As I write this, my baby daughter is currently asleep in her crib, beside my bed. Behind her, leaning against the wall, is my longsword. I started swordfighting in February 2014. I wanted to learn, but I also wanted to improve my health. My husband and I had been trying for a baby for almost…
Training Data
Finding the rhythm of your training and simply enjoying the process is a beautiful state to work toward in your martial endeavours. However, most of us also want to see progress. There’s a natural desire to be able to do a technique more deftly, swing a sword more powerfully, or defeat an opponent you couldn’t even…
New Cycle of Cavaliere Program Classes
Along with the daffodils and bunnies, a new series of Cavaliere program classes are springing up in April! If you are completely new to the program, come out for the Intro to Mounted Combat, or just show up as a spectator at the Mounted Combat Playday on Easter Sunday. And if you are working on…
Three Sources of Quality Feedback
If you plan to improve in your martial practice you need outside feedback. Here are three quality sources that you can seek out to get the most of your training time: 1. Well-Designed, Feedback-Oriented Exercises Instead of having to self-observe whether your mechanics are correct, a good exercise and good training partner will give you…
What's at VISS for Mounted Combatants?
The Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is coming up this weekend. If you have any interest at all in western martial arts, whether as a current practice or from a historical point of view, this is an event you don't want to miss! Although there are no specific Mounted Combat workshops taking place at VISS, here's a…
What Terry Pratchett taught me about being alive and staying that way
Sir Terry Pratchett died this month, and like many people who grew up with his writing as a constant I partly feel like I don’t know how to be an adult without him ticking away somewhere in the world, producing books that, although satirical, probably contain more life-changing wisdom than any self-help book ever could.…
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Creative Combat
I was inspired by CBC Ideas podcast “Eureka! Mapping the Creative Mind” to discuss creativity this week. If you have more technological interests, CBC Spark also discussed creativity this weekend. Mainly, I’m distilling the current research into creativity itself, and we’ll talk about applications to both theatrical combat and real fighting at the end. Creative…
Book Review: "The Sword and the Centuries" by Hutton
One of the most precious resources we have as martial artists is personal 'free time'. We never seem to have enough of it to do the things we ‘want’ to do. So is it inevitable that we will have to face the choice of either reading and studying any of the myriad books and journal…
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The Role of Metaphor in Growth and Training
It’s easy to imagine our progress in life as a trip. A road that has twists and turns, ups and downs, and that if you’re resolute enough, and travel long enough, you’ll find your way to your destination. The trouble with this metaphor is it doesn’t account for the ephemeral nature of destinations in personal…
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A Leading Question
Riding Level 3: Canter Leads At level 2 we asked you to be able to canter in both directions 'without emphasis on position or lead.' At level 3 you will need to: 6. Canter circles with correct leads First, go and review these Level 2 posts on the Canter, and Identifying Canter Leads. In the…
McCormick's VISS Workshops
Let’s take a look at the two workshops that David McCormick, head of Bartitsu and head of stage combat at Duello, will be teaching at the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium: Power generation for punching and thrusting, and physical culture exercises. Body Mechanics of a Powerful Punch and Thrust Friday, 27 March, 2pm-3:15pm Who hasn’t been…
The Myths, Legends, and History of St. Patrick
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and this weekend Academie Duello will be celebrating with CelticFest Vancouver. This Irish national holiday is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other national holiday. Countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, America and the U.K. are all known to raise a glass of…
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Keep Solo Practice Effective by Not Over-Focusing
One of the main errors I see people making in solitary practice is over-practicing a single action. Generally this comes in the form of practicing a complex, multi-part action, without the needed external stimulus (meaning an opponent/partner) to give the technique its contextual relevance, timing, and feeling. The negative outcome I have seen, for many,…
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