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- Jan 28, 2006
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Ok, I've read several places that the Nepali don't really have a kata (detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs) for the kukri, as they have them in their hands since they are young children, and know them as well as their hands.
However, most westerners aren't that lucky.
So I'm wondering, have any of you come up with a kukri kata that you use?
I decided to come up with some. Not only for practical use (how often will I really get into a fight with a kukri?), but as a good workout, and a way to make wielding the kukri through daily use so that it becomes an extension of myself.
I wish I could post pics of it, but I bought the cheapest digital camera I could find when i bought it, and it has no delay feature, and barely any memory for more than a few seconds of video -- all I wanted it for was to post pictures ont he net of things I have and things I'm selling.
Back to our original programming:
Most people instinctively think of slashing attacks with the kukri. However, the bread and butter of my routine makes use of the excellent stabbing qualities of the kukri, and stabbing attacks make the larger kukri like the Ang Khola and M43 much faster weapons, and most knife fighting practitioners will agree that you slash to wound and stab to kill.
First is a rib stab. Take the kukri back toward a position where your hand is close to your pectoral muscle. Take a step forward with the foot on the off side. As you stab forward, rotate the kukri onto its side. If used on a real person, the blade will go between the ribs and give a massive, probably fatal blow that goes in with little effort. You step forward with the offside foot to give more access to your off hand, which will be used either bare handed, or with another weapon to hook, ward off, or just deflect the other guy's weapon.
A variation of the above is a downward stab, except that you keep the blade in a vertical orientation, rather than turning it sideways (with the target being a close-up encounter with a feral hog when hunting, or an attacking feral dog or big cat. You also step forward with the strongside foot, since you won't be doing much deflecting with the offhand, and it gives better footing to lunge away after you strike.
Next, the top stab. Useful to have a practice dummy of proper height (I use stacked hay bales). Run toward the target, take a little hop and stab down between the bones of the clavicle. Orient the kukri such that the stab is headed for the opposite arm pit. The curve of the kukri will make the actual track curve the blade down into the heart and major blood vessels, and if the kukri is long enough, will likely stab into and collapse the farside lung.
The kukri whip:
Practice rotating the kukri in hand to have the spine facing forward. Then practice "slashing" attacks -- side, angled up and down, and overhead (like pistol-whipping). The trailing mass of the kukri blade makes such attacks very easy to land accurately. Good for if you want to incapacitate, but not kill (although a head strike with a heavy one will still probably kill). Good also for multiple attackers, so you can break bones, and keep moving, rather than have the blade get stuck in one target.
Then, of course, the various slashes.
I've also made some interesting discoveries when using a sparring partner (ALWAYS pad and tape the blades, and do the movements SLOWLY, when using a partner).
1.) Blade deflection. We did soem force-on-force drills with various weapons -- tomahawks, other kukri, and my Tarwar. The forward curve of the kukri serves well to deflect an incoming attack and still leave the kukri positioned for an immediate counterattack. The sharp transition like on an Ang Khola seems to work better for this. The sweeping curve on the M43 left me able to get the blade back down enough to hit the opponent in the forearm or elbow crook. At the very least it would have taken most of the meat off the other guy's forearm, and with the bigger ones -- Tarwar and CAK -- taken the guy's forearm completely off. You can change technique top keep this from happening, of coursed. With the kukri with a sharp transition, I was never able to get the blade back down for even a glancing strike.
2.) Hawk vs kukri: Tomahawks are one of the best weapons out there, and have many advantages, even over swords. However, the big thing that hawk users LOVE to do, is hook your blade. The kukri is an excellent counter for this. If the attacker is the same, or stronger than you, when he hooks your blade, simplky rotate it so that the spine is oriented toward that head, and it'll slide right off. Since he probably put considerable effort into the hook, he's now vulnerable with his primary weapon away from him and you, and a simple twist of the kukri, and you're ready for an immediate stab.
If the opponent is weaker than you, twist the kukri the other way -- hooking his hawk -- and swing away from yourself in a backhand swing, bringing up your offhand to facilitate breaking his arm. He'll either get his wrist/arm broken (in a real fight), or let go of the hawk. You are now in a good position to make a powerful slash into his abdomen, or continue your spin and come around and hamstring him.
Then, if you really want to have some fun, use the kukri in your strong hand, and a tomahawk in your other hand.
Any of the above are great workouts, and soon you'll find that heavy kukri isn't so heavy anymore, and its use becomes second nature.
