COMMUNICATION. It's kind of a biggie. Clear expectations make a world of difference, and can prevent a whole lot of pain later on. We'd moved on, were practicing thrusts and absetzens, and I had a thought and asked if you could use the durchwechseln to slip around the absetzen. Professor said to come at him, so I came in just like I had been before, when he'd apparently been expecting me to try the durchwechseln , and I ended up poking him in the forehead with my thrust or absetzen or whatever it was instead. Then got yelled at for not doing as I'd said I was going to. I'd never said I was doing it, just asked if you could. The "sorry" slipped out, and when I tried to explain I hadn't realized I was supposed to do the one, I had to keep repeating myself because I was getting lectured about doing what I'd said I'd do or it made others unsafe. Meanwhile, I was getting more and more frustrated because I hadn't known I was supposed to do something different, and I could feel a lump rising up in my throat and my eyes starting to burn. Holy Hell, tears?! As a rule, I don't cry. I managed to hold it back, but cripes, that was a weird new thing. And I think my voice broke when I tried to explain the last time, but whatever. Thankfully one of the others shouted out something about communicating too, so at least I wasn't alone in not understanding. For certain I'll be absolutely certain about what I'm supposed to do, about what's allowed, before I do anything from here on out.
We moved inside for cutting practice, which is always fun. We use pool noodles for practice- tried beach mats but they were a bit weird. Anyway, I think I did an oberhau strike for mine. That one seems easiest for me to keep my blade alignment good and to get the right angle of attack. And WOOHOO- I got a clean cut on my first shot! I quit while I was ahead, handed of the sword, and swiped the chopped off bit of noodle. I think purple may be lucky for me. I shall try and be sure that all my pool noodles are purple from here on out. I'll talk to Mitch at the pool store and see if he can hook me up.
Then the Professor went to get his Albion, so we could all get a chance to feel what an actual strike feels like with steel on steel. It's so very not like the feders! There's no sliding, no slipping. It had a weird, catchy bite-y feel instead, kinda like sharpening a kitchen knife. And my uncertainty crept in, my fear of actually hurting someone. Apparently I turned my blade when trying to thrust at the Professor, though I swear I totally didn't mean to, and in my attempt not to really skewer him... I... I... chipped the Albion. :( Please don't stone me! My Cold Steel got it too, though not nearly as badly. So now we get to learn all about the art of sword sharpening. I'm picking up a sander/grinder sometime this week. If the snow melts anytime soon.
Really though, I think I learned more usefulness this time after practice, when just discussing what we'd done earlier. After the hour of research into how to fix a chinked up Albion, anyway. I really didn't know what I'd done that resulted in the nicks, so asked for explanations. That's when the Professor finally (hopefully) got through and nailed the problem. I don't like hurting people. In any way. So the idea of stabbing someone with a large pointy stick, or smacking them with a steel bar, or even clocking them with a nylon sword raises weird mental conflicts in me. But then he had me hold out my hands, and we played the game "Slaps"- you know, that one where you try and smack the other person's hand before they can pull it away? You know you're going to get hit, but it's not going to hurt. If he was wearing a gauntlet, would I play? Um, no. If both of us were? Then yes. You go in knowing you're going to get whacked, expecting it- and protected. Same for the swords. I think it'll help, remembering that. I guess we'll see next practice. Way to differentiate, Professor! I think part of the problem also comes in that I'm still really uncertain about things. I mean, I can have it down solid practicing at home, be able to explain it to someone else, whatever, but when it comes to actually putting the moves into practice, I get all flustered. I second guess myself. A lot. That part I really have to work on.
The other useful revelation afterward was that we're not fighting in high heels. That apparently was the fairy-foot problem. I hadn't quite understood until then that whenever I was pivoting, I put the ball of my foot down first, almost as if I were wearing heels. I do love my heels, and have quite a collection, but ya, they're probably not the best for sword fighting. The Professor explained that the foot should move with the sword, that the heel should hit and stomp down at full extension, that you should 'activate' your hips to add power to your swing. Mostly though, toes don't go down first. If I can remember that, I might be ok.
Lastly, we reiterated what I'd learned on Friday. A strike shouldn't end at the point of contact. We do it all the time in practice- try a swing and then stop when it hits. I'm not sure if we're just surprised when we land one, if it's to pause and try and remember what comes next, or what, but we do it a lot. Apparently that's quite a bad habit. The strike shouldn't end with the hit, it should land, then snap back into a guard. You go there, and back again. Makes perfect sense when you put it that way.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go play with my pool noodles.
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