7
votes
Are "stage combat" swords fine for HEMA training/bouting?
The reason steel feders are so widely used in HEMA is due to them being able to be used safely in partner drills, especially at higher intensity .
Stage combat swords miss the rolled tip and bending ...
- 91
6
votes
Accepted
Why do federschwerten have a schilt, when longswords don't?
According to this site, the schilt is a safety thing, to route a blocked blade away from the fingers. Non-training weapons generally don't have them because, being larger and heavier, they already ...
- 11k
5
votes
Why do federschwerten have a schilt, when longswords don't?
First of all, this isn't universal: there are sharp swords with a flared ricasso (schilt) and feders without.
"Feder" is very much a modern term, and broadly just means a longsword foil ...
5
votes
Accepted
Does blade flex have any function beyond durability?
In most cases, sword flex is only for the sake of durability and excessive flexibility is likely to interfere with doing proper damage with your blade. A major exception is the urumi, or "whip ...
- 11k
5
votes
Accepted
Defending legs with a sword
The same source text you're quoting mentions the use of Uberlauffen or overrunning as defense against low threats. The idea is to use a Scheitelhau (or a similarly executed thrust) to strike before ...
- 166
5
votes
Starting my own HEMA club, any advice?
A few simple piece of advice for anyone thinking of starting their own club.
First and foremost, your finances and the club's finances must be separate in all legal sense. If you take a loan, this ...
5
votes
Accepted
Buying My First Metal Sword (HEMA)
If you are in the US want to buy your first steel sword either sharp or blunt, my suggestion is to take a look at HEMA Supplies, a US-based importer and reseller of Peter Regenyei's swords that seem ...
5
votes
Starting off in HEMA without joining a club
This answer is late in coming, but I was in the same boat. No HEMA club, just me, and later some friends. I'll split this answer up into 1) Books and 2) Equipment.
Books
I highly recommend Guy Windsor'...
- 885
5
votes
Gloves for longsword sparring
This is a cost analysis (kinda) answer1.
What would being injured cost you? Do you have medical insurance/free health care? Would a broken hand/finger(s) mean you would be effectively unable to ...
4
votes
Accepted
Choice of a sword for HEMA
You should really be asking your club, rather than here. If you have just started training then you should not even be using a full weight sword. Safety and strength aside, your joints (and connecting ...
- 330
4
votes
Defending legs with a sword
From a non-HEMA perspective: you want to minimize the time it takes to defend the current attack, while maintaining a position that can still adapt for your own attacks or to defend potential future ...
- 13.7k
4
votes
Defending legs with a sword
If we think about things completely in the abstract, slipping the leg while striking the head is a better option: because you're attacking and defending in the same motion it is virtually impossible ...
4
votes
Starting my own HEMA club, any advice?
I would look at joining the HEMA Alliance, they can provide a lot of help. They also provide insurance, which is a nice perk.
In addition, their forums, and their groups on facebook are great places ...
- 350
4
votes
Accepted
Is "Jogo do Pau" (stickfighting) derived from longsword fighting?
Most certainly not.
This article on Jogo do Pau specifically tells a story of how stick fighting naturally evolved in rural areas as it is both a useful thing to have in general in the wilderness as ...
- 6,172
3
votes
Are "stage combat" swords fine for HEMA training/bouting?
Stage Weapons Should Not Be Used In Sparring.
Their construction and materials are generally less damage tolerant than their "battle ready" equivalents. This runs the risk of several bad ...
- 885
3
votes
Accepted
Is "Jogo do Pau" the only historic European martial art kept alive until today?
NO, not even if one is being charitable.
Unarmed, we have Greek wrestling was a popular form of martial art, at least in Ancient Greece (about 1100 to 146 BC). and Glima, as pointed out by ...
3
votes
Is "Jogo do Pau" the only historic European martial art kept alive until today?
If we're talking about sword-fighting, there are a lot of historical reconstruction groups. A link to a Tournament of Warriors held in Lithuania. https://youtu.be/pZH74NSmpfM
And there is Glima. A ...
- 290
3
votes
Is there a technique/trick to maintain balance when fighting in close combat on a ship, armed or unarmed?
In the absence of other responses, I will give a kung fu perspective. I have no personal experience with savate, so I cannot productively comment on it or your reference.
Your normal fighting stance ...
- 13.7k
3
votes
Sword vs. Mace in armored mounted combat
A sword was much more expensive than a mace. A simple mace is a lump of iron strapped to the end of a stick. A sword needs high quality steel tempered competently. That's why longswords emerged only ...
- 480
3
votes
Accepted
When to bind in european sword & buckler?
Roland Warzecha has quite a bit to say on the subject. You should consider looking through his website and YouTube channel.*
Dimicator Medieval Swordplay
Roland Warzecha on YouTube
His research and ...
- 1,673
3
votes
Accepted
HEMA Wrestling Guide
Yes there are treatises regarding Wrestling and Swordsmanship.
As can be seen on ARMA's Master Ott's Wrestling:
Hans Talhoffer (1443), Ms.Chart.A.558 (HK 20)
Peter von Danzig, Cod.44 A 8 (Cod....
- 146
3
votes
Starting my own HEMA club, any advice?
My friend studies HEMA-German Long Sword, and while I practice with him, I don't have any particular advice for how to practice the style.
What I would like to say is, especially in the beginning, ...
- 31
2
votes
Gloves for longsword sparring
Red Dragon Gloves are rubbish for steel longsword. Here in germany, switzerland and austria they used to be tournament legal together with lacrosse gloves (in some places they still are) and they had ...
- 91
2
votes
Why are outside parries not used in rapier fencing?
I'm afraid that you'd have to ask the people at the rapier class you attended, because not all HEMA practioners outlaw a Sixte. It is possible that they don't actually have anything against a Sixte, ...
- 11k
2
votes
Does blade flex have any function beyond durability?
There are two types of steel, hard steel and soft steel.
The purpose of hard steel is edge retention. The purpose of soft steel is absorbing shock. The purpose of blade flex is so the sword does not ...
- 271
2
votes
Accepted
Have hammer fists been used in Boxing?
No
Boxing rules require striking with the knuckles, which will render illegal both hammerfists and backfists. More specifically, from the USA Boxing National Rule Book, and their list of boxing fouls (...
- 11k
2
votes
Is it important to train with poorly weighted swords?
I can see a number of reasons why you might choose to train with a poorly weighted/balanced/constructed swords.
Cost - If all you can afford is a poor quality cheap sword, this is still a superior ...
- 622
1
vote
Is it important to train with poorly weighted swords?
Here's an anecdote from my Chen taiji study: I was looking for a good place near my job to practice on my lunch hour. I found a little beach and was interested in the fact that the ground was uneven ...
- 215
1
vote
Does blade flex have any function beyond durability?
Although blade flex's primary role is durability, preventing the sword from bending/shattering/otherwise breaking...
There is another benefit
A certain degree of blade flex will also make cutting ...
- 885
1
vote
Where can I learn about HEMA shields?
The Bolognese sources (1500s) contain information on fighting with both buckler and larger shields, but more importantly, cape. Achille Marozzo has large sections on both. Antonio Manciolino mainly ...
- 11
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible