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Post by demented on Feb 12, 2020 10:49:17 GMT
Should we make a poll to get everybodies opinion on who won? ...just kidding...although we might be able to instigate a grudge match if we do that Actually, that is not a bad idea. I feel that recording and analyzing training and sparring is invaluable to improving our performance. For example, I know my leg was going to be a problem, now I can see by how much and now I can adjust. And I'm not opposed to friendly s#$t talking every now and then makes it fun! I would be disappointed if I went through all the trouble of getting to Germany to set this up and NOT have forum members dissect the fight. I want criticism and compliments. I don't mind being told I made a mistake if it helps to improve my technique Biggest advantage I seen was reach. He was using a one handed sword and looks to have a natural reach advantage over you anyhow. He also sticks true to Silver's instruction and hits with a wallop. If it was me I would've tried coming at him from an outside angle and swiped at his arms or do what you were trying to do and close the gap with a thrust. If you aim at the balls next time he might not be able to get out of the way as fast enough.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Feb 12, 2020 12:26:40 GMT
The reach advantage I managed to negate by getting inside where he couldn't maneuver. if you notice I was able to get at least 3 inside throat slashes at close range. Reach can be negated if you know what to do.
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Post by demented on Feb 12, 2020 13:53:04 GMT
The reach advantage I managed to negate by getting inside where he couldn't maneuver. if you notice I was able to get at least 3 inside throat slashes at close range. Reach can be negated if you know what to do. true, he seemed to use his reach fairly well too. It was a good match.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Feb 12, 2020 16:27:08 GMT
Marcus is a formidable opponent. He got some legit hits on me as well. In no way do I underestimate him. I believe neither of us was going easy on the other.
Yet, I think I can honestly say that Marcus has a new found respect for what a shorter blade is capable of. Reach is good, but it also comes at a cost. No weapon is good at everything.
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Ouroboros
Member
Imperial, Mysterious In Amorous Array
Posts: 570
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Post by Ouroboros on Feb 12, 2020 16:54:07 GMT
Awesome O'Scorp, Awesome Marcus! That's the kind of thing I'd love to see more of. Wandering Blades crossing paths and learning from each other. Inspirational Gentlemen, very inspirational.
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Post by MOK on Feb 12, 2020 17:24:13 GMT
The reach advantage I managed to negate by getting inside where he couldn't maneuver. if you notice I was able to get at least 3 inside throat slashes at close range. Reach can be negated if you know what to do. It's particularly impressive given your bad knee and hindered mobility! I think I'm seeing several occasions where it causes you to lean in instead of moving closer, always a bad habit if you have a choice...
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Post by RufusScorpius on Feb 12, 2020 17:33:15 GMT
100% agree with the leaning. It's always bad to get in that position. Normally those moves would be followed through with passing to the side or under. My signature move is a belly slash, which I cannot do right now at all. And normally I am right foot front- here I am awkward with left leading.
After our sparring, I showed marcus the moves in teaching mode so he has an understanding of what they are looking like properly done.
If you watch the exchange at around 2:45 in slow motion you can see that I am not too bad onthe inside fight. Of I had full mobility I can do the same thing on the outside fight. At 0:45 the thrust I did would normally be with the rear foot stepping in to put the body weight behind it, but I couldn't do that. In any case, kats can thrust.
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Post by treeslicer on Feb 12, 2020 18:49:57 GMT
100% agree with the leaning. It's always bad to get in that position. Normally those moves would be followed through with passing to the side or under. My signature move is a belly slash, which I cannot do right now at all. And normally I am right foot front- here I am awkward with left leading. After our sparring, I showed marcus the moves in teaching mode so he has an understanding of what they are looking like properly done. If you watch the exchange at around 2:45 in slow motion you can see that I am not too bad onthe inside fight. Of I had full mobility I can do the same thing on the outside fight. At 0:45 the thrust I did would normally be with the rear foot stepping in to put the body weight behind it, but I couldn't do that. In any case, kats can thrust. You might consider adding some of the more harassing Jigen Ryu techniques to your repertoire. Here's a short and candid sampler.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Feb 12, 2020 19:16:26 GMT
You mean like I was doing at 3:03, only that went off camera because I had the camera the wrong way so you can't see it?
I did those things years ago, but found out that it doesn't actually do anything against a trained fighter. They're too smart to fall for a psychological intimidation.
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Post by treeslicer on Feb 12, 2020 21:05:22 GMT
You mean like I was doing at 3:03, only that went off camera because I had the camera the wrong way so you can't see it? I did those things years ago, but found out that it doesn't actually do anything against a trained fighter. They're too smart to fall for a psychological intimidation. Successfully cutting up the opponent's hands seems a bit more than psychological to me.
I suspect that several of the surviving Jigen kata were originally intended for armored combat, and for disrupting formations.
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Post by markus313 on Feb 12, 2020 21:09:23 GMT
Rufus was very kind to explain some of his techniques/tactics/principles. I greatly thank him for that as well as for stepping up under these conditions. One thing to take away from our sparring from how I handled things from my side is that I did seem to fare especially bad when switching to “variable fight” (tip pointing towards the opponent), although I somewhat suspected beforehand that this would give me trouble against a katana with its short blade and long handle. Also the pressure towards the infight was even higher than expected. Our meeting greatly enhanced my steadily growing appreciation for the Japanese two-handed sword – and convinced me of having made a good decision by previously having ordered three Ninjato (of which I will make a comparison thread of as soon as the last one has arrived ).
