Thrust into fear

I was talking to a friend about this blog, and she said, "Do it scared." So I did.

It was my first time teaching solo, and I think I did okay. I was scared, and I handled it.

Someone asked me to spar. In the ring, he just stood there waiting for my move until he asked, "Why are you scared to hit me?" Then I scored a hit.

I taught a lesson on thrusts this week, and two critical components for me are:

1. Knowing my range

2. Committing to the move

Essentially, the thrust needs to be possible, and I must believe in that possibility completely. Even when I'm scared.

I'm capable of so many things, and I certainly don't commit to everything. I carefully select my commitments, and even then, sometimes I overcommit.

What happens when you overcommit in a thrust? In HEMA, two things typically happen:

1. Your gear protects you

2. The sword bends

Let's think about each of those protections.

First the gear. We put on armor to protect ourselves before a fight. That's just a smart thing to do. You don't have to wear armor all the time, and it's actually good to take it off when you're done. Preemptive protection, I'm a fan.

Then the sword. This is a built-in feature that cannot be removed. The sword redirects the force into an arch rather than a straight line. Flexibility is protection, and yet, the sword is not an overcooked noodle. It remains a sword.

I felt scared this week. I may have overcommitted (just a smidge). However, I wear my armor as necessary, and I have built reasonable flexibility into my life. The possibility of taking a hit is less scary when you have protective gear/mindset/precautions. And when I'm thrust into a situation with too much force, I can bend/redirect/flex into a safer shape while retaining the core of who I am.

So do it scared and do it safe.