From: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.fencing
Subject: Re: Broadsword fencing - StageFighting (Longish?)
Date: 14 Dec 92 00:41:24 GMT
Reply-To: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

psachdev@kean.ucs.mun.ca writes:
>(David Svoboda) writes:
>> Well, because my friends did it, I saw that group "perform" several
>> more times.  The were without skill.  As another poster put it, they
>> shuffled around, feignted high, hit low, or vice versa, had no
>> footwork, no balance, no grace.  And these guys were respected for
>> their abilities!
>> 
>> This impression of SCA fighting I thought was just a singular bad
>> experience.  But I hear similar stories from other people.  I don't
>> doubt there are people serious about SCA fighting.  But there are
>> also definitely jerks like I met, "whackos" who like to hit each
>> other with sticks, and helpless strangers, with sticks.

	Having studied many different sword-arts, I think what you saw was
an exception to the rule (and against good SCA fighters they'd lose, just
as people who try to overpower their opponents might win against beginners,
but should lose against smarter fencers).  There are many more ways to get
hits than the mere shoulder-fakes you described - though the shoulder-fake
is one of the first moves taught to fighters after they master combinations.
It's suprisingly effective against the lower ranks of fighters, partially
because of limited vision and the weight of the shield requiring an early
decision where to block.

	Another thing to realize is that it _is_ very different.  Shields
make a massive difference, as does the weight of both armor (harder to move
quickly/see) and weapon (harder to change it's direction).

	No group I've been part of has dealt with beginners that way (it would
be hard to keep them!)  We do, however, start them off with shieldwork and
swordwork (no armor), to get the feel of the proper motions and learn the
basic footwork and motions.  Next usually comes shield practice, where you
merely try to block blows.  The trainer should be taking it easy, and pushing
you _just_ beyond your abilities to block, pointing out mistakes.  Then you'll
do swordwork against an instructors shield (again, he should not always do his
best to block a beginner, just enough to make it hard).  After all that,
controlled sparring can be done, and hopefully the fighter should be able to
get authorized.

	I remember my authorization.  Before the authorization bout, the
marshall (Guy Rolandson of the Norselanders) took a sword and checked my
shieldwork.  I was quite amazed to find that I managed to block every blow of
his for a minute or so...  and he wasn't taking it too easy, he was trying at
least fairly hard, lots of combinations.  It felt good!

	Note that authorization does NOT mean you're any good, it merely
means that you understand the absolute basics and you're SAFE when fighting.
Authorization takes about the same amount of time as it does to take a
newbie fencer to be ready to compete with other beginners - say 1/2-1 semester.
As with fencing, higher levels of ability come from practice, practice,
practice.

>I think the most important thing to remember is that we are a very young
>martial art, and I doubt that fencing, karate or any of the rest had well-
>developed training programs or precise techniques when they originated. 
>Just give us some time.  :)

	Quite true, a lot of SCA fighting is ad-hoc, though I suspect it's
been settling down over the last decade to a more formalized art.  Also, 
unit tactics have been getting better, I think.  It also varies quite a bit,
especially at universities without a large number of locals, since few if
any fighters will have more than a couple years experience.

>Besides, there's nothing like being on the field of battle with 2,000
>other fighters....

	That's for sure... 

-- 
To be or not to be = 0xff
-
Randell Jesup, Jack-of-quite-a-few-trades, Commodore Engineering.
{uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com  BIX: rjesup  
Disclaimer: Nothing I say is anything other than my personal opinion.