Not real knowledgeable in the sword department and was wondering if anyone has any good suggestions on what to look for if I want to learn sword fighting. Fencing is the obvious one, also kendo, anything else?
Iaido
I would try a seminar with John Clement’s if you have the chance. 
Kinjit, are you familiar with that group at all? the reason I ask is because I work at a Renaissance Festival and have to deal with the SCA and all the so-called fencers out there (stage fencing and ballon fencing mostly) and don’t really want to get mixed up in the geek squad goes to the martial arts thing. I will look over the webpage when I have more time but any information or experiences you have had would help.
Yes, I practice the ARMA method… It’s just a small group and none of us is terribly experienced (my instructor has 20 years in japanese martial arts prior), but I’ve been to one seminar with Clements and I have to say that he really knows his sh!t - he is the tasmanian devil with a longsword. 
Anyway, as always when there are swords involved you get your share of geeks. But the focus on arma is martial effiency only, it does not concern itself with roleplaying, reenacting and what not. So most serious practictioners are interested at being able to fight in realistic conditions. I haven’t done SCA but from what I know about it I have to say arma’s sparring method is much more realistic. It’s pretty much vale tudo with a sword. 
Anyway, check out some of the videos on the site.
Well, just a suggestion.
Thanks Kinjit, I wil ldefinitley check it out. I am not looking to do it for any other reason then I want to. I don’t see sword training as terribly practical, but it look slike a hell of a lot of fun anyway!
Depends on what kind of sword fighting you are looking for I guess. Fencing is based on duelling, so if you are looking for melee fighting fencing probably won’t give you that much. Good fun though.
Now I will sit back and wait for someone like Gene or another fencing guru to spank me for that statement.
Originally posted by red5angel
Thanks Kinjit, I wil ldefinitley check it out. I am not looking to do it for any other reason then I want to. I don’t see sword training as terribly practical, but it look slike a hell of a lot of fun anyway!
Presumably, you’re not planning on getting into a sword fight anytime soon, so “fun” is your main factor here.
So try out several different kinds of sword fighting, and see which one feels the most fun to you.
I fenced in college, and it can be lots of fun, but only if you approach it with the right mindset.
Kendo’s a bit more hard contact, but the equipment involved’s pretty expensive. I don’t know if that’s an issue for you or not.
fatherdog, yep, just looking for something to do for fun. doesn’t mean I won’t take it seriously but lik eyou pointed out, I don’t expect to get into any real sword fights anytime soon!
Red5Angel,
I studied fencing briefly because of its relation to eskrima. Loved it. If you give that a try, I expect you’ll see a lot of crossover.
(But then, that’ll probably be the case for other types of swordfighting too.)
Stuart B.
Ap, I am looking at studieng fencing see if I enjoy it. The problem I have is that much like any martial art, there seems to be quite a few people claiming to know more then they do, and many of those people teach. I’ve had some negative exposure to some fencers locally here, like I said, “Balloon Fencing” is what they do and it seems more in the pursuit of girls then anything else.
Hmm… Never really considered fencing to be a babe magnet. Maybe I was doing it wrong.
Yeah, quality of instruction is always going to be an issue. When I did it in college, it was the SCA crowd. They did competition fencing as well. Personally, I didn’t care much where one started and the other ended. I mostly just valued the opportunity to put on the gear and test conclusions.
Stuart B.
Originally posted by apoweyn
Hmm… Never really considered fencing to be a babe magnet. Maybe I was doing it wrong.
:rolleyes:
hehe
One thing fencing will do is improve your footwork and awareness of distance quite a bit.
Amen. Reaction time too.
The economy of motion in fencing is pretty amazing as well, I have to say.
Is it just me ?
or has no body talked about the sword fighting skills of CMA ?
Nope. I thought about that myself. But since I don’t have any experience with CMA fencing…
I would love to learn some chinese jian skills, but folks instructing it in a practical manner seems pretty… rare indeed!
I don’t expect to get into any real sword fights anytime soon!
yea, but we could still dream about it…is that a jimmy buffet song I hear in the background (son of a sailor).
this is a sucky age to be alive in…too late to be a pirate and we’re not in space yet !!!