The Weapons Studies of Ernest Rothrock

Now I was never much interested in any sword arts, of any style.

I did study a Yang Tai Chi sword form, It was the most difficult thing I ever studied. And at that it was only ½ the form. For the next decade I did my best not to do it in front of Ernie, then one weekend, a decade later, he decided to show me the 2nd ½ of the form. Tai Chi sword involved a great deal of turning, which becomes mostly impossible with my lack of balance these days.

Of all the Chinese weapons arts, straight sword has the reputation of being the most difficult because it is controlled by the wrist. However, I often watched Ernie run dozens of sword forms for hours.

He had an encyclopedic knowledge of several systems. Knowing and practicing hundreds of forms. Greater knowledge than anyone else I have met. When he chose to stay with Northern Eagle Claw (which has over 75 weapons forms, he was right at home studying them for the next 35 years, before teaching the system.

Among the interesting things about him, when his wife, Cindy Rothrock, started studying with him, he built forms for her to use in competition. Using her abilities.

Among his weapons studies, there was Crescent Sword (the simplest weapon), Straight Sword (the most difficult), Spear (the 2nd most difficult), Steel Whip, Three Sectional staff, two sectional staff, ring daggers, staff, short staff, horse cutting lance, Kwan do, double hammers, sai and much more. 

At times they were dangerous to him. Knocked himself out one time striking his groin during 3 section staff, ripping the skin off of his neck with one spin in steel whip when he didn’t turn fast enough.

One of his Eagle Claw Kwando forms was done with a Very Heavy Kwando, taking 2 people to remove it from the rack, then he would spin it through the form, finishing with 2 people placing it back in the rack.

One time when visiting me, he borrowed a fan that he had gifted me to demonstrate fan forms for my students. But that fan was too heavy, and he hurt his wrists. Several years later he was back, again demoing fan for my students, but this time he brought his own fans.

At the time, my own weapons study hardly scratched the surface. A staff form, a short staff form, and a 3 sectional staff set, in addition to my tai chi sword.