Lightsabers/Swords

Anyone practice swordspinning or dueling? I’ve been doing the hobby for about five years.

Yup, although it's more of a warm-weather activity for me. Being that I live in the northern US, winter weather is somewhat prohibitive for outdoor activity; especially so for aerobic exercise since sweat increases the overall risk of hypothermia & frostbite.

So in the colder months I supplement that with adjustable hiking sticks and shorter edge weapons such as training/drill knives made from rubber/plastic.

I've found a great resource for learning to duel or sword-spin has been Force Storm Academy on YouTube, especially in the case of lightsaber forms such as Shii-Cho or Soresu.

I have a few swords I bought and a few I made . I also have been training a few people in sword play , but we are using bamboo sticks instead of real swords .

I believe there are a number of threads on this topic, I suppose some helpful mod could merge this with one of them.

As far as OP goes - since you ask a nice closed question, I'll give you a nice closed answer.

"Yes"

I have no doubt that someone, somewhere, practices "sword spinning"

I live in northeast USA, and during the winter I spin inside. Luckily I have a space. I corun a lightsaber academy called Kyber Academy. We have a Facebook page set up. I’m curious what people are working on. Myself it’s throws/catches and weaves. As for dueling, since classes are on hold, mostly drills.

Hi Claiomh Solais

I practice double hand bo, but I'm curious if you want to comment on the implications of your movements, it would be interesting to know if you meditate and what kind of searches you do. Or if some martial art in parallel, allows you to create something else.

Stay Healthy

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Hello Jhannizs Ian,

Your questions are intriguing. I am largely self taught as no one teaches the sword where I live. I learned from YouTube and traveling to events/workshops. When I’m working on learning a particular movement I am largely focused on just that. But there are times when I utilize everything I know in a series of spur of the moment movements. It’s dance like, but when I practice in that way my mind goes to another place. It’s the most effective form of meditation I know.

I’ve tried a few martial arts but nothing grabbed me. I am taking Jian classes online and hope to go to one of his workshops soon (Great River Taoist center).

For my own practice I pull from a variety of sources. Spinning, Kali, HEMA, and recently Jian. I deeply wish I could get in-person quality lessons a couple times a week but sadly no one teaches the style of sword play I want to learn. There is a local fencing group but they only teach Olympic style fencing and I am not a fan of those lunges.

Tell me more about what you practice. Do you do mostly spinning or martial arts?

I combine jar'kai with my old kungfu training, including my karate approaches from the 80's ... And yes, sometimes it is like dancing while listening to my breathing and stopping my mind at will ... Sometimes is raw catharsis. But I don't always use objects like Hanbo. Today I ran in my park, then I wanted to remember Qigong sequences while performing Mahamudra, not the mantra yet a reflective Matrix without magic, except to test ideas. An idea exists?

Jian ... I just saw a video of Scott M. breaking an arrow with his sword, what do you think?

What style of swordplay do you really want to learn?

In addition to your progress in IP, what other topics are you interested in deepening?

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I'm always thinking about it, the articulation of skeleton with staff, within the personal bubble. My 'standard' measure for this is the height above ground level of shoulder, projected outwards from the body.

Basically kinematics. Seeing self and other agents in those terms to 'compute' solutions. Not a dance routine, or a clash of strength, but a precise application.



A bit like social distancing perhaps :silly:

I've been interested since I was a child, but I'm in the same boat as you in that no one around me teaches swordsmanship. . .at least not that I know of.

Scott M is my teacher. So far Its been vis Internet classes but I’m looking forward to his workshops once they start again. I know about the video of him breaking an arrow with a sword. It was interesting and I would love to practice that with nerf arrows/bullets. I did try it with nerf bullets and after a few tries was able to block them. It’s a fun skill to work on, timing is everything.

I’ve tried a few different styles but the Jian seems to be the best fit for my body mechanics. It’s the most comfortable to learn so far. The deep lunges of Olympic fencing were not agreeing with me much (old injury).

The primary reason why I reached out to this group is because I liked the IP. The approach seemed the most mature out of the groups I have looked into so far. I also found a statement that you don’t need to be a Jedi to join. I’m not sure if that will affect getting knighted or progressing. But what I hope to gain is Community, and discussing different topics with people who have a similar interest/common archetypes.

That is very interesting. When I’m practicing sword work I keep in mind the “plains” (side, front, above the head, etc.). Percision is one of the things I have been working on as well. To get the point of the saber to end in a very specific spot as I’m spinning, or to crossover, etc. It can take as long or longer to get a good level of control as it did to learn the move. I’m working on the weave (single and double). But with a real focus of getting the gilts lined up correctly - which should help with knocking them and getting that wonderful staff-like illusion in the double weave when they crossover to the side.

Hello there!
But how do you train?
Do you have someone that trains with you or just practice some movements?
Thank you!

Jcteleschi wrote: Hello there!
But how do you train?
Do you have someone that trains with you or just practice some movements?
Thank you!

The most important thing I think is realizing why you want to saber train. Is it to do showy moves? Choreography? Competitions? Free style? Once you figure that out you can hone in on videos or find a suitable partner even.

If you are solo, you can use videos. Youtube is full of instructional videos, some of them from members here.

One of my partners and I both have sabers. We go out back and duel as our joint workout 2-3 times a week. I've had some fencing training and this partner doesn't but it doesn't matter to much. Just take your saber or whatever else you substitute one with and just go at it. Be sure to wear gloves (hard knuckled ones are best) and set some ground rules based on protective equipment like no groin shots at all or head shots only if you've got a helmet. use common sense and just have fun.

