This weapon is your life: Saberfit Challenge

[Darth Nonymous]

The street hockey gloves would be good but perhaps some face protection first?



Agree.  And a cup.  I do have a fencing helmet.  We weren't using any face protection since it was "light sparring" and head shot's not allowed.  We've only done full speed, open target with "soft sticks".  Below video is from  stick fighting tournament but gives an idea of what we mean by full speed.  We are supposed to be playing "blade rules" but it turns in to whack-a-mole.  I only show the first 10 seconds because I end up gassing out and losing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-Nq23fEKbs#ws

YES! All great advice! I like the tourney but sympathize with the whack-a-mole effect.

Darkside point.

[Master VorNach]

We are supposed to be playing "blade rules" but it turns in to whack-a-mole.  I only show the first 10 seconds because I end up gassing out and losing.

  A point for you sir.
Whack-a-sith?
Whack-a-jedi?

It looked like a fun event there.

[Veldryne]

Went to the monastery ruins tonight and we did some work for more fight choreography for comic con.

We are doing it in smaller sequences of attacks and breaking off. We are probably going to try and add a couple more in, but you guys can watch a bit of our practice. We were out there for about two hours.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrmhgq-WAKg" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrmhgq-WAKg</a>

[Hake Felflame]

So after a month I finally got off my butt and had enough ducks in a row to put a video together. Tried some djem so after watching Vornach's video a couple times. I can't help but feel like I was kind of sloppy because I spent a couple hours doing choreography work with the Golden Gate Knights today. I got to be Vader in some ESB re-enactment and my new saber (which is not an ultrasaber omg don't freak out y'all) is quite on the evil side in appearance. One day I need to bring my flipcam with me to a class.

Anyway enough rambling here's the video (when it's finally done processing after like two hours so far).

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xCOmtEVhQY" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xCOmtEVhQY</a>

[Veldryne]

Nice hake, everything is looking smoother and smoother. Keep it up!

[Darth Nonymous]

Balls, the video didn't upload last night. Try that again...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xCOmtEVhQY#ws
(if a mod cam pop this into my previous post and nuke this one that'd be cool)

Very nice. I would like to hear VorNach's opinion. I am seeing his influence.

[Master Nero Attoru]

Very nice. I would like to hear VorNach's opinion. I am seeing his influence.

Me too, I think that was a pretty good demonstration.  I won't lie, I watched the video before I read the post and my first thought was "oh we have a Djem So guy here..."  I'd say that means you captured the essence of the Form at the very least.

The second part, with the green saber, was much more flowing.  Was that just free form, or were you doing a version of Soresu?

[Hake Felflame]

Yeah, I was trying for something like Soresu in the middle section there, though I'm finding that fluidity is not one of my strong points. As for the Djem So, I actually have had no formal weapons training, but I have played many racquet/stick-to-ball sports and I almost felt a bit of my golf swing in some of those movements.

[Master Nero Attoru]

Yeah, I was trying for something like Soresu in the middle section there, though I'm finding that fluidity is not one of my strong points. As for the Djem So, I actually have had no formal weapons training, but I have played many racquet/stick-to-ball sports and I almost felt a bit of my golf swing in some of those movements.

Yeah I can see that.  I haven't played much golf, but I'd imagine the swing technique would have many things in common with a two handed cut - using the whole body to provide power.  The fluidity of your middle segment was good though, and you seem to take to free form rather easily.  I know that sounds minor, but it's actually something quite a few people have trouble with, giving themselves over to instinct and just going with the flow.

I also like how you paired up the sabers with your style - the red Sithy blade with the aggressive Djem So and the green blade with the passive Soresu.  I admit I do the same kind of thing - I get a red blade in hand and feel like I need to channel Vader or something.  Actually, ever since ROTS I feel the same about blue...

[Veldryne]

you channel vader because you are a giant lol, not because of the red blade

[Hake Felflame]

I also like how you paired up the sabers with your style - the red Sithy blade with the aggressive Djem So and the green blade with the passive Soresu.  I admit I do the same kind of thing - I get a red blade in hand and feel like I need to channel Vader or something.  Actually, ever since ROTS I feel the same about blue...

Actually, the pairing of sabers wasn't so much as the color but the balance. The red saber (my Dark Lord Relic) has a thick-walled blade, and combined with the slightly top-heavy hilt design, the balance point is about three up the blade from the emitter. It felt a little better with the Djem So motions. It also helps that I wanted a red blade for that hilt since it's supposed to be my Sith character's saber for choreo.

I also took some long exposure shots again because I like looking at the blade motion in one reference image, though the red blade didn't show up as well as the green blade.

[Master Nero Attoru]

you channel vader because you are a giant lol, not because of the red blade

Oh shush you

Actually, the pairing of sabers wasn't so much as the color but the balance. The red saber (my Dark Lord Relic) has a thick-walled blade, and combined with the slightly top-heavy hilt design, the balance point is about three up the blade from the emitter. It felt a little better with the Djem So motions. It also helps that I wanted a red blade for that hilt since it's supposed to be my Sith character's saber for choreo.

I also took some long exposure shots again because I like looking at the blade motion in one reference image, though the red blade didn't show up as well as the green blade.

I know exactly what you mean.  My GB Redemption is a pretty hefty hilt, and as such I have a 36" UEHG blade in it.  It's definitely my designated Djem So hilt lol

[Hake Felflame]

I still think I need to balance out my Dark Lord Relic with some extra weight in the pommel, and maybe put a different blade in it, but otherwise I'm liking how a heavier weapon feels for the power swings.

[Master VorNach]

 

Very nice. I would like to hear VorNach's opinion. I am seeing his influence.

OK

Yeah, I was trying for something like Soresu in the middle section there, though I'm finding that fluidity is not one of my strong points. As for the Djem So, I actually have had no formal weapons training, but I have played many racquet/stick-to-ball sports and I almost felt a bit of my golf swing in some of those movements.

Hake,
Nice work, you sports background does serve you well in terms of delivering committed, whole body cuts and maintaining a smooth continuous action through each motion.

The fluidity you show in your second segment shows the concern you’re not very good at it is not entirely the case. I would encourage you to work on integrating that stream of motion when you try the Djem So inspired work you are doing. You have a good handle on elements that I haven’t talked about much yet; keeping the blade between you and your opponent or returning it quickly, with power, when you take it out of that line. Fluid motion will enhance this process.

Things I would encourage you to look at as you continue to work on this are posture/body positioning and footwork. I don’t have any specific references to these in the demos we’ve posted so far but those elements are present in the demonstrations if you look beyond the weapon movement.

Master Nonymous is working on a basic footwork tutorial which will apply directly to Djem So, (along with everything else we've been talking about).

[Hake Felflame]

Things I would encourage you to look at as you continue to work on this are posture/body positioning and footwork. I don’t have any specific references to these in the demos we’ve posted so far but those elements are present in the demonstrations if you look beyond the weapon movement.

Master Nonymous is working on a basic footwork tutorial which will apply directly to Djem So, (along with everything else we've been talking about).

Thank you for the feedback. In regards to footwork exercises, is that something that would be better practiced indoors? It's kind of hard to tell from the video, but the area in my yard that hasn't been taken over by building materials and Burning Man supplies is very rough and uneven (I actually tripped in a couple other takes that I deleted from the final edit). I guess in a way this is similar to the question I posed for this week's Q&A session about exercises in limited space.