tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32458846343839985862024-03-12T17:35:32.117-07:00TheSwordsmanslifeA blog about my life in and out of running a HEMA club. I teach Historical European Martial Arts in Salt Lake City. SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-42326905002459834562024-02-16T07:30:00.000-08:002024-02-16T07:30:15.684-08:00Thinking makes it so: Resiliency in tournament practice<p dir="ltr">Thinking makes it so: Resiliency in HEMA practice</p><p dir="ltr">Jordan Hinckley</p><p dir="ltr">When focusing on resiliency there are 3 aspects that we must take into consideration. The first is how do we mentally prepare for the stress of competition? The second is how do we keep our focus in the midst of that stress? The last is simply how do we assess our performance afterward in a way to keep moving forward? All three of these are connected as one feeds into the next in a circular fashion. We can think of these three as the Future, Present and Past.</p><p dir="ltr"> In this class we will look at all 3 aspects and look at some ways in which we can control the things within our control and as a whole connect these 3 parts in our regular training and practice. </p><p dir="ltr"><img height="1.0" src="https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/ptm0tzqqZfiUlu2VbdFjcFu1SBDUS_QlIzheNPeIQ1EJ3m7WAmD26F42oVQHYcc_l4MPaTYbOW-4U3Zs4k6LWGMPNGJx9uUT1UJ_F7ytTIz5pW3uc-Jmp6Ej9Jm6kpBrAiYnLME0yAL8630FVfSGgQ" width="1.0"></p><p dir="ltr">Future: Why do I compete? </p><p dir="ltr">You are in the middle of a match, those stupid judges didn’t see the last three hits you landed on your opponent, your pulse is high, you can’t focus, “I can win this,” you think, but you cannot let go of the fact that last exchange you hit them 3 times and not one of those was counted by those dumb judges. Are the judges blind? What is wrong with them? Why didn’t the other guy acknowledge it? The director calls resume and physically you are present but can’t let the last 3 exchanges go mentally. You can’t let go of the idea that they are up by several points and you know you only have a few exchanges left if you want to win and time is running out. Your will to push harder is all but gone. Another point is called for your opponent, and with it, the last exchange. You walk away from the ring frustrated and mad at the judges, mad at yourself, and mad at the person who just beat you. </p><p dir="ltr"><span> </span></p><p dir="ltr">Let’s face it, the reality of competition is that it can be a potentially stressful situation, so why do we do it? To win shiny things? To win accolades from friends, family, and those in the community whom we respect? Or is it something deeper like to trying out a technique we have been working on in class in a stress testing situation to see if we can make it work when the opportunity presents itself. Maybe we do it for fun, and love of the challenge of it all.</p><br><p dir="ltr">What is within your control?</p><p dir="ltr">Unpacking the reasons why we compete or why we practice, we must define what is within our control and what is not. </p><p dir="ltr">We cannot control if we win a medal or not, we cannot control what the judges see, we cannot control who our opponent is, and we cannot directly control their actions. </p><p dir="ltr">If succeeding at a tournament is a question of if you won a medal or not, in a field of 64 fighters, at best, only 4 will go home with a medal hanging on their necks from winning that tournament. Effectively what that means is that 7 or 8 percent of fighters will “succeed” and the other 92%-93% will by that same metric, fail. </p><p dir="ltr">We cannot control what the judges see. I always tell my students to assume that the judges are biased against you, because if you set out to make every exchange clean, regardless of the points scored, for or against you, you are fencing safely, and this must be our primary objective.</p><p dir="ltr">We cannot control who is in our pool, if we make it to eliminations, or what bracket we will be fighting in. We cannot control who is in our class and wants to spar with us but what we can control is how we personally face everyone whom we interact with. </p><p dir="ltr">We cannot control the perceptions of others, even if we win big, there may be people who give us little or no respect for it. Alternatively, there may be people who believe that they were robbed because in their minds they can beat us, and as such they are more deserving of a medal or a big win than we are. </p><p dir="ltr">We cannot control anyone else, but what we can control are our personal actions and how we present ourselves regardless of how it is viewed by others. </p><p dir="ltr">The only thing within our control is what is inside us. How we are mentally and physically prepared, if we are giving our best, and are we fully present in the moment during this match. We owe it to ourselves to give the best we have in this moment. That is not to say the best we may ever have, or the best we can do tomorrow, it means flaws and all, we are compassionate to where we are today. We may be tired, have a headache, or just not feeling at the top of our game and that is ok. Doing our best today means despite this, we are giving it the best we can at this moment. It may not mean we will win but we can be comforted in knowing that we have given the best we are capable at the moment.</p><p dir="ltr">We can control our actions in a given situation. If we have been working hard on a technique for a while and the opportunity presents itself to use it, do we have the presence of mind to see it and to act on it?</p><p dir="ltr">When I have students who are setting goals for competition one thing that we focus on is realistic goals that are achievable. In a field of 10 of the top fighters in the world, I am not likely to win 1st place, but I can give them my best, fight as hard as I can, with all I have, and make it so that they had to work to win the match.</p><br><p dir="ltr">Writing Prompt: </p><ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Why do you compete/practice? What you are doing or plan to do?</p></li></ul><br><ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation">What factors of your why are always within your control?</p></li></ul><br><ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation">How do you measure success or failure to that metric?</p></li></ul><p dir="ltr">Present: How do I bring myself back to my goal?</p><p dir="ltr">It is the middle of a match, you are not sure what the score is, but you feel like you are on the top of your game today. You just hit your opponent, which the judges didn’t see, and your opponent shortly after scored a point which they did. You are on the edge of the ring, you come back to focus, the director resumes the match and in a moment of calm you walk back into the ring ready to give it your best. </p><p dir="ltr">If we begin with why we compete, the next thing we can ask is how do we bring ourselves back to that purpose when tension is high, adrenaline is pumping, and we feel like we are doing our best just to keep it all together. The simplest thing is a short mantra to bring us back to focus. This doesn’t need to be a paragraph; the reality is the simpler we can make it the better, because we can think it and remember it easily. Even something as easy as “I’ve got this”, “This is the way”, “Keep doing my best”, “Be here now” or in the case when things went in a direction you had not expected, “So what?” </p><p dir="ltr">In the middle of the match, we do not have time to think long drawn-out mantras to become present, we do not have time to assess everything that is going on in depth, but what we do have time for is to come back to our goal and focus. </p><p dir="ltr">Unfortunately, many of us take the same time to get discouraged by mental scorekeeping, or being mad at the judges for failing to see something we feel we did well. In the short pauses between exchanges there are 2 things we can do easily. The first is to come back to our focus, the second is to get clear about what is happening and what we need to do in order to keep moving forward. Maybe everything is going well, you are meeting their way of fighting with your own and it is working. Awesome, come back to the present, keep your cool, and keep going. This is also a time when a corner coach can help you keep that focus or remind you of your goal. </p><p dir="ltr">Another way we can deal with stressful situations is to go back to our breathing, this may as simple as a few deep breaths in and out, or as complicated as box breathing which consists of breathing in to a count of 5, holding for a count of 5, breathing out for a count of 5, then staying empty for a count of 5. The number of counts does not matter as long as they are the same, but the idea is to breathe in, hold it, breathe out, and hold that before beginning again. The idea of focusing on the breath is one that is used in many places but it is a way of becoming present to this moment and back to right now where you can focus on what is at hand in front of you. </p><p dir="ltr">One thing I like to use is the idea of “So What” because it allows me to have the power to decide how I want to move forward. The question of “So What” can be helpful because all we are asking is what meaning a particular thing has. What does it matter if they hit me in the last exchange? What does it matter if the judges did or did not see something I am doing? Am I trying to impress them? Can I impress anyone else since they are out of my control? Am I giving things the best I have today? </p><p dir="ltr">Writing prompt:</p><p dir="ltr">In the middle of the match what is something you can think that will bring you back to your goal? </p><br><p dir="ltr">What is something that you can think of or recite in the moment to bring you back to the present? </p><br><p dir="ltr">Past: Assessment of how things went, how to move forward.</p><p dir="ltr">In reviewing how a match, or tournament went it is easy enough if you do not feel like you did as well as you had wanted to get stuck in the mindset of “I failed, I am no good at this, maybe I should give up” While this can be a natural effect of things going in a way that you had not hoped or expected, I would suggest a different path. In looking at your performance ask yourself “Did I control the things within my control? Was I able to focus on the task at hand when it happened? Was I flexible enough with changing circumstances to adapt when I needed to? Lastly, and most importantly, did I succeed in accomplishing my objectives whatever they were?</p><p dir="ltr">Maybe your why was in pressure testing a technique. Was this something you had an opportunity to do and did so? If your why was just to have some fun sparring with some people you do not get to spar regularly, or make new friends, were you able to do that? What did you do well and you want to continue? What did you do less than you wanted and would like to improve on? In the assessment phase it is easy enough to throw out the baby with the bathwater. I once had an experience when I did not do as well as I had wanted in a tournament and I told my wife I was going to build a completely new training regimen. She asked me what I felt had gone well. </p><p dir="ltr">Instead of building a whole new training program from scratch, the better solution was to ask myself what was I currently doing to make the things that had gone well work, and what did I need to add to it in order to improve in other areas. What I had wrong was the idea that I needed to tear everything apart and build it all over from scratch. Sure, some things needed work but some things were in fact working and I needed to acknowledge those things and if possible, keep up with those as they were working well. Did I need to supplement things? Absolutely, but supplementation is not a wholesale replacement for no other reason than being discouraged at a single factor of my performance. </p><p dir="ltr">The assessment phase is where we can look at how we did in retrospect, and decide the way forward. Did your mantras keep you present in the fight? If not, do they need to be modified? Were you able to see things clearly? Did your focus stay on the present when the match was going on? Were you able to remember your why and keep it at the forefront of your mind as you faced your challenges?</p><p dir="ltr">Writing prompt:</p><p dir="ltr">What about your tournament performance do you feel good about? </p><br><p dir="ltr">What about your performance do you feel could use improvement?</p><br><p dir="ltr">Does this change your Why?</p><br><p dir="ltr">What is your plan to move forward and work on the things that need to be improved on? </p><br><p dir="ltr">Conclusion</p><p dir="ltr">Scenario</p><p dir="ltr">You are in the middle of a match; your mind is calm and focused. You are fully present right where you are. Win or lose you are having a great time fighting someone who is giving you a challenge. If pressed, you can think of exchanges that were really cool, but most of all, you are having fun being here doing something you enjoy doing. Sure, the judges did not see that cool thing that you just did, but they are people doing the best they can so you cut them some slack and intend to make the next exchange cleaner so they can see it more plainly. You do not know the score, but for you, right now, it doesn’t matter, this is fun, and you are having the time of your life. The table calls match and you go to shake the hand of your new friend. Win or lose, it does not matter, because you have had an opportunity to fence with someone to whom you gave your best because they, and you, deserve nothing less. </p><p dir="ltr">Resiliency is not about the other person, it is not about forcing the judges to see something, it is not about medals or accolades. What it is about, is controlling the things in your power to control and doing your best today, right now, in this moment. We can lose a match and still be undefeated as a person. The things in our control are how we respond to the things that happen around us, and therein lies our true power. </p>SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-45756124757695621872022-07-24T14:47:00.005-07:002022-07-24T14:47:36.585-07:00Combat Con 2022 A golden Bronze weekend. I have started this blog a dozen times. <div>It is not enough to simply have a goal in mind, to get where you want to be in life you have to take steps, even if they are stumbling, awkward steps towards your goal. </div><div>Yesterday, I won my first Longsword medal out of our local tournaments, and it happened where for me, a lot of my story began 8 years ago. My journey has not been as quick or easy as some, and has had some moments where I stumbled, times that I gave it my all, and still came up short. </div><div>It all began at Combat Con. </div><div>Before I came here, I was full of excuses, reasons I couldn't train hard, I could not push myself, reasons why I could not grow or do more. </div><div>I came here for my 33rd birthday, 8 years ago. Getting in my car for that first trip, I realized that things had changed in my mentality from "I can't" to "How Can I?". The difference between the two sounds pedantic but that little shift from impossible, to how can it make it possible, is a mental change that makes a difference. </div><div>It was this place that I finally did my instructor certification, which in a lot of ways to me said, not only do I feel like I know what I know but others see that and believe I do to. </div><div>It was coming back from this place that I had an accident that, though it was hard, made me realize the strength of my own will and how grateful I was to be alive and what a gift that was. </div><div>In so many ways this has been a home for me, and it is only appropriate that it is here that Crying ugly tears I won my first medal in a tournament away from the ones that are our locals. </div><div>In that first blog 8 years ago I said that Combat Con was about community but after these years, and after all this time, the hundreds of ups and downs, the crazy stories, and nights that have gone on forever, to me I have found that I have a home away from home. </div><div>Yesterday I won a medal, it was not the one I have been working for but it was a start, and after my win, when a crowd of people descended on me and I had a thousand tearful hugs I realized that I have bult around me a family not of blood but of steel, I have found people that though I do not see and talk to them often, support me in all of my endeavors, and that is something that everyone needs. </div><div>For me, it all started with a 33 year old who was not as confident in himself, had everything to prove but needed some major growing to do. Walking in the first time, I did not sure what to expect, and found in this event a group of people who genuinely want to see me succeed. </div><div>There is a class that I teach that talks about setting goals, and one of the things that we talk about is how critical it is to create your team, how important it is to surround yourself with people who not only build you up when you are down, but also will hold your feet to the fire when you do not feel like getting up and doing the things that need to be done to get where you want to be. Surround yourself with people who will not just celebrate your triumphs but who will, when you stumble and fall, will help you get up, dust yourself off and keep going. </div><div>This journey has not always been easy, </div><div>There were days, when I was ready to give up. Days that on some level I considered walking away, but knew deep in my heart that I couldn't, wouldn't, at least not for real, no matter how much I wanted to. So I kept going. kept working, knowing that if I stayed focused, it was within me to reach that goal. Now the page is blank, and I must ask myself what I will do with the pages, will I rip them up? Will I burn them, or color the pages in crayon, or marker or will I start anew. </div><div>So here we are. as I look at the blank pages, it becomes a question of what is next, how do I get better for next time, and where am I going to go? The answer is forward, and the answer is Combat Con. </div>SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-6811840843606465532021-06-23T19:11:00.002-07:002021-06-30T05:13:22.188-07:00How to get what you (Really) want. <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">What do you want? <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>This seems like an easy enough question, there are lots of things in life that we want, or feel like we deserve, but how do we move them from the wanting column to the obtained column? Think about something in your life that you desire. This does not have to be a big thing just something you want. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Have an answer? Cool. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Now is where it gets harder. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Why do you want it? What would having it do for you, or how would it change the way your life is? What is the deeper meaning behind it? The thing is, we don't want things to have them, though we think we do. We want them for the experience that we will get, or think we will get from them. We want to win the lotto not to have a million dollars in the bank, but because of the things we can do with the money, or the feeling of financial stability that it will bring. We want to win big at the tournament because of what it says about us, or what it says about our progress on what we have been working on. The goal is not about the things, it is about what that goal means to us, what it will DO for us. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Even things that we want that we feel we will get nothing out of we have some sort of attachment to. You volunteer at a soup kitchen to feed the homeless. You do this to help people who are starving. Cool, that s a noble thing. But down deep there is something in doing it that makes you feel good. We seek the things we do because they provide some sort of validation, or do something for us on some level even if that level for what they say about who we are as a person. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>So now we go back to the beginning, what do you really want? If it is not about the thing, is there another way you can reach the why without that specific thing? If winning big is about self esteem, then could you reach the goal without winning the gold medal? If it is about how others view you, are there other ways to reach that? Is it possible to let others opinion of you go so it is not important? The key here is to look at the goal and ask, if your objective lies in the why, is there any other way to get there? </p><p class="MsoNormal">Lets take an example. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>I feel like I am out of shape because of my weight, so my goal is to lose weight. When I look at the why, it comes back to me not feeling good about how I look and how other judge me. So the why is really that I do not feel good about how I look and how others may judge me. Are there things I can do other than lose a bunch of weight to fix the perception that I do not feel good about how I look? Can I work on my self esteem to feel better about myself? Can I let go of toxic people who are always talking bad about me to build myself up? If the true why is about how I feel about myself then there are many ways I can get there. When we focus on the why, the way forward may expand. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>There may be many whys and this is something to contend with. Maybe there is a number of whys, Maybe dropping a few pounds is about self esteem, how others view you but also handling medical conditions you have. The reality is that even in these multitudes of whys there may be more than one way to get there. If I want to drop some pounds, dieting and exercise may be a way forward, so may surgery, or certain medications that help, the way forward is can have many paths to achieving the why, so the reality is that there may be more than one way to get what you want. </p>
<span> </span><div><span> </span>So lets say that I have gone through all of this and the only way I can see forward is what I originally said I want. Now comes the question of priorities. What am I willing to give up to reach this goal? Where does the acquiring of this goal land on my priority list? We have limited time in a day to reach our goals. Where does this land on yours? Is it important enough to lose an hour of sleep to exercise an hour in a day? Is it worth the time away from your family to go to the gym for 3 hours in a night, or spend 80 hours a week selling things to reach your ultimate goal? What are you willing to give up to reach this goal? If you do not have to give up anything, what is stopping you from having it right now? <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>It is ok for your goal to fall low on your priority list, just know that it will always be less important to you than the things that are higher on that list, that is just the reality of it. If you are struggling to keep a roof over your head, and are working 3 jobs to keep food on the table, maybe taking 3 hours in a day to exercise is just not something you can commit to, and that is OK. The reality is that you have to take care of your highest priorities first. </div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span>This may be a reality check. The reality is that you may have to give something up to get something. Time for time, Money for goods, whatever that is. Set something that fits your timeliness and priorities, but if you need to cut back so you can meet your higher priorities, that is ok, that is life. Do what you can commit to, but make sure it is not at the expense of other things that are more important to you. There is always a cost, what will getting the things you want cost in terms of time or money to achieve. <div><br /></div><div><span> </span></div><div><span> </span>Now lets look at timeline. What is realistic given the time you are willing to devote to reaching this goal? Is this something you can reach in 2 weeks, 6 months, 1 year? What is reasonable for you to go from where you are to where you want to be? If I want to lose 50 pounds in 5 weeks, it is going to be much harder than if I can spread it over 6 months or a year. Timeline is important because it gives us a finish line to reach, but it also keeps us on track. If my goal is to loose 50 pounds but whenever I do it is fine, then why start today? Why even worry about it this week, or this month? Timelines keep us on track. </div><div><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>What is realistic? If it is my first tournament and I just expect to win first place just because I want it, I may not be facing the reality of the situation. If my goal is to win all of my matches but I have a hard pool, is that realistic? Is doing your best enough, or does it have to be something more? I am not suggesting don't strive for the best, but if you fall short, how will you handle it? Be specific about your goals, but be willing to modify them based on the reality of the situation. Having concrete goals is great, but be flexible with it if needed. If my only definition of success is to win all my matches and I have a pool of all top tier fighters, can I be ok with doing my best, giving my all, and letting things fall as they will? If not, then I may be setting myself up for disappointment. All I can do is give it all I have and be proud of what I have brought to the table. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How do you get there? </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Lets assume that we are living in a perfect world, what steps do you need to do to get you in the right place at the right time to reach your goals. If you don’t know what it will take, ask someone who knows, do your research. Is the bar too high based on your time commitment, or is it just right? Do you need to change the big goal to meet what you are willing dedicate to it, or does your time commitment meet your ability to reach your goal? If you have to move the chains for now, do it, it is far better to reach little goals and add them up, than to set one big goal and feel like you have failed when you fall short. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Who is your team? This is not just about support but
accountability. If your team won’t call you out when you slip, they are not
holding you accountable. That does not mean do not tell other people about your goal, but it means pick a team of people who will check in and keep you accountable. It is easy to be supportive, it is harder to keep someone accountable. Find yours, know the difference between your support team and your accountability team, both support but in different ways. This can be friends, family, mentors, teammates, but
if they will not hold you to it, they are supporting you but not keeping accountable to what you say you want to accomplish. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Except when you don’t, because sometimes you won't- Dr. Seuss</p><p class="MsoNormal">How do you handle falling down. Some days you will fall short of your objective. That is a part of life, how will you handle it when it happens? It is easy enough to walk into a new program expecting to never fail, but the reality is that at some point you won't feel like putting in the work. How will you handle it? Will you get up and do it anyway? Will you take today off and get back on it tomorrow? How will you keep going when you fail, or when you just are not feeling like it? How
can your support team help you? I am not suggesting set yourself up for failure, just know that eventually it may happen so be ready from the beginning to handle it if and when it does. <o:p></o:p></p>
Keep the goal in mind. If you are trying to save money, does going out with your friends and spending money support or hinder that. If you are trying to eat better, does ordering that pizza help or hinder your goal? Do you need to let your coworkers know you are trying to eat healthier so they do not pressure you to take a doughnut or piece of cake in the break room? If there are people on your team not willing to support your goals, can you avoid them to keep your goal at the forefront of your mind? Some people do this with affirmations and mantras, some do it by reciting something in the morning looking in the mirror, or keeping a card in their wallet that has the goal there. Do what works for you, there is no right or wrong way, only the way that works for you. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the end of the day no one else can make you reach your goals. No one else can find the why for you and make you live it long term. If you are not willing to do the work, that is ok, just be real about it and know that it is your choice. You are capable of great things but no one else can make you do it if you are not willing to take the first step yourself. <br /></div></div></div>SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-52925450116762012442021-05-23T20:56:00.001-07:002021-05-23T20:56:08.023-07:00460 and beyond<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Day 460 of daily intentional exercise in the books. At this point my plan is to just keep going until Combat Con if not past it. (Why not?) </span></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8bne4" data-offset-key="cnocl-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cnocl-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="cnocl-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">But why do this? Why is this important to me, what does it prove, why does it matter? </span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8bne4" data-offset-key="2j06c-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2j06c-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="2j06c-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">This all began, as some of you know at a low point in my training and practice after an event. I did not do as well as I wanted to. It was not really that bad, I looked at the numbers recently and my losses were not huge, and most of the time, keeping my defense strong lead to matches going to time, which is in my mind a win. I felt defeated though truth or not, so I came back home partially discouraged, partially lifted up by others who had told me how much they believe in me and how they like having me around. </span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8bne4" data-offset-key="eirp7-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eirp7-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="eirp7-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eirp7-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="eirp7-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I decided the day I got back that though I felt defeated, the only way to come back and do better would be to train myself more. It can't come from someone else, I have to get up and do the work every day. It could not be just more classes, it had to be something I did for me internally. </span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8bne4" data-offset-key="3mm70-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3mm70-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="3mm70-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3mm70-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="3mm70-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">But why Intentional exercise, what does that mean to the equation? </span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8bne4" data-offset-key="fnu5g-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fnu5g-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="fnu5g-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">When I take time out of my day to train, I am in essence saying that this has value to me. I am saying that exercise is a way that I honor my body, despite all its flaws. It is not always easy, sometimes it is short exercise sessions but the key is to keep going. The intention is about being in the right head space. When I train and am distracted, I just don't do as well. This is the case with cutting, sparring or even video game exercise things. when I am thinking about other things, when my mid is on something else I falter. In sparring this can be as simple as thinking about how bad or well I am doing in the match or how the last exchange went, I can't let that rule me or my opponent is in my head space. </span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8bne4" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I realized a long time ago a problem with consistent training. If I tried hard and failed, I could point to my training as a reason why I failed. If I didn't, I always had the excuse that if I HAD trained harder I would do better. It is a weird thought. I didn't do well, because I didn't train enough, but if I had, I am just so great that I would dominate. The flaw is that sometimes, things outside of your control happen and you get to decide what to do about it. Somedays you will simply be the best fighter on the field and it is hard to come to terms with that. Some days, as hard as you work the cards are stacked against you and push as you want to, you will not walk away with cheers and accolades. </span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I am done with that thinking. Some days I do not want to do the work. I am over a year in and somedays I just don't feel like doing it. Then I come back to my promise to myself, I will do the work, and the chips will fall where they do. I have a local tournament in a few weeks. After that I have Combat Con a month later. The reality is I may not win medals at either. I am not the only one pushing myself, training my mind and body to do better, but at very least I can leave it all on the field and give it my best when those days come. </span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">"Except when you don't, because sometimes you won't"- Dr. Seuss</div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">I can't expect to win all the time when I am not willing to put in the work. There is not such a thing as "I have been training for X years so I simply deserve to win." It does not matter how good a teacher I am or how great a guy I am, if I am not willing to push myself harder to reach my goals I really can't expect to be better with time. I may not win, but if I am not willing to train to do better if I win it is just because I had good luck that day, and that is not something to be proud of. </div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><br /></div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">So where do I go from here? </div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">Forward. That is the only direction we really can go. I have fallen in the past, I have made mistakes, but if I am not willing to push harder next time, and keep going, I am stuck in a place where I can't win, and all things being equal, I probably shouldn't. The goal is to keep working, the goal is to keep training and pushing myself to do better, the goal is to do my best every day. I cannot promise it will make a hill of beans of difference, but unless I give it my all, how will I know for sure? </div><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2v8uk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><br /></div></div>SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-53119589760736987012021-02-16T16:46:00.000-08:002021-02-16T16:46:21.251-08:00365 days of intentional exercise, and the greater meaning of Rule #1<p><span> </span>This morning I did day 365 of daily intentional exercise. It has been quite the journey and I was not sure at the beginning I would stick with it this long. It is easy to give up one day, It is easy to say, I am too tired, or there is not enough time in the day to take time for myself to reach my goals. It is easy, to fall off the horse, and say, I just do not have enough fight in me to make it this time. It is easy to get knocked down and from your back, in the mud and the muck say, I have been bested, I live here now. </p><p><span> But that is the thing about it, it is our choice to lay in the muck and the mud as it ooozes through our armor and say, I give up, I just can't do any more. It takes gumption to say, maybe today I fell but tomorrow I will get up stare the challenge straight in the face and say "I get to choose when I am done, and today is not that day." It is our choice to endure even when we have been knocked down. It is our choice to get up, wash off the mud, and keep going. </span></p><p><span><span> The thing is, that this is not about going at a full tilt and doing actual harm to yourself because you cannot take a break, in fact the opposite is true. There will be days when doing what you have promised yourself takes some adjustment. There may be a day when doing something active means taking an easy day of relaxing yoga, or long deep stretches, or taking a good walk to think about things and process what is going on, and what life means for you. I had days when I did that. I had days when I did not feel good so I took an evening of stretches instead of a hard sweat pouring workout. It happens, that is a part of doing intentional exercise while honoring your needs for the day. </span></span></p><p><span><span><span> I teach a sword class called: rule #1 don't die. the class itself is about doing smart things in your sword work so you are not taking bad decisions for the sake of a quick easy point win. In the tournament and sparring sense, it is a class about choosing what you will do in a fight, picking your shots and doing things that are the best for you. In a larger context rule number #1 is about intentional living. It is about realizing that at any moment your life may end. You may walk down the street and be hit by a drunk driver, or you may live a long long life and die of old age after beating cancer twice. The point here is that we cannot avoid our own deaths. We can do things to be safer, but in the end, we will all meet our ends. </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span> There are 2 ways to look at it, if we focus on the end, things can look bleak and dark. If we realize that we are on a path that we can enjoy along the way, we can stop and smell the flowers because these may be the last chance we have. Breathe deep, watch the snow fall, enjoy your meals, hug your loved ones, and forgive those who have wronged you. If this was the end, what would be left unsaid, what would you regret not doing, who would you regret not being? That is what the journey is about.