For the Fighters – Heavy

Ideas from Duke Sir Cornelius, Sir Phillipe and others

Harness

Armour:

• Armour conforms to you. You should not conform to your armour.  If you are fighting your gear, what hope do you have against the opposition?
• Crisp, well executed, field appearance.
• Keep everything in good working order.

Shield

• Select a shield that feels good for you to use and is appropriate to your culture.  Make your shield conform to you.
• Small shields good for tournaments, large shield good for war.
• Paint both sides of your shield.

Sword

• Start with 36″ cut or add 1 inch at a time till comfortable. Don’t make a sword based on your height or arm length. Comfort and ability use proficiently is the key (length/weight/blance).
• Make a comfortable handle.  Large handles promote over gripping the sword. Too round of a handle can hinder ability to tell blade orientation. A rounded triangular cross section is a good shape.
• Balance point about a hand-span from hilt.
• Lanyard at back
• Thrusting tips should only be used after cutting is mastered. Thrusting tips early on can cause a false reliance and stop the development of proper cutting.  Thrusts are also dangerous at times for the thruster in a fight.

Basics of Sword fighting – Heavy

Grip: Do not hammer grip. This cause your own muscles to fight the shot and will tire you out (Ok-to-go)

Stance

• Stance is your base. Your power for shots. It will also govern your ability to react to your opponent.
• Shoulder width box. Either foot forward should not matter. Practice with both. There is a time and a used for every technique.
• Your center of force should be through your opponent.
• Project force forward in balance. If your leaning back it will restrict your movement and shot power.
• Be comfortable. A comfort in stance allows you to breathe and relax.

Movement

• Stay in balance.
• Never follow your opponent over three steps.
• Go to where you need to go – Move.
• Retreat in balance.
• Only retreat straight if luring.
• Defensive retreats should use the J or sharp C
• Movement should be tied to your shots to optimize power.
• Reacting to an opponents advance can be offensive or defensive in nature.
• Conserve movement positions the shield.
• Basic Shots

Shots

• offside
• slot
• onside leg
• flat snap or onside
• weak edge shots (wraps). Deny your inner octopus and the tentacle flail.
• recovery is just as important as the shot
• either ‘thumb’ or elbow touches body
• let defense cue the offense
• trust your core/body

Combination Shots

• do not be repetitive
• put together combinations that have a purpose
• tie them to your movement and hips
• does it flow?
• does it kill by using the moving of the opponent’s shield?
• does it kill by lying to the opponent?

The Fight

Space and Range Long/medium/short/corp a corp Space is needed for any shot to complete You can create this space. You can allow your opponent to create this space and use it to your advantage keep your comfortable distance, not your opponents Fakes Hand fakes Arm fakes Body or shoulder fakes Slow down and be convincing (commit) Redirection In shot – same shot angle change Change shot – new shot mid throw Set up shots to look the same Offensive shield Hook, press, snag Work with opponents movement Be ready to abort Subtlety is key Now What? Remember your basics Min-Max – combat is about the mind game and math Shield – Sword – Stance Tempo – can mean both time and distance (Feori) Fight you pace – rest when you want – Don’t let your opponent rest on his time Learn to plan combinations mid fight No Mind If you expect nothing; you are ready for anything Always return to fundamentals

Other Things

HAVE FUN Look good – fight well ‘The horse, the gear, the man’ Keep a training/combat diary We are a western martial art – a philosophical foundation (Chivalry) Core strength is vital General fitness and armour fitness Train well, train often Read some historical manuals Banner/pennant