Basic Bartitsu demo. at ISMAC ‘07

This footage was recorded at the International Swordfighting and Martial Arts Conference in Michigan, USA, between July 12-15, 2007.  It features a series of mostly canonical Bartitsu unarmed combat and cane demonstrations by myself, with Kirk Lawson assisting.

The theme of the seminar was to use a small selection of canonical and some neo-Bartitsu techniques and sequences to explore two major principles:

1) alignment control, or using your own weight and skeletal structure to disrupt the opponent’s balance and 2) initiative control, either by inviting a particular attack or by executing a pre-emptive attack to control the opponent’s options and movement.

Thus, we were primarily using these sequences as academic examples of certain technical and tactical options, rather than as self defence or competition sequences per se.

The defence between 00.56 and 01.00 is a neo-Bartitsu improvisation combining a number of techniques (palm-heels, a trachea grab, low stamping kick etc.) to reinforce the theme of controlling the opponent’s balance and skeletal alignment.

Thanks to Bartitsu Society member Chris Amendola for editing the footage.

Bartitsu Promotional Clip from Chris Amendola on Vimeo.

Bartitsu mini-documentary

Bartitsu: the gentlemanly art of self defence

Bartitsu: the Gentlemanly Art of Self Defence from Tony Wolf on Vimeo.

A new 6.5 minute mini-documentary on the history and mixed fortunes of Bartitsu, from E.W. Barton-Wright’s training in Japan in the late 1800s to the modern Bartitsu revival.

Self Defence For Discerning Ladies and Gentlemen

Last summer I taught at an ‘experience day’ held by The Grange, near Birmingham in the UK. They videoed the event and put up a short clip on youtube.

Whilst this was just a taster day for those new to martial arts and bartitsu in particular, as well as being somewhat tongue-in-cheek it does show some basic elements of Bartitsu and it’s contemporary antagonistic arts.

By contrast here is a link to Craig Gemeiner’s excellent Vigny La Canne video, also on youtube.