Another Tuesday!

So the practice was Well attended this week. Kate & Brent were back from their honeymoon, and Chris got to step back in for the first time in a couple months. Jackie had rules on that though, number one being "Thou shalt wear thy ankle brace at all times while fighting." Number two was "Thou shalt stop and sit down immediately if thy ankle begins to hurt at all."

Billy had has new blue jacket on, so Chris got the pink sleeves.

Erik came out to see what we were all about, and I think he's going to come out to the Tourney on Sat. He said he had a good time, but worried he had offended Will with an "off color" joke. I told him not to worry, that it would likely be fine if other people were laughing, which they were.

Mittion showed up to practice too!!! We were all surprised, as apparently he had shown up last Thursday as well. He brought another guy Paul out who's normally a heavy fighter. He lives like an hour west of town so doesn't get to come and join us very often.

It was one hell of a night. People started leaving around 8:30 or so, but a few of us stayed out till after 9:30. Paul kept tagging me with this misdirect/come up from below move that was making me nuts. I got him once so I felt better. I went a few rounds with Mittion, who had moved off to the side after a few turns in the bearpit, and was taking on and helping anyone who wanted to drop by basically. It was cool.

Didn't go to pell because I'm neck deep in sewing that has to be done by tomorrow night.

My mask got here today and it's awesome. This thing is going to last forever as long as I take some basic care of it. I need to make a carry bag and some bib liners. I really like the strap instead of the spring tongue too.

Tournament Of The Rose at the Moose Lodge on RCA on Saturday.

Tuesday!

Was a good night. The weather had been terrible earlier in the afternoon, but by the time practice was due to start it was pretty much gone. We got to practice lakeside though, due to the heavy heavy rain. Will was back this week, and since Kevin and Joslyn weren't up for fighting, it was just him, Jen and I on the field. We took turns in the center in a haphazard sort of fashion so it was an easygoing night.

Will picked up some stuff at war, so he was definitely even more of a challenge this time. He was worried about hitting too stiff, because apparently the guys at war wouldn't take just a touch as a kill. I told him not to worry because I stepped into Billy w/ my shoulder last week and it hurt for a second but I was OK. He did catch my kneecap with the edge though later on. Not hard or anything, just enough to go "ow". He was trying to work on my disengage since I had no game with it. He'd come on with the blade swirl and POP I was dead...

I did something really cool though. My arm is finally GETTING it. Without even realizing it I started to do the parries the right way with the wrist twist and flick thing instead of moving the hilt to block. Jen wanted to fight me again even though she killed me because she said it was a good exchange and lots of good parries.

No pell that night. I texted Mittion and he said no practice. *sigh*

We'll see what Sunday holds. :)

8 days till Tourney of The Rose and I have a lot of sewing to do. A LOT.

No Sunday practice

I couldn't get an answer from anyone if it was going on & then the rain came. While it's totally true that the rain stopped in time for practice, there was also no telling when, if and how much the rain would come back. There's not much in the way of places to take shelter at the park too...

I'd say it was just a wash. :/

Looking forward to tomorrow though. :)

Quick note.

Yes the blog started as a record of my journey in heavy combat, but considering how much fun I'm having with light, and my decision to pursue it as full on fighting rather than footwork training, I decided to drop the heavy part from the subtitle and just list it as SCA combat.

Almost a week late...

Sorry...

Sunday ended up being good. No one heavy was out, so I fenced instead. Apparently Jen & Don Seamus had gotten there early, then when they were about to leave Kevin showed up. When the three of them were about to call it, I showed up. So we sat down to chat awhile, and while we did, Carlo showed up. So we got suited up and made a practice out of it.

I thought I did alright. Kevin told me later that I was really stiff starting off, but by the end of the day had loosened up considerably. I didn't like fighting Carlo so much. He's not a bad guy or anything like that, he just didn't seem to dial down his level so I got one-shotted a lot. Jen's kinda so-so. Sometimes it's a good match where I felt that I was able to get something out of it and sometimes it feels like she's just messing with me. I think I get better matches w/ Kevin because I'm comfortable with him and I know he's good at scaling his level. At least in my personal experience. He won't let me have it easy, but he won't blow me away either.

