Sword Fighting!

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My friends and i have been sparring with wood sticks for a long time, we have become very proficient in our own particular style and have become well toned due to the amount of wrestling that takes place too. However i am now 17 and i have done this since i was 15 and i am begginnning to believe that i am learning bad habits as i ahve NEVER had any formal training.
I just want to ask your opinions of what style i should be taught in and where it would be taught? I live in ENGLAND in the SOUTH WEST so if you can suggest a particular place it would be helpful, but any ideas would be helpful.

 

Never tried but my sister used to be in a club in Okehampton (just up the road for you). Something to do with the community college I think. Also a collegue fences in national competitions and is ranked in the top 100 in the UK so.....
http://www.fencing.net (US bias sorry) http://www.fencing.net/search/Clubs/England/ (UK clubs they listed some for Taunton and Truro)

 

I did fencing (in the foil style) for 3 years. but i stopeed about 2 years ago. There are 3 fencing styles:-

foil - must hit with point on upper body. It's all about speed and accuaracy (i was fast but not always acurate)
sabre - hit with point or blade on upper body or helmet. More slashing than thrusting.
Epee - (the heaviset and longest blade) Can hit with any part of the sword on any part of your opponent. Hardest to learn but helps the other 2 styles.

I stopped because i would have had to move into the adult group to go onto the next grade. But i was only 13 and i didn't really want to. It's also very tiring, i was sweating more after every 1 hour session than should be possible.

It's helped with my other activites. Being able to pass into a state of meditation while fighting is very helpful. As is being able to block out pain. Both of which i developed through my fencing.

I now work out with my own style which is a mix of traditional kung fu moves (mostly praying mantis style) mixed in with some break-dancing moves and cartwheels/flips etc. What i learnt when i fenced helps immensely to this type of working out.

As to where you could do it. I live in the south east of england and did it down at my local leisure centre. The person who took my class takes every class in kent and was training and assistant since he is about 60 years old, and still faster than anybody else i have ever seen. He was aactually taught by the person who developed the light-sabre fighting style in the original trilogy of star wars films. I don't know if he teaches outside kent but you just need to look around at various places. Try sports and leisure centres etc.

Hope this helped.

 

Brill stuff slappy didn't know you lived around here?
I do enjoy fencing and when i said i have had no formal training i meant i have had a little training in fencing and it never really excited me, i was more on the lines of medieval swords fighting, however i ahve the feeling that maybe you have to have a backround in fencing first?


EDIT!!
just read your post lazy, very interesting, maybe i should try this fencing lark for real after all. Cos although i have had no training, because of the way i am always wrestling and fighting i have become quite quick, maybe this will help me get faster



[This message has been edited by Sir Dargorn (edited May 27, 2002).]

 

You're welcome But I don't live in Okehampton anymore. I grew up there (well from age 8) but moved away about 15 years ago. I still visit Okey and Tavistock as I have friends and family there. I've also recently moved to Bath so am slowly making my way back to the civilised part of the world.

 

I should learn fencing, sounds like fun.

Though I did get many a bruised knuckle in my younger days from sticks.

 

how about a japanese martial art like kendo?

 

Just a hack's opinion (Ha! Get it? Hack!):

If you're looking for sword fighting that would do you some good "on the street," skip fencing. I took it in college, and it wa fun but not realistic.

Kendo is better, but for the real stuff -- as in, an actual fighting system that has continued to improve over time instead of becoming something holding closer to tradition than effetiveness -- try escrima or kali. Those are two Phillipino arts that are usually practiced with sticks or a stick and a practice dagger.

Another good system is Silat. http://uk.dir.yahoo.com/regional/countries/united_kingdom/recreation_and_sport/sport/martial_arts/silat/

 

Who needs swords when you can use... Crutches!

Dinotiggy and I had a battle with them once and it is actually quite fun, until I nearly hit a couple of other people we had to stop

Though I must admit playing with swords is fun (Nobody tell my parents, or my grandad, it was his sword!)

 

For some harmless, yet incredibly sad, fun, play Duel of the Fates out of your window, get a broom handle, and spar with your friend! That's how I got to be "deadly" with a quaterstaff.