The Weapons Path

The Weapons Path – All Weapons Martial Arts Modules in the Tao Te Kung Fu System

Single Tanto – £5.00

Tanto Knife Fighting Techniques with the traditional Japanese dagger used by the Samurai as part of a set of three swords.  It is a fast and elegant weapon.  This course will teach you the practical skills of knife fighting and footwork.

What You’ll Learn

• The primary deflecting blocks, most often needed in real conflicts
• The primary sweeping cuts with an understanding of their relative tactical strengths
• How to step with the greatest speed and tactical effect
• How to deliver a counter stab that is aimed at ending a confrontation with the greatest speed
• Tactical use of attacking your opponent’s knife arm and how to utilise optimal timing and targeting
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Single Nunchuck – £8.00

The Nunchuck became famous as a result of Bruce Lee films.  These can be a very effective weapon but most often used to develop hand-eye coordination.

What You’ll Learn

• The beginners or foundational nunchuck form performed with a single weapon
• How to bounce the nunchucks off your body for fast changes of direction
• Switching the weapon from one hand to the other with no pause in movements
• Spinning and figure-eight spinning in vertical and horizontal planes

Single Escrima Stick – £6.00

The Escrima stick is originally from a Philipino weapons Martial Arts style but the skills can easily apply to any stick, walking cane or any blunt object resembling a stick.  These Escrima stick fighting drills will ensure rapid progression and competency.

What You’ll Learn

• The stick blocks, most often needed in real conflicts, used to create deflecting force
• The full set of strikes used in stick fighting and how to maximise their power
• How to step with the greatest speed and tactical effect
• The fastest single stick continuous striking techniques to overwhelm your opponent
• Use of the stick thrust for anatomically precise targeting and winning strategy
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Double Tanto – £8.00

The Japanese style dagger used by the Samurai.  This course will teach you practical skills for fighting with two knives.

What You’ll Learn

• The primary deflecting blocks, most often needed in real conflicts
• The primary sweeping cuts with an understanding of their relative tactical strengths
• How to step with the greatest speed and tactical effect
• How to deliver a counter stab that is aimed at ending a confrontation with the greatest speed
• Tactical use of attacking your opponent’s knife arm and how to utilise optimal timing and targeting
• How to adapt your strategy and techniques to incorporate the use of two tantos for maximum effectiveness
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Double Nunchucks – £12.00

Nunchucks were popularized by Bruce Lee in his films are now mainly used as a training weapon to develop hand-eye coordination, though this is a practical form with effective weapon techniques.

What You’ll Learn

• How to bounce the nunchucks off your body for fast changes of direction
• Fast stepping and change of direction synchronized with complex spinning and striking techniques
• Spinning and figure eights in vertical and horizontal planes
• How to effectively use symmetrical double strikes

Double Escrima Sticks – £9.00

The Double Escrima Sticks program expands on the single stick doubling your blocking and striking abilities whilst improving your ambidextrous skills.

What You’ll Learn

• The stick blocks, most often needed in real conflicts, used to create deflecting force
• The full set of strikes used in stick fighting and how to maximise their power
• How to step with the greatest speed and tactical effect
• The fastest double stick continuous striking techniques to overwhelm your opponent
• Tactical application of ambidextrous techniques to utilise optimal timing and targeting
• Use of the stick thrust for anatomically precise targeting and winning strategy
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Sai – £9.00

The Sai are a fast and versatile weapon that utilizes quick and powerful blunt strikes with sharp and accurate stabs.

What You’ll Learn

• Sai single and double blocks often used to cover and defend larger areas of the body
• A figure 8 continuous attack sequence that includes stabbing and striking techniques.  Used to overwhelm opponents.
• How to use the weight of the metal Sai to generate power and force in every strike
• Grip switches to allow you to change strategies and how you use the weapon
• How to step with the greatest speed and tactical effect
• Disarming techniques using the unique shape of the Sai and it’s quillions
• Use of the accurate thrust for anatomically precise targeting and winning strategy
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Jo Staff – £8.00

The Jo staff is basically a tall walking stick. Ideally, it wants to be about the height of your armpit, but a bit shorter or longer is entirely usable and people develop their personal taste for the length. It is a weapon that your opponent will easily underestimate. It is fast and dangerous, while being a great defensive weapon. If you make your own from a broom handle or some such be sure to sand it smooth and give it a rub with some oil, you don’t want splinters.

