Devon
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Welcome back home Tai. Good to see you here. I hope you’re able to get things back on good standing with your group!
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April training is continuing along well. I have continued my focus on two sword. Including some sparring sessions where I only use two-sword regardless of the weapons of my opponents.
Another thing I have been working on is reading the Anonimo Riccardiano in Italian (it’s only available in Italian). The most challenging has been reading the modern translator’s introduction which includes a ton of vocabulary about binding, printing, and research that I’m unfamiliar with. So it’s been a good process!
This week my intention is to keep practicing two sword on the regular and to start re-interpreting Marozzo’s second assault of the sword in two hands. That’s the big project for VISS. Which has filled!
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April 26th – Spent time today working on doing the Meyer Square with 2 swords. Very interesting working through this pattern with one sword cutting the other sword covering, working through all the cuts of the square then switching to the opposite sword/cover and going through it again.
Tomorrow it’s my running + sword workout day. Then Thursday on to work on the Marozzo sword in two hands.
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Day 24 – Man totally thrown off my schedule this morning and did not get to my sword practice first thing as I normally do (though I did spend an hour practicing conversational Italian!)
However later in the evening I ended up hopping in to assist an instructor training session so I got an hour sword in hand both coaching and participating.
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Days 19 to 23
Couple nice full days of swordplay working on the two sword assault and teaching it. Then a couple bare minimum days where I did a small amount of practice and filled in my other 20 minutes with reading.
Today I got in a ton of time. Martial meditation in the morning followed by an hour of practice on longsword forms then teaching for two hours. The 24 cut form and the flow form with a bunch of enthusiastic apprentices.
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Days 11 to 18
It has been a stressful time with changing restrictions at Duello but I have clung to my personal training practice and that has been a good thing.
Most days I have started with my martial meditation and have continued to focus on two sword patterns.
This past weekend I was in Chicago where I got to teach a two day seminar–this was brilliant. I had my sword in hand a lot, craved getting to practice as much as my students but at least enjoyed having my mind in swordplay for 14 hours.
Since returning home to Bellingham I have been just working to keep the rhythm alive. Today that meant my martial meditation followed by 25 minutes working on reading and re-interpreting Manciolino’s two sword assault — intending to lead a class on it for Friday’s live class.
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Week 1 Focus in 30 for 30
Working on strengthening my point control with my left hand and on combinations with two swords focusing on striking multiple targets in sequence with one sword, the other, or both.
My plan is to do my 30 minutes first thing everyday.
Contingency: Reading my way through the Anonimo Bolognese again.
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Day 5 – 11 Catch up
I have been focusing on my left hand throughout this 30 for 30 challenge. Disengage drills, cutting drills, two-sword pattern drills that are dominant to the left hand. It’s been good. Main goal has been to build up my specific strength.
I’m enjoying comparing my left hand movement to my right hand movement — it’s interesting to witness so many little things I do with my right hand that I’m still not yet as coordinated to do with my left — or strong enough.
I’ve managed to get in 30 mins everyday if not more. Starting the day with my martial movement practice followed by an hour of work tasks, then my personal development time “mastery time” has made a lot more room for sword stuff as well as reading, research, and other self development activities. It has been transformative and inspiring.
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Day 3 – Nice solid hour on two sword patterns and working with my sword and stick. This way I can focus on one hand more fully. Been targeting my left.
Day 4 – Martial meditation in the morning then a thirty minute HIIT workout between two sword patterns and squats, lunges, push-ups (oh many did I let these go)
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Day 1 – 40 minutes of two sword pracitce
Day 2 – https://www.facebook.com/devon.boorman/videos/458342176008388
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I’m still kicking! December was just a crazy month with a bunch of work management, family, and lockdown. I am proud to report though that I have kept my training alive.
Throughout the month I managed to train at least 10 minutes everyday, usually at least 20 and sometimes as much as a few hours.
I took a couple sticks over to the Vancouver island where my family is so I could practice two sword forms there. I setup a couple new sword dummy’s so I have them in a few locations. I also shot a bunch of different videos to share. Even I can get a bit camera shy at times so it was good practice to be putting more things out there and I look forward to continuing that in 2022.
I have really enjoyed everyone’s training logs and I look forward to seeing more in 2022.
I’m looking forward to the 30 for 30 this January!
Happy New Year everyone!
Devon
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Yikes. Yeah movement has actually shown to be the most effective form of rehabilitation for those types of injuries in most cases. Just don’t overdo it. 🙂
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Day 4
Was back on my feet on Thursday. Got in a thirty minute morning practice and meditation with a focus on more two sword patterns. In particular working on cutting the meyer square in various ways with two swords. Interesting practice and way to explore some of the curriculum I’m developing.
Day 5
Taught my two sword class after a mad air flight dash from the airport. In California now!
Day 6
Got in a martial meditation continuing work on meyer two sword patterns. Then got out for a 30 minute run in the mountains here in the east bay. Was beautiful though I’m still feeling the tiredness from the booster. Plan to get in a bit more sword time today to hit my 30 minute goal.
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Day 3
Got my booster yesterday and it’s kicking my ass. But I did manage to crawl out of bed at my usual time and do some sword work and a meditation. Then I spent 2 hours drawing some cutting diagrams based on the Meyer rose and the Meyer square. It was an obsessive little project based on different types of preparations — felt a bit like Monet and his hundreds of paintings of a hedge.
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Day 2
Got in my martial meditation for 20 minutes in the morning, nice and early. Things are always better when I get up and get to it right away.
Then got in another hour of two sword pattern work — getting better at a few of the new patterns, particularly that pesky left harm.