Getting back to larp!

Today is the first day of Spring. Which makes it a great time to talk about getting outside and being active after a winter of hibernation! Time to get the gang back together, and help each other lose the winter weight in a fun way. When it comes to larp, and kicking things off, that means practice. As a new season starts I always get excited to play again!


I've attended quite a few practices in my days. My parents didn't allow me to go to events before age 18. But they would let me go to weekly practice. Which means a good 2 to 3 years of at least once per week going to practice. By the end I was hitting 2 per week regularly and looking for a third. Ahh teenage years. In adult hood I'm happy if I can get two a month. Practice is as big a part of my larp experience a event attendance. Some people consider it an unhappy chore. If that's the case then they are missing out!

What makes a good practice?

Having some place to play is obviously a first requirement. Public parks work very well for small groups. As a group gets larger they may require field permits. If you live outside major metropolitan areas then the Army Corps of Engineers land and private land might provide better locations.

The Gear!

You need the basic equipment to practice with. One single handed weapon per player is the minimum. Some really hardcore players make you start with a dagger. Nicer teachers will allow you to start with short swords.

Guidance

Experienced players need to provide input and advice. There needs to be someone to show how it's done. Preferably someone who knows the spirit of the rules as well as the letter of rules. Practices certainly can and do get started by new players. As kids growing up in the 90's most of my generation just started hitting each other and adding rules... So don't feel like you can't get the ball rolling without years of experience... But having someone to give tips and pointers helps players get better, faster. And that makes things more fun.

Eric? Where's Eric?

Regular attendance by a few players. 

It doesn't have to be many people to be a good time, but they do have to show up regularly. A few friends is all it takes to start. If they show up regularly more people will attend.

Don't Procrastinate!

There were plenty of people last year who wanted to go to my practice but never showed up. Suddenly it was winter and the end of the year and they regretted not getting out to practice. When spring comes there always seems like plenty of time. You get busy, you prioritize late nights, or other weekend activity... And sooner than you think, the year is up and you've completely missed the season. Don't face next winter regretting not getting in more fun now.

So we're starting up practice again this year. If you live in the Arlington Ma area and want to come join us for some Hit Location Combat Larp, check out the Facebook Group where we scheduling the first practice right now! We occasionally build weapons, shields and armor. So if you want to have some live instruction, make sure to get in on that as well. Depending on how the year goes there may even be an event.