Game:

GRIP (2016)

Duration: 2:19

2,208 views

232

Seriously, I've found over twenty instances in various manuals, and haven't even looked through all we know of.
For something that some people claim is always useless, the medieval masters who wrote the books on HEMA sword fighting sure thought it was useful.

Here's the German fencing manual if you want to read it yourself: https://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Die_Blume_des_Kampfes

Here's the TV Tropes section on reverse grip, which may or may not be accurate.
Also known as "icepick" grip, this means holding the grip of a dagger, a sword, a katana or whatever so that the business end points the direction opposite to the thumb, in contrast to the usual point-up or "saber" grip.

There are advantages with this style of wielding a knife, namely that it facilitates certain grappling maneuvers (you can use the blade as a hook to assist in maneuvering the enemy, or to inflict damage during a grapple), defensive maneuvers (you can lay the blade against your forearm and let that take the blow of a heavier weapon instead of your wrist), allows for more powerful downwards and inwards strikes, allows for extreme angles of attack at extremely close range, and has sometimes been viewed as more intuitive (and thus easier to learn and apply) than the regular grip. That said, the wielder's reach is reduced compared to a forward grip, and it makes direct thrusts from below more difficult. Both point up and point down have their uses, and one may quickly switch between grips.
The reasons for using a reverse grip vary, depending on the character and work. The grip might be a tactical choice to facilitate blocking, grappling, slicing, downward stabbing motions or any combination thereof. It might be used in conjunction with Dual Wielding to provide a more diverse range of strikes. It might be the most convenient grip to use on a weapon that is drawn quickly. It might be used to indicate that the user is a hardened or experienced killer. Of course, it also simply looks cool.

The use of a sword in reverse grip takes the cool factor one step further, making for an exotic display of slicing in a figure of eight with a swimming motion of the arm and wrist. It can also be combined with spinning or dual wielding; a character with two swords can hold either one or both of them in reverse grip. Perhaps this is supposed to be the secret technique unknown to all those chumps who swing their sword the usual way. In reality this is Cool, but Inefficient. Biomechanical limitations as well as the different nature of how swords are used in fighting cause the reverse sword gripper to lose reach, cutting power, ability to parry or exert leverage in the bind, and ability to protect the sword hand. Admittedly there are useful historical techniques that involve reversing one's grip on the sword, but these are more situational and limited in application than what you tend to see in movies. See the Analysis page for details.
In Avatar: The Last Airbender, as well as in its sequel, many firebenders apply an aggressive combat style using "fire daggers" which they wield as if holding real daggers with reverse grip.
Rayla in The Dragon Prince sometimes does this with her twin blades, such as when she fights Runaan in "Moonrise".
Samurai Jack holds his sword in his left hand like this, when his right arm is incapacitated in "Jack Tales".
Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels uses the reverse grip when wielding her lightsaber, and later includes it in her Dual Wield style, holding either one or both sabers with the grip.
Leonardo's incarnation in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) is more prone to holding his swords in reverse than in other series in order to emphasize his speed.
Many ninja in Naruto hold kunai in this position, generally for melee combat.
Asuma Sarutobi's and later Shikamaru Nara's trench knife-style "chakra blades" are designed to be used this way.
Post-timeskip, Sasuke holds his sword very often this way.
Kensei Muguruma of Bleach does this, most prominently in the chapters where Ichigo is battling his inner Hollow. Appropriately, the shikai form of Kensei's zanpakuto is a bowie knife.
Corvo of Dishonored uses a reverse grip when he's in sneak mode, using his sword for stealth kills from behind. When he stands up straight, he holds the blade by the hilt.
Vader's apprentice Starkiller does it in The Force Unleashed and Soulcalibur IV with a lightsaber. While still not wholly practical, this is probably one of the best opportunities to use it since it's an omni-directional blade.
It's worth noting that in some situations he does adopt a regular grip, probably to get over the range handicap that reverse-gripping can produce. In Soulcalibur IV he always holds his saber with a reverse grip for his entire moveset.
Imperial Agents in Star Wars: The Old Republic use their vibroknives in a reverse grip. However, their primary weapons are their blaster rifles - their vibroknives
#sword #history #martialarts

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