Longsword Basics
Our Basics are drawn from Italian, English, and German sources. Our presumption is that there are more similarities in methods than differences.
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Holding the Sword
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Basic Drills 1: Attacks from preparations
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Always progressing forwards, first the right then the left. Use a front stance.
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Downright Strokes (oberhau, fendente)
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Uppercuts (unterhau/ sottano)
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Middle cuts (mittelhau/mezanno)
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lower level thrusts (from alber/porto di ferro/denti di zenghiaro)
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upper level thrusts from frontale
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upper level thrust from finestre
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Basic Drills 2: Unstable or Warding guards
Always progress forwards for a specific number of techniques and then backwards
upper level
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ochs/finestre/roebucks
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Frontale/kron upper level (upper/middle level)
middle level
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Porta breva/phlug (middle/lower level)
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porto di ferro/neibenhut alternating with shrankhut
lower level
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alber
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bastard guard with one hand
Basic Drills 3: Block and attack
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Practice in place. Stand at the ready. Standing at the ready means that you stand in either a right natural stance/left natural stance or natural stance. The footwork covered in this drill set includes: stepping back to the side, stepping in and across, defending in place with hip movement, and pivoting away
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rising deflection/slice This is done against a strike or a thrust. Step back for these then counter moving in. use boars tooth and porto di ferro to begin
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kron (frontale) collection/thrust This is done against a strike or a thrust as well. Step into the blow.
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phlug (posta breva)/ thrust This is done against a strike or a thrust. Defend in place.
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hanging/circular strike. This is done against an aggressive overhand blow. Begin in alber, rise into finestre, continue to make a circular cut while stepping and reorienting to your opponent.
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Ochs/pommel strike. This is done by going into and underneath the opponent, directly into their centre.
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Intermediate Drills 1. counterattacks (simultaneous block and attack)
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These are movements that combine defence with offence in the same timing. These are aggressive cuts that generally move towards your opponent.
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zornhau/strike Done against an overhand strike. Best done against a weak bind or from the opponent’s outside.
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zornhau/thrust A continuation attack against an overhand strike. The tip ends up short, that is, between you and your opponent so the zorn can be directed into a thrust.
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scheilhau Done against an overhand strike and becomes a strike or a thrust depending on the sword position. Do not move or move inside. The strike is with the false edge.
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zwerchau Done against an overhand strike. Move in aggressively and catch the opponents sword on your strong and your guard.
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sheitelhau Done against an overhand strike or a lower thrust. Do not move or move back.
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krumphau Done against an overhand strike or a thrust or against an ochs. Move into the inside of your opponent off line while striking at an angle.
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unter krumphau/hand strike Done against an overhand strike or a thrust or against phlug. Move to a back quarter while flicking your weapon up from alber
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absetsen the thrusting master attack.
Paired Practices 1
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Downright stroke vs rising deflection/slice (Step back for these then counter moving in)
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Middle Thrust vs rising deflection/slice (Step back for these then counter moving in)
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Downright stroke vs kron (frontale) collection/thrust (Step into and across the blow)
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Middle Thrust vs kron (frontale) collection/thrust (Step into and across the blow)
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Downright stroke vs phlug (posta breva)/ thrust Defend in place.
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Middle Thrust vs phlug (posta breva)/ thrust Defend in place.
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Downright stroke vs hanging/circular strike. Begin in alber, rise into finestre, continue to make a circular cut while stepping and reorienting to your opponent.
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Downright Stroke vs Ochs/pommel strike. This is done by going into and underneath the opponent, directly into their centre.
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