Historical Fencing vs. Kendo
While compiling a list of fencing videos on YouTube to review, I went off track and looked at a few of the SCA and rapier videos. Most of them are shot outside with poor sound or bad lighting so you can’t really see what is going on.
I found this video matching up Kendo vs. Historical fencing. The match was indoors, so the sound is decent and the video quality is ok for YouTube.
What do you think? The Kendo vs. Fencing comes up every now and then and people seem to like to talk about these kind of match ups. The Historical Fencing is not using a rapier, but rather a single handed sword, so it’s not a “point weapon vs. cutting weapon” battle.
We don’t know what the respective skill levels of the two combatants are, or how much each prepped for the other’s style. Still, more fodder for the “my kung fu is greater than your kung fu” discussions.
Charles on 07 Nov 2007 at 6:27 pm #
I’ve seen this video before (on youtube). It’s fun to watch, but I don’t think it rates as interesting. The skill levels of both men don’t seem to be all that high, and there’s nothing to indicate what assumptions they’re fighting under.
The kendo doesn’t look very high level, though not knowing what the kendoka’s goals were, hard to tell. And while I have no experience with Western sword, the “fencer” doesn’t impress me as having a lot of formal training.
I’d say that the video is more an example of the individuals involved instead of the arts they’re trying to use.