WEAPON DISARMS IN THE PEKITI-TIRSIA SYSTEM
2. A disarm is much easier to do if you first do some damage to the hand holding the weapon, or to the mind controlling that hand.
Grand Tuhon Gaje would emphasize over and over again that you should not “hunt” for a disarm, but recognize the opportunity for a disarm once you get a disabling hit or cut to the opponent’s weapon arm or head. The reason the Disarma set is so large and has so many techniques, is that an opponent’s hand may be at different angles after you strike or cut him and therefore you need different disarms and angles of approach to successfully disarm him.
NOTE: There aren’t really that many techniques once you understand what you are doing in the set. You really have just a few actual disarms and are just using them a bit differently depending on the angle. It’s like a carpenter having 3 types of hammers, 3 types of saws and 3 types of measuring devices. So while he has 9 tools in his toolbox, it’s really only 3 categories of tools.
(Disarm angles on sector 1)
Disarms in Pekiti-Tirsia are not taught as “goal” techniques in a fight. The goal is not to disarm an opponent per se, but to control the danger you are in. A disarm is simply one tool in your toolbox to help you reach your goal.
In the classical style of teaching Pekiti-Tirsia; techniques such as disarms are first taught in isolation, with just the main mechanics of each technique, to get the motions ingrained so you can do them while under stress. This is the “how” of the technique. (This teaching order presuposses that you are already proficient at hitting an opponent before learning how to disarm him).*
(All 5 sectors of angle 1)
After the main disarms, you will then learn the counters and recounters. This process helps you learn the principles behind a technique: the “why” of it, as in “why is it done this way and not another.”
(Counters & Recounters on sector Angle 1)
A counter to a "Snake" disarm of a stick. A disarm is much easier to accomplish if a hard strike is given to the opponent first. This is especially true in disarms like the snake, which are done at grappling range.
NOTES
My teaching notes for Pekiti-Disarma: Solo Stick/Sword disarms. (for a translation, see your local PTI instructor)
(1). CCW (X STICKS)
1. FL 1, SHOULDER DIS
2. BRKN 1, FOREARM DIS
3. BRKOUT, IWL LEVER STICK W/ RT FORARM
4. IWL TO POOLCUE
5. DISCO DISARM
(2). CW (X STICKS)
1. 2 SLASH, 9 THRUST ROLL TO DF DIS
2. OWL, 8 THRUST TO PUNYO TO DIS
3. LIKE 1 X 1
4. LIKE 2 X 1
5. CATCH WRIST, THRUST TO CLOSING SCISSOR DIS
(3). CCW (2 SLASH HAND)
1. 2 HACK ARM, LIKE 1 X 1
2. LIKE 2 X 1
3. LIKE 5 X 1
4. IWL RAISE THEN DROP DF
(4). CW (4 SLASH HAND)
1. DIRECT GRAB INSIDE PUNYO, OWL W/ THUMB DOWN, 8 TH DIS
2. ENTER OVER STICK, OWL PALM UP, BRKOUT DIS
3. ENTER UNDER STICK, OWL PALM UP, BRKOUT DIS
4. DIRECT GRAB PULSE, ELBOW BREAK, STRIP TO REV GRIP
(5(. (2 INSIDE, 2 FROM GRAB ELBOW)
1. UMB 3, 2 X 1 DIS
2. 2 TO WRIST, 1 X 1 DIS
3. LT-RT PASS, OWL LIKE 1 X 4
4. RT ARM PASS, OWL LIKE 2 X 4
(8). (2 INSIDE, 2 OUTSIDE)
1. SLASH 2, LIKE 3 X 1
2. FLOR 2, SLASH 2, IWL, 9 FROM OS, DF IWL
3. 9 SCOOP- 2 SLASH WRIST, LT HACK FINGERS & GRAB, STRIP DIS
4. 2 SLASH WRIST- SCOOP 9-2 SLASH WRIST, LIKE 5 X 1
(9). (2 INSIDE, 2 FROM GRAB ARM)
1. UMB 1, LIKE 2 X 1
2. 1 TO STICK, LT CATCH, PULL TO RIBS
3. FROM ECHECETTE, LIKE 1 X 2
4. FROM CHECETTE, LIKE # 9 DOBLE’
After teaching the core disarms, counters and recounters, the next stage would be to integrate them with strikes, so they can be used more effectively. This is the beginning of learning the “when” of a technique, i.e. using it at an appropriate time in a fight.
