Shout-out to Skall's silent assistant. Stares patiently at the camera the whole time and waits for his own execution. GOATed enough to wear mail. Boss chap
I feel that Elder Scrolls Skyrim Anniversary Edition should have allowed us to play in Alrik’s desert in Hammerfell region map, in Cyrodil region map, and Skyrim region map offline for ps4. Also the people should be able to face against Minotaurs, satyrs and other mythical creatures in Elder Scrolls Skyrim anniversary edition offline on ps4.
Just wanna say, Skal, videos like this are fantastic. This type of super in-depth nitty gritty breakdown and discussion of practical applications of various aspects of armed martial arts is great stuff. Fairly exploring the pros and cons to see what the reality of these things is like, rather than saying something is "good" or "bad". The nuance is greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work. And thanks for getting me into HEMA, btw.
I feel that Elder Scrolls Skyrim Anniversary Edition should have allowed us to play in Alrik’s desert in Hammerfell region map, in Cyrodil region map, and Skyrim region map offline for ps4. Also the people should be able to face against Minotaurs, satyrs and other mythical creatures in Elder Scrolls Skyrim anniversary edition offline on ps4.
It seems to me that using a two handed grip on a single handed sword is more of an option to supplement specific attacks/parries/blocks instead of something you want to maintain for the entire fight
Yep. While i wasn't wholly successful in the followup, just the other day when doing some rapier fencing I had the bright idea to put my offhand on the pommel so that I could bring my point back in more quickly after getting deflected pretty hard. It worked and let me parry their thrust a lot more easily, though I bungled the counterattack and still got hit in the end.
I feel that Elder Scrolls Skyrim Anniversary Edition should have allowed us to play in Alrik’s desert in Hammerfell region map, in Cyrodil region map, and Skyrim region map offline for ps4. Also the people should be able to face against Minotaurs, satyrs and other mythical creatures in Elder Scrolls Skyrim anniversary edition offline on ps4.
1:02 & 1:11 I may have started watching Skall's videos for his content, but my favorite part of this channel and the reason I watch these videos over and over and over again are these two right here.
In Gothic 1 there's an interesting moment with handling a one-handed weapon with both hands. By default the protagonist uses clubs and one-handed swords with both hands, but after buying a combat lesson from one of the trainer NPCs, he starts using them with one hand only. And the NPC himself tell the player that that's a common newbie's mistake - to hold a one-handed weapon with two hands.
Combat system in Gothic might be a little bit "clunky", but it certainly does the job in terms of showing the progress and skill of the character. You see a guy coming at you and from his moves alone you know whether picking that fight was rather good or rather bad idea.
I played gothic 1 when i was a kid and barely knew english so i dont remember the bad things but That game was gold and always love the progression of weapons, always beat up Lee i think that he was call, the new campament leader with the 2 handed axe to steal his weapon, and then ask him that teach me 2 handed weapons so i can use the weapon i steal from him
@@Kayther33 Well both G1 and 2 are selling on Steam and working well for the majority of people. There was also great free to play (for owners of G1 or 2 on steam) mod Made as standalone game called Archolos. Absolute masterpiece that builds upon G2 systems instead of replacing them. Also obtainable on steam!
That hand on the wrist technique also looks like it would be nice for dagger fighting. I feel like it would add more power to your thrusts and your hand is in a very convenient place for grappling.
Weird feedback, but that was a really fun ad integration, Skal. Lots of creativity and there was even some fun with visual effects. On youtube in general, I can't skip them fast enough, but this one was fun.
I actually found this to be super interesting. I didn't even think of the finger above the guard being a possibility. Or reinforcing the grip with the hand on the wrist. Good stuff!
You couldn't let go fast enough necessarily. There are a lot of Messer fighting techniques where you have to position your left hand in certain ways when attacking or defending. The goal mostly is to control your opponent's hand that is also holding a sword. E.g. when skal was talking about catching your opponent's sword with the guard. You would be quite close to your opponent at that point in time. You could, with the correct foot technique, now enter grappling with your opponent. Control the opponents sword until you can grab his arm. After that exit binding and attack with the sword in extrem close distance.
Another possible advantage, or reason to do this, is if your training is in two-handed weapons. You can feel more comfortable holding something like you're used to rather than how the thing is designed.
Commend for the algorithm. Your Videos are very helpful for writing fights that are not as stupid as they would be if I don't watch your videos. Also they are overall very entertaining. You do really appreciated work here. Thank you.
The Anonimo Bolognese mentions taking a primarily one-handed sword in both hands for certain actions & in the event of being wounded or tired. It's not clear exactly what type of single-handed sword it is; it may have a grip long enough for this to work easily or there may be some special technique used. Also, for swords with long grips, thrusting single is a way to gain more reach. You see this technique from Giacomo di Grassi: letting go of the front hand using a thrust. It was also key in George Silver's system for the two-handed sword, which was modeled of his staff system which does the same thing for some thrusts.
That was SUCH a good ad for the desk wow. Also I've never seen such a thing before. Yes this was a comment specifically about the desk ad. It was an awesome ad way to go
I'm surprised that at some point you didn't talk about half-swording, which can obviously be done with really any blade. It is probably the most extreme version of the trade-off that I saw in all of the methods you showed: giving up range to get more power in your blocks or to bypass armor.
