Day Two of the sword fighting exhibition went much better. The weather was mostly overcast which cut the sun and temperature a lot. Kaiden Brennan had left Saturday evening, but Joshua was able to join us. We had a good morning and afternoon set of steel melees, followed by bokken, followed by a few more steel. Generally, everyone seemed to agree it had been a good event and weekend.
Tag: steel
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Today was the first day of the Ravenswood Faire at Hawes Farm in Anderson, CA, which I arranged for the Western Circle to provide a sword fighting exhibition in the style of previous Arata Farms events. I could and should have been better prepared. It was very windy so we were unable to erect the canvas walls for the blind nor the awning to cut some of the copious Redding sun, and the fighting arena was not actually ready when we arrived, nor anyone in charge available. None the less, we got the hay bales arranged and started the fighting, running a set of steel melees, some wood, and a few final steel matches for the crowd that had gathered. Brennan, Dave and Faith had come in the day prior, and most of the Redding students were present. After the first set, Head Kaiden Gad arrived with Vea, Steel Wind, and Kris, bolstering our steel numbers to 8 (with Sal and myself) for the afternoon sets of melees, and for the bokken melees we had Steven, Jesse A, Jesse B, Elijah, and Chris join us. Faith, Sabrina, Mary Ann and Antonio helped out with logging, video, cameras, and crowd management.
After the exhibition, we returned to the Redding Dojo for a feast and to recoup. -
Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jessa A, Elijah, and Jesse B. Mary Ann observed her first class tonight, and Sabrina observed as well. Stretch and requirements, then a break. After the break, we had 61 one on one matches.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse A, Elijah, and Jesse B. Stretch and requirements once through, plus I worked with Elijah and Jesse B a little once they finished their requirements. After the break, we had one on one sparring totaling 57 matches (Sal and mine were steel).
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse A and Jesse B. Requirements for the first half (I worked with Jesse A). After the break, we had balance 1 and 2 plus a mud zig-zag and hurdle. It was a challenging course; Sal made it once or twice, Steven a few times, and only myself multiple consecutive times (all but two). After I closed up the formal class, I did some more steel cutting practice with another pumpkin, and Joshua, Jesse A and Jesse B stayed for it as well.
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Class with Sal, Joshua, Jesse A, Elijah and Jesse B. Stretch and requirements. I reviewed Jesse B while Sal reviewed Elijah, then I reviewed Joshua while Sal reviewed Jesse A. I also instructed Joshua and Jesse A on Warrior Stance.
Near the end of the break, Sal and I did cutting patterns 1, 2 and 3 with steel, then for the second half of class we did a few rounds of refined strikes and finished with 2-attack machinegun drill for any upper target (head,neck or decap). -
I journeyed to the Half Moon Bay Dojo for the 2012 Best of the Best tournament. I achieved a 68% victory rate, which did not place, but I fought cleanly and was happy enough with my performance.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse A, Jesse B and Elijah observed due to ankle injury. Requirements and a break. During the break, Sal and I did some steel parry and centered cuts. After the break, we paired off and did the Myo Sim partner drills 1 – 5 (attack, attack/block/counter, attack/block/attack, attack/block/preempt, attack/block/preempt/block/counter). We finished with balance 1 and 2.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Elijah and Jesse B. Stretch and requirements (once through for Sal and I, twice for the other four). We took a break, during which Sal and I did steel Refined Strikes and Cutting Pattern 2, then in the second half I started with a new drill where we stood in a loose circle and every other person was designated attack left, block right, and the alternates were block right, attack left. On the count, we went back and forth, attacking any target, the blocking the incoming attack. Next we split into two groups of three and did defend/attack/observe parry. We finished with a round of three-upper-attack machine gun drill.
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Class with Sal, Steven and Jesse B. Stretch, then a focus session on Jumping Tiger 1 (a new move for Jesse). Followed with requirements, myself reviewing Steven to check his progress toward White Rope. After a break, Sal and I did worked briefly with steel, choosing three of our practiced moves to go over, then the main class resumed with some advanced response training, followed by refined strikes, and finishing with machine gun drill at half-ish speed, two attacks for any target (and Sal and I were permitted one counter attack).
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Class with Sal, Chris, Joshua, Steven, Jesse, and Elijah. Requirements in the first half, then a break near the end of which Sal and I did steel Cutting Patterns 1 through 3. The second half I started with four dojo lengths of kneeling advances making decap cuts, followed by a study on basic movement, then 100 full circle cuts (Sal and I with steel). We finished with two-attack machine gun drill with any upper target (head/neck/decap).
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Special class with Kaiden Gad today, and I handed over my sword book for review. Vea and I reviewed Silver Chain requirements with Gad at the Half Moon Bay dojo. We went over Battle Stance, the 9 deflections (with steel), and reviewed some of the advanced blocks, plus I discussed some of my ideas regarding head blocks. Gad suggested I do a full write-up and submit to the council for review. We went over several new practiced moves:
– Aku (and Flying Aku): From shinkageryu with sword vertical, make and arching thrust to the chest
– Shadow: From defensive stance, make a decap, pull back, pause for a reaction, and then chop
– Gad’s Bane: From warriors stance, make a leap to close distance while making a pinwheel full circle cut to the neck
– Rolling Thunder: From battle stance, make a high right to left feint followed by a right to left torso draw cut, returning to battle stance
– Spike: From defensive stance, thrust one handed to the face (generally, eye opposing dominate hand)
After a break, we reviewed some notes on sword and shield, including modifications/application for The Tradition, Thorn, Dragons Tail, The I Move, and Jumping Tiger 1.
