BEST MARTIAL ART EVER

[Herbertina Merrique V]

I've practiced Hokutoryu Jujutsu for a few years and it has proven itself rather useful, but it hasn't spread too far outside the borders of Finland, I guess.

In actual self-defence/ass-kicking though, the emphasis isn't on the details of each style or the techniques you've reheased. Any "serious" martial art can be as good as the other, for what you really need to learn are mainly things like getting accustomed to the situation, being able to react to the attack, thinking fast, etc. The basic ways to hurt people don't change, and while there are lots of tricks that are probably good to know, the winner of an average brawl isn't necessarily the one with years of practice in epic power kung fu, but rather the participant who "dares" to beat the living shit out of the other one; people with little experience seldom fight as hard as they could, because they subconciously don't want to hurt another person so badly. People need a lot of conditioning to be effective, and it's hard to predict how you'll act before you get into the situation where you need to defend yourself - some people forget the fancy techniques almost completely and just rely on their instincts, some manage to keep calmer and make use of all the nice stuff they've learned.

I, of course, am a pacifist entirely, and therefore do not support solving problems by violence. But, um, you never know, right?

[Herbertina Merrique V]

Oh, wait, the actual reason I started writing here: I think Sexy Commando is even cooler than moustaches, talking about the best martial art ever. The main strategy is to confuse the opponent before attacking. Effective and deadly, oh yes.

Man this is awesome http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhNubQ2cdZo

[Richter]

Most other two handed weapons can behave like a staff.  (Spears, axes, glaives, swords - providing they have unsharpened bits, or you have heavy glvoes on and aren't handling a razor).  They only have extra, confusing bits.  Staff technique is at the basis of all of it, and if you're playing a game that allows it, the more you can use that sword like a staff, the more simple, effective techniques you'll have at hand. 

[Dr. Paes]

even cooler than moustaches

[PeregrineBF]

Most other two handed weapons can behave like a staff.  (Spears, axes, glaives, swords - providing they have unsharpened bits, or you have heavy glvoes on and aren't handling a razor).  They only have extra, confusing bits.  Staff technique is at the basis of all of it, and if you're playing a game that allows it, the more you can use that sword like a staff, the more simple, effective techniques you'll have at hand. 

Staff is very, very different from sword. It's similar to spear/glaive/other polearms, but swords are a whole different beast. You're sort-of correct, but on the same level as saying that a rubber ducky is the same as a container ship: both float.

As for the stuff about different martial arts being similar, that's very true. Some schools have more techniques from certain areas than others (grappling, punching, kicking, blocking, dodging, etc) but within those areas they are largely the same.

[Richter]

Most other two handed weapons can behave like a staff.  (Spears, axes, glaives, swords - providing they have unsharpened bits, or you have heavy glvoes on and aren't handling a razor).  They only have extra, confusing bits.  Staff technique is at the basis of all of it, and if you're playing a game that allows it, the more you can use that sword like a staff, the more simple, effective techniques you'll have at hand. 

Staff is very, very different from sword. It's similar to spear/glaive/other polearms, but swords are a whole different beast. You're sort-of correct, but on the same level as saying that a rubber ducky is the same as a container ship: both float.

Don't think I clarified this enough, my mistake.
You're correct, certainly, for one handed swords, katana, etc.   For two - handers, at range, absolutely, hands on the handle - no reason to use staff techniques, you can still use it as a sword.  Renaissance longsword manuals, describing close range fighting, especially the German, involves gripping the blade, and utilizing the entire weapon in a very quarterstaff - like method.  Once you've switched to such grip, there are only so many ways a human body can move a straight weapon, so I say staff technique applies.

[PeregrineBF]

Most other two handed weapons can behave like a staff.  (Spears, axes, glaives, swords - providing they have unsharpened bits, or you have heavy glvoes on and aren't handling a razor).  They only have extra, confusing bits.  Staff technique is at the basis of all of it, and if you're playing a game that allows it, the more you can use that sword like a staff, the more simple, effective techniques you'll have at hand. 

Staff is very, very different from sword. It's similar to spear/glaive/other polearms, but swords are a whole different beast. You're sort-of correct, but on the same level as saying that a rubber ducky is the same as a container ship: both float.

Don't think I clarified this enough, my mistake.
You're correct, certainly, for one handed swords, katana, etc.   For two - handers, at range, absolutely, hands on the handle - no reason to use staff techniques, you can still use it as a sword.  Renaissance longsword manuals, describing close range fighting, especially the German, involves gripping the blade, and utilizing the entire weapon in a very quarterstaff - like method.  Once you've switched to such grip, there are only so many ways a human body can move a straight weapon, so I say staff technique applies.

Yes and no. My knowledge is in Hapkido for staff and German manuals for sword, and there is some use of gripping the blade, but it's still different. Those moves are quite rare, and mostly use only the quillions as a striking surface, not the pommel. The equivalent move with a staff would be using the end of the staff, closer to the pommel of the sword.
Of course, the pommel was used, but almost always with both hands on the hilt (from what I've seen, mostly Liechtenauer and Talhoffer.) That's not to say there aren't exceptions of course. EG the following picture from Talhoffer.

