Feeling my way

Today was my second class since bastardgate. I am immensely proud of how the guys have pulled together, found a venue and generally been the club in a time that could have resulted in complete destruction.

I am slowly feeling my way through being the lead instructor and responsible adult. It's difficult to bring my vision into the lessons and to create a structure that provides solid growth and access for newbies. I don't have a library of drills yet.. I will.. but right now it's memories of stuff that worked for me. The principle based approach is being received well, allowing the guys to find their style without being tied to plays and manuscripts.

Don't get me wrong, the manuscripts are  important but I am taking the traditional English Approach of stealing everything that isn't nailed down, then a crowbar for the stuff that is. Hopefully I am also allowing people to know what is martially sound even if they don't have the names.

I was not happy with last week's lesson. I have had feedback that matches my feelings about what I did wrong. Which means that how I feel about today's lesson and my aims are good.

Lesson 1: Stuff about binding, general burbling. Drills that were vague and incomplete.

Lesson 2: 'bog standard volte' to start as a warm up more for me than the guys, changing partners and watching how everyone works together.
Look at where the volte didn't work.
Use of footwork to control the hit and prevent the volte from being an option.
Stage one of asymmetric distance drills vs sword (void)
Freeplay/revisit drills.

The asymmetric distance drill is going to be a staple. There's growth in there- 2 extra stages to be switched in when circumstances allow.  It allows flow work and form from the attacker and helps with kinaesthetics for the defender.

In all, I am happy with that as a lesson on distance.

Class plans...

I am sure the reasons why the change happened are becoming well known, again not the circumstances I wanted to become lead instructor, but I feel I've been heading this way for a long time.

So cue mad panic and study for a weapon I enjoy but have no great love for. Don't get me wrong, I like longsword but it doesn't 'sing' to me like single and offhand or quarterstaff does. Maybe because I have made those my study, happily picking up everything I can, and generally hanging new ideas on that framework..

Which I guess brings me to the greatest change in class structure. I will be stepping  away from play based instruction. It's never sat right with me, the principles need to be drilled in and the plays evolve/illustrate the concepts. I don't want the guys going 'this is the fifth master, 3rd refinement' I want them to feel as if they are doing the right thing, and then have it on video to alongside the play that just happened.

It will be a complete mash up. Sword vs dagger should teach distances, sure parries and rapid closing. I shall have  to play but sword in one hand and sword in 2 should be interchangeable with the Rawlings nylons and the hiltier feders. Which will open up more options. Then be tied back to the dagger work.

As much fun as I have had with how things were... I am already seeing so many, many more  opportunities and a way to turn the rag tag misfits into an unpredictable whirlwind of blades. With strong, sure and steady mechanics behind them.

Eep

Fight camp was a mixed event for me. There was a massive shadow cast by my esteemed and honourable maestro. Being.. less than honourable and my having to turn a desolation into a win in 3 weeks.

It was very unpleasant talking about the circumstances, we were fucked over to the cost of hosting something. Both cash and support, by the looks of it.

Which is why it is hard to describe how I feel right now. I have been offered so much and, casually, been shown so much faith that.. I am humbled. What I have seen is so beyond testosterone poisoning that 'oh fucking fuck... Me?' is my main reaction.

And in that atmosphere. I personally awarded a medal to a stuffed toy. Because that is the right thing to do.

This isn't the blog for politics

This blog was started due to the joy I found in HEMA, the people I respect and how positivity should be looked for well above politics and infighting and so on.

The hobby has sustained me through bad times, I have met great people, become a better person both physically and mentally.  I wouldn't be in the position I am if I didn't see my volunteering as giving something back. And all of that is an aside to the fact that sword fighting is pretty damn cool.

This is an unpleasant time for me and my relationship with the hobby. Part of it is that my personal feelings about stuff, I have taken a massive step into the unknown because of things that I would rather have prevented. It's rushed because the guys come first and the defining weekend of my HEMA experience is almost upon us. I wouldn't be half as enthusiastic if it wasn't for that terrifying weekend at the gunpowder mills. Being prodded into a rapier contest just to make up the numbers.. being the first time I actually used steel. Yes, these were the days of the ubershinai and when hanwei practicals were the best we could get.

If it was 'just me' I would have faded away, given up my spot on Danelli's waiting list and probably just stuck to cutting practice and occasionally scrawling notes in the margins of book while feeling resentful.

Fortunately, it is a lot more than just me. It's those who introduced me to the wider hobby. Those I have met through this hobby. Those who have a learnt a mutual language through the sword. I have to remind myself of those people. Those who look up to me and respect my opinions or at least have a good point (metaphorically or literally).

