I feel pretty good about Nutley.
I warmed up with Oscad. Slow work is kind of like watching poker on TV. It's really easy to know what to do when you can see the other guy's cards. When we went full speed for one fight he chewed me up and spit me out.
I fought Gregor and my fights were great. We felt each other out for a long time I was happy with my defense. working on what he said I saved the thrust. And then I saved it some more. Eventually he took my leg. He through a blow, I blocked it, hooked his shield and stabbed him in the throat. He said something like "excellent!" I was happy. I killed him twice more, both times by slipping into a gap in his defense. and hitting him onside as he was doing something. Once it was when I flashed my shield at him, paused and cut.
I fought Christian. That was also fun. i did really well. Was able to pick his attacks up pretty far back, which helped. I found that when he threw a snap he was dropping his shield, and I used that to my advantage a few times. I also moved right when i threw a snap, and so my sword was defending my head where his was not.
I also fought Doug. I fought with short sword and arming sword to his two arming swords. Naturally, he mostly ate my lunch, but i got a couple of good kills on him--one in particular by using my crossed arm technique. What I realized was that, corps to corps, I was not using my shortsword to pin his arm, which was the whole point of bringing it. My mind wasn't directing my hand to do what it was supposed to be doing. So my mind wasn't right. Got to work on that.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Nutley training
No, I'm not training as much as I want to be. A wise philosopher once said "this game is 50% inspirationa nd 50% perspiration." Our ladies provide us with ample inspiration. Howver, another wise philosopher once said "women weaken legs!"
What really weakens is getting the snot beat out of you though.
After last weeks Nutley practice I did not go and work out on thursday. I was too bruised and tired to do so. Today I am typing instead of in the gym. I will try to work out after my 3PM class today. I'm not near so beat up as last week--I didn't fight Doug and I didn't have a great sword fight with Gregor.
I did get in one good workout this weekend. I was in Atlantic City but our time share had a good workout room. I did three sets on the Universal Gym and twenty minutes running barefoot on the treadmill.
Speaking of running barefoot I picked up a pair of five fingers on Monday, on the theory that having spent money on them I will want to use them and run at least once a week.
But back to practice. I only fought four guys: Bill Vicente, Gregor, Heinrich, and Jan Janovich.
My fights with Bill were good warm ups. I killed him most of the time using a variety of mostly cuts. I don't really remembeer details.
Gregor is using a new shield. It is lighter and larger than his old one. He's gone to semi-finals with his old shield in the last two crowns. You do the math. With his new shield his leg is harder to take and he doesn't react to fakes much (one of my best fighting moments was when I killed Gregor with a wavy-rising snap). The only good thing I can say about my fights with Gregor is that my offense was good enough to make him cautious and my defense was good enough to make him work. I tried a lot of stuff--hook/thrusts, back hands, the thrust fake followed by a leg shot. wraps, everything really. The only time I laid stick on him was in our last fight, when I went low with a double strike as he was moving and managed to take his leg. My plan was to cut to his offside, step in, hook and thrust. I cut to his offside, and he killed me. Drawing the sword back for the thrust leaves too much of my head opena nd I didn't compensate with the shield. He just took me with a straight fast (very fast) snap. Afterward he said I was leading with my thrust and telegraphing it. I told him it was candy I have trouble avoiding. I had mostly been doing it to set up the fake thrust/leg shot. He advised me if I was going to lead witha thrust to come from below with it--a shot I have a lot of success with but am avoiding right now because Darius pointed out how easy it is to loose my arm doing that.
Heinrich fights a lot like his knight Kelson and gives me fits some times. He was not following through on his shots so they weren't as hard as I am used to feeling from him. He had two shots on my that should have been kills but died. He was winnning msot of our early fights and I won our later fights after I tightened up. I killed him with the foot stomp/thrust (grin). and with some lateral movement to my left. I also got him with Hauoc's counter punch off the leg block.
Jan is a really tough fight for me becuase we have the same style--but altely I've been fighting a northern region style with the kite. He wasn't expecting that. I also borrowed Bill's sword. It is lighter than mine, better balanced, allows me to do a few Gendy techniques while still punching my cross shots, and is much faster. It also doesn't ahve a thrusting tip, and I decided that fighting without one ould be good practice after what Gregor said. It worked. I fought well. Jan played into my game by circling and sniping at range, and he left himself open to a lot of stuff. I was throwing two and three blows combos that were fast and precise. I took his leg a couple of times. I hoked and cut. I even got him once with the foot stomp. (BIG GRIN).
