Single Rapier Training Course
	Updated: Oct 13, 2003

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This is an experimental training course with detailed ideas on how to prepare a student for SCA rapier combat authorization with single sword.

NOTE: The more I learn about historical fencing, the more I realize that this idea for a course needs improvement. However, it's better than what I had posted several years before. Take the good ideas and ignore the rest.

 

Key features

* Choreographed combat demo: first thing on Day One
* Welcome packet from Day One
* Equal practice with the other hand and against the other hand
* Measurable conditions to be met before continuing to the next exercise/drill
* Frequent practice with falling safely
* Warm-up: stretching, footwork, review drills from the previous class
* Warm-down: sparring, stretching, lecture with discussion
* Homework for solo practice

Conventions used in the text

The text is addressed to the teacher. If you prefer, mentally substitute more historical terms such as prevost and lievtenant.

"S" by itself stands for Student. "4S" means Sufficiently Slow, Simple, and Smooth.

Course overview
 

Class	Main Topics	Lecture, Handouts	Sparring time
1	Introduction, Footwork, and Voiding	Equipment care and solo practice. Five handouts - kingdom rules, staying healthy, equipment maintenance, home practice, local contacts and shopping (fabric, sports gear).	None.
2	Hand parries	Etiquette and attitude, both personal and presentational.	None.
3	Blade parries	Rapier as a game (SCA) and as reality (history) - Honor, purpose, persona, safety, and injury.	None.
4	Attacks and ripostes	Blow-calling and actual effects of injuries, revisit rapier as game and reality.	None.
5	Pulled attacks	Gender differences (relevant to SCA combat).	All slow.
6	Draw cuts	Tournaments and strategy - Roles, terminology, procedure, what to watch for in other fencers, thinking ahead on what they might do in a given situation.	All slow.
7	Disengages	Spice - Attire, themes, theatrics, roleplaying, death throes, boasts, chitchat, cultural "prejudices", insults, kingdom behavior standards.	All slow.
8	Feints	Storytelling.	75% slow.
9	Ground combat	What to expect in next week's class.	50% slow.
10	Prepare for authorization, and handling conflict	Handout - authorization guide (requirements and other policies, who to find, where to go).	33% slow.

 
Class structure

Each class contains one or more sequences. Most sequences have a set of drills. Most of the time, there is a success condition that should be met before going to the next drill.

At the beginning of most classes there are set activities: Stretching (optional), footwork, and a review exercise from the previous class.

At the end of most classes there are more activities: Sparring (in Classes 5-10), "warm-down" stretching (optional), and a short lecture with discussion.

How long does the course run?

If you can offer three classes per month, the author estimates three and a half months on average. After the course, the diligent student will also have that much experience with solo practice as well.

Ten classes won't necessarily equate to ten practices

A class need not be limited to one day. If a student does not get through all of the drills of a given class in a single day, just pick it up where you left off at the next practice.

Though this course has ten classes (think of them as sections or phases if you like), few students will complete it in ten consecutive practices, much less ten weeks... Real Life often intervenes in the form of weather, illness, other commitments, etc.

Even if you have the resources to offer more than one class in a week, the author believes that the ten classes should be spread out over at least five weeks AT THE MINIMUM for a student with no related background before attempting authorization.

Student's packing list for practices
 

Clothing long-sleeve shirt and short-sleeve shirt* pants, belt, socks, shoes * (for when you don't know whether or not the loaner armor you'll wear has long sleeves)

Other stuff required personal protection (men only), water, salty snack food, fruit, towel, chair, extra clothes

  

CLASS 1

We present three choreographed bouts that feature various aspects of fencing, talk about the past and present of fencing, do some stretching, work on footwork and voiding, and take home a big welcome packet.

Sequence 1A: Introduction
 

OVERVIEW

• Have three choreographed bouts as a "hook".
• Talk about the past and present of fencing - and its goals and rules.
• Run the demo bouts again, this time with pauses and commentary that includes what students can learn in the corresponding classes in the course.
• Lead some stretching (OPTIONAL) for those who want to join.

