I think I’m old.

[RevolverRob]

When Olympic fencers were also duelists:

https://www.si.com/olympics/2021/07/...ed-daily-cover

I'm still a strong proponent of duels to resolve disputes.

My philosophy is they should follow a rule of increasing danger to the combatants for based on severity of the insult and number of times a challenge has been issued. It could start American Gladiator style with foam covered 'Q-tips' and helmets, but eventually gets to pistols at 25-paces.

Edit: As someone who fenced in college, it's quite a fun activity. I mean, you get to stab someone with a 'sword' repeatedly and tactically it's quite a challenge. That said, Foil and Saber are great, Epee is basically cheating. Since you can hit someone on the toe and win. With foil, hits must come on the torso only and with saber you add the arms and head as targets. I've seen dudes face off with saber in truly brutal matches while sparring, to include punching their opponents in the face with the d-guards of their weapons.

[BWT]

...those are things?

I saw a speed walker with such hip movement in the walk and locked knees going so fast I was like. “I don’t know that that’ll jack up your knees and hips, but it sure looks like it would”.

https://www.researchgate.net/publica...of_Racewalking

I googled it and it does seem lower extremities do have issues. I dunno. I spent 3-4 minutes and was like “If I look at more than 4-5 articles for this I can’t respect my self for much longer”.

I bet they run around blind corners. #runnergate2020 (ETA: 2021. My bad)

[peterb]

Someone I work with was heavily into Historical European Martial Arts(historically accurate sword fighting, except with padding and dulled steel blades). He eventually quit after one too many concussions.

While wandering through some of the links he shared, I found some interesting bouts with 1 vs. 2 or 3 opponents — trying to replicate movie hero stuff with historically accurate techniques. The conclusion was that it came down to the ability of the solo fighter to turn the melee into 1-on-1 fights.(using movement, obstacles, etc.) If he could do that, he had a decent chance. If the opponents could attack simultaneously, the solo fighter usually lost.

I did a bit of modern foil fencing at one point. Great fun. Theatrical fencing is also great fun but very different — it’s all about the show, not the result.

[0ddl0t]

How do you spot American athletes? Look for the competitors with tattoos...


/old man gripe

[GyroF-16]

My list of ridiculous olympic sports:


4. Modern Pentathlon (with laser pistols!)

That’s seriously a thing?

If they were the kind of Fricken Lasers that put holes in people and set stuff in fire, George S. Patton Jr would approve.

Somehow I suspect not.

[Borderland]

I have every confidence that Shark Jumping will be in the next Olympics, followed by Backwards Shark Jumping (where the athlete runs backwards and jumps), Reverse Shark Jumping (where the sharks jump over athletes), Extreme Shark Jumping (where the athlete jumps a shark while holding a shark), and other variations.

I want to see Artistic Swimming with sharks. The power to focus while you lose a limb will be incredible. Probably worth the incentives to get it live. NFL, stand back.

[Borderland]

Someone I work with was heavily into Historical European Martial Arts(historically accurate sword fighting, except with padding and dulled steel blades). He eventually quit after one too many concussions.

While wandering through some of the links he shared, I found some interesting bouts with 1 vs. 2 or 3 opponents — trying to replicate movie hero stuff with historically accurate techniques. The conclusion was that it came down to the ability of the solo fighter to turn the melee into 1-on-1 fights.(using movement, obstacles, etc.) If he could do that, he had a decent chance. If the opponents could attack simultaneously, the solo fighter usually lost.

I did a bit of modern foil fencing at one point. Great fun. Theatrical fencing is also great fun but very different — it’s all about the show, not the result.

I visited the Tower of London many years ago. I was amazed at the different types of swords. I'm sure some were the fencing type having very long slender blades. Some had three very sharp edged surfaces. Don't know what type of sword that was, probably some type of Rapier.

[TiroFijo]

That’s seriously a thing?

If they were the kind of Fricken Lasers that put holes in people and set stuff in fire, George S. Patton Jr would approve.

Somehow I suspect not.

The IOC is (not so) secretly trying to push the ISSF to change to laser guns... if it weren't for the USA and other shooting federations from important countries they would have their way.

https://www.infobae.com/aroundtherin...aponry-debate/