So, what happens next? Not a fucking clue. I shall, as ever, carry on looking at and for the opinions of people I respect. I will argue, pick up swords and discuss things that way. With nothing to prove, nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 It is important to me that this fightcamp is phoenix-like rather than shoegazing and blame. Still not quite sure what direction this will take, but it will be a better one.

I am not happy with what has been thrown at me. But this is not a full stop.

It is a stop thrust.

Today was a good class.  Fewer people than usual, 2 of our Permanent Guest Instructor's class (He's off doing international stuff- Teaching/judging at some big meeting in the South of France) so they did their own thing.

And 8 of the thugs.  10 people is a low turnout for us now.  I don't do the headcounts or cash taking.. I'm just the guy who balances the numbers.  If we're odd, I drill. If we're even I coach.  If people have questions or bits of text they want to go through... That's me. We are limited by space and cost, we can go on forever as we are and I need to expand a little.

I need to because playing the Odd means that I'm hitting a plateau. I'm comfortable, happy and able to take any role in the class... providing I get some time actually paying attention to the Permanent Guest Instructor's style and aims. His guys need to be less linear, which requires more room and the thugs... well some want to get to the books and work on their own intepretations.. others just want to roll around on the floor perfecting choke holds and ear biting.

In my club, there should be room for all of these. The mental space is there, but the physical isn't. And that's what made today's particularly interesting due to stuff there was space for me to play with my ideas of class- led, as it should be, by the students.

And so I learnt some things... I don't think Vadi is a 'good' mastet to follow when trying to do HEMA. This is not because he's impenetrable or that the 2 line, couplet stuff is limiting or that the pictures are as clear as any other HEMA manual... but because he uses broken bones like Fiore uses locks. Almost every play we looked at, there was a point where we had to shake our heads and say that it was too dangerous to use against friends.

There's this really neat counter against something akin to Fiore's metzane/halfsword feint which ends with you kind of winding until your hilt is locking their wrist, forearm and elbow and your body mechanics are set to throw them on the floor while breaking their arm in several places. It's a clear moment of how fragile the human body can be when you have the mechanics right. I'm hesitant to drill it because it is so efficient that I don't want it to be a natural reaction.

Aims for the future

This was in my drafts.  I thought it was published....

Where to start.

My personal fencing is less important to me than seeing the guys do well. Sure, I am getting a shiny new custom made sword but it is to be used as an instructional tool. The sparring, although important is secondary. Fitness could improve, and more training in general is preferable. Again, though, raising the guys up is the aim.

Personal study wise. I think going through my era and looking at late longsword would be good. Quarterstaff is always an aim, but safety and space are still problematic.  I have a lot of fun with sword and buckler against... almost everything, so maybe working on my own style. Possibly my own system, if that doesn't sound too arrogant..... maybe it is better to call it a bastardised mish-mash of stuff that works for me.

For the guys?  I have mentioned that the newbie pattern is difficult. I think splitting the newbies off at the first drill is a way to go. Introduce more flow, split things more into principles instead of plays. Once the newbies have a basic vocabulary and can spar, bump them over to the principles.

If we find a suitable larger venue, I become more floating. Judge, sparring coach, bookworm, drilling partner and maybe even actually have a few lessons from our permanent guest instructor (so I can help his students when he goes off gallivanting across the globe.. instead of purely relying on dirty English habits).

Quiet, but not gone.

I guess it is time to fill people in on everything.  Basically the club has been going from strength to strength. We have a good group, newbie turnover is a little too high for my liking but once we get someone for a month or so, they stay. We are suffering from a lack of space... Which is a nicer problem than an empty hall.

I'm happy in my role of assistant coach/TA and will be pushing some of the guys to start their own interpretations and look into texts that interest them.  This will make my role as the 'odd' one a lot more rewarding.

The guys themselves are good. I won't say the best, but they fence with passion, enthusiasm and good grace. Which is far more important than perfect play.

Also lots more good news, I'm starting discussions to get a sword made, I am one of the lucky ones to get into Fightcamp, despite its phenomenal popularity.  We should have a fairly decent turnout. 4 confirmed, 3 or 4 in reserves. Club logos and hoodies are almost ready to order. Ideas for a trophy, to add to last year's medals. (Awarded for making Fightcamp the kind of event we love)

So, hopefully I'll keep this up for a while, try to spread the joy a little more rather than keeping it all to myself.