Fighting Journal
7/22 Starting a new blog to hold this work, as I'm starting a new challenge. Go to http://jonya.typepad.com/challenges if you wish to follow along. You can heckle. Comments are availble over there, lol.
7/21 Silfren Mere practice - Damiano, John, me and the new guy in heavy. Whole mess of rapier fighters as they are gearing up for DoF. We had this new guy, so we started with some basic stuff and some warming up with him. I don't think I'm a good partner for a new guy cause I don't go all aggressive, but sure, I'll dance. I am not throwing the tall snap over the shield properly in practice, even though it's just fine in pell work.
I fought Little John, and maybe Damiano but maybe I'm confused. I know we were spending a lot of time wiht the new guy. Oh yeah, Damiano got me twice on the upper arm and Little John got me once on the lower. New bruises. John was fighting left-handed so that made it easier to get at him.
7/20 Spear Work. Sir Tristan worked us for two good hours, initially w/o armor to review and practice new techniques, then full on in armor to work on putting things into play.
I'm good with drills. I could drill and drill but it would get boring soon. Tristan moved us into defensive moves tonight, just two. One was running backwards, pop, pop, popping the shield to try to slow the sword and board fighter charging me. Just to mess with them and maybe getting a head shot. Learning to defend and mess with that S&B fighter and maybe having my own team see and come save me. So I need to get in armor and run backwards a lot and get better at it. Running, I'm not going to be able to really ground and pop a blow that really will stop a charge. However, I might be able to table or pop out a shield.
I can't remmeber the other drill. Maybe it will come to me.
So into armor we went. I was sorta panicky at first - ok, after I started fighting, I got panicky and then shaky and then the adrenaline hit full force. I wanted to hunker down and protect myself until it all stopped but that was why I was out there - to fight and defend and killl the otther guy so we win. My side wins. And riding the adrenaline prevented me from doing that hunkering/hiding but it isn't going to give me skill or endurance and I was also impatient with myself. Anyway, it was sweet the way the guys were concerned over my visible shakes and fighting of tears at break. Edwin said he's forgotten I had classic female adrenaline response. I think I was doing Ok for someone who had not held a spear in armor before. I did get a few kills, but mostly I'm proud of being defensive and I know i was better at the last than I was at the first.
It is interesting watching the speartip come at me and trying to sweep it to one side, or dodge it. I can do this but need to keep practicing. I am trying not to run backwards; one step back seems to be instinctive but I want to work myself out of that. there are other things I can do to defend. There are differences between working a polearm thrust and a spear thrust that I want to explore some more. Polearm, doesn't seem most people let go; but then you've got three feet less of weapon to respond in if someone is coming in. Letting go with one hand just gets you dead faster iwth polearm, I think.
7/19 Did some spear work since I'm going to Spear College tomorrow. How hard is too hard to hit the tennis ball? I don't wanna crank anyone's head too much.
7/18 Did an hour walk/run and that felt good! No pell work.
7/14 Practice got callled off at 5:30, supposed to start at 6:30. Oh well. (not well or OK, really) I had to eat and now Bones is over so I'm heading out for mmy run/walk and some pell work.
7/13 pm - got a walk in. got my gauntlets fixed. did not get the speartip fixed, though.
7/13 Well. OK. Fighting. I had good fighting at WW, technically. Short time out there, though. I did not take any opportunity to train, just did some battles. My helmet was pressing on the cut to my head, salt was able to make it sting, but I was doing ok with that. Mostly it was a thing of the spirit that drove me off the field. No one owes me comradery. No one owes me any respect or friendliness or welcome. I understand that, even if I don't like it nor will I ever do that myself. gah. I will soldier on, lol, and see how practice goes tomorrow. Heck. Life is short. I am not giving up. Sucking up and dealing. Being an eternal optimist beating my head against reality just got to be too much to deal with this weekend.
7/7 I did not reach for my polearm for training on Saturday, which I should have done but I've not the confidence yet to do so. Maybe I'm too impatient but the sharp adrenaline spike I get when trying to figure out what to do with that thing, it's rattling me how quickly it comes over me. The crying. Couldn't do that there. Got good advice about stepping into a wrap to negate it. It works, too. Also the shield rushing things to do during a charge. Such as stepping to one side, slightly, and push on his shield side. Or drop to my knees to let him sail over me. Or work with a partner to move that shield to one side so the other person can get a clean blow in. But do something to deflect the power! I really want to work on that.
7/6 OK, yesterday rocked. I felt good PLUS so did Luce. Yeah! John dislocated his elbow though. humm..
Today, ran with dog plus a bit of pell work but mostly doing things with Ginny. Not sure what will happen tomorrow. She doesn't seem to have many friends here anymore to hang with, which just lets us spend more time together.
7/2 Went to Nordskogen last night, mostly just talked. Not feeling well and fighting was making me sick. Today - forced myself to do the pell work. did the spear lunges using the polearm and yeah, need a rounded edge on the cap cause it will dig into my hand.
6/30 Firstly, spear work. I like it - just starting. Don't get cocky with the newby easy stuff. Tristan had four of us there plus Tom - both teaching. We were just working on thrusting to the inside, to the outside, to the leg, and then blocking all three shots. To the leg is just a crouch down, which was interestingly effective. This is going to work the core muscles a lot more effectively than anything else I could swing. Tristan sold me a spear length and I need to get it tipped now. and capped.
Tonight sucked. Cramps sucked the strength right out of me, damn it, plus the whole jello arms left over from yesterday's work. Fought John, fought Dave, fought John again and then tried to do some work with the poll arm and realized I had a feminine emergancy going on. Criminutly. I still want to hit something, btw, but too late to go out and hit pell in the middle of town. Plus, being in jammies, I'd look weird.
6/26 Got some pell work in tonight. And a walk - I'm hormonal and irritated at the world. It was good for me to stretch the legs.
I wrote up my lillies war experiences, mostly, and posted to the lj and main blog. I report here that my endurance is punk, to the heat. People kept saying that we had not a chance to get acclimated, with the cool spring. huh. and maybe I can do better than that the rest of the summer. Since I knew I was going to die, I worked on taking people down with me, and staying personally allive as long as i could, esp when I realized the spears and polearm people didn't usually want a shieldman to work with. Make sure to go back in with a buddy, though. Continue to stay alive and sell my life dearly.
Shaved down the handle on my good sword, that I kept dropping on the battlefields at Lillies. Even with a determined grip betweeen thumb and middle finger, I would be surprised by a sweep that knocked it loose. Don't do this again. That helped a lot at Monday's practice. Still need to get the shield strapped. Need to fix the other sword.
Luce fought in several battles; she and Karel did the novice tourney and did well. I think she won two-three of her bouts - double elim. I am encouraging her to come to SM practices again, plus we are going to Tristan's on Sunday. We will get up to 'skogen practice too. I think I got my out-of-SM practices in June...Northskogen at least once and then that whole war thing has to count for something.
6/24 Catching up.
I need to remember ass-over-teakettle from Lillies and how hot it was and how I didn't understand face thrusting. That is Lillies; a long post of good things, mostly. Except for chiggers bitting me behind the knees.
Last night's practice. Only two fights. Dave warmed me up for about 10 minutes where I mostly didn't loose as quickly and when I did die, at least it wasn't that stupid headshot coming in. And I took my OKletitbuildup break, while he and John went at it for a long time. They were butting heads. I saw what I saw, is all I can say in an open venue. After that, Dave took armor off cause his hand had a good slam from a demi cutting in. I walked out and let John dance with me awhile too. He got my dander completely up. I was so ready to go right through him; mostly cause he hit me a couple of times so hard that it hurt, really hurt. I just snorted and kept in there. Wasn't going to give up at all. Then we stopped cause I was suddenly doing stupid stuff and he realized it before I did, I guess, cause he slowed down and I still didn't get it at first. Cooled down a bit. Asked John to do polearmn work since we were both still in armor; Dave came over and it was a good exchange, a good bit of work. I still had a head of steam though, but was aiming it mostly at my stupid self for not learning fast enough.
