Drills for Single Sword
with Baron AElfred of Chester
(c)2004 C. Allen Reed

One of the hardest things for the student of the noble science of defence to learn is the use of footwork and blade work from the Renaissance manuals. These drills are set up to help the student work on the use of both in offensive and defensive techniques. Words in italics are defined in the glossary of terms at the end of these notes.

The Agent will use the four stances used by Agrippa and DiGrassi. The Agent will always use the offensive footwork of DiGrassi where the back foot is brought forward and then the attack is done as the front foot moves forward. The Agent will always work from a sword foot forward stance.

The Patient Agent will be defending against the attack of the Agent. The Patient Agent will always start in low ward or terza, in this drill, with right foot forward and left foot to the rear (obviously this may be switched for the left handed fencer but then the Agent will also have to change his stance or the partners will have to modify the drills to fit a left handed fencer against a right handed fencer.)

The first part of the drill (A) will have the Patient Agent using only footwork to respond to the Agent's offensive move. The second part of the drill (B) will allow the Patient Agent to use a sword to respond to the attack. All counter attacks will be done, when possible, in stesso tempo.

I. Defense Against Thrusts

Drill #1A
Agent: From prima/high ward the Agent will do an imbrocatta to the Patient Agent's head.
Patient Agent: Does a slope pace to the left with the left foot.

Drill #2A
Agent: From seconda/broad ward will do imbrocatta to Patient Agent's torso.
Patient Agent: Does a compass pace.

Drill #3A
Agent: From terza/low ward does a foyne to the outside line of Patient Agent.
Patient Agent: voids by slope pacing to left with left foot..

Drill #4A
Agent: From quarta/punta riversa does stocatta to torso of Patient Agent.
Patient Agent. does slope pace with right foot.

Drill #1B
Agent: Same footwork and attack
Patient Agent: Same footwork. Counter attack with stocatta to torso of Agent. As Patient Agent thrusts turn sword so true edge is to right side of Patient Agent.

Drill #2B
Agent: Same footwork and attack
Patient Agent: Same footwork. Bring blade into quarta catching blade of Agent. Do punta riversa to torso or head of Agent.

Drill #3B
Agent: Same
Patient Agent: Same footwork. Brings hand and sword up into broad ward catching/parrying Agent's sword. Does imbrocatta to Agent's head.

Drill #4B:
Agent: Same
Patient Agen: Same footwork. imbrocatta to torso of Agent. As Patient Agent thrusts turn true edge toward left of Patient Agent

II. Defense Against Cuts

Cuts were used both by users of the sidesword and the rapier. This series of drills will help the student of defence learn to defend against and use cuts. All cuts by the Agent will be done with the true edge of the sword. The Agent will use the same four starting positions and same footwork on the attack.

Again the first part of the drill will have the Patient Agent practicing only footwork. The second half of the drill the Patient Agent will respond with cuts.

Drill #1A
Agent: fendente to head of Patient Agent from prima/high ward.
Patient Agent: intagliata with right foot.

Drill #2A
Agent: Makes a tondo mandritto to torso of Patient Agent from broad ward/seconda
Patient Agent. slope pace with left foot

Drill #3A
Agent: Makes a tondo mandritto to right leg of Patient Agent from low ward/terza.
Patient Agent.: voids by stepping back with right leg.

Drill #4A
Agent: From punta riversa/quarta makes tondo riverso to torso of Patient Agent.
Patient Agent. slope pace with right foot.

Drill #1B:
Agent: Same
Patient Agent: Same footwork. Do tondo mandritto to belly of Agent.

Drill #2B:
Agent: Same
Patient Agent: Same footwork. Catch sword of Agent at forte with forte. Control sword of Agent with hand. Do a redoppio riverso with the false edge to head of Agent.

Drill #3B
Agent: Same
Patient Agent: Same footwork. tondo riverso to wrist of Agent.

Drill #4B
Agent: Same
Patient Agent: Same footwork. Catch forte at forte. Use opposite hand to control Agent's sword and do a tondo mandritto to Agent's head.

Glossary
Many of the terms used in this glossary are from Renaissance Italian. These terms are designated by (It.)

Agent: The fencer who initiates the action

Broad ward: DiGrassi's second ward. The arm is held straight out to the side at shoulder height. The point of the sword is towards opponent. See also terza.

Compass pace: A pivot to void an attack. Usually on the front foot.

False edge: The "back" edge of the sword.

Fendente: (It.) A vertical cut, usually to the head

Foyne: An Elizabethan English term for thrust.

High ward: DiGrassi's first ward. The sword hand is held above the head with the point of sword aimed at the opponent. See also prima.

Imbrocatta: (It.) A thrust over the opponent's blade, hand or dagger. The thrust travels downwards with knuckles up as in prima.

Intagliata: (It.) A cross step with the forward foot to avoid an attack

Low ward: DiGrassi's third ward. Sword hand is held between the waist and the knee outside the leg. The point of the sword is toward the opponent.

Mandritto: (It.) A cut from the right to the left

Patient Agent: The fencer who responds to the Agent's actions

Prima: (It.) Agrippa's first position, see high ward

Punta: (It.) Point or thrust

Quarta: (It.) Agrippa's fourth position. Sword arm is brought across the body. Usually the true edge of sword is to the left when using the right hand. Also, sometimes called punta riversa

Redoppio: (It.) A rising diagonal cut (from hips to shoulder)

Riversa: (It) Any backhand cut or thrust.

Seconda: (It.) Agrippa's second position. Can either be like DiGrassi's broad ward or the sword arm is held straight in front of the body.

Slope pace: from DiGrassi, a step on the diagonal, usually with the back foot, to avoid a thrust. Also, called a crooked pace.

Stesso tempo: (It.) Translates as "in one time". So defense and offense are accomplished at the same time.

Stocatta: (It.) A thrust under the opponent's arm. Hand is usually held in pronation. Thrust is often to the belly.

Terza: (It.) Agrippa's third position, see low ward

Tondo: (It.) A horizontal cut.

True edge: (It.) The "front" edge of a sword. This is the edge that lines up with the knuckles of the hand.

Void: To move the body to avoid an attack.

Bibliography

Morton, E.D. Martini A Z of Fencing Queen Anne Press, London, England

Siggs, Roger Camillo Agrippa's 'Trattato Di Scienzia d'Armes' 2001. Proceedings of The Known World Academy of the Rapier

Wilson, William E. The Arte of Defense: A Manual on the Use of the Rapier 1996. Tattershall Arms, Flagstaff, Arizona

Anyone who has questions about these drills can contact Baron AElfred/Allen Reed at GallowglassAcad@aol.com