Is this Japananes Kobudo Master getting Halberds right? - Responding to

[@Bristan]

Sekei sensei has multiple videos on the jo staff(5 foot or so long), in the video he talks about yari ( spear) and you can see other polearms on his wall. I would say he has at least trained in Japanese polearms.

[@maus9777]

He also did a video on naginata, which is more of a glaive, so yeah he definitely is proficient with polearm

[@Kirkrrr]

I forget exactly what dan Seki Sensei is with the jo staff (it's mentioned in the video they do on them), but it's fairly high

[@ycplum7062]

While practitioner develops proficiency in a weapon(s), a master learns the principles. With principles, one can much more readily understand the ways unfamilair weapons can be utilized.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

Well said.

[@Nimno74]

When he did the longsword video, I distinctly remember him saying "I want one of these". He behaves as a master should. His curiosity is never sated, and he's aware that there will always be more to learn.

[@quakxy_dukx]

It’s unfortunate that Japan’s laws won’t allow it

[@SeanCrosser]

​@@quakxy_dukx not a real one, but maybe one could make a case for feders

[@quakxy_dukx]

@@SeanCrosser yeah that could potentially be accepted

[@GeebusCrust]

He said the same thing in the halberd video. I love how excited he gets over these weapons and how they fare against what he is most familiar with.

[@gunsenhistory7919]

Seki sensei is obviously very well versed in his own art. There are a lot of polearms in the yari family resembling halberds in function with side blades projecting outward from the main point, so it is not that far from European interpretation

[@kassiog.6595]

Also Seki sensei is well versed in naginata if i remember correctly

[@patrickstewart3446]

@@kassiog.6595Which is pretty much a glaive in form and function. Seems a lot of civilizations saw the value in putting a cutting blade at the end of a pole. 😁

[@潤也藤原]

長い伝統を持つ浅山一伝流は日本の戦国時代における戦闘に対応した総合武術のようです。実戦では様々な装備がありますのでそれらにも熟知しており、投擲武器の扱いもお上手です。一伝流は普通の日本人も知らないと思います。何故でしょう？本格的な鎧をつけない幕末の志士の話には出てこないからだと思います。

[@user-bm3ts2ql6s]

I'm just starting to take lessons from Seki Sensei online. The man is absolutely amazing. Zoom lessons he monitors the class so so well. He stops demonstrations to correct every student. How he does it via zoom I will never know. All I know is I love learning with him and can't wait to go to Japan to meet him in person.

[@ddmacc]

How many take these classes? Are they pretty full?

[@_-K1LL3RK1tT3N-_]

​@@ddmaccthere's a lot of people from what i know of since they made a video about it

[@user-bm3ts2ql6s]

@@ddmacc there are quite a few people but classes are on zoom so size of class isn’t that important, you just have to have the solace at home

[@muhammadabuzarkhan7450]

You are the most European looking gentleman I ever saw on the internet.

[@gorbalsboy]

Very good ,great you spoke aboot the difference between duelling and mass combat😊

[@VirtualFechtschule]

Thanks!

[@logankuhlman7054]

Canadian spotted

[@FiliiMartis]

What I truly like about Seki Sensei is his ability to apply his experience to new weapons and identify a good enough way to use them. It shows a certain universality of the weapon, not in the cultural sense, but in the design sense. Does it have a long shaft and a hook of sorts? Then this is how it makes sense to use it. 👍

[@MrBatraaf]

Great point about the difference between battlefield and civilian/ludic fencing. At our school (and probably most schools) we only train the latter. I would love to study battlefield techniques, but I think it would be difficult to get two large formations of people together. Historical fencing is still somewhat of a niche hobby.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

Yeah, it is. It's a big reason why I try to get to events such as BOL drills and Feldlager for next year. That said, keep an eye on this space, because soon I'll be able to publish some research that may allow people to train some battlefield stuff in a historically inspired way without large gatherings of fighters.

