Fencing, Armored, and Hand-To-Hand: Function.

Today's topic is a discussion about fighting, and the reason one should be on the field.

I've known many fighters over the years, good ones, great ones, ones who probably are a greater danger to themselves than others.   I've met new fighters, old fighters, and ones who seem to always be "just starting out".  I've met people who've never swung a weapon who are incredible fighters, and lifelong martial artists who are in no way fighters.  Generally, I like most of them.

Most.

There are, however, the type of fighters that I cannot stand.  A smaller, select group of people for whom fighting is less about "the culmination of skill and fortitude pitted against a challenger" and more "I win".  I hate fighting "winners".  Winners are people who win at things, but do not enjoy them.  The like the victory lap, not the race itself.  These people are basically the most annoying people to do any sort of fighting with.  From sparring to competing, they care only for winning, no matter the cost.

This is not to say that competitive people are wrong, being competitive can be amazing, and a competitive person can be the best person to fight on the field.  These people usually -love- the challenges they face, and overcoming them, not just being the guy at the top of the hill.

In the SCA, I come across "Winners" every so often, people who'd do anything to win.  This includes: not counting blows, using trick shots above actual form (if it's only functional because of the SCA rules, it's not real form), who use armor exploits (rhino hiding, or wearing clothing that makes combat calibration impossible), and basically anyone who exploits or blatently cheats to win.  This is the most frustrating thing to fight against, not because one loses, but because one was cheated out of the reason one showed up.

We came to fight.

One should fight as if victory means little to them, and give each person they fight their very best game.  No, this does not mean "destroy each foe with no mercy", but don't let someone win because beating them would be too easy.  Give them more than they can take, and win, but don't ruin it for everyone.  My number ONE rule of conduct on the field "DON'T BE THAT GUY!".  Don't be the guy who no one wants to fight.  We want to fight the toughest fighter and win, that's an awesome victory.  We want to be the guy who defeats an army on his own.  We want to have a great story to tell later.  We don't want to be the guy who people passive-aggressively refuse to fight, because it's annoying.

This includes those who fight in a way that can be described as "proper" but is still "fuck-all-annoying" to stand against.  Someone who's specialty is "really fast blows to a target area that wouldn't really work, but it wins the match", or one who is constantly rushing in face-to-face in fencing, making calibration impossible.  (Note: don't rush in bodily in fencing, or don't complain when you nearly get skewered by someone because you tried to combat-hug them.)

There are no shortcuts in martial arts, no one learns to be a master swordsman in a few short weeks of training (despite what movies tell you), one can learn all of the skills in a single night, and still not have the ability to use them.  There is no "accelerated program" there is no way to turn you from a novice, into a master.  Even in Rocky, all the skill he used in his fight with Apollo was present at the beginning of the movie, the montage was just him pushing to the limit.  He didn't learn a new skill, he mastered his current ones.

Fighting those that will use exploits, or basic cheating, to win is the most frustrating thing to encounter.  One steps up, and delivers oneself in a upfront manner, and one is not beaten, not even defeated, just robbed of the challenge.  We do not fight because winning is awesome, we fight because the fight is awesome, and winning is fun.

This entry is not born out of bitterness, but the notion that this should be a clear example in the minds of all who fight in things such as the SCA.  We came here, as friends, to beat eachother with things until someone is declared dead.  Friends don't cheat against friends, they don't bend the rules to give themselves an advantage over their friends.  Those that cannot beat their friends on the field, should strive to be good enough to beat them.  Those that can easily beat their friends, should strive to help them learn.

Take it from me; the man who spent his life either woefully behind, or leagues ahead of everyone he fought with: life is better when those around you are good enough to be a solid challenge.  Being the worst is frustrating, and being the best is boring, and both ruin your good time.