I imagine it's because of how often he and others have mentioned it in previous videos. This video seems to be aimed toward people who already have some idea as to how a sword is typically held.
@@martinlysy What? Yes, and that would make half-swording a way in which you could use two hands on a sword instead of one. Nobody brought up half-swording with one hand except you.
A really interesting video! Just a couple of weeks ago I picked up an Italian sidesword and checked how it was to use with two hands. I did feel much quicker, but since I didn't try it in sparring I wasn't thinking about the reach disadvantage at all
I also did some experiments with this in which i did the grip shown in thumbnail where one hand encases the other on the grip. I wanted to try it out since i saw some depictions in art i believe from the 14th century if memory serves and wanted to see if it had benefit. What i found was double fisting like that did give support in a bind, more strength in a swing, and, in my opinion the biggest benefit, less fatigue. none of these benefits were as high as what you get with a proper two handed grip but it was still noticeable enough i feel i would consider it in a prolonged fight, especially if i were to be absolutely worn out. some draw backs to that grip were definitely shortened reach and most notably i had issues with a lot of angles. i could really only throw lower cuts effectively if i used a false edge cut. attempted to use a true edge cut double fisting at a low angle was absolutely brutal and awkward. but that may have just been me. its worth noting that every depiction i saw this grip being used it was against unarmed/fleeing opponents so it could be that defensive maneuvers and varying angles weren't a remote concern for them. tangent aside, wonder video skall. loved the ad video as well, very funny.
Another reason for the hand support in Chinese swordsmanship is your offhand is closer to your opponent in case if you should see the opportunity to grab their weapon/arm/clothing, the hand being close makes it much more likely you could take advantage of such an opportunity.
This is great timing, was just watching a Polish HEMA group do some sparring of Hussar saber vs Longsword. Particularly when the rules stated only lethal hits were scored the longsword could blow through a single handed defense. That makes more sense with using a 1 hand weapon with 2.
I’m not a sword enthusiast or anything I just find his videos and topics entertaining but after being subbed for maybe a year or two now I have random knowledge of swords haha and who knows when it may come in handy.
Honestly looks like a great sponsor item. Gonna make a note of 1:10 so I can recall the sponsored item after the video, and certainly for no other reasons 😅
I've said it before and I'll say it again, watching your videos helps me so much in trying to best describe my martial characters in RPGs when they're in combat. This will definitely adjust my reasoning why "two-handing" a longsword gets me more damage. Not raw power, but better control. Thank you.
Excellent video, as per usual. And your advertisement for the AnthroDesk was amazing! Looks like you had a blast making it. Keep having fun, and sharing great videos!
When you put your finger over the guard, it changes the angle of the blade in your hand (moving it forward, almost like a kukri) and makes it less likely for the enemy's blade to slide down to your hand when you parry.
I was going to say something about that bottle of root beer or sarsaparilla on the desk and ask if it came from Amana...but then I about died when I saw Cara and her *stripey socks* levitating and forgot about everything. Using 2 hands on a 1 handed sword might be a valid option if it was a weapon you just picked up in the heat of battle and is too big for you, but still better than the pairing knife you were using previously.(not asking how one survived long enough or how that situation came to be in the first place, but I suppose it's possible). The juicy bits about reach and control of feints and follow-ups were very well explained...and why we take your sword advice and insight seriously.
1:11 God, bro... Almost gave me a heart attack. For a second I thought that was you because I only saw the legs. I thought you'd gone completely insane.
I could be wrong, but it seems that you're also sacrificing your grappling ability with this. Having one hand free to grab the opponent's blade or manipulate their body seems valuable.
I'm so excited that I have to post this before barely getting through the video. I'm so happy that you got yourself an adjustable desk via sponser! Ergonomics isn't a joke and I've heard so many horror stories from people at my work who have back injuries from sitting at their desk too long without switching to a standing position. So happy for you!
Depending upon the type and mass of the sword the loss of range to gain power and speed may or may not be a desirable exchange. You also don't want to be over-swinging such that you need to slow or "catch" your blows any more than necessary. I started using the "finger over guard" I learned in fencing to my Jian practice and it absolutely changes the feel making some things feel more natural but others less so.
Gotta be my favorite video of yours I've seen of the last few months. Great info, perfect pace and length, she’s striking a pose on the desk… solid 10/10 sir.
I honestly think that sword fighting itself comes down to multiple variables. Each individual has to train in multiple styles in order to find their own "perfect" style. Because each individual is different in everything from height, reach, weight, agility, balance,etc. So you should practice every style you can until you find the one most comfortable and effective for yourself
when you do you can usually guarantee stun and get priority on your follow up attack, dont forget on your skirmishes to also block cancel every time you do an action to keep your opponent on their toes, beware, block canceling at the wrong time can get your guard broken and lead to a riposte.
