Back to the Basics?

The oddest thing on this journey is that I spend a lot of time looking backward to go forward. I review mentally my fighting bouts, and visualize perfect blows. I re-committed myself to pell-work and noted that my blows were inaccurate and arcing wide. I tried self-correction, without much success. I also noted that the wide-arcing, slam down on helm style is somewhat popular up in this region, but not by our best fighters. I can tell that this style delivers with plenty of force, but it's hard on the shoulder, and the shoulder drop and arm arc broadcast the blow like a neon sign.

I needed to "re-set" my blow style to proper form, so my pell-work and mental visualization of my form are in sync.

Sunday, I had Tris help me with my with snaps and wraps. I had to remember to throw the snaps with the fist "thru" the target, with the force coming from my body's center, not my arm. Pulling my elbow in helped alot. After tightening/wrist just before impact- (more of a "flick" than a "snap") so the "J" of a wrap so it was nearly vertical, they felt solid. It is difficult not to move onto more movement techniques, as Tris always has great advice, but I needed to stay focused on the blow basics.

From what I have learned from many sports and especially arts martial, a student spends a half a year or more simple learning the most basic moves before even progressing to any combination or contact. SCA fighting is totally the opposite- throw a new person in armor, and if they are stubborn enough, they'll get it eventually.

I wonder what levels the SCA would achieve if we followed the same philosophy? I don't have time to un-learn bad habits, so I am attempting to get my basics down, cold, being my own teacher.

First, teach my body to land my blows accurately on my opponent, then fine-tune the delivery to the opponent's timing. They are intertwined, but I think the accuracy must come first.