sword arts info

I've seen people try to learn things from being told and shown. No matter how attentive they are in class, they always overextend their knee during a lunge (a good way to wear it out and break it). They don't even know it until I hold a foil up to their leg like a plumb line. No matter how many times I tell them to extend with the hand straight out from the shoulder and aim with their fingers (reduces arm hits and makes it harder for them to tell your target), they always start out by straightening their arm right for their target. When I give them my "what are you doing?" look, I always get the "What? I'm doing it right" response. Every class I have ever taught or helped teach, I have emphasized that you push their blade out in a circle parry, not down into your leg. Every time, I hear cries of "OWWWW" as tips dig into thighs from a misdone parry. Then, they do it again and again until I come over and hit them over the head with my foil.

Note a pattern? They mess up and don't know that they are doing it. This is a very common thing. You can't see yourself properly, even in a full length mirror. You simply don't know what to look for. You don't have the instructor's eyes that can tell that you are leaning on your back foot or that your hips are swaying. Also, any questions that you have will have to remain unanswered.

The only people who learn from books well are those with prior training who are trying to ressurect a forgotten art together (like Mercier here). They know what will hurt their knees or expose their arms. Thus, they can correctly interpret the drawings and text (descriptions can be woefully incomplete. You've seen how much text I used simply to describe the most basic of problems. Do you even want me to list all of them?). They also can correct each other and find the best meaning. Even then, I am loath to recommend anyone due to the sheer problems of learning without a teacher.

Now, do you understand where we are coming from?