Yari and naginata

The spear is a very simple yet very powerful weapon. We teach hand to hand combat with this weapon (not formation tactics!). The spear taught is a Yari (a Japanese spear mounted with a straight blade) about 2.2 meters long overall with a blade of approximately 40 cm in length.

It affords the user great reach bridging the distance with its length and providing enormous thrusting power at great speeds. This same length provides defensive abilities by keeping the opponent far away and by giving us a long deflective surface. The spear can be used both as a bladed as well as an impact weapon.

Various forms of spears provide cutting edges as well as thrusting points.
The butt end of the spear can be used for striking as well, especially when mounted with a steel tip as was very common over the centuries.

In ACT we employ Yari Jutsu techniques as well as influences from Chinese spear fighting. Spear fighting is simple but not simplistic; in general it can be compared to fencing in terms of two long weapons constantly searching for an opening. Spear fighting is sometimes referred to as the most tactical fighting of them all due to the high degree of difficulty to create openings in the opponent’s defense and exploit them.