Log:Grappling Practice

2019/09/18 Victory Artemis 1

Workout Room

Artemis has been determined to learn from her failures in combat. If only she were so dilegent about her social ones. Today, she has set aside her sword and shield. Even her cape. All she's dressed in is her black formfitting pants, boots, greaves, and a black sports bra, while the reset of her gear is folded neatly away. Aside from the armored greaves, she may look like she fits in at a normal gym.

She's currently wrestling a nondescript hologram on the ground, finally getting the upper hand and pinning it.

Victory comes into the workout room and smiles. "Got started a bit early, hmm?"

Artemis looks up from her position atop the humanoid hologram, which has even less visible features than Syphon did. She smiles and sits up. "Aye, just warming up," she says, forgetting the hologram is still active. It gets its arm hooked around her neck by surprise and rolls her off it. Artemis lands on her back.

Victory grins. "Tsk, tsk. Am I too distracting? It's my rogueish good looks, I bet." He moves around to watch for a bit.

Artemis chuckles as the hologram pins her instead. "I cannot deny your appearance distracted me," she laughs. It distracts her still as she gets pinned for three seconds and the simulation declares a win and resets. "By the pantheon. Defeated!" she smiles, rising up to her feet.

Victory laughs. "How strong did you have your opponent set? On par with yourself?"

Artemis nods. "An even strength, but more skilled in human combat."

Victory nods. "When I first started learning to fight, I was training with a couple of other people. It was a balance. One was strongest. There was another who was very heavy, by thirty pounds or so. And I was the most skilled. It's possible to compensate for being out-weighed or being weaker, as long as the gap isn't that large." He smiles. "I'm reasonably sure that wrestling with you would be a mistake on my part, given your greater strength."

Artemis plants her hands on her hips, catching her breath as she grins. "For the sake of learning technique, I will use equal strength to yours."

Victory smiles. "You may change your mind in a bit. Alright...so are you looking to improve striking techniques? Or grappling? I'm guess the latter, since that's what you were practicing?

"Grappling is where I think I falter most," Artemis agrees.

Artemis adds as a solemn vow, "On my honor, I will not use excessive strength against you."

Victory chuckles. "Alright. So, I'm not a wrestler. But I know a few techniques. My skills are more generalized than that, and focused on a particular aspect of grappling. Taking down an opponent and choking them out, rather than pinning them." He walks up to her and bows slightly. "Let's start with something simple. A takedown. How would you approach trying to grab me and knocking me down?" He smiles. "Do it in slow motion, so I can see what you're doing."

Artemis studies the bow, puzzled for a moment. She's seen Chen do this, too. She straigthens up a bit and mimics the bow, though the look on her face says 'Am I doing this right?'. She straigthens up. "There is some technique to it, but often strength is used and my opponent's momentum, or mine."

Victory nods as he sees Artemis bow. "Absolutely. It's meant as a show of respect to the other person you're about to train with. Or fight." He thinks about it, "Okay...so you tend to use it defensively? If I were to throw a punch at you..." He goes through the motion of a punch slowly, watching her reaction.

"I fear I have been accidentally rude in the past," Artemis apologizes. She raises her hands, balling them into fists. She goes slow, stepping up towards Victory and towards the opposite side from his punching arm. She throws a hook with her arm, going slow as she starts to hook her elbow around his neck in a clothesline maneuver just as she takes a step past. She's up close against him and starts to pull him back and onto her hip to throw him backwards. Only she stops short of actually rolling him on it. She pauses there, locked up with him, arm still hooked around his neck and her hip against his. "Like this. Only I'd knock you to the ground at this point."

Victory nods. "Got it. Very similar to hip throws I've seen in arts like Taw Kwon Do." He backs up again. "How do you defend yourself against the same maneuver?"

Artemis lowers her arms. "Usually I use my shield to block them from getting an arm around my neck. If they still succeed, then I try to twist out."

Victory nods. "Alright. I want to see that in action. I'm going to try to take you down. And defend however you like."

Artemis smiles and raises her hands again to prepare. "And if I am fortunate, I may just turn the tables on you."

Victory steps in quickly, attempting a modified hip throw, aiming to wrap his arm around her torso below her arm, rather than her neck.

