thegirlsclub

Jorun Arngunnrsdottir · New Club Member Joined: 08 Feb 2011 Posts: 28 : Items

The laugh or cry thing is something I'm worried about. I've been trying to keep my questions about fighting to a few select people locally so I don't experience "new fighter" and "new female fighter" inundation at practice. I've been asking about armouring from nearly everyone who has kits I admire, but the mechanics questions are only going to certain people.

Maybe I still have the "I'm a girl, dammit, and I'm gonna be treated as a person whether you like it or not" chip on my shoulder that needs to be knocked off or equalized on the field, but I'm finding it really hard to not get angry when someone offers me unasked for advice for fighting. Especially when they've never even seen me in armour.

I'm sure I'll get it a lot. I'm expecting it. Michiganders are so damn nice and helpful and they love an underdog. But I have a tendency to either go really quiet and polite about unasked for advice (about anything) and silently fume, or tell the person to f**k right off then and there.

Anyone have any techniques or phrases for dealing with helpful Midwesterners who just can't keep their advice to themselves? Maybe something a little more balanced to the middle?

Jesmond · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 1:59 pm Post subject:

If you can get a trainer who is willing to act as a buffer it is a huge help. Guys tend to get pissed off when female fighters will not do what they say. When someone is insisting I do something stupid, I can say, "I don't think my trainer approves of that technique, maybe you could talk to him about it" or "My trainer has me working on X right now, maybe you can talk to him about it."

They almost never talk to him about it. It works great.
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Slaine · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:34 pm Post subject:

Sure does help when they're adorable.

Jorun Arngunnrsdottir · New Club Member Joined: 08 Feb 2011 Posts: 28 : Items

Thanks Jess!

Do you think its a control thing that they do that? A protector thing? A dominance thing?

I don't want to fight angry. I can't control myself to do anything when I'm angry. Maybe I need to make a new topic for this...

Jesmond · Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:30 pm Post subject:

I think they are just trying to help. Almost everyone I have ever met wants me to do well and they would love to contribute to my success in some way. Even if it is a new guy who has never been in armour, coming up with some grand scheme for me, it doesn't make me angry. I don't know if there is some way I can help convince you not to let it make you angry either. This desire on the part of the masses for your success can be a huge boon. It's one of the pros of being a female fighter.
_________________
First authorized: 1996 - 2000
Re-authorized: 2006 - now
Last event: Coronation
Next event: Border Raids
The Misery Tour: You'll wish you had less fun.

Jorun Arngunnrsdottir · New Club Member Joined: 08 Feb 2011 Posts: 28 : Items

I can promise you that I'll try to look at it as a good thing.

Corby de la Flamme · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:35 pm Post subject:

Corby de la Flamme · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:37 pm Post subject:

audax · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 2:31 am Post subject:

Just nod and smile and do what you gotta do.

Fight or don't fight. In between, STFU.
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Sir Vitus · New Club Member Joined: 12 Jan 2011 Posts: 14 : Items

Mental barriers often linger because of physical limitations. Overall physical strength, hand health and hip rotation will solve the problems that cause female fighters to insist that nobody is teaching them correctly. Strength and explosive power are not the origins for most mental barriers, but they are almost always the reason that mental barriers (Brother Doubt) linger on and on.

1. The sword must not be too light. Build up your tolerance for a slightly heavier sword by adding a layer of tape to it every other practice. You can also pell with a slightly heavier sword. If the elbow hurts you are weak in the forearm or your "sticky rib" is causing your arm to travel incorrectly. Buy a lacrosse ball and a Handmaster Plus.

2. The sword must not be too heavy- make a lighter sword and start the process over or work hard on arm and hand strength- do NOT overtrain your hand or you will render it useless.

3. Female fighters must gain as much upper-body power as they can without messing themselves up. Most are NOT working out properly. Most serious male fighters are doing some type of strength training. Think about it- if a female fighter is training just as hard she will still lag behind in upper-body strength. Therefore, female fighters must approach upper-body strength with deadly seriousness.

LadyLia · Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 6:21 pm Post subject:

Sir Vitus, could you please explain what you mean by "sticky rib"?
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Isabella E · Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 7:58 pm Post subject:

It's interesting that you mention sword weight. My first stick was really light and when I started fighting again after a long absence I took a much fatter stick of rattan and planed it down, then attached a much heavier, more compact basket to it and it has really changed the way I have to train and throw shots. When I do pell work now my arms are a lot less sore than my back and abs because I can't throw this stick around with just my arms. It's too heavy. As a consequence it's helped me develop much better form and tecnhique.
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Sir Vitus · New Club Member Joined: 12 Jan 2011 Posts: 14 : Items

Alot of people have problems in their sword arm because of compensation issues; the body will change the way it moves to steer around tissue issues. If the tissue issues get really bad (injuries, sticky fascia etc.), the way the load-bearing joints work will get screwy. Most people in very unpleasant musculoskeletal pain have issues with tissues screwing with the alignment of the load-bearing joints. Ask Duke Paul about these issues, as he knows what he is talking about when it comes to posture-related pain.

In my own case, postural therapy didn't start to work until I went to war on my tissues. Alot of athletes complain of a knot that is in their trapezius above the scapular- this is often not a muscle knot, but your first rib stuck in a nutsy position due to ropey muscles, scar tissue and lame hydration. Watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfWTi_3PcIA

LadyLia · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 1:49 am Post subject:

ChloetheEvenhardt · Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 6:20 am Post subject:

I'm one of those girls. I want to fight but I haven't bought armor (I just can't afford to until I have a job again). I have a shield that needs to be padded and strapped, a sword that needs to be finished. Trying not to make excuses, but I'm to afraid to tell the people at my practice that I'm unemployed and can barely make it to the practices without killing my bank account. I don't want them seeing it as me looking for sympathy. For now, it's loaner armor and going through slow work/pell work until I can get enough money together to fill in the spots that they can't help me armor with the loaner gear.
It could be a pride thing. Maybe. I'm proud. Writing this I contemplated deleting it several times.
I posted it because it could be the case for one of those girls.