Bailey's Academy - Frequently Asked Questions, with Frequent Answers

Q. What do Okinawan Karate and Scottish Highland Swordsmanship have to do with each other?
A. We get this question quite frequently. On the surface, it might seem that the two have very little to do with each other. But if you compare the history of the two disciplines, you will find there are a lot of similarities, including the facts that martial training was started for young boys at a very early age; both Okinawa and Scotland were very small but feisty independent countries that repeatedly fought and were eventually conquered by larger island neighbors (Japan and England respectively); both had training halls and clan crests; both had ties to (and appear to have exchanged martial techniques with) larger continental neighbors (China and France respectively); and the similarities continue.

Taking a step back, we see that both cultures had open-handed techniques and weapons techniques as part of their martial traditions. In the case of Scottish swordwork, we have a number of historical treatises, memoirs, and descriptions by observers regarding their techniques and weapons. But we don't have much information about early Scottish open-handed techniques or training methods.

Taking yet another step back, we see that while languages and customs may vary from country to country, there are certain factors that do not. A block is still a block, physics is still physics, there is still a difference between a crushing blow and a slicing attack, a bind is still a bind, geometry is still geometry. So, we use the two systems to compliment each other. The lost knowledge of Scottish open-handed techniques and foot work has been replaced by the Okinawan open-handed karate, and the Okinawan open-handed karate is augmented by Okinawan kobudo and Scottish regimental broadsword.

Q. What are the benefits to taking both the Karate and the Highland Broadsword classes?
A.The quality of your swordwork is VERY dependent on your physical conditioning, including your footwork, leg strength, hand-eye coordination, sense of timing, endurance, and awareness of where your body is and what position you are in at any given moment, both with respect to your opponent and with respect to physical objects in the room.

The drills and kata for the karate class will help develop the strength, stamina, balance, and offline movements required for the sword work. Weapons training will force you to reevaluate distance and timing issues and that will help you with the karate work.

Q. Why do we use rattan sticks rather than metal swords?
A. There are some real concerns when using metal weapons. They are VERY expensive; you will probably be looking at a minimum of $100+, and maybe more than $1000 depending on how fancy and how much hand-forging you want to purchase. It is MUCH easier to break bones and cut flesh with them, leading to an even more urgent need for good armor. But good armor is also usually quite expensive and probably has to be custom-fit if you want something that will both protect you but allow good freedom of movement. Even then, there are some joints in the human body that it's not possible to both fully protect and still have good range of movement. So even if you do have custom-made top-notch armor, there's a still a very real risk of permanent injury or death.

For that reason, we use sticks in place of metal swords. They are much cheaper and tend to leave just bruises, instead of severed limbs or broken bones. The Scotts trained boys at an early age to be warriors. When they had sufficient knowledge in hand to hand techniques they were taught swordwork...with a stick. In their case it was a hardwood stick such as ash. In our case, we use rattan because it is easier to find, less expensive, and does not break into pointed halves.

There ARE some members of the class who have had previous Olympic/sport fencing experience, and have the metal weapons (foil, epee, or saber) used in that sport. If you look at these weapons, you will find they are NOT period reproductions and do NOT have the weight or edge found on actual historical weapons. At the same time, fencing weapons do have their own subtleties and can help round out your sword skills if you are interested in that. Wait until you learn the first ten Highland sword drills AND become proficient with them before you consider using metal weapons.