Hi all I want to improve my sabre play, and I was wondering if you all knew any good exercises to increase control, power, precison, etc. basically increase my ability with the saber. I already practice forms with it, and thats helpful, but I was wondering if I could get more out of it. Any info appreciated. Thank you.
I was just browsing the main page and read this as 'Looking for Chinese spare ribs'! Sorry, totally OT
i use metal baseball bats to improve my stength.i have found that 30 oz. bats are the right weight for me.i just practice a routine or a few then some basics with the bats.then i usually take a short brake and then repeat the same routines and basics with my sabre or sabres .i find that it helps with strength and endurance.
You can break down the form into component parts and practice techniques in isolation and in repetition.
Use what the Roman legions used: a pell. In short, take a pole that's your height and stick it in the ground. A good 4 X 4 should do. Proceed to hit said pole with a blunt sword or waster (wooden sword). A sharp could get its edge rolled from the impact. Practice full-force strikes for power and accuracy, and practice pulling your strikes for control. To do that, you swing at the pell as hard as you can but stop short before making contact. If you're pushing yourself enough, you'll tap the pell by mistake about 1 or 2 times in 5. You could also draw target lines on the pell as well to really fine tune your accuracy. Keep in mind that pells are hard on wasters. You could consider padding your pell so you won't go through wasters so quickly. The legions used to train at the pell for about 3-4 hours a day, and the results spoke for themselves. There is simply no better solitary practice tool you could own. Best regards, -Mark
At least that makes sense! I read it and thought "You can't just buy the tips of Chinese broadswords, can you?! And what the hell does he keep doing to his swords?!!" I'm an idiot.
Are you old enough to be on MAP without Parent permission? Stop playing with sharp objects and find an instructor.
If his profile is accurate, he's old enough to vote. Why do you ask? I didn't get the sense that he was trying to learn technique without an instructor. He's asking about exercises to improve precision and power. What's the trouble? Doesn't sound like a newbie question to me. Stuart
Any given instructor doesn't know everything. I'd be glad to learn good exercises, even if I have been receiving instruction for years now. And I'd ask on the internet, on fora that I've found helpful. MAP is one of said fora. Best regards, -Mark
Pointy end goes in other guy. Very important to remember. The idea of the pell is great, I used to use something similiar. Old telephone pole, cemented into an old tire for a base. Got some 'give' to it. I cut a telephone pole in half, made 2 of them. Used them to practice punching and kicking and weapons. That and suspend an old tire from a tree, secured by the top, bottom and one side to the tree trunk. To help with stamina, hold your sword out parallel to the ground and see how long you can hold it. And each day try to hold it longer. If you find it too easy, get a baseball bat or something equivalent.
Honestly, i wouldn't take sword advise from a Bujinkan. Its like taking Kicking advice from a ATA TKD guy.
Stolenbjorn - its something related to Ninjitsu, and really shouldnt matter in this forum. Gakure - chill. There is no need for style bashing, and if you continue then you may spend time away from the site.
thanks Thanks to all (or almost all) for the tips, the pell suggestion does seem very interesting. And Gakure, I am 19, and I have an instructor, but I appreciate your heartfelt concern. Actually, our teacher just teaches us forms, and unfortunately does not seem very knowledgeable of actual swordplay or exercises to enhance my control, power, and precision with the dao. Despite this, I do not see anything wrong with asking for help from fellow peers in a website that is supposedly designed for such things. Anyhow, thanks for all the tips, I will definately put them to good use.
You admit your instructor is basically teaching you dancing with the sword (Wushu, XMA, Scotland Sword dance?) and has little to no knowledge on sword fighting and you want to learn sword fighting? Sounds like you don't have an instructor you have a dance teacher.
