Fencing Bootcamp June 22-23

Extremely hot, extremely humid.

Attending were Cillian, Sirona, Wendy, Jen-Michel, (teaching).

J-M started the day with conditioning exersizes. We walked, walked sideways, backwards, and skipped to get the heart-rate up and th blood pumping. Then he conducted some falling exersizes, having us flop backwards using our arms to absorb the impact. We did this from a sitting position, then a squatting position, then a little higher up, but never got to falling from a stand. More conditioning exersizes involving forms of leapfrog ate up most of the early morning.

After break, J-M did some drills with german longsword, using wooden wasters. He demonstrated some basic cuts and defensive moves and a few counters. Again, I don't think he covered as much as he intended to do.

After lunch we got in some fight time. I don't think I've fought J-M since I authorized ith him at Castle Wars last fall. We fought sword and dagger, and I got some good touches on him. He advised me to not become less agressive if I lose the dagger mid-fight. Apparently my style becomes more apprehensive if I'm down a weapon. But having fought Mikolaj, and seen what he can do with a dagger close in, I think my caution is appropriate. I think, my caution was due more to not having fought J-M enough to know his style and hat I can and can't do against him. I'm sure he wasn't bringing his A-game against me, but I think I did well against him.

It was too hot to armor up completely, but on looking back, I should have gotten my gorget on at least. I know I placed one touch on the bib of J-M's mask that could have been bad if I had used more force. Speaking of force, J-M got me in the right arm just below the shoulder, and I now have a large bruise running some 4 inches down the bicep. Being in full armor wouldn't have prevented this, however.

Sunday morning was more fight time before it got too bloody hot to think about. I fought J-M single blade and made an effort to be more aggreassive, catching him flat-footed once, sweeping his blade with my off hand, and lungeing in for the kill. I asked, and he said I did better than yesterday in being more aggressive against him. But having fought him, now I have a better grasp of his style, and can fight accordingly.

It was good to square off with Cillian again for the first time since Midinter A&S. The inaction has hurt his fight and he was obviously rusty. Also, I suspect the heat was affecting his performance, as he was in doublet and I wasn't. Plus he is not 100% due to his knee, and therefore not as mobile as what I am used to from him. Therefore I will assume an asterisk on the 2 touches in succession I scored on him.

After returning to Sirona's house we 3 did some bench fencing, discussing how to keep the new student's interest up and what speed to bring them along at. Cillian sees the need to differentiate between those who would do better to learn the general Italianate fencing style while he works more on the pure Capo Ferro with those who want something more intense. We agreed with him that new students need more conditioning before they are ready for the more strenuous Capo Ferro. I am trying to stress to him the need to build the dream of fencing in the students to carry them through the long period before they are ready to fight. Handling the blade, even if they are not going to use them in a fight, helps them to visualize themselves as swordsmen. Then again, maybe the task of building a dream falls more under the duties of a bard.