Enough for now. Lillies later tonight.
6/9 Humm...what have I been doing...got a walk in last Friday and then workouts on Saturday and Sunday. Sundays almost happened twice; went to an event and was so jazzed about seeing fighting, even though I wasn't doing it, if I'd gone straight home, I'd have hit the gym again.
Tonight - wow. Warmed up with John, who was going way too easy on me. But the way I hold my breath initially has got to be alarming. Worked with Dave - started chasing him around and then was like 'wait, you idiot. stop running and make him bring the fight to me.' which made him laugh and then we settled down to fighting, not chasing each other. Went out against Tobin who is v good at holding and controling my weapon with that little fan of his. got a good breather and then Dave pulled me out to work on the polearm. I stayed in there, kept trying to work the angles. I'm not remembering to do the thrust in front of my body, though, even. Nor am I remembering to move the hands up, but both Dave and Bob kept reminding me, and kept coming back at me, and I was moving and swinging and trying and then the top of my head came off with the adrenaline. Totally teared up and was choking out agreements and OKs and questions and we went on with it for a while longer but finally I had to walk off. Got it back a bit and Tobin took me out there, working with me on getting my hands in the right place for a first circle swing. I am not sure how long we worked, mostly until I did get tired and confused but also cause I was choking up again. Kinda funny now but at the time I was pissed at myself. what a waste of good fighting time.
So Tom asked me if I had any energy for him and I said sure. But then there was John, standing there all sassy, and I said 'let's get him!!" and we did two on one and after we legged John and Dave came out to help save him, we did two on two. Tom was disappointed we didn't fight, so next time I am going to make a point of fighting him. I dont' think I fought stupid tonight. I think I fought good. I know I had a lot of fun, even the teary parts.
6/5 got good walks in the last two days. That's something. We did polearm work tonight - that was kinda cool. Damiano helped me get a proper thrusting tip on mine while Karel got his proper, fancy bought one all together and on his rattan. I'd not thought about making a tube of foam to be the form of the thrusting tip. Then stuff it full of good foam! magic!
So we had gauntlets but no other armor and it was all slow work and lots of it. I am to work on switching lead hands. Thrust control to face and to body. Work on visualizing keeping the blade between me and my opponent while practicing some basic blows. Pull it out for at least 15 minutes every practice.
Good work tonight; we moved more than we sat around and talked. Lots, lots more.
6/3 Practice got rained out last night, so my 45 minute power-walk with Julie was good to have had. Tonight I had a very intense workout. I've not lost anything with my long absense but am lifting the same weights at the same number reps. The guys are going to have heavy practice thursday, in armor, and Lyulf says to bring the gauntlets and we will do some polearm.
June 1 - combos to work on:
slam down on top of O's sword, pushing it against helm, to bring shield into front. use my shield to press aside O's shield, which will probably make O push back against mine, giving me the opening to get a wrap in. possiblly head or body. whatever works.
In closs, drop sword hand down and under O's sheild to find room to throw a wrap. Work on both finding that sweet spot and on power.
If i'm not going to restrap that center-punch, learn to hold it more forward, learn when to hold it straight out and when to hold it on edge. Kegslayer demoed the usefulness of using the edge to hold against a basket hilt; it's at least 6 inches more reach I have.
Legs and bodies. Fighters have them. See if the guys will give me a session where headshots are no kills.
Move the feet! Moving the right foot forward just a bit when completing a wrap increases my reach AND changes the angles. The guys have had several sessions on this; Roisin has mentioned it as well before and again at this ToC. I want this to be the point I learn and am able to bring to the next fight I have with her.
Do not be afraid of the tears. Thursday was rough and I had a couple of times yesterday I was forced to choose between crying and fighting. Made myself fight. Hard to wipe tears in a helm but people just think it is sweat, lol.
5/29 So. Haven't had time to redo that post so this is rough.
Ages - Lars said I had three things against me ever being more than a mediocre fighter - my being a woman, Coming to the game as late as I have, and also having a nonathletic life until this point. Stuff I've admitted to myself. Then he gave me a gift of recognizing my enthusiasm and joy on the field.
Roisin said to be sure and do what makes me happy. She said that several times, then we fought some more. I had told her I was upping my game. So I fought and then went to fulfil some responsibilities and did it gladly but I do regret not having more fighting time. More learning time.
I got mad. I worked from pretty much arrival on Thursday until end of feast cleanup, and on Sunday morning I was walking to the field and someone reminded me it was a working event that we were helping to host and I had no business fighting. Yeah. I got in this person's face - I did not find that amusing at all. Only putting it down here to remind myself.
Tonight's fighting was very good, totally defensive to stay alive longer to wait for those openings. I made all three of them fight to get through to me. I had adrenaline just summersalting through my body - I would fight until I couldn't fight and then go into a chair and cry. Got bad enough I was leaving the room. So I started with Dave and he kept getting me with that two-shot; I drop my shield consistantly when he throws that first snap to my right hip then boom, on the head. I got a couple of kills. That was warm up. Bob was my next fight and I went out there to kill him. Adrenaline had hit and I was going to stay alive and kill him. Did so a couple of times. Died myself, too, more than a few times. Went back out against Dave, still was dropping that shield but not as completely, was getting shots in but they were not hard enough to count. Well, a couple of kills. Then took some time off, mostly to get the tears under control, and went on out after a piece of Tom. He's enthusiastic, lol, and presses me and is hard to twist away from. I was getting nauseous at this point, maybe from the fancy water or from the fightiing. So I took a break and then went back out some more against Tom. We killed each other abut equally. It was good.
This is my journal so I'm saying this. Damn. No I'm not. Still a public venue. Hypocrisy makes me mad, but I will give no details.
I can't control my age or my past, but my strength and my fitness is within my control.
5/28 i had a lovely post all done and the internet ate it. grrr....rewriting....will this save yet?
5/18 First a confession. I did not make it to the gym. I did good workout at practice on Thursday, and on friday and saturday did a lot of physical work. Not sure if that counts, lol.
Second a good thing. I had a great day. I have a lot to say but in a bit...need to get a shower. But yeah, I had fun, learned stuff, practiced stuff. well. Had fun fighting, learned new fighting moves, practiced fighting.
Ok, onto talking about practice. It started off with some warmups with Lyulf and then Damiano and then Karel. Mostly I was fighting to get the grrr up, to get to where I wasn't sucking wind so much cause the adrenaline counteracts that. I have realized that; fight, fight hard, get the grrr up and the wind improves. So I'll fight a couple of rounds and rest, helm on, fight and rest, until my energy is up and I can really fight longer. I'm consciously working on holding the tabling shield at an outward position, so people can't table it so much. That makes me all scared for slotshots and I end up coming out with it forward on for a while, until I am warmed up at least. I'm working on not just singles but doing combos. I'm supposed to be working on not letting people stay in my range so long. Plus also knowing when to jump them and get right inside; not my best place to be but I've gotten into a bad habit.
So then we moved into melee work, two-on-two. I had fun with this work. I will confess something though; I did not take a leadership role when it was just Karel and me on one side. I told myself it was because I felt Karel was a better strategist, after all, he plays games and is analytical and omg a man. And I think I still have that to deal with, that at some level I'm listening to my mom tell me this is too rough and I'll get hurt, which is possible, sure, but then life is about risks. nope, I was talking to myself on the way back,, and I was hesitatiing to take that leadership role cause of my own falling back on not wanting to make a mistake, not wanting to be wrong (how else will I learn), not wanting to possibly upset the guys. I made a rude noise at myself but yes, I have some head work to do.
