Kicks in Sword Fighting

[Casper Bradak]

I don't think I've seen an armed kick in any of the manuals where the weapon wasn't first intercepted, checked, or controlled by the kickers weapon. It makes the kick a single time counter, instead of just a dangerously exposed attack, and keeps you even from "helping" your opponent hit you.
A kick to the hips will lever someone forward, but if it's a thrust, it will also push them away. A thrusting kick to the stomach will push someone away pretty well also, without levering them much, and if they're wearing a solid breastplate, it won't cause them to bent forward at all.
I train in harness quite a bit, and yes, it does give a bit more mass and momentum to strikes with the body (I hesitate to say unarmed strikes, as the armour is quite a weapon). It really doesn't slow them down, you'll just get tired sooner. Even with no weapons, someone in harness is quite a bit more dangerous, especially if they know how to use it.

[Jared L. Cass]

Shane, too cool!
Did you try kicking from some of the really low stances, like those found in Meyer? Ninjutsu (taijutsu) stances are very simular to some that Meyer shows. The way it's been described to me is that the really low ninjutsu stances (especially found in the traditional schools) originated to not only eliminate a possible silhouette against the horizon at night, but to also compensate for the higher center of gravity while wearing armor. The same concept applys when on slippery ground (as I mentioned in a previous post). Ya, I too would like to hear some feedback from your victims <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" /> Did they notice more "knock down power" due to your bodys added weight/momentum? How quickly were you able to recover (ie: if your opponent managed to avoid the attack)?

Jared L. Cass, Wisconsin

[Shane Smith]

There were no "victims".All of my kicking work on sunday was done without an opponent.I was simply testing the viability and speed with which I could deliver a kick to the mid-section of an opponent "dry", that is, in flourish-style movements.There will be victims soon enough however,and I will report immediately afterwords... <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" /> (don't tell Matt or he may pre-emptively thrash me about the head and shoulders ! lol)

[Guest]

I hope you don't think i'm gonna let you kick me just to see if you can do it in armour! I'll chop off both your legs like the Black Knight in The Holy Grail!

[Shane Smith]

Well,in prepartion for our demonstration at the International Event, Matt and I did a bit of spirited historically-accurate halfswording in armor on sunday.I was wearing a breastplate for torso protection and Matt was wearing a coat of plate.Matt never attempted a kick on me but I did land one on him( he was content to pummel me senseless with his pommel <img src="/forum/images/icons/tongue.gif" alt="" /> ).The result was that through the coat of plate,a signifigant blow could still be delivered on target...Signifigant enough to knock the wind out of an opponent.We did just that with a knee strike. <img src="/forum/images/icons/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Perhaps this sunday Matt,Joel or Bob will return the favor and I can report on the effect of kicks in plate. <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

Yes, it was pretty interesting. It was hard to see the kicks coming with my visor down and the very narrow eye slits it has. The impact of the knee I caught when we were in close was absorbed somewhat by the armour but still took a lot out of me. If done full force it probably would have put me on the ground.