I would also like to point out - If you're holding a sword one-handed, it's MUCH easier for someone to disarm you, than if you're holding it with two. Back in university, when I still used to train, I taught myself how to do what I call the "Musketeers Disarm." That's where you kind of loop your sword around your opponent's sword in a circular motion, resulting in the sword flying out of his hand. I could ALWAYS get this type of disarm to work, provided that two conditions were met : 1 - the opponent was holding their sword with one hand. And 2 - The opponent was griping their sword tightly (feigning a thrust was the most consistently easy way to get this to happen. When trying to parry your thrust, they grip their sword tightly enough for the disarm to work). As soon as the opponent committed to the parry, you loop your sword around theirs and you both watch as the sword flies comically into the air. Nb. We always practiced with wooden swords, never metal ones, though I have no reason to suspect that it would work any differently with metal swords.
i've always been bothered by two-handing a clearly one-handed weapon in games like dark souls so im glad to have this video to answer if that is practical or not
This is the kind of content I love, detailed, technical, gives me something to really consider as I'm integrating new things into my training. Excellent video.
I have two swords, one is a nice, lightweight bastard style sword with a very long pommel, the other is an arming sword with a round pommel remarkably like the one Skal used to demonstrate here. I do have a shield now, but before i made it I pretty quickly figured out that the pommel on the arming sword gives me a good enough grasp for leverage just like he demonstrated. Really loved seeing this video regardless.
I really like how you showcased the desk with everything on it and then you showed it with the wifey on it PLUS it moving. Cause I was thinking I was like... how much weight can it hold then you showed. Great vid too
In general I would keep my second hand out of the line of fire. It offers one swordsman increased stability and strength, but the opponent has another juicy target to aim for. I would say that even something as simple as a coat or a broken bottle in your off hand would serve better than putting a second hand on a one-handed sword.
There's one occasion when one might use two hands on a single-hand sword, and that's in the midst of battle, swallowed by the melee, having chopped left and right continuously for several minutes, or have been in intense battle for half an hour, and your right arm is just about to run entirely out of juice, and you can barely lift your sword, but it's still the most precise, and basically the only arm you've trained to use your sword with. Then you use your second arm and hand, to provide the power your right arm is out of.
Given we normally shoot handguns these days with two hands even though they were designed for one handed use, I'm actually curious if this was ever done historically or if there's any advantage to it.
from what i know at least until WW2 people were taught to use handguns onehanded im prety sure there isnt any advantage to doing it that way although from what i know pistols(at least in a military context) were often more status symbols for officers or for support troops that werent really expected to ever see combat, like logistics
You get more consistent groupings with a two handed grip. Specifically using a push-pull sighting method, in which you don't simply hold the pistol in both hands, but actively "squeeze" or "choke" with your outstretched hands. It lets the shooter preempt/respond to felt recoil more effectively. It also aids in more effective weapon retention, which is essential in the sorts of engagements handguns are typically employed in. Something else to consider, in the context of single action handguns, the offhand thumb working the hammer allows a shooter to maintain a more consistent sight picture than having to adjust the grip to accomodate the thumbing of the hammer with the firing hand.
@@zjanez2868 The preferred technique was one handed shooting from a side on stance because it reduces the shooter's front profile. However getting shot through the side of the torso is much more likely to be lethal than getting shot through the front, which is why nobody seriously does this anymore.
In certain situation, when I plan to wrestle, I but my left hand onto my right forearm so I could stop the incoming weapon with my sword, grab/control his swordarm and do my counter attack. So my left hand is on my right arm, might as well use it like you described👍
Since swords are slash & thrust kind of weapons, you don't generally need as much power as with other weapons. Against armor though (including gambeson) two-handing a sword might give your strike the extra power to pierce through.
I mean what you're saying makes sense. Personally I wouldn't really think of using two hands on a one handed blade as being an actual fighting method so much as a very situational tactic. You have one strike, make it count, grab the hilt with both hands and just SMASH. Up to that point I'd expect one hand, although your points about greater speed and accuracy do make a lot of sense.
from looking, the second hand really gives you the most leverage since it's as far down the grip as possible. I think it's a definitive yes that a short sword is better with two hands, if you don't have a shield or something
Skall! You gotta wrangle them cords and wires in! That desk look sharp, but corralling the cords may help it looks less cluttered to your mind's eye. No judgment from me though, please don't ask about my Playstation cables
For swords with shorter grips:What about an interlocked grip? Some golf grips have the pinky finger spread out and the index finger of the bottom, support hand taking its place. The thumb of that bottom hand is in the meat of the upper hand and the pinky is there in the bottom hand. Should still impart a fair amount of support for faints and such.
The whole reach discussion reminds me of how with round kicks (and a partially bladed stance), your back leg is actually longer ranged (because it's pivot point is farther forward, being the front leg).
@@Leo.23232 I've never even tried to do a pendulum step into a round kick; that seems like a mismatch of momentum, though I suppose it might work, having never tested my intuition. Also, I might have a slightly differing definition of 'pendulum step', if you're doing round kicks off of one. Burst into round kick I have done, but lead leg round kicks without a step are perfectly doable.
