Oregon Lightsaber Combat

When I was with OCFF we used to have a lightsaber class on wednesday nights. What it entailed was the use of shinais or modified sabers to engage in a safe combat scenario. We played games and practiced, we even used to time to do choreography for public appearances and fan film stuff. For the most part it was just a great way to get together every week and spend time with fellow geeks doing something safe and fun. Is there such a thing up here? If not ever thought of starting one?

 

[image=http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j138/brigandarklung/IMG1026.jpg]
Shinai fight, doing what we called circle





[image=http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j138/brigandarklung/IMG_0174.jpg]]
A Pair of modified shinais called rapiers, 2 planks retaped from basic four plank shinais

 

Hi brigandarklung,

No, we don't have anything like that (as far as I know). But as a local lightsaber enthusiast AND Jedi costumer, I would LOVE to start something up. I couldn't meet every week, but I could definitely schedule once per month.

I live in Southeast Portland near the Clinton Street Theater.

Feel free to PM me and perhaps we could hammer out details? I'd most likely use a EL blade if those suffice. Is the point of the class to teach realistic fighting? Or did you guys focus on choreographed moves?

Very interested! Do you have a Jedi outfit?

-Kyle

 

Currently right now I do not have a costume. The fights are not all choreographed. Actully almost none are. Most of time is spent on learning how to use the weapons. The only pads we wore were gloves. Some wore simple leather gloves others(like myself) wore padded kick boxing gloves. We taught each other to do controlled hits. Yes some got hurt but technically we were playing with weapons. The controlled hit is that you are still swinging at a real speed but chopping your hit at the last minute so it is more of a tap and less of a hit. Very hard skill to get used to but there are exercises for that. It's like being kids in a controlled environment.

 

For those curious here is an example of rules...

O.C.S.W.S. LIGHTSABER TRAINING CLASS
RULES AND REGULATIONS

GENERAL CONDUCT
All fighters must maintain a positive and productive attitude, any personal drama, grudges or issues should be kept out of practice and off the battlefield

All fighters must demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times

Successful and fun combat depends on the honor system, if a fighter receives a legal and legitimate hit, he or she should accept the hit and move on. There is no place for ego or bad sportsmanship in this class.

All participants (including bystanders) must refrain from using profanity or other inappropriate language

ATTIRE
Closed toe shoes must be worn at all times

gloves are required for all combat (style and material of gloves is left to the fighter?s discretion and preferences, heavy leather gloves are recommended)

comfortable ?exercise? clothing with long sleeves is recommended

costumes may be worn provided that they are not restrictive or constitute a safety hazard. The instructors will make the final decision regarding the safety of costumes

forearm bracers and shin protectors are recommended

protective headgear may be worn provided it does not impair vision or otherwise compromise safety

GENERAL COMBAT RULES
no thrusting attacks

no attacks may be directed at the head or genitalia unless specified in advance as a training
exercise or as a part of a choreographed fight scene

no ?fly fishing? ( wielding of a weapon solely by the pommel end of the handle, this leads to a lack of control)

hits are calculated on a point system:
main torso (chest, abdomen, shoulder blades, back, buttocks, pelvis)- 2 points
upper arms (shoulder joint to elbow joint)- 1 point
legs (hip joint to toes)- 1 point
a ?Kill? is achieved when 2 points are scored on an individual?s body (any torso hit or any two limb hits)

**forearms (elbow joint to wrist joint) and hands- 0 points (it is assumed that some form of armored gauntlet is worn that protects the forearm and hands.) **exception, see mace rules** However if a blow is deliberately blocked by the forearm or hand or if an opponent?s weapon is grabbed during an attack, it is then considered a damaging hit and a point is taken

if a limb is hit, the recipient must behave accordingly and discontinue use of the affected limb for the duration of the combat

if a leg is hit, hopping on one foot is not permitted as this constitutes a safety risk the leg should be ?dragged? behind

two hits on the same limb constitutes 2 points

no grappling of weapons or hand to hand combat moves are allowed unless specified for a choreographed scene

POWER / STRENGTH AND SPEED
as with any martial arts or contact sport, minor bruises are expected. Fighters should expect to ?feel? the blows they are dealt. However power and strength must be kept to a minimum
We are not here to cause injuries and strength must be kept at a level that will not cause any undue harm.

a general rule of thumb is ?do not exceed 50% of your maximum speed or strength?
As a fighter?s skill grows speed may be increased provided it does not affect the fighter?s control

it is the fighter?s responsibility to maintain control of his or her weapon at all times

any action that causes or could potentially cause undue harm will result in disciplinary action being taken against the perpetrator ** see penalties**

MARSHALLING
The Marshall is the safety officer and referee in one and can be identified by the yellow and black spiraled staff

A Marshall responsibilities are as follows:

ensuring the safety of the fighters and bystanders (ensuring that bystanders stay well back from the battlefield, and that no outside hazards to the fighters exist)

ensuring that combat rules are adhered to at all times

arbitrating any disputed hits

signaling the start of a battle after ensuring that all parties are ready to begin.

No fighter may attack the Marshall at any time

The Marshall must e

 

So this *sounds* like "trying to kill your opponent" class (hence the use of "combat", I assume) instead of a learning how to do cool sh!t with your lightsaber class.

I know it's not a practial use of the weapon in a fight, but I am definitely looking to choreograph duels.

That being said, I'm still down for at least trying this. I have a EL Saber that I can use. The blade is locked in with two alan-head screws. Here's a photo:
[image=http://www.freak23.com/shaak_ti/saber02.jpg]

-Kyle

 

I already do saber combat with my friends. Nothing organized and no rules other than avoid the faces.