Tuesday night was good too for the most part. We had a Pit of Despair going (loser stays in), and we managed to keep it trading off enough so it wasn't the same matches over and over all night. Billy was in with the pink sleeves (Flamingo from a couple posts back) & Lynn actually got suited up! I was so proud! She's such a sweet girl and I know she has it in her to do well, it just seems getting started is a bit tough. Carlo wasn't at Tuesday but Joslyn didn't have to work and wasn't coming off a double shift so YAY again.

I know I was again stiff at the start of the night. It's because I'm so worried about doing it right. I was leaning in again too. Jen chased me around with her blade pointed at my knees but not actually doing anything to the point that I got really frustrated and called out. She said that she didn't think she hit me, and I agreed she didn't, but Joslyn had to clarify that I "wanted a break" as I went back to the line. I didn't know what she wanted from me, and in the middle of the fight I would have yelled instead of being nice and I didn't want to do that, so I walked away to get myself together again. Really, trying to figure it out and still hold my defense made my brain just fill up with static to the point I lost all my focus. I couldn't think at all past STOP! Too much happening at once! Overload! Jen, I didn't mean to offend you or make you think that I was angry, my brain locked up and I didn't want to yell. I felt bad about it happening at all which is why I didn't mention it before we left.

Well after a sit down break, I wanted to fight more and it looked like the rest of the gang was kinda done, but Billy picked up on the idea of going a few more rounds so we went at it just the two of us, over and over, for about another hour I think. 45 minutes at least. It was great. I think I need more one on one time with people. Doesn't have to be the same person every time, just someone from the group that I can understand what they're doing, or they explain it to me instead of doing stuff over and over and not saying anything.

I don't know what the plan is for Sunday. Coronation is this weekend but a good portion of group isn't going for various good reasons and a few for not as good reasons. Because of this my ride to go up tomorrow for the day is shot... Ah well I hear it's kind of a low key type thing due to Gulf Wars being last week. Tourney of The Rose is 4/11 and TMT is 5/22-25. I don't know if anyone has plans to go to any of the other stuff inbetween, but I guess we'll see.

I will admit to missing fight time w/ Will, though I may still need to adjust my helm padding before fighting him heavy again. We'll have to see if I can keep out from under that wrap of his. As for fencing, I know it's only been two weeks, but it'll be interesting to see if it makes a difference. :)

Found it!

It's spelled Moulinet!

Catching up

I didn't post about Sunday practice because I ended up sleeping through it. In fact I slept away a very large portion of Sunday. I must have needed rest though, since I hardly ever sleep like that unless I'm really tired out. In any case half the heavies were gone to Gulf Wars, so it may have been Max & myself, maybe that other guy who came last week. I don't know if any of them were going. Jeff may have been there, but his thumb injury may have still kept him out.

Last week Tuesday was a great practice. They suited me up in a jacket and mask and away I went. I didn't do great, and I had some trouble getting everything to work right at first. Basically my brain was trying to rewire to a totally new style and kept tripping over itself. Will was very nice and patient with me, which was great, but he kept telling me not to get frustrated which made it... not worse, but not really better either. He's a decent teacher, but I think my learning style and his teaching style are on two different planes.

I have a perfectionist streak. It really bothers me when I know something in my head and I know that I know it but I can't seem to replicate it with my hands and feet. Fortunately he didn't blunder into that one thing I cannot stand: Treating me like I don't know anything. He obviously could see that I knew it in my head, and that the trouble was physically doing it. I did have to tell him about talking to me though. If he sees I'm not getting something after the first two or three times he's just poking me, to TELL me about it so I know what I'm supposed to be looking for. When you haven't been doing it for very long it's sometimes hard to see the openings on your opponent, much less yourself.

By the end of the evening though, I felt I was making progress and we had a lot of fun.

Pell that night was good too. Mittion thinks my snap is coming along well and had me doing a backhand/flatsnap change up. One then the other. Flat, back, flat, back, etc. That's pretty much all I did for the whole evening. Except when we went in to watch Biggest Loser and his Lady made cake. He said that when he got back we'd work on incorporating the wrap more and when I got that down it would be on to... mullenne (I know it's spelled wrong, but I can't find the correct spelling.)

