Keep your hands and your hilt safe with sideguard technique

[Cang Snow]

In our latest video, we go over the fundamentals of defense, focusing on lateral blocks and counterattacks.

These are essentially the first lessons we teach our beginners, as there are many detrimental habits people have when starting out, regardless of background.

While there are other ways to defend, we use this as our starting point. It's the most conservative parry we have. We figure people need to know how to protect their hands before anything. Once they have mastered that, then they can move on to riskier defensive skills, which may offer higher rewards.

Naturally, the same concepts talked about in the video apply when defending other target areas as well. But that will be for another video.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhJ_-x7g914" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhJ_-x7g914</a>

(Note that we use the 3/4". This technique still applies to any diameter you're using, but it's especially crucial in 3/4. If you want to use 3/4, you MUST understand these concepts!)

So how do you protect your hands? If you're from a sword background, what modifications in your technique have you learned or discovered to be able to adapt lightsaber to your fighting?

[Jediseth]

Thank you for the post!

[Greywolf]

Good to know, even as I don't duel (yet)! Thanks

[DarthProdigal]

Simple yet effective solution. Hadn't gotten to spar without a guard. Knew parries, blade control, redirects into counter cuts would play a huge part in modifying my defense; but I would definitely have lost some fingers in lightsaber combat using 2 of my old guard positions. Useful video.

[Cang Snow]

Simple yet effective solution. Hadn't gotten to spar without a guard. Knew parries, blade control, redirects into counter cuts would play a huge part in modifying my defense; but I would definitely have lost some fingers in lightsaber combat using 2 of my old guard positions. Useful video.

Thanks! I confess I was very surprised to see this topic come up and not remember ever making it. But now I see it was a long time ago. There are more modern tutorials from us at LightspeedSaber.com FYI

[DarthProdigal]

Again your guidance is appreciated. As of now I'm still awaiting my first lightsaber's arrival. I will likely look through much of what is there once I do receive it, and can start using them as a base to improve. Until then I'm just looking through everything here for entertainment and inspiration. Watching all your videos will likely just make me feel the itch to train even more. Sadly the chapter of the organization you recommended I get in contact with is indeed several hours away from me. But they did respond when I reached out.

[Nodachi]

Why do you want to move your hand and sword BACK during parry, away from the threat?
- you are removing you saber further from the opponent so he has more time to adjust while you are counterattacking
- with moving hand back you are opening more body parts for the possible feints by opponent
- if you have free form fight without right of way tournament rule - it is even easier for opponent to continue attach as you removed your only protection from his way