How Educational

[Emu]

How to Win a Swordfight
Swordfight
According to many popular post-apocalyptic movies (Six String Samurai, for one), someday we're going to run out of bullets. How are you going to survive when Hollywood's not there with Arnold Schwarzenegger or Mel Gibson? Read on.





Comment: Please note, much of this article is complete fantasy. Do NOT read this and expect to go swordfight, regardless of the circumstances. Even the basics of swordsmanship are far too complicated to sum up in a single article. If you are truly interested in learning, find a local dojo or contact ARMA(www.thehaca.com). All the books and videos in the world would never compare to proper instruction. Again, take this article with a grain of salt. There are a few fallacies/misinterpretations, but if you're seriously interested in the art of swordsmanship, then you probably aren't reading an online how-to article.

-HR

Steps

1. Draw your sword before you engage. We've all seen samurai movies where Miyamoto Musashi or his equivalent draws and kills in one slice, but unless you've had extensive training in the art of drawing a sword quickly, you shouldn't expect to be as successful as Musashi. It takes longer to draw a sword than it does to get hit. On the other hand, if your sword and scabbard are suitable for a quick draw, and you practice, this can be a great surprise attack.
2. Relax! It is perfectly understandable to tense up in combat, but you must make every effort to stay calm, keep the muscles loose, and regulate your breathing. If you are tight, you cannot act with speed, which can be fatal. In combat, seconds are priceless.
3. Assess the situation. Crafty fighters always strive to be aware of their surroundings, their assets and liabilities, and those of their opponent. Ideally, you should take note of the terrain and environment beforehand, and if you can, try to get an idea of how your opponent fights. Is he brave, or cautious? Skilled, or a novice? Judge every opponent differently. For instance, small opponents can frequently be overpowered, tall people have longer reach but often leave their legs exposed, etc. Everyone has a weakness. A little homework can enable you to devise a strategy to suit. That being said, it may be that you won't have time to come up with a plan, so try to do this as fast as possible.
4. Engage with care. If you charge in recklessly, especially against a trained fighter, he may just wait and let you impale yourself on his sword. By engaging carefully, you are able to maintain control and focus at all times. Be mindful of your posture, stance, weapon - and that of your opponent.
5. Have a strong defense. Missing one block or parry can be fatal, so protect yourself well. Maintain your sword in a position that runs from the bottom of your torso to the top of your head. This is a middle position, suitable for any skill level, that will enable you to respond to an attack with reasonable speed, and also gives you many angles for your own strikes.
6. Keep your weapon ready. Generally, your sword should be extended a comfortable distance away from your body, and toward your opponent's throat, or perhaps his eye. This is referred to as putting him "on point". It serves as a ward against an opponent (who must, after all, get through your sword first), and can be quite intimidating, especially to an inexperienced fighter.
7. Measure twice, cut once. Historically, in the vast majority of cases, a real sword fight was decided and ended with the first blow struck, and often took less than 30 seconds. Be sure of your attack, for it is likely that if you miss with your first strike, your opponent will take advantage, and end the fight himself with a fatal blow.
8. Maintain your distance. This depends largely on the weapons being used, but in general, if you are out of range of your opponent's weapon, he cannot harm you, and you can take time to plan and maneuver. If, however, you are within 6' or so, you must be prepared for instant action. Any closer than that, and the battle will already be over.
9. Remain calm and confident. Poise can decide a fight as surely as the sword, and is an effective stratagem. If you are nervous or frightened, your opponent may try to take advantage of your lack of confidence and attempt to goad you into making a fatal mistake. Cool warriors tend to make others wary, or even unsettled. You may also choose to show aggressiveness and intimidate your opponent instead, or even pretend to be scared, in the hope of lulling your enemy into making a fatal error.


