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@crosebastarda
A Reminder to Be Good
Be good to your trans women and men, non-binary, LGBQ+, people of color, people with disabilities, and neurodivergent fighter people. That doesn’t mean “you shouldn’t be good to your other fighter people.” It means that you should do the extra work and go the extra distance to be inclusive and accepting of people who are different from you, and treat every person with respect and empathy.
New Studies
Because of a special arrangement, I am suddenly left with a large empty area in my living space. I will be taking an online rapier course and really delving into rapier for the first time. Focusing in on Fabris, Capoferro, and Giganti. Really looking into getting some good use out of the Vienna Anonymous as well. Here’s hoping I take to it well :)
Here you go with 3 nice combos on pads from Jeff Chan (@MMAShreded) !!!
More combos (there are 7) to see in the YT video…
I’m back!
sort of? What does this mean? I don’t know!
How fortunate are we that pain and suffering exist? How gracious it is that we have adversity to act in the face of. Without challenge, without discomfort, without anguish - there is seldom sincere satisfaction wrought. It is telling to me of the human condition that, despite the countless evils and depravities that exist in this world that deep within the minds of everyone - even those who suffer the most - there exists tranquility, peace, and hope. As long as we possess our own wills and exercise the rite to refuse the inequities and injustices we see before us, we control the power to create the world we envision within. Hardship gives us the image in our heart of hearts that which we desire most. Peace, love, acceptance. A warm meal enjoyed with friends. The embrace of a lost loved one. The laughter of children.
There is a variant of one of my favorite phrases, “As Above, So Below.” It goes “As Within, So Without.” If we truly are in tune and value the most precious of worlds we construct within our hearts in the face of adversity, then we possess the means to make it so. We can choose for ourselves to say no and fight against all that seeks to oppress us - and, if we are lucky, live to see what we have imagined and hoped for our entire lives.
How fortunate are we that pain and suffering exist.
Saved for Later - Fascism in HEMA
There’s a thread in the Alliance facebook group that’s probably going to get taken down since it was a controversial post regarding fascism. I’m saving my response here for reference since it will likely be deleted. ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- I can tell this thread is going to get miles long pretty quick. Regardless of your views on fascism or what it is/means, I'd politely ask you read what I have to say. We all have our own clubs, ways of practicing HEMA, our own preference for how we train, "sport" vs. "martial," etc... But one thing is important. At the end of the day, what we practice is an art founded in killing. It's a dangerous activity and every time we train, even if we don't think about it or realize it, we are taking each other's lives in our own hands. That's part of why we salute. We are acknowledging between partners that we are allowing ourselves to engage in a dangerous activity for the purposes of learning and self-betterment. We are putting our lives on the line for each other. If you have respect for what we do, then we can not forget this point. As part of the real-world communities around us then, it behooves us to manifest this respect in how we teach and the decisions we make regarding our students. Whether we fancy ourselves martial artists or athletes, we should be vigilant and aware of the world around us and how what we do affects others. To practice with blinders on, or to practice "apolitically" is to completely ignore our place and our involvement in the communities we live in. Our practice does not exist in a vacuum; we our only hurting ourselves by practicing as though it does. To be able to practice what brings us joy is a privilege. If we are part of a club then we owe it to that club and the wider community to make sure that people who would seek to practice for the wrong reason or who would misappropriate what we do do not associate with us. We need to take a clear stand and show the people around us what is important to us. Now, whether you all know it or not, the way you have all commented or spoken has very clearly painted a specific picture that people will judge you by when they're considering the merit of your instruction. Think of how you conduct yourself. Think of what you're teaching. Think of who you're teaching. Stand against shitty people. Be a place where people who aren't shitty feel safe. It's not hard. When you see talk like this, listen first. Always listen. Then, only after listening and really processing the implications, then speak. Don't allow your first instinct to be your response here. Fascism exists. Fascists practice HEMA (people above have already started to point out evidence). Stay vigilant and keep your communities safe. That's all you have to do.
unintentional hiatus
Dealing with things like depression, life transitions, and events has caused me to stay silent for a while. I am planning on writing more - trying to aim for at least a post a week to get my thoughts running.
