Two vs. One: Steel Longsword - Sparring Showcase 

*please read before commenting, FAQ below* Hi new viewer! It seems we've had an absurd increase in views with this video as of late, so welcome! As with the huge influx of new viewers come in, here is a quick FAQ: 1) "That's not what sword fighting actually looks like" - First, we'd love to use the time machine you're using to know exactly what sword fighting actually looked like in order to visit the masters during their prime. But more seriously, the best we have is the fencing manuals they left behind. Paired with licensed kinesiologists and other martial artists, we're doing our best to recreate this martial art that has been dead for 500 years. Got to start somewhere! 2) The two aren't actually trying to attack at the same time! - They are. That's why the singular fighters got hit. The entire goal of the singular fighter is to make it impossible for the second fighters to engage (such as aggressive circling or fast handwork). 3) "these would do nothing against armour" - You're completely correct! But, we are not recreating armoured combat. This is what's called BlossFechten, or unarmoured fighting - wiktenauer.com/wiki/Unarmored_fencing 4) "They're just playing tag, those small strikes wouldn't do any damage." - they sure would! Check out our videos on cutting tournaments. Sword fighting isn't just stupidly throwing hard swings: it's about powering cuts from the hip and body. It looks like a small motion, but it's not. 5) "lol bare feet" - Shoes do not matter too much in HEMA. If we do we use soft rubber soled shoes such as wresling shoes, vibrams, or boxing boots. Bare feet are perfectly fine in this. We don't aim for the foot since it leaves your arms and head completely exposed, while your opponent just has to move their foot a couple inches. Targeting the legs are much better since its harder to move the entire leg out of the way 6) These swords are weighted to be fairly similar as an actual sword used in period. Swords weren't that heavy at all. Otherwise if you have any questions please feel free to ask! We'll do our best to reply :)

When you have to sell your boots so you can afford a long sword.

I regularly face off against multiple opponents at once. The trick is to utilize the invincibility frames on your dodge roll. Timing can be strict, but if you happen to have the woodgrain ring, its a lot easier.

“How many futures did you see?” “12.” “How many did we win?” “...3.”

"We have you two to one." Lee Smith: "I like those odds."

I'd rather see longsword duels in the Olympics than fencing.

2 v 1 is super easy for the lone swordsman. You just yell "Hollywood rules" and they have to attack you one at a time. Oh, and they can only do a single strike and they have to leave their sword extended to allow you to do some flashy spin strike.

In the movie: 1 master swordman kill a whole army In real life: 2 well train soldiers can cut down 1 master swordman 7/10

"Don't try this at home" pffff don't they know that i don't have frien.. I mean, swords?

*2:07** Julien went BEASTMODE on that dude*

I've got alot of practice in skyrim. I could take down all three ez

Give these men an arena to fight in. A castle, lordship and a high-born wife is their prize!

"Hold on a moment." *eats 20 sweetrolls* "Alright I'm ready."

Lee Smith is a fucking Witcher. That was beastly!

*rolls* *Hit* *Rolls* *Chug estus*

"Too light, no good" *immediately full speed sprints toward him.

Seems to me that the best strategy when fighting multiple opponents is to incapacitate one of them as quickly as possible. The best sequences for the outnumbered fighter were when they aggressively went after one opponent first.

In the middle ages i would have learn how to be an archer..... you say coward, i say long life:D

You can definitely see their character while swordfighting: The first one went quite on the defensive and couldn't win because being outnumbered Julian was super bold, intimidating and aggressive, that almost won him the game The way he deflected blows from one opponent to strike for the other was bananas (I loved his style) Lee favors a more agile style, moving a lot until he found a timeframe to overpower one of the opponents (he really loves to sprint at them and confuse), and that took out almost allways one of the combatants leaving space for a 1o1 where he can use his advanced skills against to overpower. I know nothing of swordfight and that's what I kinda observed. Brilliant video btw loved it.

0:47 you can see the sparks flying when they clash swords, that was so cool

I appreciate the level of honor and decorum in this sport. Funny how a simulated deathmatch with swords is more of a gentleman's sport than any game that involves a ball.