Last night, I worked with Jen since Will was off at War (he called Seamus at practice and said he had just come off the field after 7 hours of fighting). I had some trouble with what she was trying to show me at first, I think because she didn't understand that I hadn't learned anything about what she was showing me, so she didn't go into details until after a few tries where I wasn't really doing much of anything. After we worked that out and did the drill for a little bit, we took a short breather then went onto bear pit rounds. Oh did I mention I got swtiched up to schlager? It's a good bit heavier too. Still lighter than my heavy fighting stick, but a big difference between the epee and the schlager.

So there were four of us going round in turns: Myself, Jen, Kevin and ... crap I'm bad with names... He got the pink sleeve jacket so I'll call him Flamingo for this week. I did alright against Kevin and Flamingo, and more one sided w/ Jen. She one shotted me on one round.

I don't know what it is but I have such performace anxiety still with fencing. To be honest I can't recall if I was ever like this with heavy or not. It's not so bad when I'm in a match up, but doing drills and stuff, I keep feeling like I have to hit it right or else. I don't know what "or else" actually IS, but it doesn't seem to stop me from feeling bad about it.

Will's gone for another week after this one visiting family. Kinda bummed about it, but family's important. I'll have to see how the shirts he ordered from me held up for the week when he gets back.

Ok I'm back

I know I'm a horribly lazy blogger... Over a month since my last post.

I've been more or less regularly going to Tuesday practices. I skipped both practices and even a day of school one week because my little cat Tasha died. Then I went to fencing but not pell the next week because I was so exhaused from stress, due to being told that my office would be closing in a month if we didn't pick up business and a major crisis with a good friend. I didn't even practice that night, mainly because I had forgotten to take my sneakers with me, but I didn't feel like it anyway. I really just wanted to put in an appearance and not be home alone.

So moving on, after last week's practice I was told that I would be put in a jacket and mask this week to face off with people. Hooray? Nah it's all good. I'll never get the hang of the speed if I don't start doing real bouts.

Last week's pell wasn't as good. My shoulder started to ache and I was having trouble finding the snap again. I really need to figure something out to train at home. I have to keep throwing it at least every other day, if not every day. I don't have to do hours every day, just a few minutes reminding my body how it works I think would do the job, with an extra day of serious practice in addition to Tuesdays.

I went to Sunday practice yesterday which was good. My right shoulder armor is all screwy though. I either marked it wrong when I punched the holes the first time, or things have flexed/stretched/otherwise scooted around and now it won't even stay on my shoulder at all. I plan to take it out at pell this week and see if I can get a hand remarking it more precisely.

As for practice itself, I stayed on defense most of the time. We had someone new to the group come out who was fighting Florentine, and he threw softballs at me until I decided to hit him back. The knight who was there tried to show me my defense holes, but I kept getting tagged on the top of head on the shield side. I was concentrating on using the defensive stance that I've been taught here rather than the old one I'm used to. It's harder on your sword arm to hold it too. I did kill him once though. It was a lucky shot I know. I snapped to his head on his shield side then rolled it over his sword block and managed to tag his grille somehow. I don't know which of us was more surprised. Even though I know it was pure luck, it's still encouraging to win one.

I managed to leg and then take out the Florentine guy too. Sorry I forgot your name! I only heard it once and I'm terrible with them. It was almost a simul-kill & in retrospect I maybe should have called it that way, but I think I got to his head a moment before he got my gut so...

Speaking of retrospect, after holding defense for so long w/ Florentine guy, I had nothing left to throw with... My shots had to be the sloppiest thing you've ever wished you had never seen on the field. I have to get into some kind of strength training routine. My shoulders ache so much today.

Will got me with a wrap to back left side of my head, right at the crown... I gotta repad or do something with my helm because I felt it more on the right side... Fighting Will was fun. He came at me for real. Not hard, but serious all the way. I had to really fight. I had to react instead of think. I finally was able to breathe... It's not the best way to learn, but damn it felt good. I got killed, stepped out and... It's so hard to describe what I felt or thought at that moment. I guess the best way is that I stopped feeling tense and remembered what I liked about fighting. How good it made me feel whether I won or not.

