Best Looking Longsword Exchanges | HEMA
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- čas přidán 19. 11. 2021
- Some of the best-looking exchanges, in my humble opinion, of longsword HEMA fencing I've seen. Watch to the end, you might not like some clips but will appreciate others, I'm sure. Enjoy the video!
I am aware there is so many other goods clips available online, but I don't know them yet. If you have good clips you would want to share, please do! I'll include them in a next video.
DISCLAIMER: Yes, I am aware that most of these clips reflect not optimal fighting, with often doubles, poor strategy, experience or technique, and overall that these exchanges might serve no real or good value to the fighter in the action taking place. That IS the point of the video. Not the best exchanges per say; but the best-looking ones. Maybe that might inspire and be liked by some that are new to HEMA.
This is a reupload. The first video was deleted for some reasons, just a few days after I uploaded it. - Sport
"European swords were slow and clunky."
Many people died thinking this I think
@DRAFT3D How heavy do you think a longsword is?
NO😒
@DRAFT3D please give examples of quicker sword types of similar length
@DRAFT3D on average a European longsword was the same weight as a katana. if the longsword was slow and clunky then the katana was too.
The Polish saber fighting is honestly the perfect style for movies. Practical, yet flashy enough to grab attention and constantly moving.
Yeah. Polish sabers and other somewhat similar weapons like the cossack variant of the shashka, which merged the older circassian shashka light sword with polish and Turkish sabers are amazing at looking cool in combat
One of the greatest cinema sword fights of all time was Polish Sabers. Supposedly the actors actually did full contact with blunt swords:
czcams.com/video/MkYjdPCyYjk/video.html
exactly like in Hollywood
@@ColoradoStreamingthat’s not very realistic. I remember I asked my trainer what he thought of this fight and he said “it complete bullshit if you look at it from a fencing standpoint”. And as I have learned more I do see a lot of flaws in it. Doesn’t mean I don’t like the film it’s one of my favourites and I happily watched the 4 hours of “Potop”
I would imagine that the elves in The Lord of The Rings would fight like that. It suits the graciousness of them.
3:56 Seeing halfswording being used sparks joy.
Those saber exchanges are incredibly impressive. I know they're fencing with a skew for safety given the lack of equipment but the intensity and speed, especially when wearing no hand protection...really amazing. Just goes to show how fast and brutal actual combat with these weapons truly was. Amazing work.
Why are they swinging around swords with tee shirts on?
@@jt101c cause it's a demonstration and those are blunt trainers. They aren't trying to full on hit each other just demonstrate some of the techniques involved. If they were actually sparring they'd definitely be in full gear
@@ultimomos5918 The 'full gear' for sabers is also going to probably be quite problematic. Period fencers with sabers didn't wear much arm and hand protection, partially because you have to have unimpeded range of motion for your joints. Anybody knows if there are HEMA attires for saber fencing? Can you use the doublets normally seen in olympic fencing?
@@Washeek I actually coach MWMA (mixed weapons martial arts...like HEMA but with a lot of different influences) and you're right, any level of armor is going to sacrifice some range of motion. Our jackets are relatively padded though and a saber hit won't cause much more than maybe a slight bruise, the hands are protected with heavier gloves and armguards. I'm not sure about MOF jackets as I've never used one but I would imagine they're not quite as padded considering the weapons in question are often much lighter and more flexible.
All that to say that's why I find their exchanges so impressive. They're fencing with a pretty standard cut/parry/cut flow but it's at full speed and intensity and it's very easy to mistime something and still be struck. Shit will break a finger reaaaaal easy
@@ultimomos5918
Thanks for the info. I only ever spared no armor or basically full chain.
I believe there actually are a few moments when the guy on the left suffers a gazing hit to the forearm and you can see him becoming more cautious after that.
4:28
this dude woke up and chose to flex. what a king.
Imagine being a soldier in the year 1400 and dying to that
that was some jedi shit
"I'll try spinning, thats a good trick"
@@branchie8979 fr
those clips of the orange fighter at around 2:06 really show how important good footwork is. Man knew exactly when and how to step in and out of an engagement.
Yep, first thing i noticed about his opponent 'white boots' was him not pacing himself and constantly charging ahead, good way to lose a head.
those fights were some of the coolest i've seen from swordfighting
I see why some want continuous fencing as the standard, that was so much more fun to watch as someone who doesn’t know much about HEMA!
