In the few times I have been participating in ACS events for dueling, Shan Lindley has always been in the lineup for competing in longsword. I have been very fortunate to duel with this talented fighter within these last few months, as I myself continue my journey learning the art of longsword fighting, aspired to hopefully become as talented as them in the dueling category. Shan also has proven their power in the list during melees and continues to be a great communicative team member for the Dallas Mythics. Shan’s story was very inspiring to read and I hope you enjoy it as well.
Credit: Ayden Grace
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING FOR ARMORED COMBAT?
About three years, now.
DO YOU HAVE ANY BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE IN MARTIAL ARTS OR OTHER SPORTS?
Sort of? I was never very sporty as a younger person inasmuch as I was an inactive videogame nerd. But when I was seventeen I saw some losers hitting each other with foam boffers in a field. It was kind of a formative moment because directly thereafter I joined a sport called Dagorhir, eventually Amtgard – and then about five years later I found armored combat.
HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT ARMORED COMBAT AND WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO JOIN?
I’ve known about armored combat since I started LARPing back in 2012. We used to trade scary stories about REAL STEEL, the supposed league of Russian maniacs who fought mass battles with real casualties, between rounds of ditching.
Eventually I would meet up with the Dallas Warlords to try on armor for the first time. I got my shit canned by Charlie Brumfield and saw something I would have to work extraordinarily hard to be good at. Having never worked hard enough to be a genius at everything, I figured I wanted to try.
DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU FELT IN YOUR FIRST FIGHT? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE?
I remember feeling very warm, very heavy, and suddenly very supine when Charlie punched me in the face and I fell over immediately. My first fight was literally four seconds and I think I still have the video somewhere.
If you love me, you’ll include it. I’ve come a really long way. :pp
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERED WEAPON? DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE?
I’m a longsword guy. I never really cared about two handed weapons until I started steel fighting. But when I first started training (and even now, to an extent) I had a bear of a time getting any technically coherent shots off with the heavyass swords in our sport. So a two-hander was just easier to move.
But then I watched some high level HEMA guys fighting longsword and I got so swept up in the math and the artistry of it all I thought to myself “THAT’s the thing I’m going to be good at. I want to do THAT.”
These days I’m okay at it. One day I’d like to be as dynamic and magnetic as those two guys were.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME POSITIVE ASPECTS THAT COME FROM THE SPORT?
This feels like an obvious question because my life has been dramatically improved by my interaction with this sport. I love my team, who I work with most days, and my coaches. I love that the sport has made me fuckin’ hot, both because I accept my body as a tool for my work – and because my straining biceps look good holding a sword.
But also I started a business, my training school, Warlord Combat Academy. I’m building something here with my friends and that’s the best feeling in the world.
WHAT IS YOUR FIGHTING STYLE – IF YOU HAVE ONE?
I’m a technical, ranged player most days. I weigh 135lb, at the low end of the weight bracket. In HMB, I focus on hand and headshots. In IMCF I’m playing a leg game a lot of the time, or going for elbow shots.
In the list, during melees, I find myself on the rail constantly. But honestly I think I have more pure takedowns midfield. I generally play the exploiting role to the beefier, sturdier members of my team. I excel, personally, at communicating with my team clearly so we can get speedy takedowns.
DO YOU THINK FIGHTING CHANGES WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON? HOW HAS IT AFFECTED YOU PERSONALLY?
I think the things we choose to do with our time deeply inform our personalities, so yeah, definitely. My work ethic is leagues better than it was. That I have to go to the gym four days a week to improve at all means I’m, sort of by necessity, a more responsible and scheduled person.
But also I have peers now. Like, friends who work alongside me towards a common goal. And wow – I NEVER wanna give that up.
WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE SPORT?
Do it. Accept that it’s going to be hard and then love the journey. If it’s not hard? Okay rad, you’re ahead of the game. But when it is hard? When you finally take your first round – then your first match – and then your first medal; those are going to be the headiest, most satisfying moments and you’ll have earned them entirely yourself.
So chase them!
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO FOR THE FUTURE OF ARMORED COMBAT SPORTS?
Right now I’m focusing on improving the women’s half of the melee. Previously our matches have been characterized by grinding, static grapples on the rail that lasted well beyond the attention span of the average viewer.
I want us to get to a place where the women’s half of this sport is a deeply technical, dynamic, meta-driven showstopper. Not a thing we do between men’s matches.
ANY FINAL WORDS YOU WANTED TO MENTION?
I’m trans. I’m not looking to make a big deal about it. Armored combat is a sport with a lot of different kinds of people in it. I wanted you to know I’m also here. I compete in the women’s division because I don’t take Testosterone and because I think it is the safest and most honest way for me to compete.
But the sport, as it stands, doesn’t have room for me in it without one of us (myself or the ruleset) bending the truth.
This isn’t a call to action. But I’m here and I’m working hard to make this sport a better place for all of us. If you get the opportunity to advocate for trans people in the context of our hobby, I hope you do the same.