[@LotionSoronarr]

Some HEMA club should really invite Seki Sensei (and shogo) for a week to try real weapons

[@BasedR0nin]

What do you mean “real weapons”?

[@LotionSoronarr]

@@BasedR0nin Actual western weapons are not allowed in japan. He cannot legally own a real longsword.

[@BasedR0nin]

@@LotionSoronarr oh gotcha

[@killaved4262]

Its very hard to get weapons of any sort in japan, its hard enough to get a katana but to get a weapon imported would be near impossible

[@BasedR0nin]

@@killaved4262 I practice koryu and am very well aware that not everyone can just buy a katana there. I myself own a iaito to train with (a practice sword developed in japan for this very reason). I just thought the HEMA commenter might be saying only European weapons are “real” or something. It’s really not THAT hard to get a katana in Japan or exported out, it’s just expensive

[@dhalav]

Nice vidéo, you not just réacting to the techniques but also providing insights into the historical and cultural contexts of this weapon is really a positive point. Well done.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

Thanks!

[@kassiog.6595]

If i remeber correctly, Seki sensei is well versed on staff, yari and naginata. thats why he could quickly pick the halberd up

[@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714]

Jari is literally just the japanese word for spear.

[@alexiosblake9804]

@@baltulielkungsgunarsmiezis9714 while yes, japanese spears differ from western ones in form and length. So as a way to discern them people tend to use spear or yari depending on wether it's a western or japanese one.

[@pezyg]

Beautiful and somewhat unexpected crossover. Gotta love it!

[@VirtualFechtschule]

Thanks!

[@ScrubDaddy265]

All hand weapons training can be simplified to long, medium, and short staff training.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

André Paurenfeyndt would have agreed. :)

[@farkasmactavish]

​@@VirtualFechtschuleAnd Joachim Meyer. His whole system is "Learn the longsword. Okay, now you know how to use everything, with like a couple of small differences."

[@Justanotherconsumer]

@@farkasmactavishgiven the number of ways you can use the long sword (mordhau, half-sword, one hand, two hand, etc…) it’s hard to disagree.

[@southpawmoose]

How many confirmed kills dose your mustache have, good lord, it is excellent. Good video too.

[@shinokada824]

As far as I know he has not much experience in bladed polearms such as Yari (spear) or Naginata. But he IS a master of staff and Kama (sickle). At first glance he noticed that the hook-like part of the halberd is somewhat like Kama.

[@GnosticAtheist]

I have a Lucerne hammer on my swiss army knife to defeat sudden charges. Never be unprepared.

[@tomo-gq2tq]

2:35 i'm glad you mentioned that because of the automatic assumption or arguments either online or in person, about armed hand to hand trying to be forced in all conditions of combat from the same thing. Meanwhile there those who don't give peace to demonstrators of fun and culture.

[@devaridproject30]

If they made it bigger and heavier, it would be Lu Bu's weapon.

[@dubuyajay9964]

What about the Guan Dao?

[@Rob_Fordd]

Very well done! Enjoyed this analysis.

[@andyedwards9222]

A very interesting and well rounded reaction video. Just what I'd expect.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

Thanks! :)

[@Yama_no_Kitsune]

I love the impromptu collaborations among youtubers :D Seki, Skalla, you and probably others.

[@MairsMate]

Really cool to see this exchange of ideas between sports.

[@josuesepulveda6850]

Sekei sensei has a nother video of him using the European long sword,please check that one out!I enjoyed the video.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

Yes, that one is nice. :)

[@ScipionLaurentiend]

glorious mustache good sir.....oh and the video was quite nice as well

[@edi9892]

What I miss in the debate is: what is a halberd? IMHO, it's like saying Yari. It doesn't tell you whether the weapon is 2m or 3m tall has 3 or 6 kg, how big the axe is, whether it's sharp or not, how long the spike is, is the spike a spearblade or actual spike, or even a saber-like blade? The TLDR is that you can have two different halberds and they handle completely differently.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

Very true. Something for down the line

[@dubuyajay9964]

What about the Jumonji-Yari? Not a pole axe, but still a cross-guarded pole weapon.