What You’ll Learn

• The staff blocks, most often needed in real conflicts, used to create deflecting force
• The full set of strikes used in staff fighting and how to maximise their power
• The optimum redirecting blocks used tactically to open up your opponent for your counter strike
• Tactical application of ambidextrous techniques to utilise optimal timing and targeting
• Use of the staff thrust for anatomically precise targeting and winning strategy
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Chinese Broadsword (Dao) – £14.00

The broad sword is a brutal weapon, designed to be used on a battlefield with a continuous sweep and circling cuts, nobody would want to get in its way. The trick with such a weapon is to conserve your energy (your training weapon is likely to be polypropylene or such, so won’t have the weight of the real thing). If you stop and start with this weapon you will soon get tired as every acceleration and deceleration will sap your strength, but if you can keep it flowing, letting its weight and momentum do the work for you, it will feel like all you have to do is steer it.

What You’ll Learn

• The deflecting blocks that seamlessly integrate with the sweeping strikes
• The full set of strikes used in broadsword fighting and how to maximize their power
• The tactical use of continuous momentum to minimize effort and prioritize speed and efficiency
• Techniques to utilize optimal timing and targeting
• Specialized stepping and footwork techniques to best tactically use the momentum of the sword
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Chinese Straight Sword (Jin) – £12.00

The straight sword is a fast and aggressive weapon principally developed as a gentleman’s dueling weapon.  While never having any significant weight behind a strike it tends to flicker with deadly results. The prime defense with this sword is to deflect even as you attack yourself. You can perform all the straight sword techniques with a simple walking stick or cane, making this weapon form very adaptable.

What You’ll Learn

• The light deflecting parries suited to the weight and speed of the weapon
• The full set of cuts and thrusts used in sword fighting and how to accurately apply them
• Techniques used tactically to open up your opponent for your counter strike
• Stance and fast footwork to optimize speed and timing
• Use of the straight thrust for anatomically precise targeting and winning strategy
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Chinese Butterfly Swords (Baat Cham Dao) – £14.00

The Butterfly Swords are likely more formal versions of large Chinese meat cleavers, rather than military weapons.  They are large bladed, top-heavy weapons that can deliver a powerful cleaving strike but are also effective at somewhat lighter cutting motions due to their shortness.  Generally used in pairs, they are excellent close combat weapons thought to have been used by post-1800 civilian militia as they are easy to conceal and carry.

What You’ll Learn

• The powerful double blocks used to defend against heavier, bigger weapons
• The full set of smooth and accurate cuts and thrusts used with these short aggressive swords
• Techniques used tactically to open up your opponent for your counter strikes
• Fast and multidirectional  footwork to optimize speed and timing
• Use of the short blades to change cutting direction mid-strike to overwhelm your opponent’s defences
• The overall strategy for finishing any real fight in the shortest possible time for your safety

Bo Staff – £14.00

The Bo staff is the weapon with the greatest reach advantage over any other weapon in the system.  If used properly and with correct positioning, you can keep opponents at bay while delivering powerful attacks from a safe distance.  The Bo staff is also held in a central grip in order to attack with both ends and overwhelm your opponent at a shorter distance.  The two ways of staff fighting are comprehensively covered in this program.

What You’ll Learn

• How to use the Bo Staff to shield your entire body
• Circular strikes from the long grip
• How to use circular strikes as redirecting blocks
• Powerful thrusts to different heights and targets
• Close grip blocking and striking techniques for close range
• Use of stepping to close range and engage close grip strategy

Advanced Double Nunchucks – £16.00

Popularized by Bruce Lee in his films, Nunchucks are now primarily used as a training aid to improve hand-eye coordination, though this form includes practically effective techniques.

What You’ll Learn

• How to bounce the nunchucks off your body for fast changes of direction
• Spinning and figure eight spinning in vertical and horizontal planes
• The use of alternating double strikes
• Asymmetrical spins and figure eight spins with fast body spins and steps
• Complex figure eight spins while turning and transferring the strike directions
• Hand rolling nunchucks with both hands while constantly changing spin direction