Beginning footwork, stances, cuts

[Karen Rose]

Greetings friends,
I am one of the true newbies. I've taken the advice of a couple of you am doing a daily workout that looks something like this: with oak dowel held at the middle guard I slowly do passing and other basic forward steps the length of my 100' driveway....then back again, only all steps are backwards. I then utilize the same steps, but this time I swing the dowel in a pendulum type motion, one per step...right/middle/left, etc.
Same again, backwards. I step it up again by concentrating on the footwork while extending the cuts to their full extention...ie: high guard to left tail to high to right tail to high to low, etc...trying to keep that same flow with the footwork.
(Sorry if this getting a bit long <img src="/forum/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" /> ) Return trip is the same backwards. If I get off balance because my cut was delivered not in sync with my feet I do it a couple of more times until it starts to feel comfortable. Lastly, I step it up a notch by trying to execute my cuts with some semblance of intent.
If you haven't fallen asleep by now <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> .... I'd appreciate any more suggestions on how to progress onto incorporating more stances, which ones are the most beneficial to grasp within the fundamentals, etc.
You guys are great. Thanks for all your input.
Karen
ps: somebody please tell me if I'm placing this in the wrong thread.

[leam hall]

Sounds great! Can you send some good weather this way?

Some things to consider might be shifting direction and guard, say, going from a tail guard facing north to a hanging facing south in a smooth transition. I like to take a heavy version (where I train has aerobic bars and I use a 9 pound one) and go through some slow moves with that. Doing so really helps point out where your stance isn't fully grounded.

Since I'm a beginner the basics are for me. I use the middle guard as the key point and practice most everything from there. The coordination of step and swing is tough for me so I have to spend extra time on it. You may want to not do so many steps in the same direction, our minds start to take short-cuts and the body position might not be right for a real multi-directional stance. Move forward and backward sort of at random, step sideways every now and then, and to the diagonals.

[Randall Pleasant]

Karen

The names of the guards have changed in the seven or eight years since John Clements wrote Medieval Swordsmanship . Take a look at John Clements' recent article The Basic Guards of Medieval Longsword for the proper names and body positions of the different guards. Leam makes a good point in that you do not want to be too linear in your practice. Remember that adversarys can come from a full 360 degrees. As you practice the guards and cuts sometimes turn and cut 90 degrees or a full 180 degees from the direction of your last cut. Footwork for the guards should include turning from a left Ochs 180 degrees into a vom Tag over the right shoulder, turning from a left Pflug or Alber 180 degrees into the tail guard, a right Ochs to vom Tag over the head, etc. Hope this helps. Looking forward to training with you in the future.

[Karen Rose]

Thanks Randall &amp; Leam,
Good suggestions, as always. I'm none too smooth in my transitions, but I certainly don't want to get those newly forming neuropathways burned into a linear pattern. <img src="/forum/images/icons/ooo.gif" alt="" /> Very good ideas.
Karen

[Shawn Cathcart]

Learn the Segno. Its the circle with lines through it that show the angles of all cuts. If you place that circle on the ground, its also a guide for the angle of all possible steps. Adopt phlug and pick a point on the wall, or something stationary. Move through all the steps of the segno, holding a good phlug guard, all the while keeping your torso lined up with the stationary object. Later you can start to incorporate these non-linear steps into your cutting sequences.

Another thing to remember is that the snapping and torquing on the handle of the sword through the middle of the cut to give it speed is important. Ideally as you finish snapping through your cut, your passing foot should also just be hitting the ground. At first be careful of your feet. Your feet can step faster than your arms can move through a cut. Don't let your feet get ahead of your arms and the cut.

And as you've already figured out, lots of practice <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />. An hour every day, or even every other day makes a huge difference. Some of my students do work at home, and some don't. Its easy after a short period to tell which are and are not practicing on their own.

Hope that helps some.

[Karen Rose]

Shawn,
I've chalked out the segno in the driveway! As with learning any new skill, frequent short interval practice is best. I'm giving it at least two 20 minute periods each day. I think in this way I'll be able to concentrate on maintaining the best form I know how before fatigue sets in and I get sloppy and start just flailing around.
I'm also doing some strengh building exercises so that my sessions may become more vigorous without losing accuracy.
Thanks for the tips.