Three demo bouts

Fought at about 2/3 speed (which is easier to follow). At least some choreography so that the scene is entertaining and stylish (which is more fun to watch). Injuries and deaths are played out. Non-pleasant emotions toned down, if any. Have fun, but don't be silly. The second bout shows how quickly a fight can end. Bouts should demonstrate the importance of the basics: perception, motion, timing, precision, deception.

Here's an example script.

Bout 1 -- A and B, the two demo fencers, do several exchanges with all their defenses being footwork and dodging (very little retreat). Then they trade some parries and ripostes. Then B gives a secret signal (if needed), misses the next parry and A makes a lethal touch. B dies.

Bout 2 -- A attacks, B does a bind-and-replace, makes a draw cut on A's lead arm, closes in, and makes a lethal draw cut on A. A dies.

Bout 3 -- A feints high, B attempts to parry, A does a disengage and gets a touch on B's arm, B refuses A's offer to yield, A allows B to switch hands. They do another pass or two, A gets a leg wound on B. A offers again, B yields.

Past and present

Talk about the past giving a broad view of what fencing was around the 16th century in Western Europe. Talk about the present giving a broad view of what we want to re-create from that today in the SCA.

Our high-level goals are safety, fun, and (for some) fitness. Our SCA-relevant goals: re-create the safer elements with the look and feel of Period fencing: some techniques, attire, and behavior - all to an enjoyable degree. Be as authentic as you like, but keep it within the rules, safe, and fun.

Do the bouts again

This time pause the action (call "HOLD") for explanation. Emphasize perception, footwork, timing, and distance.

Field the questions that absolutely cannot wait until the end of the class.

STRETCHING

Remember, this is optional. Just a half-session for now. Take 20-30 seconds for each step. Don't bounce, don't hurt yourself, just push slowly until you feel a little muscle tension, not pain.

1. Reach for sky, tiptoes, spread fingers.
2. Arms up, bend at waist, eight directions.
3. Twist at waist, keep arms limp.
4. Wring your hands vigorously.
5. Sit, legs out front. Touch toes.
6. Feet together, knees out, stretch groin. (Yup, the butterfly.) Just hold, don't bounce.

BENEFITS

Fitness, "gets the blood going".

Sequence 1B: Footwork

No one is armed. Describing and calling steps isn't necessary. Just make it Sufficiently Slow, Simple, and Smooth (4S) to emphasize correct form and leave no students behind.

Drill 1. Matching stance -- Face students in forward stance (leading with your blade leg), two strides away from them. Students mirror your steps thus: When you retreat, they advance. When you move to your right, they follow, moving to their left. If you change to rear stance, they do also. With one student counting, do this for 60 steps. During this, change stances a few times. Switch hands and repeat. Rest as needed.

Note of historical interest: When moving to the side, one might consider protecting one's groin - when going to the left, move the right leg first, and vice versa. Others say this is incorrect form. *shrug*

Drill 2. Opposite stance -- Same as above, but if you start in forward stance, students start in rear stance, with blade leg back (also known as "refused").

BENEFITS

Balance, coordination, fitness.

Key points

The stretching and footwork are the suggested warm-up activities for each class in the course. Stretching can promote flexibility, agility and energy flow. Footwork moves your body where you want it to be.

It's really good to practice footwork A LOT early on. Why? When the student learns to use their hands later, they don't need to worry about the footwork because they've already practiced it enough to get the muscle memory to make it habitual, if not instinctive.

Remember to "PLAY DUMB"

*	Make your movements sufficiently slow, simple, and smooth (4S) both when attacking AND defending to match the student's current ability to figure out what you're doing.
*	Turn OFF the automatic defense, attack combinations, mistiming, etc.
*	Leave openings only as large as needed.
*	Sometimes a student needs to take things R-E-A-L-L-Y slow at first. (The author is no exception.)