Unfortunately, no fighting for me at Coronation this weekend. I have to go to my uncles' funeral in West Virginia. My next time in aromr will be next Nutley.
If I am going to get into Crown Contender shape again I will have to start fighting twice a week at least. That means that I need to be able to recover faster. That means I will need to wear more armor, expecially on my shoulders. Time to get to work.
What really weakens is getting the snot beat out of you though.
After last weeks Nutley practice I did not go and work out on thursday. I was too bruised and tired to do so. Today I am typing instead of in the gym. I will try to work out after my 3PM class today. I'm not near so beat up as last week--I didn't fight Doug and I didn't have a great sword fight with Gregor.
I did get in one good workout this weekend. I was in Atlantic City but our time share had a good workout room. I did three sets on the Universal Gym and twenty minutes running barefoot on the treadmill.
Speaking of running barefoot I picked up a pair of five fingers on Monday, on the theory that having spent money on them I will want to use them and run at least once a week.
But back to practice. I only fought four guys: Bill Vicente, Gregor, Heinrich, and Jan Janovich.
My fights with Bill were good warm ups. I killed him most of the time using a variety of mostly cuts. I don't really remembeer details.
Gregor is using a new shield. It is lighter and larger than his old one. He's gone to semi-finals with his old shield in the last two crowns. You do the math. With his new shield his leg is harder to take and he doesn't react to fakes much (one of my best fighting moments was when I killed Gregor with a wavy-rising snap). The only good thing I can say about my fights with Gregor is that my offense was good enough to make him cautious and my defense was good enough to make him work. I tried a lot of stuff--hook/thrusts, back hands, the thrust fake followed by a leg shot. wraps, everything really. The only time I laid stick on him was in our last fight, when I went low with a double strike as he was moving and managed to take his leg. My plan was to cut to his offside, step in, hook and thrust. I cut to his offside, and he killed me. Drawing the sword back for the thrust leaves too much of my head opena nd I didn't compensate with the shield. He just took me with a straight fast (very fast) snap. Afterward he said I was leading with my thrust and telegraphing it. I told him it was candy I have trouble avoiding. I had mostly been doing it to set up the fake thrust/leg shot. He advised me if I was going to lead witha thrust to come from below with it--a shot I have a lot of success with but am avoiding right now because Darius pointed out how easy it is to loose my arm doing that.
Heinrich fights a lot like his knight Kelson and gives me fits some times. He was not following through on his shots so they weren't as hard as I am used to feeling from him. He had two shots on my that should have been kills but died. He was winnning msot of our early fights and I won our later fights after I tightened up. I killed him with the foot stomp/thrust (grin). and with some lateral movement to my left. I also got him with Hauoc's counter punch off the leg block.
Jan is a really tough fight for me becuase we have the same style--but altely I've been fighting a northern region style with the kite. He wasn't expecting that. I also borrowed Bill's sword. It is lighter than mine, better balanced, allows me to do a few Gendy techniques while still punching my cross shots, and is much faster. It also doesn't ahve a thrusting tip, and I decided that fighting without one ould be good practice after what Gregor said. It worked. I fought well. Jan played into my game by circling and sniping at range, and he left himself open to a lot of stuff. I was throwing two and three blows combos that were fast and precise. I took his leg a couple of times. I hoked and cut. I even got him once with the foot stomp. (BIG GRIN).
Unfortunately, no fighting for me at Coronation this weekend. I have to go to my uncles' funeral in West Virginia. My next time in aromr will be next Nutley.
If I am going to get into Crown Contender shape again I will have to start fighting twice a week at least. That means that I need to be able to recover faster. That means I will need to wear more armor, expecially on my shoulders. Time to get to work.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Workouts and all
I didn't think I'd get a workout while in Atlantic City, but the time share we stayed in (31st floor, great view) had a gym and I got a good session in. Ran barefoot ont eh treadmill for 20 minutes and then lifted on the Universal Gym. Plus I went swimming in the ocean.
