Fighting progress update

[Gwyneth]

Progress so far - I have been working on an arming cote to test all my theories about arming garments. Guess what? My theories work out! Having an armhole that echoes the shape of the shoulderblade really does give you more freedom of movement. I can swing a stick, do laundry (lots of bending and stretching), and engage in a tickle/wrestling match with my daughter without having my motion restricted at all. Plus, it is so comfortable that I can take a nap in it! Yay!

My only problems with the Arming Cote Mark I are: (1)I cut the front of the armhole too shallow - it is binding just a tad; and (2) the neck tends to gap a bit when I raise my arms - probably seam allowance-related, but possibly related to stretching along the bias curve of the neck while experimenting with movement. Next time, I'll finish the neck seam before moving around in it and see if that works better. Now, have to work on padding and outer covering - yay!

Tried on Marvin's helmet today and he took a couple shots at my head. Tried not to flinch, but failed miserably. (Perhaps non-flinching practice should be part of my routine?) Figured out quickly why folks use shields - learning to block is definitely on my "to do" list! Started to pay attention to the diet today also. Sigh. Still lots of Christmas cookies and goodies around; just eating less of them than I would have normally. Got to go get some gum so I can chew that instead!

In a bit, I'm going to get Marvin up and we will get the pell ready to go so that I can start daily drills. I *swear* that the gym work will begin at the very latest by New Year's Day! Probably can only go three times a week max - kid schedules and various other family stuff will not allow otherwise. But I will do stretches and pell work every day.

Guess that's it for now - will put down more later!

Gwyneth

[Tom Knighton]

Gwyneth,

Don't sweat the flinching. I always flinch when I take a shot to the head outside of a fight. The adrenaline seems to make it easier to deal with. Good luck on the arming coat! Sounds like you are almost there with that.

I look forward to seeing to the field someday.

Bran

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Courage is not the absence of fear, it's the ability to overcome it.

Authenticity Pledge can be found at http://www.kylosa.com/Pledge

[Kinoshita Takemitsu]

learning hoe to flinch correctly is important.. boxers call it swaying...
as a long sword fighter i have to move my head out of the way of many strikes...

[Animal]

Flinching is a survival instinct. Your mind os telling your body to get out of the way. LISTEN to it!

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Animal Weretiger
"Trample the weak; hurdle the dead"

[Marvin]

Sheeesh! She makes me sound like a brute.`

What we did was an outgrowth of footwork exercises. I had been trying to explain over the last several days how armor, particularly helms, change your balance. She's been shopping for a helm and I semi-vetoed one because of the weight (otherwise a neat helm, we'll have to contact the armorer and find out if it is as heavy as the description makes it sound).

I put my helm on her (12ga top, 14 ga sides, stainless) and had her move with me and try to stay turned to engage me. She did fine, but had to fight her balance the whole way, thereby illustrating my point.

I did pop the helm a couple of times to show how protective it is. Other than a little ringing in the ears, she came through that with no ill effects. I must be going deaf - I don't hear any ringing when I get hit.

She's also waaaaay too hard on herself. She didn't flinch, she blinked. Big difference. We discussed the difference between the "bad flinch" (which I refer to as a "cringe reflex") and a good, defensive flinch.

I've got a new fighter that I've been working some with that doesn't defend well because they tend to cringe behind the shield rather than make decisive movements. That's not going to be Gwyneth's problem.

All-in-all a productive day she can be proud of.



[This message has been edited by Marvin (edited 12-27-2003).]

[Gwyneth]

Not much to report. Rained yesterday, so no fighter practice. Pell *still* isn't up (due to rain and sheer laziness). Kid schedules are biting me in the butt today.

Some mental progress; even on the days when I can't advance physically, I can talk about fighting and think about fighting. Trying to work out scheduling so that I can go to the gym - my mom is being supportive of my exercise program and said she will keep the kids while I go to the gym. One hurdle overcome - yay! Dug out my swimsuit and will go get a set of sweats and a sportsbra today or tomorrow - they are on sale at Target.

Looked through my fabric stash last night for fabric for the outer covering of my arming cote and determined that I am just going to have to buy fabric. None of the linen I have is the right size. I would use the silk, but I already promised it for Marvin's second arming cote. Can't buy fabric yet; have to see how much of my Christmas money is left over from helmet purchase first, and helmet purchasing is still in the looking at stuff phase.

Habits I am working on forming: Have some kind of forward momentum on goals each day. Be present at fighter practice each week.

Goals for this week: Get pell up and operative. Swing a stick every day for at least 10 - 15 minutes. Do stretches every day. Get sportsbra, sweats, pads and groin protection. Go to fighter practice on Sunday, even if it is only to stand around and talk with folks.

Gwyneth

[Dmitriy]

My big bad secret... I flinch every time something is coming for my eyes. Don't worry about it, pay no attention to it, and it won't matter. Blinding yourself with a shield, for example, is far worse

-Dmitriy

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Dmitriy V. Ryaboy
(SCA: Viscount Sir Dmitriy Shelomin, Mists, West)