We finished with some hand to hand training, with Gad getting a sense of my current hand to hand level and then covering two restraints, a take down, and some tips on escapes. -
Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua, Jesse and Elijah. Stretch and requirements (once through for Sal and I paired, twice through for the other four paired). While working with Sal, covered Draw Cuts and the first six deflections. Break, then fortress defense (defend a roughly one meter circle, back to a fence), first for just head or neck, then for any attack. Followed with 100 full circle cuts (Sal and I with steel). Finished with Balance 1 and 2.
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Class with Sal, Chris, Steven, Joshua, Jesse and Elijah. In seiza and briefly introduced the issue of ensuring a victory is certain. Quick stretch, and then reviewed the various kill targets, and why they are a kill. We then began going through requirements, myself observing and correcting. I finished the first half with a few rounds of refined strikes.
After the break, I started with 200 full circle cuts (myself 100 with iron sword, the second 100 with steel). Elijah was all boken, everyone else had 100 with steel, 100 with boken. We finished with multi-opponent machinegun drill, first with head attack only, then a second round with head or neck attacks. -
Class with Sal, Joshua, Steven, Jesse and Elijah. Stretch and requirements (Sal I did ours while the others did theirs twice). I reviewed Thorn (instructing Elijah on it), then we took a break. Sal I worked with steel, doing our cuts and blocks, cutting pattern 1 and cutting pattern 2, and finishing with refined strikes. Main class resumed with boken and we did a few rounds of refined strikes, then I went through two rounds of steel defense where the students got to hold steel and defend as I called out an attack and made that attack, several attacks in a row. When Sal came up in the line, we used the opportunity to do unarmored steel parry. We finished class with three training stations, two to a station: thrust rings, refined strikes, and cutting pattern 1 on a balance 1 beam. Rotating through to everyone had twice at each station.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua and Jesse. Stretch and requirements, then I worked on Basic Strikes with Steven, Joshua and Jesse. At the end of break, Sal and I did Cutting Patterns 1, 2 and 3 with steel. The second half of class we rotated through a few partners of Refined Strikes and thrust practice, then had Balance 1 and 2 to finish up.
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Class with Sal, Chris, Steven, Joshua and Jesse. Medical call out for Charlie. Seiza and stretch, requirements twice through for the lower ranks while Sal and I went through our full requirements together. During the break, Sal and i did cutting pattern 3 with steel. After the break, I marshaled one-on-one matches between the students.
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Day two of my second weekend at Arata’s Farm. Today, we had two rounds of steel melees as well as one round of boken melees. I used one handed for the second set of steel.
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I returned for my second weekend at Arata’s Farm. Today, we had three rounds of steel melees as well as a round of boken melees. I used one handed for the second set of steel.
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This was my second day at Arata’s this year. We had a total of 50 steel melees (15/15/20). I had intended to use one handed sword today to continue working on my Complete Blade requirements. Gad insisted that I also use a shield to be better prepared to instruct on it for my students. Generally, I did fairly well for my first time using a shield. I used a very low stance to provide better target coverage. I need to work on my timing so that a block and counter strike are simultaneous, not a one-two. I did successfully use an adaptation of the original Phantom to bind my opponents blade with the shield, roll (cw spin) around them, and make an effective cut and draw to their exposed torso. In post analysis, having a barrier at their back was likely significant in preventing them from escaping too easily with an extended retreat.
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Today marked the 2011 Best of the Best tournament, held this year at the Arata’s Farm coliseum. There were nine steel ranked and battle capable fighters present (including Gad) and two boken fighters. Kaiden’s Kris and Craig assisted with marshaling. I tied for fourth place with a 55% victory in 19 matches, Vea won the tournament with an 80%. Notably my students Sal (red rope) and Steven (trainee) participated, too. After the tournament, we finished with five melees as a finale.
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Class with Sal, Steven, Joshua and Jesse. Chris and Charlie called out. Stretch and requirements twice. After a break, Sal and I worked cutting patterns in steel, then the class rotated through partners for refined strikes several times and with finished with machine gun drill, first for head or neck, then for neck or leg.
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I worked with Gad and Vea today on requirements. Gad reviewed both Vea and myself for our upcoming intended Crimson Chain test. It was also an opportunity for me to check a few things with Gad regarding left-handed vs right-handed students, and some technique questions. In total, we reviewed my Steel Red Rope requirements, Boken (one-handed) White Rope requirements (for the Complete Blade), and Boken (two-handed) Crimson Chain requirements.
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Class with Sal, Chris, Charlie, Steven, Joshua and Jesse. Stretch and requirements a couple times through. I worked with Charlie, instructing him on his first two chop cuts and the advanced thrust, and I worked with Steven, instructing him on Double Thrust.
After the break, we did light armored parry. I started with Sal, going over what I wanted from him, then split us to take pair once with each of the other students, with me taking the three newer students prior to passing them over to Sal. We finished with some machinegun drill using any head, neck, or decap cut.
After the main class, Sal and I took up our steel and reviewed five of his practiced moves and then went through cutting pattern 1 a couple times. -
Class with Sal, Charlie, Steven, Joshua and Jesse. Stretch and requirements. I worked with Steven going through all his requirements, then did unarmored parry with Steven, Joshua and Jesse, each. After a break, Sal and I did armored steel parry, then Sal, Charlie and I had 24 one on one matches and a final last man standing match for the three of us.