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Post by Jordan Williams on Feb 19, 2020 20:31:36 GMT
So we have a lot of threads about "best sword for x or y", "swords for self defense" or otherwise related to using swords in a martial context, and I'm curious about how many people on the forum actually have experience with using swords in an (albeit safe) way that they are intended to be used, ie; for self defense or offense.
Of course I am not saying you have to have experience to comment or that if you don't your opinion isn't worthwhile, and these threads are always fun to read, I'm just fishing so to speak.
My own experience follows thusly. 2 years of spotty longsword in the German and Italian styles. About 1.5 years of rapier and dagger taught in the style of the black tigers. 4 years of self taught American and British military sabre and sword.
I know we have some Hemaists, JSA folks et al.
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harrybeck
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Post by harrybeck on Feb 19, 2020 20:46:36 GMT
SCA HEAVY AND RAPIER SINCE 1980. LOTS OF INDEPENDANT STUDY of alley and barroom combat as well.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Feb 19, 2020 20:47:47 GMT
Nope, only dry handling and reading/watching some HEMA stuff!
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Post by bradc on Feb 19, 2020 22:48:05 GMT
My first intro to swords was through bokken ages ago when I practiced Aikido and got interested in the weapons side of things.
I forget when I started Iaido but my shodan is dated 2010 so before that 🤷‍♂️.
But most importantly, my experience in cardboard wrapping paper tube sword fighting after Christmas spans most of my decades.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Feb 19, 2020 23:57:35 GMT
Kendo and various JSA since 1989. I still don't know which end of the sword to point at the other guy.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Feb 20, 2020 0:46:33 GMT
SCA HEAVY AND RAPIER SINCE 1980. LOTS OF INDEPENDANT STUDY of alley and barroom combat as well. I like SCA rapier. It's very fun and a totally different game than HEMA.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Feb 20, 2020 0:47:36 GMT
So far it looks like sport and JSA are leading the pack.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Feb 20, 2020 2:29:27 GMT
So far it looks like sport and JSA are leading the pack. That would be logical since JSA/Kendo is the most well known and easily accessible training schools for the majority of the population. Add to that the cultural saturation in movies and anime, it's no mystery why that is the number one sword discipline. For my personal journey, that was the case. I thought only JSA styles were "real" and any western swordplay was just hacking away with chunks of metal. I had no clue, even until recently, that there even was such a thing as "western martial arts" and european swords were actually as advanced, if not more so, than any JSA. It's a fair cop, but I blame society... SCA and HEMA are a little oddball and don't have very many formal training schools- I would wager the average Joe on the street has never heard of either one of those. Ergo, the relative number of practitioners is very small. Olympic style fencing is well known to most people, but few have ever trained with it.
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Post by demented on Feb 20, 2020 5:09:51 GMT
I have trained a little in a few arts:
1 year Escrima - 3 days a week 6 months Scottish broadsword - 1 time a week German longsword off and on. Been getting into Meyer KDF but will most likely end up focusing on the traditional lineage again before too long.
HEMA is what I am most into.
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Post by SandStormZA on Feb 20, 2020 5:46:49 GMT
I picked up a little FMA from a dojo that taught a bit of everything. I'm self taught in a teensy bit of kendo.
After that, it's been about 5 years of self-taught, internet assisted, HEMA. I've only trained with HEMA instructors three times in that span, because it is only a thing in South Africa's major cities, and I don't live in one of those.
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Razor
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,883
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Post by Razor on Feb 20, 2020 7:19:45 GMT
I started with Chinese's sword arts back in 1991. I've been doing HEMA since 2005(that's the year I had a training partner. I don't count the years that I was doing solo HEMA).
