Testing day is right around the corner! Last night at Krav, we did a dry run of the test. I’m confident that I will pass. I didn’t get many reminders this time through.

I need to modify my forearm guards so that I can wear them with my gloves. I’ll be doing that tonight. Wednesday is the last practice class before the test on Saturday. I’m ready. I’m covered in bruises, but I’m ready.

I’m also super proud of my sparring partner. She placed in a 10K over the weekend. I don’t run if I can avoid it, so I’m awed that she got up and ran 6 miles in the cold and NAILED IT.

Day 31

Today Nik and I held SCA rapier practice. I did 100 lunges and the around the clock drill before free sparring. I worked on feints with my long blade and getting in close with my shorter one. I was really pleased with my execution of things I’ve been practicing recently, and my point control was consistent with both hands. I am a happy fighter today.

Yoga didn’t happen Tuesday night. I’m kinda bummed about that, but we’ll be back on schedule next week.

Krav on Wednesday night was good. I feel a little more ready for the test after each practice. At this point we’ve re-covered everything, so from here on out, it’s just drilling all those skills into our heads. My chest is a little tender, but I’m otherwise pretty much healed.

I didn’t get to fence on Friday partially because I thought I might be coming down with something and partially because the UWF club did a demo that day, so they really didn’t need two more hours of practice.

I’m looking forward to fencing for the first time in what feels like ages tomorrow.

Day 30

I went to SCA fencing practice on Sunday. I probably could have geared up, but I played it safe instead and did 100 lunges, some footwork, and the around the clock drill. The realization that my chest protectors would line up perfectly with my bruises helped me reach the decision to sit it out one more day.

I had the chance to go to UWF fencing on Monday, but Nik and I were both too pooped to go, so we declared Monday a rest day. I’ll be back at Krav tomorrow. I’m looking forward to yoga tonight.

My P1 test is right around the corner. I’m excited, but the nervousness hasn’t really kicked in yet.

Day 29

Since I was still very bruised from Krav practice on Wednesday, I opted to restrict myself to non-contact practice until next week. I went to club fencing practice and did 100 lunges. I also did the around the clock drill and worked on some footwork. Mostly I stretched and observed.

I think that even if you can’t fully participate, just being at practice is good for you. I didn’t really want to go since I knew I couldn’t fence, but I still like being around my students (my team).

We had intended to go to an SCA event today, but Nik is sick, so we’re staying in. We’ll be back at it tomorrow (he fencing and I observing).

Krav last night was spectacular. My favorite part was when one of the instructors pointed out to us that we’ve gotten to the point in our training where other people are watching us to see what to do.

I got punched in the face by a teenaged girl. I don’t recommend it. Her form was excellent.

I also learned an important lesson about gear. It is unwise to wear an underwire sport bra when you practice the “educational stop.” I have a tremendous bruise on my sternum from last night, and we only worked on that skill for about a minute! I’m considering doing a no-contact fencing practice tomorrow if I’m still tender. You may hear about lots of drills and lunges in my next entry.

Other than that, things are going well. I feel like I’m prepared for the P1 test as a student and as a training partner.

I needed yoga tonight.

Tonight was another all-out Krav practice. I still don’t do so well with what I refer to as “changing planes.” Basically, if my head is alternating between being above and below my heart (like breaking out of a headlock) or if I’m getting up and down a lot (like doing burpees), I tend to have issues with my blood pressure. I’m not passing out, but I do see the static at the edges of my vision. I actually stopped once, but usually I try to fight through. I figure if I’m ever being attacked for real, my assailant won’t hold off on me if I get heady.

Right now I know I need to work on stopping an attack with a punch. My instinct is to block that outside strike, but I really don’t need to. I also need to review my forward kicks to make them more like a knee with a snap (if you do Krav, that makes sense, if you don’t, well… I’m not sure how to clarify).

At any rate, I feel awesome after class, and I’ve dropped 5 lbs since the beginning of the year. I’m assuming I was holding some water weight at that first weigh-in. I haven’t been leaning out hard enough to drop that much weight in 10 days. More importantly, though, I feel strong (except when I’m in armor, but that’s another story!).

Day 28

Today was my first SCA rapier practice of the new year. One of the ladies who used to fence with us is back, and I’m super stoked to have another day of practice each week. Some of the students from UWF joined us as well, and we had a new(ish) face – or maybe old-new faces, people who used to fence and are coming back.

I started with a review of hand positions and footwork, and then I did 100 lunges. It was a good way to talk about the mechanics of a lunge, hand placement, and recovery.

I spent about an hour and a half drilling, reviewing, and fencing, and then I put on my armor for the first time and tried out armored combat. I’m completely out of my element, but I like trying new things, so I’ll keep at it until it makes more sense. Everything I know about blade mechanics is irrelevant since we’re using rattan simulators. The pedagogy is also totally different – you learn by trying it out and figuring out what works. There isn’t a lot of instruction, so I have my homework cut out for me in the meantime.

Day 27

Tonight I went to my first fencing practice of the new year. It was nice to see my students again. One of them was excited to break in her new sword.

I showed them the around the clock drill I learned from a nice Atlantian man at Castle Wars. The students seemed to dig it. We did a warm up and a couple of drills, and then we did some free sparring.

I stepped aside and did 100 lunges. I thought I was going slowly, but my friend commented on how quickly I did them, so I think I need to slow down some more next time.