Victory finds his takedown attempt blocked. "You're a little quicker than I expected. Nicely done." He smiles. "Maybe I should have gone for the leg."

"You're welcome to try," Artemis grins, managing to knock his hand past just barely.

Victory smiles and feints left and then goes to the right, trying to pivot around and grab Artemis's leg to then lift and topple her over, if successful.

Victory slips around, dropping to a knee briefly and then lifting, toppling Artemis onto her back. "Ah hah. Ooo...almost got back to your feet. Nice try."

Victory offers a hand to Artemis to help her up.

The feint works. And Artemis is definitely a slower opponent. Victory manages to grab her leg and topple her onto her back. She stares up at him with a smile, and takes his hand to get up.

Victory pulls Artemis back to her feet. "This reminds me. I suggest in the future that you practice in full gear. Wathever you would wear in a normal fight. When medieval knights fell off a horse and were forced to grapple with each other on the ground, they had to do so in full armor."

"Hmm. I worthy suggestion. I thought I should practice unarmed for preparation of losing my sword, but your suggestion has merit," Artemis smiles.

Victory smiles. "No need to change now, of course." He nods. "Alright, I want you to try the takedown I just used on you. Go for my leg. I'm not going to try to stop you. I want to make sure you get the technique down correctly."

Artemis tries to analyze the trick he used. She's only seen it once. She attempts the feint, which he'll know is coming, and goes for his right leg.

Artemis drops down into a knee as she slides and spins behind him, lifting his leg to try and topple him like he did her.

Victory gets tossed backward, but he twists and spins...and ends up back on his feet. Effectively doing what Artemis tried to do earlier. "Good! Well done."

Artemis hops to her feet, impressed at his agility. She flashes a smile. "You are quite spry. And I hope I did that right. I will need to practice."

Victory nods. "You did. But yeah, it'll take practice and repetition.

"Something I am most familiar with," Artemis smiles. "You are a good and patient teacher. I see why you are suited to instruct Starguard along with your skill."

Victory chuckles. "I have my moments. I don't like having to bring the hammer down, but on some people, it's necessary." He smiles. "Let me teach you one more move. I'm not going to tell you what it is. I just want you to try to defend yourself."

"I can't visualize you ever having to do that," Artemis smiles, having not seen that side of him. She readies herself for his warning. "I am prepared. Come for me!" she grins.

Victory snorts at her last sentence. Yes, he probably thought it was a sex thing again. But in that moment of hesitation, while she's thinking about it, he goes to try to duck under her arm and slip around to apply a choke hold.

Artemis manages to bring her arm up just in time as he tries to slip it around her neck, preventing him from getting her into a locked hold. Just barely once again.

Victory smiles. "Nicely done." He moves more slowly. "Let me show you the basic hold more slowly." Assuming she lets him, he goes to apply the hold again, with an arm around her throat and braced on his other arm. "Like this. If you maintain this hold, you can keep someone from shouting for help, and also knock them unconscious without killing them."

Artemis lowers her arms to allow him to demonstrate. He gets his arm around her throat and manages to lock his arms in place. She smiles as he applies some pressure. "A useful maneuver. I sometimes use sharp impacts here to wind an opponent."

Victory nods. "I want to you try the same thing on me, but again...slowly. And without squeezing too hard." He smiels and lets go of the hold. He steps back around in front of her. "Give it a try."

Artemis smiles as she faces him. "I shall be gentle," she promises. She plays the maneuver out in her mind before following through bodily. She steps past him to spin behind as she slips her right arm around his throat. Her left arm locks it in place in a triangular hold as she presses up behind him. She doesn't squeeze at all, though.

Victory nods. "Good. Just like that." He smiles to himself a bit as he feels her press up against his back. Can't complain about the perks of the job. "Let's do it again, but faster. I won't make it too difficult, but we need to check your form."

Artemis isn't complaining about the lesson. She releases him and steps back. "Ready?"

Victory nods. "I'm ready."

Artemis darts forward faster this time, not quite at full speed. She slips past his side and tries to get an arm around his throat.

Artemis catches his throat and steps up behind him to get her other arm in position to lock, holding him securely. There is a minor squeeze due to the speed, but it's not enough to hurt him.

Victory smiles. "Very good. Nicely done."