Dale Seago on MythBusters

***Plasma*** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 11:22am

Originally Posted by thomaspaine

I'm wondering how realistic this is. I mean, there's not much margin for error here if someone with a sword actually wants to kill you. You'd have to catch a very fast moving sword by clapping your hands together at just the right moment within like a centimeter of the blade to avoid having your hands cut off, and then twist your hand immediately as you make contact...and if you mess one of those up, you're pretty screwed. I could see this being done as a neat little demo, where you know how the person is going to attack you (and I'm sure Dale probably does this on the show), but it's a totally different story when it's non-choreographed.

And have you seen ninjas trying to fighting unarmed? I can't imagine throwing weapons into the mix would help much.

The catching the sword technique from Togakure Ryu isn't a "clap". Its a stop.

its like this

[media]http://youtube.com/watch?v=YWcH4lLFb8s[/media]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YWcH4lLFb8s

He goes for the wrist, but with the claws you can go for the blade.

**rw4th** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 12:51pm

Originally Posted by Ninjew

Actually when it come down to possibility I would more worried about whether "catching" the sword would break the ninja's wrist in the process.

Another reason why I think even the concept of this is ludicrous and pure larping. Some form of muto dori, where you evade then clinch with the attacker (using the shuko as weapons once “inside”) is the only remotely viable way you could survive.

**Muqatil** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 1:38pm

Ninjew, that wasn't exactly how it was done. That's actually just a muto dori waza wearing the shuko.

Gerbil boy (rw4th), there's more than one way to do something. Just because YOU feel you know better doesn't make it so. Evading and clinching automatically without taking space and distancing into account can have you running into the blade or the wakizashi. A one trick pony usually isn't good for anything else.

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 3:10pm

Originally Posted by Ninjew

The catching the sword technique from Togakure Ryu isn't a "clap". Its a stop.

its like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http:...?v=YWcH4lLFb8s

He goes for the wrist, but with the claws you can go for the blade.

This is a technique that makes a little more sense, but that isn't what they're testing on mythbusters, is it?

I thought they were testing actually catching the blade with the claw - putting out your hand and stopping the sword. Which is dumb.

***Plasma*** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 3:46pm

Originally Posted by Muqatil

Ninjew, that wasn't exactly how it was done. That's actually just a muto dori waza wearing the shuko.

It was closest youtube video I could fine what that type of movement with shuko.

JohnnyCache, The Technique they are testing(most likely) is the same entering movement but instead of catching the hands you use your palm with the claw to strike and catch the bottom of the blade. Which is a more last ditch thing when you can't catch the hands.

***Plasma*** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 3:50pm

I am reasonably sure this is the technique they are testing

**Muqatil** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 3:57pm

That's more like it, Ninjew.

Johnny, there are plenty of people that would tell you attempting gun disarms is stupid or dumb. There are also plenty of people than can attest to them working. Of course, there are also those that can't tell you about the validity unless you can talk to the dead. :)

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 4:31pm

God dammit. ANY armed technique is not bad. ANY last ditch technique is not bad. We're not talking about "Sword disarms" or "gun disarms" in general - we're talking about this one in specific.

that's a specific, really stupid technique. It's the "sticking your finger in the barrel like bugs bunny" of sword disarms.

Doesn't the distance required to do that, at that angle, require so much knowledge of what's going on, and such a long spacing, that it can't really be considered "your only option?"

Even if you execute the technique perfectly, the impact from the sword is going to move your hand. It's not going to STOP like in an anime.

"But," you say, "You do it charging forward - before the sword comes down!"

Then why on earth would you not attack the hands and arms like in the more reasonable technique from youtoube, above?

**Muqatil** · Posted On: 2/03/2007 4:48pm

Originally Posted by JohnnyCache

Then why on earth would you not attack the hands and arms like in the more reasonable technique from youtoube, above?

The sword may come down faster or sooner than you expected. You may go to move forward to take the hands or arms and lose your footing and be unable to get out from under the sword. **** happens. You deal with what you have. No one is saying that this would be a first choice, just one tool in case things get fucked.