alright Ultima, i will try to keep them simple because i can be off on a big tangent very easily lol....
1 - no, never. not in combat or sparring. when we are having a laugh, or resting, i sneak up behind people and jump on their backs, but thats to make people laugh and to get them used to bodyliy contact which is important. moreso i have never needed to stab in the back, i defeat my foes often as cleanly as possible. i have been in MANY situations where i could.
2 - if any one disagress with me you have the right to. A gun is a weapon of destruction, it's sole act of firing a bullet is an explosive and destructive force of nature, the bullet itself will penetrate a body or something, breaking or tearing it. A sword is a weapon of defence. despite it's shape and edges, you dont have to hurt, cut or damage for you to still use it effectivly. an axe has one purpose, to cut, but a sword, the very reason for it being made the way it is is to withstand attacks. in time everything is alterd to serve new functions, cars were once for transport, now they are for racing, for fashion etc, this is true of swords today. It's only my oppinion, but like Batman said - guns are messy, often cowardly weapons, blades are clean and honest.
3- yes. anyone who says they havent is fibbing. but you have to understand teh differnce between sparring, playing and fighting for REAL. when im teaching im doing a cross of sparring and playing, therefore i dont put as much effort in, i carnt use all my skills or the studant would be put off, when teaching you have to use less skill, and as they grow you can return to your full power. so while teaching, playing and sparring there as foten a few times i am beaten and i take it happily - fighting is chaos, you carnt win all the time. however when i fight for real, or when it matters, im very rarely beaten and i dont cheat. when it counts i MUST be everything i can be so that again, the studants who are ready can grow against a real opponant. if im training for two hours a week every wed, and no important fights come up i may be beat twice, often when im distracted by thoughs of lunch. but last week, i wasnt beat all night and i had to go through everyone, which a quaterstaff and with a sword.
4 - i havent, but my mother has. i have however been in fights where the opponant WAS going to kill me, for real, and the only reason im typing now is because i was good enough to stop him without killing him..well them. but the only differnce from me killing someone and me REALLY killing them is me pulling my blow.
5 - training. the excersises we teach help re-awaken your bodys senses and your sense of awareness and bodily space. you need this ability when your fighting in battles and melass with lotsa people around you all fighting their own fights. your moving around....walking backwards while talking and fighting your opponant, you dont want to back into someone or get hit by someone eles fight, so you leanr to "sense" another object or person. this also allows you to sense oncoing attacks you carnt see. we teach you to fight blind, to fight as many people as possible, untill your fighting with control on pure instinct.
6 - a smart allic question
7 - excluding monsters and villians and super powers - Tifa. most men ARE distracted simply by fighting a woman let alone a pretty one, all she needs is that split second and she can breack your neck.
8 - 9, my mothers always telling me ten, but i am a moaner so i would be ten, the proof is in the pudding, plus if you dont know yourself, you shouldnt be fighting or teaching.
9 - many people will tel you sword combat is all about attacking, others will tell you it's about choreography....for me, WE are the weapon, and you shouldnt be fighting unless you have control of that sword, total control. fighting is give and take, attack and defence, blows and parrys/blocks untill you see an opening and you kill your opponant. you should be fighting because you enjoy a good fight, not because you want to hurt people
i was speaking in gneral Dark.....not a reflection on FF. all the people ive met and fought, easily in the thousands who like and use cheating moves like that are weak in both body and mind and lack teh skill to fight well. if im fighting and light streams through a window into my eyes blinding me, i dont stop, thats more dangerous, i carry on with control and i teach my studants to be able to control themselves in those moments without needing to resort to underhanded tactics. you shouldnt need to do such things if your a competant and skilled warrior, if you do, then you carnt be any good.