Tomorrow is Silver Arrow. A small tourney in a Shire about 1 1/2 hours north. The Shire of Bitter End.
The cool thing, provided it doesn't snow is that it's an outdoor tourney. I don't think I have fought outside since September Crown. Looking forward to it.
Spent some time watching some fight videos from another practice. I think I am going to develop a better leg. Seems from watching these videos that a lot of guys just don't defend em very well. Me included.
Tomorrow though is a tourney, so we shall go and fight, have fun.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Fight Warm-up
At the workshop HG Owain suggested that fighters come up with a quick warm-up that they could do on a muddy field at a Crown.
I am of two minds for this. This is a physical workout and a warm-up is always a good thing. So definetely a good idea especially at a practice. At a crown tourney the time between getting ready and actually fighting can be considerable. I am not sure how effective this might be. On the other side I am not sure how long the effects of a warm-up last. I will have to look into it.
Either way I can see a mental benefit to it as a way of focussing and turning your body to fight mode.
So pulling from HG Owain and his routine and adding in some thoughts of my own.
Neck front to back
Neck ear to elbow
Neck side to side
Arm circles foward
Arm circles back
Chest openers
Cossak Squats
OH Squats
Behind back arm stretches
IT stretch
I suspect I will add and subtract from this for a little while before I have the warm-up down to where I want it.
I am of two minds for this. This is a physical workout and a warm-up is always a good thing. So definetely a good idea especially at a practice. At a crown tourney the time between getting ready and actually fighting can be considerable. I am not sure how effective this might be. On the other side I am not sure how long the effects of a warm-up last. I will have to look into it.
Either way I can see a mental benefit to it as a way of focussing and turning your body to fight mode.
So pulling from HG Owain and his routine and adding in some thoughts of my own.
Neck front to back
Neck ear to elbow
Neck side to side
Arm circles foward
Arm circles back
Chest openers
Cossak Squats
OH Squats
Behind back arm stretches
IT stretch
I suspect I will add and subtract from this for a little while before I have the warm-up down to where I want it.
First new practice
Last night was the first implemenation of thew new practice ideas shown to us by HG Owain and HE Alden. We are looking to turn practice into a learning and training space, not a sparring free for all.
It was also the first practice I led and I think it went off pretty well. We started a few minutes late, 7:15 as opposed to the 7:00 start time, but not too bad.
My original schedule for practice looked like this
I was initially scared that the 20 minutes at the end of the practice was going to be far too short a time for the pit, but there was only 3 of about 12 of us left fighting at the end, so I guess everyone got their fill.
We also have a couple of new fighters, one older (Gareth, an accomplished archer) and one younger(Darian). It will be interesting to see them progress with the new style of practice.
Feedback from the practice seemed positive. One of our exprienced fighters, who was unable to attend the workshop, said she enjoyed it, which was good to hear.
It was also the first practice I led and I think it went off pretty well. We started a few minutes late, 7:15 as opposed to the 7:00 start time, but not too bad.
My original schedule for practice looked like this
- Warm-up: Dynamic stretching
- Slow work
- Sword footwork drill
- First blood
- Shield line drill
- Bear Pit
- Warm-up: Dynamic stretching ~5mins
- Slow work ~10 mins
- First blood, ~30 mins
- Shield line drill, ~15 minutes
- Critique fights (2 pairs) ~30 mins
- Bear Pit, last 20 minutes
I was initially scared that the 20 minutes at the end of the practice was going to be far too short a time for the pit, but there was only 3 of about 12 of us left fighting at the end, so I guess everyone got their fill.
We also have a couple of new fighters, one older (Gareth, an accomplished archer) and one younger(Darian). It will be interesting to see them progress with the new style of practice.
Feedback from the practice seemed positive. One of our exprienced fighters, who was unable to attend the workshop, said she enjoyed it, which was good to hear.
