Swing and a Miss (attn. Bella)

Welcome to the Warder Yards. This is the place for Warder and Trainee roleplays. Informal non-training interactions take place here, as well as some extended role plays.
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Welcome to the Warder Yards. This is the place for Warder and Trainee roleplays. Informal non-training interactions take place here, as well as some extended role plays. Yet these events may take place at any area of the Tower, and sometimes outside of it, since the images to the left merely serves as inspiration towards the sceneries of your stories. Channelers are always welcome, and might even find his or her bondmate through the threads that are displayed below.
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Adanys
"The Dragon Reborn"
Posts: 80
Joined: April 16th, 2018, 6:04 pm
PC: Avalan Mond'wil
SC: Mandira Cantlin

Re: Swing and a Miss (attn. Bella)

Post by Adanys » August 14th, 2018, 9:42 pm

Avalan The Gaidin blocked her sword easily, then held their swords in place for a while. She listened to what he had to say, then considered it a moment. The Kingfisher Watches the Sky was an easy, comfortable stance, and in the moment she'd chosen it because it was easy to move into her strike from there.

However, even if it was easy now, she'd follow his advice and learn to use forms properly. It did make sense after all, that striking would be better done from an offensive stance rather than from a defensive stance. The Gaidin stepped back and asked her to try again, this time from an offensive stance.

Avalan moved into The Leaf Floating on the Breeze, her body relaxed and focused (if only the actual forms and strikes were as easy as this part), her sword moving easily from side to side. She took care not to look lazy in this position, she didn't want her instructor thinking she wasn't taking this seriously. Rather, she kept herself relaxed, but still prepared for movement. After all, some of her teachers had been known to strike while she was preparing her own strike, and that had taught her to keep her guard up and remain focused.

Avalan raised her sword slightly, to waist level, and slashed it horizontally, similar to how she'd done Cutting the Clouds. But instead of following through, her blade moved into a vertical arc toward's the Gaidin's throat - The Moon Rises Over the Water. Remembering how easily he'd blocker her earlier, Avalan tried not to hold herself back this time.
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Bella
Female Channeller Representative
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Swing and a Miss (attn. Bella)

Post by Bella » August 20th, 2018, 7:17 pm

Haeden blocked this time too, because frankly, if Bella gets her butt in gear, this boy will be a blademaster...but it took a little more effort than the last time, which drew him to a small smile. She had indeed listened and followed his words. Every teacher was pleased at the moments when that happened.

"Better," he said, as they stepped away from each other. This was not a spar, after all. "You have a fluidity to your movements, particularly in that guard, which cannot be taught. It's either inborn or you just force your body into it over time. You already seem to have that down, and that will help you a great deal in the long run."

He tilted his head slightly, considering. "Think about the times you've ended up on the ground, like when I first approached. Have you noticed a pattern to it? Are you trying to do something in particular?"

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Adanys
"The Dragon Reborn"
Posts: 80
Joined: April 16th, 2018, 6:04 pm
PC: Avalan Mond'wil
SC: Mandira Cantlin

Re: Swing and a Miss (attn. Bella)

Post by Adanys » August 21st, 2018, 10:33 pm

Avalan The man blocked her again, but at least this time he didn't look like he could have fallen asleep while doing it. Avalan allowed herself her own smile at his words, pleased to know she was doing something right. Avalan had always been light on her feet, both on a ship and in the woods, it was good to know that was helping her here as well.

However, being light on her feet wasn't everything she knew, one also had to learn how to use it properly. Else the feet would be too light and she'd end up in the dirt every time.

She considered those times now, trying to find an answer to the Gaidin's question. "Well," she began, "earlier when I went down, it was because my feet were too close together. When I swung the sword the way I did, I wasn't balanced properly and my center of gravity shifted, or something like that I guess. Another time, I was doing a practice spar with a Ji'val, I went down because I'd leaned my upper body too far forward." It was always easy to feel why she was falling, but she'd never really known how to keep it from happening over and over again.

She thought for a moment. "Hmm, usually when I land on my backside, it's when I'm changing forms quicker than I would during normal practice." She leaned her head back just slightly as the problem clicked into her head. "I guess with all the rushing, I forget how important body placement is, I don't remember to balance myself. If I go through the forms slowly, I don't have that problem. It's when the pace picks up that I have trouble staying upright."

She grunted softly. "That does make sense, and here we'd always chalked my problems up to simply not knowing the forms as well as I ought to. 'Practice the forms' they always told me. I guess I need to work on keeping myself balanced." Sure, but how?
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Bella
Female Channeller Representative
Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Swing and a Miss (attn. Bella)

Post by Bella » August 26th, 2018, 11:17 pm

Haeden listened closely, nodding here and there to show her that he was taking in all of her words, and he was. Self-perception could be incredibly important to how someone learned. In fact, he could see the moment when she put some of the pieces together without him having to do anything.

"Your problem is not uncommon," he said kindly. "When you're learning to fight with any weapon, there are many little things going on that you have to remember all at the same time. The only way it works is to create memories in your body. I know it sounds weird, but it's true. You do something often enough that you eventually are able to do it without much thought.

