This post is about one-to-one training whereby a 'master' provides stimulus to a 'student' so that the student can perform various techniques, typically thrusts, parries, disengages, and the like. If both participants are students, they take it in turns playing the part of the master.
Generally, both participants will stand at a distance whereby they can hit their partner with a thrust with an extension, a lean or a lunge - meaning it can be done at various distances.
Good chest and face protection is needed, as well as a flexible blade. The idea behind the exercises is to train the core actions of the system again and again, hundreds of times.
This video gives you an idea of what this looks like:
Exercises from inside bind
Both participants are in Terza, at a distance where they can hit their opponent with a thrust with a small lunge. The master performs one of two actions: they create a small opening by turning their hand slightly to seconda or pointing their blade a little off to the right, or they gain the student's blade. Table 1 includes all 12 exercises, but I've highlighted in bold those that are most important to learn as, together, they include all techniques.
The master's stimulus to start the exercise could be multiple things. For example, if starting from wide distance, the master could step in to start the exercise. The master could also say 'Touch!' to let the student know to begin an attack. I've suggested a stimulus that is easy to perform in a noisy fencing hall.
The exercises should be performed slowly, speeding up over time. The important thing is not that the student does exactly what the master wants (as there are multiple options available), but that the actions performed are correct and performed in the right tempo. For example, there are actions that are performed during a disengage, and there are actions performed after the disengage - if you do the wrong action at the wrong time you will end up taking a thrust instead of parrying it, for example.
Table 1: 12 exercises
# | Master's action | Student's response | Master's counter | Student's counter |
1 | Creates opening | Gain blade and thrust 4th | Parry 4th | If master doesn't riposte, disengage parry and continue thrust (Remise) |
2 | Creates opening | Gain blade and thrust 4th | Parry 4th and riposte | Parry 4th and riposte |
3 | Creates opening | Gain blade | Disengages the gaining of the blade and thrusts 2nd | Parries 2nd and ripostes 2nd |
4 | Creates opening | Gain blade | Disengages the gaining of the blade | Counter-disengages and thrusts 4th |
5 | Creates opening | Gain blade | Disengages the gaining of the blade and thrusts 2nd | Counter- thrust 2nd |
6 | Creates opening | Gain blade | Disengages the gaining of the blade and thrusts 2nd | Voids left and thrusts low 2nd to flank |
7 | Gains blade and thrusts in 4th | Parry 4th and riposte in 4th | Parry 4th | Disengage parry and continue thrust |
8 | Gains blade and thrusts in 4th | Parry 4th and riposte in 4th | Parry 4th and riposte 4th | Parry 4th and riposte 4th |
9 | Gains blade | Disengage and feint 2nd | Does nothing | Thrust 2nd |
10 | Gains blade | Disengage and feint 2nd | Counter-thrusts 2nd | Parry 2nd and riposte |
11 | Gains blade | Disengage and feint 2nd | Parry 2nd and riposte | Disengage the parry and thrust 4th |
12 | Gains blade | Disengage and feint 2nd | Counter-disengage | Counter-disengage and thrust 4th |
Exercises from outside bind
Both participants are in Terza, at a distance where they can hit their opponent with a thrust with a small lunge. The master performs one of two actions: they create a small opening by turning their hand slightly to quarta or pointing their blade a little off to the left, or they gain the student's blade. Table 2 includes all 12 exercises, but I've highlighted in bold those that are most important to learn as, together, they include all techniques.
Table 2: 12 exercises
# | Master's action | Student's response | Master's counter | Student's counter |
1 | Creates opening | Gain blade and thrust 2nd | Parry 2nd | If master doesn't riposte, disengage parry and continue thrust (Remise) |
2 | Creates opening | Gain blade and thrust 2nd | Parry 2nd and riposte | Parry 2nd and riposte |
3 | Creates opening | Gain blade | Disengages the gaining of the blade and thrusts 2nd | Parries 2nd and ripostes 2nd Alternative: Perform 'The slaughtering' |
4 | Creates opening | Gain blade | Disengages the gaining of the blade | Counter-disengages and thrusts 2nd |
5 | Creates opening | Gain blade | Disengages the gaining of the blade and thrusts 4th | Counter- thrust 4th |
6 | Creates opening | Gain blade | Disengages the gaining of the blade and thrusts 4th | Voids right and thrusts 4th (Volta) |
7 | Gains blade and thrusts in 2nd | Parry 2nd and riposte in 2nd | Parry 2nd | Disengage parry and continue thrust |
8 | Gains blade and thrusts in 2nd | Parry 2nd and riposte in 2nd | Parry 2nd and riposte 2nd | Parry 2nd and riposte 2nd |
9 | Gains blade | Disengage and feint 4th | Does nothing | Thrust 4th |
10 | Gains blade | Disengage and feint 4th | Counter-thrusts 4th | Parry 4th and riposte |
11 | Gains blade | Disengage and feint 4th | Parry 4th | Disengage the parry and thrust 2nd |
12 | Gains blade | Disengage and feint 4th | Counter-disengage | Counter-disengage and thrust 2nd |
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