@@robertlewis6915 if you are someone like me who usually has a reach disadvantage, it is more necessary to do some kind of extra technique to close distance, pendulum, switch, full step are all viable for different things pendulum is good for speed but bad for power on the round kick, i use it mostly for inside leg kicks in a muay thai context
I am really surprised you didn't mention the main obvoius advantage of uing two hands - stamina. Dustributing the effort between both arms and hands greatly increases the time you can stay in active combat before your hand is too tired to continue. But on the other hand, if you go one-handed you can change hands. Effectiveness of that may vary greatly depending on your training though... Also, what are your thoughts on putting the other hand on the back of the blade? That is mentionned quite a bit in sources. I guess my comment boils down to: there is a lot more to this topic and we await a follow up video on it. 🙂
"you wouldn't hit twice as hard. You would hit maybe one and a half times as hard." Dark Souls was onto something with their one and a half strength multiplier for two handing!
I used to use pommel grip to disarm opponents in SCA rapier xD Put so much extra torque on my ‘sling’ parry that their sword would twist out of their single hand.
I wouldn't advice trying to stab with the palm of the hand on the pommel. It might be, that it's intended, but you will destroy your hand, of you hit something hard. My iaido instructor is a doctor as well and said as much. Depending on target and strength you might even break things. If you stab, two hands on the grip or if it's a short grip, the other hand may support the wrist.
That has to be the best ad I've ever seen. Price, company name, I use it and I like it, here's what it does. Edit: You also forgot to mention (or maybe it's not on smaller swords) about the duller edges near the base of the blade, which was covered in your "should you sharpen everything" video. In fact, that method of 2-handing, while uncomfortable, can be relatively safely done if the base of the blade was made thicker and blunt in order to better support the sword.
3:10 People in movies do that all the time, even when there's no reason to do it. It's like they were theatrically trained in fencing with rapiers, but then forgot that not all swords are rapiers. 3:14 So why would anyone do that with anything other than a rapier that's made for that technique? 3:47 And then your opponent immediately disarms you. 6:09 Only because you're..."not left-handed."
Holding the hilt in both hands would also force you to be chest-forward to your opponent, instead of shoulder-forward if you used the sword one-handed; I wonder how the different ways of presenting yourself as a target could affect your defense.
Remember too that while your body is more forward-facing in a two-handed stance, you have a longer blade to cover yourself with. Plus using two hands to parry is easier and sturdier than with just one.
Not sure if this is a dumb idea, but when practicing with a clunky excalibur wall hanger I've found it useful to use the oversized guard as an extra handle.
![🎤 จับฉลากร้องเพลง x P’ #XXSIVK [EP.1] (2/2) เพื่อนจับได้คำไหน..ต้องร้องคำนั้น เริ่ม! 💓🎶 #MXFRUIT](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1bJvMJXmeS4/mqdefault.jpg)
Shout-out to Skall's silent assistant. Stares patiently at the camera the whole time and waits for his own execution. GOATed enough to wear mail. Boss chap
for a second i thought you were talking about his live assistant where they spar in the back yard lol
@@edm192 I thought he meant Skalls wife for a sec 😆
Man I though for a sec he meant the camera Tripod ....
yeah but i heard he made a few questionable tweets back in 2011
@@stewartsherwood7769 I'll be using that in the future whenever talking about someone's wife.
"Hey, Larry. How's the assistant?"
Between Cara on the desk and Bob losing a googly eye, this was much more hilarious than it had any right to be.
yes indeedy
and we love it
I feel that Elder Scrolls Skyrim Anniversary Edition should have allowed us to play in Alrik’s desert in Hammerfell region map, in Cyrodil region map, and Skyrim region map offline for ps4. Also the people should be able to face against Minotaurs, satyrs and other mythical creatures in Elder Scrolls Skyrim anniversary edition offline on ps4.
@@taylorfusher2997 i THINK you replied to the wrong person
The squeaky gloves is a very interesting audio flavor
gloves asmr
A pleasant sound
Just wanna say, Skal, videos like this are fantastic. This type of super in-depth nitty gritty breakdown and discussion of practical applications of various aspects of armed martial arts is great stuff. Fairly exploring the pros and cons to see what the reality of these things is like, rather than saying something is "good" or "bad". The nuance is greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work. And thanks for getting me into HEMA, btw.
It always depends XD
I feel that Elder Scrolls Skyrim Anniversary Edition should have allowed us to play in Alrik’s desert in Hammerfell region map, in Cyrodil region map, and Skyrim region map offline for ps4. Also the people should be able to face against Minotaurs, satyrs and other mythical creatures in Elder Scrolls Skyrim anniversary edition offline on ps4.
It seems to me that using a two handed grip on a single handed sword is more of an option to supplement specific attacks/parries/blocks instead of something you want to maintain for the entire fight
Absolutely, it's basically a stance change, which happens very often in a fight in order to adapt.
Yep. While i wasn't wholly successful in the followup, just the other day when doing some rapier fencing I had the bright idea to put my offhand on the pommel so that I could bring my point back in more quickly after getting deflected pretty hard. It worked and let me parry their thrust a lot more easily, though I bungled the counterattack and still got hit in the end.
