Protection for Steel Sparring?

[David Craig]

This question is for all those who regularly spar with blunt steel longswords. What type of protective gear do you use when simulating unarmored fighting?

Obviously if you put on enough armor, at some point it is no longer possible to realistically simulate unarmored fighting. But if you wear too little you are looking at possible broken bones, etc. I'm interested in how those with experience are dealing with these issues.

David Craig

[Shane Smith]

In VAB,we generally wear a gambeson, heavy gloves/gauntlets and a fencing mask over an arming cap or even a helm, as well as various bits and pieces of sports padding/guards. I will state immediately that this is very minimal gear and is only sufficient if all involved make particular use of their most vital piece of safety equipment, that one that rests between their ears. Be careful guys!

[John_Clements]

Good question. Well, I think depending on the control you exhibit, the techniques you allow, and the skill you have, it can range. I have had great free-play bouts of fairly martial intent with even fairly novice students wearing only sport fencing masks. At other times, in order to go at it with more energy and intensity I have felt the necessity to have the safety and security of an enclosed steel helm with some sort of gorget, a padded gambeson, steel gauntlets, and padded guards on my knees, elbows, forearms, and shins. The latter certainly permits greater intensity of bouting. But, I have also played satisfactorily unhelmed and wearing just t-shirts and sweat pants with veteran opponents I knew well and we employed all manner of moves agressively enough to explore our skill. If you want to wear full armor, obviously it is even safer and allows much harder blows and more target areas. But even then, for safety you still have to restrict your actions such as thrusts, half-swording, and certain throws, just as they did historically in non lethal prcatice and tournament sports.

My advice, try everything with appropriate intensity and control. The above applies a smuch to free-play with wooden wasters as to blunt steel.

JC