thegirlsclub

[Wrenn]

These are my notes from the An Tir Winter Fight Workshop Nov 20/10
Duke Sean of Artimisia (all mistakes are my own)- Wrenn

His Grace is trying to give us the tools to train better at home and how to learn better.
Back in the day fighting was just about speed and power, not it has become much more refined.

Take the time to break down and teach each part of a fight remembering that there are 3 parts to all learning:
Training
Practice
Evaluation
In testing look and learn more from our loses so that we can isolate & eliminate deficiencies.
In tournament you have to fight the fight you have to get a solid evalutation (not the fight you wish you had - don't be "just trying stuff" )
The value of tournament is to evaluate. Then you can take that experience to isolate and eliminate your deficiencies. "Looking Good" does not just mean how far you go in tournament. Don't forget to look at what calibre of fighter you starting losing your fights too. Not all wins are equal.
Take what you get from a tournament and learn not to take it strictly as failures, these are your weaknesses and you can now take that evaluation to chip away at each issue (best to focus on one issue at a time)

Purpose Driven Training Sessions:
-Being able to make improvements in different areas of your fight -there is always something to work on, look for more evaluation (fighting out or your area etc)
Separation Between Training and Practice:
Sparing is still competing. -to work on specific things you need to be able to train without and competition/concern. -two hours of out of gear training once a week is better than 4 hours pick up fights at practice for training technique.

FIVE ON EACH SIDE
OFFENSE
Range
Target Recognition
Shot Selection
Delivery
Recovery

DEFENSE
Range
Blow Recognition
Defense Selection
Delivery
Recovery

(note that in both the offense and defence the Delivery and Recovery are the actual exicution/physical actions)
Offensive:

RANGE You have to be in a range where you can throw an effective blow.
"D" range is based largely on perception, only really 3"-6" back from "C"
"C" is where everyone starts their fights About 6" back from "B".
"B" Range says you are prepared to fight. About 20"-24" back from "A" range. ("B" is a dangerous place to be, but that's where all your targets are.)
"A Range"= a boxers clinch, so tight you have a tendency to just throw - getting into pre programmed fights.
You won't know what shots are available to you until you are in range.

TARGET RECOGNITION is NOT target exploration (don't fixate on what you want to be open)
-look at nothing so that you can see everything (Sean tends to look at the triangle between people" noses and the points of their collar bones)
Note that you don't have to be able to see a target to know that it's open (IE behind the shield)
When selecting your shots choose lethal over non lethal

SHOT SELECTION targets your opponent presents and targets we can see for ourselves.
If you see all of the head open the you have a selection of shots available - pick the simplest shot (flat snap)

DELIVERY Developed from pell work done at a base line that can then be adjusted in a fight. (trained on the pell, practiced in combat)
A Note on Pell Work: Pell work is 3 seconds from the beginning of one shot to beginning of the next. Speed comes from throwing the same shot 1000's of times Power comes from the efficiency of throwing 1000"s of the shot

RECOVERY
This is THE MOST NEGLECTED part of our fighting.
Recover through the shoulder (no need to stop at the shoulder)
Gives you a change to recognize another great (real) target and give power and speed to your next blow through better mechanics.

DEFENSIVE
RANGE
Be aware of who's range you're in.
Where are you within that range?

BLOW RECOGNITION
All shots can be catalogued into: Up, Down Left, Right
It is easiest to first recognize whether the blow is coming to the left or right side of your body the recognize if it's going to be on the upper part of your body or lower part.
Train yourself to define in these simple terms (the 2 Sec drill is good for this)

DEFENSE SELECTION
Two choices:
-Block a shot (with shield or sword)
-Evade the shot (move forward or back to mess with the mechanics of their blow)
Only step back when that step provides you with a specific offensive advantage (IE give you rotation) there are 5 other directions you can go (the compass drill is good to help train this)

RECOVERY
Doesn't need to be trained quite so much as it is hard wired into us via fight or flight, but still allows you to get ready for the next shot.

DRILLS:
2 SECOND DRILL
This is a two person drill that can be done out of armour. It has benefit to the trainee and the trainer.
Trainee throws a shot at least every 2 seconds, but not more than 2 shots/sec. This allows time for the trainee to really see the next opening and to use proper technique in both the delivery and recovery.
The trainee throws a predetermined amount of shots (say 10).

The trainer stands and takes the blows without returning any. Each blow should be coming in slow enough that the trainer will have time to address each blow, and learn to see at what point the trainee is committed to any given blow. The trainer should be able to catalogue each shot into the basic categories of left, right, up, down.

COMPASS DRILL:
This is a foot work drill primarily for the trainee.
Imagine an 8 pointed compass or astrix on the floor. Start in your regular stance at "B" range from the trainer.
Step to each point, leading with the foot in the direction that you're moving (left or right) make sure that at each point you are back in your stance oriented to your trainee.
As this drill becomes easier you can add throwing each shot from each position. Also you could try this drill from C and D range.
_________________
Adwen Wrenn, Squire to Sir Hrothgar Thorvaldsson

[Corby de la Flamme]

It is interesting, and a bit worrisome, to see the "A B C D" range terms used in a way different from that originally defined. Interesting because it is similar to the ways stories are shared and change; worrisome because with different definitions, there is a high likelihood of confusion in discussion.

Out on the east coast, range term definitions are:

A. I can touch you with my hand.

B. I can hit you with my weapon.

C. I can take a step and hit you with my weapon.

D. Everything else.

Link to illo.

Note that instead of hard measurements as transcribed above, these definitions are entirely based on the individual and the weapon they use. My B range, at 6'3" with a 7.5' polearm, is radically different from a 5'2" shortsword and buckler fighter's.

To the best of my knowledge, the "A B C D" range terms originate with Duke Gyrth's classic Fundamentals of Oldcastle Sword and Shield. A book I cannot recommend highly enough for its unique insights into fighting, and its extraordinary humor throughout.