Interesting article by Mr. Janich...

[psychophipps]

The new issue of G&As Combat Arms has an interesting article on De Cuerdas, a methodology Mr. Janich picked up from one of his FMA instructors.

The basics are a two-handed narrow fence with the blade being forward and supported along the spine of the blade by the palm of the support hand. You lunge in with the fence up and cut downward at the end of your movement using the support-side hand to control the limb to set up a C-cut stroke to the tool-side leg of the attacker. Pretty simple and it keeps the blade and hands at the centerline for efficient defensive maneuvering and manipulations.

The only concern I see is that this also means that you'll be seeing the bulk of attacks against you from the outside-in to get around your arms which makes it harder to work to the outside of the limbs which is a far safer position to be in as mentioned in Mr. Janich's Guerilla Video #4 (with a really lousy Lop Sao demonstration in it, btw).

Now, I'm a Big, Ugly White Boy and former Jujitsu/Wing Chun guy so being inside of their arms isn't a particularly big deal to me, but for people of smaller stature and that haven't been trained in an art that emphasizes techniques from the clinch and trapping ranges it can become a bit of an issue.

Thoughts from those with more experience in such matters?

[fifthprofession47]

The knife is the key here. The defenses are targeting the muscles and tendons of the attackers arms with the intent to disable them...to shut them down. Being on the inside isn't ideal but being on the inside after having cut the attackers bicep/tricep/flexor tendons or quadricep as depicted in the photo sequesnce of that article make escape much more workable.

[Michael Cook]

(with a really lousy Lop Sao demonstration in it, btw).

:spyder: It's only lousy if it's not effective. What you saw through a wing chun view point as a poor lop sau Mr. Janich probably sees as a highly effective all-American "yank the sucker's arm" technique! :spyder:

[psychophipps]

:spyder: It's only lousy if it's not effective. What you saw through a wing chun view point as a poor lop sau Mr. Janich probably sees as a highly effective all-American "yank the sucker's arm" technique! :spyder:

True enough. I just irks me to see someone discussing a methodology's "limitations" (or even that they potentially exist) while they demonstrate it completely wrong. This is especially the case when the following methodology demonstrated is actually found within the previously discussed methodology. :p

But anyway, one advantage I now see for working inside is the extreme predominance of the ol' roundhouse punch and related attack movements for initial attacks by assailants and ease of teaching a straight-in approach to the problem with limited training skillsets and timeframes. Technically a bit riskier, but still quite workable with a few exceptions that are constantly mentioned by the more anal retentive of our brethren...but honestly come up so seldom as to be all but ignored.

[Michael Janich]

The only concern I see is that this also means that you'll be seeing the bulk of attacks against you from the outside-in to get around your arms which makes it harder to work to the outside of the limbs which is a far safer position to be in as mentioned in Mr. Janich's Guerilla Video #4 (with a really lousy Lop Sao demonstration in it, btw).

Now, I'm a Big, Ugly White Boy and former Jujitsu/Wing Chun guy so being inside of their arms isn't a particularly big deal to me, but for people of smaller stature and that haven't been trained in an art that emphasizes techniques from the clinch and trapping ranges it can become a bit of an issue.

Thoughts from those with more experience in such matters?

De Cuerdas also works from the outside, as illustrated in the article against an angle 2. To get there against an angle 1, evade and let the arm pass. You'll be staring at the back of his arm--just like he was throwing an angle 2. Jump in and get it done. The evade/close is the basic swaying tactic known in the FMA as "lastiko" or "rubber band."

De Cuerdas is dead simple and as close to a "one-size-fits-all" solution as I've found. If you train beyond it and have other MBC skills--like the "crossada"--in your skill set, they're still valid. He attacks angle 1, crossada and get to the outside. You'll then be staring at the back of his arm again and De Cuerdas will still work to finish he job.

If you have the basics of "get to the outside" down, you still need an "inside" solution--especially against long weapons. De Cuerdas is easier to learn then the MBC "meet" and a more instinct-based option for the inside.

It doesn't have to be one or the other, it should be both. Mix and match. That's why I call it "concepts."

Stay safe,

Mike

[enduraguy]

Something I learned in the Marines in basic hand to hand and knife combat skills training is a concept that most people "educated" by Hollywood and the media are totally ignorant of. I think most "self defense writers" or "gurus" also take advantage of this ignorance. What I'm getting at is the concept that most people react in a very quick, "shut down mode" manner when any sort of shock at all is applied to their body. Think about the last time you cut yourself, or saw someone cut themselves. How did you or they react? Likely, you immediately stopped whatever you were doing and diverted all of your attention to that area that you cut, right? There are no terminators out there, and the likely hood that 99% of us will ever have to "defend" ourselves is very slim. I'm not saying be oblivious to your surroundings and neglect any advice on self defense, definitely not. However, most people just need to know the basics with self defense and/or implementing a weapon for self defense. A quick, shallow cut, or stab for example pretty much anywhere on most people, even those under the influence of a drug, will "shut them down". Needing to attack the nervous system, or hit a "vital" organ, or artery is usually moot.

How many street thugs or criminals are actually trained in hand to hand combat? I agree with arming yourself with basic knowledge, of course.

Just my two cents. Take it or leave it.

[Michael Cook]

A quick, shallow cut, or stab for example pretty much anywhere on most people, even those under the influence of a drug, will "shut them down"

:spyder: I'd hope you're right but I wouldn't bet my life on it (as I'm sure the Marines don't ) Hope for the best and train for the worst. :spyder:

[enduraguy]

True indeed. I guess what I'm trying to get at is the fact there are a lot of "armchair commando" types who will take what many of these writers put together as the gospel...when it may or may not be