Live blades?

[Tant01]

Trainers are all well and good. I'm not saying any one should TRY doing it with a real blade! But, what about it? Do you play with sharp ones?

[TTEscrima]

Live blade play is an invaluable training tool, but it isn't something to be taken lightly...Nor should it be done by people who aren't well versed in blade play.

I love it, few things get the heart pumping like live blade 6 and 9 count drills. There aren't many people I trust enough to run live blades with though.

[Tee Sok]

I used a real blade with my sword teacher, the action was a bit slower and my attention level rised a lot. it's amazing how fast the things I had learned became clear with the real swords and how I subsequently learned new things.

Yes definitely something to do with somebody you really trust!

[kingoftheforest]

I'll admit when Boar first had us doing live blade I was a little concerned but over time I learned to respect the knife as opposed to fear it, at least the one in my hand.

it's amazing how quickly you learn using a live blade.

[Guest]

For solo work, carenza with the knife, I used to really enjoy working with a live blade. It definitely puts a little more focus and attention to detail in what you are doing, rather than just waving a training blade around, which can make you quite lazy.

For defence against a knife, which is my primary area of interest, I find the use of a live blade to be counterproductive. Everything becomes contrived, carefully measured, and you remove the most important factor in any functional training – intent. I would rather train against someone holding a banana, if I knew they were going to give me 100% aggression, resistance, and intent. To me, that is what makes the difference in functionalising anything you train.

That’s just my approach, I appreciate different people train in different ways.

[Tee Sok]

That's a crucial point you made. When I use woodden swords I tend to use them as sticks in the end and I have to remember to pretend they are swords, so it tends to be stick fighting unless when you thrust the weapon. on the other hand I would never use swords as sticks. So it's good to see what each weapon brings you.

If I had used swords in sparring I would already have been killed or seriously hurt different times, because that was the goal, but when I evaded or blocked real swords it was a totally different thing, even though the action was slower I could see how the work was different, it was subtle not hit and block and hit and block again like I see on many videos.

Knife work is different; I think it is easier to to use training knives as you would use a real one, and it is natural.

For solo work, carenza with the knife, I used to really enjoy working with a live blade. It definitely puts a little more focus and attention to detail in what you are doing, rather than just waving a training blade around, which can make you quite lazy.

For defence against a knife, which is my primary area of interest, I find the use of a live blade to be counterproductive. Everything becomes contrived, carefully measured, and you remove the most important factor in any functional training – intent. I would rather train against someone holding a banana, if I knew they were going to give me 100% aggression, resistance, and intent. To me, that is what makes the difference in functionalising anything you train.

That’s just my approach, I appreciate different people train in different ways.

[TTEscrima]

That's a crucial point you made. When I use woodden swords I tend to use them as sticks in the end and I have to remember to pretend they are swords, so it tends to be stick fighting unless when you thrust the weapon. on the other hand I would never use swords as sticks. So it's good to see what each weapon brings you.

Each different tool brings a different element to the training. We use rubber knives the majority of the time, but I've noticed something over the years.

The guys who look like greased lightening with the trainers fall apart at 1 % of the same speed if you introduce one real knife to the equation, much less 2.

Often just the idea that they have to cross hands with scary sharp blades completely shuts them down...I've seen guys who do Hobud blindfolded unable to do the exercise at all once live blades were introduced due to the adrenalin dump.

It's like anything else in the martial arts, the more tools in the toolbox and the more varied your experience the better of you will be when the SHTF.

Even a shock knife will show you the difference, I often see guys going at each other wildly with rubber trainers as though they're simulating a real altercation. I like to hand them a wooden or aluminum trainer and watch them realize they have to ramp it down. 15 minutes later you can give them a marker and they'll realize how often they were actually dead with the rubber knives.

Then add a shock knife and pain...it's a whole new exercise.

NOTHING trains attention to detail like live blade work.

[Tant01]

I introduced a young man to a little skinning blade last evening. He looked at me like I was crazy or something, quite afraid...

I poked my own palm with the back of the blade tip being careful not to cut the boy...

It was fun and kinda fast but he got the feel for where to get the attachment(s)

[kingoftheforest]

I love live blade training, I don't get to do it as much as I'd like too, but I train with all my knives at least once every two weeks.

Not all at once, maybe one for 15 minutes before work, or after I get home. Just to keep in touch with old friends.

Each knife has a personality, it communicates it in the way you have to move to use it. Different shaped blades use slightly different arcs. Some thrust better than others, some work more for chopping movements.

Handle design comes in to play as well as weight.

These little nuances that you train into your movement for each weapon, cannot be duplicated by a trainer knife.

You KNOW when you are holding something that will put your ass in the ER if you mess up. It makes you move different, than a piece of rubber you know you've dropped on you bare foot 100 times.

Or done that stab yourself in the hand with the point repeatedly, while you listen to the instructor, (yeah you know).

[TTEscrima]

Or done that stab yourself in the hand with the point repeatedly, while you listen to the instructor, (yeah you know).

LOL. Sad but true, I see it all over the place...if they're not stabbing themselves in the palm, they're stabbing and bending them against their leg.

[TTEscrima]

I introduced a young man to a little skinning blade last evening. He looked at me like I was crazy or something, quite afraid...

I poked my own palm with the back of the blade tip being careful not to cut the boy...

It was fun and kinda fast but he got the feel for where to get the attachment(s)

You know you've created a monster right?

[Tant01]

Spin off...

You know you've created a monster right?

I just want folks to stay SAFE.

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[TTEscrima]

Spinning kbits, just not a fan. Friends don't let friends spin kbits.

[kingoftheforest]

Spinning kbits, just not a fan. Friends don't let friends spin kbits.

And we thank you for that.

[TTEscrima]

And we thank you for that.

I've seen way too many people hospitalize themselves spinning kbits.

You spin, you will cut yourself, period. The slightest wobble or misalignment is all it takes to bury the point in your forearm, now if you actually hit/cut something while spinning only an idiot would insist they could maintain control.

Rule 1 to Kbits, never spin them, same with guns, you wanna be a sideshow act? Get a monkey, weapons are not toys.