Unaccompanied Sword

At EBHF we place great emphasis on the use of solo forms in order to develop the muscle memory necessary for historical fencing.  The time for response is so quick that no amount of mental effort can go into "how do I do this" or "what do I do". All attention must focus upon "when do I do this?" 

Sidesword 101 Test Subjects:

I.                     Mandritto, Roverso, Tramazzone with proper mechanics & edge alignment

II.                   Thrust with variation in timing of feet and hand including imbroccata and stoccata.

A.      Step with thrust at the same time

B.      Lead with point and let foot follow

III.                 Stepping in Guards esp. coordination of false edge and true edge.

IV.                Basic Parry to the Inside from Alta, Iron Gate & Stretta

V.                  Demonstrate Advantages of the Sword

A.      True edge on top

B.      Sword to outside of shoulder depending on line

C.      Tummy Laser

D.      Leverage

VI.                Five Motions (esp. transforming cuts into beats and thrusts)

VII.               Disengages

VIII.             Provocations (Compound Attacks) from Alta

A.      Inside – falso and mandritto or falso and roverso if they disengage

B.      Outside – thrust and presa (if they go up) or thrust and mandritto (if they push off)

IX.                 Withdrawal from Play

A.      From inside crossing, pass back and throw roverso

B.      From outside crossing, pass back and throw mandritto

X.                   Provocations from Iron Gate

A.      Inside – Pressuring and pass left and thrust when they disengage or walk into shoulder

B.      Outside – Gain with false and pass left with thrust or step right with thrust if they disengage

XI.                 Head Guard

A.      Followed by imbroccata

B.      Followed by slicing mandritto (inside the bind)

C.      Followed by cut around mandritto (if they push off)

XII.               Provocations from Stretta

A.      Vs. Point in Line Guards except Stretta, pressure to the inside and out

B.      Vs. Stretta to the inside, pass left with mandritto to sword going to Wide Wild Pig and compass with roverso.

C.      Vs. Stretta to the outside, swishy blade thing and cross pass left with mandritto to sword going to Wide Wild Pig and parry with Head Guard.

XIII.             Measures

A.      Wide measure – crossed at tips. Ok to use falso or step closer

B.      Medium-Wide – crossed a few inches down the sword. Ok to use provocations.

C.      Medium – once can reach with a single step, then back up and/or change guard.

XIV.             Weak Defenses when found

A.      To the outside pass back into Wild Pig with hanging and tramazzone, then enter with Head Guard Thrust

B.      To the inside, draw the sword back into Entering Guard and pass left facing off line with thrust to shoulder.

XV.              Direct Attacks and Attacking to be found

XVI.             Forming guards against opponent with sword out of presence & fencing against hand snipers.

Stepping in Guards from dall'Agocchie 1572

2023 Form