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George Hill




Location: Atlanta Ga
Joined: 16 May 2005

Posts: 614

PostPosted: Fri 12 Jan, 2007 5:13 pm    Post subject: Plate armor gymnastics video?         Reply with quote

This might belong in off topic. I'm not sure.

Basically, I have 'heard' that there exists film in which modern gymnasts were dressed in antique plate armor, (individuals matched to the armor, so as to fit.)

they then performed their gymnastics routines in the antique armor.

Does anyone know if this video is real, or just a net legend, and if it's real.....................Does anyone have a copy?

To abandon your shield is the basest of crimes. - --Tacitus on Germania
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Glen A Cleeton




Location: Nipmuc USA
Joined: 21 Aug 2003

Posts: 1,968

PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 5:47 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

If I recall correctly, it was one of the History Channel programs that had a short take on someone doing cartwheels and somersaults. I don't recall the title of the program but they have done quite a few on historic arms and armour.

It did not look like a late gothic harness, rather more of the transitional type of the late 14th century. There are the accounts of Henry VIII doing gymnastics in plate, to amuse his guests (or himself).

I don't know that anyone has youtubed (or siimilar) the TV production but folk are finding out that copyrighted material should not be.

Cheers

GC
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J F. McBrayer





Joined: 07 Oct 2006

Posts: 23

PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 7:03 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Glen A Cleeton wrote:

I don't know that anyone has youtubed (or siimilar) the TV production but folk are finding out that copyrighted material should not be.


Off topic, but I think it's more that now that Google owns YouTube, they are harmonizing YouTube's policies on copyrighted material with Google Video's policies (and the law Eek! ) than that anonymous internet users are "getting religion" and playing nice for copyright holders.
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Ransom Prestridge




Location: Baltimore
Joined: 12 Jun 2006

Posts: 16

PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 7:47 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Glen A Cleeton wrote:
If I recall correctly, it was one of the History Channel programs that had a short take on someone doing cartwheels and somersaults. I don't recall the title of the program but they have done quite a few on historic arms and armour.

It did not look like a late gothic harness, rather more of the transitional type of the late 14th century. There are the accounts of Henry VIII doing gymnastics in plate, to amuse his guests (or himself).

I don't know that anyone has youtubed (or siimilar) the TV production but folk are finding out that copyrighted material should not be.

Cheers

GC


I think the name of the program was "Arms in Action," and someone-- not too long ago --here on the forum mentioned having a collection of VHS tapes of it that they were willing to part with since the History Channel wasn't offering it anymore. It was a pretty good series of shows, if i remember correctly, and I do remember someone doing cartwheels in late plate armor. It was in conjuction with the Royal Armory, too, so I think it had access to some pretty neat pieces.

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Ben C.





Joined: 01 Dec 2006

Posts: 65

PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 9:03 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Discovery channel recently had a documentary that had a group of British and American guys train in plate armour for a few weeks then attempt a number of the historic feats including jousting, dueling and acrobatics. The trainees were from a variety of backgrounds including military, police, horse trainers and just history buffs so they were at least in decent shape and not your typical academic types. They showed it was possible to perform a number of acrobatic maneuvers such as cart wheels, tumbles and jumping onto a horse However these 'feats' did not look quite as impressive as they sounded on paper, as they were about as graceful/agile as watching an average 250lbs overweight guy perform a basic gymnastic routine. The trainees also became fatigued quite quickly moving around in the armour for extended periods due to the weight and heat. One guy also did a nasty leg sprain from a simple fall which shows the danger to the knees/ankles from all that extra weight.

The documentary did prove that even full plate suits were nowhere near as limiting as commonly believed but they were still quite encumbering and did have a large impact on the wearer's speed, agility and endurance. I'm sure with years of usage, training and practice people would be able to carry and deal with the weight of the armour far more effectively but I still seriously doubt anyone would be able to perform full gymnastic movements in such a suit. Even if they could the risk of serious leg injuries would be quite high.
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George Hill




Location: Atlanta Ga
Joined: 16 May 2005

Posts: 614

PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 12:43 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Ben Condon wrote:
Discovery channel recently had a documentary that had a group of British and American guys train in plate armour for a few weeks then attempt a number of the historic feats including jousting,


I saw that. I was very unimpressed with the show, the armor looked clunky, instead of the elegant perfection I've seen at the tower of london. Further, they all look identical in the armor, and by that I mean robot identical, rather then 'same style.' This makes me think the armor was not at all tailored to them.

