Samurai sword fighting question

[Samurai Shotokan]

I've heard that when 2 master swordsmen fight the fight should last no more then 5 seconds is that true? Also remember in the Last Samurai when they were betting on who would win the sword fight in how many moves was that accurate of how many moves to use or not? but thats just an example

[Sauzin]

Those 5 moves were with boken not swords. Normally a fight between two swordsmen weilding katana's wouldn't last longer then a second maybe two.

[kiba no chi]

well yea, Sauzin is right, like when me and my friends fight with bokkens the fights can last up to 20 minutes, because of the dodging and blocking, parries and such, you dont realy wanna block with a real katana because it can flaw, chip, or even break the blade if your strong enough, not that a katana is delicate, they most certainly are not, but think about it, two fully grown, martial artists that work out most every day swinging thin, sharp peices of metal at each other that weigh up to 5 lbs each, thats alot of power.

-Kiba

[Manabimasho1]

Ok here is the thing..... alot of people are gonna put there 2 cents in a bash me for saying this but I know what I am speaking about.

Everyone has this idea that real sword fights are like Kill Bill.

What everyone doesn't understand is that in ancient japan the swords were not folded much at first because if you don't fold them the blade is razor sharp, BUT it can break if hit. At that time the Samurai seen the sword as a personal possesion and had rituals that they believed bonded thier soul and Ki into the swords.

In Kendo Training they used bokken not those bambo swords, In Kendo you were trained to NEVER TOUCH blades. It was basicaly one guy swings and you dodge and hit him. This was a art of literaly one swing one kill. After years of the swordwarefare eventualy blacksmiths created swords that were folded 150-350 times. Making a sword bendable but alot less sharp.

The Samurai originaly were taught to strike faster, or move away from an incoming bladesmen. Now with thier swords bendable they started to block. Only problem is some people still had those sharp brittle swords. When the bendable swords blocked a incoming brittle sharp sword usualy the bendable one was cut in half and the brittle one snapped right there and then.

You had alot of fights that lasted no longer then 10 seconds. The other thing People don't understand is if you carried the blade you were hit! Noone I don't care who, ran around fighting more then once without getting cut, sliced, or stabbed. In the History of the Samurai injury was very often, so they wore armor, which only kept some of it less lethal.

[Anbu Alex]

Well historically most battles ended in a double death because one guy would kill his opponent but the loser got enough of a go shoot to make the winner die a slow death

alot of times when naked blades touched each other they would break unless it hit the back of the blade cause its more solid

[granmasterchen]

fights didn't last long

you have to remember one thing, when we fight today in tournaments or on the streets, we fight to beat the person through endurance and pain....not to kill them.

in a real life fight where life or death are the only two outcomes, you end the fight quickly, you break out your deadliest techniques, no endurance needed, the fight is real short, who ever is the fastest with the best skill wins in a matter of seconds or mili-seconds.

the same thing goes with the swords, they didn't fight to see who was better and challenge each other to blocks and points and light contact, the went in for the kill very quick, you don't want to give your opponent the chance to attack you, so you quickly go for the kill, fastest and most skilled wins, in these scenarios strenght isn't as important, endurance isn't as important....it's all about your skill and speed, you hit the right spot (especially with a katana) and the fight is over, the end.

hope this helps, sorry for the length

[Zaine]

all of you...are wrong, if there were two MASTER swordsman, then i would think it would last a couple of minutes, cause if they truely were MASTERS then they would know how to counter the moves thrown at them.

[Shorin Ryuu]

You watch too many movies.

[sdargie]

I think two MASTER swordsmen might decide who won before a single cut was made.

I've read it in numerous places that to attack first is to show that you don't control your spirit and that you aren't really in the moment. As I understand it, if both swordsmen had adequate mushin, neither one would draw their sword until the other drew first. (Reflecting the danger rather than instigating it.)

http://www.bujindesign.com/gall_rising.html

[Jay]

every fight is differerent it could last 5 sec or 5 min