Thread: Sword Arts

That’s a pretty blanket question you could apply to many areas of martial arts, not just swords, not just weaponry, and not just traditional martial arts. It all comes down to each person’s motivation for study. Many people don’t care about what you can and can’t carry or use in the street, that’s not why they study. They may be a martial athlete and competitor, they may be a recreational martial artist, or they may study for a love of tradition, culture and history.

But hey I’m moving to the States, people already look at me funny, I may as well have the sword too.

As much as I'd love to (and plan to) move to The States, it won't happen for a few years. I was going to be coming over to LA in April to see Vu, Guro and Erik - but Boxing commitments won't allow. So I wait in anticipation Mike for your trip to Ireland, I'll be there - holding my sword.

...as mentioned last year I have a box of untouched Reserva, as I promised at the time - it has your name on it.

I guess I will have to balance the Guinness on my centerline....

Originally Posted by freefighter2010

Why bother training in sword arts ? I mean what use is it in 21st Century ?

Its not as if you can carry a sword around in public (unless of course you want to go to jail)

Well I tought myself how to use one and I am pretty decent, first time I ever picked one up I was pretty decent... same with bo staff, nanchaku, but the tonfa took a little work... In my oppinion, you train ANY melee combat and it will increase your other areas of melee combat, someone highely trained in staff will be able to use bare hands as well, even with no training, not as well, but still better than untrained person. Ya know? Besides, ever heard of fun? Or sticks... how about the benefit it would give for your improvised weapons??

Why, you ask? Just look what someone turned into the London police during a recent knife amnesty. Daily Mail article You can blow up the picture to see how big the thing is. According to the Daily Mail, knife crime is a big problem in London. Also, the BBC has reported that the U.K. is restricting the availability of samurai swords for the same reason. Bladed weapons can do a lot of damage.

Attached is a pic of the weapon in question.

Originally Posted by Mike Brewer

Cars, boats...hell, even kitchen appliances can do a lot of damage. That's no reason to outlaw anything. It's a reason to take more personal responsibility for being safe.

Oh, I wasn't necessarily justifying the policies of the U.K. government. I was trying to oppose the original poster's assertion that training in bladed weapons has no value in our lifetime. It clearly does.

Originally Posted by nathan rd

Why, you ask? Just look what someone turned into the London police during a recent knife amnesty. Daily Mail article You can blow up the picture to see how big the thing is. According to the Daily Mail, knife crime is a big problem in London. Also, the BBC has reported that the U.K. is restricting the availability of samurai swords for the same reason. Bladed weapons can do a lot of damage.

But how does that mean that bladed arts, on a practical level, have any value in the UK if everything is outlawed? Surely, that just re-enforces the original post that in day to day life there is no practical worth, because in the UK blades are illegal? The only way your point makes sense is if you are advocating the carry and use of illegal weapons.

Uggg...how did this thread turn into a discussion of government regulation of weapons? I didn't intend that. My initial post was an attempt to show that the original poster was incorrect, and that training in bladed weapons does in fact have practical value in our lifetime because bladed weapons are used and do damage.