Demonstrate slowly, at least twice

Before you go through a drill for the first time, demonstrate how it should be done - at least twice, and "4S" for the student.

Drill 1. Calibration - Slowly demonstrate on fully-armored student what an acceptable touch feels like on various body areas. Body, legs, feet, arms, joints, then head/neck area last.

Advise the student of the following: Throughout the course, if they do not make an effective defense against your 4S attack, you will try to make a touch on them using that attack. Basically, you just follow through. They should call "good" when you succeed (or "light" if your weapon didn't reach their skin).

Drill 2. Middle target -- Try to make a touch on the arms or body, starting at the edges and working toward the center. S should void. At first, moving back is fine, but moving to the side and/or flanking in is required. Go to the next drill when S can consistently avoid a half-speed attack.

Drill 3. Low target -- Try to make a touch at the hips or lower. S voids, moving the targeted leg. Go to the next drill when S can consistently avoid a half-speed attack.

Drill 4. High target -- Try to make a touch on the shoulder, neck or head. S voids. Ducking under can work, but a taller fencer can get an easy touch this way. Go to the next drill when S can consistently avoid a half-speed attack five times out of six with no pause in the action.

Drill 5. Switch to other hand, repeat Drills 2-4.

BENEFITS

Precision in timing and movement, restraint, and economic use of energy.

END OF CLASS

Do some stretching (optional). Demonstrate and discuss proper equipment care and how to practice at home by yourself. Afterward, give out a welcome packet that contains at least these five items:

1. A copy of the Kingdom rules
2. A guide on staying healthy
3. A guide on equipment maintenance
4. A guide on practicing at home
5. A list of local contacts and shopping recommendations (such as for fabric and sports gear)

HOMEWORK

Mentally digest the handouts, begin solo practice (footwork, voiding against imaginary blade).

 

CLASS 2

We add the full session of stretching, review voiding, and work on hand parries.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming along, answer questions, lead the stretching (as below), and footwork (same as Class 1).

STRETCHING -- (OPTIONAL)

Do the full session this time, it'll only take a few minutes. Use this for the rest of the course. Don't bounce, don't hurt yourself, just push slowly until you feel a little muscle tension, not pain. Spend about 30 seconds on each step. A student might not be able to do some of these painlessly. Use other stretches and exercises as desired.

Stand. Roll neck slowly and gently. Big yawn. Reach for sky, tiptoes, spread fingers. Jump. Arms up, bend at waist, eight directions. Arms limp, twist torso. Press palms together hard. Shake hands and arms.

Arch legs; touch ground, ankles. Crouch and rise. Repeat. Sit. Touch toes. Flex toes. Legs out, head toward each knee. Butterfly stretch. Stand. Shake legs.

Review: Voiding

Student is unarmed. Attack a random target. S voids, remembering not to move back all the time. Do this 10 times. Switch hands, do another 10. Repeat both once.

Sequence 2A: Press blade

An economical parry takes their blade just outside of your body silhouette.

Student in rear stance. Show that voiding and parrying away at the same time can be good - since the opponent can angle their blade around your parry. S should not retreat when you step in range.

For each drill, continue until the student can easily and consistently parry five times in about four seconds with the main hand - or five seconds with the other hand.

Drill 1. Blade side -- Attack the open side. S should press blade out.
Drill 2. Parry and flank in -- As above, and S should move in to your open side.

Drill 3. Open side -- Attack the blade side, S should push blade out.
Drill 4. Parry and flank in -- As above, and S should move in to your open side.
Drill 5. Center target -- Attack the center, S should choose a direction and move in.

Drill 6. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-5.
Drill 7. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 1-5.
Drill 8. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 1-5.

Note: Five successes in four seconds (using the main hand) and five successes in five seconds (using the other hand) is a measure that is used often this course.

Sequence 2B: Grab blade

OPTIONAL. This might not be allowed in your kingdom. 