"That's why practicing the forms over and over at a slow pace helps to do them faster later. If you can't yet transition between forms without losing your balance, than you need to practice more at a slower speed until your body knows what your knows," he said. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

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Adanys
"The Dragon Reborn"
Posts: 80
Joined: April 16th, 2018, 6:04 pm
PC: Avalan Mond'wil
SC: Mandira Cantlin

Re: Swing and a Miss (attn. Bella)

Post by Adanys » August 31st, 2018, 4:57 pm

Avalan Avalan listened carefully. She knew one of the reasons she was having a difficult time picking up certain practices was because any sword fighting lessons she’d received had been from self taught sailors, and none of them had been very concerned with form. For them it was always just “slice and cut wherever you can, and make sure you stay alive.” And they’d certainly never taught her to practice the movements slowly at first.

Of course, she’d heard this before, but early on in her training. After several months, she’d begun neglecting that part, thinking she was past it and now it was time to learn how to go through the forms at a faster pace.

“Yes sir, I understand,” she said with a small nod. “Practice slowly so I can memorize how to place myself into the form and how to use it. Practice, practice, practice, over and over and over. They taught me that in that beginning, but I got impatient and thought I could just teach myself to do it faster.” She said the last in a slightly sheepish tone.

Avalan stepped back and fell into a basic stance, deciding to try The Storm on the Mountain. It was a quick move, but she’d go through it slowly to show she'd understood what he'd been telling her. She spun to her left, brought her sword up to shoulder height, then carefully swung it down in a strike at her imaginary opponent's wrist, then pulled it back and thrust it out at their chest, being careful to keep her feet in proper position, and not hit the Gaidin while she was at it.

She stepped back into a relaxed stance and looked at her teacher. “It’s much easier that way, much easier to tell if you’re doing it right or not. I’ll be sure and slow down my speed in practice and pay attention to my positioning until I get the hang of the forms better.”
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Bella
Female Channeller Representative
Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Swing and a Miss (attn. Bella)

Post by Bella » September 6th, 2018, 2:45 pm

Haeden watched as she moved through the form slowly, eyeing her posture and her movements with the keen attention of the long-time instructor that he was. He nodded slowly, approvingly. "Better," he agreed, then he smiled sympathetically. "We all get impatient," he told her. "It is something every student feels at some point, but that's when we must work harder to find our patience.

"I'm going to teach you three things now," he said. "I will practice them slowly with you a few times until you can remember then, and then I want you to practice them on your own. Again, slowly. Do not pick your own speed. Work at the speed I show you today until we need again in several days, then let me determine if you can move on."

His green eyes lit knowingly as he gestured for her to stand straight and follow him.

"Folding and Unfolding the Fan," he announced, putting his sword at his hip in an imaginary sheath that he held with the other hand. "You pull the blade in a single, smooth arc and it flows into guard." He did so, drawing the sword and then bringing it to a basic middle guard stance. "Then back." Another smooth flow into the "sheath" at his side.

He nodded for her to do it with him. "Begin at the beginning, and all else will follow. This move is not only important to do smoothly for practical reasons--you never want to have trouble drawing your blade in a fight--but it signals your body to begin and end. Start and end every practice with this."

After a few practice rounds of that, he moved on.

"Stance. This is called The Ox Lowers His Horns." He held the sword out and then balanced himself, leaning his weight onto his back leg as the fore extended slightly. Sword held in both hands, above his head and point slightly down. "This is an offensive stance, ready to spring at any moment. You use the weight on your back foot to power into your move. Try it."

He held the form as he watched her move into it. "Can you feel the balance of your weight?" He listened then continued. "Third thing, an offensive strike ideal from this position. The Falcon Stoops." He moved from the stance and forward, using his back leg to add power to the short, overhand strike before sliding back to guard.

"Try it with me." He repeated it, slowly and moving with her. "Can you feel the power from your back leg and back shoulder as you strike? We'll do it again until you feel comfortable in it, then you will practice these on your own over the next few days."

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Adanys
"The Dragon Reborn"
Posts: 80
Joined: April 16th, 2018, 6:04 pm
PC: Avalan Mond'wil
SC: Mandira Cantlin

Re: Swing and a Miss (attn. Bella)

Post by Adanys » September 11th, 2018, 4:59 pm

Avalan Avalan nodded her understanding and mimicked his stance. She felt a bit chastised having to go back to the basics like this, but she did her best to not let it show. She reminded herself that while she was going about things slowly again, this would help her advance quicker than she had been lately.

Following his movements, Avalan smoothly unsheathed her practice sword and brought it into a guard stance, then brought it back to her side in its imaginary sheath. She'd done this 100 times and her body knew it well, but she made sure to temper herself and do it slowly, as he instructed. She practiced it a few more times, and instead of just blankly going through the motions, she paid attention to her body, memorizing every muscle movement, making sure she was in proper stance.

The Gaidin moved into The Ox Lowers His Horns. He instructed her to follow and she did, carefully placing her feet, placing her weight on her back foot. She raised her sword into position then glanced over at her teacher. "I can, yes. With my weight on my back foot, I'd be able to quickly lunge forward, instead of pulling myself forward with my front leg." Which is exactly what he did next, striking with The Falcon Stoops. Avalan repeated the maneuver, more slowly, paying attention to how she moved. The strike was a bit awkward at first, but she let that slide off of her, trying again instead of focusing on the blunder.

She pulled back into guard stance, and tried again. Letting her muscles do the work instead of her mind, the strike flowed easier this time. "Being more deliberate and slow in my movements helps, but I can also overthink it and mess up that way. I'll keep practicing these until my speed picks up." She practiced it one more time, then smoothly Folded the Fan, signaling an end to the practice. "I'll make sure to practice others I know I'm having trouble with as well. Thank you, Haeden Gaidin." She smiled and bowed.
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