Charles Mahan
Purple Belt
Where you at? Texas has a fair amount of instruction. More than most states.
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A "full tang" is not the only indication of a "real sword". Bud-K is known to sell stainless steel sword-like objects (known as SLOs in the sword-collecting crowd). Please don't swing yours around; stainless steel blades have been known to snap in two even when swung with light force.Shibumi said:
Edited to add: I just took another look at BudK's website. There isn't a single real sword on that site. I know this because I sorted the swords by price; even the most expensive swords (which cost $199.99) are made from stainless steel.
Shibumi
White Belt
Thanks for the warning, it reminded me more of a machete than a sword when I bought it, and I haven't really thought of it as a sword at all. I hate to hear that it is dangerous as a machete as well, I do not like the idea of having "display" weapons- I train with all the weapons I have. I live in Abilene and there is a school here that teaches something with great big styrofoam looking "swords", I don't remember what it is called- the guy who tried to recruit me said it wasn't a traditional art. It didn't look too interesting to me, but the people doing it were having great fun.
Does anyone know of any traditional sword arts being taught anywhere within 100 miles of Abilene, Texas?
Does anyone know of any traditional sword arts being taught anywhere within 100 miles of Abilene, Texas?
Perhaps it is the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA)? They recreate medieval times and fight with rattan swords.Shibumi said:
Here's a list of Kendo dojos. There are quite a few in Texas. Also try this Martial Art Registry. Unfortunately, I can't vouch for the validity of these dojos. Good luck in your search!
Eldritch Knight
Blue Belt
I think Shibumi is referring to something else, actually. There was a relatively new martial art that got some popularity in Japan a few years ago. They used single-handed foam sword and plexiglass faceshields and just went at it full force. It was pretty fierce, and it got a lot of popularity because of the whole Kill Bill / Last Samurai thing around that time, but I just can't seem to remember what it was called... My kendo senpai even kept one of their swords in our changing room just for kicks.
Shibumi
White Belt
I looked it up in the phone book- the school teaches chanbara, American kenpo, tae-kwon-do, and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. The chanbara reminds me of when I was a kid and we beat each other up with sticks "sword fighting". Now, that was a good time! as long as you didn't have to get stitches etc.
Charles Mahan
Purple Belt
Shibumi said:
Best I can do is Lubbock at around 160 miles. There's a Komei Jyuku MJER group there. The next closest that I know of is our dojo in Denton at 310 miles.
Eldritch Knight
Blue Belt
Swordlady said:
Yes! That's the one! Agreed, not an authentic JSA, but tough nonetheless, and probably on par with kendo, depending on what you want to get out of the training.
R
Ronin Wolf-master
Guest
Excuse me but i am a self taught "Ronin" but i dont do any thing with my KC 29" before i use my bokken, i learn and train with my bokken, and when i can do it without thinking then i use my sword on a target, mainly pool noodles, i dont want to nick my blade. It is dangerous, i dont recomend any one try it, but i do and i except that i am putting my life in my hands, i know the dangers, and i know the consequences and i except.
some may call me stupid other may say i'm foolish, and thats fine, every one has there own say about things, like i said, i dont recomend it, but i do enjoy and i do learn from it, i find what is comfortable for me and i check thing and the movements i make to make sure i am out of harm from my sword and i can still efectivly and comfortably go through with the slice. yes it takes time, yes it is harder than someone instructing me, but i enjoy it, and safety is my first priority, i promise.
Ronin Wolf-master
some may call me stupid other may say i'm foolish, and thats fine, every one has there own say about things, like i said, i dont recomend it, but i do enjoy and i do learn from it, i find what is comfortable for me and i check thing and the movements i make to make sure i am out of harm from my sword and i can still efectivly and comfortably go through with the slice. yes it takes time, yes it is harder than someone instructing me, but i enjoy it, and safety is my first priority, i promise.
Ronin Wolf-master
Charles Mahan
Purple Belt
Why not do it for real? Why play pretend? There are real training oppurtunities to be had these days.
R
Ronin Wolf-master
Guest
well see that is another reason why i do it my self, i cant get training. now i would not mind going to a few clases and finding out certain proper things, but i cant, and like i said, its fun figuring it out for my self. I focus on instinct more than style, cause i personaly believe that all MA's and fighting is nothing more than instinct, and if you train in a certain art for a good many years it becomes second nature, but i cant get training, so i focus on what my instincts tell me to do, i wach my opponent's moves, and then react acording to what i see fit. I am sure that all of you Martial artists here are very skilled and highly trained, and you all have put forth lots of effort i'm sure. I do also, just not in the same style, i dont have any one helping me, i do it the way that i can, and who knows, i just might be very good. you cant ever tell.
R.W.-M.
R.W.-M.
Charles Mahan
Purple Belt
Do yourself a favor. You're not making any points that haven't been espoused by backyard samurai everytime they come online. Do some forum searches on http://www.e-budo.com and http://www.swordforum.com for "Self teaching".
You are playing pretend. As long as you understand that you are just playing swishy pokey, good for you. You cannot teach yourself anything that you do not already know. The problem with puzzling a sword art out on your own is two fold. The first is that you have no way to test anything to see if it works. You can't walk onto a battlefield or pick a fight with a Samurai in the streets of Kyoto anymore to see if what you've puzzled out on your own is worth a damn. The second problem is that if you could do so, you would most likely be killed and would not live long enough to puzzle out what you did wrong.
Find instruction. Learn it for real. Playing around on your own is kinda like trying to learn how to do brain surgery by playing around with an exacto knife and a pomegranate.
You are playing pretend. As long as you understand that you are just playing swishy pokey, good for you. You cannot teach yourself anything that you do not already know. The problem with puzzling a sword art out on your own is two fold. The first is that you have no way to test anything to see if it works. You can't walk onto a battlefield or pick a fight with a Samurai in the streets of Kyoto anymore to see if what you've puzzled out on your own is worth a damn. The second problem is that if you could do so, you would most likely be killed and would not live long enough to puzzle out what you did wrong.
Find instruction. Learn it for real. Playing around on your own is kinda like trying to learn how to do brain surgery by playing around with an exacto knife and a pomegranate.
Charles Mahan
Purple Belt
I'm not just trying to be a jerk about this BTW. Follow this link
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53083&perpage=36&pagenumber=2
That guy was just trying to go by instinct and figure things out on his own too. He had a leg up on you as a life long knife smith with a great deal of experiene with blades. He even had a book to go by. Didn't save him though.
There are genuinely real dangers in what you are attempting. Swords are not toys and should not be treated as such. Where are you located. Perhaps we can help you find something in your area, or at least recommend a seminar you can travel to that would not be too far away. There you could hopefully learn enough not to be a danger to yourself or others.
Think of a sword as a gun that cannot be unloaded and has no safety.
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53083&perpage=36&pagenumber=2
That guy was just trying to go by instinct and figure things out on his own too. He had a leg up on you as a life long knife smith with a great deal of experiene with blades. He even had a book to go by. Didn't save him though.
There are genuinely real dangers in what you are attempting. Swords are not toys and should not be treated as such. Where are you located. Perhaps we can help you find something in your area, or at least recommend a seminar you can travel to that would not be too far away. There you could hopefully learn enough not to be a danger to yourself or others.
Think of a sword as a gun that cannot be unloaded and has no safety.
Walter Wong
Green Belt
And like a gun, a sword has no prejudice. Your sword can kill your opponent. But your own sword can kill you too. It does not know you and does not care. It's designed to cut and will cut you along with everything else in it's path. So it has no prejudice and does what it's made to do, cut flesh.
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