Category Archives: Antagonistics

The Fighting Arts of Sherlock Holmes, Part 1

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 9th February 2010 Bartitsu.org is pleased to present this two-part article series by Bartitsu Society member Mike Ball. The unusually action-heavy focus of the recently released Sherlock Holmes movie highlights a certain … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics, Baritsu, Boxing, Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Jiujitsu, Pop-culture, Sherlock Holmes, Video | Comments Off on The Fighting Arts of Sherlock Holmes, Part 1

The Fighting Arts of Sherlock Holmes, Part 2

Part two of Mike Ball’s article series on the Great Detective’s antagonistic skills. Arthur Conan Doyle’s spelling error allows for some creative license in the depiction of his fighting skills – in “playing the Great Game” it can be said … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics, Baritsu, Boxing, Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Jiujitsu, Pop-culture, Sherlock Holmes, Video, Vigny stick fighting | Comments Off on The Fighting Arts of Sherlock Holmes, Part 2

“Sherlock Holmes and Bartitsu” (Part Two)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 28th August 2010 The second chapter of Michael Bertram Wooster’s extraordinary memoir details the collaboration between consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and Bartitsu founder E.W. Barton-Wright, including samples of their detailed technical correspondence. … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics, Bartitsu School of Arms, Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Fiction, Jiujitsu, Physical Culture, Sherlock Holmes, Vigny stick fighting | Comments Off on “Sherlock Holmes and Bartitsu” (Part Two)

“Getting the Short End of the Stick” in Vigny Stick Fighting

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 14th February 2019 I noticed that the stick itself was held about eight inches from the end, so that after a crashing blow has been delivered it was quickly followed up by … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics, Canonical Bartitsu, Instruction, Vigny stick fighting | Comments Off on “Getting the Short End of the Stick” in Vigny Stick Fighting

“What To Do When A Thug Attacks You”: Still More on the Latson Method of Self-Defense

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 21st November 2016 The following article dated July 16, 1911 serves as a further explication of the curious “Latson Method of Self Defence”.  Aside from its clear parallels with Bartitsu, as a … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics | Comments Off on “What To Do When A Thug Attacks You”: Still More on the Latson Method of Self-Defense

“Should an Assailant Strike at Your Wind or Heart with His Right Fist”: an Anomalous Canonical Bartitsu Technique Illustrated

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 26th November 2016 In April of 2010 the Bartitsu Society discovered a “new” entry into canonical Bartitsu unarmed combat.  This self defence kata or sequence appeared as part of a reprint of E.W. … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics, Canonical Bartitsu, Instruction, Jiujitsu | Comments Off on “Should an Assailant Strike at Your Wind or Heart with His Right Fist”: an Anomalous Canonical Bartitsu Technique Illustrated

“Returning kicks with interest”: Counter-Kicks and Stop-Kicks in Bartitsu Unarmed Combat

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 22nd November 2016 Another branch of Bartitsu is that in which the feet and hands are both employed, which is an adaptation of boxing and Savate (…) The use of the feet … Continue reading

Posted in Academia, Antagonistics, Instruction, Savate, Video | Comments Off on “Returning kicks with interest”: Counter-Kicks and Stop-Kicks in Bartitsu Unarmed Combat

Velo-Boxe (“Bike-Boxing”) Cartoons by Marius Rossillon

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 10th January 2019 The French painter and cartoonist Marius Rossillon (1867-1946), under the pseudonym “O’Galop”, invents a bizarre new hybrid combat sport in this 1895 sketch series, which originally appeared in Le Rire. … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics, Edwardiana, Humour, Savate | Comments Off on Velo-Boxe (“Bike-Boxing”) Cartoons by Marius Rossillon

Sherlock Holmes Wields a Deadly Scarf

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 7th February 2019 Bartitsu is particularly noted for its weaponising of gentlemanly accoutrements such as walking sticks, umbrellas and overcoats.  We’ve also previously examined the circa 1900 use of bowler hats, belts and flat caps as weapons. The use of weighted … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics, Pop-culture, Sherlock Holmes, Video | Comments Off on Sherlock Holmes Wields a Deadly Scarf

The Annotated “Bartitsu: Its Exponent Interviewed” (1901)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 31st January 2019 The following interview with Bartitsu founder E.W. Barton-Wright first appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette of 5 September 1901, during the height of the Bartitsu Club era.  It was found … Continue reading

Posted in Academia, Antagonistics, Boxing, Jiujitsu, Savate, Vigny stick fighting | Comments Off on The Annotated “Bartitsu: Its Exponent Interviewed” (1901)