Maarten,
I think one of the things here that people take issue with is that you don't take any criticism at all but simply go on the defensive and make excuses or state how great you "think" you are - flawless timing and footwork... yeah.
I know it's difficult when you might have trained a long time and think your shit is great to then be told hey there's more. It's like climbing a mountain and you are going up the steep cliff thinking you're about to hit the top and as you reach the edge you see there is another cliff to climb. That was me back in 2011. I'd trained years with my Xing Yi teacher, who himself is very good emptyhand and weapons, but I saw some of the discipline and skill which I didn't have and thought hey there is a lot more to learn. And I had to put pride aside and start things again.
One of the things I really try to instill in my students is self reflection and criticism. Most of my guys probably think they are not as good as they actually are because they analyse their faults and are not looking for praise and adulation (which your responses seem to be looking for). A true martial artist has a thick skin and takes criticism, reflects on it and works harder. Sometimes you will get criticized by haters and you will just have to ignore them, other times by people with no understanding of context or true ability and their comments will not be valid. Sometimes however people will criticise with valid points and you should take heed rather than dismiss everything.
FWIW the reason I try to close distance in my video is, and if you watch the tournament video I also posted - if you attack from out of distance it takes more time and your opponent can read what is going to happen and counter you on the way in. This applies to emptyhand work too, if you attack too far out you get sniped on the way in. Which was a major criticism I have of your original example, both your opponents seemed to lack the ability to take advantage of this or were intimidated by the power of your attacks - a good fencer would not be so forgiving.
Is there danger to getting in close - yes some. Could someone reach and poke you in the eye - well that's what you train to avoid. Try it on someone trying to cut at full power and speed - I do, all the time. I've competed in 2 European tournaments and do competitive sparring (not the light sparring in the video) fairly regularly with partners much bigger than myself.
I also want to say I get hit a lot in training. Lots of times because I'm working on trying to do things and they don't work you can see this in the sparring video. In my definition sparring is the testing ground, there is some danger and competitiveness but it's not a duel to the death so you have the ability to experiment. Invest in loss, also invest in humility. We don't have to be perfect neither me nor you and there is great wealth to be had in developing and growing from interaction with others.
Cutting is difficult so being close can actually be safer. I'd be perfectly happy to step inside your blade with a thick jacket on even if you had a live blade because at close range getting a cut through a jacket would be really difficult. You need clearance to perform a decent cut so crowding the blade edge can be safer than standing back and allowing someone to swing at you. So if you had 6 inches to cut me in I'd be quite confident you wouldn't get through my jacket but 6 inches to thrust - I'd be likely be dead. Therefore close in and thrust/stab is dangerous.
If you're playing an outside game then the hand and arm become the target. But most people still reach in for the torso when it's not appropriate. There is a technique "Ge" which is really effective at cutting down an overreaching attack so long as you don't back away from it through intimidation.
As for doing things differently, some things but the overall approach of the sparring is the same as I would use now. Work in to an appropriate range before attacking, do not press the attack if it is well covered (or you walk into counters), do not overcut, maintain threat to prevent duifang entering. What i would do better are my basic defensive parries, getting a better position in the parry etc. The strategy is there the skills need polishing.
As for targeting the legs. Yes we have this too but it's done when appropriate.
Those guys are good, but even they hit each other.
No one is good enough to never get hit. I think you like that one because it's fast and more dynamic. You don't have to go fast to beat someone often I beat my partners because they go fast and leave an opening and they walk into my thrust or cut - they beat themselves with their own speed/athleticism.
In almost none of the videos was there any explosive movement or footwork because that requires athleticism that I doubt many possess...Some of you are being filthy trolls and unless you show some really impressive videos of YOU fencing I could care less about anything else you have to say.
Really?
I respect what you do and would never say that you lacked even fencing basics or that you are playing a game. That would be extremely rude
When I first met Scott Rodell he said to me that I lacked basics, that I overswung and attacked from too far away. I didn't see that as rude but as honest criticism from a more experienced practitioner. At first I thought "WTF i've trained really hard and done pretty good" but I took it on board and I've worked on those issues and am still working on them.
I could have buried my head in the sand, sulked because Scott wasn't impressed and didn't give me a gold star or a like or whatever and gone back to swinging with my mates and playing tag with sticks. But I didn't and I hope that you get over yourself and take on board some of the comments some of us have presented here.
Your bar is set low because that's all you've been exposed to, start looking higher. It's like playing basketball in the park and beating all the local kids then saying you're an NBA Allstar, but if you ever did get to play a pro you'd be trashed.