Critique/feedback/advice sought.

[Robert of Canterbury]

Hello All,

I had a good day on the weekend, but I still have a long way to go.

what can I improve, where are the glaring holes/flaws, do I have any apparent strengths I should focus on etc etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9rTQ3zWxKM


Edit: is there anyone in the higher echelons of SCA combat who's fighting I could learn from in particular. Especially if there is video of them online.

[Livia Tasia]

Duke Sean of An Tir gave a class this last weekend on analyzing fighting videos. He said to use a program that you can slow the fight frame by frame. This way you can really see the fight. I was shocked at how much is missed because the fights are so fast.

I think your kit rocks. I'm still new to fighting but I noticed you did a sort of slot shot that I just learned how to do this weekend. Tip goes down then swings back up.

BTW- that location looks exactly like the place I saw a movie recently- about a guy who is a reenactor. Cool place to have an event!

[Ogedei]

Sir Arminus of An Tir gave a class on that same subject. His is available on youtube.

Part 1 of 10 is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_cWsMlMKak

Happy viewing.

[Wat of Sarum]

Your Highness,

I would say that you are standing pretty tall for someone with a smaller shield. You are exposing a lot of leg, and getting hit in the leg more than you need to. You should consider fighting from a more crouched, or seated position, dropping your derriere down while keeping your upper body fairly straight. This will cut down the target available on the leg, and shouldn't have any negative effect on your power - in fact your legs will be coiled for explosive movement.

I fight with a 26" heater, so this has been my experience.

Congratulations again,

Wat

[Baron Alejandro]

Gracias a Santiago dude Your Highness, You are the real-deal-holyfield. I am loading this video onto my iphone and shoving it in the face of every sport fighter I can find. "See?! SEE!?!"

I am utterly unqualified to give you advice. That being said, it seems to me that your blows start a little slowly and then pick up speed about halfway to target; it's a cool trick to get someone to move where you need them to be. However, I never saw your sword start to move quickly. If that is unintentional, perhaps you can benefit from some focused fast-twitch muscle training.

Good luck.

[InsaneIrish]

Honestly the only 2 things can see is leg shots and speed.

1. You are open to leg shots when they start the sword swing from below their shoulders. Now, I am sure most of this is due to you wearing a real pigfaced visor. You can't see the sword. But, it looked to me that some of your opponents keyed on that fact and capitalized. I don't really know how you can fix that other than you watching their shoulders movement. No matter what the arms do, the shoulder must move for them to throw a shot.

2. Snapping the sword at the end of the shot. When you were reaching out to hit your opponents, it looked like your sword speed fell off right at the end of the shot. Almost like you were not snapping the sword at the termination of the shot. I don't know if this a restriction of your armour or just a fighting style. But, I wonder if some of those sniping shots may have landed if they hadn't slowed down at the end of the shot?

[Oscad]

Your Highness,

To me it looked like you were starting many of your attacks from too far out. I think this is what led to Wat's observation that you kept starting slow and then speeding up. You seemed to start slow because you had to 'wait' until you moved into range to speed up.
This tended to open you up during your advance, and telegraphs the attacks somewhat. It can be a useful misdirect if used sporadically.

It looks like you may be 'overblocking' your leg. Meaning you are swinging the shield down and past your leg, leaving it open again. I am also tall and stand too straight legged, and this happens to me sometimes also. Check some of your videos in slow motion. (Also, *knowing* you had a shot blocked, and it still hitting, is a sign this is happening.)

[Askold]

Keep your back straight!

You lean back when you get close to your opponent and when you retreat, I notice this because I have the tendency to make that same mistake.
Leaning back causes several problems:

a) You decrease your own range while staying within your opponents range. (this might be one reason for you getting legged.)
b) Poor stance. When you lean back it becomes harder to generate force into your blows.
c) It is unhealthy for your back.

If you feel you need to get some distance between yourself and your opponent then take a step back, but don't change your stance into something uncomfortable.

Anyway, Congratulations your highness!

[Vitus von Atzinger]

You need more explosive power.
Your shield needs to be slightly longer.
If an opponent has a grille- wear your grille.
If an opponent uses a basket hilt- use a basket hilt.
Save the pigface and crossguard sword for those challengers who use similar gear.


As for technique, it depends upon which school you are trying to pull from. I consider there to be two *major* approaches out of countless great ones; the Bellatrix school which is a *complete* integrated martial art and uses a very active shield style, and the Bedford school, where the shield is very static and the elbow stays close to the body.

