Kron Homework Videos Set 1

[Eamon Sheehy]

Hey guys,

I recall there being a homework assignment due today and that there would be a topic to post the videos we found of good and bad HEMA stuff. However, I have not seen a topic yet and figured I'd just post mine here. I'll be at college until class tonight so here is what I have found:

For the 'Good' category:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4_2EFIpA24

I loved watching these guys fight, especially since I had some knowledge on what they were doing (always makes stuff that much cooler when you know what's going on).

For the 'Bad' category:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jhDOPblXcA

Stage fighting... Spinning, hitting swords, falling etc... Compared to the hundreds of videos that my serachs brought that gave instructional material (all very useful) this out of place.

[Liam the Nomad]

I may as well throw mine in as well while I'm taking a lunch break:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqbi9oArCdI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RE1A0kJZNA&feature=fvwrel

I'd label them and add a paragraph, but as stated in the email, the good and bad videos should be apparent. At least, I think they are.

[Jason Taylor]

Good job, guys. Man, Liam, that second video was abolutely atrocious.

So, what did you guys learn from these videos, good or bad? And what made the bad videos bad, especially yours, Liam?

[Eamon Sheehy]

For me, I found the 'bad' video just 'stagey.' There was lots of swinging, twirling and such, but they were aiming for each others' swords and nothing seemed life-threatening (though it is a show so that's a moot point). Yet a grab, lock, or stab would have been a perfect addition instead of standing there locked eye-to-eye.

The good one was cool because it was a tournament and I knew some of the moves and knew how the system worked. That and the music.

[Liam the Nomad]

Good job, guys. Man, Liam, that second video was abolutely atrocious.

So, what did you guys learn from these videos, good or bad? And what made the bad videos bad, especially yours, Liam?

I'll say.

For the good video I chose, I thought it was good because both fighters used sanctioned attacks, stances, and defenses; as well as footwork. I certainly learned what good strikes and combinations of strikes are effective, as well as combos of defenses and counters.

For the bad video, I definitely learned what not to do. And why it was bad? Just about everything. Specifically, they used attacks that I recall being told not to use because of their sheer tactical stupidity, as well as poor footwork, simplistic blocks, and unrealistic attacks centered around 'stage' fighting. That and not using grabs of any kind when the opportunity presented itself time and time again.

[Liam Rose the Just]

Here are my picks for Good and Bad use of swords.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsGU5KI1qJA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80Gz27NRvWc

This should be pretty apparent.

[Jason Taylor]

Wow. That bad one was...bad....

[Myles Cupp]

Did he SERIOUSLY miss sticking a dagger into someone when their writhing on the ground?

"OMG he moved!!"

[Jonathan Mayshar]

Well no one seems to be having trouble identifying good and bad. AHF, HEMA Alliance, and ARMA -- not surprising to see good fighting in any of those choices. As for the bad ones, I think Eamon has posted the most interesting to analyze because of the three it's the best choreographed stage fight. It's not enough to say that it looks "unrealistic" or "stagey" or whatever; specifically identifying what is wrong with a fake fight involves the same skills as knowing what to do in a real fight. Liam Rose pointed out the attacking the sword problem, and Eamon mentioned several issues including spinning.

Here's a challenge that would be helpful to the club: find the best "bad" fight from a movie that most people have seen; one scene that we can analyze that has all or most of the major problems with stage combat.

To be fair, stage combat only bothers us because we have learned real combat. For those who don't know better, it's dramatic and exciting. I know very little about team sports strategy, but I understand that people who do are often driven crazy by unrealisms in sports movies that I never see a problem with. Many HEMA people, including me, have said that more realistic stage fights are better film, and wish we could influence more fight choreographers. But we may not be right. More exciting for us might be less exciting for most moviegoers, because our moves aren't designed to communicate to an audience that doesn't know sword arts.

[Liam Rose the Just]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7zvffHu_wo

Need I say anything?