Combat Con, BS or useful?

[Coeloptera]

I'm in Vegas, and I dunno if anyone's even heard of this thing: http://thecombatcon.com

As far as I can find out, it's a year old, has few instructors, few of any real note, and the subject matter and class time seems a bit less than useful.

Also, there are vids:

Look at 0:50, is it even likely to catch a punch straight-on that way at speed? I really have my doubts.

So, opinions?

- Coeloptera

[slamdunc]

Combat Con: Where History And Fantasy Meet

I went through their web page; it is difficult to determine if they are showcasing or offering actual instruction. Some of the sessions are workshops and others are actually listed as classes. The term LARP comes to mind, and it appears to be more of a Renaissance faire.

The video is mind-boggling. To answer your question, no it is unlikely that anyone can catch a punch at speed. The compliant attacker is the only thing working in this guy's favor. The whole program looks like it was either set up as a marketing strategy or for entertainment, but it is highly unlikely that learning Jedi Fighting, Whip Popping or Armored Longsword classes will help you in the real world. Unless, of course, you happen to carry around your longsword and whip on a regular basis.

[Chili Pepper]

Oh geez, 1:52, on the extreme left - Captain Jack Sparrow is watching the whip demo. There's a few people in costume, but he's the most obvious.

[lklawson]

Combat Con is an outgrowth of ISMAC and some other pop-culture movements combining. It tends to have a heavy emphasis on Stage Combat, while merging interest from pop movements such as the Steampunk movement.

One of the goals of Combat Con is to find these pop movement interests and channel them into representative martial arts so, while it's not LARPing, it intentionally draws some actual real LARPers (instead of the insult/description). For instance, that "Captain Jack Sparrow" fella you see may actually be a Pirate LARP fella who came to Combat Con to get some real instruction on how Sabers, Daggers, and Cutlasses were actually used in period so that he can enhance his Pirate Character. Maybe he makes his actual money as an actor in a Pirate Troupe working for Ren Fairs and is looking to make his sword fighting routines more historically accurate? (Yes, those of us who have actually studied Cutlass can tell when actors are just making it up and when they have some sort of solid foundation and, if we went to a Ren Fair to while away an afternoon we might object to piss-poor choreography from the local Pirate Troupe and may not tip for squat.)

And why does studying Longsword or whip have to have jack-squat to do with helping you martially "in the real world"? If you're really that worried about self defense, buy a gun and learn how to use that.

How often to people complain about the SASS being "LARPers <rofl>"??? They wear cowboy costumes, create fictional characters for themselves, and set up "Saloon Shoots" and other "unrealistic" things all in the name of fun. Maybe it's because they can shoot at you? ;)

As for whether or not Combat Con has any instructors of any "real note" that's what someone says who's not familiar with the Western Martial Arts. If you don't know Who's Who in the Italian Longsword movement then sure, to you, they're nobody. I admit that I don't know the Who's Who of Krav Maga and half of what I've seen of Krav has been crap anyway. Should I go by that if I see there's a Krav convention being offered?

Don't think of this as a traditional Martial Arts Convention. Those are passe anyway and it's hard to get interest in them outside of the narrow group of people who are already interested in that material. Instead, think of it as a way to get Zombie aficionados interested in learning how to box by having a "Class" on how to fight your way out of a Bar Room over-run by Zombies. I'll let you in on a secret: They know zombies aren't real - they're just having fun.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[lklawson]

The video is mind-boggling.

The video is a freaking demo. :P Maybe you don't understand how demos work but the fact is demos are for spectators and, yes, there has to be a certain element of "entertainment" to a demo or the spectators will shuffle off to a more interesting demo. Demos are about flash. No one would watch a demo where DeLongis slips the punch and counters with an elbow. They're there to watch a big name do fun and entertaining things with the whip.

And, yes, DeLongis is a big name in the "historically authentic stage combat, western arts" area. I've seen him in everything from from Cold Steel instructional videos to Jet Li movies and iCarly.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[Chili Pepper]

And, yes, DeLongis is a big name in the "historically authentic stage combat, western arts" area. I've seen him in everything from from Cold Steel instructional videos to Jet Li movies and iCarly.

... not that Kirk watches iCarly.

Yeah, if you look at the guest list on the website, every single one of them is connected with fight choreography and film.

[lklawson]

... not that Kirk watches iCarly.

The heck I don't! If I were still 10, I'd be all like, "Carly is HOT and man how I..." um... ahh... I mean, errr, my 10 year old son watches it.

Yeah, if you look at the guest list on the website, every single one of them is connected with fight choreography and film.

I just re-read my replies and I gotta say that I come across as pretty grumpy.

In my own defense, I've only had 4 cups of coffee, 2 cups of tea, and no caffeine pill yet today so I'm still not quite up to the day yet. :(

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[Permalost]

I'd be pretty excited to do some training with Anthony DeLongis. I like his teaching style, and he's worked with an impressive scope of people over the years. Plus his specialty is the bullwhip, which is one of the oddities I train with as well.

[lklawson]

I'd be pretty excited to do some training with Anthony DeLongis. I like his teaching style, and he's worked with an impressive scope of people over the years. Plus his specialty is the bullwhip, which is one of the oddities I train with as well.

You're a whip feller? I had no idea!

I recall reading a friends martial arts website which included some whip material. He had a few links to other whip stuff such as Bullwhip makers &tc. They, of course, had other links on their websites. I was something like three links before I was hip deep into S&M & Fetish sites. :)

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

[Permalost]

You're a whip feller? I had no idea!

Yeah, several years ago at one of the first DB gatherings I saw a guy fight whip + dagger against a staff, and I thought it was pretty awesome so I went and got a whip and started learning to crack it in different ways. It's not something I learned properly in FMA or CMA though, and honestly my whip's been sitting around for a few months now. Its hard to schedule bullwhip time alongside a full time job, girlfriend, working out, and regular martial arts training. But I can crack a whip a few ways and hit targets with the tip.

I was something like three links before I was hip deep into S&M & Fetish sites. :)

Yeah, seems to go with the territory. I thought it was kinda weird, because a bullwhip doesn't seem well suited for that- there's almost never enough room to wield it indoors and a proper whip crack can actually injure.

Fun story: about two years ago, I went on a date with an interesting woman. A skinny Asian girl who was a concert violinist and wine enthusiast who also practiced kung fu. She was interested in how I train and I showed her my FMA gearbag, and my bullwhip was in it. Turns out she was quite skilled with one. She also told me that she was, in fact, a secret dominatrix. Things didn't work out romantically, but we became friends and I learned some interesting stuff about their type and the clientelle of dominatrices.