Class today with Ivan. We worked on Kneeling Iai 1, 5 and 6, and Standing Iai 1 – 3. For the last part of class, we practiced One Step Techniques 1 – 4.
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Class with Sabrina, Don, Nate and Nivalis today. Started with a brief group stretch and had them pair off for requirements, then get a new partner and do requirements again. I then instructed Nate, Nivalis and Sabrina on Dragon’s Tail and Don on Lightning.
After the break, we had two circles of Unarmored Parry and for the last 20 minutes we had Balance 1 & 2.(Conditions: 90 degrees, sunny)
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Class with Don and Nivalis, both Sabrina and Nate called out. We started with a brief group stretch, then went through requirements for the first half of class, working on details of stance, good targeting, good blocks, etc. After the break, we worked some more specifically on stance and movement, then I instructed Nivalis on The I Move and Don on Double Thrust. We completed class with a short bout of full unarmored Parry.
(Conditions: 90 degrees, sunny)
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Class with Sabrina, Don, Nate and Nivalis tonight. Group stretch followed by requirements with partners a couple times through. I then reviewed their current moves, then instructed all four on The Tradition. After a break, we progressively did one-attack parry, three-attack parry, and full unarmored parry.
(Conditions: Smokey, High of 99)
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Class with Ivan and Hiroko. Repitition kihon (one block, three strikes pattern), then constant attack drill with one defender, the other two as attackers standing at 30 degree seperation, alternating attacks.
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Class with Ivan and Hiroko. Worked on kneeling iai 1 – 6 and standing iai 1 – 6.
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Class with just Sabrina and Don tonight, both Nate and Nivalis called out. I had them go through their requirements together twice while I went through my own Crimson Chain requirements and provided tips and observations. I then reviewed the three types of practiced moves and examples of each. They both have Thorn and Jumping Tiger 1, so I instructed them on The I Move today to gain them a straight offense move. After practicing The I Move a bit, I went through Cutting Pattern 1 with each of them individually, then called a break.
At the end of the break, I met with each of them individually and privately in Sword Honor. Questions included their impressions and feedback on the class and their reasons for wanting to learn how to sword fight, and I also reviewed with them their training path for the next couple months or so.
As resumption of class, I did one-attack and three-attack unarmored parry with them, then moved to a Balance 2 course of a cinder block, a raised beam, four bricks on edge, flat, end and flat, and two cabers.
After the conclusion of class, we reviewed specific green braid requirements and I pulled out all my armor bits as examples of the kinds of items they will want to start aquiring.(Conditions: Smokey – light rain of ash, High of 111)
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Class with Ivan. Standard Wednesday kihon repetition, then cutting patterns 1 and 2, ending with full energy standing iai 1 and 2.
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Class with Nate, Sabrina, Don and Nivalis. I started with a pop quiz on the six traditions while in seiza, then we had a short group stretch and they paired off for requirements. After the first time through, I had them switch partners and do it again while I did some of my own requirements. I then split the class into one-handers and two-handers, instructing the one-handers on Jumping Tiger 1 and the two-handers on Jumping Tiger 2. We broke after they had spent some time practicing both their new move and Thorn. The second half of class we did one attack parry. I first went through it with each individually, then created two circles with myself and Nivalis in one and started Nate in the other with Don. We rotated out partners so that everyone got to face everyone else. I ended class with them showing me what they know, then I demonstrated how requirements should be performed, doing a subset of my requirements.
(Conditions: Clear – light smoke, High of 100)
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Class tonight with Nate, Sabrina, Don and Nivalis. Began with how to make a sword salute, then did some basic stretching. I reviewed Cutting Pattern 1, then paired them off to go through requirements. Initially I paired Sabrina with Don and Nate with Nivalis to match sword types, however after they had gone through requirements a couple times, I switched them to Sabrina with Nivalis and Don with Nate for Cutting Pattern 1 to feel the difference in swords.
After requirements I instructed all four on the move Thorn, then took a break.
