Because of the holiday and a pretty nasty dry head cold, I haven’t been fighting much lately. The last time I fenced was Sunday. I had the chance to do some pick-ups and study some melee techniques. It was a nice, low pressure environment, but I still did good fencing and was in a good head space.

My Krav class isn’t officially meeting this month, but I expect I’ll get together with some of my classmates off the books for some extra practice. I’m nervous about my P2 test, so I’ll be studying as hard as I can.

Oh, and I signed up to run a 5K next weekend. With obstacles. And zombies. It’ll be fun and a huge challenge. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Yesterday in Krav we reviewed P2 skills – both the old P2s and the folks who just passed their P1 test on Saturday. I’m super stoked for them.

I’m making a bunch of tiny mistakes that I can’t see. I’m feeling down this week, so it’s weighing on me more than it normally would. It was a tough practice in the wrong ways. I need to get out of this rut.

I’m hoping yoga today will help get me on the right track.

Last night at Krav we practiced break falls (forward and backward) and rolls (forward and backward). I had to take blood pressure breaks between sets, but I understand the techniques. I need to remember to turn my head to the side during the break fall and also to roll diagonally instead of across my spine.

The warm-up was extra fun. Our instructors had pairs of partners work on upper body strikes and defenses while loosely tied together with a big belt-like apparatus. My partner and I tend to fight a little closer than the belt wanted us to be, but it was still a neat challenge.

I had a migraine after class. I don’t know why that happened, but I’m trying to drink lots of water and take it easy today.

True to my word, I was back at work on Wednesday, but I didn’t go to Krav, and Ladies’ Night was cancelled. I was wrestling with whether or not to go to fencing on Friday when Nik reminded me that we were foregoing practice for the sport club banquet.

I made it to fencing on Sunday! It was nice to move around and fight for the first time in ages. There’s a new guy in town who has done rapier before and just authorized with us. I also talked to a gal who is interested in taking up the hobby, but I got pulled away and didn’t get a chance to fill her in on any more details, so I hope she comes back.

Tonight I go back to Krav, but I’m going to try to take it easy. I still have a bit of a cough from the sinus stuff that came with the ear infection, so I’m not looking forward to running around, but I am excited to go back because…

…I need to start cramming for my P2 test next month! I’m super stoked and a little bit nervous. I’m sure I’ll be ready when the big day comes. In the meantime,I’m trying to remember what everything is called so that I can be a good partner as well as get my hand rehabbed so that I can use it.

I started therapy last week, and I have exercises I’m supposed to do on the finger every day. Range of motion is improving, but it’s still painful. It’s coming along. We’ll see where I am in four week!

Krav on Wednesday went well. If I’m not mistaken, we’ve covered all of P2 now.

We spend Ladies’ Night working on Relay for Life stuff, fencing practice was cancelled Friday, and I was too sick to go to fencing on Sunday. At least I got to prop myself up in a lawn chair and be sick outside on such a beautiful day. It looks like i’m too sick to fight tonight too.

I am grumpy.

I do have some good news, though. I don’t need to have surgery on the finger. I have a bone bruise, and I start occupational therapy at the end of this week.

On Monday there was a great storm, so my Krav class was small. We did some review, and I helped a classmate with some skills he missed the previous week. I liked teaching. As I told one of my instructors, it’s more like Krav tutoring when it’s one-on-one.

Today we went over things we covered last Wednesday and introduced our classmates to the material we covered on Thursday during Ladies’ Night. I’m still working on getting my physics right on my roundhouse kicks, but it’s coming along. After that, we worked on single tempo defense and counter attacks. It’s another time that fencing helps instead of hinders in Krav.

It’s time for another catch-up post!

Wednesday

Krav happened. I’m having issues working on the body mechanics for some of these elbow strikes. Other than that, all is well.

Thursday

I met up with the Krav ladies, had a short practice (lots of kicking), and then went out for TCBY. After TCBY, I helped my fencing students finish their rapier fighting shirts. They’re going to look really sharp out on the field.

Saturday

I went to the SCA event Midwinter Arts & Sciences. I taught a class on making period fencing accessible to new fencers, and I attended some classes. I learned a lot about Paschen’s disarms and also some drills and exercises to help my students with fundamentals of fencing (explosive movement, distance, etc.). It was really neat breaking it down that way.

Sunday

I went to SCA fencing practice in Atlanta before making the long trek back home (even longer since we stopped to visit in Birmingham on the way). Worth it.

Day 34

Sunday

I went to UWF fencing practice. I did 100 lunges and the around the clock drill before gearing up and running a few passes with Nik. I tried something new, and it didn’t work. That’s okay, but when I went back to familiar territory, I still fenced poorly. It was frustrating, but I took a break and went back to it and ended the practice on a good note.

Monday

We worked on advancing and retreating while punching. This is one of the few times that “fencing” at Krav has been helpful.

Tuesday

Stretch it out! I went to yoga. We did a bunch of flows, and the movement really helped me stay connected to my breath.

Let’s see…

Monday I went to Krav and started working on P2 stuff. Class isn’t nearly intense since everything is new now, and that’s probably for the best. I went despite a pretty persistent headache. I felt awesome during practice, but the headache returned after. It’s been coming and going since Sunday but abating over time.

Tuesday I had yoga. Spending an hour stretching in a dark room is one of my favorite parts of the week.

Wednesday was more Krav, and after class I went out for “a few drinks” with my friends from class. We closed the bar. We also may have recruited some new classmates.

Tonight will be a much-needed rest day.