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Old October 20, 2001, 08:29 AM   #19
Matt Wallis
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 30, 2001
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 176
live blades...

First off, just for the record, when I hear (read) or say "live steel" I usually assume we're talking about a real sword that is sharp. Is that the definition we're all going with here? I've heard some people refer to fighting with blunted or rebaited (sp?) swords also as "live steel" but that's not usually what I think it means.

"Obviously, the difficulty is getting enough opponents to practice with you when you are wielding a live blade."

Whoo-ee! Under my definition of live steel I have to say I'd never "spar" or demo with it! Solo work (we don't really have kata in Western Arts) and test cutting is all I'd do with true "live steel." Truthfully I've never really even done any training with blunted swords (yet!), but I've heard even that can be dangerous enough.

"Kendo is where you use the shinai (bamboo) swords, but make full contact."

So would you say that Kendo, by itself, is not really a sword art any more and is really just stick fighting now? Or is Kendo always accompanied by other sword practice such as Iaido that gives it a more well rounded technique?

"For "realistic" stick sparring, check out the Dog Brothers."

Heard about them, man. Isn't their motto "higher consciousness through harder contact" or something like that? Heh, heh. I'm not afraid of a little hard contact, but let's just say that's not for me!

Regards,
Matt
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