Now everyone knows that combat in LARP is all about fun, and the look of the thing rather than skill and technique. I'm not about to make any claim that LARP swordplay, for example, is any form of useful training. Having said that I have found a practical, effective form of training that LARP provides. In spite of light bows (30lb or less) and silly arrows (big foam tips) I cannot think of any other opportunity to run around with a bow, shooting at running targets. Best chance for practice with a bow I've had (and nice to know that I can hit a charging orc in the chest at 100 paces). Anyone else ever tried this? I've done woodland target shooting before, but of course then the targets don't move and you're not moving any faster than a walk (sharp pointy things aren't a good idea while running through woodland).
Hi, I was Larping when i was younger, usually swinging two-handed sword around in front lines. Because of restriction due to safety the fighting wasn't nowhere close to real. But I once fought in battle 800 vs 800 people in woods and I got to tell ya, when 800 hundred people is charging forward against another mass of people with battle cry all over the battlefield.... That adrenalin rush is real deal. It was good experience, which was spoiled only by cheaters.
Yep, agreed it's nothing like real. However I don't think I could have done anything else to (eventually) learn the proper techniques to run at full speed through the woods with a longbow. Trees are tricky little beggars who like to try and snatch weapons from your hands.
I believe that nothing is pointless. Everything will give you some kind of experience or skill. Truth to be told, I don't think there is better way to practice shooting at moving targets while moving yourself. It wont do you any harm especially when you train with standard arrows at stationary target too. More importantly, its more fun
A lot more fun, though I will be investing in a shortbow for woodland stuff. Sticking to the longbow for targets though. Of course - another interesting discovery was that after about an hour of running and shooting my grip got sloppy, which means that the following couple of hours have turned my arm black and blue. Gonna have to grab a bracer until I've got my endurance up methinks.
I have had the good fortune to train with the NYC Bartitsu club with Proffessor at Arms, Mark P. Donnelly. LARPing can be real fun especially if you mix it with a real qualified teacher of Bartitsu or Western Blade or stick arts.
I've never done any LARPing but I am a field and target archer. There is an art to manoeuvring a 6ft longbow around the woods without getting snagged on every passing twig. Perversely, I use the longbow for field and my shorter recurve for target.
