Fighting with the Longsword: Modern-day HEMA Practices

<p align="LEFT">In this Dialogue, Kyle Barrowman responds to Paul Bowman’s article ‘Instituting Reality in <span style="font-family: Hamburg-Light;">Martial Arts Practice</span><span style="font-family: Hamburg-Light;">' </span><span style="font-family: Hamburg-Light;">and poses questions pertinent to future development of martial arts </span><span style="font-family: Hamburg-Light;">studies</span><span style="font-family: Hamburg-Light;">.</span>

This study investigated the prevalence of injuries in martial arts athletes, and determine the possible mechanisms of injury. The sample involved 62 athletes, being 93.5% male who practiced Jiu-Jitsu and judo in Portugal south. A questionnaire was used with questions about the population characterization, aspects related with modalities, specific questions of mechanism of injury and the technique to be used at the time of injury. The athlete had to answer what the most common injury related with the practice of martial art and/or the injury that the more limited and/or prevented them from practicing their modality. Fourty-three (69.4%) athletes reported having suffered some type of injury during Jiu-Jitsu or judo, 36 (58.1%) athletes referring injury as the most frequent and 34 (54.8%) referring limiting injury. The techniques that caused more injuries in Jiu-Jitsu athletes included ground (30% frequent injury and 36.8% limiting injury) and grip fighting (25% frequent injury and 10.5% limiting injury). Most of the frequent injuries was caused by the judo thrown techniques (Uke with 43.8% and Tori with 25%) and most limiting injuries was caused by being thrown/Ukemi (40%) and attempting thrown (20%). It was found that the age group of athletes under age have 4.83 (95% CI: 1.50-15.54; p=0.088) more probability to have an injury than older athletes. The data obtained found a high prevalence of injuries in martial arts. It is necessary to know the techniques that promote the highest number of injuries in these athletes to developing appropriate preventive strategies.

This article first sets out the value of the political discourse theory of Laclau and Mouffe. It argues that this work was central to the development of cultural studies, in its theorisation of social and cultural practices as being part of ‘political discourse’. This confers a dignity, status, value and political importance on cultural practices of all kinds. However, the article seeks to probe the limits of this approach to cultural politics, and it does so through a necessarily unusual exploration. First, it takes an example of something ostensibly trivial from the realms of film and popular culture and explores it in terms of Laclau and Mouffe's categories, in two different ways. The ‘trivial’/pop cultural example is Bruce Lee. Could Bruce Lee be regarded as ‘politically’ significant or consequential? He was certainly an enormously influential film and popular cultural icon of the 1970s, one who arguably ignited a global ‘kung fu craze’. Moreover, Bruce Lee also had his own ‘hegemonic project’, seeking to transform and unify martial arts practices. In this paper, Bruce Lee's own ‘project’ is first examined in the terms of Laclauian categories. These are shown to be extremely useful for grasping both the project and the reasons for its failure. Then the article moves into a wider consideration of the emergence of globally popular cultural discourses of martial arts. However, Laclau and Mouffe's approach is shown to be somewhat less than satisfactory for perceiving at least some of the ‘political’ dimensions entailed in the spread martial arts culture and practices, from contexts of the global south into affluent contexts such as Hollywood film and Euro-American cultural practices. The paper argues that this is because Laclau and Mouffe's approach is logocentric, which leads it to look for and to perceive a very limited range of factors: specifically, political identities formed through political demands. However, to more fully perceive the political dimensions of culture, the paper argues that different kinds of perspective, paradigms and analysis are required. Adopting or developing some of these would enrich the field of political studies.

