European Medieval Combat

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[tedehara]

Just bought Hans Talhoffer's Medieval Combat (trans. Mark Rector). After reading some posts on another thread, I realized other people are also interested or participating in re-creation of European fighting systems.

Has your aikido experiences helped or are irrelevant? How are the people from the Society of Creative Anacronism or the group you train with, different/same as the dojo you go to? Any other interesting experiences or insights?

[Lan Powers]

Hi Ted

You have hit on one of my big interests. :D

Full contact armored combat is quite a lot of fun......done lots of it in the 15 or so years that I have participated in the S.C.A.

Work and general life-scheduling have pretty much put a halt to getting to make fighter practices. But, the few times I have gotten to go, melees are much better after learning about randori techniques. When I get my center into my sword shots, they are much more effective.

Haven't worked with spear yet in combat since starting aikido, but I bet I can "acquire" one from opponents with more ease and style.:p We'll see at the war.:freaky:

I have found that the footwork for sword and shield technique gets in the way of my newer footwork patterns.HA!

Lan

[Bronson]

Has your aikido experiences helped or are irrelevant?
I've been unable to participate the last three years due to work :( but I still pull things from my experiences with the SCA into the dojo. When I was still active I was pulling things from the dojo into my SCA practice.
How are the people from the Society of Creative Anacronism or the group you train with, different/same as the dojo you go to?
Mostly they are the same as any other people you might meet. I did find that the number of people with an inflated sense of self-importance was sometimes pretty high. There are people who train it as a serious martial art, some do it to keep active, some because their S.I. is involved, etc. just like the dojo.
Any other interesting experiences or insights?
After about a year of aikido training I was fighting the guy who'd taught me polearm. We faced off for a few seconds and he said "stop that". "Stop what?" I said. "I don't know what your doing but it's different and I don't like it...so stop it." he said. Then I hit him in the face :D

Try very hard to not throw you partner with kotegeashi during fencing practice...they

hate it :rolleyes:

Make sure you have good strong neck muscles before you try to roll with a 13lb helmet on.

Bronson

[paw]

Ted,

Read This thread (http://mma.tv/TUF/DisplayMessages.cfm?TID=26272&P=54&FID=43&c=1) for a variety of opinions on SCA.

Regards,

Paul

[Bronson]

Ted,

If you are new to the medieval scene and are interested in the SCA you should definitely read the thread posted by Paul. While it leans a little to the con side of the SCA many many of the points are valid and it'll give you a good heads up for things to watch for.

If you're not new and are honest with yourself you've probably already noticed that stuff.

Bronson