Sword Fighting in NJ

By: Sir Tanaka

There’s Sword Fighting in Northern New Jersey through the
Society for Creative Anachronisms, known as the SCA.

With the advent of many motion pictures, cable and TV series
about the “sword and sandals” era’s there has been an increased interest in
sword fighting.

“Hold on now, isn’t sword fighting dangerous?”

It has the potential to do so, but we can mitigate that
danger a bit, let me explain.

“What is sword fighting as defined within the SCA?”

Within the SCA we practice three forms of sword fighting;

Heavy Weapons or Chivalric Combat, which is sword fighting
in armor as practiced in the Dark and Middle ages.

Period Fencing, which is the civilian art of sword fighting
as practiced in the Renaissance period.

Youth Combat is sword fighting for minors, using padded
weapons.

Sword fighting isn’t for everybody. These are competitive
contact sports. You are contacting each other, at times forcefully, when sword
fighting.

In Heavy Weapons, the sword fighting is done with weapons
made of rattan, in medieval styled armor. The medieval sword fighting armor is
made of rigid material either metal or plastic, with only metal used in head
armor. The hits are NOT choreographed, and are generally done with heavy force
and purposeful intent. The aim is to hit your opponent with a “telling blow”
that is to say hard enough to defeat his armor and defense. The sword fighting
is hard, fast, and at times brutal. It is a full contact sport.

In Period Fencing, the sword fighting is styled after the
period of civilian defense and dueling. The weapons are made of steel, with
rubber stoppers or buttons on the points to prevent penetration. The edges of
the swords are blunted to prevent cutting. The armor is mostly cloth with
harder armor in vulnerable places like your neck or groin. As in Heavy weapons,
the sword fighting blows are not choreographed, but they are controlled, and
less ballistic. Cutting and slashes are allowed as they would have been telling
in a civilian duel.

Youth Combat is sword fighting for minors. There are four
divisions which are broken up by age, and in some circumstances size, (If
you’re a big kid they will move you up a division). For the first three
divisions, the sword fighting weapons are constructed of PVC and are covered
with foam. In Division 4 it is Heavy
Weapons combat for 16 and 17 year olds.

Sword fighting is alive and well in these current middle
ages through the Society for Creative anachronisms.

The Sword fighting branch of the SCA in Northern NJ is The
Shire of Rusted Woodlands. You can find out more at their website.
http://rustedwoodlands.eastkingdom.org/
or their Facebook Page

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=115701475127608