Does PAIN Change how we Fight? We ELECTROCUTE ourselves to find out 

Now someone's going to say "yeah, but you didn't DIE for getting hit!" :D How painful it is depends a lot on the sparring partner. I've practiced with people that made every single hit quite painful (probably unintentionally). The thing is, the pain can also make practice LESS effective... If you're fighting someone who is significantly more skilled, it doesn't matter how much you don't want to get hit, they'll get you anyway with superior technique. Which might make you flinch or become too defensive, and overall makes for a miserable, demotivating experience. A better approach is to be mindful of how serious a hit would have been in a real duel and avoid risky maneuvers. On the hand sometimes it's good to actually be a little playful and experiment with different tactics and techniques. Back then people didn't start from day one with sharp blades, they had to practice in safe ways too. "You'd fight differently if it was hella dangerous" is such a weird argument... Boxers don't dip their wraps in glue and nails to punch their sparring partners as hard they can, and Muay Thai fighters don't kick with spiked shin guards or whatever. Anyway, kudos for committing to the experiment!

"Set longswords to 'stun'"

Was the "they aren't real swordsmens because they refuse to use sharp swords" thing an exaggeration or were those actual comments you've gotten?

I thought you were going to actually fence with the cattle prod lol

I thought you were gonna fence with Cattle Prods 😭

"Pain... this is why I fight. This is my normal. My nature" - Raiden

I’ve seen a Cold Ones video where they go to a pub in the middle of the Outback where the tradition is to have drunk people fence with cattle prods.

Loved the minute details we got in this footage like Clark trying to provoke a movement by strengthening his blade against yours by turning it!

I can't believe you used the saw budget to buy a cattle prod 😡

So this story comes with a big old "don't do this" tag. But i was really seriously into Olympic fencing in the 2000s and my coach was a former Olympic champion, former soviet Olympic coach, really highly regarded. And when you we being a bit too wild or uncontrolled in a lesson he was giving he'd have you take off your mask for the remainder of the lesson, and i can tell you that having no protection between your face and your opponent's weapon really made you focus on distance and footwork like nothing else. Its hard to put to words the psychological difference no protection against even a fully blunt blade made on how you approached things

Please try to partner with one of engineering youtubers to make a TENS unit suit that can localize and sustain an electric current to effect the muscles but not risk permanent injury. With pressure pads spaced throughout the suit, you could measure the force you were struck with and apply a more or less intense current to mimic the severity of the cut or pierce sustained.

I see the 40k two headed eagle on your taser friend's chestplate. nice!

Amazing video. Love the commitment my dude 💪⚔️

The punishment for failure is so much in the spirit of Warhammer 40k 😅

This is completely insane and absolutely awesome.

Even if I knew nothing else about your channel this would get me to subscribe.

I love your commitment to the bit

love the video!! it was so fun to be a part of :3

I think this video taught me more about repeated electrocution by cattle prod than sword fighting.

I think the biggest difference would be felt by less experienced swordsman who are more reckless. I've done some HEMA with my friends and I think we would fight much more differently if we would get tazed after getting hit. It seems, as the video highlighted, that experienced swordsmen would focus on using their experience. It makes sense, to focus on the experience you have once things are serious. Think homework vs exams, or sports with friends vs tournament sports.

The Olympics needs this soooo bad.

I love this video! Great work, David

You can be crazy so I don't have to be. Really nice thrust around 12:11 -- thumbs up.

In our fencing class a self defence specialist was quoted, who said that reguarding martial arts and self defence if at the end of the training no one is dead or severly ingured, it was done wrong. In the sense of in every training or technique are build in savety masures to provent inguries and death. Or something on that line. This video has remembered me of this.

Just recently discovered you, time to dig through the backlog. Excellent video!

honestly before you got to the cattle prod part i thought you were gonna stick stunguns to the ends of the feders

That is an interesting experiment. You are brave to really try this. You are awesome.

