In simplicity, do you find your greatness?

[Thorsteinn]

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."
~ Bruce Lee

Very recently I have realized that I have gotten away from the Basics again and have suffered in result. Not only are the Basics good, but I like them. When I win with a solidly basic move I feel like I did something 'right'. Winning with an advanced move is merely nice.

Maybe I have only been getting away from myself in pursuit of something not me?

The Romans had people who could be seen as duelists but they also had the Legion, and the Legion's bread and butter were the basics. One could say that the Empire was made, in part, from basic sword work.

How do you feel about 'The Basics'? What are your 'Basics'?

-Ivan

(Above classic quote stolen from: The Twenty Best Martial Arts Quotes of All Time)

[Sir Edward]

Dang, there's a lot of truth to that. It reminds me that I really need to drill my cuts and guards a lot more. I don't usually get to practice outside of class, because I don't have the space for it in my house, and there's no yard. And I suffer for it. Repetition is a good thing, and I need to do more!

[SirNathanQ]

Well really, advanced moves are simply supposed to build upon the basics. To do the advanced moves well, you should learn the basics behind them even better.
Also alot goes in the way of combat mindset and versatility. You know?

[Thorsteinn]

I was so out of practice that I recently won a HEMA sparring match by using an advanced trick (well.. combo really) and I did it to a beginner. I should have beaten him with basics, but I was too out of practice. He learned nothing, and that was my fault.

The victory felt hollow, but it did tell me I need to get back into practice.

Then this flu-cough thing started...

[Sir William]

A win's a win...in the end, that's what mattered.  Back then, anyway.  I get your point...the basics are the building blocks...if they're shaky, the whole structure's flawed.  I think its easy to get away from the basics as your skill increases, but it isn't necessarily a good thing.

[Sir Rodney]

How do you feel about 'The Basics'? What are your 'Basics'?

Think of a well built house.  The basics are your foundation, both literally and figuratively.  All the rest is window dressing.

My time in the SCA has taught me a few fundamental basics.  I'm no expert and I do get schooled by others, but here are my thoughts.

Range - Know your opponents’ range.
Footwork - Stand still and die.
Shot Combinations - Don't simply strike and reload.  (The exact shot combinations are just your personal preference.)
Have Fun - If you're not, you're doing something wrong.

[SirNathanQ]

Another good point I mention, is that "basics doesn't mean only doing the very beginner move right, the exact same way it was taught to you in the very beginning.
For instance, when throwing cuts in longsword, you don't have to follow the swing the whole half-way around your body, as you probably did in the beginning to get the edge alignment correct. You can immediately drop into guards, follow with a reverse cut with the false edge, ect. (I know those are incredibly simple things to do after a cut, but they are just for examples) You wouldn't be doing it the same way, and some might not call it a basic, but as long as you maintain the correct movement (in this instance a cut) you are still keeping your basics strong.

[Sir Brian]

At the MASHS session yesterday we started doing some drills on grappling with the sword. We did two basic ones when coming to the bind doing an Oberhau from right vom Tag. The first was releasing the secondary hand thereby going soft in the bind and simultaneously grabbing the wrist/hand/forearm of your opponent and pushing it away along with their blade while doing a slope pace to make a pommel strike.

The second grapple from the same bind was again releasing the secondary hand then wrapping your pommel over your opponent’s primary wrist while making a slope pace and bringing the long edge against the side of their neck and using their wrist as a fulcrum to force your opponent down using your secondary hand on your blade for additional leverage.

As we were working the second drill some of us inquired if there was any documented counter to the move. We then tried a few various counter moves with none really being effective until we came to the realization that you need to execute the counter move immediately when you feel your opponents pommel wrap around your wrist, the counter being you must release your secondary hand and grab their hand close to the guard while making your own slope pace when you can then execute a complete reversal and bring your blade against your opponents neck.

Yep the longsword is simple, efficient and deadly in its economy of effort and motion.

[Sir Edward]

Yep the longsword is simple, efficient and deadly in its economy of effort and motion.