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span> If this was your last meal, would you be satisfied with it? Life is too short to eat bad meals, or not take care of yourself. This is what the daily intentional exercise is all about. It is about being in your body, being alive, experiencing who you are. Rule #1 is about living your life with intention. That is where it all comes from. Experiencing the struggle knowing that this is fleeting, this pain, this struggle, this workout, this week in school, or work, will end, and when you can stand in the sun on the other side of the cold winter of it, the feeling of triumph will be amazing. </span></span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span> This is the secret of this process, it is about honoring who you are, taking some time alone and doing something for you. I am now facing the beginning of year two, but some days, I know I will not feel like getting up and doing it, but I will because I will endure. To that end, for me, I have written a daily mantra to remind myself of how far I have come, where I am and where I want to be. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It goes: </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">When I wake in the morning, I take the time I need to
prepare and face my day with humor, calm, wisdom, and clarity. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious
privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”- <a href="https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/marcus-aurelius-quotes"><b>Marcus
Aurelius</b></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the beginning of the day, I am grateful for all I have
before me, at the end of the day, I am grateful for all I have had the ability
and privilege to do and be through the miracle of this body of mine. Every day is a
prayer, every day is a blessing. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You sir, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>are a
badass. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I do things every day that help me reach my goals. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I eat good foods that support my health and fitness goals. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I walk proud knowing all the people who are standing behind
me cheering for my success. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I walk tall knowing just how far I have come. I have
stumbled in the past, but now when I fall, I brush myself off and get right
back up again. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know who I am, I know what I want, and I let go of the
past hurdles I placed in my own way to get where I want to be. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I speak clearly when there are things I need or want knowing
that the Universe provides as I speak my truth. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am clear in mind, purpose and action. I drink the water I
need, I take my vitamins, and rest when I need it. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; mso-outline-level: 1;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">“You have to decide what your highest
priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically,
to say “no” to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger
“yes” burning inside. The enemy of the “best” is often the “good.”</span><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> ― </span><b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stephen Covey</span></b><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am the Iron boar. I am calm and social, but I am always
inches away from going wild if I need to be. I am tough, but under the right
conditions I am also malleable and changeable. I am strong, and brave, and
willing to face the things that scare me. I learn hard things and do hard things because I am strong enough to bear them. My strength comes from within and
that strength manifests in my strong body and mind.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am a willing to work through the tough
times because I know in the end how sweet my triumph will feel. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know that down does not mean out, it just means down right
for now, this match, this tournament, this event or this weekend but it does
not mean forever. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have friends who want to see me succeed, because when I do
it, we all rise together.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maybe today did not go so well. Maybe I fell off my food
plan, or exercise today but that is a drop in the bucket compared to how far I
have come when I started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A year ago, I made a decision. I would exercise, I would do
something active every day. A year later, here I am. This is the first step, and I keep walking knowing that the only way is forward. <o:p></o:p></p><span><span><span><span><span><span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p></p>SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-26481209246003557312020-10-21T17:29:00.001-07:002020-10-21T17:29:10.144-07:00Do something for yourself today. <p><span> </span>Today is day 247 of daily exercise for me. When I first began my journey not only did I not think I would stick with it, I doubted that I had it in me to stick with it this long. So what is the big secret? How is it that I have been able to stick with it all these days, and months? When it all comes down to it the key is to make a decision that you will make a step in the right direction of your goal today. That is it. That is literally all that it takes. Make a commitment today that whatever you end goal is, that today you will do something that will help you reach your goal. </p><p>The way you get to 3 months, or 6 or 9 is to decide that today you are going to do something. Maybe it is a single pushup, maybe it is doing 5 of them, maybe today is all about doing 1000 punches, maybe today, doing something for yourself is realizing you have been cooped up inside all day and taking a walk around the block to just breathe. When it all comes down to it, that is all it takes. </p><p>Some days, you will not feel like doing it. Some days things will feel off, and you do not feel like doing it, especially at the beginning. What it all comes down to is making the commitment to yourself that today you will do something to reach you goal. Sometimes the answer is to do a little less, and that is ok, what matter is to keep with the spirit of the commitment and do something today that supports it. Maybe it is a commitment of taking time each day to feed yourself spiritually, maybe it is taking 15 minutes each day to meditate, or to sit down and read something that makes you think. Maybe the promise made at the beginning is to sit and write your 1,667 words towards your novel. The key is to do decide that you will do something today and honor that promise to yourself. </p><p>For me, I have done a lot of daily exercise challenges from Darebee.com or found a program that I want to stick with. Some days I looked at the book and thought that I did not WANT to do what it was asking me to do for the day. Rather than throw in the towel for the whole thing and skip it, I made a decisions that instead of doing that, I would do something else that I still felt kept me in integrity with my goal. I did what I could and let that be ok. Did I push myself to the edge every day going 100%? No. Is that OK? It is. It becomes a question of integrity with my commitment. If I have made a commitment to myself that I will do something every day, what do I feel like is enough knowing that some days it will be harder than others. </p><p>Is it ok to walk 3 miles one day and walk 7 the next, in order to keep in integrity with my commitment? Absolutely. This is not entirely about the end goal, it is about doing something on the path to get you towards where you want to be. I am not doing this so I can lose weight, I am not doing this so I can run a marathon. I am doing it, and sticking with it so that I can honor a commitment I made to myself. On days when the scale does not look so good, and I feel like throwing in the towel, that commitment can feel like the only thing that keeps me moving, one step after another. </p><p>When I started it was about not letting anyone else down. When I first began I had lots of people cheering me on. All these months later it is less about letting them down, and more about not letting myself down. At the end of the day, it is a promise that I have made to myself and when I let a stumble happen, it is only me who I let down. I have made a promise to myself and I deserve to make good on that promise. </p><p>What I suggest is not to look at the long term goal alone. It can feel like a lot to swallow if you have a large weight loss goal, or if you want to write a novel in the next month, but the way to eat an elephant is one bite at at time. Choose where you want to be in 6 months from now, and ask what steps do I need to do every day to get there. Make a commitment to do that thing every day, not starting tomorrow, not starting next Monday when the weather is better, the air is clearer and you feel like it. Start today. At the end of 6 months, you will be six months further in your life whether you start today or not, why not start today and be 6 months older and 6 months closer to your goal? Why wait for the doctor to tell you that you have to make a positive change to begin working on it? Begin today by dedicating yourself to something. If it changes with time that is ok, the key is to be true to your word that you give yourself so that 6 months from now you can be proud of just how far you have come. </p>SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-5160915093067978872020-03-03T19:52:00.001-08:002020-03-03T19:52:57.806-08:00Getting back on it. <div>
Where it all began:</div>
I have not opened up a lot about my tournament performance at SoCal. <div>
Walking into it, like usual, I had not practiced enough, but felt like I have been fighting long enough that I just should do well. It is messed up, but the word I would use is entitled to a win that I did not earn. </div>
<div>
That is not to say my performance was bad, it was truly OK, it just was not extraordinary. </div>
<div>
I hit a wall, I was discouraged, I felt upset, but I had no one to blame but myself. </div>
<div>
I wanted to quit, but not really. I had friends who would not let me quit, I had friends who would would be sad if I quit, and I knew in my heart, that I really did not want to quit, i was just discouraged. I just wanted to DO better, as if somehow it was something that was owed to me for time in or something. I had to ask myself if I had a student who was discouraged what would I say to them?</div>
<div>
From those ashes came this realization, if I am to get better, I have to apply myself. If I am to get better, if I am to lift myself up, I must build myself through training. I made a promise that I would start when I came back exercising every day. Accountability was key, so I found some friends who would keep me accountable. I had spent a lot of time on the bench sitting out drills and sparring, if I was going to get better, this had to end now. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Getting started: </div>
<div>
The key was to start somewhere, anywhere. In the past I have spent time doing some workouts from Darebee.com. Some of these I had printed out and had in a binder, the thing now was to just pick one and stick with it. For the first 30 days I decided to do ones called the fighters codex. It is a 30 day program that is a series of exercises every day. </div>
<div>
I have been down this path before. I have had great plans to reach my goals only to have a rough day turn into 2 and then 5 then quit all together. This path is not unfamiliar to me. I have started this program before, only to hit a day that it was too late at night to exercise. I have worked until I was just not feeling well so I took a day off. I knew that if this was to be successful, I had to stick with it. </div>
<div>
Day 1 was not easy, but I did it. then the days kept going. </div>
<div>
Day 9 I hit a wall and pushed myself as far as I could, but stopped before it was all done. </div>
<div>
Day 11 I finished the day, and finished day 9. </div>
<div>
I have added, supplemented my workout with other things. </div>
<div>
In the past, I have taken a day off when I did sword, or if I had a long night at sword. </div>
<div>
This time has been different. </div>
<div>
Day 14 (Yesterday) I got home late after taking another sword class and getting some good sparring in. Normally, this would have been a night to throw in the towel, take a night off, not this time. this time I am in it to do as I have said I would. </div>
<div>
Day 15: Tonight, I am halfway to the goal. I woke up not feeling well, after dinner when I started my exercises, it was harder than usual, push ups were harder than normal. I was hitting a wall, but this time I thought, do what you can do, do something, because something is better than nothing. </div>
<div>
Some days are harder than others, but I am sticking with it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I started out, I had 161 days until Combat Con. I am leaning in and realizing that the only way to get where I want to be is to stick with it. I am halfway there. The weight is not coming off as fast as I want but at this point it is about doing something, anything to reach my goal. In just over 2 weeks, I'll start my next program that runs 60 days. For tonight, I am breathing a sigh of relief that I am halfway there, and have stuck with it. That does not mean that the next 15 days will be easy, far from it. 2 days from now the exercise is to do 2000 punches, so it is is far from an easy road forward, but when I reach the goal, 2 weeks from now, I am going to be proud of how far I have come and that is a start. </div>
SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-5960149264613188062019-11-12T05:14:00.002-08:002019-11-12T05:29:59.917-08:00Be the blacksmith of your life. <br />
<h2>
Be the blacksmith<o:p></o:p></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Son, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have talked about a lot of things here but I wanted to
touch on something that I feel is important to say. Be the blacksmith of your
life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have recently begun doing some blacksmith work. By all
metrics I am very much a novice, but there is an interesting fact to it that
has carry over to life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To do his work, a blacksmith heats his steel to the right temperature,
then works it into the shape he wants it to be. If you try to work it too cold,
things just wont move. If you work it too hot things simply do not hold
together the same way as they need to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The real key is that there must be heat for you
to mold it the way you have in mind. Life is like that, your body is like that,
your career, school, many things are in some way like that.<br />
Friction causes heat. Life will give you
things that you can see as challenges. You lose your job, the person you want
to be with doesn’t want to be with you, you wreck your car, it does not matter
the specifics, you are handed something that on its surface looks like a red-hot
pile of… steel. At this point you have 2 choices, work it, mold it into a win,
or something you want, or let it cool and have a cold pile of… steel. Your body
is that way. To make it into something you want it to be you must work it, use
it, do things with it that make it what you want. You heat it up, and put it
through processes that make that happen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the last 5 years I have lost my job 2 times. The first
was a result of my own actions paired with the actions of my management. (When
it feels like someone is out to get you professionally whether they are or not,
get out, you will be much happier someplace where they support you.) One was a
result of simply not having enough business and the branch closing. Without
that kick in the butt, I would not have landed where I did, and I am much happier
here. Life will give you heat; you decide what to do with it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you do nothing, you have wasted that heat. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That is not to say that all of life’s heat has to move you. Sometimes
you heat something up to do some cleaning up of the work, or to normalize and
even out the heat. Just because you have a fight with a person you love does
not mean you have to leave them, but it is a time of choice, what will I do
with this heat? Will I smooth things out and make them what I want them to be?