The purpose of the article is to determine the methods of developing the creative abilities of autistic children by modern choreography. Methodology: in our work, we used systematic and comparative methods, as well as problem and analytical analysis of the literature to study methods of developing autistic children through art therapy and choreography, to improve their plastic capabilities and study the latest trends in art and psychology. Scientific novelty. The question of the development of creative abilities of autistic children by art therapy has already been studied in modern literature, but the novelty of the research it’s the first attempt to determine methods of developing plastic abilities of children with autism by means of modern dance. Due to the research, we have identified methods for developing the creative abilities of autistic children by means of modern choreography, in particular - modern dance. On the one hand, the focus of modern pedagogy is on people with special needs who receive additional permanent or temporary support in the educational process in order to ensure their right to education. On the other hand, much less importance is given to meeting the needs of children with autism by involving them in modern cultural and artistic practices. Although, in our opinion, it provides much more opportunities for adaptation of people with special needs, the development of their desire for beauty. Our research art and cultural attention have focused on the development of plastic abilities of autistic children by means of modern dance in modern cultural and artistic practices. Conclusions: we determined that it is important to develop the plastic abilities of such children, although it is very difficult to teach such child to dance professionally, it is possible to develop the choreographic grace of movements. In the course of our research, we analyzed the available scientific materials on autism and identified the behavior of autistic children, and explored the possibilities of using modern dance in the development of autistic children as one of the means of developing their creative abilities.

From the 4th – 7th of July 2016, the annual International Medieval Congress was held in Leeds, England. Among the many different sessions two specifically addressed historical European martial arts. The first session discussed and commented upon modern practices and interpretations of historical European martial arts, each paper being based on good practice and the proper criteria for academic research. The second session, in which this paper was presented, went more “behind the scenes”, discussing the importance of thorough analysis of the historical context which remains essential to forming a foundation for solid hypotheses and interpretations. This article discusses and sheds light upon Danish historical martial art during the reign of the Danish King Christian IV (r.1588 to 1648). At this point in time Europe consisted of many small principalities in addition to a few larger states and kingdoms. Thoughts and ideas could spread as quickly as ripples in water but also be bound by political and religious alliances or enmities, plague, famine and not to mention the role also played by topographical and cultural differences. Thus, at times, vast cultural differences could be seen from region to region. To this should be added a wide range of social factors, such as the role of relationships and mentalities, and the obeying of unspoken norms and codes which can also affect modern researchers’ interpretations of what is shown or described. Therefore, the aim of this article is to provide a series of “behind the scenes” examples which all have the potential to affect hypotheses, interpretations, and overall understandings of the context of historical European martial arts.

The Article presents reflections of SANBAO Academy’s instructors after spending training time in Chenjiagou village (陳家溝村), located in Henan province in central China. Over 25-year-old practice of Chinese martial arts allowed the Authors to develop a subjectiv evaluation of the benefits from making physical activity. They also made an attempt to evaluate the differences between the attitude to the training of people practicing Tai Chi in Europe and China. The Article reaches with its content to the source of Chen Tai Chi Chuan and describes the place from which derive a variety of different martial arts, including popular all over the world Yang Tai Chi Chuan, the place where nineteen generations passed within a family secret training of Chen Tai Chi Chuan. And finally, where even today you can feel the atmosphere of this old, beautiful, traditional and original martial art. Today, the Chenjiagou village is perhaps the last relic of Chinese culture and art, which is by no means interesting for the representatives of the young generation of the Middle Kingdom.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the processes that produce the effects found in studies of participation by young people in martial arts. Design/methodology/approach – A review of published studies. Findings – Studies of the developmental outcomes of young people participating in martial arts produce conflicting results. While some studies refer to increased antisocial behaviour, others indicate positive developmental outcomes. This is due to a tendency to treat martial arts as a unitary phenomenon and focus on outcomes without considering mediating factors, notably the type of martial art, the type of guidance and the social background and characteristics of participants. Originality/value – The paper shows that taking into account these and other possible influencing factors will contribute to a better understanding of the true nature of outcomes of martial arts practice. It will also enable a more thought-out and accurate approach when considering these outcomes.