Tom and I did work well together, and we are learning to communicate. I partnered with Lyulf for part of it as well and just let him lead and kept it to what I was comfortable with, which is watching my wing-man and protecting him. We had a good solid two hours again here, sat around and talked for a while, then went for sandwiches and more talk before they all headed back to the shop and I went off to shop.
Afterwards, I stopped at Liz's for some work, warming up for next week. She and I and Little John did about 30 minutes of pell work. Single sword for a while but then we went to bastard sword. I gotta get me one of those! And then get some stick time, lol. John is a very good teacher, understands how to explain it well and then how to correct hands or elbows or stances to get good power. He showed me a kata or some word like that; I had both my swords out and was messing around and he's saying "offside head, flat snap w left sword, then repeat it with the right sword. Over and over, smoothly." He said Roisin showed that to him. We did that, and some slow work on blocking and counterstriking.. Then Luce and I started giggling and sword fighting like we were 5 y.o. Fun stuff!
Well, anyway, time to sleep.
xx
5/15 This was a good night's work. Drills were a solid two hours of work; we did the warmups and then, as we usually do, it just went responsive to the questions. That is one thing Dave is good at; taking a simple move and demonstrating it on through the various permentations and ways of defending against that blow and how to vary it according to what the opponent is doing. He and Little John just made me laugh at one point, though, mostly cause I was trying not to rip their heads off cause I was a bit frustrated. I'm glad I didn't, though; I think everyone there finally realizes I need to do whatever, not just listen to the talking heads. We were talking about how to fold a shield, by mostly pushing a shield in with my shield. Laying a side of this oval center punch against just the right place to move the shield so one's shieldmate or polearm or spearsman can make a kill. Or folding that shield in and keeping conttrol of the fight, killing your opponent. Well, anyway, I'm initially just watching them do all this. They are all demonstrating, demonstrating...I wanna do. My turn. LOL. I kept my patience though and had my chance to try it all out soon enough, got that actual work that is so valuablle to me. I teamed up with Tom and we both took the turns of doing this, of feeling how it runs in slow motion, how the other guy may move, how I can countermove to keep control of the fight. Now to get in armor and try it out; sooner or later I'll be able to do it consistently, I realize that.
Plus the melee line work we were doing on Tuesday suddenly got explained. Sliding my shield up to try to block someone else who is pushing my shield up is just going to get a polearm thrust underneath the shields. Lots to learn, lots of fun to be had. Nick was there too, so good to see him. We did some slow sparring, as did Tom and I and then John and I. OK, to bed. Lovely bed.
5/13 Most Excellent practice last night at Nordskogen. More later cause I actually took notes but yeah, I do better when I'm fighting. I was singing and happy all the way home and into this morning. LOL.
5/12 Heavy practice - man....I sucked. I did have fun, sure, but I got few kills and my endurance was nothing. So wish #1, I have every reason to turn that into a goal and make some plans. One of my yearly goals was to get to the gym at least 3 times a week and Aig told me once to schedule stuff into my calendar if it was important. So...tomorrow is Nordskogen practice. Wed is sleeping in a bit since I'm not hitting bed until midnight on Tuesday. Thursday is drills but I'll get to the gym on Thursday morning. Saturday I can go again, plus I'll get some gardening in and that'll help. So, two dates are into my calendar.
5/11 oh. I forgot to record last thursday's drills. We are working on advanced stuff but not in armor, just slow work, and it would be really helpful to me to take notes. Not sure how that would go over, lol. But it would really help. Maybe I'm just really stupid but I still have trouble remembering things between drills and then home, when I strart writing stuff down to repeat out on the pell. didn't even try this week; was packing for my trip south.
I had a good workout this morning in the pool. Nice to get the muscles warmed up and then work on the endurance at the swimming until I'm gasping. LOL and then Van came in and I stopped that nonsense and started other.
I saw a sign at the local GNC: A Goal without a Plan is just a Wish. So....what are some fighting wishes and can I make goals out of them?
- I wish I was stronger and had endurance to fight.
- I wish I knew how to throw the right blows at the right time, and how to set up a fighter so I was controling the fight.
- I wish I had more time to work out and do pell work.
- I wish I could hit more practices around the kingdom.
Van is snoring so I'm heading to bed. Back to this later...but yeah, 1 and 3. Start there.
5/6 pm The practice that got rained out for me. hahaha. Even as far as Van calling me and asking me not to go...that's how much the fates did not want me to fight today.
5/6 Group versus individual efforts. That topic woke me up today, this thinking about what inspires us, what pulls us onward to glory. I've been frustrated the last couple days about the local fighting situation, not because I can't go out and prove my own with my little stick on my own little playing field, but because I know I can't do anything more to help those who are stepping forth in a bigger arena and because I'm not sure I was of any help. Just don't know. I've a nonfighting friend who is training for a marathon, and I think I've been as supportive as a nonrunner can, outside of coming in to do housework so she has more running time. We've not talked about my being there for her, really, but I know she likes the conversations and the chances to teach me what it is all about, why it is. But she is a girl; maybe that's got something to do with it. Don't know why...Anyway, looking forward to practice tonight.
5/5 <throws hands up> Heavy practice didn't happen tonight. Sorta funny - I was there and one other fighter; at this point in time I pretty much just let the crown fighters determine what happens. So there you go.
5/4 The fighter practice that wasn't....Well, we did not kit out. There was only three of us that showed up, and I took my lead from the marshal instead of just assuming everyone wanted to do what I wanted, lol. I just had an attitude of whatever....Possibly about time? I don't know, too close to crown maybe. I'm cool with it. <no, no I'm not but I didn't speak up and make an issue> We put up Tom's tent instead, and it is a lovely one. Then we took it down, and I ran a few errands, and came home and worked in the garden. I'm going to get my sword and new vambrace and demi out to work on checking the fit; that was one of the things I wanted to do today. It may be just a tad long.
5/3 pm Worked out for 45 minutes, which means tomorrow I'll need to really warm up before practice. Trying to rebuild back muscles as well as arms, and to build endurance. I feel like I'm starting over in the fitness realm though. What a putz I am...but hey. I'm doing something today. I'll do something tomorrow, but mostly this is one day at a time.
The sword I fought with on Thursday is in here to be re-bladed. But hehe, the white tape is in the car. Oh well. There will be a commercial! Watching Narnia.
5/2 pm I ate better today. Had a very stressful day but I'll talk about that on the main blog. Tomorrow's tasks include new vanbraces and elbows. Developing fighting clothes that look ok. Get the right twine to retie glove to gauntlets.
5/2 Short note but somewhere I found my motivation/inspiration over night. Not sleeping will do that, I suppose. Nothing can stop me but my own self.
5/1 fought but my blows for body are not strong enough. Damn it. Get to the gym, run, get motivated, stop playing half a game. Claim this game, this joy, this thing I'm trying to learn and master to the best I can do. oh, and swing lots of stick. hehe. The new rattan is kinda cool.
4/29 did some pell work but my heart wasn't in it. So I cut two new swords from the manal rattan and got them taped and rapped on the pell to set the edge and now they are bladed and basketed. just need tips. Due to some flaws in the rattan, the piece that s left is only 32 inches long. Mace?
4/26 I am sooo stiff. I was available to fight from about 9:30 - 3-4ish on Friday and Saturday. Need to cut a new sword today and shape it up. Also going to try just strapping taping the heck out of a thrusting tip and see how that lasts.
Bad things that are stimulating change - I need to do sprints and build endurance for chasing someone around. I need to fix my shield so my hand doesn't get so bruised. I need to not telegraph even if I'm tired. I need to be stronger. I need to learn polearm. I need to make vambraces that hold the elbow up - that are pretty.
I need to fight against people in a training mode; who will work with me and leave openings and then when I exploit them, not praise but recognition. Point out stuff and give me time to practice the move, the block and the attack. I know what I want to try in a teaching style, just not sure how to ask for it. OK, honestly, we did some of that during the winter but never in armor and at full speed. Maybe as the summer progresses. I do know my trainers here aren't able to give me that right now, not with crown in a few weeks.