Yep. It get's annoying how current fencing have too much...TOO MUCH restriction that it has become 1-strike point. What the olympic has done to european sword-play!?
Imagine the intensity in times where your whole life depended on this
I keep trying to imagine two guys doing this to the death fully armored. Battles of this time must've been unimaginably brutal.
a time of true warriors
Fully armored and to the death you would see quite different weapons. Something more akin to the M1 sport in Russia or the Battle of Nations. Not saying that duels to the death did not exist in the period, but were usually conducted with even lighter weapons and little to no armor and were more or less a civilian affair. If you mean in the field of battle - duels also occurred, but imagine a bit slower, more deliberate fight of two behemoths in plate, more akin to a fight of two rhinos, than this sparring that reminds me more of snakes or cats or birds. In the field in full plate, the quickest and best option was to get your opponent on the ground, preferably with enough of a slam to momentarily stun them and then go for gaps or for savage beating that would cave the plates in and suffocate the other. You would see heavy choppers, spike-like daggers and maces and axes, rather than "bendy swords".
Interestingly enough you would also at a little later in history (around the time that sabers became really popular) see tournaments very similar to these, that worked more like WWE wrestling works today - for show and crowdpleasing.
@@Washeek armored duels were more common then you make them out to be. There were even weapons specifically made for armored duels. Also, longswords were used against people in armor, hence half swording. It wasn’t the ideal, that would usually be a pollaxe on foot, but it was better than your dagger until the fight got to the ground.
@@Washeek You'd also flip the sword around and hit the enemy with the blunt hilt if fighting someone in plate. A sword edge will do nothing. Using the sword as a hammer is called the Mordhau technique.
@@Daetrax The Mordhau or Mortshlag is highly overrated, even with a sword that has a nice mini-axe shaped crossguard. Longswords can be quite bendy (even period swords as far as we know), depending on the make, so that significantly decreases the effectiveness (yes I mean sideways bending) and it is super uncomfortable to keep hitting a resistant object like armor with mordhau strikes, not even talking about how risky it is to present the non threatening part of the sword.
Not saying it wasn't done, just that it probably wasn't the norm or go to move like "Ah! A person in armor! Better flip my sword!"
No idea what I'm watching, but that second match. Self-calling a hit while knowing it will cost you the match is such a class act. Just the best kind of sportsman.
HEMA
I think it's common in HEMA spars
That halfswording was beautifully executed. By far the most impressing exchanges in this video from a fencing perspective
Big props to the guy (I'm not going to try to spell his name) using the longsword one handed. Not only was his a good (unarmoured) "mortal blow" but the over the back parry too! Very impressive.
Although I think it would be harder to do with a full weight longsword. It goes to show that being able to switch up your style is a Major advantage!
If you're an Armenian soldier killing Jews in Jerusalem it hardly mattered
I think they we're using füll weigth sword (probaly Just Not sharpened). A longsword only weigths a few Kilos, so its defenitly possible to Go a few slashes with one Hand.
@@the4GIVEN a longsword weighing a few kilos is monstrous, most are about 1.5-1.8kg
@@ericlayton8888 sry i was thinking of greatsword. (example the german zweihänder was at least 2kg). my bad
They are using full-weight longswords-they look skinny due to adjustments in thickness for safety.
More fun when they entangle and find the right route to take, although 3:56 was something else entirely what a savage technique
This is a great example of the usefulness of the long sword and how effective it can be when used properly
It's as if the algo read my mind. This is exactly what I was looking for!
Facts
same, i just talked to a friend a while ago and explained why i prefer hema over olympic fencing (her argument was that olympic fencing looks so elegant, now i can show her how elegant hema can be)
It’s crazy to think how violent this would’ve been back in the day
Its an amazing feeling when you have trained HEMA and you have a series of parries and counter attacks that happen so fast, that you dont even really know what happened until after. Its so cool how intelligent and quick your body can be when you train and get out of the way for instincts to take over.
“ True Martial Skill is equatable to death disguised in elegance” Beautiful to behold.
The Novichenko one handed exchange from Swordfish was a classic, I remember watching that live with my jaw dropped
If you haven't perused Martin Fabian's youtube channel, I think it has some of the best sparring and tournament footage in HEMA and its not even close IMO. Taking some of his sparring videos against his co-instructors or his one against Dustin Reagan and comparing the creativity and intensity of exchanges to anything uploaded by Blood and Iron and its night and day, nothing against Blood and Iron.