Same drills as in Sequence 2A, but grab the blade instead of pressing it away from you.

Sequence 2C: Press hilt

Same drills as in Sequence 2A, but student should begin with a press but then guide or bounce their hand along the flat of your blade to end up pressing on your hilt to control your sword. Grabbing the hilt is unsafe and against the rules.

BENEFITS

Ability to defend with the open or closed hand. Control of opponent's blade reduces their active defense.

END OF CLASS

Stretching. Lecture and discussion. TOPIC: Etiquette and attitude (both personal and presentational). The focus is proper behavior with safety as a constant and highest priority. Key points are following the rules, abiding the marshals, two-way communication, having fun, and not taking away other people's fun.

HOMEWORK

Add movements for hand parries against imaginary attacks to solo practice.

 

CLASS 3

We add "armed footwork", review hand parries, and work on blade parries.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming along, answer questions, lead the stretching and armed footwork.

Armed footwork

Same as the footwork from the first two classes, but now the students are armed.

Review: Hand parries

Student is unarmed. Attack a random target. S should parry with hand (and void as needed). Do this 20 times. S switches hands, 20 more. You switch hands, 20. S switches back, 20.

Student should use all types of hand parries that were practiced in the previous class.

Sequence 3A: Blade parries

Student in forward stance, unarmed. Go to the next drill when S can easily and consistently parry five times in about four seconds with the main hand - or five seconds with the other hand.

Voiding in combination with the parry is encouraged. Parrying with the hand if the blade parry misses is not yet encouraged. Staying online means keeping the tip of one's blade pointed at (or near) the vertical midline of one's opponent.

Drill 1. Blade side, high -- S has just one arm. Attack a high target (chest or higher) on the blade side. S should parry, staying online.

Drill 2. Blade side, low -- S has just one arm. Attack a low target (hips or lower) on the blade side. S should parry, staying online.

Drill 3. Open side, high -- S has just one arm, in slight rear stance to lure an attack to that side. Attack. S should parry, staying online.

Drill 4. Open side, low -- S has just one arm, in slight rear stance. Attack. S should parry, staying online.

Drill 5. Center target -- S has just one arm. Attack their midline. S should choose a direction, move as needed, parry while staying online.

Drill 6. Bind and replace -- S in forward stance. Attack a middle or high target on the blade side. S should parry out just enough with the blade ("bind"), then control your blade with their hand.

Drill 7. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-6.
Drill 8. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 1-6.
Drill 9. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 1-6.

BENEFITS

Ability to defend and control opponent's blade with your blade.

Sequence 3B: Falling safely

This is the ability to do a controlled fall when you've received a lethal hit. Crumple the legs and fall to the side. Crumple and fall back. It is well to avoid hitting with one's head, elbows, or fingers first.

END OF CLASS

Stretching, Q&A, Lecture with discussion.

HOMEWORK

Add blade parry movements to solo practice. Bend your knees a little. Read the kingdom rules again.

 

CLASS 4

We add distance checks to the armed footwork, review blade parries, and work on attacks, ripostes after hand parries, and ripostes after blade parries.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming along, answer questions, let a student lead the stretching, and lead the armed footwork as below.

Armed footwork with distance checks

Same as before, but now add distance checks when blades are available. The desired distance: extend the arm so that the tape behind the tip of the blade meets the tape on each nearby student's extended blade. Let students adjust their distance before extending. Check distance three to five times per minute.

Everyone should be able to move around with their knees bent at least a little lower than from Class 2.

Review: Blade parries

Student has just one arm. Attack a random (feasible) target, S does a blade parry. Do this 20 times. S switches hands, 20 more. You switch hands, 20. S switches back, 20.

Sequence 4A: Called targets

You are unarmed.

