so what is it y'all do around here?

Competitive lightsaber sport combat is characterised as dueling one-on-one in a supervised setting, following set rules and fighting for points. The sport has been around since at least 2014, and there are several different systems worldwide that all do the same thing slightly differently (such as LudoSport, Lightspeed, The Saber Legion, and ASL-FFE). 

We follow the ASL-FFE ruleset as developed by the French Fencing Federation in 2018, and now practiced in hundreds of clubs across Europe and the USA. Having a ruleset to govern how you duel is important – if you think back to lightsaber battles with sticks in the backyard, the “combat” quickly devolves into striking each other or the sabers without rhyme or reason, and it’s impossible to know who “won”. Frustrating, right?

The ASL-FFE ruleset solves by using the “priority” or “right of way” concept that is already used in Olympic fencing, as well as some rules to make the duelling a bit easier to follow for everyone, and which preserve some of that cinematic Star Wars flair. 

Put briefly, the rules we use dictate that a fighter must start their hitting process with a wind-up or flourish (called “arming”). If that attempt to hit the opponent fails (eg is blocked, or misses), then the opponent may strike back with a hit of their own, which must also be armed. This kind of “taking turns” allows the duelling to develop into longer sets of actions which challenge the fighter’s skills, while providing more of an audience spectacle than simply hacking away at each other!

If it sounds a bit artificial, well, it is, but it has been used successfully to teach swordplay for centuries in fencing, allows a greater range of tactical options for both fighters, and lets people who may not be as tall, strong or as fast as others to compete effectively. Without this framework, duelling often comes down to luck, use of natural gifts, or aggression.

Our sport is a contact sport, meaning that at times you can expect to be physically struck by a lightsaber in the name of the game. But don’t worry! We wear safety equipment to protect ourselves, and the areas in which one can be struck is designed to avoid injuries. 

Uniquely, we have modified our rules to allow for wielders of the classic single-bladed lightsaber to fight against opponents using double-ended sabers (Darth Maul style) or even using two lightsabers at once. This makes for dynamic and challenging duels that cater to all tastes!

The second part of our lightsaber sport activities is choreographed lightsaber combat. Much like stage fighting, it is the practice of working with fight partners to “act out” a fight scene as it might appear in the Star Wars film of your dreams. While this may sound simple, there is a great deal of skill, knowledge and experience and athleticism that goes into creating a good fight for an audience, and at our club we learn about and practice elements such as how to strike and block effectively, how to sell the action to spectators, the art of using The Force, how to give and receive kicks, slaps, headbutts and more, and how to develop a fight for others to watch which will keep them as enthralled as the first time they saw Star Wars! 

We are also developing a “competitive choreography” activity, which is similar in nature to competitive ice-skating or dancing – groups of participants are asked to perform a choreographed routine that they develop however they like, but it must include certain mandatory actions (e.g. a disarm, or use of the Force to repel a strike) and uses the same musical score. Once performed, a panel of judges decide which is the best, based on a range of factors. 

Truly remarkable, a child’s mind is, observed Master Yoda, and there is nothing like giving a kid a lightsaber to play with to instantly transport them into the Star Wars world!

We cultivate this through our kid-specific programs, which aim to teach kids all of the skills used in lightsaber combat, flow, and choreographed combat, in a manner and at a pace which is suitable to them. Our kids programs help kids develop hand-eye co-ordination, social skills, teamwork, body awareness, self-confidence and more, while also having the time of their lives swinging lightsabers around! 

Our 2024 after-school club called Anchorhead Jedi Academy is open for registration now, for kids from 10-17.