Are you a fencer looking to try something different in 2022? Or a club owner looking to bring in a lot of new business with an exciting new program? Please consider letting Lightspeed Saber League guide you there. We are the world’s fastest light-based fencing.
25 minute presentation
WHAT IS LIGHTSPEED SABER LEAGUE?
Lightspeed Saber League is a growing network of clubs and schools pioneering the sport and art of Lightspeed Saber fencing. It runs online training programs, competitions, and schools (pre-COVID). While the pandemic has certainly slowed our momentum and progress, the league is starting to come back in 2021!
WHAT IS LIGHTSPEED SABER FENCING?
Lightspeed Saber fencing is a new form of fencing designed to simulate realistic plasma sword combat while still being athletic, strategic, fun to watch, fun to fence, affordable, accessible, and safe.
Rather than a foil, epee, or saber, a "Lightspeed Saber" is used: an LED-illuminated sword equipped with a flexible 3/4" polycarbonate Lightspeed blade. The illuminated blade aids in visualization and comprehension, making teaching, refereeing, and spectating easier and more enjoyable.
Lightspeed Saber fencing features aspects of many different weapon arts, including kendo and eskrima. However, its roots are in traditional fencing; it combines the open rules and strategy of epee (full body target, no right of way) with the dynamic footwork and bladework of saber.
Lightspeed Sabers vary in length from 42 to 48” and are similarly weighted to an Olympic saber. Configurations affect everything from attack range, defensive power, grip styles, tactics, blade speed, and weapon maneuverability.
HOW IS LIGHTSPEED DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL FENCING?
Technically and strategically, the key difference in the basic Lightspeed Saber is the lack of a handguard. This fundamentally changes strategy and parrying technique and is the first hurdle to get over for a beginning Lightspeed Saber fencer.
Rather than use right of way, Lightspeed Saber employs an asymmetric scoring system that balances offense and defense by awarding additional points for evasive touches (2 points), deep targeting (2 points), and parry-ripostes (3 points).
HOW IS LIGHTSPEED DIFFERENT FROM THE FRENCH FENCING FEDERATION’S LIGHTSABER PROGRAM?
In 2019, the French Fencing Federation formally recognized lightsaber as an official weapon. While this is a huge step forward for lightsabers, the sport practiced by ASL-FFE is a very different interpretation of lightsaber fighting, emphasizing theatricality and tradition, whereas Lightspeed Saber emphasizes realism and innovation.
french fencing federation
“Super Right of Way” strictly enforces a semi-choreographed offensive and defensive rhythm between the fencers
Chambering requirements replicate theatrical swordplay
Stiff 1” blade allows for traditional sword techniques and defense, but requires more safety equipment
LIGHTSPEED SABER league
Asymmetric scoring incentivizes offense and defense simultaneously, without choreography
Speedy Lightspeed blade simulates near weightless sword combat, requiring new techniques and strategies
Blade is light and flexible, necessitating less equipment but stronger bladework
These fencers are both competition ready. But one has a lighter duffel bag. And a fatter wallet.
WHY SHOULD I INTRODUCE LIGHTSPEED SABER TO MY FENCING CLUB?
OPPORTUNITY
A fully fleshed out lightsaber program will take advantage of the huge amount of Star Wars related properties coming to cinemas and streaming.
WIDE CROSSOVER APPEAL
Lightspeed Saber is flashy enough for kids and technical enough for adults. You can build programs for every age group. In addition, there is a lot of crossover appeal with martial arts.
safety, AFFORDABILITY, AND ACCESSIBILITy
Lightspeed Saber is the safest, fastest lightsaber program in the world, and one of the cheapest. It’s also light enough for kids, teens, adults, women, seniors, and people working through injuries.
FAMILIARITY
Lightspeed Saber was built on top of the shoulders of traditional fencing. While the footwork and defensive systems are more intricate, the basic fundamental ideas of distance, timing, intent, and deception are the same.
INNOVATION & EXPERIMENTATION
Lightspeed Saber fencing is a new frontier. Many traditional techniques and strategies still apply but many do not! This is an amazing opportunity to explore, experiment, craft a new discipline, and train a whole new kind of champion.
one-of-a-kind live tryouts
The Lightspeed Saber system is so safe and cost effective, you can take our program to any public event and equip anyone of any age and safely put them right into a fully referee’d bout (with a friend). There are few other weapon-based sports or disciplines in the world where this would be an acceptable risk. But for us, it is an incredible marketing and recruitment tool. And it can be yours too (post-pandemic). (Note that strict enforcement of rules and direct supervision of all participants is still a requirement.)
THE PROOF
With no starting capital, Lightspeed Saber Academy grew from an outdoor Southern California club to multiple outdoor clubs, to multiple outdoor classes, then an indoor operation with 40 paying members (pre-pandemic), then a thriving affiliated school in Texas. Our program began by serving adults exclusively, most of whom were 25-40 years old. Gradually, we incorporated teens and pre-teens. We proved that you can make a lightsaber program that is engaging to adults and safe enough for kids. We proved that there is untapped business and potential for fencing schools.
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
2020 was a rough year, and 2021 was only a little easier. We plan to formally launch a startup program in 2022 that will equip you with everything you need, including knowledge and equipment. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start now. We’re happy to help you get an early lead.