So, does anyone else workout with their kuks?
However, most westerners aren't that lucky.
So I'm wondering, have any of you come up with a kukri kata that you use?
I decided to come up with some. Not only for practical use (how often will I really get into a fight with a kukri?), but as a good workout, and a way to make wielding the kukri through daily use so that it becomes an extension of myself.
I wish I could post pics of it, but I bought the cheapest digital camera I could find when i bought it, and it has no delay feature, and barely any memory for more than a few seconds of video -- all I wanted it for was to post pictures ont he net of things I have and things I'm selling.
Back to our original programming:
Most people instinctively think of slashing attacks with the kukri. However, the bread and butter of my routine makes use of the excellent stabbing qualities of the kukri, and stabbing attacks make the larger kukri like the Ang Khola and M43 much faster weapons, and most knife fighting practitioners will agree that you slash to wound and stab to kill.
First is a rib stab. Take the kukri back toward a position where your hand is close to your pectoral muscle. Take a step forward with the foot on the off side. As you stab forward, rotate the kukri onto its side. If used on a real person, the blade will go between the ribs and give a massive, probably fatal blow that goes in with little effort. You step forward with the offside foot to give more access to your off hand, which will be used either bare handed, or with another weapon to hook, ward off, or just deflect the other guy's weapon.
A variation of the above is a downward stab, except that you keep the blade in a vertical orientation, rather than turning it sideways (with the target being a close-up encounter with a feral hog when hunting, or an attacking feral dog or big cat. You also step forward with the strongside foot, since you won't be doing much deflecting with the offhand, and it gives better footing to lunge away after you strike.
Next, the top stab. Useful to have a practice dummy of proper height (I use stacked hay bales). Run toward the target, take a little hop and stab down between the bones of the clavicle. Orient the kukri such that the stab is headed for the opposite arm pit. The curve of the kukri will make the actual track curve the blade down into the heart and major blood vessels, and if the kukri is long enough, will likely stab into and collapse the farside lung.
The kukri whip:
Practice rotating the kukri in hand to have the spine facing forward. Then practice "slashing" attacks -- side, angled up and down, and overhead (like pistol-whipping). The trailing mass of the kukri blade makes such attacks very easy to land accurately. Good for if you want to incapacitate, but not kill (although a head strike with a heavy one will still probably kill). Good also for multiple attackers, so you can break bones, and keep moving, rather than have the blade get stuck in one target.
Then, of course, the various slashes.
I've also made some interesting discoveries when using a sparring partner (ALWAYS pad and tape the blades, and do the movements SLOWLY, when using a partner).
1.) Blade deflection. We did soem force-on-force drills with various weapons -- tomahawks, other kukri, and my Tarwar. The forward curve of the kukri serves well to deflect an incoming attack and still leave the kukri positioned for an immediate counterattack. The sharp transition like on an Ang Khola seems to work better for this. The sweeping curve on the M43 left me able to get the blade back down enough to hit the opponent in the forearm or elbow crook. At the very least it would have taken most of the meat off the other guy's forearm, and with the bigger ones -- Tarwar and CAK -- taken the guy's forearm completely off. You can change technique top keep this from happening, of coursed. With the kukri with a sharp transition, I was never able to get the blade back down for even a glancing strike.
2.) Hawk vs kukri: Tomahawks are one of the best weapons out there, and have many advantages, even over swords. However, the big thing that hawk users LOVE to do, is hook your blade. The kukri is an excellent counter for this. If the attacker is the same, or stronger than you, when he hooks your blade, simplky rotate it so that the spine is oriented toward that head, and it'll slide right off. Since he probably put considerable effort into the hook, he's now vulnerable with his primary weapon away from him and you, and a simple twist of the kukri, and you're ready for an immediate stab.
If the opponent is weaker than you, twist the kukri the other way -- hooking his hawk -- and swing away from yourself in a backhand swing, bringing up your offhand to facilitate breaking his arm. He'll either get his wrist/arm broken (in a real fight), or let go of the hawk. You are now in a good position to make a powerful slash into his abdomen, or continue your spin and come around and hamstring him.
Then, if you really want to have some fun, use the kukri in your strong hand, and a tomahawk in your other hand.
Any of the above are great workouts, and soon you'll find that heavy kukri isn't so heavy anymore, and its use becomes second nature.
So, does anyone else workout with their kuks?
