Testing out a new sword. I tried to focus on being more fluid in this session. I found that, at first, I tended to ‘power’ the blow by cocking my hands back. I did find however, that not only was this a bad telegraph, it also made for a poorer cut. I think, if I can overcome this habit and get my ‘test cutting’ technique good on an unconscious level, my sparring will be improved. I just need more bottles (or mats).
Next week- sparring at the appropiate level.
Ok my updating has been slack of late, but I broke my collar bone (fell over running- and people say swordfighting is dangerous) and one thing led to another. All healed up now though.
I’ve also discovered KETTLEBELLS. These things and their associated exercises are awesome. I highly recommend them. Here is an example of the type of things you do-
I have also have 2 new pieces of equipment. An Albion Meyer and an Allstar Masters Fencing Jacket. Both are superb pieces of kit.
I’ve been meaning to rant about this topic for a while.
Throughout my time as a HEMA swordsman I’ve often heard people say something like-
Why do you do longsword when ‘weapon X (often sword and shield, spear etc)’ will beat it?
I’m not here to agree or disagree with such a statement. What I want to say is, what does it matter?
Let us assume someone using ‘weapon X’ will always defeat someone with a longsword. So what? Where the hell are you going to get into a real fight where weapon X is used against a longsword?
In a self defence situation?
Unlikely. Do you carry your spear or sword and shield around the town? Even if you did, does anybody else carry a longsword around? Is a trained longswordsman going to break into your house? If so, do you have your ‘weapon X’ at the ready? Are they suitable to use in a common house? What is the legality of using a longsword or ‘weapon X’ against a lesser armed intruder? Are there better things to use than medieval weapons?
In the SCA?
Yes and No. Within the SCA context would be the yes; certain weapon systems may confer advantages for one to win competitions. However, since SCA isn’t HEMA, nor operates like HEMA schools, the point is moot as it isn’t HEMA systems being put to use in a competition.
In a HEMA competition?
Possibly. Thing is, HEMA competitions are generally done to test the skill of the person, not the weapon system. Thus participants are usually restricted to weapons of similar effectiveness. Competitions with vastly different weapons are considered a novelty and not a equal playing ground for tests of skills.
In an open weapons tourney?
So you can shoot a swordsman with a pistol. Congrats, very skillful.
Longsword is a hobby. It is also a great weapon to understand the basics of fencing and once mastered it’s easy to learn another weapon system.
I do it for fun, not to be a ’super duper medieval tough guy who can wield the ultimate weapon X’.
The One True Weapon X: Axe and Trowel.
We have filmed some blunt-steel longsword fencing this month, as soon it will get too hot to wear the appropiate PPE. Steel freeplay is something I have neglected of late, mostly due to being too lazy to gear up for it. The past few sessions have made me realise how much I need a new blunt sword. My current one, whilst being no ’spatula’, has a variety of flaws. Its handle is too short, which is very troublesome when wearing protective gloves; the rotational nodes are slightly off my ideal sword; and it weighs at least 250 grams too much. What I need is something like an Albion Liechtenauer.
Enough whinging, here is the video. (It might be worth going to youtube and view in ‘high quality’)
Another fish crawls out of the murky internet sea.
Good to see. I hope these blogs keep up regular posts.
If you haven’t already noticed, I’ve also added some more existing blogs in the links column. More may be added as I find them.
After writing my post on Open Source HEMA I remembered the discussions about the ARMA’s new Krumphau interpretation. To summarise, an ARMA member stated there was a new and improved version of the Krumphau being proliferated in the organisation, but was not at liberty to divulge it to the general public under request from the interpretation’s creator. Now this caused some consternation amongst certain people. The HEMA community has had it quite good in terms of public release of information, and the revelation that someone is keeping something secret can cause people to feel ostracised.
So are people morally obliged to share their research? Of course not, I find such a notion ridiculous. Would they benefit from sharing? My post on ‘Open Source HEMA’ made a case that it would, but when is something really closed, and what are disadvantages to sharing?
Whilst having released a massive amount of information into the public sphere, the ARMA is keeping some of their interpretations secret. Fair enough, say I, I’m certainly interested in what they have, but I’m not going to throw a tantrum if they don’t tell me. Does this make their interpretation at risk of being weakened by no open testing? Perhaps, but look at the membership numbers of the ARMA- They have several hundred members to test an interpretation on. So even if it is ‘Closed Source HEMA’, they may produce more robust interpretations than a small amateur community using ‘Open Source HEMA’.
