Like sparring in karate, it’s full contact and not without injury. However the weapons are full and there’s strict rules about where attacks are legal.
The OP is from a (likely scripted) reenactment for entertainment. In other photos you can see one combatant throwing a tankard and the other spitting in the others’ face both actions would get a DQ in most medieval martial arts competitions. Here’s a list of other medieval fighting leagues.
It’s historical European martial arts .
Like sparring in karate, it’s full contact and not without injury. However the weapons are full and there’s strict rules about where attacks are legal.
But it’s not larping
The OP is from a (likely scripted) reenactment for entertainment. In other photos you can see one combatant throwing a tankard and the other spitting in the others’ face both actions would get a DQ in most medieval martial arts competitions. Here’s a list of other medieval fighting leagues.