The light goes on...

I finally had my "lightbulb" moment in Calontir at their coronation.

I was watching the list of the Queen's Guard take on all comers- and since I am not yet authorized, I was not armored. I visited at length with Duke Sir Christopher of Hoghton, the first king of three different kingdoms. His grace has not been active in the SCA for nearly 10 years, but had come specifically to meet the Gareth, the newest King of Calontir, the second monarch to rule three kingdoms.

Sir Christopher suggested I swing and see what I was doing with my left arm- as I know I've been throwing it wrong, but unable to determine how to throw blows correctly.

We grabbed a marshall's staff and I started swinging. Try this, throw here, same everyone else is saying- you're not using your hip, pull in your elbow, stop swinging so wide, etc, etc. Now, everyone thus far has been critiquing me from in front of me, picking apart every step of my swing.

Sir Valdemar of Calontir was observing from the sidelines and said, "You're leading with your arm."

I tried throwing more hip and shoulder into it- the arm went wilder.

"No, no, no." he said, "START with your hip, then your shoulder, and finally your arm"

I began hip first, then shoulder, then lastly the arm- CRACK! Sound and straight.

I then threw ten more good shots, hip, shoulder, arm. I said, "Let's stop here and let this message sink in. This is the best thing I have learned yet."

I laid awake that night for two more hours mentally practicing hip, shoulder, arm.
I don't have perfect mechanics yet, but I've been given a great start.