Posted on 02/13/2012 1:36:58 PM PST by do the dhue
If chivalry, as the common saying goes, is dead, someone forgot to tell Shane Adams—the host of History's new original reality series, Full Metal Jousting, which aims to resurrect the medieval and renaissance competition as a legitimate sport over 500 years after its heyday. Which isn't to say that things don't get gritty—"Do not stick out your tongue. You will bite it off," Adams advises the series' would-be knights in last night's premiere episode. Full Metal Jousting, which premiered last night, takes 16 amateur competitors and trains them in competitive full-contact jousting, with a $100,000 prize to be awarded to the last man standing. It's hard to imagine the show successfully capturing the intensity of "history's first extreme sport" without the expertise offered by Adams, a former president of the World Championship Jousting Association and holder of 17 international jousting titles who remains one of the sport's most respected and celebrated competitors. As Full Metal Jousting prepared for its television debut, The Atlantic interviewed Adams about wooden lances, war horses, and what it takes for a normal person to become an expert jouster. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
What about you? did you see it? If so, did you enjoy it?
Now there is something I’d like to try!
It won’t be 1/100 of the UFC.
I watched it too - loved it! Definitely not a sport for the faint of heart.
Henry the Young King and John the Marshall were famously good jousters.
Like car racing - they raced for “pink slips”. The winner won the losers horse and armor - or the monetary equivalent.
Jousting is also the State Sport of Maryland.
The Maryland Renn Fair has, as one might expect, some excellent jousting!
Did you see the show? I think it could be a real sport. You gotta be a bad apple to do it though!
Why do you think that Gator?
Saw it at the local Renfest. To me it had the same feel as the Kentucky Derby, lots of warm up which bored me, followed by moments of excitement. I don't know if the jousters were doing it for real or if they had already decided who was going down in that bout. I'm betting the second just because even a blunt lance can be pretty dangerous if it hits the knight oddly or he falls when not planning for it.
Another History Channel show about medieval combat showed that the knights in armor were pretty darn nimble and were able to roll over and spring to their feet pretty quickly in armor. I had expected them to be like turtles on their backs, but I guess with years of training and hundreds of years of making armor taught them how to make it heavy enough to be protective but still light and flexible enough not to be too great of hindrance.
But I would no doubt have enjoyed it.
I predict it will not approach the popularity of UFC.
People still engage in fisticuffs and wrestling - and men are interested in what techniques work well, and watching two guys beat the snot out of each other.
Back when Jousting was the #1 spectator sport - a guy in armor on an armored horse with a lance was the pinnacle of military technology - and being adept at it was the requirement of every “gentleman”.
But as far as a niche program - DAMN am I in that niche!!!!
It was fun to watch and interesting in its variance from theatrical jousting presentations. Unlike medieval armor, this stuff weighs more and is made for at least some safety so it is not always as maneuverable as some of the traditional armor.
This is set up to be a full contact, blows given and taken event. A lot of times the personalities (or lack of personality) with all of their bluster is as entertaining as the actual joust.
I think as they develop through the weeks you will see more technique and strategy than was evident in the first week where they were all pretty much newbies.
I am glad you liked it.
I think you are right about the personalities. We may even see some egos clash.
I am sure you would have!
Can you see the bottom of the pit yet?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.