Try spinning That's a good trick

This is a prime example of why you don't need choreography to make something like this fun to watch. Just once I'd like to see Hollywood use some people from the HEMA in a movie. Just once.

in anime this would be a 5 eps fight

This destroyed my daydreams of 1v100 LOL

Warden mains: *HEAVY BREATHING*

Way better than a scripted movie fight

First time seeing someone actually win in a realistic two-vs-one scenario.

Why didn’t he activate revenge?

Damn, Julian is a beast.

1:48 that crushing counter-strike tho

Moral of the story, take one of them out of the fight before it starts, crossbow or from behind.

0:46 was that a spark? Wow

So unrealistic, they're not activating revenge mode. Srs though, great video

I thought the second guy was good Third guy was taken em out before it started !

Damn i've been watching too much mordhau

*I challenge these three instructors!* To an eating contest.

That is very impressive! I like how Lee quickly take out one of his opponent, making it into an one on one situation. Also Julian's movement at 2:05 ~ 2:13 is very beautiful!

This entire channel is unbelievably helpful as a reference for writing sword fights.

When u play for honour 50 hour straight

haha, Kevin's last name literally translates to "the knight". Looks like he found a very appropriate hobby.

That is highly impressive the club I practice with has done 3v1 and that was insanely difficult the only way I found to be able to beat them was to move in such a way that each of the team was getting in each other's way. Either by moving so only one could engage me at a time or actually using one of the others as a human shield by moving to close quarters with them.

Wow. Fencing is one thing but full respect for pulling this off. I'm still working on center guard, let alone guarding an entire center.

You know what... This is actually really cool that they keep this art alive, and i bet 99% of people wouldnt last 3 seconds in the same situation. Always great to see skill realised in practice like this than seeing just the sword and wondering what it must have been like back then. Hollywood, take notes.

2:00 and here we can see two human warriors fighting against a giant

I just got out of work and I felt exhausted. I opened RU-vid and was suggested to watch this. Kudos to the team who made and host in this video. This made my evening and I got some energy back too. Thank you for making these vids.

I like how the instructors keep going after the guy in black because they realize he is more about offense than defense when compared to the guy in orange. They're not just fighting, they are using tactics.

That was awesome, thanks to all the swordsmen involved!

Ser Arthur Dayne is not impressed! Jk cool vid!

Julian and Lee were absolutely amazing .I used to think it was impossible to fight multiple opponents .Guess I was wrong . I will note also that Lee seems to like sending false cuts to the head and then strike the abdomen .

I've watched this at least twice now. Probably will watch it more in the future, too. Please do this with other weapons. Sword and buckler/shield would be very interesting, I think.

Just to see how to even begin engaging 2 targets at once is cool. Makes stories like the great swords men of the past so truly incredible. THANKS FOR THIS and be safe guys!

oh wow, even I (who knows very very little about HEMA) see the techniques of the instructors as some serious art. that was some great skill demonstration, well done and thank you very much putting it up!

0:20 Stephen Kime 3-0 1:08 Julian Schuetze 3-2 2:49 Lee Smith 1-3

this the best video of combat on youtube. it cant be more real than this. loved it hopefully you guys will make more videos and will grow like lightening speed.

All I need. More martial arts. Thanks for sharing.

2:05 was SICK!

One of the coolest showcase from this channel!

Makes you appreciate the skill of swordsmen such as veteran knights that fought battle after battle during the first crusades... well done !

That was amazingly impressive of the last fighter to be able to do that, you all masterful in a long dead art

He should have popped revenge!

A splendid display of martial prowess, no doubt!

This is epic. I want to learn and train in these systems... I used to train mediaeval re-enactment sword-fighting, as a youth, and always love the sound and the impact of iron upon iron. It is hypnotic, and puts one into a trance like state when locked in combat.

RU-vid's algorithm chose you THE CHOSEN ONE!

@ 2:04 looks so flashy but no wasted movement, I'd love to see this kind of satisfying shit in movies!!