Self-esteem changes among adult women who had been practicing seido karate for at least six months and had acquired the perceived ability to physically self-defend were examined in this study. The research site was a feminist martial arts dojo for women in a midwestern state. Thirty women, aged 26-62, participated in strucured interviews. All of the women perceived improvements in self-esteem after participating in martial arts training for at least six months. These self-esteem changes were perceived to be related to improvement in physical self-perception. Recovery from psychosexual abuse, eating disorders, substance abuse, and growing up in dysfunctional families was another commonly perceived consequence of martial arts training, and most of the participants who had experienced such problems believed their martial arts practice was a valuable adjunct to traditional therapeutic approaches. Significantly, however, they viewed certain aspects of the feminist environment, particularly its gynocentricity, as essential to the self change process. A relationship between the martial arts experience, particularly gaining the ability to defend oneself physically, and other attitudes and behaviors related to self-perception is suggested.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Chinese martial arts practice on postural reaction control after perturbation. Participants standing in Romberg tandem posture were subjected to an unexpected lateral platform translation with the eyes open or closed at two translation amplitudes. The peak displacement of the centre of pressure and of the centre of mass, and the onset latency of muscular activity (tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, lumbodorsal muscular group, and rectus abdominis), were evaluated for martial arts practitioners and for sport and non-sport participants. Compared with the sport and non-sport participants, the martial arts group showed lower maximal centre of pressure and centre of mass peak displacements in both the lateral and anterior – posterior directions, but no difference was found in the onset of muscular responses. We conclude that martial arts practice influences postural reaction control during a fixed-support strategy in a tandem task. The martial arts group used the ankle joint more frequently than the sport and non-sport participants, especially in the eyes-closed conditions. Our results suggest that the better balance recovery in the martial arts group is a consequence of better control of biomechanical properties of the lower limbs (e.g. through muscular response by co-contraction), not a change in the neuromuscular temporal pattern.

This study is to set up a scientific evaluation system for choosing high school football central defenders. The Delphi method is used to judge 55 preliminary indicators by experts. After verification for consistency (Kendall’s W = 0.638, p &lt; 0.05) and comprehensive analysis, a three-dimensional evaluation framework was constructed with a percentage of physical fitness (37.10%), specialized technical skills (25.03%), and tactical awareness (37.87%) based on weights determined by the Analytic Hierarchy Process. It is advisable that tactical awareness and physical fitness are placed before technical skills. Innovatively, the present study adapted the traditional eleven-a-side match evaluations into 7-a-side small-field matches, which accord with the developmental characteristics of adolescents. Practical testing showed excellent discriminative validity (SD = 8.47) and criterion-related validity (correlation coefficient with coaches’ evaluations: r = 0.82, p &lt; 0.01), which findings should reveal the trend in modern football towards comprehensive defensive aptitudes and therefore are valuable for practical use in youth talent identification.

Martial arts are a traditional aspect of Chinese culture, and with the diverse development of recreational activities, they have gained widespread acceptance not only for self-defense but also as a popular recreational activity. Physical activity and fitness characteristics associated with different martial arts vary depending on developmental backgrounds. Bajiquan is a traditional Chinese martial art known for its explosive power in close combat, emphasizing quick elbow and shoulder strikes over a short range. However, research on the application of Bajiquan to physical activity, health promotion, and its perceived benefits remains relatively limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a programmed 8-week Bajiquan training intervention on physical fitness, body composition, and perceived benefits of exercise. This quasi-experimental study enrolled participants and allocated them to the experimental (n = 15; 27.4 ± 2.6 years; female = 13.3%) and control groups (n = 15; 26.0 ± 3.1 years; female = 13.3%). The experimental group participated in an 8-week Bajiquan program, whereas the control group engaged in regular exercise with the same intervention frequency. Pre- and post-tests were conducted to assess the effects on physical fitness and body composition. Additionally, participants' subjective perceptions of the benefits of martial arts exercise were evaluated using an exercise perceived benefit questionnaire. The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher social relationships (Δ = 17.2%; δ = 0.586, p < 0.05) and personal benefits (Δ = 19.8%; δ = 0.431, p < 0.05) than the control group (p < 0.05). Changes in pre- and post-test measurements within the experimental group were significantly different from those in the control group in terms of body weight (p = 0.008, d = 1.05), body mass index (p = 0.003, d = 1.17), and body fat percentage (p = 0.004, d = 1.13). The experimental group exhibited significant differences in changes in muscle explosive power (p = 0.003, d = 1.27), cardiorespiratory fitness (p = 0.004, d = 1.14), and core muscle strength (p = 0.009, d = 1.10) compared with the control group. Core muscle strength also significantly increased in the experimental group compared to that in the control group in the post-test (Δ = 17.0%; p = 0.003, d = 1.21). The Bajiquan martial arts exercise intervention demonstrated beneficial effects on physical and mental development, making it a viable option for physical activity programs. In the future, program adjustments and applications can be tailored for different populations, such as children or the elderly, to promote health and disseminate the practice of martial arts.