Though from a quick check, out of 58 illustrations in Talhoffer's 1459 fechtbuch "Fight Earnestly" involving swords only 6 include such a move with both hands off the hilt, and one of those is illustrating the defense against such a strike.

[LMNO]

I'm gonna go out on a limb, but the guy in the right is fucked.

[Richter]

Really depends.  Defense and offense are paradoxical.  Every move had some theoretical counter, every counter move has a counter, and so on. 
IRL this translates to not just skill and training deciding things, but also level of fitness and level of fatgiue.  People still get tired, sloppy, and weak, froget the right technique, etc.

[LMNO]

But, come on.

No armor, holding the sword by the blade, holding the sword upside down... it looks like he's about to jam the point into his own crotch.  All the guy in the armor has to do is hit the other guy's sword really hard, and the dude's thumbs are gonna get chopped off.

[Richter]

Most other two handed weapons can behave like a staff.  (Spears, axes, glaives, swords - providing they have unsharpened bits, or you have heavy glvoes on and aren't handling a razor).  They only have extra, confusing bits.  Staff technique is at the basis of all of it, and if you're playing a game that allows it, the more you can use that sword like a staff, the more simple, effective techniques you'll have at hand. 

Staff is very, very different from sword. It's similar to spear/glaive/other polearms, but swords are a whole different beast. You're sort-of correct, but on the same level as saying that a rubber ducky is the same as a container ship: both float.

Don't think I clarified this enough, my mistake.
You're correct, certainly, for one handed swords, katana, etc.   For two - handers, at range, absolutely, hands on the handle - no reason to use staff techniques, you can still use it as a sword.  Renaissance longsword manuals, describing close range fighting, especially the German, involves gripping the blade, and utilizing the entire weapon in a very quarterstaff - like method.  Once you've switched to such grip, there are only so many ways a human body can move a straight weapon, so I say staff technique applies.

Yes and no. My knowledge is in Hapkido for staff and German manuals for sword, and there is some use of gripping the blade, but it's still different. Those moves are quite rare, and mostly use only the quillions as a striking surface, not the pommel. The equivalent move with a staff would be using the end of the staff, closer to the pommel of the sword.
Of course, the pommel was used, but almost always with both hands on the hilt (from what I've seen, mostly Liechtenauer and Talhoffer.) That's not to say there aren't exceptions of course. EG the following picture from Talhoffer.

Though from a quick check, out of 58 illustrations in Talhoffer's 1459 fechtbuch "Fight Earnestly" involving swords only 6 include such a move with both hands off the hilt, and one of those is illustrating the defense against such a strike.

We need to talk shop on this subject if we ever meet IRL.  It's a headache trying to shoehorn concepts of martial arts into text.

[Richter]

But, come on.

No armor, holding the sword by the blade, holding the sword upside down... it looks like he's about to jam the point into his own crotch.  All the guy in the armor has to do is hit the other guy's sword really hard, and the dude's thumbs are gonna get chopped off.

I have seen people sword themselves in the balls like that before. 
The unarmored dude could also be faking the blow high, planning to sweep low and hook out a leg if the armored guy goes for the high block.   

[PeregrineBF]

But, come on.

No armor, holding the sword by the blade, holding the sword upside down... it looks like he's about to jam the point into his own crotch.  All the guy in the armor has to do is hit the other guy's sword really hard, and the dude's thumbs are gonna get chopped off.

I have seen people sword themselves in the balls like that before. 
The unarmored dude could also be faking the blow high, planning to sweep low and hook out a leg if the armored guy goes for the high block.   

It's more practical than you'd think.
First, 4-6 inches of the blade beyond the hilt weren't sharpened, so his (unarmoured) right hand is fine.
Second, his left hand is only used to guide the blow, and isn't gripping the sword. (Well, shouldn't be.)
Third, the tip will pass his hip on the left side if he's doing it right, not go into his balls. That would be a rather stupid move.
Fourth, look at the pommel & quillions. It's a mace. What was the most effective weapon against armour? Oh, right, a mace. The move isn't a feint, it's an attempt to crush the opponent's helm & skull.
End result: If the guy on the right connects, guy on the left is fucked. Otherwise, guy on the right is fucked.

@Richter: about where do you live? I'm in the San Diego region of southern California.

[Richter]

The guy out of armor also has light weight and mobility on his side.  I usually practice in chain, vambraces, pauldrons, greaves and a helm, which are heavy enough.  Full plate and harness is a pain.  Right on though, he's restricted to targeting chinks at joints (groin, neck,armpits), REALLY solid blows, or  mortschlag as shown to stab or scramble the guy inside the armor. 

There's actually a combination from another manual that shows the hooking trip I mentioned, that follows back into bashing the head with the quillions as follow- through.  Works either way, if you can out - fake your target 

I'm in Rhode Island.  By all means drop a line if you'll ever be out this way.  I will let board folks know if I ever end up pointing towards Southern Cal.