Master Venturous

[Gar-Wi Musan]

 Thanks for helping me stay calm and feel like I had a friend in the world this morning on Youtube.-Misstterr Gone.
Very needed and appreciated, especially for remembering my need for Saber Nunchucks and giving me extra info without asking.
Darkside points earned for sure. And thank you Darth Cephalus for amazingly easy to follow tutorials (I can see you are a Professor) and for being so positive and always answering my questions. You said you had no advice on practicing outside in front of people, but what you said was exactly what I needed to hear and sounded like solid advice to me. Darkside points to you as well my friend. I don't feel nearly as alone anymore. Thank you guys. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place Its been a rough morning and I know you guys come here a lot. Please let me know if there is a better place to put stuff like this. I'm just overwhelmed with joy to have people to talk to and relate to.

[Master Venturous]

Hey it's no problem. We all start somewhere and it's good having people who are willing to follow up with those trying to learn. Cephalus is a really good resource and he does a lot of good saber reviews as well. And I definitely know he practices more than me nowadays. In terms of practicing outside in front of people, that is something I struggle with as well. I know I shouldn't care, but I always find myself preferring locations where I know I won't be bothered by people, even though sometimes people have spotted me practicing and been like "cool man!" This forum is pretty chill, so you can post comments/questions pretty much anywhere, as long as it is relevant to the topic you're posting in. Of course you can always private message us on the forums and there is always our YT channels, so we're always available somewhere. Thanks for the feedback.

[Gar-Wi Musan]

 From Youtube
"I saw a few of your posts on the forums. There are lots of helpful people on there and many who like sharing their knowledge. Darth Cephalus and Samhain have gone into the realm of contact saber lately, which I can't keep up with, and I know Sam has recently been delving into fire staff. I haven't seen much of Darth Logos, but I know he's a cool guy. Be seeing you around on the forums."

 Thanks again. I suffer from debilitating depression most of the time and its been REALLY bad for the last couple weeks. This place, and people like you are keeping me from falling into the deepest darkness.

 So here is my problem with contact moves, I'm too afraid of breaking my sabers! I started to do rolls along 1 arm, flip it, then grab it. Even flips and hand rolls are sketchy. I was going to get a stunt saber yesterday so I wouldn't have to worry about dropping it as much, Next thing you know in my anger and frustration I ordered a Tri-Cree Fire Orange Dominix, 32 inch blade with a dark catalyst pommel V4 sound and I got them to change the AV switch to Blue Illumination on Silver (You were dead on about that one, thanks for the input). I'm so broke. I guess I will eat cardboard for the next six months.
 How long have you been doing saber, staff and Nunchucks? I started sneaking someones Nunchuks when I was about 8 and after hitting my knees, elbows and head repeatedly I feel like I got pretty good. I just started doing Obi/Ani spins (I prefer "ECLIPSE") and plum flowers with my Nunchucks. Fist times I have accidentally hit myself in at least 24 years. I've recently found videos like this for saber techniques    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ-3UO2rbdM   
 I like how specific the off hand movements and overall stances are.
 Do you have combat training of any kind? Oh and as far as Darth Logos, that guy is like a Star Wars and just general all around scholar/philosopher. Super cool and funny guy.

[Master Venturous]

The best way I've heard of learning contact moves is to not use a saber at all, but something else that has a good balancing point. If a saber is used, usually it needs a heavier pommel to adjust the balance point further down the hilt.

I've been spinning stuff since I was a teen. Growing up, I was a big Bruce Lee fan, which is what got me into nunchaku. I studied Jeet Kune Do and various other martial arts in my personal study, but the only one I actually took part in, was an American martial art called Shim Shin Do, which I earned a black belt in. Aside from that, most of what I've learned I've just been doing for years. My staff knowledge comes from either Ray Park or from personal trial and error, as is all my dual-wielding experience. Nunchaku I've been studying on and off for a while. If you're interested in learning more of the advanced stuff with those, definitely check out Ken Hill on YouTube. He covers a lot of the more advanced stuff that what I cover.

[Gar-Wi Musan]

The best way I've heard of learning contact moves is to not use a saber at all, but something else that has a good balancing point. If a saber is used, usually it needs a heavier pommel to adjust the balance point further down the hilt.

I've been spinning stuff since I was a teen. Growing up, I was a big Bruce Lee fan, which is what got me into nunchaku. I studied Jeet Kune Do and various other martial arts in my personal study, but the only one I actually took part in, was an American martial art called Shim Shin Do, which I earned a black belt in. Aside from that, most of what I've learned I've just been doing for years. My staff knowledge comes from either Ray Park or from personal trial and error, as is all my dual-wielding experience. Nunchaku I've been studying on and off for a while. If you're interested in learning more of the advanced stuff with those, definitely check out Ken Hill on YouTube. He covers a lot of the more advanced stuff that what I cover.

