Broadsword League

[Polar Bear]

Can you define semi-sharp?

About as sharp as a butter knife.

YouTube- Armour Class Late Period Longsword

Here is a vid of the sword I use currently.

[BadUglyMagic]

His contention isn't all about mindset. His contention is that his friend's body of technique is incorrect because his hesitation to fully deliver a stroke creates a flaw.

A better example would be if you never completely locked an elbow out for fear of crippling someone - by always giving them a few degrees of bend, you'd never learn the feeling of fully applying an armbar.

JC

I may have misunderstood his example. I understood his contention as that people who compete in sportive events ( or SCA or other) would not be able to to execute a lethal strike because because that competition experience will prevent them/cause fatal hesitation.

The example was regarding a person with superior training and physical ability who was unable to perform a particular fatal cut. He attributes it to the sportative competitions, I to mindset. I would agree that depending on the person it coud be either or both.

Armbar. I believe that "Fear of crippling someone" is an example of mindset.

It could just be a semantics thing.

[Polar Bear]

Armbar. I believe that "Fear of crippling someone" is an example of mindset.

It could just be a semantics thing.

I understand why you think it is a only a matter of mindset but it is a mistake. Humans are far more complex than the simple fight or flight instinct. You simply cannot think yourself a killer and suddenly that is what you are. You need to train the body to take killing actions without recourse to moral overlays. It is why most modern military training methods use a form of induced psychosis in early training to break the normal behaviour patterns in recruits.

[Permalost]

About as sharp as a butter knife.

YouTube- Armour Class Late Period Longsword

Here is a vid of the sword I use currently.

Why even bother with an edge?

[BadUglyMagic]

You need to train the body to take killing actions without recourse to moral overlays. It is why most modern military training methods use a form of induced psychosis in early training to break the normal behaviour patterns in recruits.

Sorry to bring you back in, I was just responding to JC......... A delayed response.

Mmmmm, training protocols for behavior mods is prolly a different thread. Just sayin'.

[Polar Bear]

Why even bother with an edge?

The handling characteristics. Also it forces you to cut and deflect properly or ruin your sword. I discovered that changing to the semi-sharp radically altered some techniques.

[Polar Bear]

Sorry to bring you back in, I was just responding to JC......... A delayed response.

Mmmmm, training protocols for behavior mods is prolly a different thread. Just sayin'.

Yeah, it's a complex issue. The only thing I would add is that if it was down to mindset then TMA should hold it's own against MMA. Since if it is a matter of mindset, training with aliveness shouldn't matter. It reminds me of an old saying "In battle we don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training".

[lklawson]

JC

I may have misunderstood his example. I understood his contention as that people who compete in sportive events ( or SCA or other) would not be able to to execute a lethal strike because because that competition experience will prevent them/cause fatal hesitation.

I think that it boils down to the old adage, "you fight the way you train." If you only ever do point/tag "light/no contact" sparring then you're going to pull your punches automatically, even when your life's on the line. If you never have to worry about edge-alignment when fencing (as is a common trap for fencers using "sticks" to stand in for blades) then you'll not have any edge-awareness when fencing with sharps. If you routinely over-power your cuts in "assaulting" because you never do any test-cutting with sharps, then you're going to do the same thing when you fence "for real" (yeah, yeah, I know); you're are going to cut too heavily and over-extend yourself, opening yourself up for timed ripostes.

The example was regarding a person with superior training and physical ability who was unable to perform a particular fatal cut. He attributes it to the sportative competitions, I to mindset. I would agree that depending on the person it coud be either or both.

Too much time in the "sportative competitions" in which the sporting rules foster some sort of "hold back" is what would cause the issue which PB is referring too.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk