Another Monday

Let me just start by saying, I have a nice tender bruise on my ass, and it has a nice deep purple color to it. I think this week I am going to add a little bit of armor to the lower back side of my coat of plates...

Anyway, I had fun last night. I had a hard time getting in to a grove though, and it really frustrated me for the first half hour or so. I think it takes me longer to warm up, or loosen up (which I think was a bit more the case) than I think it does. After a while though, it came easier for me. What I need to do is get back to being more active between practices, like how it was before we moved. After I get a pell (a big stick in the ground to hit, when there aren't people to hit) hopefully I will be more active. In the back of my mind, I have it stuck in there that I need to do pell work to help me take my fighting to the next level. Also to keep it there every week.

We had 5 people in armor, a nice little practice (for our shire's standards anyway). I didn't think that the two "homies" were going to be there, but they decided to show up. Practicing with them makes being out there, in armor, that much more fun. And after words, we go for a beer.

So, I am happy with my progress. Last week I did something without thinking about it, and I didn't realize it till after. It's one of those things that I had seen other people do, but figured I would work on it next year, after I get better. But I did it without thinking, I blocked the shield side of my head with my sword. I know, it sounds silly right now, unless you've done it, but it makes more sense when its in context. Lets just put it this way, to try to do it, and make it work, isn't easy at my level. Last night, during the second half of practice, I decided to start trying it. I made the conscious effort to block with my sword on the off side, and it worked. More than just "it worked" as well, it helped me win. I think it threw off my opponent, who I've fought quite a bit, since he's never seen me do it before. It is a small thing really, but it's exciting to think that I tried a new move, and it worked. Incorporating it in to my "toolbox" of moves shouldn't be too hard, with a little bit more practice though.

I'm going to a newcomers tourney this saturday, hopefully I can relax and have fun. Hopefully I am not too focused on beating people, that I end up loosing myself. Stay tuned.

Post Monday Stuff

Since I didn't blog about Crapaud last thursday, I think I might include a word or two about that, as well as last night's fun. Thursday was good, I think the turnout was 12 people. The fighting went fast, and I lost both my bouts, but I still had a good time. I think it was during Crapaud that I came to the decision that I need to step up my mentality about fighting. Up to now, I have been fighting just to fight. Which isn't a bad thing, at all. What I want to do is decide now and again to win, because going in to a fight with a "want to win" mentality changes how I fight. I think that at some point I forgot that I wanted to win.

Also at Crapaud, instead of doing pick up fights at the back of the arena while the tourney continued, I decided I wanted to watch the fighting. I should have done pick ups, but for some reason I was hoping to gain some insight from watching. I think I may have, at least a little. Next time, its all about pick ups though.

Last night's practice was fun. There were four of us, I was hoping for more, but four is still good. We had a visiting fighter from the Elk Grove area. It was kind of nice to fight someone different for a change. Which brings me to a side note about Crapaud, somehow I got matched with two guys that I have fought before, which was fun, but I like fighting new people.

Funny thing about last night, before I get there, I try to decide what I want to focus on. Weather its footwork, or targeting, or whatever. For some reason, when I get in there and fight, I forget what I wanted to work on. Something I get in to my head every week that I need to focus on, following through. Focusing on the basic shots, and following through with them, should improve my game in the long run. I have had a hard time getting shots to stick, I think that has been a problem for a long time (even before, when I fought 5+ years ago). I just don't have as much arm as most people do to get those sneaky shots to hit hard enough, and the sneaky shots are all I end up hitting with.

I got my shield made, the curved heater blank that has been sitting around for a while. I was going to paint it up all nice, make it look like a serious tourney shield, but I decided I just wanted to fight with it. I think I might still add some paint to it at some point, maybe before the big war in July. And darn it, I need to finish my leg armor, its halfway done and just sitting there.

Happy April, I was thinking about telling everyone we were pregnant again for fools day, but I think I will spare everyone.