Tips

* The art of the sword is this: to kill or incapacitate your opponent in the shortest possible time, with the least amount of effort. Everything else is secondary. Once you have engaged in combat, fight to win. This is the first and foremost rule of battle. Compassion, chivalry, and good sportsmanship are wonderful concepts, but if it's a choice between you or your enemy, the choice is obvious. Often, the fighter who is more willing to be merciless will be the one left standing after a battle. Sad, but true.
* Conserve your energy. It is well-known among veterans that a fight to the death takes an incredible amount of effort, so don't waste your time with fancy maneuvers or unnecessary motion. Your survival may depend on this.
* If possible, wear armor. Anything that extends your life past the first cut is a good investment. Be sure that it is well-fitting and durable. Be aware that while light armor gives you more freedom to maneuver and is easier to fight in, heavier armor can absorb more punishment.
* Take good care of your equipment. Well-maintained weapons and armor are far less likely to let you down when it matters most.
* Choose your weapons carefully, and if possible, carry more than one weapon. Weapons bend, break, or become wrong for the circumstance. Be sure to carry a combination of weapons that can serve in multiple situations, and that complement each other as well as your strengths.
* Remember that every part of your sword is a weapon, including the point, each edge, the handguard, and the pommel. Along with this your body is a weapon and anything around you can be a weapon. There is no reason a swordfight should be restricted to your blade. Use whatever you can to win.
* If at all possible, avoid fighting more than one person. If you must fight many opponents, try to maneuver them so that they interfere with each other, and thus enable you to deal with each one individually.
* Friends can be a big help, or a great hindrance. If you can, train with others, so that you can function together as a group. Also, try to pick allies, weapons, and techniques that complement each other, such as using a polearm from behind a couple of friends using shields and swords.
* You must learn proper parrying form or you will be cooked...you can not possibly dodge all attacks. What is important is that you learn to parry while exposing as little of the vital targets on your body as possible.
* In defense, when it's enough to only move your wrist, move just the wrist. When the wrist is not enough, move the elbow. When the elbow is not enough, move the shoulder. When none of this is enough, retreat.
* Combination strikes are more effective than single blows. In an extended battle, a good fighter will attack with more than one attack. This gives a much better chance of success than just one strike. Keeping an opponent under pressure increases the possibility of a mistake on his part.
* Most fighters tend to separate defense from attack, which limits their technique severely. The best warriors combine the two, so that a block or parry turns into a natural counterstrike. Their fighting becomes a smooth, flowing progression of movement.
* Where you are standing isn't worth dying for. If you always move in a linear fashion, or just stand still, you limit yourself, and a cunning enemy can take advantage of this. Be prepared to utilize the terrain fully, and move in whatever fashion the situation calls for.
* Use weapons and techniques you are familiar with, and that cater to your particular strengths. Trying something new during combat is a good way to get killed.
* Training is vital. If you practice very hard, perhaps 10% of what you know will be available to you during combat. You must be able to act instinctively, without thought. Basic techniques lend themselves well to this, which is why they are called 'basics'. Be sure to train yourself constantly in these essentials, for much of the time, they will be the only things you have to fall back on. It generally takes about two months to learn a technique fully, but only one month to lose it. Train constantly!
* Know the length of your sword. If both fighters are correctly judging length, you'll only ever have the opportunity to hit with the top six inches or so. Keep your eye on your sword and that of your opponent at all times. However, focusing just on the opponent's sword is not advisable, since you can be misled. A skilled fighter should be able to judge the direction of the opponent's next blow by examining his posture.
* In fencing (fighting with a sword designed to thrust, as opposed to cut), always keep your sword point directly at your opponent, if you parry (block) exactly to the end of the side of their body they will not be able to hit you. Overextending yourself (parrying past that point) will leave you vulnerable.
* Maintain your balance. Keep your weight evenly balanced on both your feet. Never cross your feet as this will throw you off balance; only the slightest bit of force can knock you over. There is a reason that almost all martial arts stress balance (there are one or two weird ones where you're constantly falling and recovering.) It gives you more options to move. But, don't present your legs as an easy target either. If your opponent allows you to take advantage of a leg shot, use it. If your opponent goes down, then the fight is over.
* Positioning of the body is important. Keep your body perpendicular and the shoulder of your sword arm pointed toward your opponent (like fencers do). This makes your torso a smaller target and will protect many of your vital organs.
* If you're using both hands to grasp a sword (as with a so-called "bastard" or a hand-and-a-half sword), keep your strong hand right under the swordguard and the other hand (the off-hand) right above the pommel. Keep your arms flexed at the elbows (but not stiff), with your strong fist in front of your solar plexus and the sword positioned as described above. When defending, your strong arm should not move far from this position.
* If your sword is properly balanced, it will work as a lever. Use your off-hand to guide it, and your strong hand to lend the force to the attack or parry.
* Examination of eyewitness accounts show that many sword duels were won by gashing the opponent's arms or thighs, then waiting until blood loss made them faint, at which point they were at their assailant's mercy. Hands, feet, arms and legs are legitimate and useful targets, and will often be easier to strike than the torso or head.
* Watch your opponent carefully. Notice where he is looking - this may be the area where he's preparing to strike. When your opponent is about to attack, his fists and shoulders may tense for a second.
* Be aware of the terrain around you and use it to your advantage. Sending an opponent tumbling backwards over an obstacle behind him will surely help. Also, placing your back to the sun can cause your enemy to be momentarily blinded, thus opening him up to a fatal strike. Just remember that the same tricks can be used against you.