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Post by Lord Newport on Feb 20, 2020 15:10:35 GMT
So we have a lot of threads about "best sword for x or y", "swords for self defense" or otherwise related to using swords in a martial context, and I'm curious about how many people on the forum actually have experience with using swords in an (albeit safe) way that they are intended to be used, ie; for self defense or offense. Of course I am not saying you have to have experience to comment or that if you don't your opinion isn't worthwhile, and these threads are always fun to read, I'm just fishing so to speak. My own experience follows thusly. 2 years of spotty longsword in the German and Italian styles. About 1.5 years of rapier and dagger taught in the style of the black tigers. 4 years of self taught American and British military sabre and sword. I know we have some Hemaists, JSA folks et al. I trained in JSA for approx. 10 years and hold rank in Toyama Ryu Batto Jutsu, Meishi-Ha Mugai Ryu Iaihyodo and the seitei curriculum of the Zen Nihon Batto Do Renmei. My sensei is world renown for his skill in tamishigiri and made cutting a focal point of our studies. As a dojo we would cut at least twice a month. My dojo sponsored several large Tai Kai's and we traveled around the country and to Japan to compete in other Tai Kai's. A shoulder injury put an end to my intense JSA training 8 years ago and with time and rehab, I am now considering a serious look at HEMA and its cutting competition, hence meeting you at Southern California Swordfight as you went out to do your single handed cutting sequence.
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Feb 20, 2020 16:12:22 GMT
A few years of Kendo Many years of Judo and JuJitsu (20ish) Okinawan Karate (20ish years) SCA since 1981 We can talk pedigree and experience till we're blue in the face. (and we do ) But IMO real experience happens in the dojo or sparring, since none of us ever *really* fights to the death on a regular basis. I think my best experiences and knowledge comes from just silly stuff happening...like leading an armored SCA charge up a 45 degree slope and all of us falling all over ourselves laughing, and realizing WHY slopes make great defenses...
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Zen_Hydra
Moderator
Born with a heart full of neutrality
Posts: 2,625
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Feb 20, 2020 18:43:20 GMT
There should be an "Other" option in the poll.
I grew up with an avid sport fencer father, and don't really remember a time before I was learning the basics of fencing. My father's favorite fencing coach was from his time on the Texas A&M team, and that coach favored the Hungarian military sabre style. So, I spent my early youth learning foil, epee, and sabre.
I watched a lot of chanbara and wuxia movies as a kid, and those expanded my sword interests to East Asia.
I did a bit of fighting in the SCA, but that always felt too game-y to me, and the petty squabbling of my local group soured me on the organisation.
I got some experience with JSA via Yoseikan budo, which I practiced while at Redstone Arsenal.
When I was stationed at Ft. Sam (Houston) I started learning CMA and was exposed to a variety of sword techniques.
Since leaving the US army I have participated with a couple of different HEMA clubs in the general vicinity of where I now live, but unfortunately neither of the groups are very active (too much adulting going on in people's lives). I've purchased a variety of HEMA-related manuals and literature, and try to work on my own when there isn't anyone else to get sword-y with.
There do seem to be some fairly active JSA clubs in the San Antonio area, and I've considered joining one of them.
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Post by Cosmoline on Feb 20, 2020 20:42:11 GMT
Yeah there needs to be an "other". There are well-developed systems of Chinese, Persian and other sword forms.
Personally I've been doing various forms of WMA/HEMA for most of the past decade.
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Post by treeslicer on Feb 20, 2020 22:28:20 GMT
I've been doing fencing, SCA, and JMA/JSA since the 1970's. I didn't count my piddling with HEMA because I've got no organized training in it, just swinging the occasional live broadsword at saplings and stuff.
IMHO, you need a category of "Military" for folks who've had bayonet training, etc.
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Post by Lukas MG (chenessfan) on Feb 24, 2020 17:58:02 GMT
Started with foil fencing as a kid, did that for about 4 years. For the last 10 years I've been doing HEMA, mainly longsword. Two years ago I got back into foil because it's an excellent additional training. Briefly did some FMA but hardly mentionable. I'm doing some sabre and occasionally sword and buckler, but longsword is by far my primary weapon. I'm currently rank 20 on HEMA ratings in open longsword so I'm doing pretty well.
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