Also nearly every exchange from the longsword final of Bratislava Fecht III is a banger. Tournament and sparring footage of Arto Fama and Michel Rensen are also goldmine rabbit holes to go down
One of the nicest uses of high Vom Tag I've seen at 9:55 of this video czcams.com/video/ztMyksY-jxE/video.html&ab_channel=MartinFabian
@@thomastucker7317 Thanks ! I'll gladly check this out.
@@thomastucker7317 Yeah High Vom Tag really is most useful as a feint basically.
Boxing got Lomanchenko but we got Novichenko
thanks a lot for that info man.
Hema really should be a bigger deal. This is pretty cool stuff.
Hollywood needs to get these people on speed dial. Only 20 seconds in and it already looked better than 85-90% of swordplay in film today. It's obvious no one's really going in, but they're still incredibly dynamic and it's all so crisp. You could a long take of a duel with little-to-no camera trickery and it would look very legitimate, because it would be. And those lunatics that practice Medieval MMA. They go absolute full-contact. There'll be none of that _Taken 3_ jumpcut bullish.
@Socucius Ergalla watch "The knight of hope" here on youtube, shows how you can do a historically accurate fight in a way you'd see in movies. done by a bunch of people with barely any budget but love for hema.
@@manuelschurig2266 That 1 v all scene in the forest was epic. How many did he fight there? Like 9 of them?
@@donwanna3906 not sure, it's been a while since I last saw it
Honestly I wish. But Hollywood prefers flashy and slow over realistic
@Socucius Ergalla my dude, that's really short-sighted. Have you ever seen a good action movie? Have you seen the raid or any bruce lee movie? Too much speed is not inherently a detriment when it comes to delivering a good action scene that conveys both plot and real fighting prowess.
All you're relying is that the audience is too dumb or inexperienced with real fighting to see that what's happening on the screen is pure BS, regardless of the plot.
I know nothing about sword fighting but I am a martial artist with boxing/Judo/karate background since I was 4 years old and these movements are actually beautiful. I think there’s a lot one can learn from sword fighting and apply it to other areas.
Fantastic video hope to see more of this in the community.
Thanks ! It means a lot to me.
I hope to soon have the time to make two more videos. Another like this one, using more sources ; and a third one containing the most optimal hits and exchanges (not really the best looking ones, but the most useful). It seems many criticize this video for not showing purely efficient and tactfully perfect exchanges, which was not the point anyway ^^"
That third short engagement was the best. It had everything.
Wow 3:38 was awesome. If you watch really carefully you can see red made the blow to blue's foot because he feigned a much higher blow before redirecting way to the bottom. It's impressive when someone's able to feint in the middle of such a fast exchange. Like it's one thing to consciously feint from an idle position, when you're initiating and not reacting. But to do it like that just milliseconds after parrying, that requires it to be like second nature. You have to be so fluent that you just automatically move like that, without thinking about it. And I guess that means a ton of sparring practice, not just practicing forms. Also it was really cool that he parried behind his back right after that. Moving his sword quite a distance in a really short time.
Very much for the statistics: i like the continuous fencing idea, makes it more interesting to watch for noncombatants thus advancing the sport...
Loved the sabres
That was really fascinating to watch, thank you.
Great compilation, would love to see your commentary on the different exchanges.
Sabres fights were entertaining to watch. Lots of staff was going on (position change).
I love the continious fencing. I feel it is more like a fight with life or limbs at stake when the oponent will trying to kill you and not stop just because you get hit. Many hits that might be letal will not be instant lethal.
I agree ! Too bad it's still quite rare to see.
@@reythom6436 You got quite alot of views on this. Should make more HEMA compilations. Il watch em :p
@@Kmodal Seems like I'm not the only one who likes that content, I'm glad my video found an audience ! I'm working on the next one, unfortunately I struggle to find time between work and school.. It will come out, eventually :')
Thanks for your kind comment !
Still many non lethal hits will prevent you from fighting. If you get a muscle or a tendon cut I wanna see how you continue fighting. And that's probably the case by most hits on your limbs.
@@IchhabezuvielCZcamsgegucktO_o I agree, but with the adrenaline you might not drop the sword there and then and give up. I dont know. Like when MMA figthers hurt them self they sometimes just go on with the injury
This finally sold me on HEMA. I’m gonna start training somewhere. It’s just so beautiful!
