Spear fighting videos

[Chicken]

A dag fighter has been putting up some introductory spearfighting videos (featuring our very own crossover Solusar!), and I wanted to hear what others think about them:
101: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwo2Qs8ZgKU
102: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAaLq6huhcA
103: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_-8DnKshqU
104: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hejo06WjGoU

I've been trying to put down my own thoughts on spearfighting lately, and as part of that have been trying to learn other people's styles more. I've been surprised at how many different approaches to spearfighting are actually out there. These videos point to that as well - there are several things I disagree with or think he leaves out, but a number of them are probably stylistic. I almost never use what he calls an overhand grip, for instance, which might in part be because he's tall and I'm short .

I've got several specific points as well, but I'd rather see what others have to say than blather myself.

[varadin]

I guess since i fight glaive instead of spear i look at things differently. But they are helpful videos. My only real problem is that he seems to focus on his stance being upwards a lot simple because of javys. Maybe i have the fatman-fu flowing more and fight with some better shield users but thats never really been an issue and i find that power generation and even speed is a lot better in a lower stance.

[Solusar]

I do think that has to do with you being a glaive fighter. You're getting low so you can turn your hips to generate that power, but if you're just stabbing your momentum needs to being forward, not from the sides.
And Grumio is more afraid of arrows than javies. You can slap away or catch a javelin, but arrows just kill you. I also think the likes holding his spear up so he can stab downwards into shoulders with more control. Starting at hip level and going up can be dangerous and VERY not fun.
I started fighting spear recently and you really do up your KDR a lot. Not only are you scary, but stabbing people ten feet away is fun.

[MagnusofDregoth]

Yes, I have been fighting spear for a year or so. I kill so many people. It makes me glad to see that others in the Dag community are making useful fighting tutorials for general consumption, which is why we decided to add Grumio to our channel's admin list.

[Thomas MacFinn]

I don't think any spear/pike team can dominate the Belegarth field until they learn to work together and hold territory. Toward that thinking, here's an idea I just had for a 4-man training exercise. It requires 4 people, 3 spears and a door shield (and maybe a sword).

Draw a line in the grass/on the floor etc. 3 spearmen vs shieldman with the line between them. Spearmen cannot cross the line and win when they kill the shieldman. Shieldman wins if he crosses the line.

When the spearmen start winning every time, drop the number of spearmen to two.

Anybody have enough spear fighters in their area to try this out and let me know how it works?

[Sir Cairbre]

These video's have some basic terminology mixed up. Stances refers to your feet and body, Guards = your 'over hand' vs 'under hand'. The two basic stances with spear should be described as 'left handed' and 'right handed'. Your are in a 'Right handed' stance most of the time. The Left handed stance is preferred by most spear since it leaves you open to the average shield mans strong(sword) side.

[Solusar]

You should comment on a video about that since Grumio isn't even signed up on the Belegarth boards and will never see that.

[Solusar]

Also, videos 105 and 106 are up. But that's old news I guess.

[Cib]

I had figured out most of what he said in all these videos myself in the past 2 years before I watched, but I did get a nugget or to which I am grateful for. He also put words to some ideas in my head, which is always nice. Gives clarity.

Spears are the best.

[Sir Cairbre]

You should comment on a video about that since Grumio isn't even signed up on the Belegarth boards and will never see that.

I did already. A lot of the stuff seem to be made up that he talks about. How do the marshals feel about him actively swinging that spear at Javalins? I could see that being dangerouse if you wind up swinging at combatants at you... Hey Sir Man how did you get that scar... Oh dude swung a spear at my head trying to knock a javilin out of the sky. I am not saying it is a bad idea, just it could become a very bad idea, me might want to at least say, don't do this while combatants are closing.

[Solusar]

This year will be his fifth Rag and I've seen many other people besides him do it. It's more used before the actual line fighting starts, like you suggested. Anyone swinging a spear with dudes five feet in front of him is in fact a *, neither Grumio nor I advocate being a *.

[Chicken]

There's a lot of of his style that is very much not my style, but I'm a big fan of spears giving active Jav defense, both for themselves and for anyone else they can save.

Personally, when facing javs I tend to switch my guard so the tip is high (~head height) and my rear arm is about fully extended down. Not a lot of shots up there, but it's not hard to drop down into one, and any time there's a jave going by I just smack the tip down hard and knock it into the ground. I don't have to bring my tip out of line to be able to block any jav that tries to cross from one side of me to the other (including those coming straight in).

It's really quite safe if you're not stupid about it.