Stav is really very simple
Published: Sun, 09/30/12
Had a training session in our garden yesterday afternoon.
Didn't do the grass much good but it will recover. We focused
on axe training because that seemed to make best use of the time.
Without some skill in attacking with the axe it is hard to train in
defending against it. This skill in attacking has always been key
to teaching the martial side of Stav and in enabling students to
train effectively together. Ivar always claimed that this was one
of the biggest benefits of his training in Japan, he learned how to
cut effectively, with a katana in Japan but the skill translated
directly to the axe as well. So as we developed training methods
in Stav the essential thing was that they worked against Ivar's
attack, if they did then we knew we were on the right track. (When
they didn't it was scary but educational!)
Over the years I have trained and taught Stav I have always tried
to keep it realistic by using effective attacks. In my teaching I
have tried to ensure that students develop really effective cutting
skills so that they learn to see the lines themselves and can train
effectively with a partner. Getting really good at cutting takes a
lot of dedicated practice over quite a long period of time. Even
when you have got good it needs continued practice to maintain the
skill level. It sometimes occurs to me that after 20 years I
should have much more to teach. I do know quite a lot and I can
demonstrate quite a variety of weapon and unarmed techniques. But
it all comes down to an awareness of the web lines and the ability
to manifest the five principles, and that comes from very basic
cutting training, two or three basic cuts and doing the stances
daily.
I would be a more entertaining teacher if there was much more, but
really that is all there is. So I can teach pretty much all you
need to know on a day course, it is just up to the student to
practice until the next course.
So well done the five who trained on Saturday and looking forward
to seeing more of you at the courses during the autumn, next one in
the UK, Salisbury on the 20th of October
http://www.iceandfire.org.uk/train.html and then in the USA,
Annapolis the following weekend http://www.iceandfire.us/products/
(Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the course details.) I
will be there to teach, the rest is down to you.