I will run, both sprints and distances. I have the material to fix the shield, and the new sword. I will order another basket so I have two swords that match. And I'm thinking...the axe is more period for me...maybe I should talk to Lyulf about that. So I'll order an axe head and a polearm blade-thing. I will find opportunities to swing sword. And that will help with training and continuing to improve, travelling about to fight at practices and events.
4/22 Can't lie to an egg timer... lol. OK, 10 garden, 5 pell, 10 garden, 5 pell. mostly just moving and swinging doubles, even double-taps. Warmed up with singles. Concentrated on moving while swinging and getting that coordination down. I think I need to have the guys watch me swing and move - the foot hitting the floor at the same time as the swing engages is not making sense yet. I did it slowwwwwly and faster and I still don't think I hve it. Then over to the tennis ball, then back. Resting as needed.
4/21 doing some catchup of recording. We did have drills last Thursday. I did not do anything on Wed or on Friday. Saturday was an event, so did some fighting but not very much. Slacker. Sunday was another slacker day as An came over after we got home from the event and we sewed, put up the geteld. So tonight I walked three miles. So there. No pell work but I did buy myself a kitchen timer, for timing things like pell work. Been wanting one.
4/15 Routine = pell real fast for a while, run over and poke at the tennis ball for a while until I feel silly, run around the garden twice, start it all over. Did that about four times is all. Going to go run on the treadmill and also do some weights cause the wind is getting dust in my eyes on the road - came back in after a block . Ouch!
4/14 Van had the pizza done when I got home, so I went out and did the pell and pokey work is all. 15 minutes of alternating between combos and poking that tennis ball. I'll try to get a walk in later; he's gone to Virginia for seven days though. I might just stay here and be friendly.
4/13 No workout yesterday. No practice, no pell work. Spent the day with fighters though the weather was too crappy to do slow work in the drive, my hope.
Going to cut some rattan so Tom has a polearm if he wants it. And retape a fav sword and my own polearm so I'm ready for when we finally get outside. Going to insist on some training, lol. Really, I am. Also need to get the tennis ball up today and do some pell work.
Later today - I got the workout and the pell work done, plus played pokey with the tennis ball. That was interesting. I was also working on armor; the current breastplate is embarrassingly white and obvious. I liked the black one attached to the leather, really.
*******
4/11 Got to get my drills info in here but quickly http://scholumartisbellum.pbwiki.com/
OK, drills last night were not v long drills. Mostly it was dave and tom and I and rachel just hanging out for a while, pulling tom's new tent out of the wet boxes. And it was fun, talking about the camping season and trying out the spokes and joking around with each other. Finally about 8 we ran out of tent-stuff to do and so I'm like "did we have any thing to do with the drills tonight at all? Going to do anything?" So dave and tom and I went through some slow work with moving and hitting, seeing and examining what sort of openings happen when you make a move one way or another. But it wasn't enough.
I will find time for my sleeping and then my workouts and my training. I will set those goals...I am reading a series of posts in Iron Rose discussing women fighters who do not fight, do not train. So that's not me but it could be very easily. I am proud of achieving what I have done and do not want to be known as a 'might have been' or a whiner. So here I'm talking to myself. I'm doing too much outside of fighting and being there for Van and taking care of my home, maybe. Only so much time, but then I want the household to be successful. And the MoAS position feeds a part of me too. I like seeing people creating things and then being proud of that work and sharing. However. I'm making a commitment to the fighting, to taking as many kills as I can, to giving my opponent a good fight regardless of the outcome, of developing more skill and endurance and ability.
No workout tonight but I did push a broom for an hour, cleaning Tom's garage for the class tomorrow. LOL. Drill hall never was so clean...
******
4/9 Did my workout. Breviated but I did it. 10 minutes of walk-run, all the arm muscles to fatigue, several times. Doing this at home, I can move directly from doing pull-downs on the weight machine-thing to doing dead-man lifts to doing bicep curls. No pell work. No poking at tennis ball either. But I'm sweaty. Heading for shower and work.
****
4/8 Did a very brief workout. I need to give myself another challenge. I'm not motivated to do the work I need to do. But, this is funny, Van and I was talking about this one bruise I have and he reminded me there was an artery right there that got hit so of course the bruise is huge. But there's no blood sack there so I'm not bleeding out there. Ick. Just ick. What this man knows sometimes floors me.
*****
4/6 Practice update. I am getting better at both defense and offense, says bob. Which is good - I killed today. Not just taking it from the guys any more. and damn, something happened that really put me in the mood to take names and heads and make notches in my sword. Not going to talk about it more. So then I sat there cooling down long enough the adreniline started sliding back down and I almost started crying. Thankfully my number came up again and I was able to chase someone around the floor for a bit. Did a lot of fighting but I guess we didn't fight but maybe 2 hours? a bit less? With five fighters, but only two playing at a time, I don't know...we'll do a lot more on the field during melee season. Bob gave me homework of thrusting at a tennis ball on a string as my thrusts are just a bit shy of hitting consistently. I did not find an opportunity to use that vertical shot, although it was in the back of my head. Just did not see an opening. Did not ask anyone to work on it in armor; d and bob are both in crown mode.
*****
4/5 Does yard work count towards a workout?? I'll see what happens, how it feels. I'm going to do some pell work, practice those shots from Thursday. More later.
It's later. I did do the pell work I wanted. I did rake for two hours, plus the time needed to drive the stuff to the dump. I need to rebuild the white sword, I think the hose clamp is broken in there under the tape. Plus it's an older sword - I do not think the blade is placed right. At least not anymore. I guess I'm not completely sure how to place it so tomorrow am I'll try retaping it, and then hitting it before placing the blade to set the side for the blade. I got shy about the pell work cause I wasn't sure what to practice. grr. I need to find a list of shots and combos, no, need to create them, and then run through them on my own. I'm doing that; the vertical overhead shot that John does? I did that about 20-25 times, slow at first and then faster. Before that, working on the flat snap as Roisin suggested I do to get it up and over a shield. Visualizing also getting my basket inside a shield. That's smart to do that. Some basic combos, like flat snap, offside, rap, then out/clear shot. Oh shoot. I was going to work on the drill we did at the start of last drills. Huh. Oh well. practice tomorrow. not sure how much pell work I can get in tomorrow with practice going on.
*****
4/3 Drills. We got started about 6:45 on just warming up and on stretching. Finally started with some moving shots; move clockwise with a flat snap, move counter with a off-side shot. We were working on footwork and movement. Round and round. I didn't like my performance; kept getting too close. Couldn't get power with the off-side shots and moving in that circle. Didn't seem like I was getting any power. I finally got the feet down; need to work on that. The power never did develop though. But the guys were finally ok with my feet. Then we did some combos with that circling. I got dizzy with it.
Little John was asked to show his overhand shot, not because most of us are tall enough to throw it over someone's head but if I'm attacking someone on their knees, I can then. D worked with me for quite a while, building off that one shot to a couple of scenarios. Fulke and bob got into it. John and Karel was on the other side working on some shots. So. That shot sequence. Flat snap with a right step in. Close in with the left foot while snapping the sword to a hand-high vertical snappy thing. That should get the sword behind the shield at least, if no good blow lands. Pummel the shield down while just rotating the sword to strike a shield-side blow to the head or shoulder. So somewhere in there, my opponent should be dead.
Armor would be nice when doing some of these moves but I doubt there will be any of this drilling during armor time for at least a month.
****
4/1 I slept off and on most of the day. Catnaps, like the kitties around me. Also did 2 10 minute sessions of walk/run throughout the day and did some pell work, 100 shots. I'm weak. I can feel that. going to go back out I think while the fire is heating up before grilling hamburgers.
I'm thinking the pell work will eventually snap into place if I keep doing it. The two sessions today, about an hour a part cause I'm trying to wake up from the drugs now, thank you.
