SG6: Schola Gladiatoria Bradford

[Paul B]

After bewildering everyone with Daves fightcamp drill (thankee Dave), we now know that the skill of measure is not just in recognising it but in using it.

Also gives us a good oportunity to start looking at actual techniques with names and stuff.

So they know how to wind and bind, they know how to hit, they know how to get in sort of the right place without dying. Time to fight methinks. perhaps a couple more lessons for the newbs though.



Nah, screw it they'll be fine.

[Robert]

Very interesting reading!
Like your drills a lot. Hopefully I can talk my instructor in to use some of these drills to help me and every one else to get better at the winden techniques. I lack the winden-knowledge. They often "appear" while sparring without my intent. Well, maybe I shouldn't complain about it, but to get a deeper understanding about my fencing and to get more conscious of the rights and wrongs I must be able to see/feel my own mistakes before I get stuck in a harmful pattern (in my fencing).
I really think winden is extremely hard and the essence of how to survive a swordfight that you can’t keep in zufechten. So my conclusion is that I got to work really hard to make progress in this department. But it’s nothing you can solo drill your way to perfection, you got to have a partner and ever new partner is a new challenge.
-Robert

[Paul B]

Take, copy and improve if possible please!

Thats the thing about fuhlen - you need to practice it for hours so that you have it for the 0.01 seconds that you need it.

[Paul B]

On that note - next weeks class shall be 2 hours worth of disengaging and changing through.


So there.

[Paul B]

Thanks to everyone for trundling along to training, we had our best turnout yet. We had a surprise visit from my old instructor, Danny from KDF in Leeds, which made me not nervous at all, no not me

We did infact do 2 hours on changing through, but we had to build up to it, as everyone was fairly new, save Danny.


On a different note, I am considering instituting a new tradition at SG6 - more later......

[Paul B]

Well, my musings this morning have lead me to take stock.

Having done a lot of fuhlen drill, and a few stiking-based plays, the characteristic of the SG6 stalwart is that he is comfortable in a bind. But now he needs to know how to get there, or even better, how to kill someone on the way.

So now comes the process of traditional type drills, learning to walk again, learning to get the sword out there, learning to be comfortable out of the bind.

Marching up and down the squayer.

[Paul B]

and march up and down the square they did. more of the same next week, with some sparring as a reward I think.

Paul was much pleased to see people who were all confused about waving their swords in the air get much more comfortable when I put someone in front of them and told them to kill.

Special thanks this week go to colin for taking the newbie under his wing and getting results despite me interupting all the time and shouting at them


We now have 4 archaeologists on the roster. WTF? Surely the highest concentration of archaeologists outside of university, work or the pub in Bradford.

[Colin F.]

and march up and down the square they did. more of the same next week, with some sparring as a reward I think.

Paul was much pleased to see people who were all confused about waving their swords in the air get much more comfortable when I put someone in front of them and told them to kill.

Special thanks this week go to colin for taking the newbie under his wing and getting results despite me interupting all the time and shouting at them

Well, after repeatedly saying, "Hit me in the head, as hard and as fast as you can.", her Zornhau started turning into something rather rapid towards the end. As you say, give them a target and suddenly, the whole 'get the point into the other person and make sure they feel it' makes sense to people.

Don't worry about the shouting, I have a veritably huge repertoire of witty retorts that I am saving up for occasions like that!

[Paul B]

you dont stand a chance, Ive played monkey island!

[Colin F.]

you dont stand a chance, Ive played monkey island!

Where as I have the whole of Blackadder on dvd...

[Stevie T]

We now have 4 archaeologists on the roster. WTF? Surely the highest concentration of archaeologists outside of university, work or the pub in Bradford.

There are 4 archaeologists engaged in work in Bradford!!!??!!

[Paul B]

We now have 4 archaeologists on the roster. WTF? Surely the highest concentration of archaeologists outside of university, work or the pub in Bradford.

There are 4 archaeologists engaged in work in Bradford!!!??!!

good point:
Dendrochronologist
Archaeo-magnetic dating expert
faunal remains expert.
Hartless consultant

Not only will we decimate all before us, we will do some ludicrously overpriced post-ex while we are at it.

[Paul B]

Ok, so its really bad resolution, but here are some of my motley crue.

We has had fun tonight - in celebration of a birthday and in order to get new people fighting and stuff. So we defended the bridge, and the queen, and we faught all comers and zombie armies.

And yes, Colin still beat me at everything.

To end the night, we toasted all present with portwine (thanks Frede) and a mighty Huzzah!

[Colin F.]

Like I said, only on range, not on technique. If I don't keep improving on my technique, you'll learn to read my range and then you'll beat me constantly.

There have been far too many times in the park where you have easily side swiped some of my less effective attacks and smacked me over the head!

[Paul B]

We have more body armour!

Next week - Some "from the book" plays and maybe some sparring if they behave themselves.

[Colin F.]

We have more body armour!

Next week - Some "from the book" plays and maybe some sparring if they behave themselves.

Did we not behave?

[Paul B]

No! you were insolent!

In all honesty, I think we took quite a while getting through the plays. I intend to carry on with them next week, getting the intention levels up. For people who were picking it up, we may well get onto sparring.
For most, I think the "uncooperative drill" should suffice. Week after next - lots of fighting, I prommise.

[Stevie T]

When am I supposed to be coming down, isn't in the next week or so?

I need to buy train tickets and get the pass stamped by the missus.

[Paul B]

PM sent

[Paul B]

We now have a website!!!!
http://www.swordfightbradford.com/

Eternal thanks to Fran for designing it and to Oz for guiding us through setting it up