Introduction to Half-Swording - Showcasing HEMA

Hosts Sean Franklin and Nicole Smith introduce the basic applications of Half-Swording.
Village Consort Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

[@87392v]

You guys are so skilled at providing engaging demonstrations while also giving great sound quality commentary.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

I love how this adds an entirely new dimension to using a sword. Surprised we don't see this used more in media, fight choreography and the like.

[@yxng_yeager980]

It was used a bit in "The King" (2019)

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

@@yxng_yeager980 Badass.

[@zvonimirtomac7896]

I remember a little bit in Excalibur when Arthur fought Lancelot

[@Ambaryerno]

Because most people are wrapped up in Nick Gilliard's Darth Maul spinning and flailing.

[@oberstjazzen6037]

Introduction to pommel throwing next, please.

[@Orangeveil]

I think you're looking for baseball, my friend.

[@OnlyKaerius]

Sean, Oberst was referring to a Skallagrim video about the most ridiculous technique he'd found in an old sword fighting manual, that referred to "ending your opponent rightly" by unscrewing the pommel and throwing it at them.

[@marloyorkrodriguez9975]

the disrespect to throw your pommel on an enemy to end them rightly

[@JohnQ5]

Your movements are fluid, your showmanship is a peak showcase of dry wit, and I learned a great deal in all of 3 minutes. Thank you both!

[@ShagShaggio]

I really enjoyed this video! Half-Swording is one of my favorite techniques as it has a certain elegant brutality to it. It's a real shame we don't get to see it more in movies and video games. This video really clearly shows how a sword can be used in more ways than just slashing and stabbing. Keep up the great work!

[@brokenursa9986]

I already try to incorporate half-swording where appropriate, but this video actually showed me a few new ways to use the technique.

[@MikeKnell2884]

Yay, first for the first time. I love this kind of videos. And as mentioned already by another viewer - I like how the other presenter is showing the technique as it is being talked about.

[@kyote0683]

You all are so fun to watch. Thank you very much for all the lessons you offer.

[@13thcentury]

I guess a couple of viewers still think that combat was done by bashing armour with a sword... thus gave this vid the thumbs down. Tis a good vid :)

[@maxtuss1185]

Just to say, I appreciate these videos.I am just getting in to HEMA in the UK and these are quite helpful in downtime!

[@WCPFISH]

great explanations and analysis, thank you! (also appreciate the nod to safety!)

[@ziounford]

I must say you do a great job :) I've been planning on doing HEMA for at lest maybe say, 3 to 4 months so far, the issue is that there are none around me, but i still study what i can from watching videos on it. I'm heading up to NY sometime this coming year so i can go to school and do HEMA in my spare time. Sláinte to you Frank and Nicole.

[@iam-mp1pe]

Big supporter in what u all r doing. I wish u guys had a school out here in the Pacific Northwest. U ppl set a good standard & r a inspiring school. I say this in hopes that someone will b inspired enough to start 1 here. & if not, then il have to. I love the marshal art & its history in general

[@baonkang5990]

2:05 this has meme potential.

[@thewoodworkingmetalhead2712]

2:06 her face stabbing him... she looks so happy.But the evil kind of happy...

[@Rekkenze]

Must be her husband.

[@Vladokaza]

Nicole's smile at 2:09 was creepy as fuck. :)

[@MrSam1er]

The one at 2:26 too. She loves to grab that blade.

[@user-js8jh6qq4l]

Ending rightly is a pleasant thing, can!'t deny that

[@orsettomorbido]

Noo, she was soo happy! HAHAHA

[@S_Hofmann]

I really like the new entertaining style!

[@baddgerpaw]

Ah fuck I love Half-Swording, this is a great video to those who don't quite understand the technique but it stays my favorite, I wish I knew more but I just know a bit from Talhoffer, and Fiore for Talhoffer Medieval Combat, and Fiore Knightly art of battle.

[@philsavage6186]

You are great !... Congrats for wearing Mjölnir so proudly.

[@Sogazu]

This so reminds me of Dr. Sheldon Cooper and Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler present Fun with The Flag.

[@ruseldcruze]

2:11 oh the joy

[@Simtar123]

Great video 😄

[@iam-mp1pe]

Good work guys. & keep up the great content, cuz ima lookin & ima liken lol.

[@nanispiderman]

i loved those longswords that your using in the video... if you could please tell me the name of the brand of them i'll be thankfull.. the video is great, it's hightly helpful for me to learn from you! cheers!

[@mileator]

What is the sizing specs for Nicole Smith's sword. It looks a little large, and i'd like to make one out of wood and another out of PVC. It would be a great help, thanks.

[@kyletoelle]

What swords are you using?

[@AnnalOfHistory]

Looks like you two are getting to like making these videos more everyone that you make.

[@swayingGrass]

Some of the hooking technique seems to completely expose hand/fingers to the opponents blade. Is this mentioned in the manuals?

[@RandomAllen]

Indra Ida Bagus You are entirely correct, usually if you're unarmored you only use Half-swording sparingly partly due to that reason. You would primarily use almost exclusively a Half-swording grip in armor, which makes the hand issue a non-issue due to steel gauntlets, so you would be much safer executing moves like that.

