Mail - oh, the joy
Friday, 10. February 2006, 02:58:14
I get a lot of email. Occasionally I get real mail - a letter or card that isn't a bill, and I love it. Unfortunately I am a terrible correspondent, so I only get a bit more than I deserve...
But last night I put on my mail - the armour that I made over a long time. I took my "object designed to represent a sword in theatrical and educational reconstructions of medieval times", and spear, (well, object designed...) and shield, and went to training.
I'm not a complete slob. I don't mind physical exercise as such. I don't like gyms because I get bored, and the same goes for running, normally. As my reader would be aware (oh, my readers - both
I like swimming, when I get around to it. Which seems odd, since I just go up and down, up and down. I don't quite understand myself.
But for a long time my main form of exercise has been practising medieval style fighting - sword, shield, spear, armour, and so on. Living in Norway I don't really do it much, but the group that I helped found 10 years ago is still going, and when they are training and I am in Melbourne I try not to miss it.
It feels good. Hard work, skill and motor control, controlled agression, teamwork. All the things that make a sport. Plus 20 or so kg of weight, by the time I add a training shield and sword (slightly heavier than most originals, since the edges are thicker). It is like riding a bicycle. You don't forget, but you do get rusty. Being basically a careful kind of fighter, I enjoy feeling the control come back. After nearly two decades there are a lot of reflexes that have slowed with disuse, but not gone away completely, and there is a great feeling as they slowly start twitching again.
Although I won a few times, I lost quite a lot. I'm also not as fit as I used to be when I trained week in week out, so didn't last nearly as long as I once would have.
It's not winning or losing, it's how much fun it is to play. I had a fantastic time, and came out hot, sweaty, sore, tired, and smiling from ear to ear.
But last night I put on my mail - the armour that I made over a long time. I took my "object designed to represent a sword in theatrical and educational reconstructions of medieval times", and spear, (well, object designed...) and shield, and went to training.
I'm not a complete slob. I don't mind physical exercise as such. I don't like gyms because I get bored, and the same goes for running, normally. As my reader would be aware (oh, my readers - both
But for a long time my main form of exercise has been practising medieval style fighting - sword, shield, spear, armour, and so on. Living in Norway I don't really do it much, but the group that I helped found 10 years ago is still going, and when they are training and I am in Melbourne I try not to miss it.
It feels good. Hard work, skill and motor control, controlled agression, teamwork. All the things that make a sport. Plus 20 or so kg of weight, by the time I add a training shield and sword (slightly heavier than most originals, since the edges are thicker). It is like riding a bicycle. You don't forget, but you do get rusty. Being basically a careful kind of fighter, I enjoy feeling the control come back. After nearly two decades there are a lot of reflexes that have slowed with disuse, but not gone away completely, and there is a great feeling as they slowly start twitching again.
Although I won a few times, I lost quite a lot. I'm also not as fit as I used to be when I trained week in week out, so didn't last nearly as long as I once would have.
It's not winning or losing, it's how much fun it is to play. I had a fantastic time, and came out hot, sweaty, sore, tired, and smiling from ear to ear.
(Now it's also obvious why your shoulder is sore)
Oh, btw, there are four bloglines subcribers to your feed.
By koalie, # 10. February 2006, 11:42:31
No, for some reason it actually helps my shoulder. Yes, I also had fun - maybe that's the real key?
4 Readers through bloglines - that's like being nearly famous!
By chaals, # 13. February 2006, 15:01:29