unarmed opponent’s strength and aggression. Workshop Breakdown: The Five Push Dagger Attributes The Three Types of Targets Basic Thrusts Basic Slashes Defensive Applications
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