This is why I love it so.

[SirNathanQ]

Ah the longsword. Such a beautiful weapon.
Will always be my favorite.

[Sir James A]

More of my audience time has been with eastern martial arts, but it was rare for me to see reasonably similar skill level bouts with a tornado kick or wild "advanced" technique. A well placed, basic shot was often the deciding strike. There's also the muscle memory training from doing the same motions repeatedly, vs varied motions, that help with instinctively striking without thinking and keeping good form without thinking about the form.

I find true elegance in simplicity, and in doing more with less.

[Joshua Santana]

What can I say? Within the simplicity of the Basics of the Chivalric Art, there is beauty.  Hint: Training in the Basics, making the Basics into prefect jewels will make you a more advanced and skilled practitioner.

Another good point I mention, is that "basics doesn't mean only doing the very beginner move right, the exact same way it was taught to you in the very beginning.
For instance, when throwing cuts in longsword, you don't have to follow the swing the whole half-way around your body, as you probably did in the beginning to get the edge alignment correct. You can immediately drop into guards, follow with a reverse cut with the false edge, ect. (I know those are incredibly simple things to do after a cut, but they are just for examples) You wouldn't be doing it the same way, and some might not call it a basic, but as long as you maintain the correct movement (in this instance a cut) you are still keeping your basics strong.

That is wisdom right there!  I salute you for that!  I can relate this with my current studies at SIGMA, recently we did a basic oberhau/unterhau combination along Guard Transitions Drills.  The drills look easy to do, but doing them correctly with perfect focus, intention and footwork is really intense.  I practice these drills at home and work on focus, perfect blade angle, balance of speed and power, and most important eye and hand coordination.  These tiny aspects are the building blocks of the basics. 

Range - Know your opponents’ range.
Footwork - Stand still and die.
Shot Combinations - Don't simply strike and reload.  (The exact shot combinations are just your personal preference.)
Have Fun - If you're not, you're doing something wrong.

Very nice!  I like that!

At the MASHS session yesterday we started doing some drills on grappling with the sword. We did two basic ones when coming to the bind doing an Oberhau from right vom Tag. The first was releasing the secondary hand thereby going soft in the bind and simultaneously grabbing the wrist/hand/forearm of your opponent and pushing it away along with their blade while doing a slope pace to make a pommel strike.

The second grapple from the same bind was again releasing the secondary hand then wrapping your pommel over your opponent’s primary wrist while making a slope pace and bringing the long edge against the side of their neck and using their wrist as a fulcrum to force your opponent down using your secondary hand on your blade for additional leverage.

As we were working the second drill some of us inquired if there was any documented counter to the move. We then tried a few various counter moves with none really being effective until we came to the realization that you need to execute the counter move immediately when you feel your opponents pommel wrap around your wrist, the counter being you must release your secondary hand and grab their hand close to the guard while making your own slope pace when you can then execute a complete reversal and bring your blade against your opponents neck.

Very good Sir Brian!  Well done on the descriptions of the techniques!

Yep the longsword is simple, efficient and deadly in its economy of effort and motion.

Ah the longsword. Such a beautiful weapon.
Will always be my favorite.

So true, that is my reason for being a Longsword Fighter and I love the weapon!

There's also the muscle memory training from doing the same motions repeatedly, vs varied motions, that help with instinctively striking without thinking and keeping good form without thinking about the form.

That is how the Basics work, Muscle Memory is the Key to success in any Art.

I find true elegance in simplicity, and in doing more with less.

I second that!

[SirNathanQ]

What I would like to see is some WMA sword and heater shield.
Too bad we really only have I:33  (and that's sword and buckler)
But I find a lot of the longsword work even applying to a one-handed weapon. The Blade lengths themselves are not that different, and I use a lot of the same guards, with one-handed twists.
But what I really notice is the new bazzilion opportunities to nail someone with my off-hand. I think that's directly from all my favorite things to do in longsword, and it works bloody well!