Swordplay
Creating Focus and Ease
A few years ago I was in a very high pressure rapier tournament. It was the largest and hardest fought tournament in the Northwest with a list of 50 fencers who were arguably some of the best fencers...
Swordplay
113 posts in this category
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DanceLife
Why Get Better? – Reasons for Mastery
What is your motivation for excelling and improving? Note this is not the question of “why you do this”. There are tons of good reason for that (fun, connection, fitness, etc) but why get better at...
LifeSwordplay
Tying Art to Life and Life to Art
I study martial arts in order to get better at life. I get better at life to be a better martial artist. How I carry myself when I fence is an expression of how I physically carry myself as a human...
DanceSwordplay
Catch Them Doing Something Right – More on Teaching
Receiving criticism can be useful for one’s development. Someone else can often see flaws in your execution from a better perspective and offer insights into how to overcome your most important...
DanceLife
The Road to Mastery is 25% Technical and 75% Mental
When I look at my pursuit of mastery and proficiency in the various arts of my life I see more clearly now that truly a very small percentage of what is between me and mastery (meaning a high level...
DanceSwordplay
The Tunnel – A Movement Training Concept
(A version of this post was originally posted on the Duello.TV blog) In swordplay: Your sword is getting set aside while you attack. Your parry is not succeeding in closing the line. In dance: You're...
CoachingDance
Toughing it Out, Switching Gears, and Taking a Break
I had a terrible night dancing just recently. A night where I felt completely disconnected from dancing – something that I truly am passionate about. I felt awkward, bored, frustrated, and completely...
Swordplay
The 5-minutes Per Day Practice Regime
Everyone knows if you want to get better at something you have to practice. However making time in a busy schedule can be super-challenging. It's easy to have the intention to practice but then not...
Swordplay
Preparing for a Rapier Tournament
(Warning, this is a very sword fighting training oriented post) So myself and a group of my senior students at Academie Duello are preparing for a rapier fencing tournament at the end of January...
DanceSwordplay
Invest Time in Body Maintenance
As a martial artist and a dancer I have become intimately aware of the condition of my body. I want it to last for a long time and I want it to be able to perform for me to the best of its capacity...