Martial Arts Experience

[Master Nero Attoru]

Doing some information gathering here on the forum.  Who here has experience in weapon arts?  This can include anything from kenjutsu to sport fencing.  As long as it deals with using a weapon in combat, it counts!

Please post here, and include the extent of your experience, including whether or not you have taught your art.

[wandering-seeker]

I've got about 11 years of training in Kung Fu (Dragon style). My instructor required all students to become familiar with a wide range of weapons from knives to straight and curved blades, staves, spears, halberds and chains. I spent about 7 years training with the broad-saber, hook swords, deer horn knives and the Chinese halberd which was a saber blade mounted on a 7 foot shaft. In my last year at the school I helped introduce younger students to practical applications of the halberd.

[Master Seblaise]

I started with French Kick-Boxing Savate and then, French canne (1 meter wood stick) and staffs (1.40 meter federal staff and 1.70 meter Joinville/Military staff) ...
I am Canne instructor (i can train people only under the supervision of a head coach) and i will try to have my coach diploma this year but it needs time ...

[Master Althalus]

More than 35 years of martial arts total. HEMA instructor for over 10 years now, specializing in the Bolognese Tradition but including Italian military sabre, Italian and French cane-fencing, Rapier and some basic longsword.

[Karmack]

5 years martial arts experience, 2 years as a black belt and instructor.  I have about a year now working with sword (katana) and bo staff, the programs are based on traditional japanese forms but they're a bit of a mash-up with taekwondo as well. 

[Musashi Padawan]

I studied Kendo for a year. I was dedicated and trained very seriously. It awoke a passion in me and I LOVED just about everything about it- the traditions, the mindfulness, learning something new every practice, the physical demands, geiko (sparring), Kata (forms), the gear, the rituals, meeting new people, the language and culture. I was learning the ways of a samurai!! I progressed quickly and was all set to travel to a big testing ceremony and tournament.  As all this was going on I started to slowly develop concussion like symptoms. Kendo practice involves getting hit in the head, a lot, repeatedly, over and over and over. For most, this is not an issue and many practice into their 80s. But my symptoms continued to worsen and only improved when I took a break. After consulting Kendo experts and physicians, I ultimately needed to give it up.
I was quite depressed as you can imagine. The previous year I had given up ice hockey after 20 some years playing and felt like an old man at 41.
But as we all now, The Force guides us down unexpected paths.  Had I not had to give up Kendo, I would not have not stumbled on or joined the AFA shortly after. With lightsaber training I quickly discovered it had EVERYTHING I loved about Kendo minus the concussions. Instead of learning the way of the samurai, I was learning the way of the Jedi. That was nearly two years ago and I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out.
Not to mention, the shinai (bamboo Kendo sword) is remarkably similar in length, weight and feel to an ultra saber. It was like I never stopped training and was able to bring an eastern flare to my sabering and school. As an assistant instructor I am able introduce some traditional Kendo inspired techniques and drills into sabering.
So sorry for the overly long personal side story... the short answer to your survey is  - a year of Kendo.

[Cosmoline]

I've been studying HEMA for six years now.  I do sword class three times a week, currently studying Ms. I.33 and messer. In the past I've studied German longsword under Christian Tobler's free scholars and had a smattering of classes at events in Persian, Italian and other traditions.  I've also taken some Chinese sword classes with Scott Rodell that have been real eye openers.  Though I'll never get the Chinese terms down.  It took me years to get the German, and my brain is too old for all the new vocab.  Same with Italian.  It's all Posta al dente to me.

the Bolognese Tradition

You guys cause me all kinds of trouble in sparring.  Avoiding the bind is absolutely dark side.

[Master Althalus]

Avoiding the bind is absolutely dark side.

Binding is communication - Bolognese fencing is communication-denial. 
But it's only because German fencers like to cuddle so much, that they have these issues with us.   

[Karmack]

Binding is communication - Bolognese fencing is communication-denial. 
But it's only because German fencers like to cuddle so much, that they have these issues with us.   

Umm...   You talk like that to a guy carrying a sword???

*backs away*

You HEMA guys are nuts! 

*runs*

;-)

[Master Althalus]

You talk like that to a guy carrying a sword???

As I'm also carrying one - what's the problem? 

[Master Resolute]

nice thread! I have 18 years of MeiHuaQuan ( from the Shaolin Family of the North ), an additional 12 years or so practicing on my own once I achieved the highest rank possible ( at that School. ) with a staff. ( Short, Long, Spear ).

I currently teach Jeet Kune Do and Kali here in town where I live. Its been roughly 8 years of doing that. 7 years of Wing Chun, Silat and Savate.

We teach more arts at the Academy I work at, but the rest are Empty Hand.

[Ander]

I have been teaching LS classes since 2012, and I currently hold a LS qualification as an Instructor of Form I, II and III.
At the end of 2017 I estimated I have about 1400 hours of practice, which is not too shabby considering this is not my full time job.

[ptkpeninsula@gmail.com]

Doing some information gathering here on the forum.  Who here has experience in weapon arts?  This can include anything from kenjutsu to sport fencing.  As long as it deals with using a weapon in combat, it counts!

Please post here, and include the extent of your experience, including whether or not you have taught your art.

Hello everyone!

Pekiti-Tirsia Kali [PTK-SMF] http://www.ptk-peninsula.com/. Basically the most aggressive and technical expression of this popular Filipino combat system. Most of my martial arts info is on the website, but I've been training this system for about 10 years and teaching for 6 years. We're based in Foster City, CA (San Francisco Bay). I also host an annual weapons based fight gathering, where martial practitioners of various backgrounds can come for a day of sparring. Full-contact, but with heavy emphasis on technical skills.

I established a lightsaber dueling group called The Saber Tribe https://www.sabertribe.com/ at the same location and teach once a week. Only have 2 members right now, but we're looking to expand our membership. If you look at my videos, you'll see the heavy influence of my combat system. I basically got into lightsaber dueling because someone challenged me to a lightsaber duel at an open mat fight event and I saw how the skills I learned and cultivated from Pekiti-Tirsia Kali easily transferred over to lightsabers as well as effectively fighting HEMA guys with superior weapons.

I've been a member of this forum for awhile, but haven't really contributed because I'm busy with work and training. Now that my lightsaber group is off and running, I will start participating and posting more. If anyone has any questions, please feel fire away. In the meantine, here are some links to point you to more info about The Saber Tribe (I'll post this info in other threads as well);

Website: https://www.sabertribe.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/SaberTribe/
YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/c/TheSaberTribe/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thesabertribe

Thanks everyone!

- Ferd (sorry, I don't have a cool SW name)