Semi Realistic Sword fighting.....looky here!!

[Soo Ma Tai]

Though I am a martial artist, I also participate in a game/sport called belegarth in which we use weapons made with solid cores and foam padding. It is a full contact game, with the only target not allowed being the head. Though this is a medieval type game, the weapons and equipment we use could be used for martial weapons training just as easily. Check out the available selection of weapons at Edhellen weapons. There are also tutorials on how to make them yourself out of simple materials. If you have any questions please feel free to ask, I would be happy to answer them.

[golden arhat]

i watched your videos

some people would call u lot morons ..............i would be one of them,

some people would call you geeks ..........again i would be one of them

[Soo Ma Tai]

Geeks-definately, but morons, generally not. Though what we do is just a game, I believe that the weapons make excellent martial training tools. Simular to the action bat and other products, except ours are safer (padded pommels, 20+ years of experimentation to make safe weapons for full contact) and come in a greater variety. These are not wimpy latex weapons, but are instead built for full-contact and stand up to several years of extended use. We have used these weapons in Arnis practice sparring and they were great.

[golden arhat]

proper weapons are more fun especially when limbs go missing


failing that
do fencing or kendo

i thought the discussion was about belegarth or whatever (dunno just make a gutteral noise and clear your throat and hope it sounds right)

[Radhnoti]

My instructor decided to make some simulated weapons for free sparring using construction methods similar to what your links described. It brought a whole new dimension to the traditional weapons training. Suddenly everyone got a lot more interested in picking out the applications in the various forms...and everyone gained a huge respect for the spear that wasn't there until they saw how effective it was against a resisting opponent.

[Soo Ma Tai]

failing that
do fencing or kendo

I have fought both Kendo artists and Fencers, all claimed to be fairly skilled in their arts. They were outmatched by my experience as a full contact fighter. This is not to say that Kendo or Fencing do not have thier merits. Kendo may be full contact, but a shinai (sp?) weighs next to nothing and is a poor simulant of a real weapon. Though not of a realistic weight, our weapons are signifigantly heavier than a bamboo sword. Fencing artists had simular probs with the heavier weapons we use vs. the fencing foil.

One thing I noticed as a Martial Arts practitioner, was that in a one v. one fight, I did fairly well, even when I was new to the sport. But since most of our fighting involves groups of 20+ on a side, I found I was stabbed in the back a lot. Our type of fighting requires a great deal of field awareness, a skill that is highly neglected in the martial arts world, but is a real help in a street situation when dealing with multiple attackers.