During the break, I set up a Balance 1 and 2 course composed of large cinder blocks, an 8×8 raised on more blocks, two cabers, and four uneven bricks at the end, two on their side, two on end. Nate and myself completed the course right away, Sabrina later completed it. Near the end I switched the cabers and the 8×8, changing the raisers to make the 8×8 less stable and not permit stepping down from the 8×8 to the block thence on, instead having to go direct from the 8×8 to the first brick.
To end class, I had them all show me what they know.(Conditions: Clear, High of 104)
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Class with Sabrina, Nivalis, Don and Nate tonight. I spoke about the three rules of swordsmanship initially, then we reviewed requirements. Next they finished learning basic blocks with temple, leg and thrust blocks. Putting everything together, we shadowboxing Cutting Pattern 1 and I had each of them face me to go through Cutting Pattern 1 a few times. After the break, we did Balance 1 with four cinder blocks, a long six by six, and two cabers. Near the end, I rearranged a bit to have the 6×6 at the end where I waited as the final obstacle. Of them, only Nate was able to get there and get past me.
(Conditions: Clear, High of 103)
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Kendo class canceled today due to no students.
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Class with Ivan. Practiced the kendo-adapted Cutting Pattern 1 and 2 to warm up, then worked on one-step techniques 1 – 4, 7 and 8.
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I have produced seven new swords of hickory to support my new WCoS Redding Dojo. Following are a couple pictures of them, along with a few other practice weapons.
Six of the new hickory swords are all on the left, and the seventh, another two handed sword, is not shown. The other clean two handed shown is of popalar and the remaining weapons to the right are older ones that have been around a while.
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Class tonight with Sabrina, Nivalis (Ash), Nate and Don. We reviewed basic cuts and added thrust, then covered head and neck blocks. The second half of class we did awareness training with Blind Man’s Boffer.
(Conditions: Clear, High of 101)
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Class with Ivan. Kihon, then taught him Cutting Pattern 2 adapted to the kendo strikes and blocks. Finished with one-step techniques 1 and 2.
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Class with just Hiroko today. Warmed up with Cutting Pattern 1, then worked on standing iai. Quickly reviewed 1 – 5, then worked on 6 and 7 extensively.
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First class of Western Circle of Swordfighters Redding Dojo tonight. My four students are Sabrina, Nate, “Nivalis” (Ash) and Don. I began with a brief seiza introduction to the new class. For the first half of class I instructed on defensive stance and basic cuts. After break, during which I set up a balance course, we practiced Balance 1.
(Conditions: Clear, High of 101)
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Class with Ivan. Standing Iai 1 – 5. Open Parry (attacker makes undetermined number of attacks, generally from 5 to 20, moving as desired, then calls “switch” to change roles). Cool down with Kneeling Iai 1 – 5.
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Class with Hiroko and Ivan. Standing Iai 1 – 5.
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Class with Hiroko, Ivan and Lynette. Kihon, cutting pattern 1, cool down with standing iai.
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Class with Ivan
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Class with Ivan
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Class
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I journeyed to the Half Moon Bay WCoS dojo today for some personal training. Kaiden’s Aaron and Brennan were also there and, after Gad went through steel parry with me, I did armored steel parry with Aaron and then sparred 5 matches with both Aaron and Brennan. Later, Gad worked with me on a few questions I had and some new techniques. I demonstrated four practiced moves that I have previously observed and he approved them: Casper, Lighting, Dragons Tail and Defense Cut. He reviewed Advanced Blocks, adding two low advanced blocks and the advanced head block and he also reviewed the six deflections. I asked about variances for one-handed technique and we covered the basics so that I will be prepared to pass on instruction for one handed students.
The steel combat today is my first as a Red Rope with the Western Circle of Swordfighters. It was exhausting and I was very slow, over-controlling my blade to avoid causing injury. I was also much more defensive and leary of my opponents blade, the heightened level of fear causing poor blocks and bad movement. I have much to learn and improve. As Kaiden Gad and the others said, moving to steel combat is in some ways like returning to square one again.