Weekend Fun

ChadH · November 17, 2009, 09:08:54 AM

This is the one fun thing I get to do on the weekend. I've been playing around with renaissance fencing for a few years now and belong to a local club. We practice with epee, sabre, and foil and we also mess around with japanese shinai whenever the mood strikes(no pun intended). The first 3 or so min we are warming up so it's a bit slow. The last 4-5 min are a bit better. Hope you enjoy it. I sure did. I'm the guy on the right.

CLIP0088

Geekyfanboy · November 17, 2009, 10:23:26 AM

That's very cool.. never seen dual sword fencing.

I wanted to learn to sword fight.. closest thing to light saber battles :)

Rico · November 17, 2009, 10:46:23 AM

That's great! You guys have pretty good technique. I did a little fencing in college - mostly epee. I'm left handed so it usually put the opponent off balance. Plus I have a pretty long reach. Although that caused me a problem once when my opponent's blade when up the sleeve of my jacket. Got a bit of a scratch from that when the tip cover came off. I can still hear the instructor calling out: "Parry, repost, parry, repost,...!"

Meds · November 18, 2009, 04:34:03 AM

Awesome stuff. Great post anymore?

cosmonaut · November 18, 2009, 04:46:43 AM

Interesting, I'd like to try that, wonder how the second blade could be utilized.
How useful is it in a more competitive setting, when you're wearing a vest (as compared to fencing with one rapier)?

ChadH · November 18, 2009, 11:04:31 AM

Thanks for the kind words everyone, I'll see if I can post another video. (I'll attempt to shorten the next one a little bit)
To answer your question Cosmonaut, the dagger or "main gauche"(french for "left hand") is used for both defense and offense. It is primarily used to parry (block) an attack while you would repost (reply) with your own attack. Some of the daggers made during the renaissance actually had tines on the hand guard to trap the opponents blade and break it.
The main gauche may also used offensively as a stabbing weapon, but you have to get in close enough to use it in this way, which can be difficult. You have to be sneaky. (Think parry with the dagger, engage and move the opponents blade with your rapier and move in to strike from underneath with the dagger.)
Anyway, that's my boring, long-winded explanation. :)

cosmonaut · November 18, 2009, 11:12:41 AM

I didn't ask to be polite! ;)
Very interesting, thanks!
(You're talking to a geek, "boring, long-winded" is not part of my vocabulary!) ;)

Meds · November 18, 2009, 11:27:32 AM

I have trouble using a knife and fork let alone two weapons lol ;) very cool stuff

ori-STUDFARM · November 18, 2009, 12:35:27 PM

Thats what she said!! :)

ChadH · December 31, 2009, 09:37:26 AM

Finally managed to get some kendo time with my friend Damian. He's a bit better than I am and was able to tag me several times, but I had a good time anyway. It's more about fun than points so we don't keep score or anything like that. I hope you all enjoy seeing me get smacked around a little bit.
Pardon the clunkiness of the video. I was going to edit this to eliminate some of the dorkier bits, but I'm lazy and decided to post anyway.

CLIP0103Damian&ChadKendostyle

Bromptonboy · December 31, 2009, 02:01:45 PM

Allez!! I used to fence saber in my days as a university student, and at a local Salle in Philadelphia. This is a new one on me! Looks like fun. Is it waist up only (like in saber) as a valid target - or anything goes as in epee? How do you handle right-of-way on attacking? Thanks for posting the video - I had no idea this was out there!

ChadH · January 02, 2010, 10:35:07 PM

Quote from: Bromptonboy on December 31, 2009, 02:01:45 PM
Allez!! I used to fence saber in my days as a university student, and at a local Salle in Philadelphia. This is a new one on me! Looks like fun. Is it waist up only (like in saber) as a valid target - or anything goes as in epee? How do you handle right-of-way on attacking? Thanks for posting the video - I had no idea this was out there!

Always good to meet another fencer! That's you and Rico now that I'm aware of here at the forum.
I fence with sabre & epee mostly but occasionally I use a foil as well. The main gauche with a sabre is one of my favorites. Sometimes, just to keep it interesting, we employ weighted cloaks or bucklers(a small shield approx 6" to 8" across). These are also accessories used during the renaissance.
The idea is to try to simulate an actual duel so it's pretty much a free-for-all, & there isn't any right of way. Another difference from sport fencing is that we fence in a ring rather than a lane. We are allowed to move from side to side in an effort to work around our opponents guard and often wind up on the opposite side from where we began.
Don't get me wrong, at our club we do enjoy modern sport fencing and do that regularly, but my personal favorite is the renaissance style.

Bromptonboy · January 03, 2010, 09:55:02 AM

That does sound like fun! The Salle I went to was a older place, and as much as I would have liked to do this kind of experimental stuff, I don't think they would ever have allowed it. Once I was whistling as I walked from the lockers into the Salle (not in the Salle itself), and got a stiff lecture from the old Hungarian fencing master about how the Salle is 'Like a Chorch!' (read Church). :)
It is cool that you can do both traditional stuff, and experiment - wish I lived closer!

KatzeKitty · January 03, 2010, 11:23:59 AM

Ha ha ha! You can see Damian's daughter in the corner practicing her technique. Adorable!

~kk