*******
3/31 I've got the cold. An icky cold that will probably have me down later tonight...got my workout in though. A short one of 25 minutes of run/walk, and lots of stretching. I'm sitting here not feeling good in the head and throat but my muscles feel good.
Cut a sword length of rattan tonight for using as an inside sword and for taking to the gym with the big mirrors.
I was talking to Lyulf about my workout schedule and how I never will ever get ahead if I don't do it regularly.
*******
Dern it. I lost part of this page somehow. The March 23rd post was here and it's gone now. Oh well. Mostly the fighting reports have been copied on the lj the last month.
OK, so I am going to let this journal be what Damiano suggested it be; a place to discuss with myself what my goals are and where I am at and what I am doing towards meeting them. And I’m going ahead and using this public forum, well possibly public forum, cause I need an audience. I’m not good at just talking to myself and trusting what I say, even after evaluation. Maybe I would be if I give myself lots and lots of writing time and consideration but I’ve not ever found it to be that way. Mostly I fall into the trap of whining, or rereading it and feeling like I’m whining. So I use this blog page and write out my heart and see what comes of it. I think of this more as a mind-game, this writing to an audience.
Drills, Thursday
I just realized I'd not posted a drills post...busy out. Yes, we got together on Thursday - Lyulf, Damiano, Little John, Thekla and Fiske. And me. We started off with many repetitions of basic snaps and wraps et al to warm up, did some combinations, did some more of all of it. Then moved to a range game, switching off who is pushing. A tic-tac-toe grid was put onto the floor with tape and we did some more range and movement work, trying to break a linear pattern it is so easy to fall into. That was the most fun, I think, seeing all the different ways we could partner up and change the game around. Falling off the grid meant you were out. Soon enough, though, with that small a group, to get rotated back in.
Fighting on Monday! Yeah! Sorta makes up for the Easter lack of.
Nordskogen practice March 11, 2008
I’d been looking forward to this practice all week, once I realized there was nothing preventing me from going. That is what vacation is for, right? Doing what you want, when?
So I got there right at 6:30, one of the first to get gear pulled in. Simonis was there, Nathaniel held the door for me, Zadok right behind me. I had fun chatting during gear up, which is probably why it took me 20 minutes to get everything on. People kept coming in I’d not seen for just ages, had to acknowledge that I saw them, had to let these people see how pleased I was to be there.
Warmed up with Nathaniel. A good clean set of fights. I cannot remember who won the most, just that I started breathing, didn’t die as quickly as I usually do, really enjoyed crossing swords with him. Then had Zadok in my sights – I asked him to fly at me and trigger fight-or-flight. Get the aggression up. I didn’t feel that it was going to happen on its own as I felt too comfortable. I did nothing but defend, I think cause I couldn’t get a sword stroke in there, lol, we danced around for a bit and man, it was like flipping a switch. Great trick. I am so glad Roisin taught that one to me.
Heh. Then Sir Tom showed up with the rattan, so I sorta offered to help carry it – help wasn’t needed – and got the purchase completed. Very glad to learn so much about rattan for various swords from Tom. Got that stowed in the car and back in. Pulled Edwin out to play, cause dern it, he kills me with that one shot he has. Over and over…I just kept coming for them, trying to figure out how that slot in my defense was so easy for him to claim, consistently, over and over. I think I just stood there for a while, letting him hit me so I could watch his sword coming in; not sure for how long. He told me later that my defenses finally tightened up and I closed that hole up. He is the one I think I went all defensive at, just moving and blocking. LOL I was trying to use the block-strike combo that Damiano suggested I use next time I came up against Edwin. I could get the block, sometimes, and other times I missed it OR he drove my own sword into my head. Just as dead, lol, cause I can’t see if it’s flat and do not have enough awareness of my blade edge to know. Anyway, great times.
Needed a break, so went over to talk to Beth and to Tekla about fighting – Beth is concentrating on her Florentine style. She looks marvelous. Great deal of poise, good form, strong defense to keep her alive long enough to get a kill shot. Well, we all die. She just looks good while trying to prevent it.
Stopped over to see Petronella’s project and discuss SUNrising. Petronella is working on a decorative hair fringe that is seen in some paintings of 15 C Italian, I think she said. So she had a very utilitarian trim loom with two-hole card heddles, working on the initial strap that wraps up on one side of the head to meet the strap from the other side, allowing the fringe to fall down against the neck and emphasize the lady’s graceful ways. Red thread on her shuttle. I checked back with her latter in the evening and she had the fringe mostly done too.
I enjoyed working with a new fighter, Libby. She loved to get up close and personal; found out she was a hockey player in high school. She’s probably going to love melee season, lol. Bright fighter. I let her practice her blows while I moved around a lot, then couldn’t help myself and started throwing back. I was having fun. Later in the evening, she and Edwin were playing and I saw her learning defense, trying to keep Edwin from killing her for as long as possible.
Simonis and I waited our turn and then went out. She is very aggressive and is working on tightening her own defenses. I think we did three kills, maybe four.
I had a couple of rounds with a fighter I cannot recall his name to save my soul. Dark, short hair, wears a NS tabard, nice smile, built kinda like a marine recruitment poster. I think I fought him there. I know I fought him during the Bear Pit. My last fight and we both thought it a heck of a good fight. But first I fought a couple other rounds, one with Vlad who landed a really nice snap on my head and at my ‘good!’ said ‘that wasn’t too hard?’ to which I said ‘nah…when they are too hard I cry’ and he said ‘oh now that would be very unfair.” LOL and all good. And not true – I never cry from a blow, just from adrenaline.
I got to talk to a lot of people, and nod to a couple more. I will say that there is a goodly number of women fighters training up in Nordskogen, a very exciting situation and yes, yes I confess. I cannot wait to see how it plays out during melee season with all of us with our lighter frames. How will the leaders there train differently? Can we work on training some of us older newbies in spear? Is it going to be best to have one or more sniper unit, to come in quick, kill as many as possible then haul ass out?
I really thought I would be all cry-y on the way home from adrenaline drop but instead I was humming most of the way home, thinking about the evening. Just now getting the report up so I hope it is worth the wait.
Monday, March 10 Nice little practice!
Well, I really enjoyed my fighting tonight, even though I was rather sloppy at the end. I got tired? Not really. Dander never came up, though, and I think mostly cause I am not settled in my mind what I need to do for my own training. I want to work on that tomorrow. So anyway, even though everyone had a high game going, there was just this really comfortable comraderie between everyone. People joking, lots of one-on-one training going on - and maybe I wasn't doing it but there was some very intense fighting going on. Edwin came down and he and Damiano worked for quite a while, and then he and Little John did two stick for a while longer, than everyone took a break, and then they started it all over again. Really nice to see. I was fighting whomever was open, trying to push my limits/endurance a bit more. Damiano spent some extra time trying to get me over being open to Edwin, who seems to get right over my shield every gosh-darn time. I'm going to try a new shield hold for a while and see what happens. Tomorrow even. Matasugu showed up at 7 with Rosamund; she didn't kit out tonight, just needed to get out of the house, she said. Anplica was there too, working on her basket of handcrafts, having fun talking to the fighters. It's nice to be supported, you know? Anyway, I fought as much as I could, saving some of me for tomorrow though when I go up to the Cities for that practice. I'm hoping I can get the adrenaline going up there and am also looking to have a great time with people I've not seen for awhile. Not at that practice, anyway.
