Four ways to shoot your pistol

Skip, catch, skip catch, skipcatch, skiacth, sktch. you see? Simple! Now, once you've mastered that one try to do: skip catch, pass round your back, skip catch. Then try that one again but instead of skip catch in front of your body do it above your head. Then, hold the spear third, third and a third. Put one hand under your armpit whilst moving the other arm across your body, then do the same on the other side. Also when you strike/thrust and parry be very fluid with your movements, and shift your body weight with the stance if you are fast enough. Learn how to hold the weapon in several different 'ready' stances and how to quickly get into them from any position. You could hold the spear behind your back wushu style or in front of your body, one palm up one down quarterstaff style. Or for a more japanese style do both palms down third third and a third. Also crucially, learn how to slide the shaft up and down in your hands.