How I feel in Kingdom Come Deliverance all the time

I never get tired of reviewing this vid. Just goes to show When outnumbered keep the enemy chasing, always stay in the spirit of offense.

These guys are sick! The hit high go low is crazy! Excellent!

2000hrs+chivalry player

but in the movies...

This training session looks awesome. Love the movement

I want MORE! seeing sword fighting used in a way similar to that of real combat is brilliant!

This channel is so rad

does Julian Schuetze have his own treatise because I wanna read it

It’s something magnificent about the way these swordsmen spar. The sword is a great weapons.

I like how the instructor used the pillar to give him some advantage against the other guys. I’m 100% sure that using your surroundings in melee combat is extremely important

great demonstration of how 1 main character is very much NOT likely to cut through 6 opponents. *cough cough* arthur dayne *cough*

1:13 damn.

What a badass display. Great footwork, too.

GREAT vid! Shows how just flailing around is ineffective. But there was also some great fencing!

When your teammate dies in for honor

Good drills and very interesting to watch. I'd like to see you do more of these kinds of drills with different weapons if condition permit. I'd like to see a sword and shield individual (instructor) take on two opponents with two handed swords.

Awesome, I love the mortal combat sounding music in the background. Seriously underestimated art of fighting. Watching this makes me wonder what 2 vs 1 would of been like in medieval times

I needed this 20 years ago

2v1+ Steel longsword = 3 fockin' dead men.

It strikes me that the winning strategy involves wide arcing swings to keep pressure on the two opponents. It looks very similar to montante, a weapon and style specifically designed around fighting multiple opponents.

Great video and cool music choice! I liked the brass section at 3:08. It's chaotic, yet efficient and precise. Just like the fights! Very cool and a great fit!

My sense from watching this is that your fundamentals have to be on point, skill and competence obviously matter, but much of it is highly circumstantial. The high-speed intricacies look and feel chaotic, but there is an art to not dying. Creating opportunities for yourself in spacing is wildly important and that’s never been more clear to me than watching this. Julian kind of went beast mode because he made opportunities for 1-on-1s with his feet as much as, if not more than, with his sword. His rushes combined with his maneuvers was pretty awesome to watch! (The whole thing was, really.)

I find this interesting, but for every one of these videos, I also remember that the Leonel Messi, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods and Usain Bolts of this world would have been fighters in a previous age and it makes me wonder how much higher we could push the ceiling of HEMA with a larger talent pool to tap into

Lesson: This requires great skill of parrying, footwork, luring enemy and fatal blow. You must kill one of them asap whatever way you can to avoid being teamed up. Analyze quickly and prevent them to form their phase to gang you by parrying and effective footwork. Choose who will be your first and second target. You must make sure to lock your first target's arm and let the other kill his own Ally by making the first target's body as a shield when the second target strikes. Arthur Dayne from GOT is a good example.

Once got to spar with some dudes from HEMA, they were some of the coolest people and it was so much fun.

Can’t believe you have to defend the realism of this. It’s badass and very realistic. New subscriber.

I loved this vídeo !

Clearly he doesn’t know that if he’s alone against multiple opponents he has to parry until he get Rage

This looks so awesome !

I might try 2v1 situations in my next sparring meet just to see how it goes and how fun it is for everyone watching and participating. Thanks B&I.

It's interesting how focusing on enemy attacks and countering them lends itself not very effective when fighting multiple opponents, because eventually you will miss to notice an enemy strike because you will be baited by the other enemy. Taking the initiative, using what seems like montante techniques (sweeping arcs to keep the enemy at bay) and switching targets rapidly is more effective, judging by what we see here.

Excellent editing, content, and music! Will you have a video where one instructor fights 2 other more inexperienced people? Obviously 1 v 2 fights in real life is often nothing like the movies, but I want to see how much a top HEMA instructor can do!

Superb! I do an unarmed martial art and our techniques for fighting multiple opponents are quite valid in this scenario. Very well played.

Wow this is really good. Great music choice btw.