Why France Recognized Lightsaber Dueling As An Official Sport
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Date: 2019-11-01
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Comments and reviews: 9
Tommy Dragna
So I've been a fencer for about 10 years now, and I don't much care, I do have one gripe with lightsaber fighting as displayed by the FFE: it's bad fencing. All the twirling and spinning and crap is just bad swordsmanship and I worry that a rift will develop between traditional fencers and lightsaber fencers, similar to the rift that is growing between Olympic style fencing and Western Martial Arts fencers. Also it seems like it's kind of a free for all for 3 minutes to rack up as many points as possible in such a way that you could almost ignore defense if your bladework was good enough and that should not be encouraged. What I do like is a group of people sat down and codified a set of rules which is something sorely lacking in the WMA world. That was a good idea to get out ahead of the fracturing of the community and make a big push for it.
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So I've been a fencer for about 10 years now, and I don't much care, I do have one gripe with lightsaber fighting as displayed by the FFE: it's bad fencing. All the twirling and spinning and crap is just bad swordsmanship and I worry that a rift will develop between traditional fencers and lightsaber fencers, similar to the rift that is growing between Olympic style fencing and Western Martial Arts fencers. Also it seems like it's kind of a free for all for 3 minutes to rack up as many points as possible in such a way that you could almost ignore defense if your bladework was good enough and that should not be encouraged. What I do like is a group of people sat down and codified a set of rules which is something sorely lacking in the WMA world. That was a good idea to get out ahead of the fracturing of the community and make a big push for it.
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Ultimate Gamer
I've fenced before as a hobby taken a few classes and such. Always loved the sport. I love how there's a rule where the tip of the blade MUST go behind you. Otherwise the duelists would realize that you should ALWAYS keep your blade in front of you if you're using a blade this light and this fast. The moment they move their blade away from their body to slash, they left themselves open. It's why you see slashes in saber but not fencing, it just doesn't make any sense. Thrusting is faster, doesn't leave you open, and hell if these were real light sabers a thrust from one would be enough to kill anyway. It's something I've always noticed about the movies, why do you need to swing the blade behind you to gain momentum for a slash if your blade is a laser and will cut through your enemy like butter anyway? IDK, just thought it was kinda funny.
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I've fenced before as a hobby taken a few classes and such. Always loved the sport. I love how there's a rule where the tip of the blade MUST go behind you. Otherwise the duelists would realize that you should ALWAYS keep your blade in front of you if you're using a blade this light and this fast. The moment they move their blade away from their body to slash, they left themselves open. It's why you see slashes in saber but not fencing, it just doesn't make any sense. Thrusting is faster, doesn't leave you open, and hell if these were real light sabers a thrust from one would be enough to kill anyway. It's something I've always noticed about the movies, why do you need to swing the blade behind you to gain momentum for a slash if your blade is a laser and will cut through your enemy like butter anyway? IDK, just thought it was kinda funny.
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Ever Boy
If it becomes a sport, it ultimately it will be gamed. People will find a meta (the most efficient way of winning) and everyone will start putting things like feints, timing ahead of 'swishing'. I can imagine a scenario where someone just holds the saber behind them until the right moment and then gets the points. Strategically sound, but boring. Once that is established, it will lose popularity because those who adopt the meta will kick your ass in competition if you don't, and the meta will be boring. That's why it's better as more of a dance than a sport. Personally, the interest of a sport to me, is in its depth. That's why I prefer Mixed Martial Arts, because I can express my sport how I wish, while remaining competitive.
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If it becomes a sport, it ultimately it will be gamed. People will find a meta (the most efficient way of winning) and everyone will start putting things like feints, timing ahead of 'swishing'. I can imagine a scenario where someone just holds the saber behind them until the right moment and then gets the points. Strategically sound, but boring. Once that is established, it will lose popularity because those who adopt the meta will kick your ass in competition if you don't, and the meta will be boring. That's why it's better as more of a dance than a sport. Personally, the interest of a sport to me, is in its depth. That's why I prefer Mixed Martial Arts, because I can express my sport how I wish, while remaining competitive.
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Harrison Paul
I know that I am late to the party on this but as a competitive Fencer, this is an actual great move not only for the sport of fencing but also to get people more active. Yes, some people will not see the sport of Fencing as a so-called 'real sport' but the things you need in order to compete at the highest level is what makes it a sport. The move to making lightsaber duelling an official sport means that we can expand the sport of Fencing to new levels and we can cross-train people so that they can do both. I am a Star Wars fan and being Lightsaber duelling into the sporting world has been talked about in the Fencing Community for many years now and I am happy to see that the move is official.