That moment in the fight when you stop thinking and just flow... My flow is pretty rough right now, but that's mainly just a physical thing. Mentally though it was pretty good. My body just couldn't follow through as well. It's such a perfect moment though. All the concern, fear, aches, and worry just melt away and it's just you and your opponent. Everything outside is gone. Your world consists of the six square feet occupied by yourself and your enemy.

Finding that place again makes me feel like I really have a chance to get good at this again and better than before. Much better. I just have to commit to doing the physical work.

One more thing, Don Seamus was talking about fencing to someine yesterday and mentioned that I was only going to fencing to learn footwork. I spoke up that I was serious about learning fencing for real, and that while I originally came out to improve my heavy fighting, since I've gotten the hang of it, I really like it and am taking it seriously. It's nice to have something else I can play if I'm hurting or run down and don't want to armor up. He replied that that was good to know.

Practice and picture

So there was fencing first. I saw Joslyn, but she didn't stay because Kevin wasn't feeling good and she was on her way to the store for food. I learned a little more about footwork, and got my first lesson in parry/riposte. Not really much to report on fencing at this time. I bought a pair of gloves, so I have my first piece of actual fencing equipment. Yay?

I figure I should probably make a jacket sooner rather than later. I'll also have to make something to wear over the jacket should I decide to fight at events. But that's a ways in the future yet, as I don't want to embarrass myself that badly yet. Funny how I know I'm just as crappy at heavy right now, yet I'd be more shy about showing off my lack of skill in light... I guess because it's really two different mindsets. I have the idea that if you come out, get in armor, and try that you get a certain amount of respect rather than saying you're not ready. Eh. Then again I'm messed in the head, so what do I know?

And after 3 or 4 weeks of trying I finally can get a consistent snap off on the pell. HAPPY! So now it's working on the wrap... I think it's coming along a little better, since my hips are learning what they need to do, it's more about adjusting the timing. And rolling my wrist, and not swinging out instead of straight down.

I love this style of training. There's purpose, that's explained(!), in every move, shot and block. I'm not just told "do it this way because I'm successful and that's the way I do it." I don't work well with that kind of philosophy. I have to know the whys or else if I can't see them myself I feel like it's a waste of time. I don't want to waste time, I want to train.

When I fought before, I had a kind of "pie in the sky" type of hope of one day wearing the white belt. I never really thought it could happen though. I wasn't strong or fast enough. I just couldn't seem to progress past solid novice. I admit part of that was my own fault since I didn't do pell work or any kind of training outside fighter practice, but I still felt that it could never be a reality. Now I think I might just have a chance. Maybe. A little one.

Ok fun stuff:
You know you're a fighter when - You see something like this and your first reaction is, "Man that's awesome. I'd hate to have to get through that gate."




























Courtesy to gurdymonkey's LJ for the picture which I thought was too cool.

Practice called on account of SuperBowl

Bah. I'm trying to get into a routine and people are being all erratic about practices...

I don't even care about football.

I played WoW all day instead because even my Sunday Exalted game was canceled.

Once again... Bah.

Though I made some progress on putting together the posterboard armor for fitting, so there is that.

Finally an Update!

I know, I'm not terribly good at doing regular updates here. But, here's the news so far:

I went to Sunday practice yesterday. It was kingdom rapier practice, but Jeff from pell nights and another knight (Max I think. Sorry bad with names.) showed up for heavy. Will was there too, but he was all about fencing. Mittion showed up later and fenced most of the day. By the time he was strapping on his armor I was done.

Yes I got into armor and stepped onto the field for a live bout for the first time in 10 years. I'm still woefully out of shape, but I played until I literally could not hold my stick in guard position any more.

I was so scared at first. Not only had it been so long, but I knew I was going to be slow and weak, plus my armor had been reconfigured... And I'd never fought with these people before. Max just went full-defense to start with so I could get comfortable throwing at a real person again. He was super nice the whole day, and so was Jeff. Jeff used to fight too, and was out for about as long as I was, but he's picking things up again much faster. He fought for longer before dropping out and is definitely in better shape, so I it's to be expected. Go Jeff!

