Stela
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I like the attitude in the beginning and end of the video.
Really good postes! There is good flow between the cuts and good maneuvering of the sword.
Some ideas for improvement:
In the half mandritto sottano advancing, your foot landed before the blow, so the order of movement requires attention.
In the transition to start he left side progression, maybe you could try the tutta volta by crossing the left foot in front.
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It’s great that your leg positions are very low. The body is well aligned and the directions of movement are straight and certain.
As areas for improvement, I think the posta longa is beginning from the legs, and the arms are getting into action a bit late. And in the cinghiara with the left hand, your fingers seem spread in an undefined position that doesn’t seem very effective.
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Here is my foundational cuts progression. There are so many problems!
To name only two: in the beginning of the half mandritto fendente my right hand should be pulling downwards a little more, and not immediately forwards as it’s seen.
The final positions of the point in the half sottani and mezzani are pointing up, which is totally wrong and ineffective.
What I see as positive: I undestood all the hand transitions and the different mechanics of mezzani that were taught, as well as the ransition steps. And I think the thrusts are not too problematic.
Link do vídeo
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This is how I did it today. It is my first day practicing this progression. It seems my interpretation looks like kung fu.
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This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Stela Menezes.
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Deepening my assessment: by watching in very slow motion, I see that the arms are moving first. But I think in the posta longa the secondary arm (the one that is beside the head) maybe is doing too much.
I like the transition to cinghiara, if the secondary hand doesn’t do any other attack after the posta longa, the way i changed the positions of the hands seems effective to take an opponent out of the way. Also I noticede that the hips and feet changed in good synchrony with the arms movement.
The frontale could benefit from the hands advancing earlier, my movement is starting from the legs.
In the porta diferro, I need to decide where to look. Sometimes I look in the direction of the final position of the hands, which seems correct., but especially in the last one I kept looking at the place where the supposed opponent was before. It doesn’t make much sense.
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This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by
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I shot a sample of my drill. There is some flow, but I want to make it much better. I spotted the following problems: The cutting lines are very erratic, even more so the left side ones; I need to extend my arms more; in some moments when the weapon gains more momentum that needs to be controlled, I see some bad signs of tension in my shoulders, which reveal that I need to develop more strength in my arms and back.
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This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Stela Menezes.
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This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by
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I practiced some direction change flow today.
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Short term training goals:
Within six to nine months I want to:
1 – Know and understand all terminology, postures and actions of the apprentice level.
2 – Be able to give reasons for choices of tactics (approaching/receiving gioco largo and gioco stretto, defenses and ripostes) related to this level.
3 – Have developed some experience with grappling (depends on rules related to the pandemic).
4 – Have stronger arms/upper body: be able to execute a drill that requires a lot of high sword postures during 10 minutes.
5 – Be ready to pass the apprentice level exam.
Long term training goals:
In five years I want to:
1 – Be stronger and have more control of the sword: be able to do the one handed downward and upward X, with beautiful flow with my left hand holding the pommel.
2 – During combat practice, be able to follow consciously what is going on. After it, be able to remember and analyze it.
3 – Have confidence to practice combat with stronger or more experienced opponents.
4 – Have gathered familiarity with some treatises, techniques and masters. Be able to discuss them and to connect the references in my mind.
Longer term training goals:
In ten years I want to:
1 – Be able to execute appropriate actions in response to any situation that is presented in combat.
Goals for the swordplay masterclass:
1 – Follow every lesson.
2 – Develop a closer relationship with my sword.
3 – Learn a way of thinking and feeling about HEMA (grab the “zeitgeist”).
4 – Deepen my understanding of swordplay theory.
5 – Feel more confident to practice combats.
6 – Build strong foundations for my development after the course.
7 – Have a merry, sweaty, muscular January.
Time budget:
From Jan. 3<sup>rd</sup> to Jan. 24: Mon-Wed-Fri-Sat: 1,5 hours of practice – beginning at 4:30 p,m. Tue-Thurs: 30min drills/review – beginning at 8:30 p.m. Sun: At least five minutes of sword in hands.
From Jan. 25 on (I’ll be back to work): Mon-Wed-Fri-Sat 1 hr practice – beginning at 5 p.m., and at least five minutes of sword in hands the other days.
Journaling: a bit every day.
Schedule of training routine: PDF file below.
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This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Stela Menezes.
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This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Stela Menezes.
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This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by
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Being a mostly kinestethic and visual learner, I keep an analog journal on a blank book. I like to make drawings and schemes by hand, an to use different writing materials to display ideas on paper.
For drills that need to be timed I use the chronometer in my phone. Tried some but didn’t find any app that suits me.
For keeping track of things to do, I use an analog planner. I make lists.
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I’m using a longsword made by a local blacksmith. It has good weight, good balance, and the blade is rigid enough.
My sword dummy can be easily assembled when needed, it consists on a wooden sword attached to a ladder with some elastic bands.
As targets, I arranged three balls on a cord. It stays hanging by the wall, and in practice time I just extend the horizontal line to which it is attached and pull it to the middle of the room, putting also the objects I use as a weight at the bottom. I tried to position of he balls at the three heights mentioned in the online meeting, head, chest and hips. The picture is in the setting up forum.
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My indoor training space is my living room. Down here you see the picture of both moments, with rug and storage ottomans (living room mode) and without them (trainig room mode). So shifting between the modes is easy. I used to have a much bigger heavier rug there, but since I started having classes mostly online it was retired. Some of my training gear is already a permanent part of the decor of this room, and it also includes some kung fu stuff, but for inspiration I also brought in the books that I feel have some connection with swordplay (there are only a few) and put them up in the same shelf.
I also use to go once a week practice in the sports court of a public square across the street from my apartment. I can take my gear and do my training, and a few times I share the space with some guys playing basketball, or football, or some parents playing with their kids. There’s room for everybody.
My gear is composed of a metal longsword made by our local blacksmith and a wooden one (which belongs to Praeliator and was kindly lent to students invested in training at home). There is also a pair of gloves. Sometimes I set up a sword dummy attached with elastic band to a ladder. After the meeting on Sunday I came up with a set of targets consisting on three balls hanging on a string, as pictured below. By attaching a set of chinese double broadswords at the bottom, I achieve a nice balance which keeps the targets in place while allowing them to move when struck. The biggest problem is that I need to hang it from a horizontal line, so there is no total freedom to throw cuts from above. But the kit can be quickly assembled and disassembled. I also added a picture of my sword, in its beautiful plant hanger (!!) on a corner of the room.
<div class=””> As for tech apparatuses, in this room I use a desktop and a large screen TV, with chromecast to connect also with my cell phone. The video cameras available are in my cell or in a notebook. I keep a permanent cell phone holder on the window, from where I can video my whole body during class, and at the same time transmit it to the TV, to use it as a mirror and also to see better what the instructor and colleagues are doing. I don’t feel the need of ear plugs, because I use bluetooth boxes and there’s no one to complain about the sound. And I have no trouble being heard when I speak from inside the room. Unless the gadgets rebel, which fortunately is not very usual. Also, I bought a tripod (arrived today) to be able to record video with my cell phone in the outdoors.
</div><div>Finally, the space is shared only with two very nice cats that generally behave accordingly during class and solo training.
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Thanks for the feedback, Greg. I am working to soften the claws.
