[Halls]

Originally Posted by Chesten_Hesten

At some point you must face your opponent. In a rush this happens straight on. If the oponent is constantly angling, he can't close the distance rapidly enough, so there is always time to straighten up to him. Its like being on a rotating turret.

Angled footwork can be used in 2 different ways: to attack and defend. When a rushing oppnent comes in as in Fencing a simple 45 degree angled step to the off weapon hand side and a curve with the rear leg allows you to avoid this "bum rush" and strike the opponent as they attempt to enter. Much like in boxing where you can angle off and counter strike.
This is where I see Fencing to be inpractical as a knife defense. In Fencing you are limited to a 6 foot wide strip. You are limited to coming straight on rather than using angles. You also plunge into each other where it seems like a kamikazi mission of scoring your point first regardless of being stabbed yourself.

Originally Posted by Chesten_Hesten

Do you think Kali knife strikes are limited to hook type movements?

I don't know. The time I sparred with some Kali Guys they seemed preoccupied with trying to catch my hand, because I held it out there under their noses.

When they hold the knife point under, like you're gonna stab a pancake with a fork, they can't reach you with it without coming around the long way.

When they hold it point out front, they usually don't use the point so well, and its negated again.

When you say catch your hand do you mean that they were catching as in boxing, catching as in attempting a disarm, or slashing or stabbing you knife hand?

Originally Posted by Chesten_Hesten

Halls if Roundies and angling was the way, then Western fencing would have never came about and everyone would be swinging kendo style. Straight on came as the answer to these older techniques.

This is not a style I'm talking about, but a system of practice, so that the most fluid and straight forward movement may be used to strike the opponent.

Now if you want to disarm and all that, then stick with Kali, it like most styles has all sorts of movements for that, but just as Basic Karate Punching isn't on the same level as training to punch in a boxing gym where they don't just come at you so you can block it, neither is trying to deal with someone using a style, when that someone knows anything about timing, closing the distance, sneaking the distance, and economy of motion is about.

I would encourage you to look into some of the more economical fencing moves to encorporate into your game. you may be pleasantly surprised when next you spar with the Kali bunch.

That's it.

FYI Kali has influences from many different cultures including Spanish Fencing. Included in Kali weaponry are variations of the Spanish sabre. I believe that the past Eskrimadors elaborated on Fencing included it into their martial art and made it more practical for warfare. Also Kali influenced western Boxing to where it is today. Early 20th century fighters were still fighting with their hands far out in front of them and coming straight at each other. During the Spanish American war soldiers stationed in the Phillipines saw how Filipinos boxed (as a direct relation to their knife fighting) and changed Boxing to where it is today. The main thing Boxing gained from Kali was the use of angling in defense and attacking.

I lke your comment on economy of motion and closing distance. i work on this everyday and train my guys in this as much as possible. IMO Kali's footwork incorperates this very well.
Thanks for your insight to this matter. You have persuaded me to buy Nardi's book "On Fencing" to learn more about Fencing. But I do have to disagree for the time being that Fencing is a practical knife defense.