25 JAN 2021 · A sports injury in the narrow sense signifies the injury typical of a particular sports activity or a certain sport, determined by the way of occurrence and frequency. One of the simplest definitions of an injury is: "The injury is all the damage to the tissue suddenly generated in a certain, defined and limited time.” From the medical point of view, sports injuries are a sub-part of the traumatology field that deals with injuries, no matter how they occur and where they are. When it comes to sports injuries or damages, most of those are caused by mechanical force. Mechanical forces, however, are not considered to be only those that act externally, such as the kick of an object, an opponent's strike or a fall to the ground, but also they can be caused by the contractions of one’s own muscles from within. An example of injury occuring within the sport practitioner’s muscles is the Achilles tendon rupture due to strong muscular soleus contraction. If we talk about the expected probability of a certain risk of injury in a particular sport, as well in martial arts, then we look at statistics. But data, statistics and records of sports injuries are first and foremost problematic. Records of statistical data depend on many factors, and these factors also depend on the health institution in which the data is collected. This can cause a lot of mistakes that give an incorrect picture of the real situation. It can be hugely different to collect data in a general hospital or at a specialist sports injury facility. Also, a specialized institution will accept only certain selected athletes (especially according to the severity of the injury), so that no real statistical picture can be expected. Medical data in general is facing issues with accuracy of its own, but in martial arts (and sports in general) the problem is even more widespread. A real picture or a more realistic picture of the number of injuries in a particular martial art can be obtained if the number of injuries is measured against the number of athletes. But it is very difficult, and practically impossible to gather correct information on the number of active athletes. A more doable approach is to compare the number of athletes insured (especially against injuries in sports) with the number of reported sports injuries. According to the severity of injury, sports injuries can be labeled as follows: 1) - the most serious injuries - mortal 2) - severe injuries - with permanent disability for future work and sports, 3) - medium severe injuries - with a longer disability period for future work and sports, 4) - light injuries - with a short term inability to work and practice a sport 5) - very light injuries - with a short-term strain or no reduction whatsoever in work and sports ability.

8 DEC 2020 · Awareness is the first key to any situation where conflict can arise. Whether in a sports arena, on your way to your car, or in a busy subway, an attacker can defeat the greatest practitioner of any art if they are not aware of their surroundings. As a martial artist, learning to be aware of all of your surroundings is key. Also, learning to have awareness of specific attacks from an opponent is also crucial in overcoming a situation. By neglecting to develop your awareness you leave yourself open to anything, anyone, at anytime. When crossing the road, we are all taught to stop, look, and listen for oncoming traffic. Why should your personal safety from the threat of a mugger or robber be any different? Attempt to guess what individuals are doing or thinking. Watch for odd behavior. Determine where you would go for cover from explosions or gun fire. Find the closest two exits. Determine whether or not someone is following you or taking an unusual interest in you. These tips become very hard to accomplish if you focus in on any one specific thing. That includes looking at your phone, the ground, Learning to take in your entire surroundings while picking up specific details is a good skill to acquire. without it, the danger of threat grows exponentially.

2 DEC 2020 · Unarmed Many styles of martial arts are practiced for self-defense or include self-defense techniques. Some styles train primarily for self-defense, while other martial or combat sports can be effectively applied for self-defense. Some martial arts train how to escape from a knife or gun situation, or how to break away from a punch, while others train how to attack. To provide more practical self-defense, many modern martial arts schools now use a combination of martial arts styles and techniques, and will often customize self-defense training to suit individual participants. This episode looks at using English martial arts and combatives as defensive arts. Armed A wide variety of weapons can be used for self-defense. The most suitable depends on the threat presented, the victim or victims, and the experience of the defender. Legal restrictions also greatly influence self-defense options. Everyday objects, such as flashlights, baseball bats, newspapers, keyrings with keys, kitchen utensils and other tools, and hair spray aerosol cans in combination with a lighter, can also be used as improvised weapons for self-defense. In this episode we concentrate on the walking stick/Cane when used as a backsword or when used using Fairburns techniques.