Will I put it on the anvil of life and then go get a drink, go to the bathroom,
and be upset when I come back and things are not the way I want them to be? <o:p></o:p></div>
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The things you do are the anvil. They are benign, just
sitting there. You get to choose how to use that to make it what you want. That
is your hammers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Be the Blacksmith of your life, forge it the way you want
it. If you are unhappy with something do what you can to change it. There is
not always a big timer in the sky that says you must do X by Y time. If you
work it and are not satisfied with your results, keep working it. If you have
to move a deadline, do so, it is better to be satisfied with your work, then to
allow something that is important to be sub-par because it was rushed. Take your
time for the things you really want, and make them happen. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-69098252299191427482019-08-09T21:48:00.003-07:002019-08-09T21:48:43.388-07:00Combat Con 2019: How far I have come. 5 Years ago I learned a lesson that has stayed with me. When you move from a place of victim-hood to one where you are looking for ways of reaching your goals opportunities for that growth show up. <div>
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My sword life has been a journey from my first Combat Con to this one, in that time I have had failures, and wins, but what brought me through it all was the support of my friends and family. </div>
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A year ago I decided that this year, I was going to go for my HEMA Alliance instructor certification. I decided that it would happen at this event. It was important because this is where this part of my sword journey began. This was really a step it was time to take, and means to me that I am recognized as someone who knows what they are talking about not just locally but by a group of my peers. </div>
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Combat Con is a lot of things, part tournament, part classes, part self defense workshop, part panel, but it is all of these things and pulls them together well. This event does things you don't see at other events just because the net is cast so wide, but the one thing Combat Con has meant to me since early early on is family. This is not a family of blood but one of steel. I do not see my friends who come to this event often as I live many many miles from most of them, but what I do know is no matter the circumstances, they have my back. They stand in my corner when I need help, but always want to see me do well. </div>
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A year ago, when I decided I was going to go through this process, I had friends who stood with me. I had people in my corner cheering me on, offering me advise and really invested in seeing me succeed, and that kind of support makes things easier when the motivation to go on is just not there. </div>
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The process to reach my goal was not an easy one, but it is necessary, things that are worthwhile are often not easy. I had a panel of friends who wanted to see me succeed, but would not cheapen the event by letting me get away with less than I was capable of. Having people behind me that wanted to see me succeed makes a world of difference. I did not pass by a lot, but I passed and now I have things I personally need to work on so I can do what I do better. I had people cheering me on, and not letting me settle for less than my best, even going as far as to compliment me on my cutting and telling me that they would not let me fall back to something less in the future. </div>
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I watched 3 of my local fighters come home with medals, I did fighting I was proud of, and at the end of the day, that is all I can ask of myself or any other fighter. Did I give it my all? Did I do my best today? If the answer is no, then it is a question of what will you do next time. In judging, are you proud of your calls, is this something you can stand behind? </div>
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I was told at this event that at one time, one of my friends hated me when he first heard about me. I was a whiny and not willing to work for my goals. Now, he and I see eye to eye on much more. I fought, through my pools and made it to eliminations, and lost by a small margin. </div>
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We are a family of steel. I have friends who have been there through the whole process, but the thing that makes me the most proud is when I can look back and see how far I have come. 4 years ago, I failed my cutting qualifier, 2 years I passed, but barely. I did not need to do it this time, but if I had, I would have passed handily and it showed. 5 years ago I stepped into the ring not knowing what I was walking in to. When I look back at my fighting then, I am ashamed of where I was, but in comparison I can see marked progress, but more than that, I have friends from outside my club who see it as well, and that is something to be proud of. </div>
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This weekend was the second class I have taught at a big event outside of Utah, but I was honored to not only be asked, but to be treated as an equal by so many awesome people I have taken classes from since the beginning. Though my class was small, it went smoothly and I was proud of how it all went and would love to teach here again.</div>
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These events do not happen without the dedication of many hands. When I arrived on Wednesday I helped roll tatami so that we could be ready when we needed, but it all happened in a room full of people who were there to help because they wanted to see things succeed. I volunteered to help judge more matches than I remember and I can see things getting better with judges working hard to make the best calls they can. There are always things to work on, and that is acknowledged by the staff. Judging is a thankless job, and no matter how hard you try, some things will be missed, but what I saw this weekend was people giving it the best they had, and because of that, it will get better. I have said for years that the cleaner the exchange, the easier it is judge and the better everyone feels about it. Clean exchanges are good fencing. I had an exchange I refused because I did not feel good about but these things should be the norm instead of the exception. </div>
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This event is an act of love, and it shows every year I attend. It meant so much to me to be there with my friends when I took this big step. I had people cheering me on from miles away and knowing that people support you because they believe in you matters. At the end of the day, everyone is a self made man. You start with the cards you are given but you get to decide what to do with it. In this world of social media, it is easy to spout off into the darkness, and have people judge you based on how you come across, but it is what you do to prove that which makes the difference. It is not about ranking or medals or knowing a lot if you come across as a jerk, people will know you as one. </div>
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These 5 years have changed me, but I am in a much better place as a result of it. I may not have medals on my chest at the end of the weekend, but I am proud of how much people support me even if I am not from the biggest most well known club. I am proud of where I have come, and look forward to the years to come. </div>
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SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-42404431944224913852019-07-25T16:47:00.000-07:002019-08-02T07:32:46.655-07:00Certified <div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">This is not my official Combat Con 2019 review, but it is a part of why I had such a great time this weekend. </span></span></div><div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br></span></span></div><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">5 years ago, I wrote a blog post about moving my thinking around sword events from "I can't" to "How can I" it was my first Combat Con in 2014 and I was standing at the precipice of something I did not even know the significance of. That was the event that everything in my sword training changed. </span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">4 years ago, I was talking about how much I loved the community and was amazed by the support I had at Combat Con by people who were not even in my club, people who wanted to see me succeed even if they were not near me. I talked about coaching students who were not my own, but who I adopted since I felt they needed someone in their corner cheering them on. I talked about failure, about falling on my face at cutting and wanting to do better, but not being there yet. </span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">3 Years ago I missed Combat Con, between a not so awesome new job, and not being sure I would be working for much longer, I decided that I could not spend the money and my family needed to come first. No matter what, family needs to always come first. </span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">2 Years ago, I fought well and feel like I was making improvements. I passed cutting for the first time, bought myself a new sword and though I did not come home with any new medals, at least my foot was in the door and I felt I was getting better. It was as much as anything about my family of steel, not just blood. </span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Last year I moved into eliminations, and fought as well as I have in years. It was the year of the no win match, the year I realized I know my stuff and helped teach, it was a great year and at the end of it I decided that this year, I would be back and go through my instructor Certification in 2019 so I was finally reaching some teaching goals I had set for myself. </span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Then I crashed my Motorcycle. </span></span><br>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">For the better part of a month I had a hard time walking much less fighting in class. I spent time hoping that I would be back on my feet soon, but not sure how long it would take me to be there. This year though, I owned it. </span></span><br>
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">I set my mind in motion to do my certification and spent a good part of the year, working diligently to make sure my students had classes that were helpful and of a good quality. I spent time working hard to make it happen for myself, and the betterment of those who I teach. Yesterday It happened.</span></span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br>Before all of this </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I had been giving a lot of thought to HEMA Alliance instructor certification. Weighing out the pros and cons of what it would mean and why I should even go for it in the first place. It is a lot of work, some good hoops to go through, but that is far from a bad thing. </span><div><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></div><div><font color="#1d2129" face="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14px;">There are some benifits to it for sure. If we are renting space and someone wants to make sure I am not just some kid who is teaching indoor backyard sword stuff, this at least says that I am representing the certifing body who does the certification. </span></font><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">It means outside of my local group or my local clubs, there are people who believe I can teach. </span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br></span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Being a certified instructor does not change who I am or that I do teach. It doesnt mean that all of the people who don't do it are in any way less of great teachers. Yes, it did</span><span style="background-color: white; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> force me to come up with a more solid curriculum, but this is only a benifit I have seen for my students in the last year anyway. It means that whether I know it or not, people who do not see me week in and out, believe in me and that I can teach. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">I am proud to say that after yesterday, I met that goal. The process is a good one. The fact that it happened here, at the event that was my first one, and changed how I was doing things is significant to me. Combat Con is a special place to me, and this is one more reason why. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br></span></div><div>I have work to do, things I need to improve on, and frankly, if I didn't, a lot of value would be lost from the process. The second I belive that the things I teach and the way Ido it is the best and cannot be improved on I have stopped growing as an instructor. But the sheer joy of seeing a big goal through to completion is empowering, and there is no where to go but up. </div></div>SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-73134774851289750002019-04-26T10:17:00.000-07:002019-04-26T10:18:53.994-07:00Rule #1 Don't Die <div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">"There is only one </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">god</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, and His name is </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Death</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><b>.</b> And there is only one thing </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">we say </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">to </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Death</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">: 'not today'." George RR Martin- A Game of Thrones </span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rule #1 in sparring, and in life is and should be don't die. </span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yes I know this does not work long term, every person dies, but that does not mean that you should do dumb stuff and quicken that inevitable end. </span></span></div>
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I have spent a fair amount of time as of late watching new students and it comes across to me that somewhere in their training someone has encouraged them so much to get in the first shot, that they have not given how to do so safely much thought. The thinking goes, "if I can hit the other guy before he hits me, I win" This may be so in sport fencing or in some tournaments, it may even be so that if you can hit the other guy more times than they hit you you win, but ultimately this is not the best strategy. The best strategy is to walk away if you can without being hit at all. This is harder than it sounds and I don't suggest people sit and just try to defend themselves without countering or doing anything in response, but at the end of the day, the person with the best defenses will simply be hit less and that is always a win. In this essay I will talk about sword fencing specifically since that is my area of expertise, but these things apply to other martial arts and living in general. </div>
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So how do you follow rule #1?</div>
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There are 2 ways, the first is to be proactive, the other is to be appropriately reactive. </div>
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<b>Pro-activity in a fight: Get in the first shot</b></div>
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"Nuke 'Em, get them before they get you"- Robocop</div>
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"The best defense is a good Ofense, You know who said that? Mel the cook on Alice" Tai Kwan Leep- the Frantics </div>
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The first way to stop the attack is to simply attack them before they have a chance to attack you. </div>
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Don't ever assume that because you pose a threat that they will have to deal with it before they attack. Sure, a smart person with see a sword point in their face and try to do something about it, but assume that no one is a smart person. If you threaten them, they can do 2 things, they can ignore the threat and get hit or hurt, or they can deal with it, but always pose the threat assuming that they will do nothing to protect against it. Some people are just not in their right minds, some people think they can move faster than you, are stronger than you and can take it, or that if they take a hit they can hit you harder it is worth it. If you can avoid interacting with crazy, do so, if you can't assume that they don't know what they are doing, are on drugs, or are otherwise not smart and make sure you stay safe as you deal with them, preferably at a distance. </div>
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Throughout this lesson, I do not want to understate that this can work. If you see someone on the street who looks like they want to fight you and you knock them out cold first, at least they did not attack you right? Besides the legal implications of this, there are some logistical problems with this thinking but it can work to accomplish the task of not dying. If you don't like people living in a multifamily unit is probably not the best option. Sure shooting anyone on the street that you see with a handgun keeps them from shooting you, but you can only get away with this so long before having some legal and ethical problems. </div>
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How do you do this in long sword fighting? If you can read their intentions from their body language you can tell where they are likely to attack, or what they intend to do and from there you can stop it. Is their weight on one foot or the other? What can they do from the guard they are holding? How are they holding their body, are they tense, or relaxed? Are their shoulders forward or backwards? What motions have you seen them make and what were the results of that? </div>
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If you do not know the guard, ask yourself, what does this the way they are holding their sword tell you about what they intend to do. You may not know that guard but something with their point at you or generally towards your face or torso is good for thrusting, a guard with the point away is better for cutting, there are some exceptions but you get the idea. </div>
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The truth is that you may not be able to read them 100% especially if you are just getting started, but what you can do relatively easily is eliminate what they cannot, or are not as likely to do. If they are holding their sword upright on the right side of their body with their left foot forward they are likely to be cutting from that side. (Zornhaw, or Fendente) What they are not going to do: cut from the left with a simple step on that side. To do this it takes more time and when they change, you can see them change. Something I always tell my students is that they cannot do that from here, unless they change, in which case it is not from there anymore. </div>
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The real key here is to cut off their line of attack while making yours. If they are going to thrust, don't thrust back, rather: block their line of attack as you attack even before they move. </div>
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Another quick and easy way to do this is to move as they are changing guards or moving their point away from you, or taking a step as they are in transition and their intention at that point is to move from A to B not to move part way then attack. </div>
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<b>Reactive: Be prepared </b></div>
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Avoiding the legal implications of shooting the guy who has a gun before he has a chance to draw it and shoot you is really easy, just don't do it. Throwing the first punch before they get a chance to throw one, is easy, but it starts something you may not want to deal with. If the guy with the gun does nothing, you have no problem, if the guy who looks like trouble does not trouble you, there is no reason to get into a fight for nothing. </div>
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Fiore's art is largely one of stopping the attack as it comes and responding with something of your own. This can be accomplished by controlling your reach and theirs by adjusting your measure. If you are out of reach, and they step with a cut, while you step backwards the same distance nothing has changed, they have not gained an upper hand, and you have neutralized the threat. In my class on this, I have some drills that can be done that teach this but again it is a question of watching what they are doing and responding when they move. If someone attacks you and you respond by just defending yourself, you may not have won the day, but at least you were not hit and have thwarted their attack. This is not ideal but if you live to fight another day, it is a win in my book. </div>
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This is not to sat that this is an easy task, occasionally I run a drill where the objective is to just defend yourself for a period of time, and it is one of the hardest things to simply defend, but it is a good lesson to work with. This does also not mean that you have to meet their strike with your parry to defend, If they are cutting at your leg and you step backwards with it they have missed their target and you have some great openings. If someone is rushing you and you can sidestep and let them run into a wall, all you did was take a step and it was them who missed you. There are drills that I teach that are in line with this and what we find is that it is a fun experience to be the one who is simply moving, and a frustrating one for the person who is trying to make a grab. </div>
