Would you risk your health for your hobby?

Question

I'm studying medieval sword fighting, and practising is done using steel replicas of swords which are not sharp, but can still be very hazardous if something goes wrong. I don't have money for proper safety gear, and almost nobody uses it - we rely on stopping our blows before the blade makes contact with the sparring partner.

Do you think this is sensible?

Answer 1

if your not able to afford proper safety equipment you shouldnt be practicing sword fighting. Try using wooden swords they are still dangerous but a lot less than steel

Answer 2

At least you seem aware of the possible risks, which is a precaution in itself. I think that as long as you (and your sparring partners) are careful, it will minimize the chances of anyone getting seriously hurt. As far as safety gear: perhaps as time wears on, you could buy bits of it here and there, as opposed to trying to purchase the whole outfit at once.

Of course, even with all the possible precautions in place, and even if the hobbyist is well-trained and highly experienced, things can still go wrong. For example, one of my more dangerous hobbies is rock-climbing (now that I think about it, that's probably my ONLY dangerous hobby). My friends and I always obey the rules, and wear the proper gear. But one time, my friend Eric (a much more experienced climber than me) had a metal set-bolt snap in half. It wasn't his fault; it was equipment failure. He fell about 12 or 15 feet, before the belay line caught him. He was lucky enough to suffer only a mildly sprained ankle, and a few scrapes.

The moral is: if a thing is hazardous, it's hazardous. No amount of "gear" is going to make it perfectly safe...and if that were the case, would you still want to do it?

Answer 3

1. Wooden swords for training are better and period to boot. Plus you can connect with them resonably (not sewing like a baseball bat)

2. SOme hobbies have risks built into them. I've broken a pinkie blocking a one-hander (blocking swords with your pinkie is not recommended) and one member of our group has boasted several head injuries and at least 1 cracked rib.

3. Blunted steel is good for Coergraphy, which judging from a re-reading of your post is what you're doing. Going half-speed is your protection there. Full on martial-art training should be done with the wooden wasters and preferably a cup. THe link below is for the best wooden waster maker I know, altough some Kendo sticks can work as a cheaper alternative.

Answer 4

Depends how good your sparring partners are :)
Similarly, I ride a beach cruiser around town all the time (since I live at the beach) but I never wear a helmet. And on motorcycle rides going up and down the coast, I wear a helmet and shorts and flip-flops. Not at all smart, but definately more fun.

Answer 5

Wouldn't risk my health for a dangerous hobby if the safety equipment is not up to standards, I do skydive but with a parachute AND a backup one.

Answer 6

It is not sensible but the risk does add a certain excitement to the game. If you're that worried about it, why not invent your own suit of armour.

Answer 7

Would you ride a motorcycle without a helmet, you may never fall or crash but the risk is always there.

Answer 8

well i would eat right see my doctor once a week and do my hobby once every 2 weeks and if i got worse i wouldn't do my hobby any more