Hitting Things With Big, Sharp Sticks; Friday, Third Period [07/19].

[sword_chocobro]

"Last week," Gladio said, "we talked about a lot of the basics of sword work, had some time to sort of play around with some different sizes and styles to get a feel for it, and also try a few standard moves and stances. Now, we're going to put some of that together with a few basic fighting techniques against each other.

"Now, we've got a really wide range of experience and skills in this class, so some of this is going to be really rudimentary for some of you guys, but I still want you to really focus on it and treat it like it's a new skill for the first time. A lot of times, when we're doing something often, we lose track of some of the mechanics on those little things that we believe to be second-nature by now. Really focusing on them is a good way to sharpen thing back up and fix any little bad habits that may have been developing in the meantime. And if you haven't done it in a while, it's a great way to bring those good habits back. And once I go over the instructions, I want you to find a partner and give it a try. We've an uneven number, so I'll be happy to jump in there myself. Try to find someone who matches closely to your own experience level, though. I've no doubt you more experienced swordsmen'll help out our newbies, but I don't want anyone feeling too overwhelmed, and I want this to be a collective learning experience, you know?

"So, today, we're going to learn about a simple overhead strike from above, the defensive tactic to counter it. Then, a counter to the counter, and then two different methods of a strike to perform if your opponent, instead of countering your initial attack, takes a defensive maneuver instead.

"We'll go over the techniques, practice some of the moves on your own as I lead you through them, and then partner up and try to recreate them, taking turns on who has the first attack. If you start to feel you've got it down pretty well, feel free to try other approaches if your sparring partner is comfortable with that, otherwise...practice makes perfect. It might be boring and repetitive, but it's helpful in building up muscles and muscle memory so that, in the moment of a real attack, you can think fast and let your body to most of the work on its own."

Comments

Sign In - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[sword_chocobro]

Ready to spar!

Re: Sign In - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell Ingram

Re: Sign In - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[momslilassassin]

Ben Skywalker

Re: Sign In - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve McGarrett

Re: Sign In - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[napking]

Gray

Re: Sign In - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Arden Finch

Listen to the Lecture - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[sword_chocobro]

Follow allow with the demonstration, interrupt to ask questions, have Gladio go over that one move again, clearly for purely research reasons, ahem....

Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[sword_chocobro]

Find a sword, find a partner, and get to practicing the basic sparring moves Gladio had just lead you through! Even if they're fairly rudimentary for your skill level, Gladio would really like everyone to take the time and dedication to run through them at least a few times with their partner (or even with several partners, to get a feel for different opponents even with the same moves) before trying anything else, although once you've managed to really get it down several times in a row, he'll be open for more playing around and other kinds of practice.

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell looked around for a partner. She'd some some sword work, but truly was just a beginner.

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[momslilassassin]

Ben was definitely not a beginner, but the lightsaber he'd wielded for years didn't have any weight to it, so the sword was still a bit of an adjustment. "Want to pair up?" he asked.

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[mylandmyrules]

"Absolutely," Nell said. "Just warning you, what few skills I have lie in hand to hand."

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's eyebrow arched up a little at her using the word "warning." "Well, if you've moved to hand-to-hand in a sword fight, something's gone disastrously wrong for you," he said, moving his sword to his left hand and taking an opening stance. "Let's go through what Gladio showed us."

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell laughed. "Oh definitely. Disastrously wrong indeed."

She took a deep breath and focused on the moves Gladio had just showed them. "Do you want to attack or defend?"

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

Arden was a complete beginner, so she would just be over here, practicing the moves they'd learned and looking around at everyone else.

She was just...so not on anybody else's level.

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[napking]

Aw. Gray remembered...well, no, his dad had already started showing him a few basic things even before Lazarus got his hands on him and dropped his eight-year-old self into ten years of nightmare boot camp, so he really didn't remember being a total newbie. But he remembered when some of his brothers had been total newbies, when they were also eight-year-olds dropped into nightmare boot camp with Lazarus, and not his brothers yet.

"You wanna partner up?" Gray asked Arden, in keeping with Gladio's instructions to help the newbies.

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[afraid_of_marshmallows]

"Sure!" Arden said. "Just promise you'll go easy one the noodly-armed baby, okay Mr. I Have Nine Thousand Years of Playing With Swords?"

Yeah, okay, she'd heard it as soon as she's said it, as her slight flush and 'oh noes' expression attested to.

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[napking]

Gray flashed a grin at her to let her know he'd heard it, too, and said, coy, "Not nine thousand." Canon was inconsistent and the dates given didn't make sense, but it was either a lot more or a lot less than that, probably.

Then he went all business-y and asked her, "Do you want to try attacking or countering first? I'm good with whatever."

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

Jon had absolutely no idea what he was doing. Also, noodle arms (though very slightly less than a few weeks ago).

He stood around awkwardly.

Re: Class Activity: Basic Sparring - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[gospel_of_oblivion]

Illyana looked around, resting the oversized sword on her shoulders as she looked for someone who could take a few hits and wouldn't be afraid to hit back.

Talk to the Teacher - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[sword_chocobro]

It's the danger shop, so he's not worried about anyone getting hurt, but he is keeping an eye out for anyone being stupid.

Re: Talk to the Teacher - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[mylandmyrules]

"That was fun," Nell said once it was down to just the two of them. "I'm really enjoying this class!"

Re: Talk to the Teacher - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[sword_chocobro]

"Oh, that's definitely a sign that I'm going way too easy on you guys, then," said Gladio, with a snort of a laugh that turned into a grinning kiss as he leaned in to officially conclude class by passing that kiss on to Nell. "Next week, I'll really have to start pushing."

Re: Talk to the Teacher - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[mylandmyrules]

This was Nell after all who could spend the day being pummeled by her Warrior Women friends and come back breathless and aching, but ready for more.

"I'd enjoy that, but I'm not sure about some of the others," Nell said with a smile. And kissed him again because she could

Re: Talk to the Teacher - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[sword_chocobro]

"I just feel like I'm slacking if at least half my class isn't whining or complaining."

But at least Jon had Prompto's lack of constitution on lock, and Gray could probably fit into Noct's need for constant napping pretty nicely!

"Although I'd be surprised if you'd ever be in that half," he admitted, and not even because Nell would probably keep some of complaints to herself, too.

OOC - Big Sharp Sticks, 07/19.

[sword_chocobro]