Research and Discussion Forums

Sigh...As of this moment, I have spent 52 minutes reading this thread from hopeful start, through furious middle, to dreary (and, sadly, not yet final) conclusion. I think, now, that I will pick up my waster and go outside and drill, maybe work my pell...probably for close to 52 minutes. At the end ...

[quote="Brian Hunt"]As Promised. http://www.amazon.de/mittelalterliche-Reiterschild-Jan-Kohlmorgen/dp/3935616104/sr=1-4/qid=1172042969/ref=sr_1_4/028-7366384-3825363?ie=UTF8&s=books all the best. Brian Hunt GFS Thanks for steering me towards some good sources. I'm about to make a pair ...

Does anyone have access to reliable diameter, thickness, and weight ranges for late Migration Era/ early Medieval round and/or kite shields? I know that few shields have survived compared to swords, being comprised of mostly organic materials that decompose quickly; surely there are a few hiding out...

In addition to standard free weight and cable excercises, plyometrics and compensatory acceleration techniques can be helpful, especially in developing explosive power in very specific movements. An overly heavy waster or blunt can be used to generate full muscle-fiber recruitment as you work throug...

I've had my scalp split open by a well-hit whiffle ball. A whiffle ball is about as far as you can possibly get from "heavy" OR "sharp". If ability to produce a scalp wound was enough to certify the martial lethality or legitimacy of a weapon or a technique, one of the past Maste...

I have two daughters; my eldest currently holds boxing, horses, ringen, ballet, longsword, Harry Potter, and tae kwon do all in equally high esteem. Which will win out before before before boys come to occupy large portions of her brain, I cannot guess. My youngest has only intermittent interest in ...

...ever run over an 8-point buck on the highway at night, and decided that the only good that can come from the wasted meat and dented car is if you haul it home for some test cutting. ...have ever gotten excited when a radio station announced a "contest to find the best Krump in the city"...

Well, I just got a pair of Jean's Sch 80 longswords, and after several hours of bouting with them, here are my impressions: 1) The weight and balance are very nice. They handle easily and well, a vast improvement over the clunky 2.2 versions I made previously. 2) Edge padding is about right...they h...

Nicely done, Alfred! As you get more comfortable with combining a series of techniques into a flourysh, you can start increasing the "pepper" on your cuts and thrusts.Don't be afraid to vocalize as you cut...MA, both East and West have long shown the efficacy of exhaling powerfully when ex...

Yes, I know that...I spent quite some time discussing the final bevel with Mike Sigman, Albion's sales rep. I paid for the sword to be delivered sharp, not with a rebated edge, and it was delivered thus. My comment refers to the fact that a "sharp" edge on a large cutting sword and "s...

I received my new type XIIa Squire Line sharp from Albion about two weeks ago, and after a several sessions of flouryshing and cutting with it, I am quite pleased. Despite having what feels to my finger like an only partially sharp edge (too many years spent making my knives shaving-razor sharp) the...

True, none of us are likely to use longswords in a self-defense situation. For myself , however, I cannot generate the proper amount of intent and martial emotional focus (i.e., calm ferocity), if I view my training as an abstract excercise in re-creating period fighting systems. I never, ever buy a...

I think that I will probably continue to train using both kinds of footgear. Jake, you may be correct about actual period footgear battle dress, but I think that were I to have to stand in a shieldwall or skirmishing line nowadays, I would still prefer to wear larger versions of the Spec5 Featherwei...

I'm curious about what general thoughts the ARMA populace has on footgear in practice. I know what JC prefers, the slipperlike soft shoe that gives maximum grip from odd angles and great kinesthetic feedback in terms of feeling the ground/surface beneath you. However, I have strong reservations abou...

Actually, a tightly rolled up magazine can hurt quite a bit if you use it properly (i.e. with genine injurious intent). It makes a very useful improvisational weapon when held in a foreshortened grip, with 1-2" projecting forward and the rest protecting your forearm. Use it the same way you wou...