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<b>Covering your Line: Finish it right. </b></div>
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No matter which way you accomplish rule number 1, the last thing you have to do is to get away properly. The idea here is that no matter if your attack lands well, or your missed entirely, you still have to follow rule #1. If you cut their arm, and they cut your head just afterwards you have not followed rule 1. You hit them first, but they hit you after in the leg? Good job on being there first, but what if it was not good or it was not called, you have to protect yourself always to follow rule #1. If you see the guy in the street with the gun who is not likely a threat, but you know where he went, you are at least ready if he becomes a threat. In a tournament an opponent is not a threat when he is not a threat. If a hold has been called and you stop your defense, there is nothing to stop him from sweeping your leg and getting a penalty for example. </div>
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<b>Conclusion: Rule #1 in life </b></div>
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Tournaments are not real life. We use weapons that are safer than the real thing, we wear protective equipment that helps make things hurt less and protects us. but that is not ALL of rule #1. If you are sparring without a mask and get hit in the head, you could have a headache, a concussion, or die, even with safe weapons. Rule #1 however goes a step further, it is not just about the fighting floor, it is about being safe in life. If someone aims a gun at your chest and asks for your wallet, give it to them. It is not worth dying for a few cards and a couple bucks. If you can avoid the places where people are likely to start a problem with you, do so, it is not worth the time and effort to have to defend yourself if you can stay safe and avoid it. If you see someone on the street who gives off a bad vibe, walk away, maybe you are wrong but better wrong and safe than right and dead. If you are driving, this is all about watching other drivers to know with or without a turn signal what they intend to do. That split second means you can make smart decisions and stay safe. At the end of the day, we will all not be able to avoid death. I have to say Not today, to many times in the last few months, but if you can make smart choices you may be able to choose a better time than right now for your end to come and that makes all the difference. </div>
SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-19340694009469756302019-02-19T19:51:00.000-08:002019-02-19T19:51:02.537-08:00SoCal Swordfight 2019, it is about community <h1 class="quoteText" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">
"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof." Richard Bach, Illusions </h1>
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I threw down my gloves and mask, "I just cant do this!" I said. It was 2 days before we left for SoCal Swordfight and I was doing some free sparring in our sister club before we headed to California. I know that people were trying to help, but 2 days before an event there is only so much one can do to fix problems in your fighting. That being said, here I sat, tired, and frustrated and not sure how the upcoming weekend would work. </div>
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Within a few more days I was in California, sharing a room with students from all of the 3 Utah clubs, and though I was still not sure how thins were going to pan out, here we were. </div>
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Utah is a strange place when it comes to HEMA. There is a class that meets in the same space I do, we share equipment, we teach new students together with a universal curriculum, and between the 2 of us we rent 8 hours at the gym a week. The other club is 30 miles south of us but every year we all get together at least once or twice to have local tournaments and have fun as one big community. In name we are separate classes, but in many ways we are one team especially when we go out of town. </div>
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By the end of the weekend I judged more than 80 matches, took a couple classes, the fighters in our clubs took home 3 medals and I am very proud of them. 4 of the 6 who entered Open steel moved out of it to eliminations, we had several who moved out of their pools in Singlestick and overall I am very proud of my team. They my not all be my students but when we go out of town, i feel like they are all my team. </div>
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As for how I did, it was not as good as I had hoped. I did not do well in either tournament I entered. Single stick is a fun one for me and it went OK, but not super well. In Open steel I won 2 matches, and lost one, but because I did not win by large margins, I did not move out of my pools. I WAS able to use a technique that I have been working on, and it was not super easy, but I am very proud of it. </div>
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After my tournament I was discouraged. I have been back in sword 10 years, and I have made progress but am frustrated with where I am. This weekend however I talked to some of my friends who I have spent time with over the years and was told that even if I can't see progress, they can. We talked about my options, I can kick my training into high gear and improve, I can not apply myself and stay were I am, I could drop sword completely, or I could step things down fight in an easier tournament and place higher. </div>
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There is a lot of things about each one but when I talked to one of my friends about it on Sunday, he pointed out that there is only one option. I am not happy with where I am, so staying where I am is not an option, quitting is not and never will be on the table (I may retire from fighting in tournaments in a few years but that is not right now) I can apply myself. I know the people who do the tournaments I attend and no one will let me step into a lower level tournament. This is because they know me and won't let me settle for less than I am capable of. </div>
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Here is the thing, I have people cheering me on. They are not a huge number of people but they want to see me succeed. Some of them are local, some I just see at events, but the point is they have my back and are cheering me on. These may not all be people I am related to, but they are people I consider family. There is a quote from Its a wonderful life that says "No man is a failure who has friends." I do not see these people often, but they support me and are cheering me on. </div>
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I judged something like 80 matches, because I feel like it is important to do. I donated the time because I want people to have a great time when they are at events, and any way I can help that I will do. </div>
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At the end of the weekend I had people asking me when I am doing a local event, I had people telling me how they feel I am doing, and with so much encouragement it is hard to not feel loved by the community I love. If I could say that tournaments were about one thing at the end of the day, it is not just about winning prizes, though that is definitely fun, it is not all about testing yourself, because some days or weeks or months are just off. If I could say it was about one things above the others, it would be to share our love for what we study, make friends, cheer them on, and at the end of the day to come together. I know people who train because they know that if they don't someone else is, they train so they can win a medal or beat someone in particular, but for me, above all else, it is about community. </div>
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I want to close with the lyrics from Just one person from Snoopy the musical:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Snoopy: </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">If just one person believes in you. Deep enough, and strong enough, believes in you. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Hard enough,and long enough before you knew it, </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Someone else would think, if he can do it, i can do it. Making it..</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Snoopy and patty: </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Two! Two whole people who believe in you. And if two whole people believe in you. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Deep enough, and strong enough believe in you. Hard enough, and long</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Enough there's bound to be some other person who believes in making it a threesome. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Making it...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Sally joins: </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Three....people you can say, believe in me. And if three whole people, why not...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Linus joins: </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Four. And if four whole people, why not...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Lucy joins: </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">More, and...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Charlie brown joins: </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">More, and more. And when all those people believe in you, </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Deep enough and strong enough believe in you, </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Hard enough and long enough it stands to reason you, </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">Yourself will start to see what everybody sees in you. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15.495px; text-align: center;">And maybe even you, can believe in you, too.</span><br />
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Thank you all for believing in me even when I am not sure I do. It means more than I can ever say. </div>
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SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-58954057668208734452018-12-27T20:39:00.000-08:002018-12-27T20:39:35.582-08:002019 Live Deliberately "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately." Henry David Thoreau, Walden<br />
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Every year, in one way or another I have some sort of motto, something to live by and something to focus on through the year. Some years it is a mantra, usually over complicated but it starts out as something to focus on, sometimes it works for a time, sometimes not, but it is at least a good thought to start with.<br />
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So what does 2019 look like, what is my focus this time around?<br />
Back in June, I was going camping and made a label for my camp cup that said "Live Deliberately". It was a play on Thoreau's "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately" since I was taking it camping.<br />
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As I came into this year however I gave it some close thought. What does it mean to me?<br />
Living deliberately means living with intention. It is about right action, and doing things on purpose. Right eating, right sleeping, right speech, right actions, it is about doing things on purpose. Intermittent fasting is like that for me, it is not mindless eating to fill time, or do something while I am driving, it is making the choice to eat, or not, but being conscious about it. Living deliberately for me is about living my intention, living in choice, millions upon millions of choices, actions on actions, all made consciously.<br />
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In the last 2 days since deciding that this was where I was going, I have written more, taken more deep breaths and generally gotten more done because I am paying attention. I am making notes to myself while I work so when I get home I know what I want to get accomplished. I changed my alarm tone from an annoying one to a bell, which reminds me to take a deep breath and be present. Sure, it is some dumb notification from some company trying to sell me something, but I am using it as a random reminder to be present, take a deep breath and be grateful I am alive.<br />
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Living deliberately is about choice and so I am going into 2019 in choice, consciously choosing where my focus is, and knowing that I get to make up the meaning of things along the way. I do not have to go to the woods to live deliberately, my life is here, and if I have to go somewhere, or do something special to get that, there is a good chance I am not bringing it home with me. Now is the only time we have, here is the only place to be. I have many things I wish to accomplish in 2019, but the only place to start them is here and now, and the only way is with intention.SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-61249340980004658432018-08-31T10:01:00.000-07:002018-08-31T10:01:20.019-07:00Reflections on the motorcycle crashIt has been 4 weeks since my motorcycle accident.<br />
As of yesterday I was finally cleared by my doctor to go back to work.<br />
All of this time away from work, and sword training and mostly staying at home healing has given me a lot of thought about life, priorities, and the way in which I live.<br />
A few insights:<br />
When I crashed my motorcycle for a moment there was a silence, a calm, things were happening I had no control over. I could not stop the bike from rolling, I was just hanging on and going for the ride. Some days life is like that things are happening that are out of our control and all we can do is control our responses.<br />
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As I stood up, struggling to breathe, standing on the side of the road both knees bleeding, pants torn, bike laying on its side, and overall in pain, I had some insight. I hurt, but I was alive. My son was not without his father. As much as I knew that the next little bit would hurt and suck, I could debbal with it because there is something inside me that is more than the pain, and that was still here. I did not know what the damage was, to the bike or to myself but what I did know was that I was here, the part of me that really mattered was still here, and I would live to fight another day. Sometimes life beats us up. Sometimes physically, sometimes emotionally and we have 2 options, the first is to lay down and let it win, the other is to stand up and tell the god of death, "Not today".<br />
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The ride home hurt, it hurt to breathe, I felt like I could not bend my knees without pain. The nights were testing. We have a small house, but I never felt like the bathroom was SO far away. For a few days I used a walker just so I could get there. (Thank god for upper body strength.) There were trials, and I was not sure some days that I would get past them, but I was alive, so at least there was that. Pain sucks, but death meant I would not get to experience anything else, and that makes me truly sad.<br />
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In this I found allies, people who would help me. Doctors who wanted me to heal, family who were willing to help me, and yes sometimes push me to get where I needed to go. My wife brought me food for a day or so, then it was up to me to get up and walk to the kitchen to make a plate. This was not out of spite, but rather she knew that if I sat, and let myself just sit all day and night that I was not going to get better any faster. Some days were harder than others, some days I needed a cane to get around, but she was willing to care for me by helping push me to get better. My doctor had me go to the wound care clinic. The first time I went, they cleaned my wounds by cutting off dead skin and making it all bleed but that bleeding was needed for new, good tissue to grow. It was probably as painful as the accident itself, but it helped so that pain was worth it. Sometimes you have to have allies who are not just going to let you get away with things but are there to push you, or encourage you to push yourself. This includes my physical therapy team who encouraged me to push myself so I could be back 100% sooner.<br />
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As of yesterday my knee mobility is back to 100% and I will return to work on Tuesday. I am amazed at what a relatively healthy body can do to heal itself. (I am not in the best shape, but even for being overweight I am pretty good.) The last real revelation I had was this: there is a big difference between pain and discomfort. When I started doing physical therapy, it was uncomfortable. I did not want to bend my leg that way, some staircases looked hard and I was not sure I could do it but I knew that as long as I accepted those limits, it would take me longer to get where I needed to be. In the words of Richard Bach, "Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they are yours." I am now less than a month from the accident and with the exception of some healing on my right knee, I am back. I may not be as fast yet, I may not be as strong yet, but I am back, and that feels pretty damn good.<br />
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<br />SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-78593871703260213052018-08-07T10:02:00.000-07:002018-08-07T10:02:32.689-07:00Combat Con 2018 AliveThis past weekend I was in Las Vegas for my 4th Combat Con. Combat Con has a special place in my heart as it was the first event outside of my local club that I ever attended and many of my favorite people in the HEMA community come to this event.<br />
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This year I was able to ride my motorcycle down (more on that later) The ride down was warm, the weather was nice and though it took longer than driving the car, it was an awesome experience. With me was my friend, and co-instructor Jack who has done this trip several times before.<br />
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I spent evenings with some of my favorite people, took classes from some of my favorite people and even assisted in teaching a class or two. I think what stood out to me was in the classes that I took after all these years, though some of the material was new, it did not take me long to understand or pick it up. In my tournaments I made it out of pools into eliminations, and though I was frustrated at the end of my matches, a really neat thing happened.<br />
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My wife watched a match that I shared on Facebook. She normally does not watch me fight but she looked at that match. When she watched it at first, she said that she noticed how much better I had gotten over the last few years. I went back and watched a few of those and she was definitely right. My form was better, my movement was better, and though for a second I was upset about how my match went, after looking at that, I felt like I have gotten better over the years. In one way in particular this struck me. At one point in time I had many exchanges when I was not protecting myself when I attacked the opponent. In my pools of 3 matches I had 0. In my elimination match, I had 1 double. I have a long way to go, but I am proud of my progress there.<br />
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I had several fighters locally who did very well as well and I am incredibly proud of them for how they did in tournament. One of the local guys took Bronze in the advanced steel tournament, and one of our women took bronze in the women's tournament. In Salt Lake we may be 3 clubs but when we travel we are one big team and I am proud of everyone who came down, gave it their all did great. Not everyone will win everything every time, but they came down, some of them for the first time and really showed good sportsmanship and it makes me proud to call them my team.<br />
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The thing I love about Combat con is the people. Some of my favorite sword people come to this event. These people show me what it really means to be a community. There is not anyone who I have met or sparred with or taken a class with who is not willing to help you learn, or show you what they know, or help you train so that next time, you can get better.<br />
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There are clubs from all over the world, several of which are teaching historical fencing or knife work, or other things that I just do not see practiced in the community at large. I can take a class on clearing the line from a classical point of view and take that concept and use it in my fencing. Or I can take a concept taught with long sword and be shown how it applies to grappling or dagger or what have you. I am amazed at how my knowledge and comfort in these things has grown over the years and that is in large part a result of the mentor-ship, friendship and support of my peers, many of which I have met though this event.<br />
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<b>I am alive</b><br />
I rode my motorcycle down to Combat Con and it was a great experience. I have never ridden so far since learning to ride years ago so this was a very cool thing.<br />
