Fundamental Longsword Guards of Paulus Hector Mair

This video is on the four fundamental guards of the longsword as they are shown in the works of Paulus Hector Mair. The vid is a simple study guide for the basic use of these guards, as there is no need for much of anything else if one hasnt got the guards down first.

Just a few notes. They are covered in the video, of course, but they are worth mentioning again. The first is the tendency to have the arms well-extended from the body during swordplay (for the guards that extend the sword, of course, as there are guards not covered in this particular video that hold the sword close to the body), a fact easily noted in the many illustrations throughout the tomes.

Secondly, and most interestingly, two of the guards have different names. The guard that is in parlance usually referred to as Alber, or the Guard of the Fool, in Mair is called quite clearly the Guard of the Poplar. And Vom Tag is consistently referred to as the Guard of the Day. I find these names much more poetic and appropriate, and feel that they fit in better with their counterparts, the Buffalo and the Plough. The meaning behind the names of these guards is still the same, although I would say that it is far clearer under the name of Poplar than it is under the name of Fool. All of other guard names reference what you do, so why on earth would you want to be a Fool? (yes, yes, I get the point of it all, but still I find that it is much more powerful in life to have positive associations instead of negative ones for what regards personal transformation).

The music is by the master, Inon Zur.

Enjoy and tell me what you think!

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• hema
• renaissance
• sword
• historical
• swordplay
• swordsmanship
• medieval
• combat
• martial
• arts
• longsword
• mair
• spada
• rinascimento
• scrima
• scherma
• storica

[jokendorf]

Nice video for learning longsword. Thank you, ArmeAntica, I use this video with my historical combat club.

[ArmeAntica]

@jokendorf, you're welcome! Have fun and good training!

[archegonus]

very nice & didactic video! :)

but i have a question, ¿why "First the Sword Moves, then the Body Follows"?

[ArmeAntica]

It's a general rule, and this is perhaps a difficult subject, Footwork doesn't always happen. I have a sickle video up, tit has an example. Even the halberd can move without the feet.

It depends on Time, Need, and future possibilities. See, there are no set rules. Mair has sword positions that seems "crossed", like in other weapons, where the weapon is on the same side as the forward leg.

Holistically, body and weapon are one...but that doesn't necessarily include the feet.

[Kunstdesfechtens]

Hi ArmeAntica,

In Middle High German, Tag/Tage/Dach is definietely "roof", not Day, in contrast to the Latin shown here. :)

[ArmeAntica]

Fantastic, thank you! : )

[JohnRaptor]

Nice video. Your technique looks great.

[deathsBinky]

Your videos are amazing (this one a bit less than unarmed & dagger, but still great). Do you attend any internetional seminars? I can't remember seeing your group anywhere... Also, i love how you explain the basic principles, and stress distance. Overall, awesome.

[deathsBinky]

@archegonus

You already got the answer, i'll just try expanding it. :) In most cases, if the body moves first and the sword follows, or if they move at once, you close the distance without being covered by the sword. If the sword moves first, then you are covered in your strike. Also, if the body moves first, you step before the strike hits and you lose a lot of the power in that strike (you should finish your step just as the blow lands, putting your weight into it).

[11kman1]

@ArmeAntica i agree with that, you can cut/ countercut at long distances without necesarily moving too much, its just about balance transition. the feet move first , then the sword..is taken from the japanese swordmanship, especially the sport form known as kendo..i practiced for 4 years..i apreciate the discipline and the respect kendo gives you, its a good art, but its a bit unpractical and unrealistic..u just move forward and hit with speed and timing if youre good enough

[GetitUnderCool]

di essere impugnate senza dover necessariamente tenere la sinistra sul pomo" spade che non siano spadoni a due mani intendo, sempre spade lunghe.

scusa l'ignoranza in materia, ma la lunghezza dell'impugnatura di una spada è qualcosa che mi ha sempre interessato!

[GetitUnderCool]

solo una domanda, quella che chiami in inglese "long sword" è la spada "da una mano e mezza"? all'inizio del video sembrava che le mani fossero entrambe allogiate tra l'elsa e il pomo, mentre verso la fine sembra proprio che la mano sinistra afferri il pomo. ho provato la spada "da una mano e mezza" quella che ho provato io mi costringeva a mettere la mano sinistra sul pomo, e non l'ho trovato molto confortevole! la domanda che mi preme è "esistono spade storicamente accertate che permettono

[Vincenzo689]

Il vostro lavoro è molto bello, fa conoscere alla gente il nostro patrimonio marziale, l'italia è unica anche in queste cose, grazie.

[jettarulz]

Awesome, knowledge thank you :) I love how you break it down the way you do. I feel as though you are a awesome teacher and thank you for the knowledge that you bring.....

by the way where do you get your practice swords knives etc were would you recomend I buy at?