Mark Anastasio is a trainer at Union Martial arts who is expert in using two weapons like a sword and an escrima stick or stick and dagger. Espada y Daga is a technique of Filipino Martial Arts in which two weapons sword and a dagger are used. In this video, the two weapons a stick and a dagger are used to teach Espada y Daga flow. The nice combination of two weapons, can confuse the opponent by using back and forth techniques.

Some people mispronounce Espada y Daga but true meaning doesn’t change. Espada means sword and Daga means dagger. Stick is used as sword, in combination with a sharp blade (dagger)

First Angle
Mark teaches the technique first by taking right angle. Before this, he tells that he is going to practice this stick and dagger flow like Sinwali (another weapon of Filipino Martial Arts using two escrima sticks). He uses his right hand to hold stick and left to hold dagger. Then he changes the angle, saying one, two, three, first forward the hand with stick and pass the knife from down the elbow. Then from short range, slash the dagger, then step three, bring the stick forward. He mentions sinwali because he is practicing on the base of sinwali. So before learning this technique, one should learn sinwali so he can better understand the tactics.

Second Angle
After completing the steps at one angle, Mark changes the position because in Espada y Daga, proper flow is important. You cannot stay at one position and fight. Mark says to use medium to long range to attack with the dagger. Keep your focus soft and nice. Straight up and puncture, as knife and stick both are different. In this way you can flow easily.

Double Weapons
Use of double weapons is found in many fighting arts, but this a nice flow of stick and dagger which can confuse the opponent in seconds. Following the rules of Sinwali, Mark makes the flow of stick and blade in different angles showing the real Espada y Daga flow.

Union Martial Arts
At the end, mark tells that you can also order that union shirt that he is wearing. The clothes that he is wearing was specially designed for training the martial arts techniques at Union Martial Arts.