27 OCT 2020 · Boxing, sport, both amateur and professional, involving attack and defense with the fists. Boxers usually wear padded gloves and generally observe the code set forth in the marquess of Queensberry rules. The terms pugilism and prizefighting in modern usage are practically synonymous with boxing, although the first term indicates the ancient origins of the sport in its derivation from the Latin pugil, “a boxer,” related to the Latin pugnus, “fist,” and derived in turn from the Greek pyx, “with clenched fist.” The term prizefighting emphasizes pursuit of the sport for monetary gain, which began in England in the 17th century. The Greeks considered boxing the most injurious of their sports. A 1st-century-BCE inscription praising a pugilist states, “A boxer’s victory is gained in blood.” In fact, Greek literature offers much evidence that the sport caused disfigurement and, occasionally, even death. An amazingly bloody bout is recounted by Homer in the Iliad (c. 675 BCE): “Sons of Atreus, and all you other strong-greaved Achaians, we invite two men, the best among you, to contend for these prizes with their hands up for the blows of boxing. He whom Apollo grants to outlast the other, and all the Achaians witness it, let him lead away the hard-working jenny [female donkey] to his own shelter. The beaten man shall take away the two-handled goblet.” He spoke, and a man huge and powerful, well skilled in boxing, rose up among them; the son of Panopeus, Epeios. He laid his hand on the hard-working jenny, and spoke out: “Let the man come up who will carry off the two-handled goblet. I say no other of the Achaians will beat me at boxing and lead off the jenny. I claim I am the champion. Is it not enough that I fall short in battle? Since it could not be ever, that a man could be a master in every endeavour. For I tell you this straight out, and it will be a thing accomplished. I will smash his skin apart and break his bones on each other. Let those who care for him wait nearby in a huddle about him to carry him out, after my fists have beaten him under.” So he spoke, and all of them stayed stricken to silence. Alone Euryalos stood up to face him, a godlike man, son of lord Mekisteus of the seed of Talaos; of him who came once to Thebes and the tomb of Oidipous after his downfall, and there in boxing defeated all the Kadmeians. The spear-famed son of Tydeus was his second, and talked to him in encouragement, and much desired the victory for him. First he pulled on the boxing belt about his waist, and then gave him the thongs carefully cut from the hide of a ranging ox. The two men, girt up, strode into the midst of the circle and faced each other, and put up their ponderous hands at the same time and closed, so that their heavy arms were crossing each other, and there was a fierce grinding of teeth, the sweat began to run everywhere from their bodies. Great Epeios came in, and hit him as he peered out from his guard, on the cheek, and he could no longer keep his feet, but where he stood the glorious limbs gave. As in the water roughened by the north wind a fish jumps in the weed of the beach-break, then the dark water closes above him, so Euryalos left the ground from the blow, but great-hearted Epeios took him in his arms and set him upright, and his true companions stood about him, and led him out of the circle, feet dragging as he spat up the thick blood and rolled his head over on one side. He was dizzy when they brought him back and set him among them. But they themselves went and carried off the two-handled goblet. (From Book XXIII of Homer’s Iliad, translated by Richmond Lattimore.)

19 OCT 2020 · This episode concentrates on how we are continuing to train through this Covid epidemic. It also details on what we are teaching and the weapons we are using. We also talk about gear for filming and audio gear as well.

9 SEP 2020 · In this episode I am talking about the kind of training we offer, and where the club is going as regards training.

31 JUL 2020 · In this episode we will look at advice on self protection. We will look at quite a few topics that will allow us to take precautions and stay safe both inside and outside our homes. We will talk about locks for doors and windows, physical fighting techniqueas well as awareness of our surroundings. Another thing we will talk about are the principles of fighting as well as weapons such as short sticks, walking canes, handbags etc. Within this framework we will look at as many aspects of self defence / Protection as we can.

4 JUL 2020 · In this very short episode I read from an article published in the HOBILAR journal about teutonic knights and Vampires

28 JUN 2020 · George Silver wrote about the quarterstaff as a reality. It was a weapon he used to fight and defend his honour with. ... As a battlefield weapon the quarterstaff would be an oak or ash pole of about eight or nine feet in length, wih a circumference of about 4 and a half inches. It was a foot weapon of attack and defence.If we now travel back in history to documents written between 1540 and 1590 we can see written evidence of the English Maisters of defence. The officially recognised teachers were the company of maisters, these documents record the playing of prizes. The order of playing the free schollers prize, the Provosts prize, and the maisters prize. The playing of prizes was a very public affair, with the posting of bills declaring that a prize was to be played, which was an open invitation to any man to come along and challenge the player of the prize. The prize playing in London was held at a number of Inne's and playhouses, such as the Bull in Bishopsgate, Leaden hall, at the Greyfriars at Newgate, and at the Tower royal, salisbury court, Rochester house, Bridewell palace, and at the castle inn in Holborn. But the prefered places for the playing of prizes were the belsavage on Ludgate hill, and the Bull in Bishopsgate. The company of maisters were a well organised company and made provision for aged maisters, the welfare of it's practitioners, the hiring and teaching of qualified teachers, as well as financial matters and the relationship of the company to the outside world. Following are some of the prizes played, where the quarterstaff was one of the weapons used. William Pascall Plaid his maisters prize at the Leadenhall with three maisters, that is to say, Humphrey Basset, Roberte Cooke, and William Hunt, at iiij kinde of weapon videlicet the Long sword ( two hand sword ) the backsworde, the dagger, and the quarterstaff. Provost prize at the session hall without Newgate at iii weapons, the long sword, the backsworde, and the quarterstaff, with three provosts, William Hunt, John A Woode, and Robert Grene. Played his Schollers prize at Estham with xiiij scollars, at backsword, and the quarterstaff. Richard White plaid his provost prize at the leaden hall, at the long sword, backsword, and quarterstaff, with Edward Britten, and John Barfett. Robert Edmunds plaid his maisters prize at the whitehall before King Philip and Quene Marie at iii kinds of weapon, long sword, backsworde, and quarterstaff, thear played against him two maisters, Richard White, and Thomas Weaver.

5 JUN 2020 · Here in this episode we discuss translating period manuals and books, we are also going to hit on weapons practice and armour, and finally training in the lockdown and how hard it can be. According to skopos theory, what methods translators will choose always relies on the purposes of the translation.