A couple of us from WI finally got together!

[Karen Rose]

Hello All,
Jared Cass and I got together for a few hours this past weekend. What a great opportunity for swapping ideas, trying out weapons and techniques, and just some general comaradarie.
If any of you haven't gotten together with other folks in your areas, I encourage you all to make a concentrated effort to make and committ to a date to get together. You will learn something from your fellow associates, but most importantly you will come away with a renewed sense of purpose and desire to widen/increase your skills base. It is also an excellent way to network, share information, and bond with your fellow associates.
This weekend has me scrambling in my head for the next dates that I can open up!

Karen

[Shane Smith]

Glad to hear you had a great time and learned alot! There ultimately is no real substitute for getting together with others with a similar desire to learn. Some things just can't be found in a book. Indeed, many lessons can only be learned at the point of anothers sword in my opinion.I know Jared takes his training seriously as our paths have crossed at seminars in both Virginia and New York in the last year or so. That kind of dedication to what you're doing is invaluable. No less valuable is training with someone with that kind of dedication...It's contagious in a good way <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Ryan Ricks]

hmm speaking of that, i emailed the virginia beach study group leader, but haven't heard back from him. when and where do y'all practice on sundays? i'm thinking about driving up on the 22nd, getting a hotel in virginia beach, then training with y'all before i complete the trip up to DC. depending, of course. i need some more knowledgeable people to beat any potentially silly ideas out of me.

ryan

[Jared L. Cass]

Yep, it was a very good time. Karen contacted me just a few days prior saying that she'd be only like an hour and a bit north of where I live, so we looked at the weather, set a place and time and met up! Very spur of the moment...very fun!

"It's contagious in a good way." Right on, Shane! nothing like meeting up and crossing swords with other interested folks to keep training on track. As usual too, it was nice to put a face on a name. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

Karen and I covered a little of everything...basic counters, refinement of foot work, the master strikes, some "Fiore" ways of countering, a bit of staff (basicily me saying "Heres some of the stuff you can do with a staff...play around with it some and see what you come up with"), a small bit of grappling, and a couple of beers down the hatch! <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

Once some others get back to me, we're planning on doing a training day sometime towards the middle of June.

A great three hours of crossing swords!

Jared L. Cass, ARMA Associate, Wisconsin

[Shane Smith]

Hi Ryan,
Matt is very busy with work for awhile so you can contact me for particulars off-forum via email until he returns at; powerkicker_333@yahoo.com

I look forward to training with you. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />