The Modern Medieval Gentleman's Umbrella

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!

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Arme
• Antica
• medieval
• longsword
• wrestling
• HEMA
• messer
• fechten
• scrima
• scherma
• modern
• self-defence

[Wild1990Child]

That's REALLY FRIGGIN' COOL! My only concern though is the structural integrity of the umbrella. In my experience they aren't exactly sturdy pieces of gear, so wouldn't they fall apart after being used like this only once?

[ArmeAntica]

@Wild1990Child, yes that is exactly the problem. Like all weapons (and that includes our bodies), we have to channel the force through the tool and not into it or else things get damaged (the umbrella, tendons, ligaments, etc). There are tricks, like reinforcing the point as I showed in the vid, but the real secret is learning how to channel your force. It's not easy at all, and things break very easily.

[Merglasch]

quite amazing^^

remind me to never ever rob a gent who owns an umbrella;)

[ArmeAntica]

LOL, it should be that way, shouldn't it?

[TuomoHamalainen]

Looks fun, but also good swordsmanship too! (One of these two would be enough for me. So i'm turning yellow, or is it green, with my envy.)

The idea of umbrella is not suprising. Mair had even something about scythe. (I don't know what it is exactly like, scythepart's pictures in book did not look actual techniques for me. And I am not a man of language.)

[ArmeAntica]

Thanks. Mair's section on farming weapons is very interesting. You can't really judge the scythe techniques by the pictures...or any of the techniques in both volumes by the pictures, often enough. In the written part are usually several steps of move, countermove, and counter-countermove. They are quite complex sequences of action and counteraction, and from the pictures you can glean very little at times.

[justaguy08]

@Wild1990Child there exists an umbrella that is designed for self-defence. Its pretty expensive, but very sturdy. It can support man's weight, jumping up and down.

[bidibum]

I ever hated umbrella, now no more : )

[jettarulz]

WOW double WOw Im a fan:)

[TuomoHamalainen]

I have got that much. :) So I'm not doing research in the subject or claiming anything, which I haven't learn from someone else. (So I preciate anyone who can. I know that I don't know, and have slight idea how hard it actually is...)