[@ProfessorNinjaWizard]

This is fantastic!

[@PsychoGemini]

FYI the other one in Seki Sensei's video is another instructor in the school named Tsukada Sensei. Shogo introduced him recently. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnnMfmuGlLSCfNE

[@lucbourhis3142]

Japanese had the naginata which was more like a bill than like a halberd but they should have lots of principles in common, shouldn't they? Seki-sensei is not a master of naginata but he must have some clear idea about them I would say!

[@duchessskye4072]

The naginata is not similar to a bill, it does not have a hook which is the main part of the bill. It is what we today would call a 'glaive'. Of course largely speaking all polearms can be used in the same manner in broad and basic designs but having extra tools on the weapon, such as a beak, allows for techniques which wouldn't work without those. On the flip side any extra weight also makes the weapon heavier and less nimble, which is the tradeoff.

[@lucbourhis3142]

@@duchessskye4072 Yes, you are right, I used the wrong word. I meant a glaive. French is my mother tongue and we don't have a specific word for "glaive" that I know of! So I always struggle with that one.

[@lucbourhis3142]

@@duchessskye4072 But I think my broader points still stands: a good chunk of techniques with the naginata transfers to the halberds, except for those using pulling motions, as you rightly pointed out.

[@duchessskye4072]

@@lucbourhis3142 glaive is a french word originally as far as I know. Also vouge, which is the same weapon.

[@lucbourhis3142]

@@duchessskye4072 In French, "glaive" means the short sword typically used by the Romans. As far as I know, it is never used to refer to what English speaker refer to as glaive. I did not know Vouge. Thanks! It looks close: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vouge_(arme) A bill is called a guisarme in French in passing!

[@odinnatlason5873]

I saw that you were wearing the wakusi sallet mask in your sparring. I am interested in getting one and would love to hear your opinions on it.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

So far very happy with it. It's a very easy way to have a helmet simulator for full contact stuff.

[@odinnatlason5873]

@@VirtualFechtschule Thank you so much! I plan on getting a Wukusi Cobra and Wukusi Sallet, so I appreciate your feedback.

[@user-dv1ep7dg4x]

平服に近い状態かつ一対一という状況だからああなった訳で、ゴッツいの着てボコボコ殴り合う戦場って前提ならまた違う動きになったはず。戦場剣術の師範なわけだし。

[@seneca983]

Maybe you could do something similar. Try e.g. a naginata (assuming you're not familiar with it already).

[@Marcus_McCormick11]

Wonderful video my dude! Was wondering if you had any advice on where to best source half armpur pieces?

[@VirtualFechtschule]

That depends on what you want with them. If you want some nice steel ones, finding a good armourer locally is your best bet. If you want synthetic stuff, so you could lend it out or have it be club gear, then the Audeo armour and the wukusi sallet do quite well.

[@heirihunziker]

02:16 is that the Wukusi plastic gothic sallet? If so, I'd love to see a short review and hear your opinion about it.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

In short, I like it. It's and easy and affordable way to get something that functions like a helmet and covers the face. Don't have much data about durability yet, but so far I think it's a cool addition.

[@rpk321]

There are only so many way you can effectively use a weapon with your body. So a real master should be able to figure out the basic pretty quick.

[@tobyk6435]

You're right about armor, and of course the Japanese were using armor on the battlefield

[@IGNEUS1607]

I can't speak for seki sensei, but from what I am aware of, the vast majority of kobudo are from the edo period and were systems developed for unarmoured single combat. Having said that, if he has experience with other japanese polearm style weapons, it is likely that he does come from a tradition which considers armoured and battlefield combat.

[@deadby15]

Foot soldiers weapons can be very different from officers'.

