Tag: longsword

I meant to post sooner, but honestly, waiting only four days instead of a whole week or more is progress, and that’s really what this blog is all about.

On Monday I started tracking my food again. So far things are going well on that front. Fortunately I’ve been able to make very minor changes – primarily, I’m being mindful of what I’m eating. I’ll let you know how that pans out in a few weeks.

I’m not entirely sure how to measure progress since my goal here isn’t necessarily to lose weight or inches (though it would be nice to have a nicer fit in some of my dress pants). I’m trying to improve performance in a field that i find hard to measure. In running or lifting, you can measure speed, reps, or weight. With fighting, it’s a little more subjective. I figure the more “good days” I have training, the better I’m performing.

Anyway, Monday was the first day I really got to teach in Krav. It was a little bit nerve wracking, but your first day teaching always is. It helps that I’m learning how to teach this skill in a friendly environment with people I know. I expressed to Kita that I’m still learning which types of errors to look for. For example when I teach fencing, I know that new fencers tend to roll the ankle when they lunge, so I pay special attention to their feet when they learn this skill. I’m working on figuring out some “common errors” for Krav. More importantly, I’m working on finding ways to make warm-ups dynamic and appropriate for the exercises we’re about to do. This is all awesome and exciting; the bad news is that I don’t really get to work out on class nights anymore.

Tuesday was a yoga night, but I need to work on cardio, so I hit the pool after my night class. I was on the swim team in high school. That was a long time ago, and I wasn’t very good to begin with, but I really enjoy swimming. I managed to keep at it for half an hour – not too shabby by my book!

Last night was another teacher night. I spend about an hour teaching P1s, and then after they leave, I have about a half an hour to work on my own P3 training. We’re working on finding some days to meet and train outside of class.

Scheduling Krav practice time for the next two months will be difficult partially because of my schedule and partially because I have a HEMA event coming up soon, and I really want to participate in longsword. I want to learn enough that I won’t embarrass myself in front of the other fencers.

I don’t expect to update tonight, so I’ll tell you now that I plan to hit the gym after work and use their punching bag. If the gym is closed, I’ll come up with something else to do. If all else fails, I still have the Dreaded Exercise Bike at home.

Nik and I have made the decision to attend UWF fencing practice on Friday and then drive to Birmingham(ish) right after for a weekend SCA event. That drive should be fun. I’m looking forward to fencing with my friends on Saturday. There won’t be practice on Sunday.

SERFO 2015

Okay, where do I even start?

Nik and I got to Atlanta Friday night and had dinner with friends who were also going to participate in the tournament. Four of our students came up as well, but we left them to their own devices.

Saturday

We were up bright and early on Saturday to check in by 9. The Franco-Belgian Tournament was a good warm-up. I won a couple of fights but didn’t make it to finals or anything like that. It knocked the dust off. Nik did make it to finals, and after four and a half minutes of fencing (which doesn’t sound like that much time unless you’re in the ring) took second in the event.

After that, I officiated the Open Longsword Tournament and the Invitational Longsword Tournament (Nik came in fourth place, I believe). I don’t practice much longsword, but every time I go to this event, I remember how artful and powerful it is. I’d like to learn more about it.

After lunch, we had the First Blood Rapier Tournament. The only touches on me in the pools were from my own students. I was super proud of them. I ended up coming in fourth (out of 25 people), a personal best. One of my students came in second, and Nik won first.

I had a fantastic evening hanging out with friends, eating amazing cashew butter cookies, and getting on the HYPE TRAIN with my HEMA friends.

Sunday

The Women’s Longsword Tournament was first thing. That tournament is my goal for next year’s SERFO.

After that, we had the Conventional Rapier Tournament. I didn’t do so well in the pools that time, but I didn’t feel like I choked or did bad fencing. I was simply bested because of the choices I made. One of my students made it to finals, and she and Nik fought for third place that afternoon. He took third, and she took fourth.

After lunch (before all the finals for the day, of course), I had the opportunity to participate in the dussack tournament. I’ve never done dussack before, but I have done some sabre and some backsword, so I signed up and crammed during the lunch hour. I won one fight out of my pools and was generally knocked around, but I LOVED it. Nik and I are looking into getting some dussacks ourselves. None of my people made it to finals, but Nik and one of our students did participate in the elimination round.

I also had the chance to fence some pick-ups with some awesome fencers, and I saw my students doing the same. I received compliments on my progress and also on my students’ skill, sportsmanship, and comportment. I’m so proud of them, and I’m thrilled to see some progress in myself after a plateau.

Nik and I got in from Atlanta around midnight. We’ve turned into the Professor and Mr. Burns, respectively. Despite general soreness from fighting and stiffness from being in the car, I’m going to try to stick it out and go to Krav tonight.

I think I’ve written everything out here, but please let me know if you have questions about the event as a whole or any of the tournaments.