Drill 1. Basic areas -- S uses main hand. Call one of [chest, belly, thigh]. S should make a touch on you there. Call "good (body part)" for each valid touch. You can also add "...but too hard" when appropriate. You might say instead "No good." (In Meridies, this is applicable when the blade doesn't reach the skin.) Go to the next drill when S can easily and consistently make a touch on five different targets in about four seconds (with their main hand) or five seconds (with their other hand).

Drill 2. More areas -- As above, but call a more precise body area: head, neck, shoulder, arm, forearm, hand, chest, gut, thigh, knee, shin, foot, nose, left nipple, ring finger, bellybutton, fourth toe, you get the idea...

Drill 3. Repeat Drills 2 and 3 with the other hand.

Drill 4. One target -- Call a random target and move away, adding speed very gradually, but never so much that S has to do more than walk or lunge. S should stay in range with good footwork and make a touch. Go to the next drill when S can easily and consistently make five successes in six attempts with no pause in the action.

Drill 5. Two targets -- Call two random targets before moving - and then later as the student progresses, while moving. As S improves, move your arms and legs a little more (but no more travel than the distance of two crossover steps for the taller person). S should follow you to stay in range. Go to the next drill when S can easily and consistently make five pairs of touches to diverse targets in six attempts with no pause in the action - and with you making diverse movements.

The targets should be random. Wound-wound, wound-kill, kill-wound, and kill-kill are all fine. When the first attempt at a kill target does not succeed, it's good to have another target in mind.

Drill 6. Repeat Drills 4 and 5 with the other hand.

EXTRA: With bright students, add some 4S hand defense later in the drill, but leave an opening for the target area.

BENEFITS

Confidence for newer fighters, ability to see an opening and go for it.

Drill 1. Open side, high -- Attack a high target (chest or higher) on the open side. S should do a hand parry, control your blade, and make a touch.

Drill 2. Open side, low -- Attack a low target (gut to mid-thigh) on the open side, S should do a hand parry, control your blade, and make a touch. Once in a while, go below the knees. S should just void.

Drill 3. Blade side, high -- As in Drill 1, but on the blade side.
Drill 4. Blade side, low -- As in Drill 3, but on the blade side.

Drill 5. Center target -- Attack the midline. S should choose a direction, and parry-riposte.

Drill 6. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-5.
Drill 7. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 1-5.
Drill 8. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 1-5.

Sequence 4C: Blade parry with riposte

Student in forward stance, has just one arm and should not retreat out of range. Continue each drill until the student can easily do a blade parry and riposte five times in six attempts with no pause in the action. The drills are nearly the same as those in Sequence 5.

Drill 1. Blade side, high -- Attack, S should parry-riposte.
Drill 2. Blade side, low -- As above.

Drill 3. Open side, high -- S is in rear stance to lure to the open side. Attack. S should parry-riposte.

Drill 4. Open side, low -- As above.

Drill 5. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-4.
Drill 6. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 1-4.
Drill 7. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 1-4.

BENEFIT

Simultaneous defense and counter-attack.

END OF CLASS

Practice some falls, do some stretches, Q&A. Lecture and discussion.

HOMEWORK

Add riposte movements to your solo practice.

 

CLASS 5

We review ripostes and work on pulled attacks.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming along, answer questions, let a student lead the stretching, let another student lead the second half of the armed footwork (as from Class 4).

Review: Defend-riposte

Attack a random target, S should parry with hand or blade, then riposte. Do this 20 times. Switch hands as usual for three more sets.

Sequence 5: Pulled attacks

Go to the next drill when the student can easily and consistently pull a stronger attack to make just a touch in five out of six attempts with no pause in the action.

Drill 1. Stop thrust -- Advance within range (sometimes straight on, sometimes flanking in left or right). S should attack, pulling back to make just a touch.

Drill 2. Pulled riposte -- Advance with a simple attack, S should defend, flank in as appropriate, and pull the riposte to make just a touch.

Drill 3. Pull while advancing -- Retreat. S should stay in range, you suddenly stop. S moves in (varying between straight, left and right) and attacks, pulling to make just a touch. Later in the drill - you stop, then move again in another random direction as S moves in.

