SWORD STAVES
​ GLAIVES - FUCHARDS
 杖刀​

Sword-staves and Glaives are taught at Imperial Combat Arts as part of an advanced weapon study. The Glaive is a traditional pole-arm weapon that is essentially a sword blade on a long handle. These  powerful weapons have been used the world about for ancient and medieval warfare. The Glaive or Fauchard is a European term for these weapons. There are several styles of Chinese Glaives taught at Imperial Combat Arts that each have unique designs to fit with our different fighting styles. 
Chinese Swordsmanship at a historically accurate combat level is a very different study than the theatrical and acrobatic sword training seen in many modern Chinese martial arts schools. Our combat level sword training has direct lineage to the battlefield, and can hold its own with, or surpass any other weapon system in the world, and blends seamlessly with our hand to hand, ground systems, and chin na, as a complete study.

ASSAULT SWORD 
樸刀

PO TAO | PODAO
This powerful weapon is half sword and half pole-arm with the blade of a of Chinese Saber atop a four to six foot handle. This hybrid weapon would often favor a short handle for horseback, and a long handle for infantrymen. For infantry this sword was a strong  anti-cavalry weapon that could chop the legs off a charging horse. From horseback the weight of the blade alone could kill.

CRESCENT MOON SABER 
偃月刀 

YAN YUE TAO | YANYUEDAO
This bladed pole-arm, also know as a Kuan Tao or Guandao, features a heavy blade with a spike at the back and sometimes also a notch at the spike's upper base that can catch an opponent's weapon, and a weight on the shaft end to help counter the weight of the heavy blade. The Kuan Tao was developed by general Kuan Yu a man of great strength. This power weapon weighs up to 100lbs.

EYEBROW GLAIVE
​眉尖刀​

MEI CHIEN TAO | MEI JIAN DAO
This traditional pole-arm also known as a Razor Glaive (T'i Tao 剃刀) became a standard issue weapon during China's Song Dynasty (960-1279 C.E.). This Tao sword-staff gets its name from its long, thin, and curved blade resembling a human eyebrow. This Glaive is still an accessible weapon that survives on in Chinese armories, and in the Japanese Naginata, which is identical in design.

HOOK & BLADE GLAIVE
钩镰刀

KOU LIEN TAO | GOU LIAN DAO
This powerful pole-arm shares the same razor sharp blade as the Eyebrow Glaive plus features a reverse hook or sharpened sickle, that can be used to capture weapons or dismount enemy cavalrymen. Hooked Glaives are designed to be effective at slashing, chopping, thrusting, and capturing. Today this Glaive is still one of the primary pole-arms mastered in our arts of Mantis Kung Fu. 

DRAGON HEAD GLAIVE
龙头刀

LUNG T'OU TAO | LONGTOUDAO
This traditional Glaive gets its name from the shape of the figurehead on the prow of a Dragon Boat. This weapon is often mistranslated to English as a "Faucet Knife" because they share the same characters 龙头.  Most Glaives feature a similar swept tip that favors slashing and copping over thrusting. The term Dragon Head Tao also describes any Sword or Glaive with a dragon head style guard.

PEN GLAIVE
笔刀​

PI TAO |BIDAO
This long handled Sword gets its name from its semblance to an ancient writing pen. This traditional weapon is often mistaken as a Kuan Tao however it is varied in shape and is minus the notch and spike. This signature Chinese Glaive dates to at least the Song Dynasty and was still being used in the 1800's. This gives the Pen Tao a military life that spans almost 900 years.

PHOENIX BEAK GLAIVE
凤嘴刀

FENG TSUI TAO | FENGZUIDAO
This military Glaive features a more sharply pointed and curved tip that can be used for fast hooking techniques as well as a notched spike that works well to control and push opponents weapons. Between these two points the Phoenix Beak is formed, turning the back of this blade into a active and intricate surface. This weapon is the primary Glaive used in our arts of Eagle Claw Kung Fu.

ELEPHANT NOSE GLAIVE
​象鼻刀​

HSIANG PI TAO | XIANG BI DAO
​This Glaive gets its name from its uniquely curved tip that resembles an elephants nose. This unique shape allows for slashing with both sides of the blade as well as hooking with the notch. The back of this weapon often features a series of serrated notches used for controlling and striking and is sometimes used with heavy metal rings that flip forward and back as the blade is swung.

RAISED GLAIVE
​陌刀

MO TAO | MODAO
​This sword/pole-arm hybrid is a unique and effective weapon usually around 7 feet in length and is also known as a Sword-staff or Divided Chien. Unlike the curved single-edged blade of the Assault Sword, this weapon features the straight double-edged blade of a Chien (Jian). This unique combination gives straight sword lethality at an increased distance, as well as more cutting area than a spear.

