Tag: sca fencing

There hasn’t been much to report.

The attendance in my Krav class tanked to the point that it wasn’t worth it to have regular classes. I’m looking forward to some seminars last month, but that was kind of a downer.

The good news is that I can fence more now (remember that Friday Knight Fights were keeping me from the only day per week that I could practice). I’ve held a regional SCA practice, and I’ve participated in fencing and conditioning with the UWF group (there’s lots of overlap). Fencing at UWF is great, but my SCA classes are poorly attended. I can’t help but wonder if I’m doing something wrong since my classes keep drying up. I have to remind myself that life gets in the way. I’m not necessarily a bad teacher.

There’s an SCA event coming up this weekend. I haven’t competed since MCA.

I’ve been hitting the gym with Nik – weight lifting mostly. He wants to go to the gym daily, and I tag along when I can. I was having trouble fitting workouts in with these ten-hour days. However, my job situation is about to change, so I’ll be able to (at least temporarily) devote more time to fitness.

I still take lots of walks on the beach.

I’m not doing yoga (my old yogi kind of spoiled me), but I have been taking acro classes here and there. I took an acro chair class and learned some neat poses. I’d like to do that and Lyra again. I’ve caught wind of a hand stand conditioning class, and I may try that out too.

I hate to boil down months of working out to a few short paragraphs, but it would be tedious if I didn’t. I will, however, brag that I worked out enough to earn my free movie tickets through my workplace’s employee fitness incentive program. One month of working out for at least 30 minutes per day 3 times per week gets you a water bottle; three months gets you a bag (this time – last time it was a pedometer); and six months gets you two free movie tickets. Last time I got the first two prizes but not the movie tickets because I lost my incentive sheet and didn’t know where to pick it back up (also I think I lost a week when I was sick).

Anyway, I have some changes coming up in my life soon – change in employment, going back to school, etc. – so I have no idea where my journey will take me. Literally I’ll still be in Pensacola, but aside from that, I’m not sure. I think we’re going to try to get a Krav class going again, and I’m looking forward to a new school year and recruiting new fencing club members at UWF.

It’s almost time. Here’s what I’ve been up to since my last update.

I hit the elliptical after work Friday (3/31). I went to fencing that night as well. We had a good time even though we had a little scare – at one point the gym staff asked that all patrons stay where we were since there was an incident outside. It sounds like some people had a beef at the outdoor basketball courts, and a firearm was involved. I’m glad we have a safe indoor space to practice.

That Saturday I went to work and played with kids.

On Sunday, since most of the people in my SCA group were at an event, I called practice off and went stand-up paddle boarding with Nik instead.I did end up in the water once – not on purpose! The wind was pretty strong, so paddling was a challenge. We had a great day.

Monday and Wednesday were Krav nights, as usual. Michael and I worked on getting Jacob ready for his P2 test, and we brushed up on P3 materials as well.

I usually hit the gym on Tuesdays, but I was exhausted and needed sleep more than I needed cardio, so I took it easy that day. Thursdays are usually rest days, so I had two last week.

On Friday I got back to the grind and went to the gym after work. Then I got home, had a little rest, and was walking out the door to go to fencing when anxiety hit me. I did NOT feel prepared for CIC. I sent my apologies to the fencers and stayed home packing and getting organized. I was more prepared than I thought, and Nik and I went to the store to pick up a few more supplies as well, so I feel much better about it now. I kind of feel silly for missing the fun at fencing, but it was worth it to have some peace of mind.

On Saturday I walked around the island before work, where I walked around some more when I wasn’t playing games.

Sunday morning was the moment of truth. I woke up bright and early to be at the gym in Gulf Breeze at 9:30. Eddie, Kita, Michael, Jacob, and I were all there to test. Everyone did really well, and I got over half my steps in before noon. Michael dropped an elbow on my back a little too hard at one point, so I’m getting a neat bruise back there, and Kita clipped my chin with a hammer fist, but I DIDN’T GET PUNCHED IN THE FACE. This is a first for me. 

After that I went home and changed clothes for fencing. I took it easy-ish and kept enough gas in my metaphorical tank to fence everyone who brought gear. I was mostly in teaching mode, but that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t moving around a lot!

Tonight is my last Krav class before I leave for CIC. I’m debating going to the gym tomorrow after work (it’s only half an hour). I’d like to have more time to pack, and I’m already incredibly sore, so I would like to rest my muscles before I go murder them for a week, but I also kind of want to keep the hype train rolling over here. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow.

No promises on updates while I’m on the road.

Thursday was a rest day last week, and Friday was a travel day. Nik and I took a bunch of our students to the Meridian Challenge of Arms (which took place Saturday).

I don’t even know where to begin. Our “kids” fenced so well and were so awesome… they made us look really good, and they weren’t even trying to. They were there to compete and do their thing, but they were just so awesome at it. One won a tournament, two others made it to semi and quarter finals. Some were competing for the first time and winning fights I’m not sure I could win. Nik and I each got taken out of tourneys by our own students. It was an amazing weekend.

