The name of the Filipino sword and dagger technique is "espada y daga", which is sometimes also practiced with a stick and dagger instead of a sword and dagger combination. It is one of the more advanced techniques taught in escrima, and is very effective once the user is able to close the distance and enter the vulnerable zone of the opponent. At such close range the technique becomes almost unstoppable.
This technique is reserved only for the more advanced students of escrima, and is often taught first with just a stick and an open hand. It requires a mastery of the basic principles of single weapon combat, and it also requires more coordination and concentration. It is a mainstay in most of the major styles of Escrima, such as Kalis Ilustrisimo, Lightning Scientific Arnis, and Modern Arnis. In fact, some styles consider it to be the "crown jewel" of their system.
Once mastered, one will be able to do a beautiful succession of alternating attacks, which also has an aesthetic, spiritual quality to it. The master will learn to do without any predetermined combinations but make his strikes spontaneous, and react quickly to any counter-attacks the opponent might try to make. One can imagine the opponent being literally "chopped to pieces" by the two blades.
It seems that even though the name of the technique is Spanish (because of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines for more than three-hundred years), the technique itself is pre-hispanic in origin. It is possible that native warrior clans were already using and practicing the espada y daga long before the Spanish ever arrived. They may even have used this technique on the Spanish soldiers they fought with!
You might ask, but what's the use of the espada y daga technique when facing a criminal with a gun? And it's not everyday you get to carry a long sword and a combat knife with you (unless you want to get arrested). There is no set answer to this question, but it really depends on the individual practitioner of the art. Some learn escrima as one might learn a dance, in pursuit of a martial art which also has a certain deadly beauty to it. Others will insist that it is actually possible to use the espada y daga technique in the context of modern weapons. You might even be able to use the espada y daga technique with your bare hands.
Whatever the motivation, a constant reminder is that one should be a responsible individual when learning such an art. The best way to win in a fight is to just completely avoid it in the first place. However, when unsought danger threatens your life or the people you love, then such a technique may come in handy for effective self-defense.
This technique is reserved only for the more advanced students of escrima, and is often taught first with just a stick and an open hand. It requires a mastery of the basic principles of single weapon combat, and it also requires more coordination and concentration. It is a mainstay in most of the major styles of Escrima, such as Kalis Ilustrisimo, Lightning Scientific Arnis, and Modern Arnis. In fact, some styles consider it to be the "crown jewel" of their system.
Once mastered, one will be able to do a beautiful succession of alternating attacks, which also has an aesthetic, spiritual quality to it. The master will learn to do without any predetermined combinations but make his strikes spontaneous, and react quickly to any counter-attacks the opponent might try to make. One can imagine the opponent being literally "chopped to pieces" by the two blades.
It seems that even though the name of the technique is Spanish (because of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines for more than three-hundred years), the technique itself is pre-hispanic in origin. It is possible that native warrior clans were already using and practicing the espada y daga long before the Spanish ever arrived. They may even have used this technique on the Spanish soldiers they fought with!
You might ask, but what's the use of the espada y daga technique when facing a criminal with a gun? And it's not everyday you get to carry a long sword and a combat knife with you (unless you want to get arrested). There is no set answer to this question, but it really depends on the individual practitioner of the art. Some learn escrima as one might learn a dance, in pursuit of a martial art which also has a certain deadly beauty to it. Others will insist that it is actually possible to use the espada y daga technique in the context of modern weapons. You might even be able to use the espada y daga technique with your bare hands.
Whatever the motivation, a constant reminder is that one should be a responsible individual when learning such an art. The best way to win in a fight is to just completely avoid it in the first place. However, when unsought danger threatens your life or the people you love, then such a technique may come in handy for effective self-defense.
About the Author:
The writer is an experienced escrima instructor who has also authored other articles here and another one.
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