Will probably not make the gym tonight. Do get to go to Nutley though. One problem with going to Nutley is that fighting in the deep end of the pool, even when I'm doing well, I still end up with two or three good bruises and am exhausted, and it's hard to get back into the gym for a couple of days. But the fighting is so good!
Will probably not make the gym tonight. Do get to go to Nutley though. One problem with going to Nutley is that fighting in the deep end of the pool, even when I'm doing well, I still end up with two or three good bruises and am exhausted, and it's hard to get back into the gym for a couple of days. But the fighting is so good!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Nutley 9/15/2010
Practice last night. First of all we waited for an hour for Robert to show up at BAT so we could get in and get our armor. Then he didn't even come with us to Nutley. Then we were stuck in traffic in New Jersey. It took us an hour to get from the Medowlands to Nutley. We didn't get there till 9:20. Kelson, Jabril, Stephan and Chrsitian were all getting out of armor. I really wanted to fight those guys.
Thankfully Douglas and a few other guys stayed in armor to fight with us. I also got some great sword fights with Gregor, just in case.
Doug kicked my ass. Fighting him cold is never a good idea. By the last few passes I was doing fine.
I tried ltos of techniques agaisnt Gregor--Belatrix style, some Liechteneur technique, Gui's back edge techniques, some of the stuff I developed. What i discvered was that the best technique to use agaisnt Gregor is the Gregor technique. He fights with his sword high in front of his face and cuts down in arcs right and left. I did manage to take his leg with Gui's back edge technique. I think i killed him twice and he killed me eight or ten times.
Against Erick, who fights shourtswordin a dagger grip and broadsword, I always have trouble. I played witha few things to see what worked. Chasing after his leg actually worked, as did thrust on the center line.
Agaisnt Bill, whow as very tired, and against Seichal, I just tried to hunker downa dn fight a closed fight--mostly at range, closed defense, alternating thrusts and cuts--and it worked pretty good.
But I need to fight Stephan.
Videos of the fights at BAT Sunday are on facebook. i'll see if I can post them here.
Thankfully Douglas and a few other guys stayed in armor to fight with us. I also got some great sword fights with Gregor, just in case.
Doug kicked my ass. Fighting him cold is never a good idea. By the last few passes I was doing fine.
I tried ltos of techniques agaisnt Gregor--Belatrix style, some Liechteneur technique, Gui's back edge techniques, some of the stuff I developed. What i discvered was that the best technique to use agaisnt Gregor is the Gregor technique. He fights with his sword high in front of his face and cuts down in arcs right and left. I did manage to take his leg with Gui's back edge technique. I think i killed him twice and he killed me eight or ten times.
Against Erick, who fights shourtswordin a dagger grip and broadsword, I always have trouble. I played witha few things to see what worked. Chasing after his leg actually worked, as did thrust on the center line.
Agaisnt Bill, whow as very tired, and against Seichal, I just tried to hunker downa dn fight a closed fight--mostly at range, closed defense, alternating thrusts and cuts--and it worked pretty good.
But I need to fight Stephan.
Videos of the fights at BAT Sunday are on facebook. i'll see if I can post them here.
Monday, September 13, 2010
BAT Correction
My second fight with Bill i did not take his leg. i was setting him up with the thrust and then as I followed it up he adopted a hanging guard, so i turned my shot into a flat-wrap. I was happy with this because I changed what I had been doing on the fly.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Training and BAT Practice 9/11/2010
At last! I get to fight!!!
Really, I've barely fought at all since May. Most of my fighting was in the West, at Crown and at West/An Tir war. Hardly fought at all since Pennsic.
However, September marks a kick into gear of my training for Crown. I've been working out three days a week--sometimes at the gym, sometimes just calesthenics, sometimes doing yoga and working with my indian clubs, sometimes just by riding my bike to work in Manhattan. For instance: last saturday was a lot of dancing at my cousin's wedding (counts), Calesthenics on Monday, Indian clubs and yoga on Tuesday, (skipped Nutley due to Hrosh Hoshona), kettle bell workout and eliptical on Friday.
And today I fought at BAT.
Now that the holidays are mostly over, I can fall into a normal schedule: fight Sunday, gym Monday, est tuesday, fight Wednesday, Gym either Thursday evening or Friday morning, some form of long aerobics (run, bike ride, class or fighting at an event) on Saturday. My hope is still to be in armor ten (now nine) times before Crown. That will include coronation and one or two other events.
