You don't stand in front
of a mirror before you pell...
and wonder what the chivalry
will think of your outfit.
You don't have to listen to its
jokes and pretend they're funny.
It would not be easier to pell
if you dressed more period.
The pell doesn't notice
if you're not wearing armor.
It does not care
how old you are.
You do not feel
uncomfortable...
because you feel you get hit more
than the pell.
And you can call on the pell
whenever you feel like it,
whether it's been a week...
or a couple of days
since your last tournament.
The only thing
the pell cares about...
is that you pay it a visit
once in a while.
Pelling.
No BS.
Just perfection.
Not an original creation. Borrowed the lines from the movie 'What Women Want" and tailored to suit my inspiration. It was used in a proposed commercial for Nike in the movie.
Pelling is one of those things that makes a SCAdian fighter better. It can be a point of contention because there are so many points of view on how best to use it. It's undeniably historical so doing 'pell work' definitely brings you closer to your hobby and martial art.
My personal view of the pell is that it is 'Zen' time. Its when I can block out everything else and just listen to the rhythm of the stick as it strikes the pell. It has a musical quality. So much so, that I introduced a metronome to my pell reps in my early days.
I guess I see the pell as not just an exercise tool, but also an art form. A good swordsman was often considered to be an artist of the craft. Pelling is much the same I think.
Yesterday I spent some time with some brothers-in arms (SCAdians) and my pell showing them how I use it. Is my perspective the only right one? No. A good fighter takes in all the info they are presented with and chooses what to use and what to not use. That, IMHO, is part of the beauty of what we do.
I use the pell for fundamentals, patterning, and repetition. I dont beat the pell into submission (because it wont submit). I use it to exercise muscles in the ways that only an SCA fighter would experience. Through these things I get stronger and faster and remove the 'thought' process from the fight. I learn to be more instinctual with my sword and less deliberate.
So, go pell. Find some Zen in the act. Get better at your hobby. Your pell will enjoy the time you spend with it.
Ld. Eoin Mac Cana, CACM
Squire of House Aspiring
Seneschal, Shire of Easaraigh
Kingdom of Meridies