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I know that I am late to the party on this but as a competitive Fencer, this is an actual great move not only for the sport of fencing but also to get people more active. Yes, some people will not see the sport of Fencing as a so-called 'real sport' but the things you need in order to compete at the highest level is what makes it a sport. The move to making lightsaber duelling an official sport means that we can expand the sport of Fencing to new levels and we can cross-train people so that they can do both. I am a Star Wars fan and being Lightsaber duelling into the sporting world has been talked about in the Fencing Community for many years now and I am happy to see that the move is official.
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Guts The Berserker
Spectacle sports are fine but there should be a distinction between them and their more competitive counterparts. Also I miss the old style lightsaber duels in the original trilogy, they carried weight and looked more serious, refined, and believable. People shit on the prequel trilogy a lot but the latest set of movies really showed how much worse the series could get. Finally, if you're a gamer and never played Jedi Outcast or Jedi Academy with the console command for saberrealisticcombat then why even live when you haven't felt the joy of dismembering, beheading, and cauterizing your opponent.
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Spectacle sports are fine but there should be a distinction between them and their more competitive counterparts. Also I miss the old style lightsaber duels in the original trilogy, they carried weight and looked more serious, refined, and believable. People shit on the prequel trilogy a lot but the latest set of movies really showed how much worse the series could get. Finally, if you're a gamer and never played Jedi Outcast or Jedi Academy with the console command for saberrealisticcombat then why even live when you haven't felt the joy of dismembering, beheading, and cauterizing your opponent.
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Mulan 121
Anything to get people more active is fine by me. Lots of teens wouldn't do much if it weren't for sports like skateboarding or parcours, especially in areas that acould be called urban deserts. Also, nerds aren't always known to be particularly good at sports, so if starwars can motivate them, perfect. I don't think lightsabers will be taking people away from fencing. It's for those who wouldn't be doing anything or it legitimizes what people are doing anyway when roleplaying. I'm just hoping there will be some affordable versions of the sport out there so more people have the opportunity to try it.
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Anything to get people more active is fine by me. Lots of teens wouldn't do much if it weren't for sports like skateboarding or parcours, especially in areas that acould be called urban deserts. Also, nerds aren't always known to be particularly good at sports, so if starwars can motivate them, perfect. I don't think lightsabers will be taking people away from fencing. It's for those who wouldn't be doing anything or it legitimizes what people are doing anyway when roleplaying. I'm just hoping there will be some affordable versions of the sport out there so more people have the opportunity to try it.
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AJ Janovsky
This is so cool As someone who has been wanting to lose weight and looking for a way that would hold my nerdy ass' interests, I have been super interested in checking out Forteza the Chicago Sword play guild. They are a legit gym in downtown Chicago that teaches European martial artist with real live medieval techniques with different kinds of blade and disciplines. So to see this, I mean i think again it's so cool, and would love to give it a shot. Spent a whole lot of time swinging plastic lightsabers with my brother and friends in our backyard as a kid so I am more than ready lol
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This is so cool As someone who has been wanting to lose weight and looking for a way that would hold my nerdy ass' interests, I have been super interested in checking out Forteza the Chicago Sword play guild. They are a legit gym in downtown Chicago that teaches European martial artist with real live medieval techniques with different kinds of blade and disciplines. So to see this, I mean i think again it's so cool, and would love to give it a shot. Spent a whole lot of time swinging plastic lightsabers with my brother and friends in our backyard as a kid so I am more than ready lol
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Mike429
I have been fencing for 3 years now and have been the leader/teacher for my small US college club for a while now; I think this is a great move, but I can't seem to understand the need for having the saber to pass your back. Also says nothing about if a lounge would be allowed or not and if it is, I can see a lot of 1-second bouts where it is whoever is faster gets the points. I wonder if it would work better if you used a saber (regular not star wars) style of 'Right of Way' to make it, so you needed to go back to an on guard or block/parry your opponents next attack
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I have been fencing for 3 years now and have been the leader/teacher for my small US college club for a while now; I think this is a great move, but I can't seem to understand the need for having the saber to pass your back. Also says nothing about if a lounge would be allowed or not and if it is, I can see a lot of 1-second bouts where it is whoever is faster gets the points. I wonder if it would work better if you used a saber (regular not star wars) style of 'Right of Way' to make it, so you needed to go back to an on guard or block/parry your opponents next attack
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Nick
If people complain it's just a spectacle, is that not what all televised sports are. and then if they 'think' they can do it better, then they can join the sport and potentially win a gold medal at the olympic games. Either way this is a great thing for the world as it includes more people with different skills in the Olympics. Everyone has different skills and I think people forget that sometimes. We can all be great at something whether it is just for ourselves to realise, or if the whole world can see it.
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If people complain it's just a spectacle, is that not what all televised sports are. and then if they 'think' they can do it better, then they can join the sport and potentially win a gold medal at the olympic games. Either way this is a great thing for the world as it includes more people with different skills in the Olympics. Everyone has different skills and I think people forget that sometimes. We can all be great at something whether it is just for ourselves to realise, or if the whole world can see it.
reply
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