The Zornhau (Wrath Hew)

[l3054]

i thought you were supposed to block with your flat not the edge

[DedObed]

May I have a question? Have you guys seen the Zornhau or the Zwerchhau video on the kohutovic channel? And could you please state your opinion on the difference in both the way of performing and interpretation itself?

Thank you for an early reply incoming.

[hybredmoon]

This is beautiful. I've watched a lot of 'sword fights' on youtube and this is by far the most practical and useful looking style I've seen. The economy of motion is superb. Fencing isnt about wild swings and all of that craziness. It's a game of leverage and positioning. A beautiful and deadly dance.

[calderwis]

Well done. Those instructions are none too clear.

[sukumvit]

Another one curious about the music!

(not that the swordplay is not interesting...)

It's the same chord progression as Corvus Corax "Mille Anne Passe Sunt" and Mediaeval Baebes "Adam Lay Ibounden" but who did this particular arrangement?

[sxlfkta]

Brilliant, just Brilliant!!!

[lebarosky]

Query: what role did armor play in these techniques? It seems that the various plays from the high guard were devised for armored fighters. Is that probable?

[VaultCult]

I'm curious; what is this music?

[DomusUlixes]

very nice!

[cqc75]

Are the swords that your'e using the ones by hanwei.

[Desayunobabe]

i want to do this with my life.... help

[Kunstdesfechtens]

Don't we all. :) I have to settle for as many hours a week as I can cram in, which is hard considering I also do Koryu Kenjutsu, play music, and have a full-time job. Someone wanna win the lottery for me? :)

[27slava68]

Класс!!! Суупер!!!!

[CollegiumInArmis]

Hey chaps. As you know Cory, I'm toying with a different abnahmen concept... essentially, the geschranckt ort you do to defend against the zornort, also works beautifully when he displaces our zornort with strength - it certainly flows more smoothly and fits with the other winden in the stucke. Does it meet the text description... well, when lifting the hilt one could be said to be pulling the sword up and away, and the cut/zwerch around certainly resembles a wrenching action. Just a thought!

[MEMAG]

Hey Bill. I may have mentioned this, but Lecküchner has a version of the Abnehmen that has you wind out to the right, which specifically tells you to keep the long edge facing down towards the ground. After the opponent displaces this winding out you perform the Abnehmen. The important thing in this play is the emphasis on keeping the long edge down with the wind, which sets up the straight-up-and-back-down abnehmen. I think if you didn't have the long edge down an ablauffen would be best.

[Kunstdesfechtens]

Just another comment... pay special attention to how close the point is to the opponent's face that the moment the Zornhau binds in this video... only an inch away. That's important to do. Many groups park the point too far from the face, giving too much time for the opponent to recover.

[cerkuenik]

Great Video, very instructional! We´ve just started to practice the zornhau in our group.

which sword are you using? is it hanwei?

my biggest doubt is the guard that you end-up, is it plough? langenort? or a mix of the both?

thanks!

[Kunstdesfechtens]

I'm assuming you mean the guard he assumes as he binds with the Zorn. You could call it either Pflug or Langort, Sprechfenster or lower hanger. It really doesn't matter since the point of impact (and one's extension) isn't always the same, depending on the fighters' speed, reach, range, footwork, and relative height. The idea is to close the line and set the point in the guy's face. Just keep the arms bent enough to be solid in the bind.

[porizkovabasta]

Whats the name og the song?.-) Beautifull...

[LordEinar]

Have you guys considered breaking this up a bit and providing a slow-motion replay of each action? It would be rather handy for some of the latter complex stuff.

M.

[AdamWhistle]

Question: I know you guys focus on rehearsing on the books but how do you rate these practises to be realistic? I mean, if the thing went for blood and murder, you can't truly expect the opponent to follow your pre-learned steps.

After all, its resistance that separates theory from practise when it comes to martial arts (or as they called them, "military sciences"). Would you hold up the things you show here as usable against an determined and well-trained opponent?

[Djemps]

You can be sure that these are cold blooded killing techniques from legitimate Medieval Masters. A murderous attack certainly would not appear so rehearsed, but the outcome would be the same.

[MEMAG]

You must first practice the correct actions in training before you can competently and consistently apply them in free-fencing. Sequences are used to teach concepts and the correct courses of action in each given situation. Everything shown in the video has been tested against a resisting opponent and has been found to work in free-fencing.

[Kunstdesfechtens]

Another thing to keep in mind is that these techniques are intended to (as much as is possible) force the opponent into a predictable defence. Notice how many techniques threaten with a stab in the face... this is more likely to draw a "flinch response" which is then easier to follow up if the thrust to the face doesn't hit. These techniques are basically ways of taking advantage of certain common reponses. :)

[MEMAG]

Exactly!

[dtr76]

Crap, you guys are American? But I presume you can speak German?

[MEMAG]

Yes, we speak enough German to translate the Fechtbücher and understand what you wrote, but not much more :)

[dtr76]

Ausgezeichnet. Viel besser mit den Schutzhelmen, geht besser als ohne stelle ich mir vor :)

[MEMAG]

Vielen dank!

[Gaudemus0igitur]

Excellent.

Great stuecke done with earnest and in High definition :)

[MEMAG]

Thank you!

[zombienatiiion]

YES! Its got the same song! ;)

[Ranziel1]

Thumbs up, keep up the good work.

[MEMAG]

Thanks, we'll try!

[Kunstdesfechtens]

I like this one a lot. It's nice to see a bunch of different sources' takes on the zornhau. Good stuff. :)

[MEMAG]

Thanks!

[baconandeggs77]

Excellent as always, I've been watching closely.

[MEMAG]

Thank you!

[CollegiumInArmis]

Nice work guys! With a couple of exceptions, matches our interpretations quite closely. I'll have play with the exceptions/variations. ;) Interesting also that your footwork is moving along similar lines to my current work... I have a few refinements in mind that I think would be of interest, but I'll leave it till I can get the camera out (soon... soon he says).

[MEMAG]

Thank you! I look forward to seeing your video!

[LordEinar]

Great work as usual guys.  Been meaning to ask: who designed / created your blazon of arms?

M.

[MEMAG]

Thanks! That was created by Lauren Taylor (my girlfriend).

[LordEinar]

Ah yes, I saw her profile on Facebook -- she seems like a nice girl. I'll have to meet her sometime when I'm in the neighborhood.

Oh, I managed to get a copy of Codex Wallerstien for less than 50 bucks!

M.

[MEMAG]

Great!

[MEMAG]

: )

[hopper990]

Very nice! I was wonder if you could recomend a good longsword for practice. I was looking at either albion or a&a. their a little on the pricy side but i'm willing to pay for quality. What do you use?

[MEMAG]

Thanks. We use the Albion Meyer and the A&A Fechterspiel for training. In this particular video we are using Hanwei Federschwerter. They aren't as high quality, but they work on a budget.

[dorian26uk]

great vid man...

[MEMAG]

Thanks!