Newcomer questions

[Sean_Gallaty]

I've read the older posts, and I haven't found what I am really looking for so I'll ask here.

I read the arma method but it very much sort of sounds like I'm encouraged to start reading the words of the masters verbatim and being afresh. Maybe I misinterpreted this.

I'm hoping I can somewhere on this site find the following -

- explanations and names of basic stance
- explanations and names of basic strikes
- basic free drills
- basic free strikes against a pell, pell designs ?
- recommended flexibility and exercise regimen

maybe this sounds ridiculous, but that's the questions I have. I can start doing the academic work and come to my own conclusions but there has to be some basic, basic curriculum that I can begin work on.

I guess I could distill this down to "What should I be working on week 1-5"?

And is there a basic equipment needs list?

[Brian Hunt]

This article is on the basic guards for the longsword
http://www.thearma.org/essays/StancesIntro.htm

These articles discuss pells and pell work.

http://www.thearma.org/essays/pell/pellhistory.htm
http://www.thearma.org/essays/pells.htm

A good article on parrying.

http://www.thearma.org/essays/parry.htm

practice foot work, learn your 8 basic cuts, practice displacements, binds, etc. If you can get to a practice with someone who already knows the basics, this will really help you out.

And above all, don't be afraid to ask dumb questions. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

Good luck.

Brian Hunt
GFS.

[Sean_Gallaty]

Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.

What's the current recommendation for a wooden waster. I'm primarily interested in hand and a half sword - always have been. I've always been a fan of single sword.

[Jaron Bernstein]

Depends what you want. 2 guys in our study group make their own. New Sterling Arms make wasters that balanced just absolutely purrrrfectly, but the pommels tend to be weak. Raven makes things that are very durable...but handle like a baseball bat. In terms of size you want a waster (or sword for that matter) that from pommel to point comes up to your armpit from the ground, preferably with a nice large cross as wide as the handle is long (we use the cross for all kinds of things, such as Kron, the blendhau, hooking in halfswording and for striking).

[Sean_Gallaty]

I want something with realistic weight and handling for a hand and a half sword.

Are the wood wasters near-similar balance and weight?

[Brian Hunt]

The New Sterling Arms waster is probably going to be your best bet. It is by far my favorite waster.

Hope this helps.

Brian Hunt
GFS

[Mike Chidester]

I want something with realistic weight and handling for a hand and a half sword.

Are the wood wasters near-similar balance and weight?

Not at all. NSA makes weapons that are head-and-shoulders above the rest.

http://www.newstirlingarms.com/

[Jaron Bernstein]

NSA is the closest I have seen to an actual sword balance.

[Joachim Nilsson]

Sean wrote:

- recommended flexibility and exercise regimen

We do have some articles on renaissance fitness, but -to my knowledge- as of yet nothing article-wise that can be dubbed as a regimen. The article in question is this one: http://www.thearma.org/essays/fit/RennFit.htm

If it's regular exercise we're talking about I know that some of our mombers do follow Matt Furey's training regimes: www.mattfurey.com I have done so myself during a period and it's quite good, but right now I'm back at the gym again. Another option is to check out Farmer Burns: http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Burns/burnsindex.htm

As for flexibility... I'm kinda on the prowl for good sources for that myself.Does anyone have any knowledge as to wether this book is worth a purchase or not? http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1880336839/ref=pd_sim_b_2/002-2209477-0625603?%5Fencoding=UTF8&amp;v=glance

Regards,
Joachim

[leam hall]

I use (a much older) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0936070226/qid=1117303826/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-8604764-2565563?v=glance&amp;s=books&amp;n=507846

Good info on stretching and an arrangement of routines based on what sort of sport you do.

[Joachim Nilsson]

Yeah, the "routine-based-on-what-you-train" was what peaked my interest with that other book. Maybe I'll take a look at that one too. Tired of doing my old self-taught stretching routines. Thanks for the link.

[Roger Soucy]

I have to say, after looking at the Matt Furey site, I get the distinct impression of a bad infomercial touting a product extremely difficult to believe in. Is his program really as good as he says it is?

[Jake_Norwood]

Informercial? Yes. Good program? Yes. Worth the money-per-product. Not in my opinion.

Jake

[Joachim Nilsson]

Well, to be honest, I've only used his book Combat Conditioning: Functional exercises for fitness and combat sports. I've never bothered so much with the website itself. His website does bear resemblance to a bad infomercial though. That's one of the main reasons I've stayed away from it. The exercises from his book did work pretty good though, but right now I'm back in the gym again so I haven't done them for quite some time. IMHO, the merit with his exercises is that they will give you a pretty good, basic and natural overall strength and agility.

All in all, I think Jamie Fellrath might be in a better position to answer any questions on how effective they are since he does them on a daily basis. From what he has told me he seem to like Furey's exercises quite a lot.

Best regards,

[Jaron Bernstein]

I like Matt Furey's material and have gotten use out of it. I think his advertising style does reflect badly on snake oil salesmen, though.