3:30 is a movie scene, imagine the sheik as his foot is taken off, then his last cut as he falls is parried effortlessly by our hero.
Andrew Clavan-"long swords are heavy and require strength to weild"
-Meanwhile actual swords.
I feel like the film-industry choreography really needs to integrate the zwerkhau more. It looks so good imo
Saved the best for last for sure. Loved it! tyvm = )
Very fascinating to watch. Great stuff.
Been watching foil in the Olympics and now can say I’ve seen my first actual sword duels.
Always brings joy to my heart to see keyboard fencing... the video was fun too. (if you didn't get it I'm making fun of everyone who's an internet expert on swords and their historical use... because the entire comment section seems convinced they're all experts and I am convinced that's not accurate to think)
I’ve seen some clips where people just hack at each other without anyone caring about defending. That was just tragic and boring to see. This is cool tho. Seeing actual sword fighting skills is nice.
@@BENNY-THE-DOG I think he is talking about buhurt.
Came here because of a witcher video, clicks this and the soundtrack of the intro is from witcher 3! Never have I ever been satisfied this day!
Hema/longsword fencing needs sponsors!! Please support this beautiful sport/art!
ngl if i ever got a time machine i'd just watch sword fights over and over until i find the strongest swordsman.
Find the greatest European knight and greatest Asian samurai, get some popcorn, and enjoy quality entertainment.
@@nuh_uh210 samurai would be floored probably
Search up the nodachi or tachi, cavalry and anti-cavalry primary swords then imagine it. However samurai on the battlefield use several weapons before using their katana.
- Late sengoku period had the samurai feature the matchlocks, though peasant soldiers used them far more regularly
- Bow (Usually on horseback like the mongols)
- Yari (spear) or Naginata (kind of like a halberd but imagine a machete sized katana fixed on a spear instead)
- Nodachi or Tachi (Perhaps a nagamaki if its a guardsman or retainer, picture a longer katana plus the length of three katana hilts)
- Tetsubo or Kanabo (though specialized units or peasants used these far more, imagine a large and heavy warclub with iron nails, metal brandings, or just a steel batting club)
- Katana
If you close the distance to get to the katana, and if the European knight still had their long sword I applaud them both
- If the samurai hasn't died yet but had his katana shattered, chipped, or somehow whipped off their hands then they can still whip out their stash of knives.
- Wakizashi
- Tanto
- Pair of daishos (Tanto) knives of two variations, the aikuchi or the hamidashi
then unarmed combat
Meanwhile a knight's loadout is a spear or lance, longsword, mace or axe, backup sword, and dagger. Peasants do the skirmishing and knights were shocktroops
@@Bruh-bb6ey yeah no way a samurai is even damaging a fully plate armored knight
This really good sport i love it, is a bit similar with native East Kalimantan(Indonesia) traditional sport, they call it "Pehiding" And " Bahampas" But is rarely perform nowdays, i hope Olympic include this sport and have world cup for this👍
They are so fast. Amazing. Great athletes all!
This sport seems awesome. I've always been interested in sword fighting, and thus, sword-fighting sports. But, I feel many sword-fighting sports focus more on landing one quick blow for a point, which is uninteresting to me. I'd much rather learn this sport where blocking and parrying with sometimes extended rounds, rather than a one strike and done type of sword-fighting. Unfortunately, I live in a small town, where I doubt there is anything like this anywhere close.
thank you for this compilation!
You're welcome !
the speed. when you guys realy push each other its quite enjoyable
1:58 was a nice exchange. Fatality.
Put this on the Olympics, what the hell, this is art.
This looks insanely fun
So cool. Closest I'll get to seeing an actual duel. :(
super nice cut at the end.
I love the sound of two metal blades clashing.
Yeah those saber fights are gorgeous.
Movie fight fight choreographers should take some notes. 😄
These are amazing
Well, this is pretty freaking cool. Thanks algorithm
whenever i heard them say sparks were flying i didn't expect it to be literal sparks
So much more entertaining than Olympic fencing.
It's just more understandable for the eyes, but i can't say that it's more entertaining to watch/do. I practice both HEMA and olympic fencing(epee) and each of them has it's own unique things that makes them entertaining for people. Someone wants great speeds, accuracy of the actions and somebody likes more grounded and heavy fencing with historically accurate techniques(without electronic devices). I guess everyone thinks like you when they see pro HEMA fencing after olympic fencing.
@@inugaminagayasu8847 cuz its more pleasing to our brains to see the fighting done as it was for hundreds of years instead of loading it with restrictions to be an Olympic sport
@@CrabSpu dude, I practice both Hema and Olympic fencing. Hema has a lot more restrictions, speaking from experience. It only looks like "how people fought hundreds of years ago", but in reality there are many assumptions. Hema also tries to be a sport, you know. Sometimes the rules on tournaments are so stupid, that the whole fencing reduces to abusing these rules or fencing techniques that would not have any place in history. It looks hilarious.
10/10 opening theme. The Mandragora from The Witcher Blood and Wine OST 🔥🔥🔥
SUBBED.
How is this not more popular than fencing? Every match of fencing I've seen looks like people tripping to avoid getting slapped by a noodle.
long story short, mediocre modern fencers will often podium at hema events
I love those sounds
I can only imagine how brutal it would be if they were doing it for real. No armor sharp swords with all the intent in the world.
7:45 Using his hands to stop the sword is straight out of a movie
I love the gigachad with the kilt in the background
Love HEMA!
This looks so fun
i know next to nothing about swordfighting but even with my lack of knowledge it's beutiful. im half here for the sound tho ngl
That halfswording was awesome
Sick vid 👌 I personally rate it 10/10
I would love to see more competitions that don't utilize the right of way rule. It's a good way to keep a competition moving at a reasonable pace, but blow for blow is less true to the art. Self preservation should be a factor too.
The meta in late game Elden Ring is crazy!
The bout at 2:41 looks surprisingly similar to kendo
Grappling is a universal constant.
this make me feel far more tension then any ball game
Exactly one QUARTer of this was HELLISH.
Excellent music choice Witcher 3🔥
Duuuude Novichenko’s protective equipment looked so cool wtf
I can now see why half-swording was popular during medieval times. It is very effective in disabling your opponent.
If only movie swordfights were this good.
I'd love to try this so much
Please do! There are now lots of HEMA clubs in multiple countries and cities. They usually are very welcoming, provide all the necessary equipment and allow for a free session for you to get a first feel for the sport. Consider giving it a try!
That was cool.
Whole lotta beautiful exchanges! Thanks for sharing these
Impressive
Polish sabre is so beautiful!!
2:51 WOW loved this exchange... reminded me of mma
This would be excellent reference for animated sword fights.
Mordhau 2 looking slick
I love the idea of the continual rounds, without stopping after every blow.
I would think that certain blows, could perhaps warrant a stop, like a blow to the head, neck, or groin... but everything else should keep going.
And points should not only be awarded for strikes, but for avoiding a follow up strike for at least 5 seconds. Afterall, what good is killing your opponent if they kill you too?
I'm not sure how representative these duels are to something we would have seen in open warfare or even the one v one dueling that is so romanticised in popular media. This is a sport after all... these individuals are well trained and often evenly matched which I would wager would not often had been the case in real life.
However if this is the surrogate we can use for at least the latter I note the blows landed are often quite light... unlikely to be immediately fatal (as absurdly demonstrated in many films). More likely causing a disabling wound laceration that would prevent the unfortunate duellist from continuing the fight... if not to die slowly from ongoing blood lost from an artery that just won't stop... or to acquire an infection a week or two down the line and then succumb to sepsis over the ensuing days.
High stakes games indeed.
Well, these techniques are taken from period dueling manuals, but yeah, combat with people by your side and armored opponents would be quite a bit different
I love how sportsmanlike hema is compared to other sports and martial arts
That barefoot fighter is making my throat catch, yikes!
I was sent to the hospital and recieved three stitches doing that
nice
I saw someone with a Reed College hoodie, was this in Portland??
Looks very interesting, they even have a swedish girl with a stick :^0
Thrusts are cool too. Can we get some nice controlled thrusts in the next one.
I'll try to find some !
Nice...
Are there any of these with giant claymores?
剣道と違って鉄と鉄がぶつかり合うのが迫力あっていいね
A kendo/kenjutsu tournament with blunt swords would be AWESOME!
Some of the fighters were REALLY good.
I would love to see kendo practicer with that stiff one step per time footwork against such agressive and on the face combat
I'm pretty sure thats just how they learn and practice the motions