Haven't written for a while. I'm not particularly bothered though. I'm still training at least twice a week and enjoying it immensely. I only have to lead classes every second saturday so in the meantime I can just turn up and train. Brilliant!
I'm still not sure why the hell fencing became such an all-consuming obsession for me last year, to the point where I was thinking about it 24-7. Ah well, no worries. My work takes up a lot of my brainpower these days and has relegated swording back to the position of being a hobby, something to enjoy a few times a week and while I'm doing it, I don't think about what Finns called the "arkipäivä", humdrum everyday stuff.
The one thing I notice though is that I don't really check the manuals as much as I used to do. Maybe I'll head to a one-day seminar in Helsinki soon, maybe not. As I said above, I'm not too bothered either way. With the recent changes happening in the sword school, I'm more inclined to sit back and see how things pan out with new interpretations than trying to pick up every nuance and new change that pops up. Truth to tell, I've read the last article on the crossing of the swords several times, and I STILL don't really get how if I'm close enough to smack someone with the pommel it's somehow largo because my point is not making a threat, or something (?). I'll figure it out in time.
Right, off to training!
Good to hear you are taking a healthy approach to training. I don't think stressing about the new syllabus right now is that important, as things have just started to cool down and take form after the syllabus change.
ReplyDeleteThere's been little in way of technical changes, and all the rest is just differences in tactical thinking. Some of the tactical choices are pretty small details, though. It seems to me that the new syllabus would produce sensible fencers faster than the old system. But if you're a sensible fencer already, the difference is not that big. It's the pedagogical side that has changed.
I believe an article about what to do in each crossing is in the works, to highlight the choice of appropriate techniques in each categorical situation. At least, until the interpretation changes. ;)