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Imperial Combat Arts
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DEER HORN KNIVES
Pakua Knives -​​ Lùjiǎodāo - 鹿角刀​

Deer Horn Knives, are traditional specialty weapon taught at Imperial Combat Arts that come in many variations, each often with its own style of fighting. These powerful weapons are also known as Horn Knives, Pa Kua Knives (Bagua  Dao), Crescent Moon Blades, Duck Blades, Twin Sister Knives, and Mother Daughter Blades. are traditional naval weapons designed for boarding ships and close quarters combat. Unlike most modern combat knives, these weapons guard the hand and can be used effectively against large melee weapons like swords, if their trained and applied correctly.

Opposed to longer weapons Deer Horn Knives are directly balanced in the hand allowing for great speed and accuracy, their shorter length allow for easier carry and concealment.


DEER HORN KNIFE - FORMS

Deer Horn Knife forms at Imperial Combat Arts are not like the flashy performances you may see in modern form competitions. These combat forms are much more tightly guarded and transfer directly into sets and sparring. Forms are a key method to help develop the familiarity and flow of a weapon, and a way for Masters to pass their knowledge and techniques down to the next generation of practitioners.

EXCERCISES & DRILLS

Deer Horn Knives fight using the concepts and training developed with the empty hand, because they lack the length and pivot points of longer weapons, all force must be generated by the arms alone, like striking. The empty hand training of some of our styles like Leopard directly transfers to these weapons. Drills also teach and develop the primary cuts, thrusts, blocks, and parries of these weapons. 

DEER HORN KNIVES - SETS

Sets are a huge part of training how these weapons engage with other weapons. These traditional sets teach all manner of interplay and are a crucial part of all weapon study. Sets lead into sparring, and sparring then into battle. In sets there are also all manner of combat techniques you could not practice on a partner in sparring as they are too aggressive. With good training however one can bring them to use in battle.

TARGET PRACTICE

Throughout all of history till today target practice has been a key part of training for combat. This is a fundamental part of most all arts and weapons, like punching a bag, accuracy mitts, breaking boards, kicking bats, shooting targets for both archery and firearms, cutting bottles or mats with a blade, and striking against weapon pells or dummies. Imperial Combat Arts has a large variety of weapon targets to hone battle skills.

DUAL WIELDING

Dual wielding live blades in combat is dangerous in itself, even more so using Deer Horn Knives with their many blades. The exercise, form, sets, target practice, and sparring with these weapons trains the body how to fight with the second nature habits, that are key to not harming oneself in combat. Many of the same patterns and engagements of these weapons transfer directly into other paired weapons such as dual clubs, axes, combat knives, and larger swords.

SPARRING & MATCHING

Imperial Combat Arts has members with extensive training in both Buhurt and H.E.M.A. and we cross spar with these styles. Deer Horn Knife sparring is done vs. all other weapons such as Saber, Spear, Axe, and Shield. Sparring is not fighting however and is practiced with training weapons, protective gear, and control. Beyond sparring is our primary focus on true combat training with all manner of battlefield attacks. 

COMBAT DEER HORN KNIVES

Many Deer Horn Knives seen today have been significantly altered from their combat design. Unnecessarily sharp back edges, blade lengths that don't offer protection, and tips too short to reach vital organs, along with other design flaws, can make these modern attempts less effective or more dangerous for the wielder. Our arts use only traditional and functional battlefield weapons.

DEER HORN KNIVES & PAKUA

Like many Kung Fu Styles, empty hand training comes from weapon concepts, and then relates directly back to weapons. The weapons used in a style fit with the same types of person and movements of the style. For example short and fast weapons like the Deer Horn Knives are very traditionally trained with our art of Pakua (Baguazhuang). 

ANIMAL STYLES

Deer Horn Knives at Imperial Combat Arts are taught in the art of Leopard Kung Fu as they fit well with Leopard's fast and dynamic movements. The fierce speed of Leopard transfers directly to the weapon, and in return the weight of wielding the weapons makes Leopard faster and stronger when they return to the empty hand. Like the dual blades Leopard is designed for smaller fighters to fight against superior reach.

WEAPON TRAINING

Imperial Combat Arts is a weapon school, whether armed or unarmed. Our arts have both direct lineage to historical weapons used in martial arts, and to modern U.S. special forces weaponry and firearms. These weapons include; combat knife, club, baton, hatchet, sword, stick fighting, spear, halberd, axe, shield, specialty weapons, improvised weapons, shield, archery, pistol, shotgun, rifle, assault rifle, and more. 
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