Relevant Thoughts upon return from IGX:
“To execute everything well however, including these responses, and to deal with every sort of posture and movement, requires great effort. No man can put into practice what he knows without being able to train and exercise the movements in his mind. If we had bodies as sublime as our thoughts, people would be perfect. Our nature is too cumbersome a machine however, and requires great effort to manage and move before it functions without fault. Nonetheless with judgement, patience and endeavour, you will always become more accomplished than many others, if you have applied yourself.”
- Carlo Giuseppe Colombani, L’Arte Maestra, 1711.
IGX 2017
One of my students and I are at IGX this year. I'll be giving a talk on biomechanics at 1100 today - my first ever class I give at an event :)
August 17′th is Indonesia’s independence day, so have some cool photos of Pencak Silat practitioners.
Thought
The Way of Martial Arts is to Live. The Way is to live, because in practice Martial Arts is the study of survival and killing. In learning how to survive and how to kill, we learn the value of life through reflection. So, having studied how to deal death, we become free in living how we please. This is why we show others and teach them - to engage in some of the earliest traditions that mankind has: The process of self-alchemy, and learning to appreciate your life and those around you. This is not new thinking in any way, it is nothing special. And always remember the Way that can be named is not the true Way. (inspired by Yagyu Munenori)
Bridge fighting in 16th and 17th century Venice. Fighters at the mostre, or an individual boxing match. The goal was to knock the other fighter off the bridge or to draw first blood. Note the left lead guard so the dominant right hand is farther back, the same “power punching” logic of modern boxing. The left hand is held out to parry incoming blows. The fighter on the left wears a tightly fitted leather glove for some compression and protection on the punching hand.
Third Ward at Sword with Dagger, from Saviolo, for comparison.
Interesting comparison. I have often wondered about the reasoning for dagger-forward guards in sword and dagger (Swetnam holds his guard similarly, though iirc his dagger in a left-hand “prime”). I don’t like the refused-point nature of the wards when it comes to thrusting weapons as much as point-forward postures but when you look at it this way it definitely makes a lot of sense. Where are you getting your sources for all this bridge fighting stuff? I find it fascinating. I mostly study Fiore but also look at Bolognese stuff and English sources that are mostly contemporary-ish with Saviolo.
“The War of the Fists: Popular Culture and Public Violence in Late Renaissance Venice” by Robert C. Davis. One of the things about Saviolo is that he’s fighting with essentially a complex hilted arming sword (something closer to what we call sideswords but longer blades), not the hilt-weighted and primarily thrust oriented later swords we call rapiers. So they accelerate out in a straight line and retract well, but fine disengages are not as reliable. However, they hit like bricks, to be able to shock through armor. So point beating was common and very useful against a sword with a lot of momentum in the thrust. First Ward is the point forward variant.
Point beating is also a big thing in backsword. I’m guessing simply because of the fact that there were many Italian masters traveling abroad and teaching in England like our man Saviolo during this period that there was probably a lot of cross-polination here. From what I’ve seen of the 1595′s interpretations of Saviolo it seems a bit similar at least with the frequent use of the left hand and the over all well-guarded, safety-minded structure and style. I would like to at some point look into getting a baskethilt dagger so I can do backsword and dagger which looks a bit like this:
I feel like that would be a neat weapon combo to bring to IGX’s mixed weapons event.
Juggling life with martial arts
I just know it’s not just me having a hard time here! I am currently holding onto:
My relationship
My almost full time job with a 1,5 hour one way commute
Getting a driver’s licence
My household
My volunteer work (Karate related)
Regular fysio appointments
Oh eh yeah, and my martial arts training..
Does that sound like a lot to you? Well it sure does to me! Especially because my dojo is closed for the summer and I have to travel even further if I want to train properly.
Note that martial arts ended up pretty much at the bottom of the pile. Because that’s the reality of things.
I thought that when school ends, I’d have more time instead of less, what happened?
Well… in school I didn’t have a long commute to school. I didn’t have a relationship and I wasn’t trying to do a lot of things on the side. But when you get older, you want a lot (because you are still young) but there’s a lot you can’t do because you need to do everything correctly. You can’t half ass it (anymore). This just leaves you with less time to do other things.
So how do you get through the maze of work and still train?