Sunday, March 9 Fighting at Heraldshill
So it was me, Damiano, Johan, Patrick and Parmen in armor, plus a new fighter whose name I did not catch. For fun and for Patrick whose shield is not finished, we started off the day with single sword. I did some sword and board, I did some defensive training with Parm, I fought Patrick some more but he had a buckler at that point. Oh, and he is left-handed. And is tall...I have to get up closer to him cause the reach is longer and his sword is longer and if I stay back as I like, he can get me faster. I have to get closer than I like, lol. But he's good for me to fight because I have to get in there. I'm working as best I can on getting the hips involved, working on getting in there and figuring out how to maneuver in there while also protecting myself, and not closing my eyes. I did that today once and almost twice; before my adrenaline gets going, I can get a moment of panic. At least I don't turtle up, I guess that's something. I did some talking about great weapons with Parm. I never did fight the new guy or Johan. It was a good day. Not as good as Gulf Wars would have been, though. /sigh/ Oh well. One funny thing was that I was wearing my "property of Northshield Army" t-shirt and all the Hillians agreed that it was a v good shirt for a Northshield fighter to wear. If I get lost, they know where to return me. lol.
Thursday Feb 28
Drills!! These were just great this week. Let's see....bit of the Captain in me so I'll have the details sloppy. Maybe. Lyulf and Damiano started us off with some shield work. I was partnered with Karel, lefty, who is just fun to work with. We did the proscribed number of shots each side, switching off. We got through that and went into some extra shots, like wraps, like further than expected. I got ticked when I was told to be throwing like i meant it during slow work, though. If I'm to throw it with power, tell me to do that or otherwise I'm going to do the slow, 50-70% strikes i was told to stay with. Then we did some combos, same idea, to build muscle memories.
Then moved to shield work. That was awesome fun. Just a really safe chance to see how to the shield press can be done correctly, how it works, how to use that shield of mine. I fell usually between Karel and Fulke in the rotation although I did get to work with Rosamund as well. Think I chased Damiano around the place once too. The space is only big enough for one pair at a time. So we started with just footwork, keeping distance when defending, forcing distance when attacking. Then the shield presses.
Drills are all good. I'm getting to practice stuff in a safe way. I've been working through some videos I was sent. I shared them with our trainers as well as sending them on to the other fighters. Really looking forward to practice in armor on Sunday, though. grrr.
Monday, Feb 25
Practice - ummmm....Little John, Lyulf, Damiano, Fulke, Tobin, Rosamund, myself. Karel is sidelined with injury, Aigelene was there. Rapier had Charles and Gavin.
I warmed up with Damiano, then fought John, who I ended up fighting the most last night. He freaked me out by switching sides, then graciously offered to switch back cause I was making so much noise about facing him with the sword on the wrong hand. I didn't let him. I've not ever had problems with my hand and my opponent's hand clashing so much, I think. Playing a lefty, his height and all, well, our basket's kept tangling up and frustrating a shot I'd see. But that was later. oh, and he gets in and throws an over-handed shot on my head, a lot. I do not have enough strength, or at least do not know how to use my strength, to play in close and that's where he does really well.
I'm afraid that with Fulke I played too much of a waiting game, moving about trying to get a shot around that shield. He has a tight defense. So lots of circling, and he backs up right pretty. I fought everyone but Rosamund, who was in learning mode last night and mostly had fighters correcting shots and moves, doing the training thing.
I was working on hip movement last night, and also continuing to learn to use the shield. I'm moving it too much but I am getting it on an opponent's basket/hilt better, using that technique of getting behind his shield. Adrenaline. I really wanted to take heads last night. V cool to achieve, v hard to come down off of. Started dropping as soon as the armor started coming off and really didn't make it to the privacy of my car before some of the group came over to see why I looked so upset as I was leaving so they got to see me tearing up and having trouble talking and trying to stay composed so I could drive home. Yeah, was all emotional most of the way home but that's OK. Lubricates the contacts. Natural process and the flip side of building up a head of steam, you know?
Saturday, Feb 23 Fighter School at Windhaven
I love this event. I’ve been twice – the first time I didn’t know anyone, didn’t know what to expect, came only to try to authorize (did it!) and then to see what I could learn. I was really kinda stunned by the whole experience if I’m remembering correctly.
This year was just the opposite. I didn’t even have a blow that stunned me. (Some people did, I gather. Broken cups a stunning opportunity to stop for the day, I’m thinking.)
Classes.
First one was Sword and Buckler with Sir Daffyd. Interestingly enough, Karel would have recognized this work as it started with the sword block, transfer to shield to trap opponent’s sword, then kill shot. He discussed weaving, moving to the 45 degree angles and never head on with sword and buckler. To work at keeping buckler between me and the other’s sword. Drill partner was Abelard. Nice guy. His Majesty worked with me and Daffyd also came back over and answered questions, corrected me. I kept not thinking and blocking with the shield instead of the sword. Oops. Drill = don’t stop but continue with those three moves, back and forth, moving to angles and staying slow but concise.
Second was three minisessions on polearm work. I meant to take the beginning one the session before and got into the sword and buckler. Sir Tom , Sir Gunther and Sir Kaydian ran us all through a lot of material – I had a full head. Didn’t get it all down in my notes…fortunately, Tom is very accessible to me via Nordskogen practice so I can get that again. Things that stick are ‘sticky handed sticks’ Range and pushing each other off. Spear – roof – grappling ranges. I so sucked at this last one. Doing C-and J-Hooks and when to use them and how people react and how to read their reactions and use it to your advantage. Drills – Move between those three ranges and back out. Move and throw blows from each range/ block from each range. Play sticky hand from each range. Practice C/J hook.
Last session was with Sir Seigfred – I know I’m not getting the total titles these men have earned correct, probably not even spelling their names…anyway, this was a session about moving. About body mechanics and building strength through using the feet, legs and hips correctly to generate power. To exaggerate in drills. To move at the angles again. Then we paired up and worked on power-generation. I partnered with Fulke and we just went to town on that. This was when Roisin was gracious enough to help me get Fulke’s moves down and made my day by telling me to go ahead and do wraps, giving me the opportunity I so don’t know how to do these properly, instinctively, on request. LOL at self. Drills include power-generation until my arm falls off, either one. Wow. My arms are stiff today from that one.
I still have melees and pickup work to talk about but it’s bed time. Johnny Depp did not get the oscar I’ve been watching for all night…this was a great weekend and I am going to say more.
Thursday, Feb 21
Drills. What to say? We warmed up, we threw stick. I got to work a lot with Fiske, doing the ... got interrupted by lots of phone calls and IMing tonight. I'll write this up tomorrow.
Tuesday, Feb 19th
I worked out at like 8:15 pm! A good one, too, but there is a lot of people there. Not a bad thing, though. I also got one in yesterday but it was just a walk. Anyway, yeah me!
Sunday, Feb 17th
Got a work out in today and yesterday. And one tomorrow, too. Sorta sore this evening, lol at self.
Thursday, Feb 14
Small group tonight so we were able to hunker down and focus on repetition and fine-tuning. Footwork! There is a wrap-pop shield-offside head combo that we went over and over as I was having a heck of a time with the footwork. It was my funky foot stance and the need to just step out on the right a bit more, then push the opponent back with that shield contact, and then step forward with the left while landing a off-side head shot. Or arm shot...whatever. The guys mostly have a traditional stance and start that combo with a proper step forward by that right foot. Mostly. Really, got to be able to throw it with either foot forward AND in the middle of a fight so necessary to deliver this, or any other appropriate combination.
We also worked a lot with getting in leg shots. Using a shield to the best advantage. Dropping the sword into a wing block and then whipping it out to wack someone. It was fun and good and I'm tired - and I'm not v good with the fighting reports unlike a couple other fighters I know who put some lovely essays online. But anyway, I'm going to start putting my own reports into my lj too and see what suggestions I may get back.
Monday, Feb 11
Van met me at Savers for a walk around - we found a couple of books. Then went on over to practice site to get good parking spots and just sit and talk for a while. Edwin showed up first, then Damiano, then we started pulling gear in as the rest of the group arrived. We had eight heavy fighters and three rapier fighters and Aigeline as our lone A&S rep. Edwin, Damiano, Lyulf, Theaward, Karel, John, Little John, Tristan, and myself. Charles and Aletheia and Alishea, there to try out rapier.