I can't wait to see Shadiversity's response to this

I like the flags in the background!!!

I'm glad Shad complained about you because it was my first introduction to your channel. I really love your content and great advice, so thank you!

I saw some youtube larper saying once that this is the only way hema could ever hope to imitate "real" fencing, and I thought it was ridiculous. It's nice to be proven right. Also, I imagine that even in a real duel, the differences would be brought on mainly by the hugely increased stress the combatants would be under. So if you got two stone cold killers, there may not even have been much of a difference

This is goofy. I love it.

That last WE FIXED HEMA got me...

I was going to correct you on the use of the word electrocute but I see the definition has changed due to misuse.

We hit each other with steel swords lol you kinda have to accept that some degree of pain will be involved along the way. Glad to see you having fun with the haters though man, wish i could join in these experiments!

This video is SHOCKING!!!!! I'll see my way out...... I had to throw the pun out there.......

Loving Clark's drip!!

Interesting experiment. The way you utilized the cattle prod makes it more of an reinforced incentive not to be hit, rather than a simulation of battle damage.

Man, I don't understand why people don't fight to the death anymore with real swords. Like, can you call yourself a real swordsman without having fought to the death?

tournaments with shock collars would be wild

"We fixed HEMA!" lol way to put your body on the line

Interesting experiment. At our club we have different levels of sparring protection depending on skill, experience, and willingness to try new things. We have full gear sparring which is full safety gear, light gear sparring which is mask, gloves and a light jacket or chest protector, low gear sparring which is just mask and gloves, and no gear sparring which just light fencing gloves and no mask. The threat of danger changes your fencing at every level, but most fencers at our club prefer at least some protection and only those of us who are more advanced will spar without safety gear. Needless to say, it is dangerous and we must fence with a great deal of control, otherwise severe injury could occur. When you take away the safety gear, even if you are sparring more slowly than normal, a lot of the high risk techniques are abandoned in favor of a much stronger defense and it is much more difficult to score a hit against your opponent

“Shenanigans deployed”

-no experience Hema Swordsman- *signs up for sellsword tournie* lets do it!

This will be fun

Got a video suggestion: analyze the fighting stances/styles of Kingdom Hearts Keyblade wielders as a lot of them are unorthodox. Some characters are similar, so ive grouped them. -Sora/Xion/Kairi -Riku/Vanitas -Roxas -Ventus -Terra -Aqua -Lea

Intresting approach

The executioner wears the Imperial Aquila?

If you ever do a charity stream 10$ for one bout of sharp sword sparring would make you absolute bank, the medical bills would pay for themself.

When I was training in martial arts a bunch of years ago, most of our drill work was done with either bokken or shinai. Occasionally, our sensei would pull out unsharpened metal swords for us to train with. Now, none of those weapons were likely to kill us, but I know I got a bit more timid when I was facing a metal blade rather than a wooden one. BTW - This was at a ordinary martial arts school, so we only had sparring pads and not the HEMA style armor that you wear in the video.

needed to get michael reeves to make a auto shocking suit

If your life is on the line for anything your performance at least mentally changes. It comes down to how you handle extreme pressure. Its similar to being in a world championship match, its a tie and the next point wins. Or any fighting game where both players are one hit.

My god, great outfits

How come nobody be talking about Demon Slayer's breathing styles in channels like these?

My man is taking more electricity than existed at the time longswords were used.

Well if it's anything like flaming 💪🏽💪🏽 training, I don't want lead being sling at me either. But paintball, timed trials, and simulations at least get you ready to possibly handle a real stuff hits the fan situation. Even police freeze under attack. You won't know till you're in it. Like you said, maiming your friends won't solve it.

it kind of does, at least when switching between real life combat environment and expecting even the most realistic video games and even the most realistic simulated training out there. Even switching between something like the most realistic VR rollercoaster to real the body feels the difference. However, it sure as hell helps. I've been doing The Thrill of Fight for example in VR and did have to actually break up altercation (funny that video games sometimes can teach you things or at least keep you in shape for that time when you need to be in shape) using the boxing techniques practiced in VR setting. However, I have to say between confrontation against VR video game opponent and real-life person, those pheromones and psychological intimidation is definitely there driving adrenaline up.

