I must say, the cloak is a tiring parry weapon, but damn fun!
I'm getting more comfortable with it, but I have to work on smaller movements and keep an angled guard.
It can encompass some pretty intricate strategies as well as simple voids and wards.
Master Orlando brought a bag of Mardi Gras bling for fighting incentives: beads for anyone who can beat him three out of five fights and chocolate coins for those whose fighting showed style as well as skill.
He is an amazing fencer, so the challenge was very real; so much so that only one of us, Malcolm, won the challenge.
For myself, I was only able to score one win off of Orlando (single rapier), but he observed that my guards and defense had improved and earned a coin.
Good times!
Silver Hair
Silfraharr
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Cloak and No Dagger
"That I may continue in the weapons which are most unusual and most commonly worn: After the Dagger, I come to the Cloak: The use whereof was first found by chance and reduced into Art."
-Giacommo di Grassi, 1570 (Translation by Norman White)
Might as well do a quick follow up.
Last night I went to practice with my dagger sitting home and a full length wool cloak in its place. Good fights were had that night as I began my "single rapier/cloak only " trek.
I began studying this form a couple of months ago but, as discussed previously, the dagger was a huge distraction.
Cloak is an interesting parry tool. It gets wrapped around the forearm and the rest drapes. In its use, it can mask your own sword and footwork as well as deflect and redirect the opponent's weapon(s). It also requires a certain amount of conditioning as its a constant weight hangi from an outstretched arm.
The arm and hand are at risk, so situational awareness and position of the guards is paramount.
I'm really enjoying this challenge and after a series of bouts, I was able to qualify in its basic proficiency.
-Giacommo di Grassi, 1570 (Translation by Norman White)
Might as well do a quick follow up.
Last night I went to practice with my dagger sitting home and a full length wool cloak in its place. Good fights were had that night as I began my "single rapier/cloak only " trek.
I began studying this form a couple of months ago but, as discussed previously, the dagger was a huge distraction.
Cloak is an interesting parry tool. It gets wrapped around the forearm and the rest drapes. In its use, it can mask your own sword and footwork as well as deflect and redirect the opponent's weapon(s). It also requires a certain amount of conditioning as its a constant weight hangi from an outstretched arm.
The arm and hand are at risk, so situational awareness and position of the guards is paramount.
I'm really enjoying this challenge and after a series of bouts, I was able to qualify in its basic proficiency.
Time Keeps on Slippin'!
Wow, has it really been two months? Yea, there's reasons, but never great ones, that's the bad part. The good part is that I have been fencing all of this time, so..cool.
Last weekend, I joined 174 other fencers in Milton, PA for an SCA event called AEdult Swim 2017. Two days of fighting and classes with people from all different parts of the country, and at least one from a whole other country, as we tested our skills against each other, shared advice and encouragement, laughed a whole lot and sweated even more.
There was a great class on Tempo and Measure that I took. It was a good thing, going back to basics, though there is nothing simple about becoming skilled in either of these things and we all worked hard to grasp as much information as we could before heading back into the fight floor.
I was lucky enough to go against some very skilled men and women. Each tested me and challenged me in different ways; every victory I had was hard earned, every loss was a good lesson.
My fencing received a couple of really encouraging compliments and some solid advice from people who I knew, but had not seen in quite some time.
My arms and legs were like jelly by the time my friends and I hit the road for the three hour ride home, and it was totally worth it!
I learned something else, as well; I have become a bit too reliant on my dagger as an off hand weapon. So much so that single rapier had begun feeling foreign when I was fighting in that form.
I decided to put myself on a "dagger moratorium" for the next month, and dedicate my time to the use of cloak and single rapier.
Getting too comfortable is never a good thing, I have to keep learning.
Last weekend, I joined 174 other fencers in Milton, PA for an SCA event called AEdult Swim 2017. Two days of fighting and classes with people from all different parts of the country, and at least one from a whole other country, as we tested our skills against each other, shared advice and encouragement, laughed a whole lot and sweated even more.
There was a great class on Tempo and Measure that I took. It was a good thing, going back to basics, though there is nothing simple about becoming skilled in either of these things and we all worked hard to grasp as much information as we could before heading back into the fight floor.
I was lucky enough to go against some very skilled men and women. Each tested me and challenged me in different ways; every victory I had was hard earned, every loss was a good lesson.
My fencing received a couple of really encouraging compliments and some solid advice from people who I knew, but had not seen in quite some time.
My arms and legs were like jelly by the time my friends and I hit the road for the three hour ride home, and it was totally worth it!
