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

[Soo Ma Tai]

Though I am a martial artist, I also participate in a game/sport called belegarth (http://www.belegarth.com) 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 (http://www.edhellen.com). 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.