First off, I'll say that you did a great job with the lighting - you found that perfect spot where we can see your body well enough for critique while still allowing the lightsaber to shine in the dark.
Thanks! I found a happy spot where the yard lighting still keeps everything fairly well lit. Most of my practice happens at this time of night so I need that light so I don't blind myself with my saber.
Second, I must say that your Makashi work is very impressive. You seem to have really picked up some of the techniques (I see the basic parries from my Makashi basics video in there!) in very little time. Well done! Your low parries are very smooth and seem to adequately cover the proper range, though your side parries are just a bit high. In this case simply lower them a bit so that you're only moving laterally and not up (from the en garde position I mean, when your blade is pointed at the opponent).
Thank you for the tips and compliments. I started with your video, and added a few of the movements I saw in the videos I posted in the fencing thread. I am going to develop a Dulon to flow through defensive patterns in all of the en-garde positions. I really like to start in 4th for some reason (likely because it is high and intimidating). I am finding it difficult to adapt my parries from a blade to blade Sai block (which is my first reaction from my time spent with a bokken) to a side parry with a slashing riposte. I am getting there, just need to muscle memory it out.
I would just keep practicing them until your lunge and recovery becomes nice and smooth. I'll put up a lunging tutorial sometime soon to give everybody a little more instruction on that particular technique, since it's so important for a rapid and effective attack.
I need to practice sitting in to my lunge more, and executing it higher on the body, I nutted someone tonight.
Finally, I'll add that it's important to execute the bladework of Makashi with the arm, mostly the wrist in fact. You don't want to get too much body involved with that aspect, as it will throw off your technique and prevent you from achieving the precision you want. Using the body to dodge is fine obviously, which you're getting good at. However, the less muscle you use for parries and attacks the better, as it will keep your motions smaller and more efficient.
I agree with that, my shoulder was very sore directly after I made this video and looking back on it now (after reading this) I see a lot of places where a simpler elbow rotation or roll of my wrist would have achieved the same thing with less motion and strain on my shoulder. blade placement is huge as well, to learn to keep my hilt more toward the center of my body unless circling for a slash.
Again, well done... you're learning very quickly!
/bow thank you Master.
