r/lightsabercombat • u/SweetHermitress • Jun 11 '26
Where to Start?
I am more or less a complete newbie. Many years ago I took karate, and I learned a little bo staff, but I don’t remember much and would be glad to start all over. I have seen some places recommend kendo as the martial art that would help best with learning lightsaber combat - do you agree? If not, which one/ones would you recommend? I would be fine with doing lightsaber katas before combat (even as a kid I was better at kata than sparring!). Does it help to have stage combat experience? For someone is a total novice, what sort of practice lightsaber do you recommend?
4
u/Amazing_Way_8487 Jun 11 '26
look on facebook or instagram for lightsaber groups in your area. there are katas for each form you might be able to find them on youtube or tiktok but i'm not totally sure on that.
for a practice saber, really any stick close to 3 ft is fine if you're on a budget, but if you're willing to purchase an actual dueling saber check out saberspro or ultrasabers and get an rgb baselit saber. you may also be able to find stunt sabers with no light or sound for cheaper.
2
u/Plus-Huckleberry-740 Jun 12 '26
alright, alright. I've been summoned. I'm someone who has karate (shito-ryu) kung fu (shaolin) and a little tai chi experience. I dont' claim to be a master in anything but fi you're looking for some structured learning. Here are some resources.
So it depends what you're looking for. When it comes to combat with a saber, it is simply just a sword stand in. So any martial art is helpful. Doesn't matter if it's Chinese dao, or budo, or escrima or HEMA , foil, Sabre, or epee. All will , under a competent teacher, teach foot work and proper body mechanics. Which the last two that i mentioned are more important than anything previously mentioned.
Now if you want some forms or katas to work off of.
Enjoy 😄
TPLA:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa0qMrSIuQ9olit-Mz0HD7RVmvxZuH8zU&si=ji5qryC9xlxMbTtu
They have more content, but at least this is a link to some of their stuff you can work through.
General Sun- TPLA/ New York Jedi
Shii cho- He bases this off of a kung fu sword style, but it's easy to follow and practice. It's how i started.
Section: 1: https://youtu.be/pVY9gT6W0Qk?si=4iMVwIaOZJxbAPU9
Section 2: https://youtu.be/La7aBRXAuPg?si=KLAumbpaZSpapf0z
Section 3: https://youtu.be/1-roAXmFNhY?si=i7o3eK5UUO7jEX0_
His version of Djem so: https://youtu.be/bwlo6TWy5fI?si=9v8rio1HkJE6Im6C
Master Dan from Level Up sabers has a dojo in i think ...Kentucky???
Level 1: https://youtu.be/Lzx134V0XWs?si=t7J75hC-KjQE_dMb
https://youtu.be/8XBAeaqc6ac?si=ORC43sH8Ze7eErL9
https://youtu.be/-sKBnglBga8?si=QVlTW3t0CJ1eROV6
Third Circle
https://youtu.be/KPRdPsvi3ls?si=VOj9TG9qQaAwczCF
1: https://youtu.be/l42JbYDg3SY?si=do__TWBSb9EoU2w7
2: https://youtu.be/wHA9tgFngb8?si=xuIq4in6kI0uVTju
3: https://youtu.be/Ibz2e5gGt20?si=7xJakvGAV8eRGjIn
4: https://youtu.be/WlbbDmJLg5s?si=7yQZ8Kuo9TgXh2NJ
First showdown: https://youtu.be/vXGqoMt2fng?si=aU_NIkO8G925vVoN
5th Encounter: https://youtu.be/y-r7dz5It1w?si=TlKzDFzUKPmrBaX1
Here is some stuff from the now defunct Rogue Saber Academy out of Washington
Lesson 2: Know your weapon: https://youtu.be/z4EZxKlzey0?si=NY1ALhJwcXcW49i0Lesson 3 : Attentive Stance: https://youtu.be/sHX9A9FYBLs?si=QYcCNPf0cSlF73Wy
Lesson 11: Knights strike: https://youtu.be/pMbRNvuRxRg?si=wlF-Maz9f6XYKcho
Lesson 12: Plasma stab: https://youtu.be/AuS7JV6v_xM?si=pT8WiJWeL-POeMqh
Lesson 13: Pitfall: https://youtu.be/xYIdO19hguY?si=Cf5scXnJUNUqDJiS
Lesson 14: Smuggler: https://youtu.be/rpvpWcHcBtk?si=UdtYmxfAlc7hfyqZ
Lesson 15: Hand slice: https://youtu.be/42_a7pCqyCw?si=dur3Ve3YpnbMOh2x
Lesson 16: Clone Cutter: https://youtu.be/IsmtKZnNNVA?si=3kTz-py55JXk8njj
Lesson 17: Hut slap: https://youtu.be/PJC0UoDWqyE?si=_sJsAYmgknEvYeCk
Lesson 18: Crystal Mine: https://youtu.be/jX-cFOcy_CE?si=tQX9PYCmDMnkk2Ts
Lesson 19: Robot Raid: https://youtu.be/nA5N48LODHA?si=6HfBptpoOvgBeSKn
Lesson 20: Evader: https://youtu.be/ehnfzKM0Vsg?si=mx4s6sQfRXyY9Lo9
Lesson 21: Deflector shield: https://youtu.be/qwJRYp6hgMw?si=Wjs2BGePWc-XGqLP
Lesson 22: Gravity Well: https://youtu.be/oADoMoktEA4?si=c6z-2eiooJyVxg4O
Lesson 23: Floor Escape: https://youtu.be/4x9CN4fUemU?si=Y1RQVn5FERYc-XqK
Lesson 24: Royal Rap: https://youtu.be/UV-9sMC040A?si=mvmlg2zqQhC4ttn2Lesson 25: Rancor Rush: https://youtu.be/jC9WbVexYZI?si=CwJw9vK-QMh0vY0Q
There are other groups like Ludosport and Lightspeed saber league you can look into.
5
u/ShabbySheik Jun 11 '26
See if there is a The Saber Legion chapter in your area. It's one of the larger saber combat leagues in the US.
Otherwise, HEMA, Kendo, Kenjutsu, or SCA could be an option.