From a LARP point of view I have a little perspective on this In a UK fest system called Maelstrom I played an Immortal/Angel for 8 years (i went through 5 chratcers in 3 events before that and got fed up of making new characters) I was way more aggressive playing him in combat than any other charcter I've played in 30 years, because I had nothing to lose. i would get up from anything so only defended in duelling contests and sparring. I don't think its really pain that changes things I think its the fear of loss. In Morningstar by David Gemmel the main charcter mentions this "There are to types of fighter, those that like to win, anthose that are afraid to lose. Both can be good, even great. But when they meet there can only be one winner"

"So we tried shocking them to make them more cautious" "Did it work?" "No...they liked it"

Lol, I'll be honest. I'm a little disappointed they aren't fencing with the cattleprod. This looks more like negative reinforcement fencing. 😂

Something that's just personally amusing that comes with the idea of pain and correlation of how it potential effects in individuals movement patterns or problem-solving during any combat sport is this detached, peanut gallery notion that is overly prolific in that its not "legitimate" until it has severe risk. There is a very interesting development in the UFC community where sparring is becoming less prominent because people are progressing too adamantly with the winning mindset in a casual environment rather than the pressure testing mindset and how people have lost careers in the gym. Overall, when I see a lot of these comments that have some word-vomit of how X isnt good enough or you'd do different if because of Y, I adamantly want to see them also put this experiment to the test if provided the opportunity. Suffering does not legitimize experience or practice. Injury is possible and many sports actively try to avoid it. This gross holier than thou attitude that's being directed towards you saying that you're not a legitimate fencer or sword fighter because you're not putting yourself actively in the way of injury is a foolish, childish, and ignorant notion. That being said this is a really fun video and your name comes up quite a lot in our HEMA club as another great representive face for the community alonside many others. Thanks, keep doing what you're doing Sellsword.

I thought the question was "do you fight the same when in pain", not "is fer changing how you fight"?

Gotta be honest, from an outside perspective (with no in situ knowledge just a lot of research) it almost seems you guys fought more aggresively when the cattle prod was in play, might just be me but It seems the threat of pain actually made you try harder just to shock your opponent XD

I've actually had a couple experiences with the genuine fear of pain/injury influencing my fighting. There's one particular video where I take a big hit to the ear. I'm not sure what happened: something about the way my mask was sitting and how my headband was tucked behind my ear, but it HURT. I actually called off the fight later on because something just didn't feel right. Thankfully, no permanent injury. Anyway, there's this exchange ru-vid.comJqlDu4M4QnY where I'm about to get hit in that same ear again, and my body realises this, and I move out of the way faster than I normally would. HOWEVER, as much as it is definitely faster, it's not out of the realm of how fast I would normally move, and the type of void that I make is not at all different from how I normally fight. You can actually watch the full video (333) and see me fencing before and after I get hit in the ear and start to truly fear a real, permanent injury - I don't think you would be able to tell if I hadn't pointed out the hit. Essentially it made me fight a little better, a little faster, a little more sensible... but it didn't fundamentally change the way I fought.

Nice sparring. One question, from your guards it looks like some hits are made with flats of the blade, do you take that into consideration?

LOL... Dude... LOL... why? LOL... Yeah man! The entire time I'd be thinking of not getting shocked! LOL

I feel like the people who make those comments have never eaten a feder before, what part of being hit with a steel bar don’t they get lmao

I have a question for _those_ commenters: *_WHAT KIND OF MANIAC ACTIVELY TRIES TO UNALIVE THEIR FRIENDS!?!_*

Question how does martial arts play a factor in sword fencing or auctal combat with weapons like spear or axe

It seems like there is a difference, there seems to be an increase in the number of hand snipes.