That's pretty rad. I learned nunchucks or nunchaku? (I've never been sure which one it is) from watching Bruce Lee too! I've never heard of Shim Shin Do. I would love to hear about it some time. I have a belt or two in Kenpo and Aikido. I also trained super informally (but for quite a while with an instructor in Tang So Do, Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do, and Hung Gar Kung Fu, him and our Navy seal friend trying together to find more street applicable ways to combine all our collective skills. I have been training with a 6 pound 43" staff for a few months but it only recently occurred to me to use it as a staff and not a saber. I think I will get on that. And Ken Hill is pretty dope. Thanks for turning me on to that guy.

[Samhain138]

If you want to work on contact moves without a saber just go grab a utility handle from Lowes or Home Depot and cut the metal end off.  On mine, I taped up the ends to give it some weight and marked the point of balance.  I think including the paint, I've got less than $15 tied up in it.  It's nothing like using something made for contact moves, but it can be done.

As for breaking the saber, yes, that's possible.  You could buy an empty of the one you'll be using to practice with.

[Gar-Wi Musan]

If you want to work on contact moves without a saber just go grab a utility handle from Lowes or Home Depot and cut the metal end off.  On mine, I taped up the ends to give it some weight and marked the point of balance.  I think including the paint, I've got less than $15 tied up in it.  It's nothing like using something made for contact moves, but it can be done.

As for breaking the saber, yes, that's possible.  You could buy an empty of the one you'll be using to practice with.

Thank you for the Info. Nice to finally meet you, Ive heard nothing but great things about you and your skills. I planed to check out more of your videos soon at the recommendation of my current favorite teachers, Master Venturous and Darth Cephalus. I have a hard time with the idea of buying a saber without sound, but a stunt saber is definitely in my future. My saber being away for repairs, I took an extra 32" Ultraedge mid-grade blade and put it in a gutted all plastic Darth Vader hilt from the toy store. I had to remove the shroud and control box so there is less crap in the way. I added 4 metal 45 record adapters stacked at the bottom And wrapped it in electrical tape. Its really hard to use but I definitely was doing way riskier moves with it today because of not caring what happens to it. I was doing double flips, double flip and a half to reverse grip. I have a 43" 5 or 6 pound metal rod I had been using as a saber and never realized I should learn to use it as a staff. What do you think of that length and weight? Thanks for your input.

[Master Venturous]

I will jump in and say this: as long as you can control the weight of the rod you want to use, then go for it. If you're going to use something heavy, you absolutely want to keep the speed really slow at first to avoid injury like hyperextending the wrist. Of course there is the saying that is always applicable, whether you use something heavy or not: "slow leads to smooth and smooth leads to fast."

[Samhain138]

I advise against using a 6lb metal rod, there are many other safer alternatives to doing that XD

[Gar-Wi Musan]

I advise against using a 6lb metal rod, there are many other safer alternatives to doing that XD

 Yeah I agree. Its just something I had laying around. It makes for a good running with weights on and then taking them off effect when you get an Ultrasaber. Its exactly as long as my new Aeon V4 with a 32" blade, so I taped up to where the hilt would end and I used it for 5 months as a saber. When I got my Aeon it felt incredibly light and almost too fast. I already have messed up joints and nerves, so I still use it to gain control and strength, but I do not recommend it for others.
What weight and length do you recommend for a contact staff? If it matters I'm 5' 11". Thanks.

[Samhain138]

My wooden handle staff is 54 inches I believe and my contact sword is 45.  The new staff I'm planning on getting is 5 feet.  So no set length, but when a staff is taller than you are it can make things more difficult.  For cosplay, my lightsaber staff is longer than I am tall, so you always want to keep that sort of thing in mind when you're practicing.

[Gar-Wi Musan]

My wooden handle staff is 54 inches I believe and my contact sword is 45.  The new staff I'm planning on getting is 5 feet.  So no set length, but when a staff is taller than you are it can make things more difficult.  For cosplay, my lightsaber staff is longer than I am tall, so you always want to keep that sort of thing in mind when you're practicing.

Thanks for the info.

[Gar-Wi Musan]

 Master Venturous. I will be receiving my fixed  Aeon V4 and new Dominix V4 in two days (plus a grab bag one day latter) Ive been practicing from the start with both hands. What vids do you recommend to start Jar-Kai or dual wielding? I think I saw one of you looking pretty smooth. I know I could search for myself. but I would rather have a friend help me. you and or Darth Cephalus. I'm trying not to learn from too many different sources at once, just the ones that really resonate with me. Thank you.

[Master Venturous]

Here are the links to my dual saber lessons and those that Darth Cephalus has done:

Mine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnCAtl7HBkI&list=PLtxs8UJy21n4f4ZmfTRmcUBloM42e69sl

Darth Cephalus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk0QTtl5SKo&list=PLf2BA9eUktwtZ31TMlxPCV--oA8BwsEqH

These are both playlists, so they should have all the videos we've done relating to dual-wielding within them.

[Rapine]

I have to say that I found that playlist format to be a tremendous help, when I was trying to get "obi/ani".

-1 for that Master Venturous.