I feel that Elder Scrolls Skyrim Anniversary Edition should have allowed us to play in Alrik’s desert in Hammerfell region map, in Cyrodil region map, and Skyrim region map offline for ps4. Also the people should be able to face against Minotaurs, satyrs and other mythical creatures in Elder Scrolls Skyrim anniversary edition offline on ps4.
Something I like to say is that every technic is situational, even if some are more than others.
1:02 & 1:11
I may have started watching Skall's videos for his content, but my favorite part of this channel and the reason I watch these videos over and over and over again are these two right here.
Giggity....
(Last words as Skal takes off my heqd(s).
In Gothic 1 there's an interesting moment with handling a one-handed weapon with both hands. By default the protagonist uses clubs and one-handed swords with both hands, but after buying a combat lesson from one of the trainer NPCs, he starts using them with one hand only. And the NPC himself tell the player that that's a common newbie's mistake - to hold a one-handed weapon with two hands.
Combat system in Gothic might be a little bit "clunky", but it certainly does the job in terms of showing the progress and skill of the character. You see a guy coming at you and from his moves alone you know whether picking that fight was rather good or rather bad idea.
Thanks for sharing. that reminds me of characters in horror movies who use kitchens knives in 2 hands in a defensive / being scared posture.
Interesting, I never noticed it
I played gothic 1 when i was a kid and barely knew english so i dont remember the bad things but That game was gold and always love the progression of weapons, always beat up Lee i think that he was call, the new campament leader with the 2 handed axe to steal his weapon, and then ask him that teach me 2 handed weapons so i can use the weapon i steal from him
@@Kayther33 Well both G1 and 2 are selling on Steam and working well for the majority of people.
There was also great free to play (for owners of G1 or 2 on steam) mod Made as standalone game called Archolos. Absolute masterpiece that builds upon G2 systems instead of replacing them. Also obtainable on steam!
That hand on the wrist technique also looks like it would be nice for dagger fighting. I feel like it would add more power to your thrusts and your hand is in a very convenient place for grappling.
OMG, that clip of Cara. 😍
I always had thought but never knew what it would be like or what would the best way to hold a one handed sword, thank you Skall.
Weird feedback, but that was a really fun ad integration, Skal. Lots of creativity and there was even some fun with visual effects. On youtube in general, I can't skip them fast enough, but this one was fun.
I actually found this to be super interesting. I didn't even think of the finger above the guard being a possibility. Or reinforcing the grip with the hand on the wrist. Good stuff!
The other thing that you are loosing with two-handed grip is grapple. Sometimes a good tug or punch is more effective than a proper cut.
You can just let go and do that anyway.
You couldn't let go fast enough necessarily. There are a lot of Messer fighting techniques where you have to position your left hand in certain ways when attacking or defending. The goal mostly is to control your opponent's hand that is also holding a sword.
E.g. when skal was talking about catching your opponent's sword with the guard. You would be quite close to your opponent at that point in time. You could, with the correct foot technique, now enter grappling with your opponent. Control the opponents sword until you can grab his arm. After that exit binding and attack with the sword in extrem close distance.
A good tug is always a show stopper, regardless of if it is one handed or two handed.
Another possible advantage, or reason to do this, is if your training is in two-handed weapons. You can feel more comfortable holding something like you're used to rather than how the thing is designed.
Commend for the algorithm. Your Videos are very helpful for writing fights that are not as stupid as they would be if I don't watch your videos. Also they are overall very entertaining. You do really appreciated work here. Thank you.
The Anonimo Bolognese mentions taking a primarily one-handed sword in both hands for certain actions & in the event of being wounded or tired. It's not clear exactly what type of single-handed sword it is; it may have a grip long enough for this to work easily or there may be some special technique used. Also, for swords with long grips, thrusting single is a way to gain more reach. You see this technique from Giacomo di Grassi: letting go of the front hand using a thrust. It was also key in George Silver's system for the two-handed sword, which was modeled of his staff system which does the same thing for some thrusts.
That was SUCH a good ad for the desk wow.
Also I've never seen such a thing before.
Yes this was a comment specifically about the desk ad.
It was an awesome ad way to go
Great topic - I’ve found that wheel pommels in particular lend themselves to an extra half a hand to speed up cuts.
Loved the ad. The whole thing had me chuckling xD
Still love your content years in. Gonna sit down and watch the remainder tonight when building my models. Wishing you the best!
I'm surprised that at some point you didn't talk about half-swording, which can obviously be done with really any blade. It is probably the most extreme version of the trade-off that I saw in all of the methods you showed: giving up range to get more power in your blocks or to bypass armor.
I imagine it's because of how often he and others have mentioned it in previous videos. This video seems to be aimed toward people who already have some idea as to how a sword is typically held.
To be fair, half swording is really hard with one hand.
@@martinlysy Objection, your honor. Relevance?
@@guycoolSpore2 You cant half-sword with one hand, video is about benefits of using both hands instead of supposed one.
@@martinlysy What? Yes, and that would make half-swording a way in which you could use two hands on a sword instead of one. Nobody brought up half-swording with one hand except you.