I try to use stuff from the Michigan-based "A-Frame" style, the Bellatrix stuff that doesn't hurt my shoulder, and alot of Bedford-style strikes as well.

The first thing you need to do is to not hinder yourself, but meet the opponent based upon the limitations they impose upon themselves.

[Morejello]

Duke Sean of An Tir

Duke Sean is actually from Artemisia. There are many videos of him fighting on Youtube, but I do not believe he has made any tutorial videos yet. He had I have discussed doing exactly that many times (I work in video production).

[Christian1095]

I would suggest checking out Duke Paul's site....

http://www.bellatrix.org/school/

BTW - Congrats

Regards

[Ogedei]

I believe Duke Sean has some youtube videos via Sir Rauokinn.

Her youtube channel is here: http://www.youtube.com/user/rauokinn

Duke Sean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLAcki5I57c

[Livia Tasia]

Oops- sorry Your Highness, I did realize You were Royalty.

And oops on Duke Sean! I thought he was from here!

[InsaneIrish]

Oops- sorry Your Highness, I did realize You were Royalty.

Why should that matter?

HRH Robert has asked us to critique his fighting and advise on things we see he might improve upon.
Our advise is not unsolicited.
In fact it is our noble responsibility to help as a Royal Noble asked for our help.


oh, and that shot you are talking about is called a Molenet (MO-lin-A)

[Ogedei]

Oops- sorry Your Highness, I did realize You were Royalty.

Why should that matter?

HRH Robert has asked us to critique his fighting and advise on things we see he might improve upon.
Our advise is not unsolicited.
In fact it is our noble responsibility to help as a Royal Noble asked for our help.


oh, and that shot you are talking about is called a Molenet (MO-lin-A)

It matters so that he can be given the respect he deserves. That is how I read it anyhow.

[Johann ColdIron]

Gear looks great!

My first impression is that your timing is good and you make good parries. For shield laden opponents your entry steps seem to be linear towards the opponent and do not involve angle steps before or after engagement and against non shielded opponents you are not closing fast enough to control the fight.

[Konrad]

Your Highness:

I would take a look at Duke Radnor's training videos posted on Raoukinn's Channel. I think that your frame and sword position would be a natural fit. HG Radnor is a tremendous fighter and excellent teacher that has a lot of good information in the 10 or so videos posted there.


http://www.youtube.com/user/rauokinn#p/u/165/20YH1tCbsw8

Konrad
Artemisia

[Livia Tasia]

Oops- sorry Your Highness, I did realize You were Royalty.

Why should that matter?

HRH Robert has asked us to critique his fighting and advise on things we see he might improve upon.
Our advise is not unsolicited.
In fact it is our noble responsibility to help as a Royal Noble asked for our help.


oh, and that shot you are talking about is called a Molenet (MO-lin-A)

It matters so that he can be given the respect he deserves. That is how I read it anyhow.

Yes, to give Him proper respect as the others did. Thanks for the name of the shot. It's my favorite to practice now.

[Konrad]

Heavy armour has a ton of inertia and it's important to keep your weight balanced and centered. With the amount of armour that you are wearing I would avoid crouching too low. There are plenty of taller fighters who stand upright and are still able to generate power and speed.

Duke Hauoc is 10' tall and fights with a tiny shield without squatting down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-gTFLvBR6c&feature=related
It's just a matter of getting the blocking thingy in the right spot.

[Baron Alejandro]

oh, and that shot you are talking about is called a Molenet (MO-lin-A)

Dude it's 'molinet'.

[Kilkenny]

Oops- sorry Your Highness, I did realize You were Royalty.

Why should that matter?

HRH Robert has asked us to critique his fighting and advise on things we see he might improve upon.
Our advise is not unsolicited.
In fact it is our noble responsibility to help as a Royal Noble asked for our help.


oh, and that shot you are talking about is called a Molenet (MO-lin-A)

chuckle - that would be pronounced "mole net". The sword blow thingie is a moulinet (moo-lin-A)

I can't help it, it's a professional condition.

[Kilkenny]

Your Highness, I would recommend some work on your footwork, as you seemed in some cases to cross yourself up a bit trying to move on angles rather than straight in and out. As has been noted, your movement is more straight in and out than is desirable (so is mine ).