 

You would actually be surprised at what moves come out of actually knowing how to wield your weapon. The whole idea is to become familiar with it. And to make that believable how else do you actually look the part then to fight with it. OCFF has been doing this for years now and their choreography is off the scope in my opinion. They don't recreate fights they create them. With the knowledge gained from fighting and learning a practical use for the weapon they even learned to improvise and makek it look as if it were real.

 

To be honest I could probably whup all your guys' butts. I'm not even bluffing. Ask any of my friends I'm very good at swordplay.

 

Sounds a lot like ECS/SCA combat. The AE is also pretty prominent down there... did the folks down there have connections with any of those groups and thus get the rules partially from them? Or is it wholly original? Either way, good stuff. I used to do Star Wars LARP and combat with some friends, still do fantasy LARP with a large group of folks, and should still carry my titles with the Adrian Empire and ECS when I was fighting for them. There's not much like the adrenaline you get in sword combat. It'd be awesome if you guys got a group going with this, could potentially be another event to entice new folks in with. Might even try to make it down for a few of them.

 

I'm pretty good with a blaster if anyone wants to hit the range sometime.

 

Actually one of the instructors down there ( the black smudge) is involved with live steel via his rennaissance guild.
By the way I am very proficient at florentine and whooped their butts down there when they let me use it. Most of the rules come from various shinai groups down there. Being that it is sunny almost all year the geeks find interesting things to do in parks like sword fight.

I would love to meet sometime and run with this idea and actually form a group and teach people what I know. I am planning on attending the toy fair on saturday @ toy bliss but other than that I would love to meet on this.


By the way being good at swordplay is one thing but control in this type of combat is a completely different subject, one many aren't accustomed to.

 

Forget Saturday at Toy bliss! Come to the SciFi Swap'N'Shop in Vancouver! ;P

Seriously, I've only got a few lightsaber moves and most of those feature "standing still" twirling action.

So, if something actually happens, let me know. You could probably all make my skill look pathetic. Crashdown's wife took a fencing class, though, so watch out for her.

-Kyle

 

The Sci-Fi shop and swap it is.

On a second note who would I contact about getting park permission to do this, the police, park rangers?

Also if we do get this going I would like to reccomend shinais from E-bogu.com, we could pool an order together and save on shipping. The reason I bring this up is that power is always an issue. I don't have a lightsaber but for those that do it is advisable to chance a $20 shinai than an expensive lightsaber. Unless the polycarbonate tubing is upgraded to a thicker size, the stress becomes a little too much for the blades. One too many times have I been whipped with the guts of an EL blade, and man it hurts.

 

Ouch! I have two polycarbonate blades. One I don't really watn to screw up, but I'm confident that it would do a good job. The second,, I attached the cabochon myself, so I don't really trust it. I already have a machined aluminum hilt, so being able to use those, or to pick up something sans EL guts would be fine too.

About getting a shinai, I get paid on the 1st and 16th of every month, so if we wanted to get an order do it right around then.

-Kyle

 

I wouldn't laugh Grumpy. I was Blue Kick you butt more than once during the parade

 

You were what, now?

 

I "saw" Blue Kick your butt more than once during the parade.

....Don't you understand Dyslexia?

 

Saber combat is my kind of sword fighting

 

If we practice really hard we can do THIS!!

 

What a truly WONDERFUL idea. I saw someone mention SCA/AE/ECS up-thread, and one minor point that has yet to be mentioned...those groups have very stringent "authorization' processes to go through, wherein multiple veteran fighters assist and guide you into becoming a capable and safe combatant. I have 11 years of SCA experience, have been a long-time tournament fighter, trainer, and royal squire, (sorry about the off-list sources, it is for comparison's sake, ONLY!!) and practitioner of several types of martial arts. I would LOVE to get a LARGE group of regular trainers and fighters together for live demonstration, and the promotion of healthy sportsmanship through weapon discipline. After all, a Jedi's lightsaber is his life, or more pointedly, the defense of his life. Why carry one, if you don't know how to employ it? Please PM me at your respective leisure, and let's try to see if there are any ways to get something going, if there is already something existing, I would eagerly request contact info to be a part of it. I have tons of input/ideas that could make regular training a fantastically rewarding and fun experience. Here's looking forward to it....Mike

 

Can I join in? I'm not great with the fancy saber moves, but I have taken a college course in beginner foil, although it has been a while.

Could someone come to one of these meetings and start off as a spectator to get a feel for what would be going on? I only own those cheaper toy light sabers, Luke's, Anakin's, and the Anakin's/Vader's one. I really need to get on sewing my Jedi costume. Now if only I could truly master the force.

 

Are you kidding me Crash? RVD is child's play.

 

So if you don't know about the NYJedi Lightsaber classes, these are some videos that they realeased. I really want to get together and try practicing them. I'm fine when I twirl and spin the saber by myself, but I really need another saber-weilding opponent to get these on.

Intro Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjNdhQsLh6A

Basic Hits, Form 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VujxaOMrDBQ

Form 2 - "The 8's"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20uCNP2M8zA

Form 3 - "The 6's"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WagLT9ASnns

Form 4 - "The 5's"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRi5m8dySa4

While these may seem very basic, I certainly have experienced first-hand the same kind of "what do we do" problem when starting a mock duel.

If anyone wants to head over to a park one evening after work, let me know...I have a couple in my area.

-Kyle