A really interesting video! Just a couple of weeks ago I picked up an Italian sidesword and checked how it was to use with two hands. I did feel much quicker, but since I didn't try it in sparring I wasn't thinking about the reach disadvantage at all
I also did some experiments with this in which i did the grip shown in thumbnail where one hand encases the other on the grip. I wanted to try it out since i saw some depictions in art i believe from the 14th century if memory serves and wanted to see if it had benefit. What i found was double fisting like that did give support in a bind, more strength in a swing, and, in my opinion the biggest benefit, less fatigue. none of these benefits were as high as what you get with a proper two handed grip but it was still noticeable enough i feel i would consider it in a prolonged fight, especially if i were to be absolutely worn out. some draw backs to that grip were definitely shortened reach and most notably i had issues with a lot of angles. i could really only throw lower cuts effectively if i used a false edge cut. attempted to use a true edge cut double fisting at a low angle was absolutely brutal and awkward. but that may have just been me. its worth noting that every depiction i saw this grip being used it was against unarmed/fleeing opponents so it could be that defensive maneuvers and varying angles weren't a remote concern for them. tangent aside, wonder video skall. loved the ad video as well, very funny.
That was a really well made ad, Skall. Might consider buying from Anthrodesk just from the way you presented it.
Another reason for the hand support in Chinese swordsmanship is your offhand is closer to your opponent in case if you should see the opportunity to grab their weapon/arm/clothing, the hand being close makes it much more likely you could take advantage of such an opportunity.
This is great timing, was just watching a Polish HEMA group do some sparring of Hussar saber vs Longsword. Particularly when the rules stated only lethal hits were scored the longsword could blow through a single handed defense. That makes more sense with using a 1 hand weapon with 2.
I love the little sqeaking noise when he clenches his gloves 😁
I thought i had a good desk but damn that anthrodesk is next level. Also really enjoyable video.
I’m not a sword enthusiast or anything I just find his videos and topics entertaining but after being subbed for maybe a year or two now I have random knowledge of swords haha and who knows when it may come in handy.
Honestly looks like a great sponsor item. Gonna make a note of 1:10 so I can recall the sponsored item after the video, and certainly for no other reasons 😅
I've said it before and I'll say it again, watching your videos helps me so much in trying to best describe my martial characters in RPGs when they're in combat. This will definitely adjust my reasoning why "two-handing" a longsword gets me more damage. Not raw power, but better control. Thank you.
This kind of information is useful for making more interesting and realistic historical and fantasy RPG's. As a game designer, thank you Skallagrim!
Excellent video, as per usual. And your advertisement for the AnthroDesk was amazing! Looks like you had a blast making it. Keep having fun, and sharing great videos!
When you put your finger over the guard, it changes the angle of the blade in your hand (moving it forward, almost like a kukri) and makes it less likely for the enemy's blade to slide down to your hand when you parry.
I was going to say something about that bottle of root beer or sarsaparilla on the desk and ask if it came from Amana...but then I about died when I saw Cara and her *stripey socks* levitating and forgot about everything. Using 2 hands on a 1 handed sword might be a valid option if it was a weapon you just picked up in the heat of battle and is too big for you, but still better than the pairing knife you were using previously.(not asking how one survived long enough or how that situation came to be in the first place, but I suppose it's possible). The juicy bits about reach and control of feints and follow-ups were very well explained...and why we take your sword advice and insight seriously.
1:11 God, bro... Almost gave me a heart attack. For a second I thought that was you because I only saw the legs. I thought you'd gone completely insane.
I could be wrong, but it seems that you're also sacrificing your grappling ability with this. Having one hand free to grab the opponent's blade or manipulate their body seems valuable.
Well, you're not gluing your hand to the handle (or your other wrist). :)
@@Skallagrim Good point! I didn't consider that.
I'm so excited that I have to post this before barely getting through the video. I'm so happy that you got yourself an adjustable desk via sponser! Ergonomics isn't a joke and I've heard so many horror stories from people at my work who have back injuries from sitting at their desk too long without switching to a standing position. So happy for you!
You enjoying the new desk is so adorable it makes me oddly happy !
Depending upon the type and mass of the sword the loss of range to gain power and speed may or may not be a desirable exchange. You also don't want to be over-swinging such that you need to slow or "catch" your blows any more than necessary. I started using the "finger over guard" I learned in fencing to my Jian practice and it absolutely changes the feel making some things feel more natural but others less so.
Gotta be my favorite video of yours I've seen of the last few months. Great info, perfect pace and length, she’s striking a pose on the desk… solid 10/10 sir.
We have those desks in our office - love it! :)
I honestly think that sword fighting itself comes down to multiple variables. Each individual has to train in multiple styles in order to find their own "perfect" style. Because each individual is different in everything from height, reach, weight, agility, balance,etc. So you should practice every style you can until you find the one most comfortable and effective for yourself
when you do you can usually guarantee stun and get priority on your follow up attack, dont forget on your skirmishes to also block cancel every time you do an action to keep your opponent on their toes, beware, block canceling at the wrong time can get your guard broken and lead to a riposte.
i was skipping through the ad and just randomly saw skal laying on the desk with stockings on. Had to stop and ponder for a second on what i just saw.
