Sword work:

[Stuart]

Hey Wolfen,

The reason for only capping the butt end is that it changes the POB (point of balance) on the weapon. Normally, the weapon is wielded with one hand at the POB and one a quarter of the way up the staff. By capping the butt, you not only increase the weight of its blows but you increase the length of the cue.(part of the staff in front of the forward hand. This gives you more reach with the cue but less with the butt. Another way of altering the balance is to use a tapering staff. If the butt is thicker than the cue and midst then the balance point is moved backwards. Even just sharpening the point will move the POB back a little.

Cheers
Stu.

[Chuckie]

Sorry I`v had assignments so haven't followed up, in answer to your question, capping the point will make blows slightly heavier, however it will make them a lot slower, you want the weight distribution to be further back towards the hand, it will give you power while still having a high degree of mobility.

When I use a poll axe I prefer to use it in a reverse grip, that is the head of the axe behind my controlling hand, as far as using the but when passing back? No, I don't find the range to be like that, the distance they have to move is to far.  When they pass the point and are coming in you can just stay there or sometimes pass in and swing the but in, can you imagine an axe blade at high velocity going up between your legs?? It's a nasty attack.  I also find that when the axe is close to my hand I can move it quickly, when I have it at the end of the staff its to slow, this way I have a quick weapon at longer distance and an axe head that will make people hesitant to try to get in close.  However saying that I`m a swordsman, 8' Staff has little interest for me.

FYI the way we use a staff, and the way the English used it.  Low ward: hold the weapon left hand in the COB right hand so that if you were to extend the weapon so your right forearm lies flat along the staff the butt of the staff should cover your elbow. The staff is held at an angle so the hands are low and right and the point is above the head, the staff is angled across to cover the head against downward blows, hands are extended away from the body, this covers your whole right side (and you can slip the butt down if they try to go under your staff )  The basic attack hold the left hand static and pivot the staff around that point, Do this in such a way that the tip moves in a circular fashion, this allows you to generate more momentum in the staff more quickly than pulling the staff back and then reversing its course and striking.  Only at the last moment does your left hand apply any power to the blow.

Standing in this ward move your left hand down, brining the point up, you can then circle the point down to the left and try to strike under his guard, round in a smaller circle to strike his head on the his right side, or circle the point right to hit his head on the left side.  The most important point is to not move the front hand until the blow is about to strike, otherwise you will telegraph your intention or overextend.  These blows are hard enough to kill or break bones.

Defending attacks: a lot of the defences used block there staff at the selfsame time as striking them, it is more closing the line so they cant hit you than actually parrying the blow, but it works, Winding is a distinct possibility since the attacker is likely to abort the attack or change it in such a way that he is not hit, but I`m out of time.

*Sigh *I did have a question about the way ARMA handles simultaneous counterattacks, from looking at the program I didn't get a clear idea, and I did have a point about shields but that will have to be later. I want a time machine, I don't have enough time at the moment.

Charles

[William Carew]

Chuckie-

Glad to hear that we're more on the same page now. Sorry, too, if my post seemed a bit sharp, but I think we understand each other now.

Yes, I'm a Free Scholar in the ARMA system. Have you dealt with ARMA-Gold coast by any chance? I think that's what the Austrailian group is called. Either way I've heard of Stocatta School.

The Rest-

The only time I've been actually injured sparring was a "full evasion" that I must have botched on--an Oberhau broke my left index finger as I voided back and went into Vom Tag (okay, for all you non WMA types I was going into a high guard when a downward vertical strike whacked my finger). So yeah, you can get whacked doing them, but it's a rare thing.



Jake

Hi Everyone.

This looks like a good as any time to introduce myself.

I'm also a WMA student, in Brisbane, who enjoys history, Scfi-Fi and Fantasy literature, movies and RPGs, depsite the dearth of good ones. As such I'm very interested in seeing and learning more about TROS.

I just thought I'd pop in here because I have trained with Craig Gemeiner, the leader of the aforementioned ARMA- Gold Coast, for over a year. Unfortunately my training has lapsed recently, due to work committments, but I'm hoping to change that soon! Craig is a great bloke, great teacher and fighter!

I also can relate to Jake's injury somewhat. I also co-incidently broke a finger on my left hand, in between the wrist and knuckle, in sparring. It was my own fault too, as I executed a very sloppy and inappropriate dagger parry against a very hard zornhau (diagonal cut) with a padded longsword. That's one mistake I won't make again (knock on wood), so I guess there is some truth to the maxim that "What hurts, teaches" ;) .

Anywho, just thought I'd take a moment to introduce myself, so that everyone doesn't shake their head in bafflement if that strange "William" character starts posting out of nowhere.

Cheers,

William