You really need to keep your equipment up—especially your
swords. This is an issue for me, as I’ve been fighting a new style, one that
works best with a lighter, hand heavy sword. The sword I’d been using was
perfect about 50 layers of tape ago. Last night I fought like ass, in part because the sword would not move the way I needed it to. I did,
however, get some new rattan, so that won’t be an issue at crown.
WORKOUTS
Since the last practice I went to, I’ve done two yoga
classes, biked, walked, and done push ups every day. My workouts have not been
what I’d planned three months ago. I have not been lifting weights very much,
not been to many intense aerobics classes, just push ups and yoga, walking and
biking, occasional running and using the Indian clubs. I’ve barely even touched
the kettle bells.
TECHNIQUE
All I wanted to work on last night was my A-Frame defense,
my straight inside thrust and my off side head shot.
FIGHTING
I only fought four opponents last night—Arn, Tycho, Gregor
and Stephan. I fought long sets with each of them. My wind was good but my arms
did tire a bit.
Against Arn I had more steam than he did at the end of our
set. I felt really good about that. I took his leg and killed him. I think he
slipped past my defense once, and that was after I’d started attacking more and
going on offense.
Against Tycho I was trying a variation of the A frame, in
which I cock my shield over, the point toward my off side, and hold my sword to
the right and up to guard my head. He broke it down pretty handily. The times I
killed him I took his leg. My main thing was a need to see is offense more—I
was blinding myself.
I didn’t touch Gregor this time. He still couldn’t take my
leg, and remarked on it, but he had my number otherwise. I was being just a bit
more aggressive, and he was taking me to town. Our first bout I had planned to
go for a stutter wrap, but he knew where I was going before I did, and when I
got there his sword was waiting for me. It was perfect timing. He got me moving
in a couple of times. He exposed my two biggest flaws. The first is that, when
I bring my hands in to close off the center line in the A Frame I leave my
sword arm exposed. The second is that when I get in tight I’m flattening my
sword out. This was because with that tip heavy sword I needed the rotation to
get any speed or power on my shots. But by flattening it out—holding it more or
less parallel to the ground—I was taking it out of the equation, because he
would just shoot above or below it and get me. I need to hold it at an upward
angle like I do in the A frame, just a bit higher when I’m in close.
I didn’t touch Stephan either, but that is rare. He was the
only person who was able to take my leg all night, and he got it twice. He said
my defense is really improved. He can’t get me with his right cross any more,
which is his payoff shot. He ahs to work
hard to open anything up. Making Stephan work is one of my life’s goal.
Afterward, my shoulder felt tense and a bit achy. I stopped
after four fights in order not to strain it. I iced it after ward and it felt
fine by the time I went to bed. He problem was the sword: I just can’t push a
tip heavy sword into those shots from the A Frame defense. It is slow, probably
light, and puts way too much work on the shoulder.
Crown is in nine days. This was my last practice till then.
No comments:
Post a Comment