Twin swords and playing around.

[Quarterstaff]

Ever since a young age I've always been good at spinning a staff, sticks, and twin rods. Mind you that there has never been any formal training. Its just a pretty fun, recreational hobby like balisong flipping. But I've always wondered about the practicality of fighting with two equally long blades. Does anyone here frequently train with twin swords? Do you ever get tangled up or feel awkward when handling live steel?
If so what are some combos/practice moves that yall do.
Do you use your weak handed to block, Use both for defense/offense, or interchange as the opportunity calls?

 

[Ken Cook]

Fighting with two rapiers at one time is called "Florentine."
Some of us in our group work on it occasionally, and some of us seem to be better at it than others.
I do better than most for the simple reason I'm able to work the two blades independantly.
Seems most of the guys get locked into "mirroring" themselves. Whatever their right hand does is exactly what the left does.
I sometimes think the reason I don't have a problem with this is because I was trained from the age of 4 to be a Classical Pianist.
(Ma's plans didn't exactly work out the way she hoped)

I'm USED to the left hand doing something different.
Yes, I usually use the weak hand as a parry and attack with the right. Works especially well when you're up agains one of those guys who's swords are tied together so to speak.

The one "rule" seems to be, if you're fighting rapier and gauche against two rapiers, go for the simultaneous kill, it's the best you can hope for.


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Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor

 

[Gaucho]

Ken,

Man, you really know your sh*t

. It makes me happy to read your posts. This is exactly the problem that I've seen in fighters using two blades, be they knives or swords, or two sticks- the inability to separate the hands so that each is attacking and defending independantly. Fighters who can do this are wicked opponents.

Mario

 

[Ken Cook]

Well gee, you tell me I know my "shot" in this thread and Mr. Marotz catches me in a HUGE error in another thread. I guess it all evens out and I won't let it go to my head, but thank you.

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Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor

 

[Robert Marotz]

We all have our own forte Ken

 

[thaddeus]

I have been trained extensively in using two weapons so I really prefer it over one. I started at a "young" age being trained in Philipino Kali. Using stick and dagger, or twin machetes, or twin sticks is very natural at this point in my life.

I started into sword fighting in a variety of forms several years after studying Kali. Upon reading Musashi's book, I have seen that mastering one thing means you have mastered all. Just apply the principles. I picked up florentine European style VERY quickly buy just "doing" it naturally. I do the same in Shinai etc. I don't think about it and analyze it at this point, I just do it like I have all along with other weapons and so far it has been extremely effective.

Emplying two weapons probably takes instruction at first. I would not know at this point because it is so natural to me, it seems like I just started doing it naturally. But, I am sure that it was the instruction that brought me along. (After you do something for a really long time, it just seems so natural and obvious that you wonder if you ever did NOT know how to do it).

What it does take is a lot of practice.
If you would allow me to be so esoteric, the path of enlightenment in dual weapons is to consider neither one your primary weapon. Each is a primary weapon, each millisecond they respectively play primary and secondary roles. You just have to practice until it is second nature, and neither one is primary or seconday, both play offense and defense simultanously. Like fighting with your fists, you just use them. One parries, the other attacks, and that changes back and force rapidly as the fight ensues. You don't say "this is my parrying hand, and this is my punching hand", you just use them for whatever is needed as it comes. If you choose one for offense and one for defense, your opponent can quickly capitalize on this. If you, on the other hand, employ both equally, you are a nearly impenetrable force.

With a short while of instruction, I or any other good teacher, could teach you the principles of dual weapons and then you could apply those principles in active training for years and master them.

I am not a master of this sword style, (especially with the sword!), but I have a bit of experience in the area of dual weapons, and I have applied that knowledge to sword effectively, so I hope that helps.