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Post by treeslicer on Feb 12, 2020 21:20:40 GMT
Rufus was very kind to explain some of his techniques/tactics/principles. I greatly thank him for that as well as for stepping up under these conditions. One thing to take away from our sparring from how I handled things from my side is that I did seem to fare especially bad when switching to “variable fight” (tip pointing towards the opponent), although I somewhat suspected beforehand that this would give me trouble against a katana with its short blade and long handle. Also the pressure towards the infight was even higher than expected. Our meeting greatly enhanced my steadily growing appreciation for the Japanese two-handed sword – and convinced me of having made a good decision by previously having ordered three Ninjato (of which I will make a comparison thread of as soon as the last one has arrived ). I enjoyed watching your responses to Rufus. While my technique is currently centered on JSA, I've got background in Barbasetti sabre, some foil, and some SCA "heavy weapons". I keep a live swept-hilt rapier and and a spiked targe around here, too. IMHO, JSA might not deal well with classic Western shield-and-sword.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Feb 12, 2020 21:33:56 GMT
I also suspect the addition of a shield would mostly negate the majority of JSA technique. I have never fought against shield, so offhand I would approach with a mobility tactic and try to get underneath. No idea if it would work, but it seems a good place to start. It sounds like a lot of fun to try!
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Post by markus313 on Feb 12, 2020 21:47:21 GMT
My door is open Attachments:
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Post by RufusScorpius on Feb 13, 2020 6:29:19 GMT
Truth be told, going tip to tip and blade to blade with a katana is like swimming in deep water and thinking you can out maneuver the shark. It's pretty much going to end badly as soon as the shark gets tired of playing with you. Marcus knows why now- I showed him the secret of catching the fish. Maybe next time he fights against JSA he might have a surprise for the shark.
JSA is weak in defense on the lower legs- it's an area where I have practiced protection, and I still got hit. That is the cost of exchanging protection for a fast, but shorter, blade.
Also, JSA is invincible on the inside close fight because it will use the sword and the fists and feet- whatever is available to strike with.
I wish I had more time. I could easily spend all day, every day, in the gym.
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Post by demented on Feb 13, 2020 17:33:29 GMT
I am assuming Marcus is a Silverite? Silver himself considered the longsword at an advantage against a single handed sword. I wonder if Marcus seen any of those issues with the Katana wielder?
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Post by markus313 on Feb 13, 2020 19:51:50 GMT
Silver says to make the blade of your two-handed sword the same length as the blade of your short sword. So after Silver both weapons should have around the same blade length, namely “perfect length”. Our “swords” were quite a bit shorter (for my build at least), however they differed very little in blade length, with the single handed simulator being around 1.5” longer in the blade than the "katana". I have sparred quite a bit single hand vs. two-handed, with both swords sharing comparable blade lengths (though usually it's our two-hand sword being around 2" inch longer in the blade than the single-hand sword) – but not much vs. a katana. And what Rufus did different to other opponents I had encountered till then, was keeping the blade actions very tight, yet quick and percussive, all while maintaining constant forward pressure. Got overpowered a lot by the superior leverage in the blade actions.
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Post by demented on Feb 13, 2020 20:15:58 GMT
Silver says to make the blade of your two-handed sword the same length as the blade of your short sword. So after Silver both weapons should have around the same blade length, namely “perfect length”. Our “swords” were quite a bit shorter (for my build at least), however they differed very little in blade length, with the single handed simulator being around 1.5” longer in the blade than the "katana". I have sparred quite a bit single hand vs. two-handed, with both swords sharing comparable blade lengths (though usually it's our two-hand sword being around 2" inch longer in the blade than the single-hand sword) – but not much vs. a katana. And what Rufus did different to other opponents I had encountered till then, was keeping the blade actions very tight, yet quick and percussive, all while maintaining constant forward pressure. Got overpowered a lot by the superior leverage in the blade actions. Silver claims that in a duel the two-handed sword has an advantage against the sword and target or sword and buckler, even if the blade length of the two handed sword and single handed sword are the same. right? I only own Wagner's book/translation though.
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Post by markus313 on Feb 13, 2020 20:21:40 GMT
"The perfect length of your two handed sword is, the blade to be the length of the blade of your single sword." - Paradoxes, Chapter 19: Of the length of weapons, and how every man may fit himself to the perfect length of his weapon, according to his own stature, with brief reasons wherefore they ought to be so.
"The two handed sword has the vantage against the sword and target, the sword and buckler, the sword and dagger, or rapier and poniard." - Paradoxes, Chapter 21: Of the vantages of weapons in their kinds, places, & times, both in private and public fight.
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Post by demented on Feb 13, 2020 20:40:42 GMT
"The perfect length of your two handed sword is, the blade to be the length of the blade of your single sword." Paradoxes, Chapter 19: Of the length of weapons, and how every man may fit himself to the perfect length of his weapon, according to his own stature, with brief reasons wherefore they ought to be so. "These weapons are to be used in the fight as the short staff, if both play upon double & single hand, at the 2 hand sword, the long sword has the advantage if the weight thereof is not too heavy for his strength that has it, but if both play only upon double hand, then his blade which is convenient length agreeing with his stature that has it, which is according with the length of the measure of his single sword blade, has the advantage of the sword that is too long for the stature of the contrary party, because he that can cross & uncross, strike & thrust, close & grip in shorter time than the other can." wiktenauer.com/wiki/George_Silver#Brief_Instructions_upon_My_Paradoxes_of_DefenceAlso, I own Paul Wagner's "Master of Defence". pretty neat read.
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