Games were hot this evening. I got enough fighting, got the dander up and felt my own game go up. For example, first round with Karel, he kept rapping my butt. Went out later and told him 'no way are you getting that shot on me again." and no, he didn't. I did not let him in...felt good. Want more of that. But tonight, yeah. I used it all up. Karel, one of our newer fighters, was doing well. I try not to speak for any other fighter in this blog, but Karel, who will tell you he's not got a lot of stamina, was one of the two last fighters out there. Edwin was ready to go back out for one more but the last two dancers both were done at the same time pretty much. Some good bruises, the biggest on my upper thigh and about palm-sized and already sore. Yeah!!
Sunday Feb 10
Heraldshill practice was small but good - there was only four of us in armor. Patrick, Little John, Johan and myself. I got a good set of fights, and some nice suggestions. I need to get my pell dug out and then work on power shots from three inches - both John and Johan were talking about twisting the body so as to have a lot of power behind the blow. Only problem is that you have to be that close...I hate close fighting. well no. I don't do it very well. I've not the upper arm strength to keep a shield up that far, long enough to wait out a person swinging at me until they make a mistake. Ah well. Life is about the challenges.
Saturday, Feb 9
Got a good aerobic-with-weights workout, nothing too heavy so lots of reps. and the full time I want. I get to fight the next two days! Going to work on sword now...
Thursday, February 7th
Wow. That was a very powerful and useful and enjoyable set of drills. We were pretty much swinging stick for two hours. Nine of us drilling - Tobin, Rose, Damiano, Lyulf, Fulke, Karel, John, Fiske and me. An was knitting at the side. We had two pells going.
Started with basic flat snap and off-side drills, we worked on perfecting those most of the night. Supervised drills on one pell (v new fighter), others of us just taking turn on the other. Other sets were combos of certain blows. We did single sword blocking in pairs, slow work, snap and off-side, wackity-wack, wackity-wack. Ended the evening with a really fun drill - Lyulf and Damiano sat there calling out a set of blows and the goal was to correctly follow the mix-up. Heh. Fun! I was disappointed when Lyulf called for a set of flat snaps to end the evening so they ran us through that one a second time.
Anyway, great time tonight. Going to have two in-armor practices on Sunday and Monday, too. Oh! And the knees will work with just a bit of extra leather on the inside of each - they don't quite point well enough. And they click sorta funny-like.
Sunday, February 2nd
Evening -- no pell work but I did get to the gym. 20 minutes of aerobic and the rest in weights. Felt so good. why do I not force myself to do this? It feels right.
Hromnice Recap
This tourney field had three lists, three types of tourneys, all running at the same time and all round robin. So I got 5 fights the first tourney, seven the second, got a couple of good warmups. Lost all of them; my head wasn't in the game at all. heh. Still had a good time! It was a really fun setup and I got nicely tired so when the big players were doing the final fights, I was content to watch. Going to go work out, also dig out the pell today.
Thursday, January 31
Spontaneous melee practice broke out! That was fun - Break into two-on-two and slow work happens around a variety of attack scenarios.Evaluate what I can do with the field in front of me. Refight old battles and celebrate the victories. Break into two-on-one and more slow work. Bring in the imaginary troupes (back from rezz point) and lead them to a successful charge.
There was a goodly amount of slow work, particularly with Tom. The guys would demonstrate or walk us through a shot but there was little of that repetition to help develop muscle memory and ownership, although a few times I forced that when I needed it. I'll also just leave them talking and go do pell work on my own, lol, slow work w/o the noisy. whacking that interrupts the talking. Or, heavens, ask someone to do slow work...
Monday, January 28th
OK, I had fun tonight. Swung a good amount of stick, did some defensive work as the opportunity arose. I think it is good to just set the goal to stay alive as long as possible, just defending. The mood of the practice was odd, though; I don't think it's a bad thing, totally. Just had a couple of regular fighters not kit out but go home early, and we had two newer fighters. Rosamund came out again and Tom, who has been doing drills and has fought a good amount last summer but has switched to being a lefty, was in armor tonight too. Newly moved-in Little John joined the group tonight, too, which is cool.
huh. I fell asleep... more later.
Sunday, January 27th
My main blog has the info about "It's only a Flesh Wound." I had a great time. I really enjoyed talking to everyone, all the pickups and the tourney fighting. I've slowly realized that the fire in my belly comes from eventing and this weekend was one of those fire-stoking events. So I'm going to drill some holes in my new shield, now. Practice tomorrow.
Thursday, Jan 23rd
Hi! Fighter drills tonight - good turnout. Lots of talking and teaching. A good amount of stick-throwing I guess but really, I needed a lot more tonight. I so wanted to be in armor and fighting. Can't wait until the weekend.
Monday, Jan 21st
I've done nothing at all, fighting-wise, this entire week. I feel like a slug. I need to start the self-motivation up again and then follow it to where-ever it leads me.
Monday Jan 14th
My father died about 18 months ago and I got news today the estate is about through probate or whatever it is. I'm getting a sum of money and I wanted to get something for just me. Not using all of it, not nearly, and yes, I'm anticipating. It's ok. I've not expected much from the man my whole adult life so I guess it's ok to anticipate now. I ordered an oval center-grip shield and edging from Windrose and then the centerboss and handle from Icefalcon. Plus some new black plastic sword baskets. So I'm buying things that protect me while I fight; yeah, the irony does not escape me. It's all good. I will fight much and get quicker and get spiffier with the armor and garb under it. Still, underneath it all is me. Just me.
Maybe I should get new pauldrons too.
Sunday, Jan 13th
Heraldshill Fighter Practice. I drove down to Riceville Iowa today to fight the Hillians. They had four fighters turn out; Ansgar, Parman, Johan, and someone whose name I did not catch. SM had myself and Damiano. I fought every Hillian there, Johan several times and the unnamed fellow as well. Parm and I only danced the once I think; they got into polearming and great sword and axe work about halfway through. And I am going to have to borrow a Calontir-approved polearm and come play that game next time; I barely know how to hold one, it seems sometimes. I got all shy and didn't push myself forward, which I'm kinda ashamed of as I type here cause I know better. That's why it's called practice. I also dealt with adreniline reaction most of the way home...so it was a personally good practice. I didn't ask the guys to do anything to trigger it this time. Anyway, Ansgar pointed out that we had not fought yet as the practice was winding down and I got some more stick time. I was working with the shorter sword. I like it. I need more time with it but it does force me to get in and work a bit closer. It's....about 5-6 inches shorter than my usual sword cause it is one of those with the hilt cut off. And he had some good suggestions; I really need to learn to turtle up better against taller fighters. Esp those who love to do that scorpion wrap!
Thursday, Jan 10th
"In the Company of Fighters"
My new breastplate came in last night so of course today I had to take it to drills and show it off and stuff. The out-of-the-box bit of armor is about...well...4-5 inches too small around my tummy. And those nice guys I fight, not one of them suggested that maybe if I'd loose some weight I wouldn't need to add some panels to it. Wasn't that sweet? They were all about ideas of how to make it fit better by expanding it and how to make it safe for the field, and then what a shame to cover it if I wanted to be well protected but still looking in period. No snarky comments about being a *bit* short and plump. I appreciate that! And am laughing at myself. It is time to change.
Thekla, Lu, Karel, Fulke and myself were run through our drills. Started with single sword, off hand. Both sides of the pell. Combo work. With movement. With shield. Against a lefty. With hilts and with baskets; we were discussing looking for openings at that point and sorta broke up in pairs working on angles, asking questions and always, supporting each other and learning and preparing for armor-and-stick time.
