I've been working on saber forms with my kung fu instructor and the off-hand is often out in guard. That doesn't seem particularly odd when you look at something like italian rapier fighting or something that is heavily thrust oriented and is 1-on-1 often. However, the form is distinctly oriented around melee fighting, since you are constantly changing angles not just between moves but during, and a hand-parry would be pretty much useless against anything but a spear or sword thrust. In short, I have no idea why you would have your off-hand extended. Does anyone know if saber fighting would normally be done with a shield or other defensive item on the off-hand or arm? If so, what kind?

Thanks for any info.

If I understand you correctly, the sword is pulled back into the Cangdaoshi. The extended hand is used as a bait. Because the hand itself moves a lot faster than the sword hand, the idea is to lure the enemy to attack that hand and to evade teh attack. By attacking it, the enemy will expose themselves for counter attacks which they will have no idea in which direction it comes from before it is coming in because teh very purpose of the Cangdaoshi is to hide the sword away from sight.

Thanks - I just found your other post on guards and that was really cool. I suppose if the sword is primarily intended to fight a spear, a hand-parry is very effective.

Check this out..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP9mfbRnCyY

It might be what you're searching for...

also, you can use the arm to better balance (is that you are asking about?)


(wow, really fast video!)