Seasons greetings from the London Longsword Academy

Good wishes to you all out there from the L.L.A

We hope your enemies become your friends,

and your bonds of friendship grow ever stronger.

Peace to you.

Training nights over xmas,

Mondays: As normal every Monday.
Tuesdays: Back on the 4th of January.
Wednesdays: Back on the 5th of January.
Thursdays: Tomorrow as normal then break till the 6th of January.
Fridays: Off 24th, a special 2pm class on new year's eve then back to normal on the 7th of Jan.

Private lessons are of course still going on throughout the festive period... Have a good holiday folks and remember "Be excellent to each other".

Burn Night update 22nd December.

The last Burn Night of the year last night, but we'll be back January the 4th.

 

 

Andy and Nick feeling the burn...

As it was a quiet night Andy and I started off working through Talhoffer's messer work with the rattan canes, this was done very free-form to emphasise the timing of receiving the blow rather than obsessing about perfect poise...

Talhoffer's messer work from 1467

The action was from downward strikes from any direction countered with either a downward blow/parry or a rising blow. No pause no, let up, then as the timing improved slipping the occasional counter in, then gradually increasing these in frequency.

In the few minutes remaining before Nick arrived for his first burn out, we went through the simple messer techniques a little more slowly, looking at the shape and structure of the moves.
This is an unusual format for Burn Night usually all this will be done on the H.I.R.T.S. But we wanted to save the real burn for Nick's arrival...

Nick (right) notices he's arrived.

 The Burn drills were very simple last night:
Entry with Zornhau and krieg against the parry.
Zwerch against a free oberhau, countering that zwerch with another.
Zorn against a free oberhau using tactile sensitivity to dictate the secondary technique.
All this of course performed while attached to the H.I.R.T.S ropes (the enormous blue rope you can see attached in some of the pics).

Andy looks like he may go flying backward, that's because he may go...

Although we started the burn a little late everyone put in a hell of an effort, change overs were quick and the workout furious, and I think burn night won another convert. 
Burn night will return Jan the 4th at the O.L.F gym in Hither Green.

LLA Sutton, Sword and buckler December 17th

London Longsword Academy Sutton is to date my smallest class, but one of my favourites, the effort and humour put in by the (currently 2) students there is phenomenal, very much a case of get in there, push yourself hard, have a giggle along the way, but do not let that you stop moving. The students there exemplify that approach.

Last night was sword and buckler, lots of it... Straight into cutting transitions to warm up. ten minutes then quickly onto pad work.

The work begins.

The drills (I'm sure you are going to see a these soon) are designed to maximise your timing in attacking or trapping, making the system of  I.33 simple and instinctive to use.

Making Mr T work the pads.

And that is what we did for the whole session, egging each other on, building the tempo...

Great work, the lesson flew by, we even managed to carry on training when Toby missed the block on two shots, somehow managing to carry on entering and attacking while half folded up in laughter, I think I've figured out why the priest is grinning. An awesome system and awesome students to train with.

I.33 the manual for happy stabbers.

The Sutton class is coming down to train with us in Bromley next week, pick up on how they train, it's harder work, but very rewarding, train hard, see you at the next session. Dave

Thurs 16th December and how it went.

Into the schrank...

Bromley: Longsword and Sword with buckler: This was the penultimate Bromley lesson of the year but also the first time we have had two of the new Rawlings range Pro-line steel crossguards on the training swords, and they perform VERY well, a totally different and more realistic feel to the trainers, (We now have these and the full range of Rawlings training swords in stock), again we time trialled it.

Warm up: 
Longsword: guard transitions.
Sword and buckler: The seven wards and cut transitions.
Initially we took the same format as Wednesday's class, however as people weren't picking it up as fluidly as the previous night (only to be expected as it's a newer group of students), we split into two groups, focussing for longer on each sequence. then swapping around midway through.

The cut completed.

Group 1: Longsword: cutting into shranckhut, just to shranck at first then flowing into the cut, no pausing between.
Group 2: sword and buckler: lots of drilling ward transitions, focus on removing the thought interruption and allowing the body to work it out as it says in the manual “Practice is better than art". 


The groups swapped, and then onto part two.

Longsword: again with the shranckhut, this time against the oberhau, very much following the "no excuses" doctrine, again against any oberhau from the right, working through the points where students had trouble with a certain angle or timing and making the move work for them, this quite often dealt with by simply "striking to the flat".

It's important to have at least one camp picture per session.

Sword and buckler: as with the last few occasions binding trap and enter on the pads, with for the more advanced the bind on the inside.

I'd like to give Pete L a special mention for last night, he showed the best form I've seen from him, a very good performance (all this despite my yelling at him), very well done Pete.

Wednesday 15th Blackfriars...

Nick and Pete (foreground) "helping" each other.

Yesterday was the final Wednesday session of the year. The class as was to be expected with the amount of Xmas parties going around a fair bit quieter than usual (bear in mind that the L.L.A has a maximum class size of ten for quality purposes anyway)  but the few that did turn up put in a great performance.
Again we worked circuits, the first thirty minutes spent drilling the sword and buckler wards and linking cuts of I.33, and longsword guard transitions and  striking into shrankhut followed by a false edge blow.
 As usual we worked 2 minute circuits, one on left, one on right, then rapidly onto the next weapon.

