Yet another foot question

[Karen Rose]

Thanks for patience.
Two questions:
1. Is there any similarity with Tai Chi in shifting weight from 'full' to 'empty' to 'full'? If that doesn't make sense....is one leg more 'committed' to bearing the weight before a step, and as such being rooted until the stepping leg assumes the responsibility. Gosh, I hope that made sense.

2. This is so fundamental, but I'm confusing myself on what conotes 'inside' and 'outside'.

As always, I appreciate your help.

Karen

[Jay Vail]

1. Just step naturally. It helps to be on the toes of the weight bearing leg, the one that's not moving, so the foot will rotate. If it does not rotate, stepping becomes awkward.

2. Inside and outside in relation to what?

[Shane Smith]

Hi Karen,

I must take a pass on your first question as I know nothing of Tai Chi.

As for inside and outside; If you are standing with your left foot forward in a fencing stance, your hips would be facing the right side somewhat as a matter of course.The side your hips/pelvis naturally face while in a stance is your inside.The side your back roughly faces while in a stance is called your outside. This works whether you are right or left leg forward.

[Karen Rose]

Thanks Shane,
Totally makes sense.
Karen

[leam hall]

I'll stab at the first question, having little experience to back up my opinions. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yes and no. Remember that your looking at 8 different mobility options so the posture is less important than where you are going. If you pass forward to the right side you'll naturally fill the initial front leg more and then rebalance.

I think that 50/50 split is what gives you the full 8 direction (anyone else note how the Segno relates to the old "Chaos" symbol ) ability. Like a guard most of the non-50/50 seems to be transitional and dynamic.

[Karen Rose]

Oooooh, I'm starting to get it. Since my first post I've been practicing the segno all over the place. A drill I find particularly helpful is to take my lead foot and picture it in the middle of the segno....now I move through all the stances I can think of without moving that foot....first clockwise, then counter clockwise. The step I take can be as deep as I need it to be and the angle as wide/acute....as long as I maintain that 45 degrees at transition.
It is really helping me internalize the segno...so to speak.
Karen

[leam hall]

Another thing I've started to play with is using a post or pillar as "opponent" and two-stepping in relationship to it. For example, if left foot forward, pass forward with the right to the 45 degree and then immediately turn CCW and pass the left foot back. This puts you to the side if the opponent, generally better than directly in front of them. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

What this also helps is preventing one foot from becoming "grounded"; both feet transition.

[Shane Smith]

The footwork you describe also works excellently while employing the hanging guard in freeplay. As the opponent cuts at you,you can pass/traverse forward right while hanging on the left and immediately after contact you continue your motion with the pass behind of the left leg as you counter with a zornhau or zwerchau from beside and behind the opponent as you suggest. <img src="/forum/images/icons/cool.gif" alt="" />

[Jake_Norwood]

This kind of step--a "Triangle step" seems to be the basis of Meyer's footwork when doing just about every technique. I think that holds functionally true for earlier german stuff as well.

Jake

[GaryGrzybek]

Hi Jake,

I agree that this is a very common action and I've been able employ it quite often with good results. It seems to leave you in a position that is most advantageous.


Leam,

I think I showed this very thing to you last on Saturday if I'm not mistaken <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[leam hall]

"I think I showed this very thing to you last on Saturday if I'm not mistaken"

You didn't think I'd let a good lesson go to waste, did you? <img src="/forum/images/icons/tongue.gif" alt="" />

[Shane Smith]

I somehow suspect that "the moving pell" will be graduating to a new alias soon enough at this rate(watch him close Gryzz,he's paying attention!). <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" /> After having had the pleasure of crossing swords in spirited bouting with Gary a bit myself,I'm confident he'll set you on the right track in short order.

[GaryGrzybek]

Yea Shane, I noticed Leam seems to be a very observant fellow for the most part. I was impressed with the fact that he showed up with notebook in hand and a list of questions. I just hope I was able to answer them to the best of my abilities.

[leam hall]

"for the most part" is a polite way to say "except when his opponent backed him to the edge of the driveway, he slipped on a waster laying on the ground, and promptly landed on his keister."

No damage, lots of padding...

[DavidEvans]

Inside and outside...From the hordes of rapier (and I think sidesword) manuals I'm reading inside and outside refer to the body from a specfic viewpoint. If you hold your sword in your right hand, probably with your right foot forward, then inside is from the left side of the sword hand and outside is from the right side of the sword hand. Attacks that move to strike the left of your body are inside, Attacks that move around your sword to the right are outside. Parries that move the offending blade to your right are outside, and safer!