Here is an explanation of one way to teach the timing of striking.
SAME PRINCIPLE-DIFFERENT TOOLS
Some samples of Doble' Baston Disarma and the knife versions of the same principles. The classical way of teaching Pekiti-Tirsia will often show the same general technique with several weapons - as a way to reinforce the gross motions on the nervous system. Therefore, we will teach the same disarm with a long weapon such as stick vs stick, then a short weapon version such as knife vs stick, then the empty hand vs stick version. The idea here is to teach the student how to make adjustments as needed with the same general principle, but applied with different weapons: to show which things change and which stay the same.(2)
Timing in Espada Y Daga is far more complex than in single or equal length double weapons.
Time is an important factor in a fight. “How much time do I have to deal with Bad Guy 1 before Bad Guy 2 can get to me?” If you have time for only one hit before you need to leave and this only stuns Bad Guy 1, then maybe taking his weapon away as you go past him is a good option to have in your toolbox. Do you want to leave a temporarily stunned,(1) but armed man behind you as you make your escape, or an unarmed man?
(The classic way of teaching a blade reversal disarm)
When I train law enforcement or military personnel, I don’t have the same luxury of time as I do in my martial arts classes. With these two groups I must compress things down quite a bit and tend to teach in what I call “Chain Techniques” with a sample from each principle in each combination, such as:
1. Avoid the initial attack. Than an entry to get into a superior position.
2. Just enough strikes to buy time for a control technique.
3. The control technique: (defined as something capable of seriously reducing his ability to fight for a prolonged period). such as a break, lock, choke, disarm, or drawing and/or use of your own weapon.
Teaching a "chain entry" knife defense. This is used when I don't have the time to teach the classic way of compartmentalized training (where each subject is worked on until near perfect and then assembled into a complete whole.)
Which way of teaching is better? I believe if you have the time, then the old ways will produce the better overall fighter and teacher. However, if you don’t have the time, then you have no choice and the new way may be the only way available.
I hope this has helped you understand the subject of disarms in the Pekiti-Tirsia system.
Train Hard, but Train Smart,
Tuhon Bill McGrath
*When Grand Tuhon Gaje first learned the Pekiti-Tirsia system from his grandfather Conrado Tortal in the 1940s and 50s, each weapon was taught one at a time. This means that he went through all the material in solo stick/sword “A through Z’ before moving on to the double stick/sword material. The disarms were the “Z” techniques of solo stick/sword, given at the very end of the training of that weapon category. When I finished learning the system, I presented him with a proposed course outline, showing the way I thought I should teach the system. This was based on the order in which he had taught the system in the US, which was very different than the way had learned it from his grandfather. (Instead of each weapon “A through Z”, we learned it closer to all the “A” techniques of all the weapons, then all the “B” level techniques for all weapons, etc.) Leo had me change the teaching order so the Solo Disarma now stood between 64 Attacks and Seguidas, as he wanted a buffer between the basics and the advanced material in the system. (He said "If they can get through Disarma, then they deserve to learn Seguidas").
For most modern students, when you train on the Disarma, realize that you are learning this subsystem with far less striking and cutting techniques than did Leo when he had learned it, as well as his first group of students in the US. Therefore, be patient and train lots of striking material before you attempt a disarm during sparring.
For info on upcoming classes, seminars and camps, visit:
https://pekiti.com/pages/upcoming-seminars
NOTES:
1. SIZE DOES MATTER
2. LEARNING THROUGH COMPARISONS
3. DISARMS PLAYLIST on my YouTube channel.