Sabre Sparring Bout Mike vs Peter Vienna 2011

A friendly sparring bout between Michael Thomas (academy of Historical fencing, UK), and Peter Zillinger (Klingenspiel, Austria).

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Hutton sabre
• saber
• sabel
• sabre fight
• swordfight
• swordfighting
• sabre fencing

[sabresandiego]

Is this the same as Sabre fencing? I noticed in sabre fencing, the combatants are extremely agressive and it seems they almost always both hit, but the one who hits first gets the point. In real life if you both hit, you would both lose! not win.

[Nikos3000]

@sabresandiego You are talking about the modern olympic sport of fencing, so no, this is very different. These represent late 19th century military sabres. Agreed totally on both fighters being hit, that is not acceptable in a real fight, the only way it is considered acceptable here is if the first strike would have stopped the opponent's from landing, ie, a heavy lead arm or head cut.

[tuerkefechi]

In general a nice bout. White should use better shoes, they seem to be slippy on the ground. What I don´t like so much is, that the left hand is going wild, when the action becomes faster, it should stay on the hip or better be extended with the cuts. Also I miss the use of the slip/shifting footwork and the retreat after the lunge. Just my opinion.

[Nikos3000]

@tuerkefechi Its not the shoes, in was the floor, if you watch the longsword clip I put up before this where I am fencing I slip a lot too, and my shoes and perfectly suited to training. The left hand is due to the fact that Mike (black) is not principally a sabre fencer, but longsword, and having been out of sabre training for so long it crept out :-)

[tuerkefechi]

@klingenspieler Das verstehe ich sehr gut. Dennoch ein sehr gutes Sparring. Gruß nach österreich.

[klingenspieler]

@sabresandiego You are absolutely right, bet I beg to differ between a real fight (or even a tournament-fight) and this sparring bout, where we had the joy of movement, the testing of reaction and the fun of sabreplay in mind. There over 300 sabre-fights during the tournament on this weekend, and for me, this bout was one of the most relaxing and joyful moments - especially because it was out first sparring together - sSo there was no agression, just fun.

[klingenspieler]

@tuerkefechi slipping and shifting I really did - but dependig on the shoes and floor in rather interesting and surprising directions :-) But you are right, I saw myself on this clip the first time, and I real have to work on my footwork. About may left hand: old problem after nearly ten years of rapier-figting - in action, instinct takes over and my left hand begins o work - bad, bad left hand - the second part, I have to work with.

[joecwright]

What music is that? suits the video really well

[tuerkefechi]

I understand, bad ground is really bad for footwork, I know this problem. Keep up the good work. Kind regards from the Broadsword Academy Germany.

[Nikos3000]

@jbujko Szymon Chlebowski

It isn't a dueling sabre we are after, but a flexible training version of a military sabre as seen in the video. That smith seems to think he can do it. The Pecoraro has a nice hilt, same as the 1899 British gymnasium practice sword, but the blade is extremely light, based on the duelling sabres, too light and flimsy for military sabre practice, though okay for the very late period thrusting orientated systems.