EAR GLAIVE
​耳​​刀

ERH TAO | ERDAO
These unique Chinese Glaives date to the Iron Age and feature various diamond or kite shaped blades on a long handle. These weapons are also called Ox Ear Swords after the diamond shape of an Ox's Ear. Where the Mo Tao has a long thin blade, the Ear Tao has a shorter much wider blade sometimes with two points and more focused weight for chopping and crushing than thrusting.

3 POINT 2 BLADE GLAIVE
三尖二刃刀

SAN CHIEN ERH JEN TAO | SAN JIAN ER REN DAO
​This ancient Chinese weapon features two sharp blades with one effective thrusting point that allow it to be used in three directions. This unique weapon can effectively thrust to lethal depth and then be stopped by the secondary points for quick return. The blade shape of this Tao allows for chopping and cutting as well as the ability to capture and control opposing weapons.

CICADA WING SWORD
蝉翅刀​

CHANG CHIH TAO | CHAN CHI DAO
​The Cicada Wing Sword is a specialty weapon that combines the properties of a staff with those of the broadsword. This sword, named after the wings of the insect, has an overall length of around six feet, or the height of the individual practitioner. This rare specialty weapon is trained primarily in our style of Mantis Kung Fu after the training of Staff, Saber, and the Glaive.

TRAINING THE GLAIVE

The Glaive is taught at Imperial Combat Arts only after extensive study in both the Saber (Tao) and the Staff. The training and techniques of these two weapons combine together to form the sword-staff or Glaive. Some Glaives are fast light weapons and others are heavy weapons that require great size and strength to wield. 

BENEFITS OF GLAIVE TRAINING

Glaive training strengthens the body for combat in a way that empty hand training and weightlifting cannot by using weight in a dynamic and combative way. Glaives trained at Imperial Combat Arts can vary in weight of 5lbs up to as much as 60lbs for large an powerful people. It is not uncommon for people today to doubt if weapons of such weight can be used in combat. In reality warriors of great strength have used tremendous weapons that most average men could not. Still today there are men who demonstrate the use of bows with 185lb draw weight, and other feats of great weapon strength.

GLAIVE DRILLS

Glaive drills are an important part of training sword-staves. These drills teach primary grips, stances, maneuvers, cuts, chops, slashes, blocks, parries, and thrusts, and build these important movements into the body as a second nature reflex. Weapon drills are done in the air, vs partners, dummies, and all types of specialized equipment. The intricate artwork painted on the floor of the school at Imperial Combat Arts is designed for students to drill attacks and defenses against multiple opponents in all 8 directions. 

GLAIVE FORMS

Glaive forms are one of the primary ways Masters pass on the ancient knowledge of sword-staves to the next generation of Warriors. These challenging forms teach dynamic flow, maneuvers, weapon handling, and numerous proven and effective techniques. Every movement and technique in the weapon forms at Imperial Combat Arts relate directly to combat, and are trained dynamically in sets, and matching. Forms are a way to practice your techniques routinely, and turn them to muscle memory, as needed for battle.

GLAIVE SETS

Dynamic sets allow students to learn effective techniques and Glaive applications that could never be used in sparring. Even with full pads a training Glaive can cause serious injury or death, therefore mastering Glaive requires a skilled and dedicated partner with focus and control. This repetitive partner interaction is one of the ways proven techniques are taught. At Imperial Combat Arts weapon sets are done vs multiple opponents, with realistic training weapons, as well as with padded weapons.

GLAIVE TARGETS

Throughout history target practice has been a crucial part of weapon development, as it still is today. In all parts of the world Straw Men, and Wooden Pell's of various types, have been the primary targets used to practice attacks and maneuvers. Imperial Combat Arts indoor/outdoor school has a full array of traditional and modern training dummies, accuracy rings, cutting posts, and dynamically moving targets designed specifically for Glaive training, as well as ranged targets for thrown bladed weapons.

GLAIVE MATCHING

Aggressive matching with training weapons is an important part of preparing for the chaos and fray of battle. This matching is also done in unusual and compromised ways, such as blindfolded, or on beams and posts. Most all matching done at our school, whether armed or unarmed, is done versus multiple opponents. These intense matching sessions are designed to be painful, yet safe, and push practitioners ever forward in skill. Aggressive pole-arm matching can only be done safely with padded weapons and armor.

GLAIVE VS OTHER WEAPONS

Aside from Glaive vs Glaive, there are numerous traditional sets to teach sword-staff interaction with other weapons. Some of these pairings are legendary such as Glaive vs Sword, Glaive vs Spear, Glaive vs Axe, and unarmed vs Glaive. Additionally learning how to use long weapons is an important part of melee weapon mastery. These important concepts and lessons transfer directly to empty hand tactics, such as fighting opponents with superior reach.