Yes. I have studied Judo and a brief amount of study of Budo (combo of Aike Jujitsu and Shorin Ru Karate). I have also had extensive training with stage combat, both with weapons and hand-to-hand techniques.

The theories of mindfulness are the most helpful keeping my awareness keen while I’m fencing and also trying to stay in the moment rather than wandering off to the "what ifs". Also, the techniques of parrying and attack are all the same in their basics. Having a different perspective and using more of my body in my fencing has been extremely helpful and enlightening. A lot of the exercises used in the martial arts translate into excellent fencing exercises, particularly when you are training folks how to spar or the theory behind a particular parry.

Stage combat has forced me to look into more period technique, more than I would have otherwise. It’s also where I can explore more of the grappling which we cannot safely do in our fencing. Again, it’s all new perspective, seeing the hows and whys more clearly when looking through the lense of a slightly different point of view. The ability to look at the grappling lets me see both more of the context of what we do as well as what really wouldn’t be safe about integrating some of that sort of grappling. I agree with Jean Paul that I think we could integrate small amounts of it safely someday.

Calm and confident that you will do your best.

It is a direct result of the mindfulness training. My first experience with mindfulness training was with Pierre. He taught a workshop on mindset for fencing. I understood it and did my best to put it into practice with working on mindfulness in my breathing, noticing when I felt ready and when I felt off balance.

When I began training in Budo, there were more exercises I was exposed to, more practice I was given in mindfulness: paying attention, thanking the person who is teaching you, because they have given you a gift. It’s slowing things down in my head so that I remember who I am and what I’m doing right now. This has helped a lot in things far beyond fencing as well.

Definitely. I try not to fight when I’m hungry or angry as that totally wrecks my concentration and may lead to someone getting injured. When I’m nervous, I fight horribly as well. I tend to fall back on bad habits when I’m nervous.

I enjoy playing a martial arts form that celebrates our history and meeting the various people who also love fencing. And I am a bit of a fantasy movie/story nerd, so the opportunity to play with swords is greatly satisfying.

I would change my knee injury which prevents me from exploring more options with voids. Generally, I would like to be more flexible in terms of different approaches and styles, which I am working on. I would prefer that the fencing community have more rapier teaching events rather than just practices and tournaments.

I would like to see courses on how to teach various things: theories of teaching, with practice teaching in a symposium sort of atmosphere. Sharing techniques, exercises, and HOW to be a teacher with students are all things that I feel we just pick up here and there. I would love for all of this to be more accessible to us on a more regular basis, particularly to those folks who live in outlying regions who can’t get to lots of events.

When we do teaching events, so much great stuff gets shared in terms of historical technique or a particular weapons form, which is also fantastic. More of that would be excellent, as well.

For me, it’s the difference between enjoying myself and not enjoying myself. I don’t typically enjoy the mindset of fighting to win. It’s nice to win. And it’s nice to win a bout. But did I learn anything? I enjoy learning and celebrating fencing with my fencing partner, not just competing. This is why I prefer pick-ups over tournies.

Nerves. Firstly on my end, my brain does this flip-flop and feels watched. As much as I know it’s in my head, it doesn’t like to go away. I end up putting more pressure on myself, and feel constrained. Plus, some folks get more aggressive, sometimes even unpleasant to fence with because they put so much stock into the results of the tourney. I do not enjoy that atmosphere.

My love of the form and teaching.

Don Pierre de Tours
Joshua Pendragon
All of my students

Pierre has worked with me as well as with my students. He and I meet, we fence, we discuss what happened, what could be better, what went well. We have talked mindset theories, sword makers, rapier manuals, and shared our mutual love of playing with swords. We also talk about any sort of cool stories we have about recent fencing events or practices, or just life stories. We then discuss my students, and their strengths and weaknesses, what might benefit them. We do a lot of assessing and diagnosis together. But first and foremost, he and I are good friends. He is a role model for me, just by how he comports himself in the Society as well as in his life.

I much prefer free-bouting. Drilling actually aggravates my knee injury now. So I have to get as much as I can from free-bouting. There are drills I can teach and participate in that are not so heavily repetition-based that I also find very helpful. But for my own fencing, I prefer free-bouting.

Singles for my own fencing. But I love running amusingly themed melees for my students. They love it, and that is the part of the whole fencing game that I like to share with them.

I much prefer my 35-inch over any of the noodly longer blades so far. I have yet to meet a really long blade that has inspired me to switch over.

I actually love to fight single dagger. I’ve even ventured into double dagger, which is very interesting. It’s not the most practical form, but fun to play with.

A lot of the rule changes I wanted to see happen have happened already. I do hope that the youth fencing program will get more momentum. I know many, many younger teens who would love to be fencing and would start earlier if they were allowed. I also wouldn’t mind some form of grappling to be experimented with.

Being a teacher.

Yummy food or beer will work. Coffee and chocolate are close seconds.

By someone who finds the holes in my defense.

My favorite fencing day was the last time I remember the EK hosting the KWAR. I was tearing up the field with lots of friends all day and making a lot of new ones. It was the day I authorized in case and earned my Green Cord. I was so sore the next day, but it was so worth it.

The other one was my last Pennsic. The days all merged into one big fencing festival. Pierre had set all of his cadets with the task of fighting as many Dons as possible and then reporting back what we had learned from our experiences. It was the best assignment to have gotten as it made me that much more mindful of what I was doing and what I was learning.

There are many folks I admire. Pierre is certainly up there. I also admire Wurm for the grace and quiet dedication she puts into her fencing. Dona Rhiannon is also someone I admire. Her fencing is pure beauty to watch as well as experience as an opponent.

Kimbrough Lyons is my absolute favorite. We have such a blast together. It’s much more like we are dancing a dance we know so well as opposed to fighting. I also love fencing Don Jean-Paul, Jost, Tyger, Dona Marion and Dona Rhiannon.

Queen Elizabeth I. I’m betting she would be a lot of fun as well as a totally dangerous opponent. I would learn a lot, and we would laugh a lot.

As long as you have a sword, you have a chance. If you act like you don’t know what you are doing and are afraid, that is how you will fence. Everyone sucks their first time out unless they are some miracle prodigy. Do your best and you will always get better each time.