I can’t brag on them the whole time. I did do some fencing myself. Like usual, I didn’t bring home the gold. I feel pretty good about my fencing, but there was a bout that I thought I should have put up more of a fight for and another that I think I should have won if I’d taken some chances earlier on. However, barring one exception, all of the touches landed on me were by masters or my own students (and I managed to take out one of the masters I fenced). I can’t complain about that.

Monday was a bit overwhelming after having been on the road. Michael really picked up the slack when it came to planning class, so I’m planning tonight’s class to pay him back. I got to jump in and do some conditioning and cardio with the rest of the class. That was great after being in the car most of Sunday (and eating whatever I could get my hands on over the weekend).

Last night Nik and I went to the gym. We lifted, and then I got in a run. My goal was a mile and a half. On the indoor track, 8 laps is a mile. I managed to run seven, but I broke and walked the eighth. Then I ran laps 9-11 and walked lap number 12 (plus two more to cool down). Even with walking interspersed, I managed to do a mile and a half in about 18 minutes.

It looks like my Krav friends are doing the McGuire’s 5K this month. I’ve been curious but never gone since the run conflicts with Gulf Wars. Since I’m not going to War this year, I think I’ll give this run a try. I’m supposed to predict my time when I sign up. I think 40 minutes is a safe bet. We all know I’m not crazy about running, but I need all the cardio I can get before CIC1. Plus there’s a decent amount of drinking involved after this particular race, so there’s some more incentive.

Last Wednesday I worked out at Krav along with the class and then put in some extra practice with Michael and the Three Bears afterwards to work on P4 skills to get us ready for CIC 1.

On Thursday I took a Lyra class. It was all bodyweight – no cardio – but a fun challenge for me. I was able to do the moves and felt super proud of myself!

Starting Friday after work, my students and I helped with the SCA demo at Pensacon… in addition to regularly scheduled practice. Tiny Nick! and I met at the Bay Center to do a very brief demo and then cut out to go to UWF practice. My kiddo came into town just in time to go with us, so that was pretty cool. We also had some newcomers that night.

On Saturday and Sunday, we fenced intermittently more or less all day. Demo fighting is fun because you can do weird and flashy stuff you’d never do in a tournament. I wore my “Merida dress” with chain maille under, and that seemed to be a big hit. It’s important to me that little girls see that you can be a pretty princess and still sword fight.

Monday was another Krav night. I let Michael take the lead on that once since I wasn’t really prepared after my busy weekend. We stayed after and worked on a few more P4 skills. We’re almost finished working our way through that level!

Yesterday morning I got some bad news and stayed home from work. I slept a lot in the morning hours, but in the late afternoon, I felt well enough to go to the gym with Nik. We fenced with Tiny Nick!, lifted some weights, did some cardio, and then met up with more students and fenced a little more. When I was working out, I wasn’t so sad. I really appreciate my friends and students – more than they know.

Tonight is a Krav night. I actually organized the lesson and feel pretty good about it. February seems to be moving as quickly as January did slowly (if that makes sense), so I want to get as much floor time in as possible before April!

I’m two weeks post-op from LASIK. I can get sweat and tap water in my eyes, I don’t wear the shield when I sleep, and I’m allowed to enjoy swimming pools and hot tubs. I still take eye drops more than usual, but other than that, it’s a dream come true.

On Saturday I went to extra practice at UWF with Nik and Tiny Nick! I did a long sword drill that didn’t require me to wear a mask and walked the track. Of the 8 laps I did, I jogged 3 (not all at once – I spread them out). No sweat.

Yesterday we had SCA practice. Because we had a lot of new people, I got to do some mask-off instruction. I sparred with a few of the more experienced students – again in short bursts.

Tonight I’ll be back at Krav. I expect teaching will be the same as usual, but my practice time after class may be limited.

Wow, I’ve been slacking. Sorry about that, friends.

Last Wednesday I taught Krav with Michael. That went well. I worked with the P1s while he took the P2s, and then we worked on some really sweet looking kicks (P4) after everyone left.

On Thursday Nik and I met up with our UWF fencing students for some extra fencing time. I didn’t feel too hot, but I went anyway. I figured some fencing was better than no fencing. I found a “hole” in my defense. I was also having issues with one of my toes. I dropped a book on my foot a little while ago, and apparently my toe decided to swell up on Thursday. I taped them together on Friday, and everything has been peachy since then.

Friday was a regular UWF fencing practice. Nik helped me deal with the “hole.” Knowing about it seems to help. Tiny Nick! and I have been exchanging lessons on knife fighting – mine from Krav Maga and his from Fiore. It’s a beautiful conversation.

On Saturday I helped teach a Krav seminar in the early afternoon. I had trouble generating volume when teaching; I don’t know if it’s because I was outside or if I was feeling froggy in my throat. It’s easier when we’re in the gym. I came home and swapped out my Krav gear for my fencing gear and headed to the gym with Nik for extra practice with the UWF fencers. We fenced a bit, and then I got in a quick run. I managed to squeak in a mile under 10 minutes, and I only wanted to die twice. Progress!

