Vidnyl's Basics

[Starswirl]

Master Attoru: does the shorter hilt of the Initiate alter the saber's balance forward to an appreciable extent? I am pretty sure that Makashi calls for a very balanced weapon, unless I am quite wrong. I would think that the shorter hilt would have to be lighter... but maybe the (non-Heavy Grade) blades are light enough that it doesn't make a real difference.

[Master Nero Attoru]

Master Attoru: does the shorter hilt of the Initiate alter the saber's balance forward to an appreciable extent? I am pretty sure that Makashi calls for a very balanced weapon, unless I am quite wrong. I would think that the shorter hilt would have to be lighter... but maybe the (non-Heavy Grade) blades are light enough that it doesn't make a real difference.

That's actually a good question.  You have two things to consider - the weight distribution and the overall weight.  While shortening the hilt will move the point of balance further up, a reasonably sized midgrade blade is light enough to keep the saber very well balanced.  The smaller hilt decreases the overall weight of the saber, which makes for more quick handling.  In addition, less length gives you less interference in the small, single-handed circles of Makashi - I'll try to demonstrate what I mean in the video.

[Starswirl]

Does the shorter reach from the 32" blade cause problems in trying to land strikes on your opponent?

[Master Nero Attoru]

Does the shorter reach from the 32" blade cause problems in trying to land strikes on your opponent?

Well that depends.  Yes, you do lose a bit of reach with the 32" vs the 36", but you're gaining the ability to maneuver the blade deftly.  It all depends on your own personal preference - people with the arm strength to easily manipulate a full size blade often choose to do so in order to maintain that reach, whereas someone who finds such a blade unwieldy would possibly want to use the shorter blade to keep their speed.  It's all about finding that right blade length for you personally.

I, for instance, do like the 36" midgrades, but I also enjoy the 32" because it gives me the lightweight feel more like my foils.  This allows me to have more small, quick movements such as the disengages of fencing.

What kind of blade do you normally use?  Heavy grade or midgrade?  Because the heavy grades are great, but they are twice the weight of the midgrades.

[Starswirl]

I have a Mid Grade blade, 36"; but as I only have one saber, it doesn't mean it's my ultimate preference. To be honest, I just didn't want to spend the extra $10 for Heavy Grade

On the other hand, I don't have particularly strong wrist muscles, so the Mid Grade might be better for me; usually, I use my saber two-handed. Though, to be sure, the finesse and skill required by Makashi are very appealing to me (I just don't have them yet).

[Master Nero Attoru]

I have a Mid Grade blade, 36"; but as I only have one saber, it doesn't mean it's my ultimate preference. To be honest, I just didn't want to spend the extra $10 for Heavy Grade

On the other hand, I don't have particularly strong wrist muscles, so the Mid Grade might be better for me; usually, I use my saber two-handed. Though, to be sure, the finesse and skill required by Makashi are very appealing to me (I just don't have them yet).

If at any point you manage to get a heavy grade blade, it's a good one to train with.  You train with one hand on that and when you switch back to the midgrade it'll feel like a feather.  Just keep practicing and you'll build up those specific muscles.

EDIT:  Removed my video from here, I didn't want it derailing the thread.  If you want to see it you can head over to my new thread, found here:

http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=8800.msg130125#msg13012

[Darth Nonymous]

Does the shorter reach from the 32" blade cause problems in trying to land strikes on your opponent?

In the video in the thread with me and Vornach- he is using a 36 inch blade with a long hilt (over all around 45 in) and I am using a 32 inch with an initiate hilt.

While it feels different, you can easily make up for lost length in footwork and movement. The single handed grip also give you a much longer reach and allows you to stay further out of range than with two hands. All of this mitigates any advantage lost in the shortening of the blade.

I never make that much of glance. I believe it is a personal preference. But, The short hilt will give you range of motion enough to add speed and power. I Prefer my balance about four finger widths up from the guard (emitter in lightsaber parlance.)

[Master Nero Attoru]

I realized I've gotten this thread a little off topic, so perhaps we can get back on track.

At some point I'll see if I can do a basics video of my own, more catered to Makashi and whatnot, but in the meantime I highly recommend these.  These movements are the core of everything we do, and can be adapted to any Form of lightsaber combat.