Our Oxford student met up again today for their regular outdoor freeplay session. These sparring get-togethers provide the perfect opportunity to practise techniques learned in class as well as get experience of fighting against opponents they might otherwise not get regular practise against.
The impending storm meant that we were a little light on the ground at Swindon tonight, so we had a “Try-A-Weapon” night, where students got to sample a combination of main hand and off-hand weapons including: smallsword, rapier, dagger and cloak. We all had a lot of fun and there is definite interest in progressing some of these weapons further.
Tonight at our Godalming chapter, we had a freeplay night and gradings followed by a visit to the pub to celebrate the end of an eight week block. Well done to all who defended, challenged and judged in the assessed bouts.
Our Reading chapter played host to a sparring day today. There were over thirty fencers there from numerous clubs and lots of great fights. If you want to up your game and test your skills against unfamiliar opponents look out for future events.
Tonight our Swindon students were busy looking at openings in Sword and Buckler, and the tricks that can be used to anticipate them. We also did some work looking at self-analysis and trying to ensure that you were in your best fighting mindset. A lot of complex work but the students took to it with great results.
Our Oxford students met up for their regular weekly training session tonight. As always at our Oxford chapter there was a lot of focus on longsword, but there was a little sword and buckler as well.
Tonight our Swindon students continued their work looking at the four humors, working on the phlegmatic opponent. We also looked at the use of the sidestep and how that can be effectively deployed against opponents. Good work all round.
Tonight our Godalming chapter had three classes covering a range of weapons and student abilities: beginners, single rapier, and dall’Agocchie’s single sidesword.
Sunday saw our Oxford students gather for a bit out outdoor freeplay. These sessions are always helpful. There’s only so much time during a lesson to learn a new technique and often the best way to practise it is to incorporate it into sparring.
Our Swindon students continued their work looking at Alfieri’s four Humors this week, with a look at the Choleric opponent. We also did group activity where groups were each given an attack or the corresponding counter and had to work it out, then come together to see whether it worked. Some great analysis by all students.
