Which fighting style/technique do you most admire?

[Lady Arien]

I've always wanted to learn the art of fencing....swordplay in the movies has always fascinated me.....from the gymnastic, energetic free-for-alls portrayed in movies like "The Musketeer" to the mesmerizing, balletic fluidity of the martial arts disciplines a la "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (minus, of course, the trees and the rooftops). Also intriguing is the brutal, to-the-death savagery of "Braveheart," where a sword is used for bludgeoning more often than stabbing or slicing....my ideal technique would be a combination of all three....the grace and showmanship of fencing, the discipline and control of martial arts, and the power and strength of medeival combat.....I'm also curious about other people's opinions on the subject.....what style/technique of sword combat do you embrace, and, more importantly, why?

I am asking for SERIOUS OPINIONS ONLY, please.....:battle:

[Nessa]

I've always been enthralled by swordfighting, but archery interests me too. I like grace and more refined techniques than say in "braveheart", but when the situation calls for it, its completely neccesary.

[Fatty]

Hmmm well I once saw a BBC documentry on medeval combat. It was quite fascinating the tequnique was quite complicated and not hack and slash at all. They were twirling large bastard sword, holding them by the blade, hammering with the pommel etc. Quite an eye opener for me.

But as for fighting it has to be Eastern Martial Arts!

[Pil]

I found that archery was the one i preferred out of fencing, karate and the bow...it requires such skill to be as good as the top archers that it appeals to me, i like to set myself challenges. Though some people may be daunted by the bow i find it relaxing and satisfying. fencing is also quite good but i found it too refined and a bit limited...it was probably only the way we were taught. there were a lot of us and they probably didn'r want it getting out of hand. :archer: :dragon:

i think when it comes to sword combat the medieval techniques seem a bit more free and that appeals to me more.

[Lurtz]

I kinda like Samurai techniques...like Renaissance day Japan kinda...where they kinda fight like Jedi do w/ lightsabers in Star Wars...learning how to jump around and fight at the same time...anyway, that's my opinion...

[Pil]

It includes a lot of graceful movement, but you have to be strong too. Very good! :dragon:

[Catz]

i actually love the Quarter staff....it amazes me that with nothing more than a length of wood a skilled fighter can take on a sword and defeat it....it is also a very graceful form of combat, and equally at home in defence or attack....tho obviously not a battle weapon....:cool:
:catz:

[The Mystic]

I believe in fighting smarter, not harder. If I had to select one style of fighting and a type of weapon it would not be the heavily armored raw power weapons of warhammers and metal armor, nor would it be the light and swift martial arts. It would be light armor, mail would be good, and perhaps bracers and such. I like small weapons, light but powerful (rapiers and falcatas are my choice). I know the closer you are to an enemy you more deadly you are, a light mixture of martial combat along with edged weapons of europe are my perfered means of dispatching an enemy. You can deflect an attack from a spear easily, as if comes towards you turn towards the side of it (easier said then done I know), but I've learned ways to disarm firearms when they are pointed in the dead center of my back, so I know it can be done. And once you are close enough to a lance or spear a small falcata will dispatch your foe quickly with the falcata (a falcata is a sword and from the hilt a quarter of the blade is shaved away and sharpened, giving mroe killing power and lessing the weight) or if you have the ability move behind him and go for the neck, or if you have a dagger attack to the left of the base of the skull, making your enemy instant rag doll. I mean, I see the need for other uses of combat, but I myself do not have the power to weild a warhammer for long, nor do I have the ultra speed to handle pure martial arts. But I do have the size to and stregnth to perfer a very unique task, not that I would ever want to hurt any living thing.


~ The Mystic ~

*note*
To those who know me, they know I wouldn't hurt a soul. Knowlege is power and power is a weapon, I only learn fighting styles and such for my own purposes of defense only, I would never attack anyone out of anger or malice (and I suggest everyone reading this take up the same idealism...)

[Orc]

As far as modern sport fencing, I'd choose Sabre without a doubt. It's the most fun in my opinion. It's the most exciting - the quickest both physically and mentally. A bit like chess at mach 5. You have to think tactically and react in an instant. Keeps us old guys on our toes. You get the diversity of using both the point and the edge of the blade which adds an entire additional level to the sport.

