"The exercising of weapons putteth away aches, griefs, and diseases, it increaseth strength and sharpeneth the wits, it giveth a perfect judgment, it expelleth melancholy, choleric, and evil conceits, it keepeth a man in breath, in perfect healthe, and long life." – George Silver (1599)

Watch the old man’s footwork.

Trapping Hands. This guy is awesome.



This is alot like the 2nd form here – http://sworddueling.com/?p=100


Around the 4:45 mark. That kid can throw down!
& check the foxy lady boxin’ at 8:50. Fine work.

…but if that doesn’t work, they will beat their scythes into wicked polearms.

Polish Scythemen 1863

Polish Scythemen 1863

For every Micah 4:3, there’s a Joel 3:10.

hozoin spear hozion
The Hozoin-Ryu Sojutsu (Hozoin spear-arts school), a school of martial arts, was founded in the late 1500s by Hozoin Kakuzenbo Hoin In-ei, a Buddhist monk at Kofukuji Temple in Nara, Japan.?

Along with the Hozoin school In’ei arranged the meeting between Kamiizumi Ise no kami Nobutsuna and Yagy? Sekishusai Muneyoshi, that became the catalyst for the creation of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu.

It is said that one evening, on seeing the reflection of?the crescent moon shining on Sarusawa pond, he was inspired to create a spear with a cross-shaped spearhead, which as a new dimension to the spear as it can now thrust, cut, and now pull, twist, catch, in a new dimension.
Historians say the spear was inspired by aboriginal Ainu bear hunters.

This article by David Lowry has more – The Spears of Hozoin.

Unfortunately, we know comparatively little of the Hozoin spear techniques. There is a Hozoin ryu still in existence, but its movements have been changed considerably. About twenty kata with the spear used in the manner of the Hozoin ryu are still extant, most of them featuring the school’s most distinctive technique. This involves thrusting the blade and tip of the spear toward the joints of an opponent’s body, at the knee, for example, or under the arm, and then twisting the weapon forcefully in a circular motion that bends the joint, throwing the opponent as neatly as any judo throw.


See the dust raised by Buddha’s Warrior Pounds Mortar. Like thunder.