You can use a park (observe any rule like closing times), a backyard, or even a living room.

I'm training to fight.
I know, our way is the peace,but sometimes we have to fight.
I'm training soresu,and I'm doing the movements, so, in a fight,does it works?
Because I have no one to help me,I'm solo (not han) and I'm scared if that will work.
May the force be with you my friend, always

I want to help the people that I love and the people around me, the innocents.
I think that's the idea of our order,right?
Help and protect everyone

Jcteleschi wrote: I'm training to fight.
I know, our way is the peace,but sometimes we have to fight.
I'm training soresu,and I'm doing the movements, so, in a fight,does it works?
Because I have no one to help me,I'm solo (not han) and I'm scared if that will work.
May the force be with you my friend, always

Deter rather than engage
engage rather than enrage;

Deflect rather than defend
defend rather than offend;

Injure rather than maim
maim rather than kill;



The intelligent know how to fight, but the wise know how to end a fight before one begins. Take care when rushing into conflict with the mindset and intent of a vindicator or liberator. Those who appear to be in conflict may in fact be simply roughhousing in good spirits; however an unexpected intrusion could transmute that into violence.

Those in good spirited but heated debate, may be driven into extended quarrel by the inflammatory comments of an outside party.

If there are individuals clearly crying for help, or otherwise indicating their need for immediate assistance; by all means head the call to action, but taking heed of the warning at the opening of my post. Also use great care and discretion when determining the extent of and potential lethality of any force used.


Or, for a TL;DR version. "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face" - Mike Tyson.

You're right and I need to study more.
But someday I'll need to fight,to protect the people and I'll always follow our code
Soresu it's a combat form just for defense, and when I'm fighting, someone can call the police
I think that's the best way to win a combat, right?

You're right and I need to study more.
But someday I'll need to fight,to protect the people and I'll always follow our code
Soresu it's a combat form just for defense, and when I'm fighting, someone can call the police
I think that's the best way to win a combat, right?

Depends who you ask.

Some would say the best way to is not have any enemies - there's a few theories on how to not have any enemies (some people might consider themselves your enemies, but if they lack the will, ability and resources to mount an effective attack, then they're unhappy people with aspirations of power - not enemies)

I don't really ever expect to use fencing in a "fight" - it would be an interesting series of events to have me, a sword, and a violent opponent in the same place at the same time. Most likely incredibly poor planning and awareness of my environment on my part.

I don't know your world, perhaps lightsabre inspired combat is a viable option for a kinetic encounter - but if it's not, see it for what it is, an exercise in learning a skill, no more or less relevant than learning to sew clothing or make clay pots....

Jcteleschi wrote: You're right and I need to study more.
But someday I'll need to fight,to protect the people and I'll always follow our code
Soresu it's a combat form just for defense, and when I'm fighting, someone can call the police
I think that's the best way to win a combat, right?

Hopefully I can impart some life wisdom with my answer.

I have been throughout my life in many fights, some of which have involved weapons (knife, gun, etc).

As a consequence, I have multiple scars across my body due to cuts/slashes and other injuries received in these fights. I am fortunate to be alive and in relatively good health given the stupid and emotionally charged decisions I made regarding these conflicts. I am even more fortunate, that nobody has died as a direct result of those outcomes either.

To add more detail onto the above, I have trained throghout my life and since a very early age in multiple forms of martial arts. I routinely train in knife / disarming drills, and have throughout my life as well.

Despite all that experience, I still sustained injuries.

As far as it concerns soresu, shii-cho, or any other of the Star Wars lightsaber combat forms. I advise you to read this following very carefully and memorize it.

LIGHTSABER FORMS IN A REAL FIGHT WILL GET YOU KILLED

The fancy, spinny, snazzy BS that you see on the movie screen is there soley for the reason of selling tickets. It has no place in a real fight, whatsoever. Turning your back to an opponent will get you stabbed. Spinning your blade around will result in it being knocked / cut from your hand, and you getting stabbed. Trying to deflect an opponents blade with your blade will get you stabbed.

If you want to learn, and train in fighting with those kind of weapons - your best and most advised course of action is to enroll in some form of tactical combat course with either retired law enforcement or military.

Learn from my mistakes, and do not proceed as originally intended.

One last parting statement, and this is all true.

As a child in grade school, I would often horse around with friends after school. Normal behavior, all the boys did.

Unfortunately, our school had that particular afternoon hosted and "anti-bullying" seminar. Good message, good intention, absolutely the wrong f-ing time.

Per the norm, me and my friends were roughing around after school; pushing and shoving, etc. One particular vigilante decided he was going to break up the fight and "set us straight". While in hindsight I respect him and his motivation to do good, unfortunately the moment he decided to place himself between me and my friend in question; I was in the middle of throwing a punch with the intention and aim to MISS my friend. While missing my friend, the punch now ended up connecting with the vigilante and got him directly in the mouth.

I don't know exactly how much damage was done, but I do remember them dragging him away; blood pooling down his face while he was screaming bloody murder.

Did I feel horrible about it? Yes. Was it his fault for intervening in a situation which didn't warrant it? YES.

So when I advise you in the above post to be careful about charging in with the mindset of a liberator; I'm talking from life experience.

MTFBWY