I noticed you using the high face thrust as an entree into range on multiple occasions and I would generally advise against it. I believe it tends to leave the attacker more open and for a longer period of time than a strike used for the same purpose.

There was also one fight where you distinctly used your sword to attack-block into your opponent's strike to the shield side head. That's not a good tendency, since you can attack the opponent with your sword and block their attack with your shield

Of course, I do not know your opponents and have no idea whether the things I perceive as suboptimal were intended to take advantage of traits they have that you are familiar with

In any event, congratulations!

[Robert of Canterbury]

Thank you all. There is much food for thought here, and it's already got me thinking.

[DukeSean]

Duke Sean of An Tir gave a class this last weekend on analyzing fighting videos. He said to use a program that you can slow the fight frame by frame. This way you can really see the fight. I was shocked at how much is missed because the fights are so fast.

I think your kit rocks. I'm still new to fighting but I noticed you did a sort of slot shot that I just learned how to do this weekend. Tip goes down then swings back up.

BTW- that location looks exactly like the place I saw a movie recently- about a guy who is a reenactor. Cool place to have an event!

Actually, I am from Artemisia. But, I was teaching in An Tir at Sport of Kings this last weekend. Easy to make confusion.

Video analysis is one of the regular classes I teach. Precisely for the reason mentioned above. I'll take a look shortly and get back to you. Would you prefer PM?

[DukeSean]

Your Highness,

My apologies, I see that several other people have posted their critique publicly, as will I.

I would agree with much of what was said by Sir Vitus, particularly regarding your equipment. It really looks like you are fighting against your armor as much as against your opponent. You certainly can be competitive in full plate, pigface and cross hilted sword. But, right now the way your armor is fitting it looks like a liability.

As usually HG Gavin is dead-on. Your feet seem to be getting away from you. Your steps should be more deliberate, more purposeful and better intended. Your feet really seem to be an afterthought, when in reality footwork should be one of your highest priorities in a fight.

I do have to note a minor quible when Gavin mentioned this: "Of course, I do not know your opponents and have no idea whether the things I perceive as suboptimal were intended to take advantage of traits they have that you are familiar with"

Gavin's advice to your is solid Regardless of how familiar you are with your opponent

The thing that I see that has not been mentioned is that it looks like you are pre-programming your attacks. And (as HAS been mentioned) you are launching that attack from too deep of a range. You need to establish range first, then select your targets. It happens in less than a heartbeat, but it can be done.

[Corby de la Flamme]

An honest critique was called for, and I take you at your word.

I'm astonished that you didn't spend every fight on your knees. This seemed to have more to do with your opponents' blow selection than your leg defense. If I chose to fight with the shield you do, I would have my butt a foot closer to the ground.

Your offside blows are slow and low. You need an offside to the head that hits the offside temple, not the offside body.

Your standard guard seems to leave your sword arm vulnerable because it sticks out far from your shoulder and is forward. Again, that you didn't lose your arm seems to be related more to the fact that your opponents did not throw at it.

I don't recall seeing you throw a single wrap shot, but then, you appear to prefer an outside fight.

Congratulations and good luck.

[Cuan]

Your Highness:

First, congratulations! Good advice has been offered and I have some thoughts as well, but I would like to know what footwear is under those sabatons?

Cuan

[Robert of Canterbury]

Thank you all. Please keep it coming.

I'm not answering you point by point, as I'm not trying to defend myself against your critique. I asked for it, and I am finding it very useful.

Cuan, I wear Side-lacing flatsoled leather nailed-sole shoes under my sabatons. The same sole as Westland Crafts nailed sole types. (these http://www.westlandcrafts.com/products.php?id=130)

[Robert of Canterbury]

Your shield needs to be slightly longer.

Sir Vitus, how much longer is slightly longer? 1"? 2"? 6"?
I appreciate it's a hard call to make remotely.

[Cuan]

Your Highness:

I would suggest that you work from the feet up. I have heard Master Eldrid discuss modifications he believed were made to increase a shoe's traction and stability when a man wearing sabatons fought on foot. He experimented with braided cord (think summer camp macrame plantholder) tied to the bottom of the shoe or glued, and of course, hobnails. He was searching for 14th century (rather than Roman solutions) but I don't recall whether he came up with anything definitive or documentable. Anyway - from the video it appears that you were having some trouble with keeping your feet under you and you had one pretty good slide.