Posted by: Reiki
and now for something a bit different ... - 04/10/05 08:52 PM
I just thought I'd let you all know that I'm getting into a whole different type of MA with weapons for a bit of fun.
I've just joined up with a jousting group
We train sword fighting on and off the horses, plus proper jousting against another rider or hitting a target.
Quarter staff work will probably come later and I expect I'll be rather handy with that too considering my skills with the bo. We also will be learning spear and archery techniques on and off the horses.
We are fortunate to have one fully trained horse that worked on the Last Samurai and who is quite handy with the lance and doesn't bat an eyelid at anything unusual.
As the group is in its infancy, it will take a while to get everyone up to speed, however I'm at a distinct advantage with my riding skills and my sword handling skills, however handling the lances opens up a whole new category in working with big sticks!
Thoses things are really BIG sticks!
They are 14 feet long and weight about 5kg or so.
I have to learn to balance one of these vertically upright [and horizontally when in action] and be able to control my horse at the same time at warp speed!!
It's quite tricky ... especially as my horse thinks its a dragon on the right side of her body and wants to get away from it as fast as possible!! She's ok on the left side and I've managed to be able to ride and balance the thing vertically so far.
One of the other guys teaches European sword fighting and I've been quite interested to see some differences between it and the Japanese and FMA styles we work with.
I've just joined up with a jousting group
We train sword fighting on and off the horses, plus proper jousting against another rider or hitting a target.
Quarter staff work will probably come later and I expect I'll be rather handy with that too considering my skills with the bo. We also will be learning spear and archery techniques on and off the horses.
We are fortunate to have one fully trained horse that worked on the Last Samurai and who is quite handy with the lance and doesn't bat an eyelid at anything unusual.
As the group is in its infancy, it will take a while to get everyone up to speed, however I'm at a distinct advantage with my riding skills and my sword handling skills, however handling the lances opens up a whole new category in working with big sticks!
Thoses things are really BIG sticks!
They are 14 feet long and weight about 5kg or so.
I have to learn to balance one of these vertically upright [and horizontally when in action] and be able to control my horse at the same time at warp speed!!
It's quite tricky ... especially as my horse thinks its a dragon on the right side of her body and wants to get away from it as fast as possible!! She's ok on the left side and I've managed to be able to ride and balance the thing vertically so far.
One of the other guys teaches European sword fighting and I've been quite interested to see some differences between it and the Japanese and FMA styles we work with.