This week in Bartitsu: 1. Boxing review: Chancery 2. Cane lesson: Reverse grip 3. Integration: Self-defence using strikes See you tomorrow at 3pm!
Geohash Duello!
Earlier this week (on Wednesday) some local Geohashers found Academie Duello to be their alternate location. Check out their record of their SwordFit Bootcamp adventure here.
Boxing on Stage with Sordelet
Here's an excerpt from Ring of Truth: In Studio Theatre’s Sucker Punch, the Sweet Science Is an Art by Chris Klimek Roy Williams’ script sketches most of its fights lightly, using only few words of stage direction. Not until the climactic bout does the 44-year-old British playwright offer a round-by-round prescription of how goes the war.…
Enjoy yourself! Reasons one should savour the learning experience.
What emotion do you experience when you're training or taking a class? Are you aware of it? What's the expression that you have on your face while you're struggling to implement a new technique or honing the precise movements of a cut with a longsword or lunge with a rapier? This may seem like an…
Read More... from Enjoy yourself! Reasons one should savour the learning experience.
Red Cords on the Rooftop at Red Colt
First off a huge thanks to those who stayed after Riding & Horsemanship or came out to volunteer for the work party last Sunday. Despite weather that rotated through freezing cold, sunshine, and sudden corn snow, much was accomplished. We got the new shelter up, Michael beat the blackberry jungle into submission, Kirsten, Kat &…
Law and Order Sword Press
Given the moderately heavy snowfall that fell on my city last night, we’re going to stay with ‘heavy’ and serious topics this today. From time-to-time, we have to remember that we are involved in a sport involving true weapons – and of a variety of types as well. Theft of Swords … again. NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE…
Welcome back!
You've taken a break from class for a little while. There's a few things you can expect. One, you may find that things get easier. A little break every now and then can relax your fencing muscles. But, if you've taken an extended break from classes you may find your perceived abilities are not…
Bartitsu 25-Feb
This week in Bartitsu: Jujitsu review: kick defence into throw, takedowns aided by kicks, sweeps Boxing lesson: chancery and escapes Integration: chancery and other headlocks, chancery takedowns The Introduction to Bartitsu is also happening, which means my ongoing students will warm up by themselves, then we'll merge at 3:15 See you tomorrow at 3pm…
Archery and Umbrellas
“Four things come not back: the spoken word, the sped arrow, the past life and the neglected opportunity.” -Proverb Beginner Archery (FULL!) Sunday, March 4, 2012 9am-3pm Beginner Archery will cover the basics of archery using a recurve bow; including correct stance, the Y grip, proper breathing and the three finger draw and release technique. Also…
Thursday Drilling Recap: Rapier Collection Drills
Every Thursday I get together with a few of my senior students and we work on drills, sparring exercises, and body mechanics. Generally I have us stick to fairly fundamental exercises. I personally just love working on fundamentals and have found that this is always where the greatest opportunity for improvement lies, no matter…
Read More... from Thursday Drilling Recap: Rapier Collection Drills
Boxing a Kangaroo (bad idea)
We all have fond memories of this: And recently on Bartitsu.org, Tony Wolf reprinted an article from 1893 entitled "The Kangaroo as Prize Fighter" which discusses the change from the Kangaroo's natural defenses into a human-like stance. It looks like this (not pretty): I think the appaling part of the 1893 article is the closing:…
Stretching for Swordplay
Yesterday while teaching a private session one of my students brought in an old book of stretches and stretching routines and asked which ones were best for swordplay. The book she brought is an excellent resource and I snapped a couple pics of one routine to pass along on the blog (the book itself is unfortunately…
Many Hands Make Light Work
Open Barn & Work Party this Weekend Light work at a farm? Is that an oxymoron, you ask? Not necessarily. We have a new shelter to put up. While it is not a job requiring lots of muscle it does take a minimum of eight people to 'walk' it into place, so we could sure…