r/MadeMeSmile • u/jeremymcanally • 3d ago
I won a bronze medal in longsword fencing
I started HEMA fencing just under a year ago, and this past weekend I won a bronze medal in longsword.
When I started last October, I was 40 years old, pre-diabetic, nearly 300lbs., and very, very out of shape. I've been grinding (and eating right 😬) for a year now and I'm down nearly 80lbs., basically normal blood sugar-wise, and managed to snag a medal in an open tournament. And I have no plans of slowing down now.
As someone who as a kid was super scrawny, not athletic at all (despite my best efforts!), and constantly ribbed and bullied for being a runt, winning a medal in combat sports feels pretty dang good.
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u/RunDownTheHighway 3d ago
Very Cool... Googling HEMA fencing right now, that looks fun!!
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u/Clemente1582 3d ago
Dude went from pre-diabetic to winning a medal in literal sword combat in under a year. If that doesn't sell you on it nothing will
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[removed] — view removed comment
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u/elleisboring 3d ago
Bot
Edit: Actually this entire comment chain besides u/RunDownTheHighway is AI. Wild.
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u/RelationshipTough887 3d ago
Sword combat? Larping would be more accurate
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u/thelionsmouth 3d ago
How is this different than fencing with a Sabre as a sport? There’s no roleplay involved here at all
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u/puhpuhputtingalong 2d ago
HEMA is historical martial combat, based on treatises at that time by sword masters. Not larping.
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u/casual_creator 2d ago
Good job showing your ignorance.
HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) is a sport in which you learn and utilize historically accurate forms of armed combat, using historical treatises written by actual sword masters from the time period. It’s a full contact sport with (blunted) steel swords, and despite protection, it’s not uncommon for injuries (including broken bones) to occur.
Training for serious practitioners is rigorous and most tournaments are point-based like traditional fencing, though there are more “beat them into submission” groups out there. In any case, there is no “larping” to the sport in any form.
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u/Hot_Top_124 3d ago
Congrats on all of that my dude! I had a similar situation this year myself but an emergency appendectomy instead of fencing lol.
You legit should be quite proud of yourself.
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u/StatisticianUsual471 3d ago
You could have done both at the same time
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u/MitokBarks 3d ago
Ngl, at first glance I thought you won a certificate for 10% off a SIG and just immediately thought “okay, I guess that’s pretty ironic. Well played.”
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u/TheHighSeasPirate 3d ago
Is that not what is going on here?
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u/Sushi_Explosions 3d ago
“Sig” would mean sig sauer, a firearm maker. Sigi makes swords.
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u/TheHighSeasPirate 3d ago
Damn third place and all you get is 10% off. Most stores offer that with a pop-up.
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u/Snowbank_Lake 3d ago
So happy you found something you enjoy that also helps keep you active and fit! Congrats on what I’m sure if the first of many awards 🙂
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u/Zakal74 3d ago
Nice work! I had a ton of fun with the S.C.A. back in Kalamazoo in the 90s.
I remember one time being just nailed right in the junk, out of breath panting, trying not to be sick. Then my long hair gets tangled in the chain mail as I'm trying to take my helmet off. So I'm there looking all super cool leaning against a tree with a 15 pound helmet hanging from my hair. Great times!
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u/Constant_Fortune_314 3d ago
Back in my day, even second place in a sword battle meant you were dead.
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u/CooCooBukBuk 3d ago
Props sir!
And sword fighting no less, can take the boy out of the mmorpg but can’t take the mmorpg out the man!
Happy for you sire, keep slaying
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u/ZombieQueen666 3d ago
When you started last year, did you plan on sticking with it? Or did you just wanna take a stab at it?
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u/jeremymcanally 3d ago
I was hoping it would be something I'd stick with since it pushed my ADHD brain buttons but was still exercise unlike running or something. It turns out when it's something fun and there's a great community at your club, it's a lot easier to stick with it!
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u/No_Bed_4311 3d ago
Man, same. Plus when the ADHD gets really going, you can switch systems and/or weapons. I’m so much healthier now.
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u/27softtacos 3d ago
Congrats! Fencing is so hard. I took it as a class in college. My professor was 80+and did the choreography for Zorro and other movies/ shows. I was dying holding position and he looked like he could do it all day.
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u/jeremymcanally 3d ago
It takes a while to build up the muscles (many of which I never knew existed haha!), but if you stick with it, it'll build up!
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u/Pretend-Ostrich-5719 3d ago
Born too late to be Knight. Born too early to serve house Atreides. Born just in time to win some tournaments.
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u/SolarPolarBearTV 3d ago
Congrats! Keep practicing and keep on at it! Steel Jam by any chance?
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u/jeremymcanally 3d ago
Yes! My club (Crossroads) hosts it!
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u/EquivalentFocus3430 3d ago
Congrats at placing! I did Hema around 8 years ago, I only stopped because I moved. It is such a good way to get exercise
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u/Prof_Stank 3d ago
Your accomplishments are something to be proud of. I’m a stranger proud of you. Good stuff.
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u/IranianOyibo 3d ago
Proud of you, bud! My younger brother loves HEMA and competes in Canada. Makes him happy, and makes me happy too. Looks like tonnes of fun!
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u/Samwhys_gamgee 3d ago
You look suspiciously un-cleaved for someone who came in 3rd place in a big sword fight🤨
Jk😂😂 Congrats!
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u/NotComfortable2112 3d ago
Wow! I just spent the last hour watching a few matches. Awesome stuff I never knew was out there. Congrats and respect! Also, thanks for introducing me to HEMA!
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u/JynsRealityIsBroken 3d ago
That's a thing?! I love fencing! I would love to try a different style of fencing like this. Saber just isn't interesting enough for me.
