The Coblog

Lesson 17

Rapier and dagger lesson from this afternoon.  The two of us were opposite handed.

1. From the instructor’s invitation in low 4th, straight thrust, hand in 4th, dagger closing in 3rd.
2. From the instructor’s invitation in 2nd, straight thrust, hand in 2nd, dagger closing in low 4th under the sword arm.
3. From the instructor’s invitation in 3rd, straight thrust, hand in 3rd, dagger closing in 4th over the sword arm.
4. From the instructor’s invitation in 4th, straight thrust, hand in 4th, dagger closing in 3rd.
5. Parry 4th with the dagger over the arm, riposte underneath hand in 3rd.
6. Same thing, but riposte with a lunge if the instructor takes a retreat after the initial attack.
7. Parry low 4th with the dagger under the arm, riposte above, hand in 2nd.
8. Same thing, but riposte with a passing step if the instructor retreats after the initial attack
9. Parry 2nd with the dagger, riposte to high line, hand in 2nd.   Riposte with a pass if the instructor takes the retreat.
10. Parry 3rd with the dagger, riposte to the low line, hand in 3rd.  Riposte with a pass if the instructor takes the retreat.
11. Instructor does a pass with the dagger in low 4th.  Disengage under the dagger, parry in 4th over the sword arm and hit with the hand in 3rd while withdrawing the entire front leg and leaning the body forward. (kind of like going into a backwards lunge but with the left leg forward)
12. Instructor dose a pass with the dagger in 4th.  Disengage over the dagger, parry in low 4th under the sword arm and hit with the hand in 2nd while withdrawing the front leg.
13. Instructor does a pass with the dagger in 2nd.  Disengage under the dagger, parry in 4th over the sword arm and hit with the hand in 3rd while withdrawing the front leg.
14. Same as before, but the instructor feints the pass with the dagger in 2nd and changes to low 4th.  We didn’t really have a favorite answer for this but went with the student passing forward and hitting with the dagger.
15. Instructor does a pass with the dagger in 3rd.  Disengage under the dagger, parry in low 4th with the dagger under the sword arm and hit with the hand in 2nd while withdrawing the front leg.
16. Same thing but instead of disengaging under the dagger, turn a cut to the outside cheek.
17. From the invitation in low 4th, three straight thrusts, end of lesson.

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Lesson 16

1. From the instructor’s invitation in 3rd, straight thrust
2. In time, as the instructor invites in 3rd, straight thrust
3. In time, as the instructor attempts to engage in third, straight thrust
4. In time, as the instructor places the blade in line, engage in 3rd and glide
5. From the student’s engagement in 4th, parry 3rd, riposte by glide
6. From the student’s engagement in 4th, time thrust in 3rd
7. From the student’s engagement in 4th, time thrust in 3rd with a passing step.
8. From the student’s engagement in 4th, parry third with a passing step, using the offhand to press down on the student’s sword to provide extra leverage.  The hit should be to the throat with the hand low and in third position
9. In time, blade seizure in 3rd and glide
10. Same as 9, but the instructor has the option of attacking into the closed line.  The student should simple extend the arm, keeping the closure that they already have and hit without lunging.
11. Same thing, but the instructor the instructor may also attack with a disengagement in time during the tempo of the blade seizure.  If he instructor attacks with the proper closure, the student should respond with a counterattack in countertime.  If the instructor attacks without the proper closure (hand in 2nd) the student should respond with a parry and riposte in countertime.
12. Three straight thrusts end of lesson.

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Lesson 15

Here’s the rapier and dagger lesson that I did with Dori today.  I’m going to follow the notation that Kevin Murakoshi is using for the dagger.  I’m using 4 dagger parries which correspond roughly to the four guards in the classical Italian system.  1st is to the dagger’s inside, under the arm (point high), 2nd is low and to the dagger’s outside (point low), 3rd is high and to the dagger outside and 4th is to the dagger’s inside over the arm.

Also, if some of the actions seem awkward it could be because we are opposite handed.  Or because they actually were awkward

1. From the instructor’s invitation in 3rd, straight thrust (hand in 3rd), dagger closes in 4th.
2. From the instructor’s invitation in 2rd, straight thrust, dagger closes in 1st.
3. From the instructor’s invitation in 4th, straight thrust, dagger closes in 3rd
4. From the instructor’s invitation in low 4th,  straight thrust, dagger closes in 2nd.
5. From the instructor’s engagement in 3rd, disengagement , dagger closes in 4th.
6. From the instructor’s engagement in 2rd, disengagement, dagger closes in 1st.
7. From the instructor’s engagement in 4th, disengagement, dagger closes in 3rd
8. From the instructor’s engagement in low 4th, disengagement, dagger closes in 2nd.
9. From the student’s engagement in 3rd, glide , dagger closes in 1st.
10. From the student’s engagement in 2rd, glide, dagger closes in 4th.
11. From the student’s engagement in 4th, glide, dagger closes in 3rd
12. From the student’s engagement in low 4th, glide, dagger closes in 3rd.
13. From the student’s invitation to the outside high line, parry 4th with dagger, riposte direct, hand in 3rd
14. From the student’s invitation to the inside line, parry 1st with dagger, riposte direct
15. From the student’s invitation to the dagger’s outside high line (dagger placed across the wrist, exposing the upper half of the body) parry third with the dagger, riposte direct
16. From the student’s invitation to the inside line, parry 2nd with the dagger, riposte direct
17. Blade seizure with the dagger in 4th with a passing step
18. Blade seizure with the dagger in 1st with a passing step
19. Blade seizure with the dagger in 3rd with a passing step
20. Blade seizure with the dagger in 2nd with a passing step
21. From the instructor’s invitation in 3rd,  three straight thrusts, end of lesson

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