I really want to know where I can get the Jacket of the Gentlemen in magenta(?) and blue. Pretty Please.

Are you thinking of making shock pads for your gear so that you get cutting pain?

Y'know i think this would fit in great in shads content style...

Pavlove comes to mind. This was good funny to

I honestly think you'd see much better results if you'd be scared of the sword rather than getting hit. In my humble opinion if you could zap another person with a sword when you hit them you could cause that, and get different results. Here you guys didn't seem scared of getting hit, if anything you were scared of consequences afterwards. Not sure if what I'm saying is clear, but point is, that there is a difference between being scared of a wound and being scared of getting hit Tbh can't think of a way to make that happen safely, so that's the closest you guys could have gotten to it. Then again, maybe it wouldn't have made any difference

I'm horrified just looking at this. I hope the shocks were worth it, jeez.

Do you learn these for self defense or fun, or a mix of both?

I'm almost certain you didn't get shocked at 6:00 lol

What if you did normal sparring but one of you used the cattle prod instead of a blade?

Hey man, I’ve been thinking about going to Warlord Combat Academy. Wondering if you’re able to tell me anything about them.

*Me without seeing the video, unathletic and totally not a fighter* : Hmm, yeah, pain changes our fighting style, but not only that. Our demeanor and thinking process also changes. Unironically, pain it's a good motivator for evolution

It makes you think twice of just go in and try to do your thing without consequences. Rather you lean more defensively, as one probably would during a duel to the death

I would say in the first actual fight you where a lot more distance than all of your other fights

Lmao this rocks

How do you feel towards sparring, being the shorter guy? Is it harder both practical and mental or is it something you’ve never paid much attention too?

negative reinforcement via Electric Shock can also give you ESP... apparently... 🤣/jk

That’s like them saying legends like Mike Tyson and Buakaw Banchamek aren’t real fighters, because they spar with gloves and pads 🤦

he should haves used shock collars

Judging by some of the freaky folks I've seen at HEMA tournaments, this might just be a kink..

Lol...its just a flesh shock

I thought for sure y'all would be actually fencing with cattle prods.....