Practice
Drill thoughts & Practice orgnization
Organization
Warm-up: dynamic stretches
Slow: Helm off slow work
Active Warm-up: First blood line drill
Drill Segment: Partner and line
Endurance: Bear Pit
Drill ideas
LD = Line Drill
PD = Partner Drill
Shield position (LD)
Pig throws 6 consecutive head shots
Attacker throws onside leg to offside head
Modifcation: Attacker throws a single shot after the 6th blow is thrown.
Concept: Pig won't know where to defend. I feel in the last incarnation even if we threw legg offside head, we still knew those two shots were coming.
Line can call shield position to remind the Pig.
Opening Gambit Leg Strike (LD)
3 shot combo. Once slow, Once fast
1: Strike to foul weapon
2: Strike to offside
3: Strike to onside leg, snap or wrap.
Sword Foot Work (PD)
Partners stand square to each other. Palms raised and facing each other at chest height, they suspend a sword, parallel to the ground, between them.
Lead: takes steps
Follower: maintains position
Do not let the sword fall.
Sustained Strike (PD)
Attacker throws a 6+ combination, defender defends. After a few rounds are complete fighters discuss and then switch places
Warm-up: dynamic stretches
Slow: Helm off slow work
Active Warm-up: First blood line drill
Drill Segment: Partner and line
Endurance: Bear Pit
Drill ideas
LD = Line Drill
PD = Partner Drill
Shield position (LD)
Pig throws 6 consecutive head shots
Attacker throws onside leg to offside head
Modifcation: Attacker throws a single shot after the 6th blow is thrown.
Concept: Pig won't know where to defend. I feel in the last incarnation even if we threw legg offside head, we still knew those two shots were coming.
Line can call shield position to remind the Pig.
Opening Gambit Leg Strike (LD)
3 shot combo. Once slow, Once fast
1: Strike to foul weapon
2: Strike to offside
3: Strike to onside leg, snap or wrap.
Sword Foot Work (PD)
Partners stand square to each other. Palms raised and facing each other at chest height, they suspend a sword, parallel to the ground, between them.
Lead: takes steps
Follower: maintains position
Do not let the sword fall.
Sustained Strike (PD)
Attacker throws a 6+ combination, defender defends. After a few rounds are complete fighters discuss and then switch places
Changes to practice
For as long as I can remeber practice has consisted of sparring.
I started in the Shire of Cold Keep, in An Tir and for us practice consisted of a more exprienced fighter teaching us basic shots and sparring.
I moved to the Barony of Montengarde in 2001. I was not hugely active initially, but as I became more active and started attending practices I saw largely the same thing.
This works to some degree. I got some skill out of sparring and event fighting. However some of us here obviously wanted more and discussions occured and we spoke with Knights who were involved in a more structured practice.
After these discussions we adopted a slow work portion to practice where we would step through some combination, or practuce basics. These additions were excellent, as simple as they were. They engaged people who were interested in practice but hadn't had the opportunity.
Recently we held a workshop with His Grace Owain Ap Einar and His Excellency Alden Ap Owain. We did two classes, one on psychology and one on how they organize practice. Day two of the workshop was a practice using much of what they brought to the table.
The workshops were in my opinion pretty successful, I know I took home a fair bit from both classes. The group as a whole was anxious to try out the new concepts for practice that they had shown us.
I started in the Shire of Cold Keep, in An Tir and for us practice consisted of a more exprienced fighter teaching us basic shots and sparring.
I moved to the Barony of Montengarde in 2001. I was not hugely active initially, but as I became more active and started attending practices I saw largely the same thing.
This works to some degree. I got some skill out of sparring and event fighting. However some of us here obviously wanted more and discussions occured and we spoke with Knights who were involved in a more structured practice.
After these discussions we adopted a slow work portion to practice where we would step through some combination, or practuce basics. These additions were excellent, as simple as they were. They engaged people who were interested in practice but hadn't had the opportunity.
Recently we held a workshop with His Grace Owain Ap Einar and His Excellency Alden Ap Owain. We did two classes, one on psychology and one on how they organize practice. Day two of the workshop was a practice using much of what they brought to the table.
The workshops were in my opinion pretty successful, I know I took home a fair bit from both classes. The group as a whole was anxious to try out the new concepts for practice that they had shown us.
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