A journal of my martial arts training
Class tonight with Sabrina and Sal. Don and Chris called out. Went over The Mantis, then went through requirements. After a break, we did unarmored parry.
Conditions tonight were extremely cold, temperature starting around 34 degrees and dropping to perhaps 30 by end of class.
There will be a two week break and classes will resume in January.
Class with Sabrina, Don, Chris and Sal. After seiza, went over The Tradition, then paired off for requirements (I did mine on my own, then walked around observing and correcting). First paired Sabrina with Chris, Don with Sal, then switched for Sabrina with Sal, Don with Chris for a second bout of Cutting Pattern 1. We took a break, after which we had Balance 1 and 2, then finished with Blind Man’s Boffer.
This evening Ivan and I met for training. We were going to video the three of us, but Hiroko was unable to make it. We reviewed all green belt requirements in preparation for the video to send to Master Shaw and Master DeBaun. Afterward, we donned protective gear and sparred, starting with three attack parry, then general parry, then free sparring.
Class with Sal and Chris. Sabrina and Don called out, Nate spoke with me and will be leaving class indefinately. In seiza I spoke about the long path to become the best swords person, or even more generally, the best martial artist you can be. For one dedicated enough, it is a very long path indeed, one of constant repitition, going over and over the same techniques, the same material, constantly improving and training your body to move and respond in the desired way so that the conscious thought is required to perform the desired action. I then instructed on The I Move, after which I individually reviewed requirements with each of them. After a break, we focused exclusively on stance and movement. I discussed how the movement comes from contracting and expanding with the thighs, creating a smooth controlled movement, the feet gliding to the next position. We started with just linear movement, then added angles, then defensive stance with the sword, and last I added obstacles.
Class with Sabrina, Don, Chris and Sal. Nate called out.
Covered Jumping Tiger 2, then paired off for requirements, Don with Chris, Sabrina with Sal.
After the break, balance 1 and 2 followed by altered terrain sparring for Sabrina, Don and I.
Class with Ivan and Hiroko.
Class with Don, Sal, and Chris. Sabrina and Nate called out. Brief stretch and covered Jumping Tiger 1, then requirements, placing Chris with Don and I worked with Sal, instructing on Cutting Pattern 1 and refreshing him on the formal completion of requirements. After a break, we had Balance 1 (beam rising onto a cinder block, two more cinder blocks, two bricks, a caber, then a thrust ring, then one more caber and a brick. We ended with Don and I sparring while Chris and Sal logged.
Class with Hiroko and Ivan watched due to an issue with his arm. We covered standing iai 1 – 5 with iaito, one step techniques 1 – 6, and shooting star technique. We finished with some three-attack parry, then some free-form parry.
Class with Nate, Sabrina, Don, Chris and Sal tonight. After a short stretch, I instructed the full class on The Illusion, then broke the class up, placing the three more advanced students on their own, rotating one in to do all requirements with the other two watching and providing partners as needed. Meanwhile, I worked with Sal and Chris. With Sal I reviewed basic cuts and blocks, adding thrust block. With Chris I reviewed everything he has learned so far. After checking on the other three, I instructed Chris and Sal on the six traditions and three types of moves.
After a break, we had sparring. Chris and Sal were instructed on logging basics and I cycled myself, Don, Nate and Sabrina through various parings. After I had faced each of them, I marshalled while they faced each other so that ultimately everyone had faced everyone.
Class with Ivan. Review kneeling iai 5 and standing iai 1 – 3, then instructed him on one step techniques 5 and 6 and the shooting star technique.
Class with Chris and Sal, all others called out. In seisa I discussed being prepared for the coming weather. We had a warm up stretch and then reviewed Thorn. I then worked separately with each of them, going through everything Chris knows and providing feedback, then going through everything Sal knows and adding basic thrust plus head, neck, decap and leg blocks.
After the break we work on stance and movement, then drilled on thrust rings and a head and decap target, and last ended with some refined strikes practice.
Class with Sabrina, Don, Chris, and Sal tonight. Nate called out. In seiza, I eloborated on the approach of the Western Circle’s style, The Way of the Ever Adapting Blade. We then had a brief stretch, then I went over Thorn for the whole class. Sabrina and Don paired for requirements and I worked individually with Sal and Chris, refining Chris’ basics and instructing Sal on basic cuts (head, neck, decap, leg). I also reviewed Don’s basics and cutting pattern 1.
After a break, we had Balance 1 plus a thrust ring. I also instructed Chris on Cutting Pattern 1, then paired him with Sabrina to practice it a bit more.
Another weekend of sword fighting, but only Saturday this time. Details to follow.
Class with Sabrina, Chris and Nate tonight. Don called out and Sal observed for a second consecutive time. After seiza, we had a brief stretch, then I covered Jumping Tiger 1 for all three students present. After discussing it, I paired Nate with Sabrina and Chris with myself and we practiced it for a while. After a quick review with Sabrina and Nate each, we moved to requirements, again pairing Nate with Sabrina and myself with Chris. I instructed Chris on leg and thrust blocks, completing his basics.
After the break, we returned to requirements where I worked individually with all three students, working on correcting and refining.
