Longsword: Test cutting with tatami mats

Cutting tatami mats with a longsword. I'm a member of Turun Historiallisen Miekkailun Seura ry. (Turku Association for Historical Fencing), based in Turku, SW Finland. We train primarily italian swordsmanship based on the works of Fiore dei Liberi, hence the stances (posta) and cuts have medieval Italian terminology. For reference, Posta di Donna is the Woman's Guard, Posta Denti di Chingiale/chingiaro is the guard of the Boar's Tooth, while Posta di Coda Lunga Distesa is the Long Tail Guard. More info about who we are and what we do can be found here:
http://sites.google.com/site/turunmiekkailunseura/home

Disclaimer: I don't have much experience in test cutting tatami. This was perhaps the fifth or sixth time. This video has been edited to only show the best cuts I made. It doesn't show the crap cuts or the misses.

We do a lot of cutting practice with blunt steel longswords, both static and with steps, on air and occasionally on a tyre pell (for power). Tatami cutting is an excellent exercise for recognising what a sharp sword can do and it always surprises me how little power is needed to slice through a mat as long as the edge alignment is good.

Videos show up our mistakes and allows fine tuning. In this video my shoulders are not relaxed enough and too high, I'm lifting the sword (in the high stances) as I cut (telegraphing) and I have to learn to sink more and resist the temptaion to rise in my stance. Practice makes perfect! :-)

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• longsword
• tatami
• cutting practice
• Fiore dei Liberi
• thms

[snowcelt]

Thanks for that! Still need a lot of practice but. Too stiff in the shoulders, too much power and thinking too much. I just got a sharp arming sword so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

[WitheringintheDark]

Effortless... nice form, sharp sword =)

[Arb1ter]

lulz i just love how you put almost no energy into the swing and still make a perfectly clean cut