A couple of weeks ago, Gareth (Devin) and I worked on polearm technique to help get me ready for my authorization test, and something he said clicked with me:
“You know Sir Ivan Shishov, right? You know he doesn’t move when fighting polearm? He just stands his ground.”
For me, that’s revolutionary. I’ve struggled with polearm auths because I was either too timid, couldn’t switch hands easily, or something else. This is a game-changer for me. That one bit of information changed how I think of my polearm fight (at least in tournament) and instilled a great deal of confidence in me for that weapons form. By standing my ground and only moving my feet when it’s completely necessary, I can control the fight in a much better way than trying to move around awkwardly with the polearm. I still need to practice with the polearm to ensure I can move it correctly when it comes time for my auth, but this is an improvement.
This is also proof that there are just as many ways to fight as there are people, and that someone else’s way may not be the best case for me. Only time, practice, and trial and error will let me know.