Warnings

* Practice exactly as you would fight, because you will fight the way you were trained. If you impose a limitation that wouldn't normally exist in combat, you risk developing a bad habit that could ultimately prove fatal.
* Expect to be cut, or worse. A warrior who is worried about his own skin tends to freeze up in the moment of truth, which is a fatal error. The instant you take up a sword against an enemy, you are throwing your life into the wind. It will be over in a moment, and you have better things to think about than death. Do your best, and survive. Worry, and you are already defeated.
* Remember that there are no awards for 2nd place in a swordfight. 1st place means you are still standing when the fight is over. 2nd place leaves you dead. This means that, once you set out to fight someone with a sword, or indeed, any weapon, your ultimate goal is survival, not a prize.
* Never, ever turn around. We've all seen the end of The Return of the Jedi, where Luke does the fancy spin maneuver. Although flashy and cool, it is largely ineffective, and doesn't work. Turning your back to your opponent, even for a second, can have fatal consequences, so don't do it!
* Never, ever let go of your sword. We all appreciate the scene in Willow where Mad Martigan tosses the sword this way and that with the greatest of ease, but if you aren't holding on to your sword, you may as well not have one. A single blow on an airborne sword will send it flying and you become defenseless, so, unless you've got more than one sword to waste, keep your hands on your weapon.
* When using a two-handed blade, keep your arms from crossing. You lose much of your maneuverability, which can be disastrous. Use the "lever" grip described above.
* Sword twirling is usually reserved only for drum majors leading a marching band. In combat sword twirling can result in losing the grip on your sword, as well as leave you exposed to attack. That said, doing a "windmill" with a two-handed blade can leave a less experienced fighter intimidated - though it is tiring, and is not advisable against a more experienced opponent.
* When fencing (for fun, like kids with sticks), the #1 mistake most people make is they try to hit the sword instead of the person. If you keep that in mind -- hitting the person (his hand, body, or head), not his sword -- you can more easily defeat someone who is attacking your sword (or stick). Plus you find your posture and confidence change, and that usually spooks an amateur.
* It's a cliche, but always expect the unexpected. There never were any clearly defined rules of sword fighting other than survival. Your opponent could kick at you, throw dirt in your face, or any one of a thousand other things to distract you. Remember that these are tactics that you can also employ.
* Staying on the defensive is only partially effective. In historic German style swordplay, keeping your opponent on the defensive is the best way to keep them from attacking. Use with care.
* The most important thing to remember is that swordplay is not "play". It is very serious business to draw a sword. Swords were designed for killing, no other purpose. Treat a sword with the same respect as a firearm and others will treat you with respect.
* It is said that the greatest warrior is the one who never has to draw his sword. This can mean that a swordsman has only himself to compare to, and doesn't need to test himself against an opponent. More practically, if you are in a true sword fight, seriously consider running away. When Abe Lincoln was challenged to a duel, he skipped it (and became president years later). Sword fighting is a good way to get killed, and is very hard to explain to the authorities (hence why duels are illegal). A three inch thrust or slice in your neck/face area is fatal or debilitating, 80% of the time. This means that the most likely outcome of a real sword fight is that the "loser" dies fast, and the "winner" dies slow. If you survive a sword fight without injury, consider yourself lucky, and try to avoid such things in the future. If the unfortunate does happen, and you are hurt, seek medical attention immediately.