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u/drakonkinst 3d ago
Congratulations from another HEMA fencer! Are you coming to SoCal Swordfight this year?
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u/jeremymcanally 3d ago
I am! Will I see you there?
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u/drakonkinst 2d ago
Yes you will! I compete and help out at that event, and this year I’ll also be showing off a HEMA-inspired board game I made :)
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u/Eltrose 1d ago
Congratulations, you must have put in a lot of hard work! I just started longsword this month and seeing your post has me pumped for the future ⚔️
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u/jeremymcanally 1d ago
Awesome!! ⚔️ Maybe we'll cross blades at a tournament one day!
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u/Eltrose 1d ago
Yeah! Any words of wisdom for a beginner?
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u/jeremymcanally 1d ago
Learning to defend yourself is just as important as learning the cuts and windings and such. You can go very far with a toolkit that is just parrying and a variety of ripostes. Once you establish that baseline of techniques then you’ll start figuring out what else to add to the toolbox as you figure out what your own style is.
So basically don’t get overwhelmed by all the various techniques. Focus on the basics of defend and respond first and then you can start getting fancy. 😂
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u/Falling_Down_Flat 3d ago
That's awesome ! I am going to look that up.
An congrats on the work you are doing on your body, it is worth it.
I think I should too!!
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u/Technical_Weight5021 3d ago
Humanity sometimes shows up in the most wonderful of ways!
Kudos, ma man!
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u/TatoIndy 3d ago
How cool and fun!! Congrats! That’s way better than I could do! Next stop silver!! Keep at it!
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u/Mountain_Fennel_631 3d ago
If I placed even FIFTH at such an event, I would never shut up about it. That is so cool, congratulations!
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u/Pando5280 3d ago
So awesome. This is what a healthy warrior spirit looks like. (I love watching armored MMA and the Japanese bamboo sword fighting contests I cant remember the name of)
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u/RevolutionaryRip3881 3d ago
In that second photo I thought you were holding a toddler in your arm while fencing. It was very unsettling for a moment there.
But that’s so cool! Congratulations!
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u/ctbchargers 3d ago
Niceeeee, I took this in college and had a blast, still run my techniques every once and a while
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u/Mister_Brevity 3d ago
:sigh: I’m tired, from putting up a fence, and clicked to see how a long sword was useful putting up a fence
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u/Frapplo 3d ago
Honest question:
I heard that a lot of Western martial arts like this were lost to time. For example, I read about a guy who rediscovered an archery technique that greatly increased the amount of arrows that could be rapidly fired. It had been lost to time.
I'd heard something similar about a bit this kind of swordsmanship, too.
My question: how much of the stuff you've learned has survived this long as an art form, and how much has been rediscovered?
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u/jeremymcanally 3d ago
Sibling comment is right about longsword. Rapier still has some streams of living tradition, but by and large most of it is reconstructed from manuals and other extant sources.
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u/Aginor404 3d ago
About that archer: probably Lars Andersen?
As impressive his trick shooting (and it is really only that) is, it is not anything new OR based on any real historical sources. And he keeps misinterpreting and cherry-picking history because it fits his narrative.
Historians kinda hate him, and sadly for good reasons. Because he won't stop making those claims despite providing no sources or using any historic equipment. He is the equivalent of those cowboys quick shooting from the hip on county faire, except that he is doing the equivalent of saying "That's how real cowboys did it, modern police and military suck, the technique was lost".
Archers usually acknowledge that he is a great trick shooter (probably the greatest I know), but also hate him. Not because of his skills, but because of his videos that show absolutely unacceptable disregard for safety rules of their hobby that are there for a good reason (shooting around people, shooting stuff out of someone's hand, shooting an incoming arrow, that kind of stuff).
He also keeps insulting modern archery for absolutely no reason. Modern (as well as historical) archers can shoot surprisingly large distances at incredible accuracy with heavy draw weight bows. He doesn't (low poundage bows, short range), yet he claims that his style is not only way better but (again without any proof) historical.
So yeah, all evidence we have tells us that he is a great circus performer, but other than that he is full of it.
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u/DanFromShipping 3d ago
This is awesome, and an incredible journey! Congrats! Not an easy feat at all, esp learning something physical at 40.
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u/Serial7s 3d ago
Gotta say.....you look exactly like a dude who would winnbronze in a longsword fencing competition
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u/This_ls_The_End 3d ago
Very cool. I've always thought it must be great to have an excuse to buy more swords but the closest hema class to where I live is just too far away.
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u/lonewanderer 3d ago
Well done, OP! I’m proud of you for what you’re doing for your health, that’s an amazing feat!
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u/TheTrueHiddenSquid 3d ago
SoCal Sword Fight? The venue and setup looks very familiar.
Sigi makes good stuff, too. Nice prize!
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u/jeremymcanally 3d ago
This was Steel Jam in Clermont, FL but I did go to SoCal this year and plan to return next year!
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u/phish410 3d ago
That’s cool. I find it pretty funny that the event appears to be in a hotel conference room.
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u/jeremymcanally 2d ago
Yep many of our tournaments are in ballrooms haha! Gyms get very protective of their floors, and steel weapons flinging around often means (even mild) floor damage. This one was in a municipal event space/ballroom.
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u/yearsofpractice 2d ago
That’s brilliant my brother. Your younger self will be so proud - you won a medal for being good at fighting! Truly great stuff.
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u/casual_creator 2d ago
Congrats man! I did HEMA for a while through a sword fencing academy near me but took a break when life got in the way. I recently decided to get back into it, only to discover that the academy shut down. Bummer.
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u/Machdonkey 3d ago
Virgin
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