Spanish counters to Italian fencing

Don Puck un Zapo demonstrates elements of the Spanish sidesword at Known World Academy of the Rapier (2007)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• fencing
• destreza
• SCA
• rapier
• sword
• sidesword

[lebarosky]

Great fencing book is Glory Road by Robert Heinlein. Why it hasn't been made into a movie is beyond me. It was made for CGI and makes plot of Avatar look silly. Duel in there where the sword positioning is described in detail. Love to hear what Don Puck thinks of that scene.

[drake919]

@lebarosky Thanks for the suggestion. I'm a big Heinlein fan, but haven't read this one. *added to summer reading list*

[036265]

So is there anyone in this organisation who DOESNT play world of warcraft?

[drake919]

@036265 *raises hand*

[mikeh734]

You can see from watching how they do their cuts that these techniques would would run straight into the same problems the old Italian style had against the Hungarian methodology fencers such as George Pillar used to employ.

[drake919]

@mikeh734 Hi thank you for your comment. Can you tell me more about the Hungarian methodology? What problems are you referring to? Thanks

[drake919]

@TheCornflakeboy Good question. The event was put on by a historical recreation society called the SCA. Recreating historical clothing is a major aspect of what the SCA does. Also, the same question could be asked of traditional Asian martial arts. Why the costumes (i.e. gi, dobak, hakama, etc.)? We only think of historical western clothing as costumes because we're not used to seeing them outside of movies and Renaissance faires.

[karlandersgmail]

How long are the rapiers you use?

[tinygiggla]

... am i the only one thinking these guys are dressed funny and finding this instructor quite annoying.

[iarroganti]

@therealcaz - I was using a Sidesword blade from Darkwood Armory in the video. I don't see that particular guard on their website any more (I think I bought it in 2005 or 2006), but they have plenty of very nice hilts available.

[Lilium1166]

@lebarosky But the best one is "Flos Duellatorum" by Fiore dei Liberi the invetor of "Fioretto"... anyway too many words for explane just that? mah ....

[LuckyRob007]

That instructor, Mr. Puck .. yeah, that's my big brother. Represent.

[DWarrior666]

Too bad in a "martial situation" there would be a gun.

[halfassedfart]

@Irmasterlol No worries, but in future you might wish to establish the context first.

There are, but the issue is that they're generally operating from incomplete instruction. There is no living lineage for the medieval and most of the renaissance traditions, and the revival of the historical fencing movement has been a few decades old at best.

I did say 'decent Olympic fencer'. If you have never trained to the point of nausea, you haven't really been pushing yourself.

[Irmasterlol]

@halfassedfart Pardon my presumption. I'm not involved in the historical fencing culture, but I was operating under what was apparently the rather base assumption that there were historical fencers with sufficient dedication to mater their craft. If you mean actual Olympians, then of course they'd be a head and shoulders above anyone else because they're the best. As a weak sport fencer, I can promise any skilled fencer of any philosophy could embarrass me.

[halfassedfart]

@Irmasterlol And no, I'm a historical fencer who's cognizant of the fact that he really needs to train about four times as much and twenty times as hard to have a prayer of matching up to anyone who's properly good.

[halfassedfart]

@Irmasterlol By any rules. Olympic fencers are so far ahead in terms of sheer athleticism and training methodology that it doesn't really compare.