So I was watching some Olympic fencing the other day. Now obviously if you handed these guys some rapiers they'd shred any idiot that challenged them to a sword fight. Buttt....
In close 70% of the fencing exchanges, there was a double stab. That is both opponents landed milliseconds apart. Then they look at the judges who decide who landed a millisecond sooner. Whatever the case though, in a real sword fight that would have equated to both guys being stabbed. Soooo, in real sword fights, were people double stabbing each other like all the time?
Right. For better or worse, for greater sport performance it becomes more and more specialized. Modern fencing has far less in common with classic fencing (both sport) than it used to. I mean, in two of the weapons you have limited target areas. Only in epee can you attack the entire body. Both have drifted more than a wee bit from the good ole' days of being able to tell who won by the guy who walked away. I supposed the judges found a way to guarantee themselves job security.
But then there is the argument that many sports, which were originally practiced as preparation for combat, have drifted far from their original purpose.
But in terms of hand-eye coordination, you have to be a seriously well-connected motherfucker to do well at fencing. When the entire match can be over in a eye-blink, well, that, at least, is impressive.
So I was watching some Olympic fencing the other day. Now obviously if you handed these guys some rapiers they'd shred any idiot that challenged them to a sword fight. Buttt....
In close 70% of the fencing exchanges, there was a double stab. That is both opponents landed milliseconds apart. Then they look at the judges who decide who landed a millisecond sooner. Whatever the case though, in a real sword fight that would have equated to both guys being stabbed. Soooo, in real sword fights, were people double stabbing each other like all the time?
The first thing you forget "on the ground" is your fencing superiority. Your sensibilities increase tremendously. As soon as you are stripped to the waist, the chilly morning makes you think: "Even if I come out f this in good shape, it wouldn't be a bit funny to die of pneumonia."
A few yards away, you notice that your adversary talks leisurely with his seconds. You recall that he is also a racing expert, and it seems to you that he couldn't behave any differently were he waiting for the morning training gallops. Since the war, however, you have never arisen so early--for gallops, or any other reason; moreover, this is your first duel. You are not at ease. Particularly when you see a couple of doctors in white shirts silently laying out a hideous assortment of surgical instruments upon a little table. "They may be for me in a few seconds"--and this though is definitely unpleasant, even if the birds are singing happily in a beautiful sky.
No expert but I think in a real sword fight people would be more defensive?
I challenge any of you cans to a fencing match.
The modern weapons in fencing are so incredibly light that they move with a speed not possible with even an actual rapier, so back during the days of real weapons, double-touches (serious ones) were no where near as common.
Modern fencing has very little in common with actual sword fighting.
(my ex was a fencer for years, she was very good)
Here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Épée
The modern weapons in fencing are so incredibly light that they move with a speed not possible with even an actual rapier, so back during the days of real weapons, double-touches (serious ones) were no where near as common.
Modern fencing has very little in common with actual sword fighting.
(my ex was a fencer for years, she was very good)
Here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Épée
Check out some HEMA(Historical European Martial Arts) videos to get a more accurate, in a dueling context anyway, representation of sword fighting. They base the techniques used off of historical sword fighting manuals.
There's also the movie The Duelists with Harvey Keitel. It is widely regarded as having the most realistic sword fights of any movie.
I was about to recommend his videos.
When you're striking, you're not blocking. Double-stab is the norm, not an anomaly.
You trane UFC brah? (Ultimate Fencing Championship)I challenge any of you cans to a fencing match.
There were other schools, but italian one was probably the best and most influential
Italian name for fencing is "scherma" wich is linked to "schermo" (shield/protection) and "shermarsi" (the act of protect/defend themselves from an attack)
So yes, it born as defense first and attack next on priorities
Then stab the fucker in the heart before he can do shit work well as defense, but the very basic first rule of fencing back then was "don't die"
Modern sport simulate a funny nonsense -multiple- double death KO
Probably sometimes, but people didn't fight like that knowing it was for real.
Aldo Nadi, (a sport fencer back in the day) had a duel and describes the psychology of the situation here:
http://www.calpoly.edu/~dkgrant/fencing/nadi.htm