on Introducing new weapons into training

[Dylan palmer]

I have yet to cap a year in my historical fencing studies. Yet I already feel I am growing lax with my training. And I will be getting myself back in check so to speak.
But just to give me something to work on besides long sword practice I was considering taking up staff (English) as sort of a side weapon to work on after or before my regular practice routine.

So what are your thoughts on this do you think it is still to early to start practicing two weapons at once. Or is this a reasonable form of study and practice.

[Jake_Norwood]

About 4 months into my initial longsword training I broke a finger (training, of course). With my left hand out of commission I took up the cut-and-thrust sword, adding movements from what little messer material was available at the time. I can fairly say that it improved everything I did quite a bit, gaining me speed, a sense of timing, distance, and aggressiveness. It also taught me what was the same and what little things were different between weapons.

When my finger healed I went back to longsword as a primary, but never put the single-sword fully "down."

Train with dedication and with a cross-training mentality. Ask "how does what I'm doing now apply to the longsword?" You'll find new enthusiasm for the former weapon.

Jake

[Aaron Pynenberg]

Good Post Jake,

I couldn't agree more. This is also the central idea behind everything ARMA is about. Learning the foundation, then expirencing new weapons and ideas and applying that gained knowledge back into the foundation.

I have also been practicing with dussack and now rapier quite a bit- The later being a weapon that seems to grow on me daily, I really am enjoying it and my footwork is improving noticably with my longsword technique, using the skills gleaned from Rapier movements---

[Mike Cartier]

kunst des defchten is just like Bushido and Filipino weaponry arts in that training in one weapon uses the same concepts and theories as you do in another weapon. Each weapon gives insight into other weapons and it all rolls into one big martial art theory which governs them all.

[jeremy pace]

And besides just picking up weapons to see how they work you should experiment with fighting against them in earnest. Using swd and buckler vs longsword or spear or greatsword against it definately spices things up and provides unforseen elements to the duel. Try fighting multiple opponents with different weapon types. I think it is important to practice with any and every weapon but as a beginner just dedicate yourself to a few. You will find that many techniques transition nicely from one weapon to another. Also, you may be slowing your training with the longsword due to a feeling of dissatisfaction. It may be that your body style, mentality, or just ascetic preference is towards a different weapon. Never be afraid to learn and experiment, it is often fairly easy to figure out when a technique in combat has gone wrong.... it doesnt work.

[Filip Pobran]

my opinion is that you SHOULD introduce staff into training, because that weapon was easy to find, make and above all it was cheap. and i think that most of "non-warior" men knew how to fight with staff