Drill 4. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-3.
Drill 5. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 1-3.
Drill 6. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 1-3.

BENEFITS

Safety, lowers chance of injury.

SPARRING

Slow sparring to put previous lessons (defenses, attacks, ripostes) into practice.

END OF CLASS

Falls and stretches, Q&A, Lecture with discussion.

HOMEWORK

Add pulled attack movements to your solo practice. Bend your knees more.

 

CLASS 6

We review pulled attacks and work on draw cuts.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming along, answer questions, do stretching (let a student lead), do armed footwork (let another student lead). Everyone should be able to move around with their knees bent more than in Class 4.

Review: Pulled attacks

From the previous class, do Drill 2 (pulled riposte) ten times. Do Drill 3 (pull while advancing) ten times. Switch hands as usual for three more sets.

Sequence 6A: Draw cuts, part 1

Except for Drill 1, go to the next drill when the student can easily and consistently make a good draw cut in five out of six attempts with no pause in the action.

Drill 1. Calibration and motion -- Do draw cuts with edge AND flat to show the difference. S should try to detect what's good (enough edge, minimum length) and what isn't (too flat, not long enough). Use enough muscle to make the draw cut noticeable. Show how to place the blade before the cut to avoid whacking your opponent.

Drill 2. After hand parry (or grasp) -- S in rear stance. Attack the open side, S should do a hand parry to control the blade (or grasp, if allowed), step in, and make a draw cut on the nearest target - your blade arm.

Drill 3. Passing by -- S in either stance. Attack. S should defend, control your blade, move in, and make a draw cut while going by.

Drill 4. After bind and replace -- S in forward stance. Attack the blade side. S should parry just enough with the blade, pivot to control your blade with their hand, and make a draw cut to some open target (not always your forearm).

Drill 5. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 2-4.
Drill 6. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 2-4.
Drill 7. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 2-4.

Sequence 6B: Draw cuts, part 2

As above, but now the student attacks first. Hold your arm out enough while defending so S can make the draw cut.

Drill 1. Slice hand -- S should attack a random feasible target for a hand defense (about mid-thigh and up). Press or grab their blade as appropriate. S should make a draw cut on your hand.

Drill 2. Hand parry, high -- S should attack high on your open side. Do a weak hand parry out (with little or no attempt to void). S should move in and make a draw cut.

Drill 3. Hand parry, low -- As above, with a low target.

Drill 4. Blade parry, high -- S should attack high on your blade side. Do a weak blade parry out (with little or no attempt to void). Student should move in and make a draw cut.

Drill 5. Blade parry, low -- As above with a low target.

Drill 6. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-5.
Drill 7. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 2-5.
Drill 8. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 2-5.

BENEFIT

Another form of attack, useful for close combat.

SPARRING

Slow sparring with a focus on pulled attacks and draw cuts.

END OF CLASS

Falls and stretches, Q&A, Lecture and discussion.

HOMEWORK

If you have something on which to do draw cuts, add draw cuts to your solo practice. Doing a draw cut on an imaginary opponent might work for you as well.

 

CLASS 7

We review draw cuts and work on disengages.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming along, answer questions, do stretching (let a student lead), do armed footwork (let another student lead).

Review: Draw cuts

You attack, S should defend and make a draw cut. Do this 10 times.
S attacks, do a weak defense, S should make a draw cut. Do this 10 times.
Switch hands as usual for three more sets.

Sequence 7: Disengages

Go to the next drill when the student easily and consistently succeeds in five out of six attempts with no pause in the action.

Drill 1. Disengage beat -- S starts mostly extended, as if to lure an attack. Start close enough so that you can swipe at the blade. Attempt a wide, hard beat. S should cut under or over, flank in (controlling your blade if feasible), and make a touch.

Drill 2. Disengage blade, high -- S attacks a high target. Do a wide parry. S should move the blade around and beyond it, close in, and make a touch.

