The European Historical Combat Guild

works perfectly for everyday training inside your ...

2011-12-28T11:23:51.405Z

works perfectly for everyday training inside your own house...recommendable for every one who takes their training (very) seriously..

These look a bit like the fedderschwerts that suff...

2011-11-13T19:53:19.799Z

These look a bit like the fedderschwerts that suffered metal fatigue which was exposed during sparring.

Glad that it is proving as helpful and insightful ...

2011-09-05T10:22:11.342+01:00

Glad that it is proving as helpful and insightful as it was for me...
best

Good reading. Instantly the italian rapier (Fabri,...

2011-09-05T09:20:42.384+01:00

Good reading.
Instantly the italian rapier (Fabri, Cappo Ferro), which I have worked with lately came to mind. Later also some of the german Meister Hau, came to mind. I will at least have to go over them again with my new MacYoung glasses.

best,
Thorbjørn Sølver Lange, Chapter Helsingør, Denmark

Good to know....

2011-09-04T19:48:48.437+01:00

Good to know....

The work is very versatile, with so many concentra...

2011-08-17T11:04:19.164+01:00

The work is very versatile, with so many concentrations intermingling,
Swords

Happy new year to one and all. Hope to see you som...

2011-01-02T17:13:19.987Z

Happy new year to one and all. Hope to see you sometime during 2011

Thanks for the review. Will add it to my wish list...

2010-12-26T12:53:38.838Z

Thanks for the review.
Will add it to my wish list.

Interesting the he got done in a competition by a ...

2010-11-28T11:59:43.441Z

Interesting the he got done in a competition by a BJJ guy and then added BJJ, of course in a competition situation of UFC style, BJJ has huge advantages, also when it first appeared it was something new so people didn't know how to deal with it, now everyone who wants to those kind of competitions have to have a ground fighting element.

The reason why combative systems don't go

interesting points. I guess many styles have staye...

2010-11-28T01:16:04.283Z

interesting points.
I guess many styles have stayed traditional and unchanged out of a sense of consistency or even artistic integrity (i.e becoming more art than martial).
as for why my sensei adopted some BJJ? I think he had his a** handed to him in a contest by a Gracie Jujutsu student ;-)

I don't know why the Ninjutu I studied previously lacked groundfighting

@ Hugh, Just re-reading your post, just wanted to ...

2010-11-27T11:56:06.237Z

@ Hugh, Just re-reading your post, just wanted to add that if a system is good, why isn't everyone using it?
Well we just have to look around to see that less effective methods are being used, there are countless modern and ancient circumstances where things get used for many more reason than their effectiveness or worth.

The interesting question is why didn't the

Yes someone has to have done it to teach it, not j...

2010-11-27T11:25:17.945Z

Yes someone has to have done it to teach it, not just read a book. However just because someone HAS done it doesn't mean that they can teach, and as I mentioned, research has shown that in fact the higher level of performers are that for the very reason that they are less aware of and able to pass on the fine details what makes them that good.

As we are here dealing with the

Those that can do; those that can't teach. ...

2010-11-24T09:28:01.836Z

Those that can do; those that can't teach.

To me this statement is more about real world experience vs. academic knowledge. Just because you are good at getting information/skill across to someone doesn't validate the lessons as useful in the real world. There are those that teach from what they have done and those that pass on second or more hand knowledge. Maybe it

For me what are key to a system are the Principles...

2010-11-19T00:17:18.139Z

For me what are key to a system are the Principles and Philosophy that are vital, these should not change, that is why they are Principles! maintaining something superficially or changing them to confirm with current fads are IMO dead ends.
Again it comes down to keeping an open mind and being prepared to reappraise what things are. Growth doesn't always mean change, it often means

here's my 2cents worth... I'm a little amb...

2010-11-18T01:21:23.786Z

here's my 2cents worth...
I'm a little ambivalent about the subject.
Aside from being quite hard to clearly catagorize "unbroken" and "unchanged" it's not always going to be a good thing in a martial art.

I studied Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu, on and off, for several years. In order to maintain any practical applicability as a form of self defence /

I found this interesting. I have taught in many di...

2010-11-17T14:05:33.183Z

I found this interesting. I have taught in many different environments, in an diverse range of subjects ranging from sound engineering to sword play. I have also of course learned (or not) from many teachers.

Firstly I have to agree that teaching is a skill in and of itself. as you say, it is more than simply passing on information. It is a process of guiding students on a journey. In

The MKI KS waters were an ok starting place but we...

2010-11-01T22:07:55.091Z

The MKI KS waters were an ok starting place but were really wooden wasters in nylon. These MKII are much better though they are a little flexible for drilling. Hopefully the MKIIa will solve this with the steel cross option and stiffer blades.

I don't see those revival swords offering anything new, though of course we can't know till handling them. But looking at the pictures I

I look forward to that.

2010-11-01T22:05:41.981Z

I look forward to that.

We're awaiting the denser blade versions eager...

2010-11-01T14:49:59.989Z

We're awaiting the denser blade versions eagerly :-)

We still have some of the Knight shop "type 1" nylon wasters - much stiffer, with a steel cross and pommel. Heavier than the new ones and I wouldn't want to spar with them.
Great for drilling though. The flex, balance and feel is spot on.

I'll have a look at those. Unfortunately ticki...

2010-10-31T22:18:31.741Z

I'll have a look at those. Unfortunately ticking all the boxes can't be done with one tool, as it can't for any one training method.
The latest knight shop swords are the best waster swordlike objects i've handled and the new ones with the denser blades and options of steel cross may well improve them further as drilling swords and possibly sparring swords as well. Drilling

If only there was something which ticked all the b...

2010-10-31T21:11:25.859Z

If only there was something which ticked all the boxes...
Presently we use Bryan Tunstals's nylon wasters. Pretty good but suitable protection is a big issue when we want to do a bit of sparring (the quest for appropriate gloves continues).
one of the american companies is bringing out a new waster / sparring sword:

http://revival.us/spadadazoghosparringsword-2.aspx

oh, cool. Didn't know they actually had expand...

2010-10-26T04:23:41.273+01:00

oh, cool. Didn't know they actually had expanded - was just paraphrasing Life of Brian!
(blessed are the cheese makers etc.)

8') The legend goes that fleeing persecution t...

2010-10-25T15:36:17.079+01:00

8')
The legend goes that fleeing persecution they worked as shoe makers, hence the link, but it has expanded to leather goods in general

According to the Faversham Town website, they'...

2010-10-25T15:29:24.349+01:00

According to the Faversham Town website, they're the patron saints of shoemakers and saddlers.
It's probably not meant to be taken literally and applies to all manufacturers of leather goods ;-)

ah yes!! 8') Though it is in the Links section...

2010-10-23T18:27:03.094+01:00

ah yes!! 8') Though it is in the Links section on the right!