With all the movies, series, and games the Star Wars franchise has come out with, it might be a little challenging to pick a favorite lightsaber battle. Different fighting styles are unique and some might be flashier than others.
For example, some might enjoy how Yoda fights with Form IV or Ataru. It’s one of the most exciting to watch because of how aerobic it is. Add to that the use of the Force and it jumping around could look more like flying and gliding.
While it’s possible to learn these fighting styles, it’s important to get the proper tools for sparring. These days, there are several companies that customize lightsabers, for instance, Galaxy Sabers is a UK supplier of duelling lightsabers.
Once you have one of your own, try out some of these tips when dueling with lightsabers.
1. Get The Right Grade For Dueling
Using the right lightsaber matters because there are plenty sold on the market but not all are meant for dueling. If you duel with the wrong type of lightsaber, it wouldn’t be able to protect you or withstand strikes. This could put you and your sparring partner in danger, especially if the lightsaber shatters on impact.
2. Enroll In A Lightsaber Training School
The best way to improve your lightsaber dueling skills is to enroll in a lightsaber training school. In there, you could see how expert duelists fight and how exciting it can get, especially when they reenact the best lightsaber duel. This is a fantastic way to be inspired and learn the proper basics and work your way up to more advanced styles and techniques.
With more legitimate fighting styles, you could even use it in real life to defend yourself. If you’re also interested in joining competitions, getting proper training would be your best bet.
3. Prioritize Safety
Just like any other combative sport, safety is one of the most critical steps. Before you pick up your lightsaber, here are some things you could consider:
- Have a set of rules
- Use quality dueling lightsabers
- Spar in an open space–free of pedestrians
- Wear protective gloves
- Use comfortable and protective shoes
- Use eye protection and mouth guards
- Use helmets if you plan to use head strikes
- Always have a first aid kit
- Have emergency contacts ready
- Securely fasten removable blades
As you can imagine, playing with lightsabers might end up badly if you aren’t prepared. It’s a good idea to know what you’re expecting, such as minor scrapes and injuries. This way, you can get in the right mindset and be more aware during the duel.
4. Do Some Stretches
As an active sport, doing stretches might help prepare you and keep you from getting injured. Although stretching is an important step, try not to overexert yourself. Slowly work your way up instead of doing intense stretching immediately.
The more you do stretches, not just before any duel, the more flexible you could become, especially if you do it every day. For combative sports, flexibility could help you out.
5. Hold The Hilt Securely And Correctly
Combative sports with a weapon have their own challenges. It would be a good idea to take a hint from other martial arts in how they see weapons as an extension of their body. This way, you have more control over how your movements affect your weapon.
Holding the hilt properly is one of the ways you can secure your weapon. If not, it could fly off from your grasp, leaving you defenseless. Moreover, a dueling lightsaber springing in the air could hurt someone else.
6. Learn The Proper Stances
When dueling, the proper stance could make you vulnerable to getting knocked off your feet or keep you securely balanced and grounded. If you know different kinds of martial arts, you probably already know that there are different stances you could take.
One of the basic stances is the Jedi Ready stance. This is where your dominant foot is a step behind your other foot. Point the tip of the lightsaber toward the head of your opponent and the hilt at your hip level. This allows you to be on guard and ready to par or dodge attacks.
7. Practice Dodging And Blocking
Once you have your stance down, learning how to dodge and block attacks is next. Getting defense down before getting offensive might be better. This is because you can know how some moves could leave you open to attacks.
It takes practice to get your body and senses ready to dodge and block strikes. However, when it becomes second nature to you, it becomes easier to defend yourself as you practice offense.
Playing with your footwork based on how you could pivot from different stances is one of the ways you could dodge. Using the rest of your body, like your shoulders, and raising the hilt to your face is an excellent way to protect yourself.
8. Train Using Different Strikes
The offense is the fun part, but this part could get quite tiring, so take it one step at a time. There are all kinds of strikes you could practice, like simple strikes. But there are also more intricate moves like the Hurricane, Lightning, Davenriche, and many more.
Depending on how heavy your saber is, it could become a serious workout for your arms. Just like working out in the gym, gradually work up to more strikes in a day so you can get used to the feeling. You could also look for other moves from other combative sports that use swords, such as Kendo, medieval sword fighting, fencing, and many others.
Conclusion
From Star Wars came all kinds of inspired technological devices and advances. A lightsaber duel is considered to be a sport and an art. It’s more than just playing pretend or imagining that you’re a Sith or a Jedi. These days, it’s considered a respectable form of combat that mixes all kinds of martial arts. Additionally, with the use of lightsabers, the LED lights add a gorgeous and unique effect that you might not see in other sword fighting styles.