I learned something else, as well; I have become a bit too reliant on my dagger as an off hand weapon. So much so that single rapier had begun feeling foreign when I was fighting in that form.
I decided to put myself on a "dagger moratorium" for the next month, and dedicate my time to the use of cloak and single rapier.
Getting too comfortable is never a good thing, I have to keep learning.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Close the Gap!
While fighting with rapier and dagger on Tuesday, I was reminded (repeatedly) how a secondary weapon can create more openings in my defenses, than without.
(Stab) "you have a gap!"
(Stab) "you still have a gap!"
(Stab) "OK, let's go over a few things" :)
This has been gone over in the past, but as I've been figuring out techniques and a fighting system, it has set some things back as I adapt.
Fortunately, I fence with some really great people, both in skill and attitude, and I got some great help. The gap got smaller and even closed at times.
After our bouts, I got some lessons in guards from Fabris and Cappo Ferra and to illustrate them better. Th help illustrate the points to me, I was asked to take an unarmed fighting stance (referencing my Asian Martial Arts training) and, lo and behold! No gap!
Thank you, Bruce and Juliean!
Thank you, Bruce and Juliean!
I do love this path that I'm on and the new bonds that are forming.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
A Sword! A Sword!
A sword! A sword! Ah, give me a sword!
For the world is all to win.
Though the way be hard and the door be barred,
The strong man enters in.
If Chance and Fate still hold the gate,
Give me the iron key,
And turret high my plume shall fly,
Or you may weep for me!
A horse! A horse! Ah, give me a horse!
To bear me out afar,
Where blackest need and grimmest deed
And sweetest perils are.
Hold though my ways from glutted days
Where poisoned leisure lies,
And point the path of tears and wrath
Which mounts to high enterprise!
A heart! A heart! Ah, give me a heart
To rise to circumstance!
Serene and high and bold to try
The hazard of the chance,
With strength to wait, but fixed as fate
To plan and dare and do,
The peer of all, and only thrall,
Sweet lady mine, to you!
-Arthur Conan Doyle, "Sir Nigel"
For the world is all to win.
Though the way be hard and the door be barred,
The strong man enters in.
If Chance and Fate still hold the gate,
Give me the iron key,
And turret high my plume shall fly,
Or you may weep for me!
A horse! A horse! Ah, give me a horse!
To bear me out afar,
Where blackest need and grimmest deed
And sweetest perils are.
Hold though my ways from glutted days
Where poisoned leisure lies,
And point the path of tears and wrath
Which mounts to high enterprise!
A heart! A heart! Ah, give me a heart
To rise to circumstance!
Serene and high and bold to try
The hazard of the chance,
With strength to wait, but fixed as fate
To plan and dare and do,
The peer of all, and only thrall,
Sweet lady mine, to you!
-Arthur Conan Doyle, "Sir Nigel"
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Happy Thanksgiving!
My thanks to the first Master, and the first student.
Thank you for your courage, your passion and strength that grew your knowledge, and passed it down through the centuries.
Thank you, because I cannot imagine myself not being a Martial Artist.
Thank you for your courage, your passion and strength that grew your knowledge, and passed it down through the centuries.
Thank you, because I cannot imagine myself not being a Martial Artist.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Trading Steel
Our Glen Gardner practice was packed last night! We had visitors come down to bring some nice variety to an already varied spectrum of skill.
I fought single rapier, and rapier and dagger. My guards are definitely tighter and the angles of attack and defense are getting smoother.
There was a lot of fast and hard fighting, and we all left sweaty, tired and happy.
I had a lesson in the use of cloak, after the Bolognese Tradition. Instead of a waist cloak or caplette, this is a full length cloak, wrapped around the forearm. It's pretty versatile, being able to conceal and confuse an opponent by masking footwork and blade position. It's also use to redirect and deflect and attack, and to even ensnare.
I'm going to be working with this on a more regular basis, and have been pulling up some period references.
I fought single rapier, and rapier and dagger. My guards are definitely tighter and the angles of attack and defense are getting smoother.
There was a lot of fast and hard fighting, and we all left sweaty, tired and happy.
I had a lesson in the use of cloak, after the Bolognese Tradition. Instead of a waist cloak or caplette, this is a full length cloak, wrapped around the forearm. It's pretty versatile, being able to conceal and confuse an opponent by masking footwork and blade position. It's also use to redirect and deflect and attack, and to even ensnare.
I'm going to be working with this on a more regular basis, and have been pulling up some period references.
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