100 FCC, 25 gambit
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Class with Rakta Nadi, Bryce, and Chris. Stretch and requirements. After the break, we reviewed the primary targets and intent and I noted how the targets don’t necessarily change when using a dagger or knife, only the way in which you reach them. We then worked on combat movement, followed by continuous full circle cuts (50 for Chris, 100 for everyone else – just bokken for myself, I didn’t place my steel at hand). Next was several rounds of Refined Strikes and we finished with a few rounds of Add-On.
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I attended and competed in the 2021 Best of the Best tournament today.
The new arm and leg protective gear that I have fashioned worked well, they did not hinder my movements that I could discern and protected me well enough, though the thighs need additional work (they were incompletely padded and the sports shorts I used have padding only in area targeted for their original intended sport).
My win to loss ratio was pretty standard for me, which is to say, not particularly improved despite all the additional training. I anticipate this will be an issue in my Silver Chain test. After two decades of fighting largely defensively, it is very difficult to change my patterns and responses, it will take a lot more work, and a lot more sparring.
In addition to my 38 tournament matches (19 opponents twice), I got in another 25 bokken matches afterword before I had to stop due to finger injury. Unfortunately, 20 of the matches (10 with Danny, 10 with James) are unlogged and captured on camera at extreme distance, so outcomes will be difficult to determine. The last (roughly) 5 with with Requiem and I had an up close camera for record.
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100 FCC, 50 gambit, continued working on straight offense and aggressive defense
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Class with Bryce and Chris, Rakta Nadi called out. Stretch and requirements. Had Bryce go on his own while I reviewed Chris and instructed on neck cuts and head blocks, then I reviewed cutting patterns and moves with Bryce. After a break, we practiced combat movement and did continuous full circle cuts (100 steel for myself, 100 bokken for Bryce, 50 bokken for Chris), then took a jog (approx 0.6 miles) through the forest, followed by a few or so rounds of refined strikes, and finished with Balance 1.
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100 FCC, 50 gambit, straight offense and aggressive defense & evasion
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200 FCC, 50 gambit, Expert Blocks, straight offense and aggressive defense
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4×3 Tabata set: Lunge w/ 6lbs medicine ball, bicycle crunch, jumping jacks, plank dog
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200 FCC, 50 gambit, worked on Expert Blocks, reviewed all my practiced moves with care and attention to details
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1 mile run @ 9m50s (1516 steps), all jog, no walk, and a new best
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200 FCC (steel two-hand), 50 gambit, and continued straight offense and aggressive defense training, plus reviewing some of my requirements including Expert Blocks. Also examined my Cutting Pattern 4 and extended so it now is as follows:
Aggressor:
- Shuffle in with torso thrust
- Jumping Tiger 2 (right neck cut, cross step left leg cut)
- Whispering Wind (left hand/torso chop, cross step right neck cut)
- Left advanced neck block
- Shadow (right decap cut, partial pull back, right shuffle, short right decap cut — final cut is “kill”)
Defender:
- Right thrust deflection
- Left neck block
- Cross step back, right leg block
- Right decap/hand block
- Cross step back, left advanced neck block
- Right neck cut
- Left decap block
- Begin right torso chop (“die” to final opponents cut)
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Class with Chris G, both Bryce and Rakta Nadi called out. Being his first night, we started by covering the Three Rules of Swordsmanship and the Six Traditions, then went through stance, how to hold the sword, and head cuts. In the second half, we practiced moving in stance (combat movement) and finished with Balance 1.
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1 mile run/walk @ 12m56s (1792 steps) — got a cramp halfway through, too much dinner too recently
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Got in an extra 100 FCC one handed steel
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200 FCC (steel 2H), 50 Gambit, primarily worked with one-handed tonight continuing to work on lateral evasion and moving into attacks.
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200 FCC (Steel), 50 Gambit, full through my silver chain requirements with tangents into how I might apply moves and techniques to be more effective.
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200 FCC (Steel), 50 Gambit, continued working on straight offense and aggressive offensive defense and evasion
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4×3 Tabata set: Reverse lunge (6lbs), crunches, divider hop, roller crunches
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200 FCC (steel), 50 gambit passes, and continued working on my aggressive straight offense and offensive defense.
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Class with Bryce, and Chris G observed. Rakta Nadi called out due to work. Stretch and Bryce’s requirements, with me wielding one handed matching him on every technique. We then spent some time on Jumping Tiger 1, working on dropping into the second full circle instead of rebounding, and varying the final target between forearm and head or even clavicle. After a break, we did a couple rounds of Add-On, taking them up to easily 20 or so techniques before I would feed him one that was too difficult to defend against. We then did a few rounds of Refined Strikes, and finished with Balance 1 & 2.
Chris is so far very interested and will be back next week for his second observation.
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Continuing to work on retraining my defense reaction to be lateral or in, with appropriate counter attacks.
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4×3 Tabata set: pop squat (10lbs), roller crunch, jumping jacks, plank dogs
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1 mile run/walk @ 10m22s (and about 90 degrees out!)
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4×3 tabata set: lunge, crunches, high knees, dead bug
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Class with Kaiden The Severer and Bryce. Stretch followed by requirements. First The Severer went through White Rope requirements with Bryce, then he and I stepped in together to cover the remaining requirements up to Silver Chain. After a break, we did a focus study on The Tradition, then a couple rounds of Refined Strikes, and finished with a couple rounds of restricted defense drilling, with opponents on either side taking turns making proscriptive attacks that the person in the middle had to defend against, first head or neck, the second round being neck or leg. It was a very good class, I always particularly enjoy training with The Severer, we have excellent discussions.