Drill 3. Disengage blade, low -- As above, but S attacks a low target.

Drill 4. Disengage hand, high -- S attacks a high target. Do a wide hand parry. S should move the blade around and beyond it, close in, and make a touch.

Drill 5. Disengage hand, low -- As above, but S attacks a feasible target for a hand parry.

Drill 6. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-5.
Drill 7. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 1-5.
Drill 8. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 1-5.

BENEFITS

Ability to get around an active defense - with style.

SPARRING

Slow sparring with a focus on pulled attacks, draw cuts, and disengages.

END OF CLASS

Falls and stretches, Q&A, Lecture and discussion.

HOMEWORK

Add disengage movements to your solo practice. Read the kingdom rules again to see if you have forgotten anything.

 

CLASS 8

We review disengages and work on feints. We add some fast sparring.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming along, answer questions, do stretching (let a student lead), do armed footwork (let another student lead). Knees should be bent more than in Class 6.

Review: Disengages

S attacks a random target, make a weak defense, S should disengage and make a touch. Do this 20 times. Switch hands as usual for three more sets.

Sequence 8: Feints

A feint is an attack you make that comes in at one target area to get the opponent to make an defense against it. Then, you redirect the attack on another target. Continue each drill until the student can easily and consistently succeed five times in six attempts with no pause in the action.

Drill 1. Attack, open side -- S feints to your open side, you over-defend a little, S makes a touch elsewhere.

Drill 2. Attack, blade side -- As above, but S feints to your blade side.

Drill 3. Defense, open side -- Feint to the open side, then attack elsewhere, S defends.

Drill 4. Defense, blade side -- As above, but you feint to the blade side.

Drill 5. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-4.
Drill 6. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 1-4.
Drill 7. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 1-4.

BENEFITS

Same as for disengages, plus misdirection.

SPARRING

Focus on draw cuts, disengages and feints - at least 75% as slow sparring.

END OF CLASS

Falls and stretches, Q&A, Lecture and discussion (share stories).

HOMEWORK

Add feint movements to your solo practice. Test yourself on the first half of the kingdom rules for rapier.

 

CLASS 9

We review disengages, and work on combat when one or both fencers are grounded.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming, answer questions, do stretching (let a student lead), do armed footwork (you lead the second half).

Review: feints and disengages

Part 1: Student moves first. S feints at a random target, you move to defend, S can either attack a different target (or disengage the defense) to make the touch. Do this 10 times. Switch hands as usual for three more sets. 
 
Part 2: You move first. Feint at a random target. S may move to defend, You can either disengage or attack another area. S should defend against this second effort. Do this 10 times. Switch hands as usual for three more sets. 

Sequence 9A: Defense from the ground

Drill 1. Positioning and range -- Show pros and cons of different body positions for combat from the ground, where an attacker can move relative to a grounded foe (no attacks from "behind" as defined in the kingdom rules), and the difference in range between standing and from seated positions. Take turns being grounded.

Drill 2. Hand parry -- S is grounded. Make random attacks. S should parry with the hand. Start at the edges and gradually target toward the midline. S should riposte if you're in range. Try to stay in range most of the time. Go to the next drill when the student can easily and consistently both defend and riposte five times in six attempts with no pause in the action.

Drill 3. Blade parry -- As above, but S should parry with the blade.

Drill 4. S is grounded. Come in at wide angles, attempting slow, simple disengages, closing in for draw cut attempts, making that one allowed attack while going past, and making feints. S should defend and riposte as appropriate. Use the same success condition as above.

Drill 5. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 2-4.
Drill 6. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 2-4.
Drill 7. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 2-4.

Sequence 9B: The grounded fencer

Drill 1. Descent -- OPTIONAL. Show how to go to the ground safely after taking a leg wound. Demonstrate with S making a touch or draw cut to your leg. Make leg touches on S so they can practice going to the ground.

