Yet another would-be swordsman.

[Eric_Dohner]

I have another question that I hope is valid:

Once I have wasters and a friend willing to train with me, where do we start if we're not yet full ARMA members (albeit planning to become so in the near future)? I've experimented with various parries against near-full-speed blows, bits of winding and binding, etc., but many of the things in the manuals are incomprehensible to me. I keep working on the five wards from here, but after that, I'm not sure how to proceed.

Oh, and I'm planning on starting in on construction of padded contact wasters when I can, using some version similar to Jeanry's design, but that may not be for a while yet. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

Again, thank you all very much for your time and patience.

[John_Clements]

That's the real challenge. Finding out how to proceed systematically so you're not wasting effort.

You should practice striking and moving together, binding &amp; winding, closing in and getting out. Learn to deliver comibnation strikes, develop your sense of range and timing and pressure/leverage all by striking &amp; counter-striking drills with a partner. Practice florsyhing at air and delivering hits at a pell. Then spar, spar, spar. The biomechanics of it will all click in time, assuming you exercise to the necessry phsyciality. Test cutting with a sharp blade will also be of great help.

JC

[Eric_Dohner]

Got it -- sort of. I'm afraid that sharp steel isn't available to me right now, but in time I'll be able to do the rest. Thank you very much. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Jeremy Martin]

Get a lawn mower blade and a grinding wheel, like in sling blade. Then a watermelon. Poor man's sharp cutting. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />