yep, that hurt
Nov. 19th, 2006 09:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anotheranonI got out for historic fencing for the first time in... a month? (Last week didn't pan out due to special non-rapier fencing event).
One of the assistant coaches, R., is starting research for a book on Saviolo and got permission from the main rapier coach to use us as guinea pigs for practicing and testing the techniques. Today we just did the basic guards ("wards", in Saviolo [Saviolan?]) and footwork.
Both are very different than the Fabris/Capo Ferro techniques I've studied previously. The wards are all held with the arm down, ideally just above the knee, with blade pointed upward. This is relaxing for the upper arm but stressful on my wrist and forearm (I'm guessing Saviolo didn't anticipate that fencers would spend 40 hours a week at a computer keyboard :P). There is, ideally, NO touching of blades, which means fewer concerns about hand position and no discussion of "finding" the opponents sword.
What really threw me off was the circular footwork, that is designed to void and attack at the same time. This is difficult to explain and perhaps even more difficult to perform because it goes against everything I've ever learned about fencing on a straight, narrow strip: these kinds of movements lead to "fencing in the round" (though, ideally, one of the fencers scores a touch before they complete a circle around each other).
I'm not stressing about it too much as my coach has made clear that Saviolo isn't going to be added to the curriculum, but it does give me some insight into what R. is doing when I fence him. I would also suggest that for modern fitness concerns Saviolo offers a more balanced workout than the other two masters - lots of twisting of the torso and use of the subordinate hand in parries.
I did do a bit of free fencing. First, against R., which was a hopeless case because I was attempting Savioloan footwork which was very new to me. Sure enough, he landed a heavy "touch" right to my diaphragm, knocking the wind out of me. To his credit he gave me time to catch my breath, but it started a fit of hiccups later on :P Before the end of the bout I stabbed him in the throat though, so I felt a bit better >:)
I also did a couple of saber bouts, which I've not done in months. I'm still amazed at how much I still remember. I guess the immersion of 2 day seminars tends to drill it in real good :P
One of the assistant coaches, R., is starting research for a book on Saviolo and got permission from the main rapier coach to use us as guinea pigs for practicing and testing the techniques. Today we just did the basic guards ("wards", in Saviolo [Saviolan?]) and footwork.
Both are very different than the Fabris/Capo Ferro techniques I've studied previously. The wards are all held with the arm down, ideally just above the knee, with blade pointed upward. This is relaxing for the upper arm but stressful on my wrist and forearm (I'm guessing Saviolo didn't anticipate that fencers would spend 40 hours a week at a computer keyboard :P). There is, ideally, NO touching of blades, which means fewer concerns about hand position and no discussion of "finding" the opponents sword.
What really threw me off was the circular footwork, that is designed to void and attack at the same time. This is difficult to explain and perhaps even more difficult to perform because it goes against everything I've ever learned about fencing on a straight, narrow strip: these kinds of movements lead to "fencing in the round" (though, ideally, one of the fencers scores a touch before they complete a circle around each other).
I'm not stressing about it too much as my coach has made clear that Saviolo isn't going to be added to the curriculum, but it does give me some insight into what R. is doing when I fence him. I would also suggest that for modern fitness concerns Saviolo offers a more balanced workout than the other two masters - lots of twisting of the torso and use of the subordinate hand in parries.
I did do a bit of free fencing. First, against R., which was a hopeless case because I was attempting Savioloan footwork which was very new to me. Sure enough, he landed a heavy "touch" right to my diaphragm, knocking the wind out of me. To his credit he gave me time to catch my breath, but it started a fit of hiccups later on :P Before the end of the bout I stabbed him in the throat though, so I felt a bit better >:)
I also did a couple of saber bouts, which I've not done in months. I'm still amazed at how much I still remember. I guess the immersion of 2 day seminars tends to drill it in real good :P