On the way back however as I went to stop for fuel in Cedar City, I hit the off ramp too quickly slid off the road and crashed my bike. My leathers, and helmet probably saved my life as I got some road rash on my elbows, bruised my ribs on the right side, and had to get 6 stitches in my right knee. My jeans tore, my new Chaps ripped but I walked away alive at least. My wife came down with my father in law and picked up the bike, she will need some work, but is not a total wreck. I had a very nice couple stop and take me to insta-care, then when I was discharged they let Jack and I stay at their home until my ride got there. I am broken but not dead and the last few day or so when I hurt, or have had a hard time walking (Stitches in the knee suck) I had to remind myself that I a hurting but I am not dead and that is what really matters. Parts can be replaced, I can replace the things that were messed up even if the bike had been totaled, I am alive and I am incredibly grateful for that. I am grateful that my father in law drove the 3 hours down and 3 hours back with Cindy to pick me and the bike up. I am grateful that my mother in law let me borrow her walker and cane, just so I can get around the house easier for the next few days.<br />
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I may not be sparring for a bit but I am going to spend some time making sure that my curriculum is where I want it so that in a year from now I can test and become a certified HEMAA Instructor. it has been a long time coming and I feel like it is time to do it. I may be hobbling about for a week or so, but I am alive and that is what really matters.<br />
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<br />SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-4612523672766791402018-06-11T19:23:00.000-07:002018-06-11T19:27:08.714-07:00A gathering of Kin, 2018Sometimes, kin is people you do not know, but with whom you share a part of your past. This weekend among all other things was about kin to me.<br />
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A bit of history: </div>
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Growing up, we always went to the Utah Scottish Festival. The festival is in June and it has always been right around my birthday so to me it was always something cool to do for my birthday. Every year we would go, see the pipers, see the athletics, and look around to see if we could find a clan where we belonged. Our family names never were the major clans, I did not have a Wallace or Donald or Scott anywhere that I knew of. We were Clarkes, and Martins on my mothers side after all and we did not see any or those names in big letters on a banner telling me that these people were MY kin. At the end of the day, though I did not know who my clan was, or where I fit, I knew that I these crazy Scottish people were who I had come from. I always teared up hearing the pipes play Scotland the Brave, and Highland Cathedral, and I knew that somewhere in this madness was a place I belonged. Growing up I felt it in my bones, so when it came time for my prom in High school, instead of a tuxedo, we rented a kilt and that was the first time I had ever worn one. </div>
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Somewhere in the back of my mind I wanted to find my place, but for prom, it was a stop gap and I was excited to at least be wearing a kilt for this. Finding my place would come later. As I got older, the idea sat in the back of my mind that one day, when I was ready to get married, I would find my place and maybe, just maybe, I would wear a kilt, rented or otherwise to my wedding. </div>
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In the spring of 2012, this happened and the tartan I wore was the tartan of Clan Leslie. I had searched, and looked at my history and finally decided that this was the one, and that was where I fit. There was only one problem, as far as I knew, there were no other Leslie's in the state besides my immediate family. In June of 2012 I set up my first tent at the Utah Scottish Festival representing my Clan, shortly there after I joined the Utah Scottish Association board and have helped make this festival happen ever since. Of course there were times when it was lonely, it was my immediate family after all who was holding our booth, but I was here and I had finally figured out where I belonged. </div>
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2 years ago I was approached about hosting the Clan Leslie Gathering at my festival in 2018 and I was nervous, but at the same time excited to have this opportunity. The gathering is when the people from your clan come together, enjoy the festival, have a business meeting and generally get to know each other. Last weekend, I had 26 members of the Clan Leslie Society Intentional, including our clan Chief come to our games as the honored clan. </div>
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It was strange, every time I looked around my booth, there were kilts just like mine, and people who knew some of the same clan stories, and things I had read about over the past few years. Here were people who wanted to help me do what I do better, and all of them were willing to step up and teach me things I never knew about hosting a tent, or talking to new members. These were MY people. I ate, drank, laughed and nearly cried with people who live many miles away but are in one way or another related to me. In this moment, it was not just me and my family it was family I never knew who were here with me. </div>
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It is hard to know how to judge the success of an event. Some may say that it is all about how many people you have show up, or how many names you get on a list, or if things went smoothly. In this case we had our hiccups, but it all worked out. Sure, we rewrote the script a couple times, we marched last when we should have been first, but we did it in style we did it as a family. We all had a good time as kin, we had some laughs, a drink or two, but at the end of the day, I found my people. </div>
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There is something else that happened this weekend that just makes me light up on the inside. At one point, a dear friend, and kinsman from another side of the family told me he wanted to talk to our clan chief. He told the chief of our clan just how much he appreciated me, how proud he was of me, and how good of a guy I was. He did not have to tell him this, he felt it was important, and that touched me deeply. This weekend I found my people, I found where I fit, and no matter what I know I have friends and kin who want me to succeed, I do not have to be alone. </div>
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The root of the word kindred is kin, and this weekend I found some truly kindred souls with whom I share a history, it is may not be a near one, it is not in the past century, but it is a shared history. In my heart I know where I belong. But there is something more, I know that my son will grow up knowing where he belongs and that is worth the world to me. </div>
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I want to take a moment to thank my mother, my wife, and my sisters for everything they did to make things go smoothly. Without their help, none of this would have come together. They worked long hours to help me make things work as well as they did often working behind the scenes so it all came together and I could not have done it without them.<br />
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Lastly, for my Leslie's I have to say: What?!?!</div>
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SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-8071684460336823012018-02-27T17:40:00.000-08:002018-02-27T17:40:21.124-08:00Goal setting <div class="MsoNormal">
Setting goals that are SMART?<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is a school of thought that all goals need to be
"S.M.A.R.T." that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Trackable/or timely. Honestly, I heard about this in corporate culture years ago but have come back to it lately. While I agree with the sentiment, I knock it down to 4
because I feel like it is redundant for the sake of being a pretty acronym. So
the steps as I see them:<o:p></o:p></div>
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S Simple, Specific- If a goal is not specific how can you
measure it? The question is how do you know you have arrived there? To that end
a SMART goal is not: I want to do better at sword and buckler. Whereas: I want
to get to a place where most matches, I can score on my opponent at least 4
times<o:p></o:p></div>
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M Measurable- Just like specific, this one is all about how you know you got there. In this way a goal of saying that you can run a mile
is measurable. One of you can just run more could be if you define where you
are so you can see improvement, but I want to run a lot or do a bunch of drills
is not unless you define what that means FOR YOU. Trackable/timely are really a
subset of measurable, but it is a question of a smaller timeline. How can you
prove to yourself that you are making progress? Timely is fine, but that really
falls into the next category.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A Attainable and Realistic- If you set a goal to be the best
sword fighter in class by your next competition and this is your 2nd month of
practice, that may be a stretch, unless you have a very bad class. Attainable
and Realistic are a good question of "Is this goal realistic for me given
my time and energy I am willing to devote to this?" If you are willing to
go to the gym 5 hours a day, getting to a point that you look like an Olympic
weight lifter is not out of the question on a long enough timeline. If you are
only willing to give it an hour a day, this will take longer. Asking "What
am I willing to do to get there?" is huge here. What are your resources,
what will it take to do that, and are you willing to do what you have to in
order to reach it? Timeliness comes into play here as well. "Is this
reasonable in the time I am giving it?" If you can be honest and realize
it is not there is nothing wrong with changing the timeline just be honest
about it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One more thing is to realize that at times you may fail on
the way to getting there. If you are not
willing to stick with it do not be surprised if you never reach that goal. In the
example of sword and buckler, if you are not willing to stick with it, lose a
lot initially, and then use that experience to improve, then it is not a good
goal for you. You have to be willing to fall on your face in pursuit of your
goals, but that is the only way you get better. If you are only practicing with
people who you have no problem beating, you may not be the best, but rather you
are a big fish in a little pond and it is time to move on to something bigger
where you are actually challenged. If you have a trick that always works with
people who know you but does not with those who don't then it is only a trick
to those who know you, teach them how to beat it so you are not relying on it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Lastly, be willing to tell people your goals and surround yourself
with find people who will keep you accountable. A practice partner that lets
you get away with sloppy technique and only doing half your speed or skill is
not your friend; they are doing you no favors by letting you get away with it.
You may be the best of friends outside of practice, but they are not a good
training partner for you. The best partners I have had both in terms of sword
and out are the ones who push me to do better. Often that means kicking my butt
so I know what I need to work on. In that way your greatest friends, are those
who are willing to call you on your crap, and who are your hardest opponents
inside the ring. If they say they want to practice or reach a goal and then do
nothing to reach it, call them on it. If you do the same, be willing to be
called out on it. Accountability is not a bad word, and those people who are
not willing to keep you to your word are doing you no favors, even if they
think they are. <o:p></o:p></div>
SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-47104731552852633452018-02-24T21:44:00.003-08:002018-02-24T21:48:06.376-08:00Why go to any events at all? A reflection and review of SoCal 2018 <br />
John Donne famously wrote "<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif;">No man is an </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif;">Iland</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif;">, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif;">Continent</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif;">, a part of the </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif;">maine" </i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;">Though I agree with his sentiment, that each persons voice adds to us and each lost diminishes us, in the world of HEMA It is easy to believe that everything that we do we do in Isolation, separate from the whole. Where that sentiment crumbles is when it comes to events where we gather, compete, learn, and share what we have found in our study of the art. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">How do we get here? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">My story of my first event was a long one from years ago when I moved from the idea of I can't make it to the event to thinking about it as a challenge and finding a way. No man is an Island, that is true, but short of the local groups to me, (there are 2 depending on how you count it) I am more than 6 hours from any other local club. No man may be an island, but it hardly feels like it at times. That is where the importance of events comes in. Before my first event I had a lot of excuses. All of the events were far, they were expensive, I did not have the gear for it, I was not even sure I was that good, besides, why go? What was the reason to go and take classes or meet people I already talked to online? To that end I am going to review my experience from last weekend at SoCal Sword fight.<span style="color: #222222;"> </span></span></span><br />
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HEMA is family.<br />
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I just got back from SoCal sword fight and it was a fantastic time, I met a lot of really great people, I got in some great training, taught a class, and felt like things went as well as could be expected for me. Overall it was an awesome weekend and I learned a lot. </div>
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The people: </div>
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SoCal sword fight is put on by an awesome group of volunteers some of whom I have known for years. An event will not go smoothly unless you have good people and this event had great people. There were problems but there always are things that come up and it is the people who make sure it gets worked out in a timely fashion and this crew was awesome for that. All of the people who are running this event want people to do better. I drove down to SoCal from my house, a 10 hour drive in good traffic. I left home at 5:45 on Thursday morning, and by Thursday afternoon I was near enough to the event that I was invited over to spend some time working on my cutting technique, and learning how to properly sharpen my sword so I could cut with it in the right way, as well being invited to South Coast's class that evening. Again, these people were under no requirement to help me out. some of them were going to be competing with me in events throughout the weekend, but a raising tide lifts all boats. </div>
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The Review:</div>
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A few years ago I went to my first large HEMA event and learned a lot, both about myself, as well as the community at large, and am constantly amazed at how that continues to be the case every time I go to an event. A lot of people talk about how an event is all about the tournaments, but to me it is really about the people. Maybe that is because I have never won anything major myself, but I don't think so. I cannot count the times that people have offered to come out to my club or have me out to theirs to work on something or help teach my students something. I have had people stand in my corner and help coach me, even when doing so put me at odds with their student. (I have also done this to be fair.)<br />
Here is the deal, you cant teach HEMA well when you are living as if you are an Island. I do not care how big and awesome you feel like your club is, if all you know is your club, you can only get so good. I am a solidly middle of the pack fighter. In my tournaments this weekend I fell about the middle of the fighters in the events I did (with the exception of cutting, but I will talk about that). At home I am probably one of the better half of fighters so it would be easy to feel like I was super awesome and did not need to get better. Events help burst those bubbles. so there is a huge reason to go out and play with other people to see where your weaknesses are. Even if you are the top, there is always something to work on and going to events help you see just what those things are. This weekend I placed 18th in the open long sword and 17th in single stick, but looking at my scores there is a good narrative of what I was doing well and what I was not. </div>
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This weekend was also my first class teaching something HEMA related outside of my local clubs. This was a stretch to me, as it was something I was nervous about. Before this event I had run this test. All along I had people in my corner cheering me on. It went well, and I have some work to do for next time, but it is amazing to know that you have a team behind you cheering you on because they believe in you. I did terribly on my cutting competition, but I had some great people help me and work with me so next time, I will do better.<br />
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All said and done, I did not bring home any medals, I did not walk away with anything to show for my time, but that is not the reason to go to an event. Making connections with other people is the real reason we get together a few times a year. If you can't make it to everything, that is OK. Get thee to a HEMA-ry! What matters is that you do what you can to meet people in the community. I found out this weekend that I have friends who read my blog for example, and people who get inspiration from some of the things I am doing. When you live so far away from these people it is good to know that you have people cheering you on from a distance. It is good to know that I can take a class and learn a different way of looking at things I have been looking at and if I have questions or want to talk about it, those people are willing to bounce ideas off of so we can all rise.<br />
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SoCal was not a revelation to me, but it was a great event. I learned a lot, got a lot of good feedback and know where I need to work to do better next time. For example, I did not win a lot of my matches, but many of them ran out of time. This says to me that I am defending myself better. I still need to work on attacking with that defense but that is an area I can work on, and it is great feedback to have. Some of my cleanest matches this weekend came out of getting in the ring with some of my friends. This weekend left it's mark and I will not move forward the same. That is what these events are about. If you come home with nothing new, I feel like you are missing something. This past weekend I brought home no medals, but I brought home all kinds of things to try and work on so next time I can do better.<br />
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One final note.<br />
Events like SoCal, and Combat Con are about community. They are about spending time with friends who live hundreds or thousands of miles away. We have 3 local classes, but when we travel we are one team. It may be small, we may not have all the people of larger clubs, but we leave our footprints. If you come to an event and have no one in your corner, I will stand behind you. I do not care what club you come from, we are all one community. At the end of the day, that is what it is really about. It is not just about the medals, or just the classes, it is about the shared beer, or late night conversations on the finer points of a technique, or the funny stories that you will always have with you. HEMA is family, and this past weekend, while I missed my family at home, I had a great chance to stand with my brothers and sisters and work on this art we all love.<br />
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SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-73663788284330798722018-02-11T06:46:00.000-08:002018-02-24T21:49:18.762-08:00Creating a club culture through a Code of Conduct <div style="height: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every group of people has a culture. Whether that is a HEMA club, or a bunch of friends hanging out, as social animals Humans create culture. But what is culture, how do we create it, and how do you form your culture in such a way that it supports your goals and objectives?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lets start with Culture, what is culture? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Miriam Webster defines Culture as: <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
So who creates culture in a club setting?<br />
