Logan's Blog

Today I did archery. I think archery helps with fencing a little bit. It develops the same muscle group that stops the sword, it helps with focus, and it helps me to internalize events. In archery it is really just you and the target. If you missed it was your fault. Fencing is really the same way. They will do what they do, but if you loose it is because you didn’t respond correctly, it is your fault.

Later today I did knife training with Randal. Knife training is good. It is a different game then fencing. Randal is teaching it like a class in practiced self defense. I have a lot of work to do to get better at the knife, but I am making some progress. I am still having a difficult time reading attacks from the side and doing the proper foot work to get to the right place and be safe. About 1/4 of the time I am just going the wrong way and finding myself totally out of position. On the positive side my judgment of the range was pretty good today, I as watching practice knifes slide right by my shirt, just missing.

Ok so Tristan suggested that we all read Maitre Adam Adrian Crown (http://www.classicalfencing.com/), and like the good little cadet that I am I did so. One of the thins Crown recommends for getting better at fencing is interval training.

Of cource I recommend you read Crown’s article yourself, but here is Jervel and my take on interval training.

The idea is that you do fencing motions (advance, lunge, pivot, whatever) for 30 seconds slowly and perfectly, and then you follow that with 30 seconds of doing it as quickly as you can and still do it correctly. Next do another motion. You will need to set up a timer to chime out 30 second intervals and then just do as many motions as you want to to build your work out. By alternating slow and fast you simulate the rythum of fencing (standing around for a while, moving into position then rapidly moving to prevent or score a touch).

Jervel has put together a workout which perhaps she will list in a comment. It takes about 30 minutes and will leave you sucking for air and cradling your sword arm. I should probably stress a couple of things. First during the first period (the slow one) you should practice just like drill. To lunge you should extend your sword, see that your sword is extended properly, then lunge, and see that you have lunged properly, then recover your sword, and see that you have recovered properly, and finally recover your feet, and see that you are back in proper engarded. Do it right. Next during the fast period, you still have to do it right. Don’t rush to the point of practicing incorect technique! That said, try and speed it up. Try and do the motions at a speed you might do them in combat.

Lastly I recomend doing these motions with sand scabard or a scabbarded sword, or with your heaviest of schlagers. That way you will build your arm muscles while you do it.

Logan

This is my first post here. I am still getting things figured out. Later I will start to write about something useful.