I almost had a bout of weepy, which I HATE so much... But really it was just the fear releasing as well as the idea of not doing well enough to be taken seriously rearing it's ugly head. Now I know they would probably tell me that I did OK for the first day in ten years, but I know I did so bad. I kept rising up on my front foot. I kept holding my breath. I closed my eyes when I thought I was going to get hit. My arms being so weak today is proof that I was doing it wrong.

I got Weight-Training for Dummies the other day at the store. I know the basics, but I really wanted a guide so I have actual facts in front of that tell me what I need to do to build not just power, but speed and more importantly, endurance.

If they have Endurance Training or Cardio for Dummies, I think I'm going to get that too.

Oh yeah. Tuedays will now be Double Practice Tuesday. Mittion suggested that I attend fencing practice to improve my footwork and flexability. So it'll be work, school, fencing, pell, SLEEP.

Last thing - I need to restrap the shield. The one that's on there now is about half cut. I meant to do it before, but forgot about it and now I can't find the leather strap I cut. Which isn't a big deal to me now, since I realize I want a smaller, more flexable strap on it still or else I'll really have to fight to get my arm in the loop. I'll just drop an extra washer on when I re-bolt it.

The other note I'm making here is that I have to do something about the elbow strap on the my left arm. Either I have to let it out a notch, or replace the strap with something thinner. I had a patch of skin on my forearm go partially numb last night. I was told that inflammation could be slightly pinching the nerves which would cause that. As soon as she said that I knew exactly what had caused it. I could feel the strap digging in as I brought my shield corner up and later in the evening the crease of my elbow felt sore.

So that's my big update. I'll really try to update more often. :)

PS. Going to school for tutoring, new school ID, and joining the fitness center.

I feel kinda bad

I went to the Knight's house on Saturday so he could help fix my arms so they'd finally stop chocking me and falling off. They work really good now, well as far as I can tell since I haven't fought in them yet.

What I feel kinda bad about is that I had to finish up so work on them at home before I could wear them out on the field. I didn't do it Saturday night because I wanted to just hang out at home and goof off. I figured I'd take care of it in the morning before practice since I'm usually up early anyway.

Then I couldn't sleep, so I ended up not going to bed until like 20 till 3. Which means I woke up late, which means I didn't have all the time I thought I would have to complete things... All this ended up with me finishing it up about 2:40... Practice "officially" starts at 2, and they were trying to start early this week too. I didn't call or anything, I just didn't go. It's a bad habit... I feel bad for not going, so I don't talk to anyone about it. It's not like I've made a bunch of commitments or anything to anyone but myself, however I felt like I was kind of a jerk for taking up the guys time helping me get my stuff together and then don't go use it.

Ok I went and dropped an email.

I will be going to pell practice, but the other thing I realized this morning was that there won't be any Sunday practices for the next two weeks because of events (Winter Art/Sci & Scots-Welsh). *sigh* Still pell practice is where I'll learn the tools to be good, so I think that if I could only make one practice in a given week, I'd try to make that one. At least for now.

Now I'm off to try and shoehorn a college class into my schedule. Hooray!

A New Year

And so far I've been to one Sunday practice, where I just did meet & greet, and one pell practice which oddly made my left shoulder sore the next day. My back was stiff when I woke up, but was OK by the time I had walked to the kitchen and back. Almost two solid hours of swinging a stick. I haven't done that much physical activity in ages. I don't think I ever did that much when I went to practice years ago when I first was doing this.

Did I mention that I found out how woefully undertrained I was before? I'm quite sure the guys I trained with before always did the best they could (hugs), but when you find out that the knight who runs the practices is not only a knight but has been King FOUR times, it becomes obvious.

Now I just need to build my pell and dig those hand weights that my roommates left in there for two years out of the car. Pell building is going to be an adventure. I live in a condo, and therefore have no yard, so it will be freestanding and mobile. Nifty eh? I'll post pics when I do it.