Well, I'm just dandy.

Apart from being sick, I mean.

I am now a proud owner of a rapier (boo-ya!) and am now displaying early signs of wicked bruises. Last night was my first night of the mastery class as a green cord. So on to why I'm actually updating. They suggest keeping track of any sword work done while trying to get your blue cord, any sparring/sparring partners and things done well and things that...need improvement. So, as I don't have my awesome notebook here (I'm at school waiting for class to start in half an hour) I'm going to record here. For your viewing displeasure as I'm sure no one actually cares to read this. XD

So, yesterday we started offhand work.
Basics are:
- take care of your opponents sword with your offhand and stab them with your sword.
- you need to keep the offhand in an open position when you get into guard (prima, seconda, terza, querta) and move to a closed position as you lunge, squaring your shoulders.
- each guard has a different open position;
- terza is up by your chest
- prima and seconda are by your stomach
- querta is by your chin
- closed positions vary as per high or low defense; wrists are kept close together;
- prima: ?
- seconda: offhand makes a "T" below the wrist
- terza: "defends high, attacks low", hand is above wrist facing quadrant opponent is attacking?
- quarta: hand crosses wrist and faces quadrant opponent is attacking
- offhand is kept cupped to reduce chance of injury, attempt to keep contact to flat edge of blade
- blade is parallel to opponents blade: attack is high, blade will be under; attack is low, blade will be above
- guard changes as per quadrant: hand moves blade farther to side that opponent is attacking: attack to high left, defend in quarta using offhand to move hand farther left.

I think that's it...

So., yesterday was another first: SPARRING!

Sally, whose first name he did not tell me, decided that as a newb, I should be inducted to sparring. I told him he was a crazy idiot. He agreed. Highlights, he stabbed me in the chest fairly hard once (I have a bruise) and managed to lock my hand somehow... Plus I've noted he fights dirty. He adds stuff that would be useful in any other situation, but he fails to tell me that he might do that. Here I am being destroyed. Plus side, I did a perfect quarta closed defense. My only hit of the night.

Class is starting soon. Sooooooo, I'm going to stop. For now.