On Sunday Nik and I went to the park for SCA fencing. Tiny Nick! joined us and helped us show the basics to some new people. We had a pretty good turnout.

Yesterday was Krav night. Michael and I taught kicks (high knees and front kicks for P1; roundhouses and stop kicks for P2s). Everyone did the stomp kick because why not? After practice we worked on some P4 blocks.

Tonight is going to be a rock wall night. I’ve slept on it, and I’ve thought critically about my fears, and I think I’m going to make it to the top this time.

I did not fence last Thursday, but I felt my time was well spent with my friend.

I ran UWF fencing practice on Friday since Nik was out of town. I spent some time working with some newer students, and Tiny Nick! stepped in to introduce the new students to some drills. He’s shaping up into a good instructor.

On Saturday I had informal practice at my house with my students from UWF. We fenced until the sun went down and then had some “mus’ go soup” (made when you have a bunch of ingredients that “mus ‘go” in the soup)..

Nik came back Saturday night, and we had an SCA demo on Sunday. We had an informal tournament, and I feel like I did some good fighting even though I didn’t win the tournament. I saw good sportsmanship and good fencing from my students, and our bouts ran well even though people were sharing gear and trading weapons between rounds.

Last night Michael and I were back at it at Krav. I think we’re building our new core group. We have some people from before the break and a couple of new faces. I’m hopeful that we can keep the momentum going.

My biggest challenge right now is that one of my students has some trouble with coordination because of other medical issues. I’m working on figuring out the best way to adapt what we’re teaching to suit his needs.

After class, Michael and I ran through some ground work and a kick defense for P3 and worked on figuring out a schedule for ourselves. I think we’ll probably look at techniques after class and then work on conditioning at other times (either together or reporting back to each other). Last night I came home and used the medicine ball for some core work while I was watching TV. I did sit ups (wihout the ball), twists (with the ball), and ball drops (obviously with the ball). I need to inflate my yoga ball a bit more so that I can get off the floor and do some more dynamic stuff during TV time.

Tonight Nik and I are hitting the gym and then meeting up with some of our students to do some fencing (speaking of momentum). I’ll probably do some light weight lifting, but i need to do more cardio to get ready for CIC.

I rested up and felt a bit better for the weekend.

First i assisted in a Krav seminar. The official instructors did the instructing, and I and some of my cohorts worked the room, helping people adjust form and answering questions. I committed to teaching P1 and P2 with my CIC partner. We start next week. I’m stoked and nervous – just like when I teach English.

After that I hit the road. Nik and I visited our friends in Castlemere/Jacksonville for fencing practice (shout out to Zhao for following my adventures!). I fenced a few rounds and made some new friends. I tried not to over-exert myself and had a great afternoon. 

When we got back to Pensacola, we rested a bit and then went to UWF practice. I did much more fencing (but still took breaks). I’m still standing, so I feel pretty good and think I may finally be over this cold.

Tonight after work Nik and I are hitting the gym. I’m not sure what I’m going to try to do (light weightlifting? incorporating running? finally trying the rock wall?), but I’m definitely ready to get back to being active.

My body has been trying to get sick for a couple of weeks now. Fortunately I made it through Magna Faire. I got to fence, and I did well enough that people were coming by and complimenting me, but I didn’t feel like I was fencing my fight. I assumed it was because I haven’t been practicing as much since I got hurt (remember that I’ve been to maybe two practices and Serfo since the shoulder sprain).

On Monday Krav was rained out. The weather was bad enough that we didn’t want our students out driving around. I welcomed the reprieve.

Tuesday was my last day of yoga, my first aid final, and my psych final. Toga was restful, and I aced my finals. Yay!

Apparently that took everything I had out of me because my body finally decided to be sick on Wednesday. I visited the MInute Clinic to make sure it wasn’t strep and was diagnosed with a cold. I’m taking some low dose steroids to deal with the symptoms. Now I’m full of energy but also not really up for doing anything. Of course, since I missed work Wednesday, I didn’t go to Krav. I probably will not go to fencing tonight.

This is frustrating because I want to get out and do stuff, but I also want to rest up and heal well so that I can enjoy my winter break. I have to keep reminding myself that there will be fencing practice and Krav, even though the school will be closed.

I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired (and hurt).

Since everyone in my Krav class has tested to one level or another and we have less than a month of classes ahead of us, the next six classes will be “play” classes.

Last night we did some relays involving carrying heavy punching bags (indoors) and then went into the alley to do some scenarios that were kind of a hybrid of flag football and capture the flag. It was a hell of a workout and generally a good time. I may have pushed a little harder than I should have, so I iced my shoulder when I came home.

I’m gearing up for Magna Faire this weekend. I’ve barely fenced since Serfo. I’ve been ill or in a slump so much since then, and I’m hoping that being around my friends will help me get some of my enthusiasm back. I want to want to fence. Does that make sense? I go to fencing, and I think I want to fence, but I get there, and I just can’t give my best fight. I’m hoping that a couple days of rest will get me back to myself on Saturday.