Disarm or Disable?

Discussion in 'Lightning Scientific Arnis' started by Supremo, Sep 20, 2007.

  1. Supremo

    Supremo New Member

    In a street confrontation and assuming that both of you have sticks, would you go for a disarm or would you rather disable your opponent physically?
  2. Christian

    Christian New Member


    IMO you never "go" for a disarm. You just take the disarm if the opportunity arises.

  3. Ryno

    Ryno New Member

    Knock him out. It is very difficult to snatch a disarm unless your opponent drastically overcommits. And even if you take his stick away, he's likely to try tackling or punching you. A largo disarm, hitting/disabling his hands would be a good option as it not only takes his stick away but also hurts him.

    Many disarms don't hurt your opponent too much, and he'd still be able to carry on the fight empty-handed. But knocked out is knocked out.
  4. Batongbuhay

    Batongbuhay New Member

    technically, a disarm is an attack of "opportunity". looking for a disarm or attempting one generally assumes that you are better than the guy you want to disarm, which is making a risky assumption. so i guess i would disable as necessary and disarm if the opportunity presents itself. as for knocking the guy out, why not? :) what you are referring to are just two levels of a force continuum. there are many shades in between Verbal to Terminal Contact, in the end it your response depends on your intent and to what extent you wish to escalate it to neutralize your oppoent :)
  5. Ryno

    Ryno New Member

    Very good points, Jon. Always de-escalate a conflict verbally, if at all possible. Walk away if you can, as there's no point in gambling with your safety over a silly disagreement. But if a guy pulls a weapon on me, I will tend to take things seriously. Hence, my preference for knocking him out.
  6. Shaun

    Shaun New Member

    Mang Ben as you guys know put great emphasis on slashing,which is a disarm.
    I think the main thing is to control the hands(or the feet).If your opponent gives you the opportunity and presents the hand or arm, we attack it,which if successful will probably result in both disabling and disarming.
  7. Carol


    For me it would depend on how we were confronting each other. If the other person and I are just exchanging words or ugly stares, then I'd try to get as much distance between them and myself as possible.

    However, if the person is at all threatening...and I don't just mean with the weapon chambered...I mean if the person is showing any intent to hurt me...then I'd be trying to survive that situation at all costs.

    Thanks for letting me jump in. ;)
  8. Shaun

    Shaun New Member

    I agree Carol.Learning how to survive the situation "at all costs"is one of the reasons we train.
    Where and when it is possible to study with Grandmasters,Masters,Instructors and training partners who have had real combat experience against all manner of weapons,edged,impact,flexible,improvised,etc.is so important.
    These people will be able to give a much more realistic appraisal of those techniques such as disarms or disabling your opponent.
    I am sure in your training the focus is very much the weapon hand(or hands) and neutralizing this threat.
  9. Carol


    Sure...although I also follow Mang Ben's wise words of looking for opportunities. If the attacker's stick is chambered and his live hand is up, I'd be more likely to try for.a lower target such as a #5 to the groin or lower abs.
  10. Shaun

    Shaun New Member

    I also like going for lower targets on the body.In my opinion however, the attacker will use the weapon in his or her hand,so I like to attack the weapon hand/hands.
  11. Carol


    Not long ago I was doing drills with a fellow who was able to score a hit to my weapon hand nearly every time he tried. I couldn't land that strike anywhere near as often as he was so I focused more on the larger, less dynamic targets of the lower body. I think I'll enjoy attacking the weapon hand more as my targeting improves.

    But that's why we train, right? To get better... :)
  12. Shaun

    Shaun New Member

    You know Mang Ben would say to practice every day to develop timing.
    There is so much truth in this.
  13. arnisador

    arnisador Active Member

    Sometimes your opponent just has your number--he can get you when he wants. It can be very frustrating!
  14. Carol


    Yes it can be, although in this case, it was amazing as well. The person that I was practicing with was at an instructor's level (and not someone I usually have an opportunity to practice with), and he got in some amazing strikes. There were a lot of strikes that he got in where I just don't know how he was able to get inside or how he was able to connect....but somehow he did! His (unspoken) intent was to show me some of the different possibilities that can be used in solo baston sparring.

    The fellow had asked that we use padded sticks...I'm really glad we did. Had we not, I don't think I would have much of a hand left...LOL!
  15. jus_dann

    jus_dann New Member

    i think i`d rather control a stick/knife and a hand rather than disarming the weapon just to deal with something else. i never try to disarm. if its there it could happen, but i never look for it
  16. Supremo

    Supremo New Member


    Thanks everyone for contributing your ideas on the topic!
  17. Master Vince

    Master Vince New Member

    Mate, it all depends on your reaction time to the particular strike that is coming at you, and in a split second you must decide whether to destroy the hand holding the weapon, or if it is not a bladed weapon, then you can opt to apply a disarm technique!
  18. tellner

    tellner New Member

    That depends on so many factors that it's impossible to give a pat answer. How much of a threat is the other guy? How many are there? What sort of stick are we talking about? What other weapons do I have available?

    In general my priorities are in order:

    1. People under my protection don't get hurt
    2. I don't get hurt
    3. Innocent bystanders don't get hurt
    4. The bad guy doesn't get hurt
    Maybe I can do all four and still disarm him. But I'm not some sort of great grandmaster. So I'm more likely to do things that will remove his ability to hurt me.
  19. Raul

    Raul Mananandata

    Disarm as in removing any weapon off him which can be done many ways and not just trying to snatch the weapon. Striking the attacking arm is a disarming technique and a defensive tactic since you're trying to protect yourself with minimal harm to your aggressor.
  20. tellner

    tellner New Member

    I think I've been over-Silatized. The "defang the snake" princple used to be central. Now it seems like second best, particularly with a blade.

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