Budo (the Way of the Warrior) is not a philosophy for fighting and dying - it is a philosophy for living. Three of the more famous books on these concepts are Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", Miyamoto Musashi's "The Book of Five Rings" and Morehei Ueshiba's "The Art of Peace". This panel will discuss how martial arts training and understanding can be utilized in daily life such as anger management, interpersonal interactions, anti-bullying programs, police training and business etiquette & eth...

Budo (the Way of the Warrior) is not a philosophy for fighting and dying - it is a philosophy for living. Three of the more famous books on these concepts are Sun Tzu's "The Art of War",  Miyamoto Musashi's "The Book of Five Rings" and Morehei Ueshiba's "The Art of Peace". This panel will discuss how martial arts training and understanding can be utilized in daily life such as: anger management, interpersonal interactions, anti-bullying programs, police training, and business etiquette &...

Fighting in Fiction: Writing a Knockout Scene is an engaging and interactive panel with demonstrations of live techniques to discuss the realities of fighting, such as how and why people lose consciousness, surviving group attacks, weapon disarming, and much more. The intention of the panel is to help authors have a greater knowledge of physical conflict so they can bring more dramatic realism while avoiding common errors.  This panel, which began at RadCon has been offered to standing r...

Mushin | Zanshin | MusubiAikido is a modern Japanese martial art which blends ancient art forms: aiki jujutsu (empty hand), kenjutsu (swordsmanship), jojutsu (staff), and ukemi (falling safely) along with the philosophy of Budo (Way of the Warrior).  Aikido has been depicted in popular culture - a sampling: Star Trek: TNG, Burn Notice, Warrior Nun, and Doctor Who. This demonstration will provide an overview of Aikido history + various techniques including cutting tatami targets with ...

A hands-on discussion from the bronze age to Bulletproof Vests, with a focus towards the 1800s.

A fan of the Star Wars movies and games is meeting with a historical sword fighter to discuss light saber forms and fighting, and to compare various aspects of it to historical longsword and rapier fighting.  We'll be playing with lightsabers, and if you bring yours we'll walk you through various training forms!

In conjunction with the "Aikido: Mindfulness in Motion”, this panel will explore both ancient and modern Japanese culture and etiquette. The panelists (Bruce Schmoetzer Sensei, Joy Bragg-Staudt, & Arlene Henriques) will inform and demonstrate to RadCon attendees the martial and civil customs of Japan as well as display various forms of attire. In particular, kimono!

We know that swords can't cut machine gun barrels, but can a steel breastplate stop a bullet?  Does a hero really need a helmet?  Back-scabbards look great, but would you ever want one in real life?  Does it really take a crane to get a knight onto horseback for a joust?  Lots of myths come from movies, books, and legends.  I'll bring historic weapons and armor and lets handle them and learn about the way they really behave.

An early morning, slow, wake up with a focus on breathing techniques for managing stressful situations.

This is the classic Fighting in Fiction panel that helps writers learn key aspects of writing fight scenes involving hand-to-hand combat.

Mushin | Zanshin | MusubiAikido is a modern Japanese martial art which blends ancient art forms: aiki-jujutsu, kenjutsu, jojutsu, and ukemi along with the philosophy of Budo (Way of the Warrior).  Aikido has been depicted in popular culture - a sampling: Star Trek: TNG, Burn Notice, Warrior Nun, and Doctor Who. This demonstration will provide an overview of Aikido history + various techniques.  There will be opportunities for audience participation. AND Lightsabers!

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This is the classic Fighting in Fiction panel that helps writers learn key aspects of writing fight scenes using various weapons.

Budo (the Way of the Warrior) is not a philosophy for fighting and dying - it is a philosophy for living. Three of the more famous books on these concepts are Sun Tzu's "The Art of War",  Miyamoto Musashi's "The Book of Five Rings" and Morehei Ueshiba's "The Art of Peace". This panel will discuss how martial arts training and understanding can be utilized in daily life such as: anger management, interpersonal interactions, anti-bullying programs, police training, and business etiquette &...

In conjunction with "Aikido”, this panel will explore both ancient and modern Japanese culture and etiquette. The panelists  will inform and demonstrate the martial and civil customs of Japan as well as display various forms of attire. In particular, kimono!

Fighting in Fiction: Weapons distills down key concepts to help authors craft accurate and thrilling scenes.  Come learn how MythBusters got it wrong when analyzing Samurai sword fighting because they were missing one critical fighting concept.  We’ll discuss guns, knives, daggers, sticks, ranges, movement, disarming techniques, and much more!  This panel is interactive, so please ask questions throughout!  Afterward, you’ll be primed to avoid key errors and write thrillin...

Ever wonder how fight scenes are created for your favorite show? From Witcher to Wick... from pirates to vikings to space wizards with laser swords, the process can be a complicated one.  This session will cover the collaborative fight design process for featured “Hero” fights and mass battles for film/tv.  From the Writer to Director to Director of Photography, to Fight Coordinator/Choreographer to Stunt Performer to Editor, there are many influences that affect the final product w...

If you were ever interested in stunt work, fighting with swords and guns on film, then swing in and learn what it is like to work in the stunt industry creating, rehearsing and performing the action that thrills the audience!  Sword fights, gun fights, fire burns, high falls, car stunts and more!  From developing a working skill base, to preparation, to daily operations, the day of a stunt performer is seldom dull!

Jason strives for realism in physics in science fiction. He spends a great deal of time looking at military studies of the limits of human G tolerance and how people can actually survive reentry. He tries very hard to have no ‘magic tech’ like inertia dampening and artificial gravity in his work. In this talk we’ll discuss why ‘magic tech’ is okay to use, when it’s too much, and why writers who stick to real physics can still produce incredibly dramatic scenes.

Panelists will discuss our favorite and least favorite sword fights in movies, analyze fights, and discuss what makes them great or just "meh."

Gather around as we kill ourselves for your enjoyment. Armoured combatants will do their best to dispatch their foes and earn your adoration. We’ll explore techniques, put fighters through competitions, and perform unscripted, full contact combat inspired by the equipment and techniques of a bygone era.

After the roar of the crowd has died, and the fighters are in recovery, come on in to the courtyard and ask your favorite performer questions. Fighters are always happy to pose for pictures or show off pieces of their armour. If you don’t believe me, come ask anyway!

Martial artists are often portrayed in the media as the ultimate fighters, blending discipline, skill, and physical prowess to combat their evil foes. This does make for a compelling story but the reality is far more nuanced. This panel will delve into the distinctions between martial artists and fighters, exploring how they overlap and where they diverge.Join us as we examine this topic through the lens of media portrayals, modern MMA, and real-world examples of violence. Together, we...

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This panel will teach you the very basics of how to swing a broadsword effectively. Footwork, Range, Breathing, and finally, good form and power. Participants are encouraged to bring their own training swords. Some training weapons will be available.

Some say there is no innate talent. Is that entirely true? No matter how hard I try, I’ll never be NFL center nor a Miss America contender. I just don’t have the right physical characteristics. There are surely things we cannot do in life, but when it comes to writing, possibilities abound! Come have a discussion on the neuroscience behind talent. What causes it? what’s the best way to develop it? We’ll dig into some fun elements like why the concept of 'plateauing' is a big fat lie.