I told my students one night to bring to class some everyday/household items that we could use in technique extrapolation and improvisation, in order to expand our self-defence horizons. As I hadn't given them any specific suggestions, what they brought was a great surprise, and the lesson was a blast. It was great fun and I heartily encourage all of you towards experimentation.
Anyway, one couple had brought along an umbrella (a cooking pot and a leather belt rounded out their particular brought-along pot-luck of items), and we had so much fun with it that we decided to do a couple more nights of it. By the end of the lesson, the students were scoffing at a mere bayonet as it seemed to pale in comparison to the mighty umbrella. LOL. This video is a melange from those nights.
So, the umbrella (we had the long, non-extending kind with long metal tips) gives us three main aspects-point, haft, and hook-with infinite combinations in between. We used the messer as basis for the points and whipped-point cuts, general stick and half-sword principles for the improvisations with the haft, and unarmed work for using the hook as the hook can easily mimic the grasping nature of one's hand. For example, one specific technique that we experimented with that is shown in the video is where the hook is placed over the opponent's wrist (or elbow) as he grabs at your lapel or at you in general, and this is a weaponized variant of one of the first wrestling techniques of Paulus Hector Mair's Athletica section H8.
One important point that I should mention here that isn't said directly in the video is that the umbrella is fragile tool-an obvious observation, yes, but one that deserves examination precisely for that reason-and that forces have to be applied through the umbrella and not to it in order to not break it.
Enjoy!
Here's the text of the video since the font is not the easiest to read:
The Modern Medieval Gentleman Series
brought to you by Arme Antica presents...
The Ancient and Respected
Art of the Umbrella.
Observation Number 1:
Know your Tools
What are its Strengths
and its Weaknesses
and how do these relate
to the techniques
that You already Know
So, when attacked,
Transition into a Ward
Such as Posta Sagittaria
and use your Strengths
to Counterattack
Observation Number 2:
Follow up by using
the characteristics of your weapon
in the techniques and principles
that have already been Acquired,
such as those of the Messer, the stick,
and in Unarmed fighting.
For example...
by using the Point
Carefully whipped Points
can be used as Cuts
With the Haft
Be sure to reinforce the Point
as in Half-Swording
and with the Hook
Remember: Be sure to Play!
And improvise, improvise, improvise!