This article juxtaposes Merleau‐Ponty’s phenomenology of sense perception and practitioner research as well as demonstrating their potential to become integrated into powerful educational research and practice. The paper elaborates on Merleau‐Ponty’s metaphor of chiasm, extends its symbolic meaning to practitioner research and illustrates its application to the practice of martial and pedagogical arts. Expressed by the Greek letter χ (chi), chiasm means a crisscrossing of the perceiving and the perceived, self and other, language and meaning. Chiasm also signifies an intertwining, an intersection, reversibility, or the process of flowing of phenomena one into another. Chiasm is a contextual encounter of individuals and groups who, by taking action together, can change and transform their life‐worlds. Chiasm can symbolically represent practitioner research as an intertwining of theory and practice. Like the crosspiece, practitioner research can become an endless journey and the meeting place of a researcher’s self with the world of different and unique experiences, unpredictable turns, challenges and wonders. Merleau‐Ponty urges educators to explore and transform the life‐worlds of children and adults. The author of the article suggests that we traverse new intersections of practitioner research illuminated by phenomenological investigations.

Based upon five years of observant participation, I examine how participants justify their engagement with the controversial but increasing popular practice of mixed martial arts. Several themes emerge: necessity (“it is a violent world”), sociobiological discourse, emulating the exotic, spiritual teachings, alienation from consumer society, and the body as a project. These themes suggest that this pain-filled-practice is more than simply a site of exercise or sport, and in fact reveals complicated, gendered narratives about the broader social lives and struggles of the men who participate in the practice. I argue that the ambiguously defined field and the feeling of being out-of-place encourage identity exploration. This becomes an important part of the allure as the participants craft stories that provide meaning for the physical training. I conclude with reflections on how meaning is constructed in embodied cultural forms and on the value of these often-ignored forms for making sense of social life.

This paper explores the seduction of pain within the increasingly popular practice of mixed martial arts. It is based on a three-year ethnographic study of training schools in Minnesota. Within these sites, often-affluent men train their bodies in combat skills, learning to strike and grapple, while building a community around the shared exchange of pain. The drive is often explained with a variation of the statement: ‘I do this because you don't know who you are … you don't feel alive … until you get hit.’ This paper contributes to the growing body of geographic literature centered on practice and affect. Within this approach, there has been little appreciation of physical and violent encounters. Appreciation of the role of pain shifts focus to the moment when the body retreats in upon itself, becoming a united mass of flesh and nerves. I suggest that pain attracts participants through serving three purposes within these fight-based schools: (1) it provides confidence that the experience is ‘real’; (2) it is itself an avenue to encounter the body as a united ‘self’ with clear limits and boundaries; (3) it establishes intimacy between participants, which is necessary for the formation of community within each site.

Historical European martial arts (HEMA) have to be considered an important part of our common European cultural heritage. Studies within this field of research have the potential to enlighten the puzzle posed by past societies, for example in the field of history, history of science and technology, or fields related to material culture. The military aspects of history are still to be considered among the most popular themes of modern times, generating huge public interest. In the last few decades, serious HEMA study groups have started appearing all over the world – focusing on re-creating a lost martial art. The terminology “Historical European Martial Arts” therefore also refers to modem-day practices of ancient martial arts. Many of these groups focus on a “hands-on” approach, thus bringing practical experience and observation to enlighten their interpretation of the source material. However, most of the time, they do not establish inquiries based on scientific research, nor do they follow methodologies that allow for a critical analysis of the findings or observations. This paper will therefore propose and discuss, ideas on how to bridge the gap between enthusiasts and scholars; since their embodied knowledge, acquired by practice, is of tremendous value for scientific inquiries and scientific experimentation. It will also address HEMA practices in the context of modern day acceptance of experimental (or experiential) processes and their value for research purposes and restoration of an historical praxis. The goal is therefore to sketch relevant methodological and theoretical elements, suitable for a multidisciplinary approach, to HEMA, where the “H” for “historical” matters.