[@vanessadahora1891]

2:10 look this smile HUEUHAHUEHUAHEUUH

[@sokolov.legacy]

XDDD

[@prophet6397]

Yo this is amazing

[@MCMCCK]

How do you not get your fingers cut off when using this technique with a sharp blade？

[@matthewmillar3804]

Nicole you seem to enjoy stabbing Sean (sp?) WAY too much! :P

[@ulyssesdacruss5555]

Great! :D

[@bleachmaniac18]

Where did you get the steel training swords you both are using in this video? They look amazing

[@HEMASimian]

bleachmaniac18 Szymon Chlebowski

[@bleachmaniac18]

Thank you very much

[@queltipobizzarro]

The cutting edge technique of half-swording

[@mutsuzawa]

Where canI get these Longswords? Please advise.

[@user-fu4il4sj8g]

good stuffs 👍

[@demonxkiller1]

Are there areas where you would want to avoid half swording? Like if you're fighting an opponent with a shield?

[@Firestxr]

(I know that this is 10 months late lol. You'd probably want to use half-swording mostly in situation where you are facing an opponent in heavy armour and you have no better tool for the job, or when you want to continue an attack which you wouldn't be able to finish otherwise. So you'd probably want to avoid situations where you don't get an advantage of any kind. Against a shield there are moments when it could probably be used to an advantage, but I can't think of it off the top of my head

[@Alpha.Phenix]

No mention of the ''Murder Stroke''?

[@brokenursa9986]

Mordhau (murder stroke) is its own thing. I've never heard of it being considered a subtechnique of half-swording.

[@djfelix2429]

I dig that Mjolnir necklace

[@Staticdeth-hv4mr]

what swords are you using in this video?

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

christian bellard Szymon Chlebowski

[@phiisamajiknumber1555]

Can a longsword be use as a throwing weapon?

[@thrownswordpommel7393]

It's a bit dumb but why not ?

[@danielsmith5664]

yes it can be. If you look at fiore's manuscript The Flower of Battle, one of his first guards is called the Archer's Guard. it is called this because it's designed so that you can chuck the sword at an archer who is close enough and you are really desperate XD Skallagrim actually did a video testing the efficiency of this, and it works surprisingly well.

[@canochento]

1:08 he was trying to kill her and she was like "useless, i have plot armor"

[@LarryStallings-dk4rr]

I NOTICED IN THE PIC THEY WORE GLOVES

[@fujimi715]

Hmmmm doesn't stop bullets though....

[@ryanle1293]

Is half swording allowed in hema tourneys?

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

Ryan Le yep!

[@lt.branwulfram4794]

Too bad your opponent doesn’t have the courtesy to let you do it.

[@caseydubois3645]

"Look mom, no hands!"

[@BobSmith-oo7ei]

So, this isn't the first time I've seen Half Swording discussed, but there is one thing I don't really get. How do you keep from injuring yourself? I get that some swords are dull lower down but it looks like you guys are grabbing at and above the half way point, and I can't think that the sword wouldn't have an edge that far up. Is the assumption that your using some manner of gloves/hand protection as you do this in a real fight with the real thing? Is there a special technique for gripping it and both getting power/leverage/control, but also not cutting yourself?

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

You can grab a sharp sword without a program, and even put a fair bit of force behind it. Check out our video on blade grabs, Sean grabs a sword and Nicole wrenches it around.

[@RandomAllen]

Bob Smith Due to the blade being straight, you can get a very firm grip on the sword. While even a razor sharp edge will bite into your hand, it won't actually cut your hand in any significant way beyond maybe a superficial cut at most if you keep a tight grip. Cutting works from either a push motion, a pull motion or a rotational motion with either push or pull. If you don't let the blade side at all in your hand, it won't cut you.

[@troublestarter6591]

There are also two ways to grip a blade. You can either way wrap your hand and fingers around it tightly, or you can use the lower end of your palm and fold your fingers over the blade. Either way, all you actually have to do is to keep a tight grip so that the blade cannot move in your hand(s)

[@euggee2330]

Are they Anri and Horace....

[@sirloinofbeef9683]

FIRMLY GRASP IT!

[@kentallard8852]

those last moves are all straight up judo but done with a sword

[@planesrift]

If swords are ineffective against armor why wouldn't knights carry maces or warhammers instead?

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

It was way more common for knights to encounter people with bits and pieces of armour instead of someone else with full plate.

[@planesrift]

Can common knights themselves even afford full plate or it is reserved to the very few high nobles? Cuz most armors I've seen in museums belong to like, kings and lords. Which I know that they are preferred to be captured alive for a ransom.

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

planesrift having someone in full harness was extremely rare because of how expensive it was. More often than not it would be guys who cobbled together a helmet, a beast plate, etc. Basically bits and pieces

[@Riceisokay]

I'm disappointed, no mention of the murder stroke

[@michaeltei4173]

They should make cross guard sharp so you can ram it in someone face!

[@nirvanaisdeshit]

I like how Nicole enjoys stabbing Sean multiple times in the face

[@charliemashara477]

Hitting a down opponent can get you in legal trouble where I am at.

[@AmericanTestConstitution]

You guys are explaining methods for chipping up a human body as if you were doing an instructional on how to make cup cakes.

[@stevefelten1197]

I love axes better..but I am partial to a long sword...

[@selvionsalvioni4430]

In un combattimento reale vi sarebbero saltate tutte le dita :D

[@janchodkiewicz7109]

Just clean this nice swords. Rust on the blade is so unprofessional.