![]() Modern Agonistics is not a style, art or system. It is simply a format for training, experimentation and competition with weapons. The goals of the participants range from cross-training, self-defense and thrill-seeking, to craftwork [like weapon and armor fabrication] and attempts to reconstruct extinct fighting arts. Practitioners of over two-dozen fighting arts have utilized this format since 1998 without sustaining serious injury. Participants have been both male and female and have ranged in age from 11 to 65; in size from 75 to 375 pounds, and in experience from novice to professional. Most participants have been males in their late teens and early twenties. We have no dues, rituals, traditions or barriers. This is simply a network for combat weaponry enthusiasts. We are just a curious group of fighters. If you want to participate you are welcome. Our motto is "as real as you want it".
Agonistics is an ancient Hellenic term that translates as "contest-preparation". The root is Agon meaning "contest". The English word agony was borrowed from the ancient Greek term for "contestant's suffering" referring to the trials of a combatant. This is admittedly a terrible term to use in modern America, as virtually everyone misreads agonistics as agnostics which is also from the ancient Greek and means "no knowledge" and is used as a self-descriptive term by people who are not sure about the existence of divinity. My favorite misreading of agonistics was when the Baltimore City Paper ran our ad for a seminar at Sifu Clark's in 2005 as Modern Antagonistics. Some guy called me and wanted to know if we were a network for hate groups.
Cane Them!
Some Old Fat Guy Who Looks Like He Just Rolled Out of Bed Attacks a Yellow Dindu Double Amputee! MAY/05/17
Interview with a Literary Vampire
Oliver from The Beat Catches James Training Behind the Old Plantation House APR/04/17
FEB/04/17 | ModernAgonistics
4th of July 2014 backyard swashbuckling All that fancy knife-flurying did me shit. He disarmed me. Then cut my hand off. Then disarmed my other weapon. A Lesson in being practical.
JAN/29/17 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Long compilation of our stick and knife sessions. Nothing fancy just a couple of guys trying to get better. Check below for individual section time stamps. 0:00 Dennis vs Charles/Sean 1:22 Sean vs Charles 4:35 Dennis vs Charles part 2 6:58 Sean vs Charles part 2 9:30 Twirl beat & Jab Demo 9:53 Knife Sparring
OCT/08/16 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Highlight video of our stick fighting weekend May 2016.
Man Weekend 2016
Erique, Nick, Sean and James Stick-Fighting in the May Rain on the Shoulder of a Pennsylvania Mountain OCT/08/16
Calling Out the Black Jamaican Nazi
A Man Weekend, 2016 Challenge: What About that Amistad Duel, Oliver Wendell Hayes? MAY/11/16
Calling out the Afro-Cherokee Viking
A Man Weekend, 2016 Challenge: Erique, Three Rounds of FMA, Your Choice of Weapons MAY/11/16
Peter Pan with a Tazer
Man Weekend 2016: An Open Challenge to Members of Lancaster Agonistics MAY/10/16
APR/03/16 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Here Sean who has a kickboxing background works with Craig on avoidance and counters when fighting a kicker. Light sparring with varying intensity.
APR/03/16 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Craig is an amateur boxer helping Sean work on his technique. This is a couple rounds of various intensity sparring with instruction scattered throughout
APR/03/16 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Light stick sparring focusing on technique and movement.
APR/03/16 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Stick sparring of medium intensity. We both are focusing on footwork and hand checking.
APR/03/16 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Stick sparring between James & Sean. 0:00 Stick Warmup 2:59 Increased speed & power 5:29 Pay close attention to James shifting to battering my forearm until I tap out.
APR/03/16 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Sean & Erique single knife practice. This was at variable speeds with both of us working on individual skills primarily Sean working on closing distance and Erique getting hand/leg shots.
MAR/08/16 | SevierKnoxAgonistics
Highlights of our manly combat weekend. Saturday morning was all firearms, Saturday afternoon was combat of various types (stick, knife, fist) and Saturday night was spent around a campfire discussing manly subjects such as God, guns, and girls. |
![]() ![]() ![]() 7 Novels About Protagonists Tossed on the Uncaring Seas of Fate: Sold, Cox & Swain, American Dreamboat, Little Feet Going Nowhere, Flood, Haft, Uprising, and bonus children's story Tamarno!
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |