Kilted Swordplay

[Knight]

No problem. I wasn't sure if this was the direct place to put it, since the "not allowed" specifies weapons not historically connected to the kilt. The German longsword doesn't have much of a connection, but this place makes as much sense as any.

I see from the video that you have a belt on and are wearing your kilt above the hip bones. That seems to keep your kilt from slipping down (unlike the gent in the green Standard II). The top of the pleats seem to stay wrapped onto your bottom without dropping down thus the hem interfering with your calves. I observe freedom of movement in your legs (side to side as well as front to back) that can assist in thrusts, blocks and turns. The video wasn't long enough to indicate that your kilt twisted to one side or the other, and you stated that you were holding back due to lack of protective gear. Even if you don't do another video, let us know how the kilt held when you get into a full fledged sparring.

A few thoughts in the vein of response: my belt definitely helps keep it up, but the thing is a bit on the tight side (New York winters are objectively endless, and so are holiday feasts). I was happily surprised that I didn't get "tangled" in the kilt in the way that I've felt while running in a Sport Kilt. I'm a big guy; when I run, there's a lot of motion, and lighter garments rise up higher than I'd like. The UT Kilt's duck cloth, or whatever that fabric is, stays ground-oriented without being restrictive. Typically in the past, we've sparred in loose jeans or athletic pants. However, those get hot, fast, and since we're both into wearing kilts, I think that's the way we're going to go now. Even though he wears his a bit lower than I do, upon discussion, Green wasn't bothered by the pleats miring around his legs at all. We were both happy to be able to move without the inseam restricting the bit of footwork we engaged in. After a good ten minutes of back and forth, we had no issues with the kilt sliding off-center (or up or down, for that matter).

We may do a video testing the Sport Kilts in sparring action to see if they have "rise" factors. Also, I agree that there ought to be more videos of the things in action. I've frequently read on this board, and elsewhere, of kilted adventures, and there are some photos of pretty landscapes and sharp tartans, but no video. As a summertime athlete, I'd be curious to see how the garment performs in a variety of context. Excepting heavy, highly tailored wool garments with full ornamentation, the kilt seems to me perfectly suited to action. For me, as a kilt-buyer, I'm always really interested in how it performs in action. Yet, there is little evidence.

That looks like quite a work out. I wonder if a 16th century Highlander would have been using similar techniques with his Claidheamh da laimh?

It's a full-body work out, for sure. A good sparring session intersperses technique study and sparring, so you can extend a while. On a full-spar day, we might only eek out a good 30 minutes before we're jelly-limbed. It's easy to get into: research HEMA, find a partner or two who are willing to look a bit silly and want to tone their muscles, and you've got yourself a new (deadlier) hobby.

The Scottish Claymore you're referencing would have a degree in similar utility and motion. It's a longer, heavier, broader weapon, though, so a claymore in action would be used more as a cutting and slashing weapon (for a variety of reasons; chief among them the difficulty of accurately thrusting the thing, and secondarily the challenge of returning it to a guard from the thrust position) than a German longsword (as seen in the video). I've never had the privilege of fencing with a claymore, but I do own one and have tested it in some light single drilling for cross-applicability. I found that the longer hilt makes some of the motions from my particular school of study more difficult, because the hands are substantially further apart, confounding some shoulder-rolling motions and requiring significant adjustment to footwork for best balance.

Specifically, we're studying the Lichtenauer tradition, which acts as a sort of "quick and dirty" minimalism to countermand the flashier schools of European swordplay popular in the 14th and 15th centuries. It's the Survivor's Style, if you want. Keep a guard and strike when the enemy presents an opening. In the context of the video, we're trading and countering the most common strikes, which makes for flashy play, but it's honestly bad form. One is better suited to step out of measure and towards safety, rather than seek to perry, and to then thrust or slash rapidly at the subsequent opening. But again: no safety equipment, and we wanted it to look cool. Gotta get them gift certificates!

I can answer more questions for those curious. I will try to put together another video in the next few weeks, since there appears to be some measure of curiosity, and I really am curious to know how the SKs behave in a combat situation.