Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Great Don Draeger Footage: Jo Staff vs. Sword

Don Draeger on the set of James Bond "You Only Live Twice"


*Don Draeger was a martial arts legend and prolific author. His work includes:
(Wiki)
*Judo Training Methods : A Sourcebook, with Takahiko Ishikawa, The Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1961
*Javanese Silat: The Fighting Art of Perisai Diri by Quintin Chambers and Donn F. Draeger (Paperback - Mar 1979)
*ShaoLin Lohan Kung-Fu with co-author P'ng Chye Kim (from Penang, Malaysia, 1979) www.saolimcanada.com (ISBN 978-0-8048-1698-4)
*Pentjak-Silat The Indonesian Fighting Art, Kodansha International Ltd,1970
*Asian Fighting Arts (with Robert W. Smith), Kodansha International, 1969; re-titled *Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts upon republication, 1980 (ISBN 978-0870114366)
*Classical Bujutsu : Martial Arts And Ways Of Japan, Vol I., Weatherhill, 1973, 1996
*Classical Budo: Martial Arts And Ways Of Japan, Vol II., Weatherhill, 1973, 1996
*Modern Bujutsu & Budo: Martial Arts And Ways Of Japan, Vol III., Weatherhill, 1974, 1996
*Japanese Swordsmanship : Technique And Practice (with Gordon Warner), Weatherhill, 1982
*The Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia (ISBN 978-0804817165)
*Phoenix-Eye Fist: A Shaolin Fighting Art of South China
*Shantung Black Tiger: A Shaolin Fighting Art of North China (with Leo Budiman Prakarsa and Quintin T. G. Chambers), Weatherhill, 1976 (ISBN 978-0834801226)
*Judo Formal Techniques: A Complete Guide to Kodokan Randori No Kata
*Ninjutsu: The Art of Invisibility, Japan's Feudal Age Espionage Methods, Lotus Press, 1977; Phoenix Books, 1994

Check out this fantastic demonstration; Draeger with Kaminoda Tsunemori in a Jo Staff vs. Sword routine:


I have studied the Jo staff, but this clip includes techniques I was never taught. Note how he uses the jo to control the opponent's arms and sword even before it is drawn. This guy has had thousands of hours of quality training...

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Great video!

His book on the fighting arts of Indonesia is my favorite silat book out there. I'll have to check out some of his others. There's several on that list I had not seen before.

Steve Perry said...

And interesting that his book on silat is still the standard reference on it.

Nathan at TDA Training said...

Outstanding find. Draeger's works are classic. I've read so much of his material in articles over the years, and would love to pick up some of his earlier published books (not reprints).

steve-vh said...

Phenomenal! studied a bit of Jo Staff many years ago as well, highly underrated. Studying Moro Sword I can also see some interesting parallels.