Speaking of BAT, I got to run it and I ran it like a class. It was great. There were four of us--two OTC's (Gui and William McCrimmon), Oscad the King'd Champion, and me a knight. That's tallent. We warmed up and then we each fought each other. We'd stop after each fight and discuss it, point up what we saw, look for any flaws and discuss them, etc. This got people into the mode of analyzing fights while watching them, thinking about what their opponents were doing, and talking about it.
My own fights were good. I lost once to Gui and once to Oscad. Gui I lost to because I tried to execute the William the Lucky passing shot (much like the Lucan shot, but with a snap to set it up and targetting the head instead of the ribs). I hit him, but light, and he hit me in the ribs. Normally I wouldn't use that kind of technique against Gui, but I wanted to test it. I am actually happy that the technique worked even if my own form was off. He ahd ducked a bit out of my power range.
In my losing fight with Oscad we had taken each others legs and I just kind of got frustrated and started flailing, and he got inside my attack and killed me with a cross shot.
My victories were really good. I took Bill's leg and then thrust him to the face. Then the second time I fought him I took his leg and set up the thrust but, when he had that covered, I changed it up and cut, moving left. My win against oscad I took his leg and got him with a quick face thrust. My kill against Gui he went for his deep leg attack (turtling behind his shield and going for the leg) which with the center grip is easy to cover. I timed his attack and killed him with a wrap.
Then I did some training. With our new guy I taught him to salute, to walk, and to walk through the wards, then I taught him the pell drill (the first three lessons in the book I'm working on). Bill I ran thorough the basic DeGrendels techniques (three ranges and the three wards, 90 degree angle of the arm, and magic button press points).
Really, I've barely fought at all since May. Most of my fighting was in the West, at Crown and at West/An Tir war. Hardly fought at all since Pennsic.
However, September marks a kick into gear of my training for Crown. I've been working out three days a week--sometimes at the gym, sometimes just calesthenics, sometimes doing yoga and working with my indian clubs, sometimes just by riding my bike to work in Manhattan. For instance: last saturday was a lot of dancing at my cousin's wedding (counts), Calesthenics on Monday, Indian clubs and yoga on Tuesday, (skipped Nutley due to Hrosh Hoshona), kettle bell workout and eliptical on Friday.
And today I fought at BAT.
Now that the holidays are mostly over, I can fall into a normal schedule: fight Sunday, gym Monday, est tuesday, fight Wednesday, Gym either Thursday evening or Friday morning, some form of long aerobics (run, bike ride, class or fighting at an event) on Saturday. My hope is still to be in armor ten (now nine) times before Crown. That will include coronation and one or two other events.
Speaking of BAT, I got to run it and I ran it like a class. It was great. There were four of us--two OTC's (Gui and William McCrimmon), Oscad the King'd Champion, and me a knight. That's tallent. We warmed up and then we each fought each other. We'd stop after each fight and discuss it, point up what we saw, look for any flaws and discuss them, etc. This got people into the mode of analyzing fights while watching them, thinking about what their opponents were doing, and talking about it.
My own fights were good. I lost once to Gui and once to Oscad. Gui I lost to because I tried to execute the William the Lucky passing shot (much like the Lucan shot, but with a snap to set it up and targetting the head instead of the ribs). I hit him, but light, and he hit me in the ribs. Normally I wouldn't use that kind of technique against Gui, but I wanted to test it. I am actually happy that the technique worked even if my own form was off. He ahd ducked a bit out of my power range.
In my losing fight with Oscad we had taken each others legs and I just kind of got frustrated and started flailing, and he got inside my attack and killed me with a cross shot.
My victories were really good. I took Bill's leg and then thrust him to the face. Then the second time I fought him I took his leg and set up the thrust but, when he had that covered, I changed it up and cut, moving left. My win against oscad I took his leg and got him with a quick face thrust. My kill against Gui he went for his deep leg attack (turtling behind his shield and going for the leg) which with the center grip is easy to cover. I timed his attack and killed him with a wrap.
Then I did some training. With our new guy I taught him to salute, to walk, and to walk through the wards, then I taught him the pell drill (the first three lessons in the book I'm working on). Bill I ran thorough the basic DeGrendels techniques (three ranges and the three wards, 90 degree angle of the arm, and magic button press points).
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