Swordfighting

Water Cooler
#1

I just saw a class for German Longsword fighting. It’s one of those things that just seems bizzare enough that I’d like to try it, if only for the fun of dropping “when I was learning medieval longsword fiighting…” into conversations. krnyc likes her trapeezing, I guess it’s a similarly random thing to try out.

What’s interesting is that the Japanese Katana is supposed to be the most awesome sword on the planet, but it looks like the longsword can be pretty deadly too (and is typically about 6" longer).

Here’s a mildly interesting video on that topic (in German, but you can bring up English Subtitles): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVCWGwvctt4 (The better part is the second half of the piece, after they talk about how the sword is made).

Also, German is such a fun language. I can only speak a few phrases, but it just seems like such a great language for yelling at people (cabbies, pedestrians, brokers, etc…)

Anyway, seemed like the core of a geeky post, so I thought I’d bring it up here…

#2

It will probably be like Olympic fencing.

I tuned into that a couple of years ago, thinking I would see some “Princess Bride”-type of stuff. What I got was utterly disappointing.

#3

Seems less effete than traditional fencing. More physical:

[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0pJGXYtQgc]

An interesting discussion about the difference between longsword fighting and traditional fencing is here:

http://www.thearma.org/essays/Longsword_Differs_From_Modern_Fencing.html#.UwLbxUJdWZ4

#4

Swordfighting has a whole different meaning for prep school kids.

#5

^ Not a prep school kid, but that’s the kind of swordfighting that came to my mind when I saw the title of the thread.

#6

I gotta find a better forum… :-/

#7

Was my first thought too haha