New body armour promises to transform fighting sports

Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by Rhapso on Sunday April 24, 2016 @09:50AM (#11559675)

Having done some SCA heavy, those open inner thighs make me twitch (armpits too, but less could be done about that).

One thing SCA has figured out that the sports industry seems to have failed to is how helms work. It turns out the best way to extend the reduce the impact of hits to the head is NOT cushioning or crumpling to extend impulse but rather just having a lot of mass to move. I've been smashed over the head at full force (with a full wieght sword) while wearing full helm and been more harmed by the gong-like ringing than the impact itself.

If you have not had a chance to try or watch SCA heavy, It is essentially full contact re-enactment (slightly less formalized than HEMA) and only using blunt (but full weight) weapons.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by defen on Sunday April 24, 2016 @12:59PM (#11560382)

> watch SCA heavy

Holy shit, these guys don't fuck around https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RiQR60-5gs

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by laxatives on Sunday April 24, 2016 @08:32PM (#11561961)

IMO nothing compares with longsword fighting. By comparison, SCA looks like a bunch of big guys wailing on each other in the middle of a scrum. Longsword fighting has a much more competitive environment with well defined technique and strategy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhbcntqyiSo

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by themartorana on Sunday April 24, 2016 @09:27PM (#11562120)

"...bunch of big guys wailing on each other..."

Add in death and dismemberment and you have what war actually probably looked like for thousands of years - pure, unadulterated mayhem.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by laxatives on Monday April 25, 2016 @12:46AM (#11562539)

Fair enough. I'd imagine the guys fighting had a lot more fitness and probably weren't struggling with obesity though.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by cafard on Monday April 25, 2016 @09:04AM (#11563903)

There was something on HN a year or two ago that said that gladiators tended to be on the fat side. On the other hand, given the distances marched, I doubt the hoplites and legionaries had much excess fat.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by Retric on Sunday April 24, 2016 @11:26PM (#11562398)

That's just fencing with a heavy object.

Actual sword fighting had a mix of stiles to deal with different armor types. But, maintaining balance was critical and bouncing like that a waste of energy and a good way to end up on the ground and hacked to pieces. They also often held the blade for leverage.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by ncallaway on Sunday April 24, 2016 @02:48PM (#11560816)

I've only dabbled in SCA heavy — it takes a pretty big time commitment and I got really busy with my consultancy. It's a great time and a good way to get exercise. If you stick with it and train consistency, you'll be in good shape.

Most of the sport — at least where I am — is focused on 1:1 battles, but these large field battles are really fun to participate in.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by Camillo on Sunday April 24, 2016 @06:40PM (#11561703)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj_3vYo2gF0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9tkAV4nDCo

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by try_sincerely on Sunday April 24, 2016 @09:05PM (#11562058)

I like this dramatic videos from Russian Vyborg castle, I wonder if they still organize these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOCBOs6EzLk

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by rsync on Monday April 25, 2016 @12:27PM (#11565333)

"Holy shit, these guys don't fuck around"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4tdkrYIRFg

(fast forward to 1:58, perhaps ...)

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by falcolas on Sunday April 24, 2016 @10:49AM (#11559851)

I had the same cringe-like response to the thighs. And if their weapons wrap at all (and that image indicates that they will, with a vengeance), they'll regret not armoring the backs of their legs.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by codingdave on Sunday April 24, 2016 @06:20PM (#11561630)

I don't think it is a matter of not understanding how armor works. It is more a matter of the energy and precision required for martial arts. I've done some SCA fighting, but mostly spent 20 years practicing kung fu, and they are completely different worlds.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by huherto on Sunday April 24, 2016 @12:24PM (#11560226)

SCA ? It is not in the article and it is hard to google.

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by dsr_ on Sunday April 24, 2016 @12:25PM (#11560229)

Society for Creative Anachronism, www.sca.org

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Re:New body armour promises to transform fighting sports by dmckeon on Sunday April 24, 2016 @12:54PM (#11560353)

See also the Armored Combat League, http://www.aclknights.com and Battle of the Nations, http://botn.info/en/ for armored combat sports. BTW, the SCA is having its 50-year anniversary next week.

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