Devon
Forum Replies Created
-
Week 1 Focus
Focus: Shoulder strength, more powerful movement in assaults, daily sword meditation.
Schedule: Monday to Sunday starting everyday with 20 minutes of sword movement and sitting meditation. Then putting in at least 30 minutes of training each day. At least 2 videos during the week.
Plan: Practicing the assalto and working on translating and interpreting projects when I’m having a slower start.
Contingency: Just the meditation or read some of Marozzo or Fiore.
-
Day 2
Sword meditation then half hour of working on the assalto. More vigor and attitude. Also videod it all which was part of my objective for the week. Felt good.
-
Day 1
Sword meditation with longsword and sidesword.
In the afternoon spent time working on experiments with Marozzo’s assault and filming them in the backyard.
-
-
lol I’m sure Quintin would love it if you showed up with a lightsaber.
-
Would love to see you. Also note that in the new format they’re easier to attend on-demand as well. So hit them whenever you can!
-
Nice work Paul! Glad to hear that you’ve got a new dummy that’s working well for you.
The solo work is and will pay off and I hope you can find a partner to work with soon!
-
Week 4 Reflection
Victory Laps: Really feel great that I got a sword meditation in every morning as my absolute first thing. Even before putting on the kettle.
Aha moments: I’m digging deep into the idea of being a “warrior”. Its relevance to modern martial training and culture in the arts as we practice them (not on real battlefields) and how or if the archetype and idea of the warriors journey can serve modern practitioners.
Course corrections: I didn’t get my video done yet this week. I plan to get out tomorrow. I think I’m getting too precious about what I’m planning to shoot.
Next week shoot a few vids in their rawest state.
-
Day 7
Sword meditation in the morning. This time some time with both two swords and sword alone. Was a bit hard to get going but I did and was happy to.
Then I spent a few hours teaching all of you about Sword in Armour. Was a grand time and some good practice in for me as well.
-
Day 6
Sword mediation, then 45 minutes working on Marozzo’s this assault.
-
Day 5
Sword meditation to start with my longsword.
An hour of sidesword movement and flow practice.
An hour of sidesword class with a focus on grappling entries.
-
Day 4
20 minutes of sword and sitting meditation, this time with longsword. Then another 20 minutes of sidesword with an emphasis on intensity and combination actions. Working on some more rigorous strengthening of some core muscle groups I’ve retrained.
Then got in 1 hour of longsword in longsword class and 1 hour of rapier in rapier class. Both excellent and enjoyable practice and teaching sessions for me.
Good day.
-
Day 3
Second day of sword meditation followed by sitting meditation. Loved it again, did it outside in the warm cloudy day today.
After that I spent 30 minutes working on the Marozzo assalto and videoing it. My 360 camera is actually ideal for doing this. I don’t ever have to worry about moving out of frame!
-
Day 1
I have friends who run a juggling practice locally. They brought their clubs and balls, I brought my sword. Spent about 30 minutes practicing flow patterns, then spent another 20 minutes shooting videos of the first assault where I completely stepped out of frame in every one. 🙂
Day 2
First day of sword meditation. Was really nice. Focused on connecting with my back and the ground. Moved slowly throughout.
Then spent 30 minutes on Marozzo’s third assault. Book time with translating and interpreting.
-
This is a really great form Jade. I really like the multiple clearing actions in the beginning. You’re getting really good big arms in this (meaning you’re working your back and shoulders well in these cuts). The footwork is crisp and your order is good. It has all the components as requested as well. Signed off.
Feedback:
You made a comment in your thread about potentially being a bit pidgeon toed. The main thing I’d watch for is the knee coming in out of alignment of the toe. You can see this in a few of your steps. Spend some more time on the bracing sequence and then bringing that same activation into your movement.You make a roverso mezzano using the true edge without the lead hand being under the sword. This can be weaker. Look at the cutting form to review the mechanics of the reversi (two forms).
Similar to my comments on the Gioco Stretto form, I think you would do well to exit further from play. If you’d made a hit (as you show in your partnered version) a proper exit takes you at least one more passing step away from where the hit is made (what if he’s not really disabled?)
nice work.
-
Jade this is a really nice play build. The order in your cuts is really good, your steps and postures are well formed and you’re getting into them really cleanly. I’m signing this off in your masterclass. Now some feedback:
A niggily detail to work on here: Extend your arms fully in thrusts before you step. Notice that both when you’re extending your thrust into posta longa and into finestra that you’re extending your arms while stepping. Fully extend first then step. You don’t have to pause at the end of the extension but make sure the sword fully controls that space before you enter it.
A larger thing to think about: Exit from play.
This play would be improved with a clearer exit from play. At the end you step out but then you re-enter with a new thrust. You’d do well to perhaps thrust while stepping away. It’s a good way to think of any action in sparring, plan always to get in under cover, do your plan, and then get out under cover (which can mean both parrying and attacking while you retreat). If you always work these pieces you’ll tend to be safer and more successful and have a plan to get out may be the most essential piece.