[@roelhodzelmans1004]

Dude, I immediately thought of you. Thanks for making this video! ps: we need to send him a Greatsword, shouldnt we? ;-)

[@danielquintana1353]

thats just a universal cross-shaped polearm geometry, in japan there is the jumonji-yari, or in china the Fang Tian Ji

[@JinHunter-jh1ui]

Ketika jaman teknologi belum lahir

[@MazokuJun]

His student that is always seen on screen sparring with him is also an assistant teacher(師範代) in his school, he is not very aggressive with the polearm because he knows very well that any quick move is going to get him beaten in unimaginable ways, so he must act very cautiously to see what's coming at him.

[@VirtualFechtschule]

I understand it has something to do with how they train and do freeplay, but at the same time this is really an important factor in asymmetric matchups with polearms, so building some sort of framework to put a bit more pressure and still be safe would be good.

[@Kirkrrr]

@@VirtualFechtschule There's a video of Seki Sensei sparring with Tsukada-san (the other guy in the video) and, firstly, Seki Sensei is an unstoppable force of nature, but secondly and more funny, Tsukada-san has a somewhat cautious style personally. He's quite likely being a little extra cautious in this session, but it's also partly just how he approaches combat more generally 🙂

[@themoss7115]

He trained with so many weapons and for so long he accidently became the master of biomechanics.

[@Kirkrrr]

Very interesting!

[@vandal9719]

Dont teach samurai how to use weapons.. please 😂 and even with katana he knows how to kill u.. i also teach those techniques so thats why i write this! You as a teacher can teach from japanese masters !

[@myskynet2]

사무라이 vs 기사 누가 이겨??

[@tacticsogreman]

Depends what they wear and use as a weapon.

[@sableng4048]

depends on each skills and how many people you bring on the battlefield. It's no longer a debate who is stronger.

[@xantiom]

The only thing that matters is the experience of the warrior, not the style. Seki sensei should give you an idea of what a experienced warrior could be capable of doing, if you are experienced enough and understand the practicality of the principles, you know how to analyze your weaknesses and your enemies weaknesses, and know your strengths vs. the enemies strengths. Knowing to properly ideate a successful tactic is the art of war. Style becomes a backdrop.

[@ericmorneau8819]

My opinion ? Most of the fights they do has the student being so bad or just setting the master up. It's not sparring. I'd actually be curious to see him actually spar... I think you're too polite, trying to say that the student was "soft". Still, I understand why. I love those videos anyway, Seki Sensei is so wholesome :)

[@nunyadayumbusiness591]

You're right and wrong, it's not sparring, or setting the master up, it's making it up on the fly while throwing test cuts at each other. (Seki Sensei does better because he has a deeper understanding of "why" his techniques are used, while his student is still learning how & when they are used.)

[@FarremShamist]

Seki is very wholesome--He does show how to deal with the things he was doing too, and how to defend against certain techniques with the weapon, given he's more naturalized in the principles of using weapons as a whole. I think the student would do well representing a complete amateur in a fight.

[@nunyadayumbusiness591]

@@FarremShamist What the student is doing is harder than it looks, amateurs have a hard time not cranking up the speed to match the counters when throwing practice cuts. (Look at how fast he is when Seki actually startles him and he "jerks" halfway through a "panic counter", that's probably close to his full speed.) P.S. He also rag-dolls like a champ, one of his arts taught him how to take a fall. (not rig a fight, literally how to fall down without getting hurt.)

[@FarremShamist]

@@nunyadayumbusiness591 Oh yeah no I completely agree with you haha

[@sableng4048]

fyi, it's already stated in Seki-sensei new video that Mr. Tsukasa, the man who spar with Master Seki is a proficient Assistant Master. His profession is an actor and stuntman, not just a nobody weak student. You can see how he can dodge the attack and fall without getting hurt, while his ryuuha is made for killing in battlefield.