So what benefits does a group or person get from withholding an interpretation or information? We don’t fight with swords anymore, so it’s not self-preservation. I don’t believe it can primarily be for money or employment, as whilst there are some teaching full-time, HEMA isn’t at a ‘big-bucks’ level (yet). So it has to be prestige. People don’t want their interpretations, which were developed through long hours of sweat and study, to be stolen or claimed by others. A way to ensure credit is to publish first, which takes time. Hiding your methods from outsiders can also help you win things like tournaments (assuming your methods are good), gaining you or your group prestige. Prestige can potentially lead to more members and even free trips overseas to teach. Finally, those teaching full-time, may feel an obligation to their paying customers not to share their methods with the non-paying public.
Groups and scholars with a solid foundation in martial arts and scholarly study can get away with being closed off to a degree. They have sweated and studied for many years and many have shared their ideas in closed ’skilled’ HEMA circles, which can more beneficial due to the higher level of feedback compared with an assortment of youtube style comments you may get from the public. I do not, however, think ‘Ronnie the Re-enactor’, who has been studying ‘Talhoofner’ whilst eating his daily fat burger, could get away with creating an effective fighting art without outside help. So in conclusion, I still think an interpretation will benefit from being proliferated as much as possible, but I understand why some may choose not to do so.
I’ve been asked this before. ‘Why learn longsword when system X and Y are better?’
I think John Clements addresses this nicely in his latest article of at ARMA. To quote John-
Though we would not suspect it from the simplistic way the weapon is typically misportrayed in popular culture, the inferior way it is notoriously handled by stunt fencers and many other enthusiasts, the longsword is undeniably versatile and sophisticated. Within its middle size length with symmetrical grip it contains a larger pool of core elements integral to the discipline of close combat skill. This is surely why it was so emphasized historically by Masters of Defence.
In other words, the principles, body mechanics and conditioning you develop whilst learning longsword will put you in good stead to learn any other fencing system out there. This has certainly been my experience.
There is also another reason I like longsword fencing. It is just me and the sword. I have no dagger to throw, no buckler to check with, no shield to hide behind, it is just me and a thin piece of steel to protect my life with.
There seems to be a cambrian explosion in HEMA blogs at the moment. I’m not talking about training journals, most HEMA blogs seemed to be prior (including Laches). No, I’m talking about anonymous, thought-provoking and sometimes controversial blogs, exposing the dark underbelly of HEMA.
First we had HEMABOY.
Then HEMAMAN.
Next HEMAGIRL.
Followed shortly by HEMAGOTH.
I find them entertaining to read.
In fact they have inspired me to make Laches more of a thought provoking informational blog, than just a training journal. So far I have these existing posts that I think qualify-
http://laches.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/open-source-hema/
http://laches.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/kssgtr-15-may-2008/
http://laches.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/what-would-liechtenauer-do-attacking/
http://laches.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/musashi-madness/
The fish are just beginning to walk out of the ocean. Oh yes, more to follow.
I came across this article today by Bruce Schneier. Bruce, a supporter of open source cryptography, talks about this sort of thing in his book, Secrets and Lies- Company X has protected its product with an expensive in-house but shoddy encryption system. Knowing this they try to keep the encryption system secret, but since the product has to be released into the public to make money, it is soon cracked. Had company X used a well known and widely tested encryption, their system would of had less flaws in it. Company X failed to adhere to the Kerckhoff principle.
The Kerckhoff principle states that a crypto-system should be secure even if everything is known about it, except for the key. It is security through design, not security through obscurity. As Claude Shannon put it “The enemy knows the system”.
This is why I approach my HEMA interpretation in a ‘Kerckhoff Principle’ way. I want to pressure test my interpretation against as many opponents as I can. I want all to see that I am prepared to put it out there, into the public eye and take what comes. Friends have said to me they don’t like to be filmed as they are afraid people could find flaws in their style and exploit it. I dare people to watch my videos and find flaws in my style. If people develop ways to beat my system, then I only ask that they beat me with their system, so that I can learn from it and make my system more robust, feeding back to them what I have found. That way we can grow together.
I want a system of reliable, flexible and robust principles that makes me a good martial artist, not a system of one-shot hidden tricks to fool opponents in tournaments. If you need to hide your system for it to be effective then I pity you. I haven’t hidden mine, and I have won several tournaments, against various groups, using various rulesets, with various simulators. So if you are at home, brooding over your interpretation and afraid to show others, I ask you to take that first step and put it out into the open. Sure, it may get savaged by wild HEMA internet dogs, or even stolen by HEMA fairies to raise as their own, but it will allow your system to grow and become more robust, making you a better martial artist.
I suppose one has to ask oneself what their goal is with this HEMA business. Ego or self-improvement?
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