I didn't think of placing a finger above the guard for the question. So thanks for pointing it out.
I would also like to point out -
If you're holding a sword one-handed, it's MUCH easier for someone to disarm you, than if you're holding it with two. Back in university, when I still used to train, I taught myself how to do what I call the "Musketeers Disarm." That's where you kind of loop your sword around your opponent's sword in a circular motion, resulting in the sword flying out of his hand. I could ALWAYS get this type of disarm to work, provided that two conditions were met :
1 - the opponent was holding their sword with one hand. And
2 - The opponent was griping their sword tightly (feigning a thrust was the most consistently easy way to get this to happen. When trying to parry your thrust, they grip their sword tightly enough for the disarm to work).
As soon as the opponent committed to the parry, you loop your sword around theirs and you both watch as the sword flies comically into the air.
Nb. We always practiced with wooden swords, never metal ones, though I have no reason to suspect that it would work any differently with metal swords.
i've always been bothered by two-handing a clearly one-handed weapon in games like dark souls so im glad to have this video to answer if that is practical or not
AH YES, the mighty pommel coming in handy for another powerful feature, more gripping space.
This is the kind of content I love, detailed, technical, gives me something to really consider as I'm integrating new things into my training. Excellent video.
I'm surprised half-swording didn't come up at all. Great vid
I have two swords, one is a nice, lightweight bastard style sword with a very long pommel, the other is an arming sword with a round pommel remarkably like the one Skal used to demonstrate here. I do have a shield now, but before i made it I pretty quickly figured out that the pommel on the arming sword gives me a good enough grasp for leverage just like he demonstrated. Really loved seeing this video regardless.
That makes sense. Thank you. And, weirdly, It Depends is so often the right answer.
Was just watching some older videos, so a new one is welcome xD
Thank you that there is someone like you, you’re great
AnthroDesk is still too expensive for me right now, but that advertisement section is certainly tempting. The logo is also hilarious.
What a great video! I thought you would just talk about half swording or mur der stroke but tis is much better.
I really like how you showcased the desk with everything on it and then you showed it with the wifey on it PLUS it moving. Cause I was thinking I was like... how much weight can it hold then you showed. Great vid too
That lifting desk pose, LMAO
In Kung Fu we often put the off hand on the back of the disk guard or the back of a single edged blade to change direction or for leverage.
In general I would keep my second hand out of the line of fire.
It offers one swordsman increased stability and strength, but the opponent has another juicy target to aim for.
I would say that even something as simple as a coat or a broken bottle in your off hand would serve better than putting a second hand on a one-handed sword.
There's one occasion when one might use two hands on a single-hand sword, and that's in the midst of battle, swallowed by the melee, having chopped left and right continuously for several minutes, or have been in intense battle for half an hour, and your right arm is just about to run entirely out of juice, and you can barely lift your sword, but it's still the most precise, and basically the only arm you've trained to use your sword with. Then you use your second arm and hand, to provide the power your right arm is out of.
So glad you answered this question. Now I will feel much safer commuting to work today. 🤣
Given we normally shoot handguns these days with two hands even though they were designed for one handed use, I'm actually curious if this was ever done historically or if there's any advantage to it.
^
from what i know at least until WW2 people were taught to use handguns onehanded
im prety sure there isnt any advantage to doing it that way
although from what i know pistols(at least in a military context) were often more status symbols for officers or for support troops that werent really expected to ever see combat, like logistics
@@zjanez2868 As far as I know, for military the handgun is exactly what a dagger is for a knight.
Backup weapon that could be used for other purposes
You get more consistent groupings with a two handed grip. Specifically using a push-pull sighting method, in which you don't simply hold the pistol in both hands, but actively "squeeze" or "choke" with your outstretched hands. It lets the shooter preempt/respond to felt recoil more effectively. It also aids in more effective weapon retention, which is essential in the sorts of engagements handguns are typically employed in.
Something else to consider, in the context of single action handguns, the offhand thumb working the hammer allows a shooter to maintain a more consistent sight picture than having to adjust the grip to accomodate the thumbing of the hammer with the firing hand.
@@zjanez2868 The preferred technique was one handed shooting from a side on stance because it reduces the shooter's front profile. However getting shot through the side of the torso is much more likely to be lethal than getting shot through the front, which is why nobody seriously does this anymore.
In certain situation, when I plan to wrestle, I but my left hand onto my right forearm so I could stop the incoming weapon with my sword, grab/control his swordarm and do my counter attack. So my left hand is on my right arm, might as well use it like you described👍
Since swords are slash & thrust kind of weapons, you don't generally need as much power as with other weapons. Against armor though (including gambeson) two-handing a sword might give your strike the extra power to pierce through.
Noticed you incorporating some of the things you (probably) learned from your recent collab with swordsage and I love to see it.
I really wanted to know this, thank you for the video.
very glad you included Oriental wrist support
When I use my sword shaped object (KoA's "kopis") to trim bushes, I use both hands. The only combat it'll ever see.
You think so, and then battle is upon you.