Drill 2. Guarded fall -- Make a leg (or foot) touch. S starts to go to the ground. Make a straight attack (above the hips most of the time). S should defend and riposte as appropriate. Go to the next drill when S can easily and consistently defend against a 3/4-speed attack or riposte five times in six attempts with no pause in the action.

Drill 3. S switches to other hand, repeat Drills 1-2.
Drill 4. You switch to other hand, repeat Drills 1-2.
Drill 5. S switches to main hand, repeat Drills 1-2.

SPARRING

Spar with a focus on disengages, feints, and ground combat - at least 50% as slow sparring.

END OF CLASS

Falls and stretches, Q&A, Lecture and discussion. There will be a verbal test on the rules next week.

HOMEWORK

Add fighting from the ground to your solo practice. Test yourself on the second half of the kingdom rules for rapier.

 

CLASS 10

We prepare the student for the authorization by running one or more mock sessions and have an exercise on handling conflict.

Warm up

Ask how the homework is coming, answer questions, do stretching and armed footwork (you lead both).

Sequence 10A: Preparing for authorization

Run this like a real authorization as it's done in your kingdom. Repeat more than once if desired. It'll make the actual authorization go easier. The practice here might even take less time than the real thing. In Meridies, it's something like this.

Part 1. The rules -- Ask some questions at random from the rules. Have a copy of the rules at hand to be able to show the correct answers.

Part 2. Call it, don't take it -- Spar. Call touches made and do not take them. Fight well enough so that S wins about half of the bouts. Do this for about three minutes.

Part 3. Grounded -- Four sections of sparring, 60 to 90 seconds each. S will start grounded. Then S will arise and T will be grounded. Last, both will be grounded. S should be able to fence safely and within the rules (particularly not moving behind the opponent and then attacking).

Part 4. Tourney speed -- Take touches as normal (wounds, kills). Two minutes.

Sequence 10B: Handling conflict

Optional and controversial, but it has value. It's good to have an experienced assistant (marshal/usher) nearby for this one.

Inform everyone around of what's about to happen before you start. Announce something like the following if there are any present who haven't heard it before. "The following bouts are part of an exercise! I'm going to play a nasty bad guy! You've been warned."

With a marshal or two, fight several bouts with the student as if in a tourney. However, you play the bad guy by cheating and being nasty. Ignore any barely-good blows that you can.

After a few of these, the marshal should stop the bout if the Student doesn't. Argue strongly and loudly that their blows missed. Or lie and say you didn't feel it. If you scored some near-misses or very light touches, lie some more and say that you made some touches earlier in the bout and they're DEAD. (Of course, you don't remember any details.) They're ignoring your blows because they're DEAD and can't FEEL anything.

Be profane (or close to it) and pretend to lose your temper - but Not Directly Violent. Basically, avoid doing anything or saying anything that might get your authorization revoked.

The Student should tell their side of the story, staying cool and refraining from accusation.

Afterward, remind everyone the purpose of the exercise. You might say something like -- "We might on occasion encounter other fencers who exhibit this sort of behavior. This exercise is meant to help student learn to handle such a situation with grace and courtesy."

SPARRING

Free, open sparring with authorized fencers - but at least 33% as slow sparring.

END OF CLASS

No falls this time. Stretches, Q&A.

HOMEWORK

Acquire remaining gear needed for authorization. Continue the solo practice.

What's not included and why...

Tip cuts and push cuts	-	They are not currently legal here in Meridies.
Other forms	-	In Meridies, the single rapier is the base authorization.
Italian terminology	-	It is not necessary to know for basic authorization.

 
Supplemental materials to be developed

Equipment maintenance
Staying healthy
Solo practice
Etiquette and attitude
Game vs. Reality
Gender differences
Strategy for a tournament
Roleplaying, theatrics, and themes
Tournaments and strategy
Handling conflict

 

 

Your feedback is most welcome!

 

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Original page posted: September 12, 2000. Last tweaked: July 1, 2006.

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