I love swords. Love them. Swords are to fantasy as walls to a castle. You need your swords to battle dragons, usurpers, knights and wizards. So lets go into the armory and learn about swords.
Anatomy of a typical sword
Crossguard: This is the part of the sword between the hilt and blade. This protects the hand.
Blade: The sharp end, duh
Hilt: This is the part you hold. Also called a grip.
Pommel: the end of the sword attached to the hilt. This can be decorated as you like.
Fuller: this is a hollow running up the sword. Debates go on whether it is made to reduce suction or make blood run off quicker or to make the sword more dynamic.
Edge: the sharpened sides of the blade. Can be singular or double.
The point: The pointy bit at the top. Stick them into the person (jon snow logic)
Types of Swords
Claymore: This is the Scottish Gaelic version of the Great Sword. It is a heavy sword with a long reach
Longsword: Medieval and Renaissance weapon commonly used with with two hands.
Bastard sword: refers to a sword of an uncertain origin. It may be a cross between a long sword and a great sword.
Gladius: an ancient Roman blade used by gladiators and then legionaires. There is no crossguard. It is also called a shortsword. Made for stabbing rather than slashing.
Xiphos: double-edged, single-handed sword used by ancient greeks. The blade is commonly leaf shaped made for slashing.
Sabre or Rapier: This is a slender blade used by fencers. This blade might not be able to hack a head but its light weight makes the blade an asset in speed.
Katana: The Japanese samurai sword. This is single-edged and the blade os hammer thin. Made for speed and deadly sharp.
Scimitar: a curved blade with a singled edge.
Sword Moves
Advance - to attack, going forward.
Deflect - engaging sword with your own and pushing it away
Empty Fade - jumping backwards as if to retreat then attacking.
Front Guard - the sword is held in front of your face.
Full Iron Gate Guard - the sword is halfway between your legs, angled right.
Half Iron Gate Guard - the sword is held before your left leg.
Lunge - leaping forwards while feet are in the same stance.
Pass Back - moving your front foot into the rear position.
Pass Forward - moving your rear foot into the front position.
Shed - to allow a sword to slide away off your sword.
Short Guard - the hilt is at your hip and the point is forward.
Step Across - Rotating 180 degrees, crossing feet and spinning.
Tail Guard - the hilt is at your hip and the sword is behind you.
Two Horn Guard - pommel is at your chest with the sword pointing out.
Window Guard - a guard where the hilt is at your ear and the sword points forwards
Things to remember about swords
1. When drawing your sword, the scabbard is on your opposite hip.
2. If a sword is two-handed, use two hands. Don’t try be cool. You will cut yourself.
3. Swords are sharpened using a whetstone and polished with oil clothes. Water rusts them. Look after your swords.
4. Swords can stick to to scabbard if the air is icy. To prevent it, you can line your scabbard with leather.
5. Practise with a blunted sword first. Blunt swords are used in tourneys.
6. Defense over Attack. Better to defend rather than attack.
7. Shields are your friend in defence but hamper your ability to attack.
8. Sword to size. Smaller and weaker swordsmen(women) can’t any wield heavier swords. Bulkier and stronger swordsmen(women) can wield heavier swords. Match sword type to body type.
another outfit prompt, but this one got a bit out of hand. There really wasn’t a way that i could look at that outfit and not make it homoerotic swordplay in a school setting.
pardon the shaky video on this one; i tried to clean it up but eh, it works. my opponent here is fighting case of rapier (two swords). i am fighting single sword, which, counterintuitively, is the perfect form to defeat case. the problem case runs into is keeping track of the blades. unless you are fighting multiple opponents and need to be threatening from two angles, a second long weapon can just get in the way if you aren’t careful. the two have to move together, not one at a time. i had never fought this person before this very bout, which this clip shows start to finish. my opponent attacks straight off, one blade at a time. this is key. if they’re only attacking one blade at a time it’s just a matter of defending against the active blade while striking with my own, as i do here. obviously this can vary but in the moment i trusted my gut to go for the opening when it came.
[video description: two rapier fighters duel in a grass field with trees in the background. the fighter on the left wears a green tunic and has an ochre color hood on the back of their helmet. the fighter on the right wears a chainmail shirt over a red tunic and has a red hood. the right fighter has two swords, while the left fighter has one sword. the right fighter initiates several attacks, all of which are evaded as the left fighter pushes their opponent’s right-hand sword away and stabs them in the face. end video description.]
Been a bit busy since my return from the UK, but had to get up this photo from the Leeds, UK Seminar. Yes, the T-SHort does read, “Train Like a Beast.”
Back in 2011, I was approached by Henry Kerali looking to make a short video about Chinese Swordplay. The result is this glimpse into the Sword Art through the eyes of a teacher and students. Rodell Laoshi teaches Weekly Chinese Swordsmanship Webinars and Regular In-Seminars from Estonia to Australia, Across the US and Canada. Get Started in Full Contact Swordplay- https://www.chineseswordacademy.com/m… Use Code: cut50 for Half Off the First Two Months
Qing White Banner Bannerman practicing Shuangjian Sino-Japanese War 1894. One of the things I like about period paintings like this is the dose of reality. This is how swordsmen of the Qing dynasty appeared. Not with the wild, colorful, “silky” outfits we see in wushu today, with dragons and sequins. Note also the unusual s shaped guards of his two jian, quite unusual for the period.
Santosh Weapons sent in one of his new Wooden Sparring Jian for Testing and Review. After Sunday’s Academy of Chinese Swordsmanship Webinars, I did a live Unboxing and Review.
Looking for Realistic, Historically Accurate Swordplay Training?https://www.chineseswordacademy.com/ Use Code: cut50 for Half Off the First Two Months
Weekly Chinese Swordsmanship Webinars and Regular In-Seminars.
Interested in more? Ready for Realistic Swordplay?
Every Weekend there’s Miaodao, Daofa, and Jianfa Webinars at the Academy of Chinese Swordsmanship. Every Session is recorded & uploaded for Academy Subscribers access 24/7. This Webinar Excerpt is from a Saturday Morning Daofa Webinar.
Intercepting: Jie and Ge Cuts- Chinese Swordsmanship Webinar Excerpt
Looking for a systematic method to move from Forms Only Practice to Full On Free Swordplay? It’s here >>>====> https://www.chineseswordacademy.com/membershipsandcourses Online & In-Person Training. Use Code: cut50 for Half Off the First Two Months.
A proper deflection neutralizes the duifang’s cut as it leads his sword arm into position for your counter-cut. As “Receiving is Releasing,” deflecting is taking aim.
I’ve always found training with the two-handed Miaodao an excellent counter-point to my Jianfa practice. Miaodao work focuses on engaging with power supported by full steps. The Jian swordplay tends to be more like a fast chess games employing circular steal steps and quick half steps. Training in these two very different systems provides a wide understanding of tactics and sword strategy.
Demonstrating neutralizing quick, short energy cuts aimed at the wrist and thumb during this weekend’s Chinese Swordsmanship Seminar. This portion was also broadcast as a live Webinar to all Academy Members. https://www.chineseswordacademy.com/
Liao Basic Cut Chinese Swordsmanship Webinar Excerpt
There are 5 Webinars Every Weekend at the Academy of Chinese Swordsmanship. Every one is recorded and uploaded for Academy Subscribers to access 24/7. This Webinar Excerpt is from the Level 1 Series of Basic Cuts.
