SWORDDUELING.COM

From another sword-blog – Otake-shihan on Freeplay, here is the post –

I just found a great quote I wanted to share with anyone reading this blog. You’ve all read things I’ve written about Otake Risuke, the current Shihan of Tenshinsho-dan Katori Shinto-ryu. This ryu is the oldest extant Japanese martial arts school and is listed as an ‘intangible cultural asset’; it comes from the days when bushi fought for real. Otake-shihan is considered a living national treasure of Japan and is the only one who holds a full license (gokui kaiden) in the art. In my opinion he is the greatest swordsman of any system living today. This quote can be found in its entirety here: http://www.cateransociety.com/Joseki.htm:

“Kata is still the teaching method in the classical Japanese sword arts precisely because it preserves the essence of the art’s history—the art as it was understood by those who created it. Some schools, such as the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu … pride themselves on the fact that they have never used any type of free sparring in their practice.

{Otake-shihan said:} “(I)t is said that a shiai, or competitive contest, is synonymous with shiniai, which means ‘to meet for the sake of death.’ That is another way of saying that any kind of combat is a serious matter of life and death. As a result, from then until now, competitive matches have been forbidden in Katori Shinto Ryu…”

Otake-shihan then went on to say that, in sparring, “the vital responsibility and danger of handling a real weapon is replaced by the mental approach of the game-player with a toy weapon.”

Game players with toy weapons. Perfect. Real swordsmen don’t do freeplay.

I just want to give an open challenge to anyone who takes this attitude. You are wrong. Find me a two swordsmen – one who has sparred countless times against countless people using shinai or the like (along with doing whatever else they want) versus somebody who has only trained themselves to react to predetermined stimuli with predetermined responses with a small group of fellows who even know the kata they are using.

All the great swordsmen sing a pretty constant refrain that the quality they win with is essentially a mind in satori leading to unconstrained action perfect for the moment that is here and now.

As a note, I have nothing against kata. Additionally, I recognize that a fight with steel swords means one must overcome and ignore the fear of death and that is a whole other matter. Nevertheless, if you haven’t tasted the realistic chaos of sparring and tried to apply your kata in that context, you are missing something important.

[p.s. I just read the original article the post quotes and it is good and goes into length about how although Asian arts are inclined to kata and Western to free-sparring, both do both, and both are worthwhile]

I don’t think the jian and saber are evenly matched when the guy with the jian gets to make two moves for every one of the saber (which doesn’t get to apply power in this slo-mo), while meanwhile making unlikely dodges, does not show the jian well.
I mean these moves are just are not likely to be used in a fight.
The jian’s response to attacks should be more about cutting tendons and the neck as time cuts and thrusts, at least against heavier weapons.

I wish these people at http://www.rsw.com.hk, these German people, these L.A. Kensyobudo people and Portland’s Mu Ryu could all battle.
Of course, nobody uses the same weapons.

Mounted Broadsword Match; USA, c. 1910

U.S. Navy Cutlass Practice 1898

Singlestick practice in Cadets in Brownsville, Texas practicing with hickory sabers.

This are from J. Christopher Amberger’s Fencing Blog. He also wrote The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts, which is one of the best sword books out there and highly recommended.

This page has a ton of anecdotes about bloody old school Old World fencing duels and the grievous wounds inflicted, that but paused the blood-ardor in the opponents eyes, until like a mad dying boar he runs you through and through too.

Here is a good tale:

While the previous tale seems amazing enough, hardly anyone can tell a story more incredible than that witnessed by R. Deerhurst. Two duelists, identified only as “His Grace, the Duke of B ” and “Lord B “, after an exchange of exceptionally cordial letters of challenge met in the early morning to conduct their affair with pistols and swords. The combat began with a pistol ball inflicting a slight wound to the Duke’s thumb. A second firing was exchanged in which Lord B was then wounded slightly. Each then immediately drew his sword and rushed upon the other with reckless ferocity. After an exchange of only one or two thrusts, the two became locked corps a corps. Struggling to free themselves by “repeated wrenches,” they finally separated enough to allow the Duke to deliver a thrust which entered the inside of Lord B ’s sword arm and exited the outside of the arm at the elbow. Incredible as it may seem, his Lordship was still able to manage his sword and eventually drove home a thrust just above Duke B ’s right nipple. Transfixed on his Lordship’s blade, the Duke nevertheless continued, attempting repeatedly to direct a thrust at his Lordship’s throat. With his weapon fixed in His Grace’s chest, Lord B now had no means of defense other than his free arm and hand. Attempting to grasp the hostile blade, he lost two fingers and mutilated the remainder. Finally, the mortally wounded Duke penetrated the bloody parries of Lord B’s hand with a thrust just below Lord B ’s heart.

In the Hollywood swashbucklers this scene might well have have ended at this point, if not long before, but real life often seems to have a more incredible, and certainly in this case, more romantic outcome. Locked together at close quarters and unable to withdraw their weapons from each other’s bodies for another thrust, the two stood embracing each other in a death grip. At this point the seconds, attempting to intercede, begged the pair to stop. Neither combatant would agree, however, and there they both remained, each transfixed upon the blade of the other until, due to extensive blood loss, his Lordship finally collapsed. In doing so, he withdrew his sword from the Duke’s body and, staggering briefly, fell upon his weapon, breaking the blade in two. A moment later, the “victorious” Duke deliberately snapped his own blade and, with a sigh, fell dead upon the corpse of his adversary.

I think this goes to show that chopping is the preferred way to attack the enemy because it cuts through or batters away the opponent – once their forearm cut to or through the bone, they aren’t holding a sword and once a sword chops into their skull they can’t swing a sword and once any tendon or muscle is cut, they become closer to a puppets with cut strings.