Both Don and Nate came over this evening to work on new boken. Nate is making one nearly identical to the other two handers I have been making, which are the image of my steel sword (about 43 inches in over all length, 9 inches of hilt plus pomel and cross piece). Don is making a new hand-plus sword that is 40 inches over all length, fashioned after some steel blade he has found online. Sabrina is already using the boken reproduction of a Japanese Willowleaf Sword that I made for her a few weeks ago.
Class with Hiroko and Ivan. Standing iai 1 – 5, one steps 1 – 4, free fighting technique 1. Additionally, before class began, Hiroko and I went over Standing iai 6 and briefly touched on 7. I also relayed the exciting news that I have initiated contact with Master Shaw and Master DeBaun at the Virginia head dojo and we will be looking to tape a session with us doing all the techniques we know to be sent East for review.
Class with Nate, Don, Sabrina and Chris. Sal came and observed again. Started with requirements, pairing Sabrina and Don, Nate on his own, and I worked with Chris, reviewing what he knows and adding the remaining blocks. I reviewed a couple of each of the other students practiced moves (the ones they felt they needed the most work on) while Chris practiced the entirety.
After the break, we had thrusting and balance 1 (three hanging thrust rings in decreasing diameter, striding across three cinderblocks to a 6×6, passing to three bricks, a caber, a brick, platform, and one final caber). I finished with a few rounds of Blind Man’s Boffer.
The second day dawned and we returned to the gladitorial hay arena at Aratas Farms. This day we had 5 ranked steel fighters in attendance and I obtained another 30 matches between melees and one on one sparring.
Today I began steel fighting in earnest. I arrived at the Arata’s Farm in Half Moon Bay with plenty of time to spare. I have failed to upgrade my armor for steel fighting as yet, so Kaiden Gad loaned me torso armor and Martin was very kind to loan me his metal gauntlets. The day proceeded with a total of 8 ranked steel fighters (plus a few lower ranks to die in pre-arranged methods for the audiences benefit). I fought approximately 50 steel matches all totaled (log to be included later), of which around 35 were one one one sparring. All matches were with my two handed steel sword.
After the event, I worked with Kaiden Gad a bit. We reviewed the six deflections, which in brief are: right dash, left dash, stepping forward right bash, stepping forward left bash, catch left stepping forward toss right, catch right stepping forward toss left. We also reviewed practiced moves. One of my previous 13th move concepts, The Phantom, is getting some use, so I will keep that one. We also covered The Samurai (cross forward as pull back right, cross forward with chop to mid section, turning counter clockwise with draw, reorient and chop to back (neck) to finish opponent swiftly). Last we looked briefly at The Femoral, but Gad would like to see me get The Samurai strong first. I also got some clarification on a few items in regard to lefties vs righties for my own class instruction.
Class with Hiroko and Ivan. Started with kihon repitition (one block, three attacks), then worked through Cutting Patterns 1 and 2, ended with Standing Iai 1 – 4b.
Class with Don, Nate, Sabrina and Chris tonight. In seiza I discussed the reasons for all weather training, up coming events, the procuring of personal boken, sparring and dues. I led a short class stretch then paired Nate and Don, placed Sabrina on her own (to switch out with Nate after the first round), and worked with Chris on the remaining basic full cirlce cuts. After getting Chris going, I stepped in with Don to review his progress and touched bases with Sabrina and Nate. I finished the first half with introducing Chris to head blocks.
After the break, we got into armor and I did first armored parry, then light to mid contact sparring with Nate, Don and Sabrina, myself using my one handed boken.
Class with just Sabrina tonight. Nate, Don and Chris all called out. Being a one-on-one session, we focused on her requirements, working through details to refine her cuts and blocks, and improving her praticed moves. For the final part, I taught her Akira, her seventh move.
After class, I did my own personal training, going through Crimson Chain requirements with my steel and doing some thrusting practice with the new suspended thrusting ring targets.
Class with Sabrina, Don and Chris tonight. Nate called out and Sal observed. Sabrina and Don went through requirements while I covered Defensive Stance and head and neck cuts with Chris. I reviewed Sabrina’s and Don’s practiced moves, then finished with Chris. After the break, we had balance 1 and 2 including a hanging ring thrust on a platform. I designed the first, had the students design the second, then modified their for a final course. We finished with a leaping competition, marking the farthest leap.
Class with Hiroko, Ivan and today Odin joined us. Started with basic cuts, instructing Odin on all four basic cuts; head, temple, wrist and waist. While going over these basics, I had Ivan and Hiroko do double attacks or combo block and counter. Odin then watched as Hiroko, Ivan and I went through Standing Iai 1 through 5.
Class with Nate, Don and Sabrina. Chris again observed class. During seiza I had a pop quiz on the three types moves, the six traditions, and the three rules of swordsmanship (straight offense, offensive defense and initiated response; warriors greeting, given steel, sword honor, sword respect, sword salute and sanctuary; patience, respect and awareness). We went through requirements, pairing Nate with Sabrina and Don with myself. After requirements I instructed all three on Kata Ich, then took a break.
During the break, I set up a combination gauntlet and balance (1 & 2) course including a hanging ring thrust target. The first run throughs had the gauntlet runner wielding a boffer and the others used boken to make a pose along the course. The runner had to use controlled clean cuts to exposed target areas to kill each person as they went through the course. After each of us had three consecutive attempts, I changed it to each person along the guantlet would make a half speed attack and the runner had to kill or block and get by. The last three passes the runner was only permitted to block with no counter attack.