I mean what you're saying makes sense. Personally I wouldn't really think of using two hands on a one handed blade as being an actual fighting method so much as a very situational tactic. You have one strike, make it count, grab the hilt with both hands and just SMASH. Up to that point I'd expect one hand, although your points about greater speed and accuracy do make a lot of sense.
Great video, very helpful! Thank you!
Found this very useful thank you
from looking, the second hand really gives you the most leverage since it's as far down the grip as possible. I think it's a definitive yes that a short sword is better with two hands, if you don't have a shield or something
Right after he asked "the question", I knew the answer would be "depends".
3:10 I have practiced holding it like you would a golf club. Interlacing first finger and pinky fingers.
Skall! You gotta wrangle them cords and wires in! That desk look sharp, but corralling the cords may help it looks less cluttered to your mind's eye.
No judgment from me though, please don't ask about my Playstation cables
For swords with shorter grips:What about an interlocked grip? Some golf grips have the pinky finger spread out and the index finger of the bottom, support hand taking its place. The thumb of that bottom hand is in the meat of the upper hand and the pinky is there in the bottom hand. Should still impart a fair amount of support for faints and such.
The whole reach discussion reminds me of how with round kicks (and a partially bladed stance), your back leg is actually longer ranged (because it's pivot point is farther forward, being the front leg).
yes, but not if you pendulum step which you normally do on lead leg kicks
@@Leo.23232 I've never even tried to do a pendulum step into a round kick; that seems like a mismatch of momentum, though I suppose it might work, having never tested my intuition. Also, I might have a slightly differing definition of 'pendulum step', if you're doing round kicks off of one.
Burst into round kick I have done, but lead leg round kicks without a step are perfectly doable.
@@robertlewis6915 if you are someone like me who usually has a reach disadvantage, it is more necessary to do some kind of extra technique to close distance, pendulum, switch, full step are all viable for different things
pendulum is good for speed but bad for power on the round kick, i use it mostly for inside leg kicks in a muay thai context
@@Leo.23232 makes sense.
Love the glove asmr with the swings, never change!
This was a very interesting video. Enjoyed it a lot!
Cool video, I really enjoyed the innuendo, intentional or not too.
I am really surprised you didn't mention the main obvoius advantage of uing two hands - stamina. Dustributing the effort between both arms and hands greatly increases the time you can stay in active combat before your hand is too tired to continue. But on the other hand, if you go one-handed you can change hands. Effectiveness of that may vary greatly depending on your training though...
Also, what are your thoughts on putting the other hand on the back of the blade? That is mentionned quite a bit in sources.
I guess my comment boils down to: there is a lot more to this topic and we await a follow up video on it. 🙂
Gripping like the way you grip golf clubs could help quite a lot with short handles
"you wouldn't hit twice as hard. You would hit maybe one and a half times as hard." Dark Souls was onto something with their one and a half strength multiplier for two handing!
I used to use pommel grip to disarm opponents in SCA rapier xD Put so much extra torque on my ‘sling’ parry that their sword would twist out of their single hand.
Awesome ad. Good video as well.
I wouldn't advice trying to stab with the palm of the hand on the pommel. It might be, that it's intended, but you will destroy your hand, of you hit something hard. My iaido instructor is a doctor as well and said as much. Depending on target and strength you might even break things. If you stab, two hands on the grip or if it's a short grip, the other hand may support the wrist.
When you are playing Dark Souls and you 2-hand your rapier.
I have a desk just like that and it's so useful :)
This is something they always did in Sharpe. I always found it weird.
That has to be the best ad I've ever seen. Price, company name, I use it and I like it, here's what it does.
Edit: You also forgot to mention (or maybe it's not on smaller swords) about the duller edges near the base of the blade, which was covered in your "should you sharpen everything" video. In fact, that method of 2-handing, while uncomfortable, can be relatively safely done if the base of the blade was made thicker and blunt in order to better support the sword.
1:10 Skall: "What I pick is..."
*Cara appears*
Thank you Skall for this interesting video, especially the Chinese techniques. Can you tell us more Chinese sword skills in the future?
Great points lol, keep up the good work, thanks
Interesting points.
3:10 People in movies do that all the time, even when there's no reason to do it. It's like they were theatrically trained in fencing with rapiers, but then forgot that not all swords are rapiers.
3:14 So why would anyone do that with anything other than a rapier that's made for that technique?
3:47 And then your opponent immediately disarms you.
6:09 Only because you're..."not left-handed."
I think there was a study that concluded that, yes, two-handing a weapon gives about 50% more power.
Dark souls
@@gearsoftime9375
Dark souls gives you 1/3 more strenght tho?
@@ddm_gamer Two-handing in Dark Souls increases your effective strength by 50%. So for example, two-handing with 20 strength would boost it to 30.
Holding the hilt in both hands would also force you to be chest-forward to your opponent, instead of shoulder-forward if you used the sword one-handed; I wonder how the different ways of presenting yourself as a target could affect your defense.
Remember too that while your body is more forward-facing in a two-handed stance, you have a longer blade to cover yourself with. Plus using two hands to parry is easier and sturdier than with just one.
Not sure if this is a dumb idea, but when practicing with a clunky excalibur wall hanger I've found it useful to use the oversized guard as an extra handle.