I don't personally know too much about longswords although from what I've seen of competition footage the respect for danger is greatly lessened by the amount of protection worn. The same can be said for Olympic fencing or the various forms of reenactment. Therein lies the issue of any form of competitive, bladed martial art. HEMA is the one I see it in the most, other than the occasional (usually new) reenactor saying they "fight like vikings," because the "historical" part of the name leads people to argue that their techniques are taking from manuscripts/treatises/historical records and that this implies that their modern interpretation is accurate. To say that any form of combat, especially one that is well documented in the historical record is, in my opinion, a fallacy. Historical swordsmanship is marred by a combination of opinions and mentalities determined by rules, regions and equipment. Someone who does sabre today, who learned from Mensur guides, may be laughed at by a sabre user from a different culture or time. There are, naturally, optimal moves based around the specific weapon, its pivot points and such, and the for the user, relying on their height, strength stamina, etc, however many techniques, specifically the odd or unreliable can be taken as historical fantasy, merely as a way for authors to advertise their specific talents. If we are to assume that, in learning swordsmanship, we are prioritising the biomechanics then the "history" of hema should be in the weapons, not in the treatises. Secondly, techniques and mentality are something that do merge, though less than I personally would prefer. My knowledge of longsword is good, though my practical knowledge is not as good as other weapons, and I have enjoyed your frequent reference to attacking from and taking the bind. Binding obviously is different with sharp swords as a result of blades biting however the principles remain the same. With other weapons of which I am more familiar (Bucker), we see a slow transition from 1.33 to Liechtenauer wherein, in my interpretation, the purpose of the bind as a point of control is lessened to a place in which to attack, not to defend. This can be seen more evidently in modern martial experimentation with much of Dimicators work for sword and shield/buckler in the difference between fighting to win and fighting not to loose. In that sense the difference between tag with sword and "historical" swordsmanship can be hard to find. Even if you learn the manuals and fight optimally you are just playing tag as there are no repercussions. If you fight solely defensively, imagining that it is a sharp opposite of you, you still cannot necessarily claim historical authenticity as your defensive nature could be seen as unfaithful to the modern interpretations of a historical culture and therefore may have been dishonourable or strange to a contemporary audience. Historical authenticity is a hard thing to claim. Personally I would prefer that HEMA went the fencing route and focused on biomechanics, the masters may have written down biomechanics but they were not the only ones who could decern them and to focus on them could limit learning as well as increase it. It is no shame to play tag with swords and It should not be an insult to any fencer as long as the respect to the time and skill is maintained. It is, in essence, what we do. The same is true for any other hobby that requires time and attention. Unduly focusing on the history takes away from modernity. There is a lot to be learned from the past. The masters knew their weapons well. They also knew their times. The rules and regulations, the morality and the history. We are not the duellists of the past. We do not fight with sharps and our tournaments have different rules and targets. If you want to "be" a historical fencer then you must understand more than just the techniques. That is where the divide between competitive martial arts (Hema) and experimental archaeology appears and also wherein most of the aggressive discourse appears also. Can we ever truly fight as historical figures may have? No. Can we try to emulate their mentalities? Yes. Do we? No. Why? Because competitions encompass weapons with vast time periods and regional differences resulting in a mismatch of techniques and mindsets that all get washed away by muscle memory and a modern competitive mindset. If you want to fight in a mindset as you find the evidence for it can be emulated, though your opponent may not share it. Understanding the history does not mean practising it, especially in the heat of the moment. In short, to say we practise 100% accurate historical techniques and mindsets is wrong. The weapons used have such a vast and varied history that unless both participants are placing themselves in a specific historical context then historical authenticity in the duel is always somewhat lost. That does not mean we are not students of history, though I would argue that history could be ignored when trying to learn the biomechanics of a given weapon for a tournament setting (although it would make it much harder), though us taking techniques from the past does not make us members of the past. And the past can encompass several hundred years and thousands of miles, each encompassing changes in cultures. For instance, this video (wether risk of death or pain affects ones fighting) could depend upon the region, weapon or time. And while, nonetheless enjoyable, it reflects more on modern fencing than that of our historical counterparts. Thank you for those that read :)

I thought you were going to fence with cattle prods

Pain can change anything

you know there is ONE problem this doesn't solve: the pain and shock of getting hit with sharps can sometimes interrupt your opponent and keep you safe from an afterblow. Easy example is somebody getting hit in the hand and either dropping their sword or sustaining disability to the hand. and in that case your next move might be to escape, or it could be to close in and finish them off. Honestly this is one of the things that I struggle with in practice, where I want to fence with some intensity, but i also want to be courteous to my practice partners. so we clearly need practice swords or armor with fully integrated pain-inducing functionality.

So the Shad heads were mad that you called the e-baby mall ninja an e-baby mall ninja, and this pitiful excuse of an argument is the best they could do? Results: does pain affect how you “fight”? No. The pain made the results more consistent to a tournament (competition). Does pain affect how you “practice”? Yes, you lost a large amount of incentive to learn. Does pain change how you “fence”? Maybe, this is largely determined by where you draw the line of competition vs learning.

Hey could you review the dragonslayer from Berserk

Honestly people who post those kind of comments saying you guys arent legit because you arent killing/hurting each other really ought to climb out of their basement and get some fresh air

As a guy who's done unarmored - live steel fights, I HIGHLY advise the idiots posting those comments to try it before you buy it. Live steel does not feel pleasant piercing your skin, I've been stabbed a number of times in the legs, once or twice in my arms and have taken an axe to my left leg, steel isn't something to play with these are not toys, you are not 'insert weeby anime comic book hero name here' you don't have unbreakable skin, you will bleed and it will bloody hurt.

People who thought they were going to be fencing with the cattle things 👇