Training update...

Well it's midway through our second full week back at training, so well due an update.

Moving in against dead (a lack of) pressure

This year we are slowly introducing rapier into most of the classes, so you will get to see a lot more cross weapon training wherever you attend , Thibault's rapier treatise is (in my opinion) the most helpful and insightful resource for any long blade training from sword and buckler right through to long sword, I think the school as a whole will reap a lot of benefit working with it.
This week we worked the entry and response to a lack of pressure against the subjection.

Longsword:, this week was mainly a reminder for people making sure they were familiar with the terminology of the basic guards and strikes (and the reasoning behind our choosing the older-pre 1389 terms for the guard postures).

Entering in to grapple, Talhoffer's messer.

 
Messer.
A perfect way to see in the new year is a good run through Talhoffer's messer technique, it has great distance manipulation and is very, very simple, we worked this with the Rawlings Range single swords, which though they lack the knuckle nail stood up well to the beating we gave them.

Entering in against 2nd ward, and preparing to grapple.

sword and buckler.
To compliment the work we did with Talhoffer's messer work, we worked with the alternate counter to second ward (right shoulder ward) identifying the difference in approach to two entry techniques that at first glance look very similar.

Sparring.

Burn night was a little different this week, no bungees due to one of the students having a knee injury (not training related) so instead we worked non co-operative drills from Talhoffer's messer with both steel and synthetics. Then for the last thirty minutes, free play with sword and buckler (again with both steel and synthetic swords).
Nice to see the regulars back, and great to see some new faces for the new year, train hard, see you at the next session.