WCI Review - Todd Taganashi - Wing Chun Butterfly Swords Vol. 2 Combat Applications
Presented by Sifu Todd Taganashi, this video is roughly one hour and ten minutes long and divided into 16 chapters. Aside from some drills, the video presents applications of the Butterfly Swords, but not the form.
The video starts with a brief introduction, where Sifu Taganashi talks about his martial art background and lineage. Sifu Taganashi comes from the Ip Ching lineage, and beyond Wing Chun, has trained in several styles but has been focusing on Wing Chun for ten years or so before producing this video.
The second chapter of the video relates to safety when training with the swords, and Sifu Taganashi introduces his protégé Stan, who is his partner for the demonstrations on this video.
The third chapter explains the fighting positions, and Sifu Taganashi states he believes the stance should be natural for the individual and not fixed. He believes that sword-versus-sword applications are more practical than sword-versus-long-pole applications. Indeed, most of the video focuses on sword versus sword. The next chapter deals with Gan Sau Dao. Sifu Taganashi explains his way of performing this move and appears critical of other teachers from different lineages performing the move in a "strange manner".
During the fifth chapter, Sifu Taganashi relates to how to recover from a critical position with both empty-hand techniques and with the swords. The sixth chapter relates to Quan Sau Dao (Bong and Tan Sword Methods), and the seventh chapter deals with the reverse grip sword. Chapter eight shows a Pak Dao drill, which is essentially a Pak Sau to Jum Sau and Pak Sau again drill to defend against the opponent's sword.
The next chapter also relates to a drill—the Quan Dao drill. Chapter ten demonstrates sword-versus-sword applications, followed by a chapter dealing with examples of sword-versus-staff applications. Both these chapters are brief and with no commentary. The moves are demonstrated in slow motion and are mostly self-explanatory. Following is a chapter that discusses sword traps and specifically the inside deflection. They show more examples of inside deflections in the subsequent chapter.
Chapters 14 and 15 revisit sword traps, but this time it is outside deflections. Chapter 16, the final one, relates to "one defends two" whereby a sword can deflect the first attack of the opponent and then go on (with the same sword) to defend the second attack as well.
This video would mostly interest advanced students learning the Butterfly Swords but can also be of interest to instructors looking for new ideas concerning the applications of the Butterfly Swords.
Todd Taganashi - Wing Chun Butterfly Swords Vol. 2 Combat Applications
Language: English
Running Time: Approx. 70 min.
Availability: This title is no longer available for sale