Ben, I wouldn't take anything from that show with less then a salt truck.

To abandon your shield is the basest of crimes. - --Tacitus on Germania
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Randall Moffett




Location: Northern Utah
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PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 1:13 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I could do pull ups in my full suit a few years back so I do not doubt a good suit can allow all sorts of feats. I have never been able to do handstands or cartwheels in armour before but without armour I cannot either.....

I will look up the video and take a look sounds interesting.

RPM
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Josh Warren




Location: Manhattan, Kansas
Joined: 01 Nov 2006

Posts: 111

PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 2:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Well, I don't have a video, but here is a photo of me performing a cartwheel in my harness, sans only armet and gauntlets:

http://www.mediumaevum.com/josh/Picture%20008.jpg

Since that photo was taken, I have managed to perform the feat with the headpiece and gauntlets (and the mail voyders)on as well.

Like Randall, I can also do a few pullups in it, and recently discovered that, if I take the tassets off so they don't catch on the ground, I can do pushups in my suit as well.

Non Concedo
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Hisham Gaballa





Joined: 27 Jan 2005
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PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 3:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Josh Warren wrote:
Well, I don't have a video, but here is a photo of me performing a cartwheel in my harness, sans only armet and gauntlets:

http://www.mediumaevum.com/josh/Picture%20008.jpg

Since that photo was taken, I have managed to perform the feat with the headpiece and gauntlets (and the mail voyders)on as well.

Like Randall, I can also do a few pullups in it, and recently discovered that, if I take the tassets off so they don't catch on the ground, I can do pushups in my suit as well.


Nice picture Josh. Big Grin

It's a good a good counterargument to people who claim that full plate armour is cumbersome and restrictive. You couldn't persuade Mrs Warren to video you doing cartwheels, pushups and pullups then upload it to youtube, could you? : Wink
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Allan Senefelder
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PostPosted: Sat 13 Jan, 2007 4:27 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

The Arms In Action video has on of the Tower Armouries fight re-enactors doing a slow motion cartwheel wearing a suit based on the avant harness. Theres ten vidoes in all and the one with that footage is called "Mail and Plate Armour".
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Josh Warren




Location: Manhattan, Kansas
Joined: 01 Nov 2006

Posts: 111

PostPosted: Thu 01 Feb, 2007 5:43 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hisham Gaballa wrote:

It's a good a good counterargument to people who claim that full plate armour is cumbersome and restrictive. You couldn't persuade Mrs Warren to video you doing cartwheels, pushups and pullups then upload it to youtube, could you? : Wink


Well, it's not the work of Mrs. Warren, but here is a short video clip of me doing some quasi-gymnastic things in most of my harness, courtesy of my friend Doug Confere:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm11yAXeegg

Non Concedo
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R Smith




Location: MI
Joined: 09 Nov 2004

Posts: 44

PostPosted: Thu 01 Feb, 2007 8:41 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

The armored "tea bagging" was especially amusing! Eek!
"Those with wisdom loathe the one forced to defend." - Liechtenauer

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Lancelot Chan
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PostPosted: Thu 01 Feb, 2007 10:48 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks for the sharing. With this video I've succeeded to stir up some debates on local forum where all of them still believe armored european fighters were nothing more than statue to be fetched on horse with crane. I don't think I can convince them. But at least this is something to show!
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Ed Toton




Location: Northern VA
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PostPosted: Fri 02 Feb, 2007 8:03 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Lancelot Chan wrote:
Thanks for the sharing. With this video I've succeeded to stir up some debates on local forum where all of them still believe armored european fighters were nothing more than statue to be fetched on horse with crane. I don't think I can convince them. But at least this is something to show!


I find it hard to understand how anyone can continue to believe that. Why would anyone go to war wearing so much gear that they can't move? Why would anyone develop equipment with that philosophy?

Immobile = DEAD.

Nice video. Happy

-Ed T. Toton III
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Michal Plezia
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PostPosted: Fri 02 Feb, 2007 1:25 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

unfortunately there are tons of people who still belive in that myth...And the most irritating thing is that they argue with people who spend years of reading books about medieval warfare and who fight in armours...
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