Monday, Jan 7th pm
Lord Wilhelm and three of his fighting team came over to play tonight, one of who went to the rapier side. So we had eight on the heavy side and five on the rapier. And I ldo like having the new people to fight. Wilhelm and I did S&S work and one of his guys, a wiry guy with a strange technique worked with me on polearm. The fun of Wilhelm is that he is tall and has this reach; I think if I could get in behind that reach I could get him. I could. I did chase him around; he backs up very quickly. The polearmer has this annoying way of hooking my left arm against his elbow once we get to grappling, and he does want to grapple cause that technique works very well for him. So he killed me a couple of times and then showed me how to get around that and then we did some more fighting, ending up with the grappling cause I wanted to practice it so didn't let the range game last too long. Also I'm very aware I've got so much to learn that I want to let people teach me what their own strong game is and then I will learn from them and get better.
Rosamund came out tonight and kitted out. Spent a lot of time in armor and about a third of that on the floor swinging. She looked like she was having fun and all. Good to have another lady on the field.
I fought my own guys as much as I could but mostly I am tired today and was not giving them as good a fight as I should. Plus we were all having some fun with our guests. But yeah, good evening. Spent 7-9 in armor and most of that with the helm on. Didn't try to count kills tonight, just got out there and fought as much as I could.
Sunday, Jan 6th PM
It's going to be hard to flip the number of kills versus deaths ratio cause I have trouble keeping them all in my head. I'll keep working on it.
Re-adding full arm protection to my kit did not detract from my fighting so I'm going to keep using it. My right arm is now pointed on. I've got the left ready to point as well and humm....need to find my elbow pads and I will. Oh. LOL. They have the metal floater cups attached to them, don't they?? oh yeah....
Well, I got the fighting to talk about but I'm going to run to the gym. I could not hold up my shield for as long as I wanted so proof I can't slack on the weights, there.
This is later; I did the weights. Yeah me. Back to practice; Fiske, Tekla, Theoward, Lyulf, Damiano, myself in armor. Karel on the side. I did not ever get full aggression. But I fought every chance I got. Spent time with everyone but Fiske. Mostly don't see Terry's shots coming in and I've not fought him enough since I began analyzing fights. Damiano's are coming in on the left side of my head each time, and I know they are going to come that way and just haven't got the defenses up there long enough. Lyulf waits until the guard drops and then bang, usually the same shot but it varies; he loves catching me with a rising snap, selling me the leg. Not much else to say today. We've a bigger practice tomorrow with Mankato people coming over so that'll be fun again.
Saturday, Jan 5th
Armoring today! Tom opened his shop to the regular fighters to do some work. I got a sword cut down - i was just going to cut off the aluminum cross-guard and reuse it but on the Girls Forum was reading about people just loving that secondary weapon when they are using a polearm in melee and that many of them either carry an axe or a short sword. So I'm looking at this lovely piece of rattan that I have just loved using, and thought "why not??" Tomorrow I will probably find out why not, lol. and then again and again until I either figure out the weapon is good in my hands and under my control, or it's not for me.
I got a rivet back into my gauntlet. I advised Fulke in hammering down a ton of rivets in his new Icefalcon breastplate. Got advice myself about this new sword length. We drilled a hole in the bowling ball and Tom gave me the rod and glue to secure it. Handles for my sheild are cut and formed and I just need to do the attaching work. Lyulf has new body armor. Karel has some really nice armor, omg nice armor, and so does Fulke. Both of them are working on getting it ready to hit the field but Fulke has to wait for final pieces to come in. Which makes me think - I should dig out the liver-colored gambeson and point my leather elbows to it, darn it all. If I'm going to keep fighting new weapon styles, I need to be sure I've the best protection I can get. Anyway, it was a very companionable day today. The four of us got a lot done, a lot more than I'm saying here. Plus we did a bit of cleaning.
I am going to go to Heraldshill's practice on Jan 13th, and am hoping to make it to a Jara practice in February. When Lu gave me the really cool scrapbook of all the places we've been this year, I saw how much fun it was. And I realized I did go a lot of places without her, too, and that was a lot of fun. I've no idea how many Nordskogen practices I hit. I miss them. I need to get up there too but with two local practices I can't. Not without peeving Van; I'm usually out at least one other night for Shire gatherings as well. So yeah, three nights a week is about my limit. This isn't so much about fighting, is it, this entry? Oh well. Sorta is.
Thursday Jan 3rd
A good fighter drills. Nice to see Tekla and Fiske come out and drill with us. But I'm very tired and need to sleep. /sigh/ I may have time some time this weekend to write more.
Wednesday, Jan 2, pm
The rest of my life starts tomorrow. I promises myself I'll get some thoughts down and do the goal work. But tonight, I'm writing in here cause I got a bowling ball - bright green. It's a Falcon brand, though, not a parrot. Anyway, will make a handy head for the pell, I'm thinking.
Tuesday, Jan 1, am
I did 25 warm-up snaps, then did some combo work, then did that fake crouch-pop up and hit them on the off-side shot we worked on last Thursday, and then did some slow work on the flat snap done correctly and with my shoulder back but hitting the leg, not the head. Then finished off with some crazy throwing myself at firing as many shots as I can.
If I get shoulders and a bowling ball on the pell, which is right now at nose height, I'll be good, I think.
Sunday Dec 30 pm
It was my day for Lyulf to pick on me, but he called later and we talked about it and I told him it was OK. How else am I gonna learn? And yeah, I certainly can say 'Hey, Lyulf, this is just the way I fight and I'll try what I can try that you suggest and if I don't want." It was mostly in an effort to get me to perfect/correct blows.
mmmm....stuff to do. I'll be back to finish this...it really was a good practice but I gotta make soup.
It's later, like 11:35. At practice was Karel on the side and Lyulf, Damiano, Kerry (mundane name) and me in armor. Kerry is a student at UMN and a member of Tor Aerie. I remember the glee of the fighters at Nordskogen practice to have four new fighters come out of Tor Aerie this year. Happy! Kerry is one of them; her home is in this area but her life right now is in the Cities. She helped organize the Japanese event, I've seen her at several practices. She's friendly.
So we fought longer today. Not sure if Kerry's presence gave us the breaks we need or what but stamina on this old gal was a bit longer. Karel's urging for me to breathe was useful, too. So I thanked him by letting him use me as a pell - not totally selfless of me cause he got to practice on a moving target BUT I got to defend. Working on defense is just as important as anything else, in my mind.
Then we got the Don out and did some drills, after the armor was put away and some resting happened. It was obvious that all of us wanted to get her past the chicken-winging she is doing before her arm gets all black and blue for good. I think that is one very important addition to our drill work is doing - creating an atmosphere of mutual support. It's a start. Not sure where it will go but it's a start. I know where i would like it to go but then this is not my arena to guide. I'm a participant and yeah, an active one.
I think I need to start travelling again, out and about to various fighter practices. Mankato...do they have an indoor site? Isn't Heraldshill about the same distance? I want to get up to Nordskogen in January, too. Ah well. Time to plan that out tomorrow...it's almost midnight and time to sleep.
Saturday, Dec 29 am
Got a workout in this morning. Touch down!
Thursday, Dec 27 pm
Drills went really well. Again. It's getting to be scarily enjoyable. We worked on double-pumps, including fakes, and some wraps. We started out on the wraps, and I thought it was going to look like it would stay on wraps but then we got to doing the double-pumps and just kept finding ways to vary them, to shift weight and throw it differently-but-still-similar-enough-to-recognize. Lots of fun. Towards the end of the evening, Karel's shield was grabbed up and used extensively to help drive home the need to get up and over, get just past the shield and throw the snap, to use the shield to protect effectively.
Next week, everyone is bringing shields and we are all going to focus on getting a shot over a shield. Oh that'll be amusing...
Oh! Speaking of amusing...we were talking about getting around a really tall fighter and how that height changes angles of blows and shieldwork. Seeing Damiano jump onto a small bench and saying "OK, if I was Leif, and you are throwing that shot at me, where am I going to move the