Easy! (Maybe I should take my own advice)
Train at home Now this is so obvious it almost hurts. But when you come home after a long day of work and travelling, all you want to do is relax. TRUE But! Did you know? Even when you do 5 techniques/kata/etc. just lightly and without force: you are training. You are making the movements instead of sitting stiff on your couch.
Prioritize and make boundaries Everything seems to always be more pressing and important than practicing once in a while. But fact is, if your physical and mental health depend on it, you owe it to yourself to train. A few years ago my partner would be sad when I would leave in the summer for practice. Now: Please, go train. I need you happy the rest of the summer as well.
Investigate and plan things ahead I always find that seminars and special classes give me a boost in my karate. Pick your battles wisely and look up seminars that are coming up. Plan things at home and make sure you do other things that need to be done in advance (homework, housework, work-work, your choice). If you can’t, ask help and make sure you make it up to them later.
Make the absolute most of your training time in the dojo Hi there, this is Captain Obvious speaking. Don’t diddle-daddle or chat your precious time away. I know, I KNOW how much fun it can be to get sucked into thoughtful discussions or messing around doing other stuff. Be stern and strict to yourself (and others) and buckle down and put in the work.
Don’t fret if you’re sitting a night at home doing nothing. Last one. Relax. Allow yourself to relax. Don’t scare yourself with thinking how you could be training or how you could be reading a karate book right now! Well, unless you find that relaxing of course.. But! Chill out, relax, calm down. Martial arts is for life.
You still have plenty of time. No matter if you are reading this when you’re in your teens, 20′s, 30′s, 40′s, 50′s or 60′s.
There is still time, if you allow yourself to have time. I’ve seen people return to martial arts after 5, 10, or even 28 years. They still progress!
Okay, yeah sure you tell me to chill out but I’m young and I need to make this work NOW. My body won’t hold out forever!
I see what you mean.
I can’t deny that I feel a difference between every 4/5 years that pass. I know your body ages, changes. And no it won’t hold out forever.
Guess what, your mind can’t hold out either if you put to much pressure on it.
Remember why you started martial arts? Why you continued? I hope that the answer to that question is: ‘because it’s fun.’
There are always a million things that feel like they should be done NOW. Get an education, get a job, fall in love, etc.
Finding balance
Balancing the things you love and the things you have to do is always difficult.
Try to combine many ‘I have to’s’ with things you like to do.
Do other tasks during your commute, chill out with a martial arts book, date someone who understands and supports you, be diligent in what you do.
I know it’s tough at times, but you can do it. I believe in you.
PS: this post has been collecting dust for ages in my concepts. I figured I should post it anyways even though it’s not completely up-to-date and accurate anymore. I hope you can find some inspiration from it!
Fantastic advice. As someone who works a demanding overnight job, trains and teaches two different arts, and tries to maintain a social life on the side, it feels impossible most of the time. It’s hard to get a handle some times.
Bridge fighting in 16th and 17th century Venice. Fighters at the mostre, or an individual boxing match. The goal was to knock the other fighter off the bridge or to draw first blood. Note the left lead guard so the dominant right hand is farther back, the same “power punching” logic of modern boxing. The left hand is held out to parry incoming blows. The fighter on the left wears a tightly fitted leather glove for some compression and protection on the punching hand.
Third Ward at Sword with Dagger, from Saviolo, for comparison.
Interesting comparison. I have often wondered about the reasoning for dagger-forward guards in sword and dagger (Swetnam holds his guard similarly, though iirc his dagger in a left-hand “prime”). I don’t like the refused-point nature of the wards when it comes to thrusting weapons as much as point-forward postures but when you look at it this way it definitely makes a lot of sense. Where are you getting your sources for all this bridge fighting stuff? I find it fascinating. I mostly study Fiore but also look at Bolognese stuff and English sources that are mostly contemporary-ish with Saviolo.
There is no winner at practice
its not a competition, your taps/hits don’t matter. You are just supposed to stay humble and work on what you are trying to improve. But god damn it feels good when you hit a move you’ve been working on.
Relishing the satisfaction of some good hits from last weekend :)
Straight hitting and the hanging ward mostly. I definitely want to see if I can box Axel at IGX.
Looks like good stuff! I do this kind of training on occasion. If you want to try your moves out on a kung fu guy at IGX, let me know. Maybe we can both give Axel some friendly fisticuffs.