As far as archaic weapons go - that's a tough call. Rapier (with our without dagger) is a lot like modern sport fencing, and so quite enjoyable. Sword and Shield is very cool, and incrediby versitle. Someone with a shield has a distinct advantage over someone without one, so it's excellent for defensive, and a position to launch powerful attacks. In addition, you get to use the shield as a weapon. Lastly, I do enjoy hand and a half as it has a prety good deal of versility to it. Nothing like being able to wade into someone with both hands on your weapon for a very powerful strike. It's a tossup for me between these three.

[Gil-Galad]

i like sabre too. I is graceful and can weave around clumsier swords. I also admire roman dicipline in fighting, and i admire stealthy fighting.

[The Mystic]

I'd have to say that if I had to select another form of fighting, as both a pratical sense and another perfered method, I would have to say fencing, though I would have to disagree with using a sabre, I would like a wapon that also thrusts, a hybrid of a both slash/thrust weapon, balance (as well as finesse) is a requirement for me. If any out there are fimilar with bruce Lee's fighting style it is somewhat based on fencing, quick jabs and powerful punches forward with very little arcing of the body (as in swings or slashes), it is far easier to deflect/block attacks, for they take more energy to use and are far easier to see coming. Though, slash attacks do have their purposes and needs I would not rely as heavily as you guys. Then again, perhaps you're more refined at the weapon of choice (and perhaps are to know that a sabre can be used for fencing {Brovo!}). .

~ The Mystic ~

[Estell]

The romantic within me likes to say that swordplay is an art. A man from a College of Defense once presented at my school, and he showed us the sword forms and all, and he and a student did a choreographed fight for us. Then he showed us the mace, the battleaxe, and so on.

Now something in me responded to the grace and finesse of swordplay over the hack-and-slash warfare of the other weapons. Also, it seems to me using a sword requires more skill than bludgeoning someone with one of the other weapons.

[Finrod Felagund]

I've always wanted to try Kendo, but alas the only thing folks down here in the Deep South (US) are interested in is College Football (US). Me too for that matter, 52 days until it starts!
I digress... anyway, Kendo and Fencing seem to be the closest thing to combat

[The Mystic]

Well, actually, swordplay is also somewhat hack and slash. You can follow the rules of engagement and duelling all you wish but when push comes to shove all forms of warfare and weaponary result in dirty fighting, cheap tricks, attacks of opptunity, and last but not least the cold reality of might makes right, and nothing less.

~ The Mystic ~

[Nilion Elentano]

Originally posted by Lady Arien
I've always wanted to learn the art of fencing....swordplay in the movies has always fascinated me.....from the gymnastic, energetic free-for-alls portrayed in movies like "The Musketeer" to the mesmerizing, balletic fluidity of the martial arts disciplines a la "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (minus, of course, the trees and the rooftops). Also intriguing is the brutal, to-the-death savagery of "Braveheart," where a sword is used for bludgeoning more often than stabbing or slicing....my ideal technique would be a combination of all three....the grace and showmanship of fencing, the discipline and control of martial arts, and the power and strength of medeival combat.....I'm also curious about other people's opinions on the subject.....what style/technique of sword combat do you embrace, and, more importantly, why?

I am asking for SERIOUS OPINIONS ONLY, please.....:battle:

I see what you mean, but you can't choose a technique and expect your opponent to "dance" the same music you are dancing, it only happens like that in re-enactment.
As for the styles, the bludgeoning is usually good for breaking pikemen formations, or hacking bodies, but if you fight that style against someone with a rapier, a hand-and a half sword, or a katana, you stand no chance at all, again if you look at the duel in this Rob Roy movie for example, you can see that it's not only technique what gives you the lead, but a faster weapon that that of your opponent, in this the katana (specially the shobu-sukuri) is the perfect balanced weapon, it can be used for battle, as it can be used quickly in a toe-to -toe duel, a perfect distribution of handle lenght, and tension of the blade make it literally a steel whip.
So back to the topic what I meant was that you should be skilled in at least 2 styles, and be able to use weapons with both hands, n the end what decides who wins is who is the fastest opponent for fights in real time never lasted as long as we see in the movies, for it was a waste of energy, you would usually fight your way fast and trying to hit first, without much consideration of whether you look good at it or not, in the en what mattered was the result.:thumbs: