Ok, I know for sure now it is quite different state to state. Come to estrella some year and find out. BDSM groups set their calenders for that date.
And alllll martial arts (as in the dojo sense, not the military) are watered down. I've been in what you'd consider "real" MA since I was 8. I know what works and what doesn't. Most of what they teach doesn't. Its the same as the SCA. You learn to be tougher, you learn to be aware of your surroundings, you learn combos, you learn strategies both 1v1 and 500 vs 500. If youre smart it doesn't matter what weapon you're using you can learn from the experience.
Most people *I* know use strategy and are very skilled. And are not just swinging wildly. Only the newbies do that, and they waste their energy.
It is soooo far from wiffle larping here you have no idea. Most people can't take the pain here. I'm guessing youre in one of the wussified states.
No shit its not real. What a stupid thing to say.
The "characters they make up" are researched carefully and set to a time period before 1599. Anyone else is a poser. To register a name here there is a panel of judges that researches it and makes sure it appears in several old texts. It takes about 6 months.
Seriously, my SCA sounds *nothing* like your SCA. I don't know why you don't get that.
Actually here we draw a pretty big crowd. I've had my picture taken by several times by strangers in random wars. A lot of what we do is for the crowd. So your statement is completely false there.
---------- Post added at 04:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:07 PM ----------
Keep your guard even. I'm big (6'2" 220ish) so that's like an 8 inch bruise.
That ain't no wiffle LARPing. Don't even say its close to that. That happened during a practice at about half strength. I kept fighting. So go shove it.
This is like an argument for a favorite sports team...only I'm on it and have bled for it.