The short answer is everyone in the class contributes to the club culture. The long answer is a bit more complex. A clubs culture is dictated by its membership but that can be molded by the actions of its leadership. If inappropriate actions are not dealt with they dictate the culture. If there is a negative perception from an outsiders view, this can dictate the culture or even growth of your club.<br />
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It all starts at the door. Before someone has walked in the door, how do you look to outsiders? Are you welcoming and friendly? If they walk in the doors do you talk to them, or just keep doing your own thing? Just to be clear, this does not need to be the place of the instructor to greet people, but someone should talk to them at least initially.<br />
Now that you have talked to them, and find out they want to start class. What steps do you take to include them in the club culture?<br />
In my own club, along with their signed waiver, I have a club waiver that includes emergency contact information, medical issues we should know about, as well as a code of conduct that outlines what things we expect of our students, as well as what actions are unacceptable. I also add this information into a google spreadsheet so I do not need to have the physical form with me at all times and can access someones emergency contact info on my phone in case something happens and we need it.<br />
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The code of conduct section for my club is as follows:<br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As an accepting organization, the UCSA wants all members to feel welcome. We strive to ensure that within the realm of being a martial arts school who practices with full contact, that you feel safe, emotionally and physically. If during your time as a member of our group, you feel you are being harassed, discriminated against or feel uncomfortable with anyones behavior, (instructor, classmate, or observer) please let a member of the council, or your instructor know. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">UCSA Code of Conduct: </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I will treat everyone with respect </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">regardless of their age, sex, gender identity, race, or sexual orientation</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> using appropriate language, and appropriate physical conduct in all official events. If I have concerns I will address them to the person they involve, or if I feel unable to do so, I will address them with the instructor, or a member of the U.C.S.A. council. I will follow instructions in all class activities but will ask questions as appropriate. If I become frustrated and need to take a time to calm down, I will request to do so. If at any time I feel I am unable to follow this code of conduct, I will remove myself from U.C.S.A. activities until I feel I am able to do so. If my instructor feels I am in violation of any of these agreements they will speak to me directly about it so that I may remedy it. If I refuse to do so, I may be asked to leave class and forfeit all paid dues until I am willing to follow this code of conduct in all U.C.S.A. events. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The U.C.S.A. retains the right to judge any and all incidents that may occur on their own </span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-2548775d-8579-8b95-6ad6-96f7237212d6"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">merit. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Initials_______</span></div>
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Now that you have that you have to make sure you stick with it. If someone acts inappropriately, how do you handle it? Do you have them sit class out, do you let them know that they are not welcome in the future, what kind of action is appropriate. If you are not willing to take some action if people act out, that creates a culture. If you allow some joking and fun in class that creates a culture, How you act and how people are treated in class reflects the culture you have created.<br />
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At the end of the day, the Instructor of a club sets the tone, but the clubs culture is perpetuated by the members of the club. If you feel like your club's culture is toxic or does not work, no matter what your role in it, work to improve that. If you do not want to create a code of conduct that is fine too. I find that it has helped in my club to lay out what we expect and what is not OK in our club. You could say that club culture can go as far as your fliers, or signs, or whatever promotional material you have, and I will explore that in the next blog entry.<br />
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SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-3808747207560557192018-02-06T21:05:00.000-08:002018-02-06T21:05:07.011-08:00Growing your club: Why teach a beginners class?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37N2EJei5EbDY4iUTIFIgCzt0HPGl6CAu2cee0_qFH3XrsdGI75uINaitN1u6hyphenhyphenmWibuexDWO7fiibevQ3cpchyK6oT34TNb8oLjJVu_nWVBdONRrmvNVOWVsUxvy3Ku_et8aep1jtd4/s1600/27458983_1577199962356110_6264221994556280302_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37N2EJei5EbDY4iUTIFIgCzt0HPGl6CAu2cee0_qFH3XrsdGI75uINaitN1u6hyphenhyphenmWibuexDWO7fiibevQ3cpchyK6oT34TNb8oLjJVu_nWVBdONRrmvNVOWVsUxvy3Ku_et8aep1jtd4/s320/27458983_1577199962356110_6264221994556280302_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is going to be another of my HEMA Club running specific posts so if that is not what you are here for, read the last one or another blog this time.<br />
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I have been teaching my HEMA club for a little over 2 years and back when I took class over I started something that has been a real perk to my club. Just after I started teaching we began a beginners class as a way to give new students a way in. For years I would tell people to come check out class, and for years they asked when a good time to start would be. Often the answer was that we would tell them that we would always teach them basics whenever they came to class. For years this worked on some level, but what I found was that people did not feel real comfortable with just showing up and having someone teach them basics on the side since they were not participating in class.<br />
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How did we fix this?<br />
Originally we started with the concept that once a month we would go over the basics and that would be a good time to have new people come and check things out. In addition to this, it became something we could promote on our website, or in community calendars, or potentially with a press release. This was a way of telling new students that we wanted them there. This also gave some of my more experienced students a place to help teach, as well as refreshing them on the fundamentals of the sword that we teach. Our initial turnout was pretty good, though some months were better than others. On weeks that we did not have new people we simply worked on the things we had been working on previously.<br />
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How often is too often?<br />
Initially i set this class up to meet every 1st Saturday of the month, meaning that in months when we only had 4 weeks 1 week at least was focused on teaching this class. Where I found this to be a challenge is that we would be making progress going through the class material and find that we had to stop that progress every month for the beginners class. Eventually we moved to holding it every other month, and this helped some but them we had the problem of people who had just missed it and telling a new student that they should show up, in a month and a half for this thing they were excited for. Most of those students I never saw in class even when it was close to their beginners class.<br />
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What works?<br />
Really what I found works is you have to ask what works for you. If your class is small, you may not want to teach a beginners class every 4 weeks, because unless you split class, you may not be able to take the new people through the material without making the more advanced students bored or feeling like they have done X too many times. (You can only talk about how important muscle memory is so many times.) There is a balance. Like I said, You have to figure out what works best for your club and your situation, but you also do not want to put new students off too long or you risk them going other directions and never coming to class.<br />
As for my class, beginning this month we started a monthly rotation of 4 week beginners classes that are designed just for new students. This way they can meet other new students, they do not feel like they are missing something their fellow students are not getting, and we have a chance to get through more material since we do not feel like we are dragging all of class behind to get them up to speed. For our beginners class we are asking that they attend all of the weeks before joining the intermediate classes we hold so that we give them the best chance to learn things before being thrown in with the rest of class.<br />
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What does the beginners class look like?<br />
For our most recent classes we have looked at things from a very basic point of view. Take the first part of class and just teach footwork, then measure as it relates to that, then a few plays or drills that work on that, a huge thing here is to look at how much time you have and make sure you are not trying to cram too much into 1 class or you risk overload and people not remembering what you have taught them. Sometimes this can be helped with review but if you just took the last 3 hours cramming them full of info, retention is going to be minimal.<br />
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I also encourage my new students to make some friends in the class. When I first started in my class years ago, these people were not just my friends, they were some of the best friends I had. Obviously, you can't force people to be nice to each other or to make friends but when they drill, ask them to tell each other their names. It is a start and the more your students feel a part of something the more likely they are to stick around. No one wants to be the new kid who knows no one and has no friends in the class, so encouraging that is key.<br />
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Why is any of this important?<br />
Basically what it comes down to is this, a beginners class gives people who are interested a good place to join class without feeling like they are the outsiders. This is a great way to expand your student base and can be very easy to advertise. People will come and go with class and that is to be expected but a beginners class gives you a way to acculturate your students and welcome them to your club culture. No one wants to feel like the outsider who is not welcome and beginner classes are a great way to create that community as long as you are willing to take the time to be warm and welcoming in your teaching. Answer questions, take some extra time with the student who keeps having problems doing what your are talking about. It will pay dividends in the long run.<br />
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<br />SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-51239417969551473102017-12-26T22:07:00.000-08:002017-12-26T22:07:02.715-08:002017 in retrospect, 2018 looking forward. As the days draw to a close it is important to me to reflect on what I have accomplished this year and what I am looking towards for next year.<br />
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2017<br />
It was a year for goals. I lost 50 pounds (then gained about 20 back) but have kept off 30 for the last 6 months.<br />
It was the year I set my mind to doing something (cutting qualifier) and achieved it.<br />
It was the year that the Scottish festival moved.<br />
It was the year I did my first charity ride on my motorcycle.<br />
It was the year I moved my sword class indoors.<br />
It was the year my son turned 2 and started picking up words faster than I can count them.<br />
It was my first year without grandparents.<br />
I lost some friends to death and met some new people.<br />
It was the year I got my shred route and was really able to make my job my own to any extent.<br />
I took my Henry VIII costume out on the road more than just the local events.<br />
I picked up single stick and found a fun sword thing I can do in semi light gear.<br />
I listened to more books then I can think to remember or list.<br />
I have studied the long sword manuals harder this year then I have in the past.<br />
I had my 5th anniversary of marriage and our 5th anniversary of moving into our house.<br />
I turned 36, I am closer to 40 then I am to 30, which feels very strange.<br />
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So what is in store for 2018?<br />
This morning I finished reading Walden though I have been meaning to for years. In 2018 I intend to read or listen to more books. I like to listen to books while I am driving and since I do so much of it now, it is really something I need to embrace.<br />
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I have 2 sword events out of town this year on my calendar so going and competing and giving it my best is definitely on the list. How to improve my sword work will in large part be based on how that goes.<br />
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Eating better. Something that struck me in reading Walden was how much he talked about good diet of the right foods and drinks. Since August I have let things slip, it is time to take it back. The big idea is to eat as I need to not just because and to drink enough water to balance things.<br />
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Connecting to my spirituality- This is something I have missed over the last few years. I am not sure what for it will take and it is going to be a lot of thinking on things and going to my roots but it is a part of who I am that I miss. This may not mean going back to church, but it does mean looking at my spirituality and reconnecting it on a regular basis.<br />
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Connecting better with friends- I miss my friends and feel like I do not see them enough. I really want to make a good effort this year to see people, or have them over or work out some time to see and hang out with people. I am a social beast and get down when I have little social interaction, I need to work on that in a balanced way.<br />
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Somewhere, in the drive today I had some time to think and I realized I have an idea of how I see myself at 37. How that guy acts and is. Since I see it, and can really get a grasp on that, maybe it is time to embrace it. It is time to step up to who I know I can be and just be it.<br />
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I have a few days to work on plans for these but they will be my focus for this year.SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-18765230876186761322017-11-21T17:23:00.001-08:002017-11-21T17:23:51.724-08:00On ChristmasBefore I begin, it is important to say that I am not, nor have I ever considered myself a Christian by the basic definitions of that faith. I do not believe that Jesus died for my sins, I do not believe that I have to be baptized to cleanse me of my sins. I do however, believe that there are some great tenants of that faith and people should be kind to each other, give to charity, and do good, though this is hardly unique to just this faith.<br />
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Christmas to me is special. No, I do not believe that it is the birthday of our lord and savior, but I also do not believe that all that it can be is about is the celebration of the birth of the central figure in this faith. (Jesus was not born in December if the books talking about his birth are to be understood as read.)<br />
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So what does Christmas mean to me as a non-christian?<br />
Christmas is about coming together as friends and family. It happens around, the time of the shortest day of the year (at least in the northern hemisphere). It is a time to gather, and enjoy the company of friends and family. It is a time when we celebrate hope, and wonder and Joy. On the shortest day of the year, we celebrate that the sun, (son?) is born and we see longer and longer days after it. If things made sense, it would be the beginning of the year (It is pretty close).<br />
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Do I have a Christmas tree? I do. It is a tradition, that I enjoy and has as much to do about the birth of Jesus as anything else we do. I love Christmas Carols not because I believe that Christ is born, and so we are saved, but because of the hope and joy in the songs, in many ways it is about the rebirth of hope on (or near) the longest night of the year.<br />
I give gifts because I enjoy sharing with others and it is one way of saying that I care about them, Christmas is a great time to do that.<br />
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I believe that this holiday, as it is, or can be, celebrated is more than just a Christian thing. It is about coming together as a people, and for at least a time, being one people. I do not do black Friday sales on Thursday night because I do not like seeing the ugliness, greed and aggression in people. That to me not what the holiday is about. It is not about getting the biggest presents, maybe because most of the time I try to keep Christmas small. If there is something big that we want or need through the year, we get or do it. Christmas is about friends and family, and enjoying each others company. Not just about getting the biggest newest things, at least I think so.<br />
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I have been known to light a Hanukkah candle or 2. Not because I believe in the Jewish faith, but because it is one way that we celebrate the light in the darkness. There is beauty in all faiths, if you are willing to look for them. It may not be mine, but if it brings you joy and does not tear down others, I think that is what the world needs more of. Christmas is a great time to celebrate our brotherhood as a family of people, each doing that best that they can to get by. What the world needs is more of us helping each other. Kindness does not need to have a great cost, and if it brings us together, maybe we can see each other better, and maybe get more things done. <br />
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Something that strikes me particularly hard about Christmas is a line from John Denver and The Muppet Christmas song "Alfie the Christmas tree"<br />
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<span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">Oh, Alfie believed in Christmas all right, he was full of Christmas cheer.</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">All of each and every day and all throughout the year.</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">To him it was more than a special time much more than a special day,</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">It was more than a beautiful story. it was a special kind of way.</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">You see, some folks have never heard a jingle bell ring,</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">And they've never heard of Santa Claus.</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">They've never heard the story of the Son of God. And that made Alfie pause.</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">Did that mean that they'd never know of peace on earth</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">or the brotherhood of man?</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">Or know how to love, or know how to give? If they can't, no one can.</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">You see, life is a very special kind of thing, not just for a chosen few.</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">But for each and every living breathing thing. Not just me and you.</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">So in your Christmas prayers this year, Alfie asked me if I'd ask you</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">to say a prayer for the wind, and the water, and the wood,</span><br style="background-color: #ccccdd; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;" /><span style="background-color: #ccccdd; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13.4px; text-align: center;">and those who live there, too.</span><br />
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I do not consider myself a Christian, but I do believe that you can be a good person no matter what your faith, (If any at all). If I see you on the street and you say Merry Christmas I will say it back. If not I may say Happy Holidays because I like to include those people who celebrate winter holidays in different ways than I do, and I like to include New Years in that, rather than JUST Christmas. </div>
SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-24938972779571300442017-10-09T04:02:00.001-07:002017-10-09T04:10:49.717-07:00On Fatherhood <span style="background-color: #eeeeee;">Fatherhood: <i style="font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif;">noun</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: lighter;">This is not going to be an easy one to write. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: lighter;">On October 21st 2015 I became a father. It is and has been something that has changed my life. I love my son more than I could have ever known was possible. Each day he learns something new and though, there are times where he tests my patience, I love reading to him, and spending time with him, and seeing his face light up as he jumps around when I get home. There is </span><span style="font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">truly</span><span style="font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: lighter;"> nothing like it, and each day I am so happy that I have had the chance to be a father. I love my son, but after he was born we both kind of felt that our little family was complete. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">On October 9th 2016, we had a daughter who never lived. </span><span style="font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We knew that getting pregnant was going to be hard. That is why when we were trying with Sean, Cindy took medication to help her body create HCG when she was pregnant. Last year, there were indications that she may be pregnant but multiple pregnancy tests, and a few blood tests showed that she was not. This is a part of the world that we live in. On the night of October 9th we went to the hospital because Cindy was not feeling well. The long and short of it is that that night, Cindy delivered a daughter who had major birth defects. She had 7 fingers on one hand and 6 on the other among other things that were misshapen, missing or just not right. These are all things that would have developed in the first term, but we never knew that she was there. This was also the first time I had heard the term Irish Twins. (2 children born within the period of 1 year. Seriously, it is a thing, and a little racist.) </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">One thing she did have, which was so hard for me was she was born with red hair. We looked at the possibility of not naming her but it did not feel right. She never lived, nor from the defects would she have, if she had lived to term. She never moved, we never knew she was there, she simply was. When we were talking about names for Sean we decided that there were names that were off the table no matter what his gender was. Most of that had to do with what kids would call him in school, or how he could age with a name. If he had been a girl, Angel was definitely off the table, but in this case it just fit. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">It has been a year, but there is still a feeling of loss, not for our little girl, but for the little girl who could have been, that is where I feel the loss. We still do not feel like we need more children, and anyone who suggests that we somehow do really needs to mind their own damn business, but I feel like in a way, we have had 2. Fatherhood has become a part of who I am. At the last Renaissance fair, for example I felt strongly responsible for the people in my guild. When it comes to sword, I feel like I am a sword dad of sorts. Fatherhood has gotten into my bones. I want people to do the right thing and to encourage them to do it. I want people to learn things and make themselves better. I am the father of 2, though I feel like in some cases, that number changes based on where I am. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Angel never lived, she never took a breath, or crawled across the floor or cooed lovingly as we entertained her, but Sean did. Every day I am so happy to be a dad to such a good kid, and this loss has made me that much more grateful for the chances I get to spend time with him and watch him grow into a such a good, little boy (Even if he is trouble sometimes) Had this happened before Sean was born, I am not sure we would have tried again, but again, life had other plans. Grieving has been made easier because I could come home and sit on the couch with my son and watch a movie, or hold his hand walking through a fair, or get a big high 5 just because he thinks it is still cool. Some things he will age out of, but I am glad for the time I do have. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Being a biological father is not hard, but being a Father can be. It is not always smiles and sunshine, sometimes you have to clean up a messy diaper or have your kid throw up on you. Sometimes they scream for no reason and there is little you can do to comfort them. Sometimes parenthood is frustrating as hell, but I can say this for it, every day it makes me do all I can to be a better example for my son. That may be a bad way to self improvement, but if I can teach my son well, maybe one day he will be a good man, and that is all I can ever hope for. </span><br />
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SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-12892387187184035372017-08-28T19:33:00.003-07:002017-08-28T19:33:16.377-07:00Getting your message out there: Press releases for HEMAEveryone wants their 15 minutes of fame, but other than a tragic sword related accident, or something catastrophic, how do you get the news to cover your event, or club without putting a lot of money into advertising in a lot of different places and hoping you see a return. This article is written with the new press person in mind. If you have found something else works better for you, that is great, keep doing it, but if not, I may have a few ideas to help you grow your club.<br />
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I have been getting press to come out and cover my sword club for years now and have had some success in doing so multiple times a year. By way of a disclaimer, I am not an advertising expert, but I have been doing advertising for my club, as well as the Utah Scottish association for several years now and would like to share my experience with my fellow clubs.<br />
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Know your audience. You may have to write 2 or 3 press releases based on who the readership/viewership of the media you are sending a press release to, but if that reaches them better, it is worth it. Most of the time, I write press releases to the general public, some of whom may show up after seeing us in print or on the news, so I write a very broad press release. Your audience may know what you are talking about when you explain what your club does, but assume that they do not and then, when they show up if they know the subject better, talk at a higher level about it to them.<br />
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In as much as possible, give them something that they could go to press with, with little or no adjustment. What this means is answer 4 W's for them. (Who, What, When, and Where) What it all comes down to is this: You teach a sword class. That is awesome, and it may be interesting to your audience, but it is not something that a news organization will spend a lot of time covering. Before I started sending out focused press releases we had 1 or 2 people come out in the time frame of a couple of years, but now, we have 2 or 3 every 6 months. Timeliness is important here. A story on the fact that you teach a class, since you teach it all the time, it is not timely, as they could run it this weekend or 3 weeks from now and it would make no difference to them.<br />
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What they are willing to cover is an event you are holding, or a special class or seminar you are teaching. News organizations are looking for things people can come and see, or things that people can do, this is your bread and butter. Does that mean that you can't talk about what classes you teach? Absolutely not, but rather than lead with "We teach a sword class and it is awesome." Lead with, "We are teaching a different weapon, or style this month." or "We have a class for new people that starts on this day and costs this much" THEN follow it with "this is a part of our regular class, which teaches X, and here is where you can get more information about who we are and what we do.<br />
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Make sure you have a good website, Facebook page, or good way for people to get a hold of you. If it is a website, make sure that most of the questions you get asked by new people are answered there. That way when people do go there it will cut down on answering the same question over and over. You may still have to answer those questions some, but it at least will cut down on the number of times you have to do so.<br />
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Now you have a piece of beautiful writing, how do you get it to the press?<br />
The way I go about it is this. Go to the website for any organization you want to cover your event, and look for an email of the editor, or where they take press releases. Often, it is something as simple as news@Newspaper.com, or editor@tvchannel.com. Most papers or tv channels will have this information on a contact us page or on the bottom of the main pages. If you are not sure, send it to the press release and the news tip emails. The worst that happens is that they do nothing. If they have a public events calendar, post it there. Most public radio stations for example will, pull stories from their public events calendar for announcement on the air, so it does not hurt to post those to as many calendars as you can. Make sure that you send it out a month before the event, and again a week or so before the event, so they have a chance to run it and a better chance of someone seeing it. What you do not want to do is to send it out weekly or daily to the same people as they will stop paying attention and may ignore things you send them in the future. <br />
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Now, you have done all that and you get a call or email from a news source who wants to come out and talk to you. What next?<br />
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Be willing to be a little silly. If you are on a morning show, they may want to do something silly as a part of what they are showing. I get it, you teach a martial art, that can be serious business, but if you can't have fun with it, they will not come back. The interviewer may ask a silly question, assume that your interviewer, or your audience knows nothing about the topic and keep it simple. If that means that you are teaching the person a drill, or you are showing a drill, do that, but do not go too far into explaining it. You have limited time with a TV crew so keeping it simple is better than explaining a lot and not covering everything you want to due to time.<br />
<br />
Show, don't tell.<br />
When it comes to TV they want to see something interesting. Show some sparring, show some drills, show the different weapons you teach, show a page from a manual, but do not just stand in front of a camera without a sword and say we teach HEMA and it is a lot of fun. Instead, show students doing it or doing a fun game you use in class. They want to see something different, not just a guy in front of the camera talking about your event, even having people spar in the background is better than a guy with a mic talking with nothing going on in the background.<br />
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Lastly, know that as good of a story as you write or they come out and do, at the end of the day, your story is a fun human interest story, and could be bumped due to another more important story. Do not get discouraged, it might happen but even if they bump it today, they could run it tomorrow. On a slow news day they may give you a little more time, but be willing to go with the flow on it.<br />
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Because I believe in showing not telling I have posted one of our press releases below.<br />
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<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">The United Clans Swordsman Association and True Edge Academy of Provo to hold 2<sup>nd</sup>annual sword fighting competition of the year in Salt Lake City</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">For immediate <span class="lG" style="background-color: rgba(251, 246, 167, 0.5); outline: transparent dashed 1px;">release</span> September 24, 2016 Salt Lake City, UT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The United Clans Swordsman Association and True Edge Academy of Swordsmanship will be holding their second bi-annual sword fighting competition of the year October 8<sup>th</sup> 2016 from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City. Both groups are members of the Historical European Martial Arts Alliance a national nonprofit dedicated to Historical European Swordsmanship. Techniques taught include Long sword, Short Sword, Dagger, and unarmed fighting and defense. Participation in the competition will be limited to members of both groups; however, all are welcome to come to watch the event which will be held on the east side of the park by the large stone fireplace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">There will be a beginner’s synthetic longsword tournament, a Synthetic open weapons tournament, and a steel Long Sword tournament all taking place during the competition on October 8<sup>th</sup>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">“The Historical European Martial Arts are really an emerging field,” says Jordan Hinckley a Salt Lake native and Instructor for the UCSA’s Saturday class. “In other sports, what you do is just a game. Even modern Olympic fencing has changed over time and lost much of its original martial intent and skills. This art was something that I always wanted to learn, but up until several years ago did not know existed, what to call it, or where to go learn it. Now having been involved in it for as long as I have it is something I am proud of, and that teaches me skills that go far beyond how to properly swing a sword."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The reasons behind joining for many of the participants in class vary. Some students join because they want to explore the fighting styles of Europe, others come to learn a unique martial art that is not widely practiced, still others find themselves attracted to it because they have always wanted to learn how to fight with a sword, but it does come with a particular caveat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">“We are not playing a game when we show up to class,” Says Travis Emery, the head of the UCSA. “All of our technique is based historical texts and things that were done with the weapons and technique that we teach. In swordsmanship as an art, we look at what is in the historical texts to see what was taught, and how we can practice it safely while still learning the initial intent. More often than not we are surprised by many of the things that are shown in the historical manuals that would be against most modern sporting rules but make total sense in a self-defense situation. This is a combat art that was practiced for centuries through fighting on the field, as well as taught in fencing schools all over Europe.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">“There is a huge misconception that in Europe, the fighting style until fairly recently was very simply hacking and slashing at each other, that there were no martial arts of Europe, this could not be further from the truth. These arts are just as complex as anything taught in the east, after all the body only moves so many ways and can only do so many things.” Says Jack Stewart one of the instructors for the UCSA’s Saturday class.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Both groups teach classes throughout the week. More information about the organization, as well as the Historical European Martial Arts can be found on their websites at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.theucsa.com/&source=gmail&ust=1504058985318000&usg=AFQjCNGI20bwjc0qxyoZTgYfLHzZwmolKg" href="http://www.theucsa.com/" style="color: #7e57c2; position: relative; z-index: 0;" target="_blank">www.TheUCSA.com</a>, and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://trueedgeacademy.com/&source=gmail&ust=1504058985318000&usg=AFQjCNEUOJBMUGgJpFliUuRPiObYqSngjQ" href="http://trueedgeacademy.com/" style="color: #7e57c2; position: relative; z-index: 0;" target="_blank">http://trueedgeacademy.com/</a> as well as on the Facebook pages for both groups.</span></div>
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SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3245884634383998586.post-81877127653224680792017-08-14T19:48:00.000-07:002017-08-14T19:48:58.617-07:00Combat Con 2017 Making progress. I did it, now what?<br />
But we will get back to that.<br />
<br />
This past weekend was Combat Con 2017. For those of you not sure what that means, here is the skinny. Combat Con was the first sword event I ever attended and it changed my life. That can be found here: http://theswordsmanslife.blogspot.com/2014/06/getting-there-and-back-again-combat-con.html<br />
The long and short is that my first Combat Con forced me to ask myself "How can, I?" Rather than staying stuck saying "I can't", I came back in 2015, and it had some great ups, and some major downs but it changed the course of my training just a bit more.<br />
They can be found here:<br />
http://theswordsmanslife.blogspot.com/2015/06/combat-con-matters.html<br />
http://theswordsmanslife.blogspot.com/2015/06/my-personal-thoughts-on-moving-myself.html<br />
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This Combat Con was a turning point for me.<br />
So, the review:<br />
I loved the venue this year, the spaces were plentiful, the schedule allowed me to attend most of the classes that I wanted to attend. But there is something more than that to me. What makes Combat Con for me is the people. I have met people from all around the world here and yet, the thread that binds us all is our love for the art that we practice. For some, that is a particular weapons system, or a particular style of weapons or unarmed study, but that thread binds us all. At Combat Con, the Rapier student and the Long sword student can stand side by side and find common ground in the things that we teach and study.<br />
Combat Con is a family not of blood but of steel. I have seen people help those outside their club improve because the better we all are, the more we have to push ourselves to BE better. I have stood in the corner and coached friends who did not have a coach there to help them, and this weekend I had friends who stood behind me no matter where they were from because they believed in me and were proud of the hard work I have been doing. These are MY people, and there was not a person I met who did not want me to do well.<br />
I met a lot of new people, had one of my best days in HEMA and walked away not only excited for next year, but proud of myself and 2 friends of mine who had good showings in tournaments. One of our students who has moved clubs but still comes to our class from time to time took 1st in steel Long sword and Beginners cutting, but for me this year meant something bigger.<br />
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<b>Cutting it</b><br />
2 years ago at Combat Con I was not able to pass my cutting qualifier to be able to compete in the steel long sword tournament. This was hard on me and I did not do as well as I wanted to in the tournament I ended up in. A year ago, my job was in trouble, so I did not attend. This year, with work stabilized I decided would be the time to come back, and overcome the challenges I faced last time.<br />
I have been working my butt off the last little bit, to make sure that this time I would pass. Going down to Vegas I told myself that if I passed, I would bring home a new cutting sword, and once down I told my friends that if I failed, that money would go to buying more mats so that next time I would be 100% sure that I would pass it. 4 cuts later, I was in. Months and months of worry and hard work to understand how to use my body properly to make sure I could do it was over and here I was, proud of all I had put into it. Not only my local guys cheered me on, but also those friends who have supported me over the years from other clubs.<br />
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<b>On to Steel! </b><br />
The pools were set, mine was bigger than the others but I was going into it knowing that win or loose I would give it my best and prove that I belonged there. In my first match I had on of my friends who has been behind me for the last few years corner coaching me. This is why I love this community, RJ stood with me, when I felt like crap because I failed last time and believed in me that I could get where I wanted to be by this time. Though in California, he critiqued video I sent him and was super supportive all along this process. At the end of the day, I won 2 of my 4 matches and moved on to eliminations since I did well enough to place in the top 24. I may have lost my next match but I made it further than I ever expected to make it, and if my friends are to be believed My fighting has improved since my first time 3 years ago.<br />
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<b>Moving forward. </b><br />
This event has done more for my self esteem than any event I have ever been to. These people want me to do well and are really cheering me on as I work towards that. I am not sure what my next goals may be, but I know that my "Combat Con family" is there for me as I decide and work hard to get there. These are not the people I am related to by blood, but they are those who share a love for the art, and who want all of us to succeed, we may meet other places, but this event has a special place in my heart as where it all began, and where I know I can find a good fight, a decent drink, and some great friends always willing to stand in my corner when I need it.<br />
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Till next year my friends!<br />
Jordan (You know that Henry VIII dude)<br />
<br />SwordsmanJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02373001956987955085noreply@blogger.com