Five people two sets of sword and buckler, three feders


For the second part of the lesson we went for:
Longsword: uncooperative drilling of the strike into shrankhut against the oberhau.
Sword and buckler: entry with the thrust on pads.


and for the final part:
Longsword: uncooperative drilling of the zwerch against oberhau.
sword and Buckler: Pad work left and right trap and binds.

Everyone worked superbly hard, it was great to hear the students egging each other on offering encouragement to push that little bit further. It was also good to have at least one student rolling on the floor gasping, a great effort all round...

For those of you that aren't back till the new year, have a good one. The rest of you, see you at the next session.

Burn Night Update

Here are a few pictures from tonight's BURN NIGHT, it was an amazing effort by everyone, again as I said in the earlier blog, we practised Zwerch and counter with the longsword, and thrust, followed by enter trap and strike (bind, knock, strike) on the pads, towards the halfway mark as we had an extra student show up, we added squinter against long point, again, all on the H.I.R.T.S cords.

 

David R (me) explaining the bind/knock/cut on the pads.

 Each move was of course explained beforehand in detail, this only took around five minutes out the total hour though, so the rest really was down to getting on the hurt.

On the H.I.R.T.S, one minute on one minute off.

This general regime was pretty simple, I explained the technique, then each side did a minute right handed, then changed to the left hand and did a minute left handed each. So we worked in circuits of four minutes on each drill.

At this point Mike (rear right in the red top), started to believe he could fly.

After each four minute circuit, we changed, each pair moving to a new drill.

we had three drills 2 longsword (zwerch, and squinter) and one sword and buckler. So everyone had twelve minutes of high resistance workout, followed by a review of what had happened (around four minutes) then off again.

Andy S goes all Ninja (right rear).

 Overall we kept the loop going for just shy of an hour, very little stoppage, very well done, and of course, we get to do it all again next week...

Those who joined me at this weeks BURN NIGHT were...

Pete Samworth Instructor of Folkestone Boar's Tooth

Mike "wingman" Nevell.

Adam Chandler (who for some reason didn't come out in focus in any pics, creepy).

Bert "I know something you do not know" Sowerby...He's not right handed.

And Steve, who I think practices this face in front of the mirror.

Again, very well done guys, I look forward to next week.

Tuesday 14th Burn Night

Tonight at Hither Green class: Burn Night: Longsword will be Zwerch and counters again... sword and buckler will be entering and trapping. Last week we stole the audience from the MMA guys, lets see if we can do it again. Depending on attendance we may even pull out the Bulgarian bags as well, this is going to hurt chaps but I know you'll do well, bring water

Monday 13th December training schedule.

Barbican 8pm:
Longsword: more squinter work, this time on pads and against the long point.
Sword and Buckler: more pad work, lots of trapping and striking, lots of circuits.

It should be a good workout so make sure you bring water...

Feder training swords are in.

For all of those of you that ordered feders, they are in, please bring a bag large enough to transport them safely from the training.

Friday 10th December

Sutton class: Sword and buckler, the whole session was spent on sword and buckler, pad work, lots of bind trap and enter, followed by the falling under. We all worked hard and left buzzing, thanks for your efforts chaps.

Wed 8th and Thursday 9th December

As you can see the schedule is a day behind, this is mainly due to recovering from burn night, if you can imagine swinging 2lb+ of finely balanced steel dynamically for an hour, in a high octane mix of pad work, cut and counter work and resistance H.I.R.T.S training you will still have no idea how physically and mentally intense an experience it is, to understand you need to feel it... legs arms and abdominals all should be aching like mad if you are doing it right, an awesome core workout. To paraphrase the man, fence with all your body... to help you do that, we will train all your body...
So to update you to Wednesday night: We went straight to longsword and sword/buckler, skipping Rapier for the week, the drills went like so:
Each circuit: 20 mins one minute on sword one on pads or counter then swap.
circuit one: Longsword, squinting strike on pads, left and right sides, mins one minute on sword one on pads then swap. sword/buckler, advance in thrust to pad.

Circuit 2: Longsword, again squinter on pads, sword/buckler enter tap down pin and strike.

Circuit 3: Longsword squinter against the fool (latter plough and it's assaults), sword/buckler enter in in half, (countered with the falling under), bind down, trap and strike.

Well done those of you who attended a great effort and good progress.

Thursday's lesson:
Well, as it was so much fun yesterday, we are going to do it all again. see Wednesday nights lesson. Train hard, Dave

Tuesday 7th BURN NIGHT Long sword/Sword and buckler

Don't forget every Tuesday is BURN NIGHT Tonight is Longsword thrust and counter, squinter and zwerch with counter, PLUS sword and buckler enter and trap on both sides, ALL of this done on the HIRTS trainer ropes, it's going to hurt, it's going to leave you exhausted, it will make you feel you've taken your training to another level.
I hope to see you there. Dave

Monday nights and the Xmas holidays.

After speaking to the students who attended last night, the decision has been taken to train every Monday over xmas and into the new year.
That means that.
Monday 13th training as usual.
Monday 20th  training as usual.
Monday 27th  training as usual.
Monday 3rd Jan  training as usual.

Thanks very much for your commitment chaps, you make me proud.

Training schedule Monday 7th

Barbican 8pm: Longsword tonight is drilling squinter on the pads followed by it's use against the alber (latter plough) and Longpoint..
Sword and buckler will be drilling enter, bind, trap to strike, with a disengage thrust and counter thrown in if you perfect that...
You'll be glad to know that we are in bag in the main hall, thanks to those of you who came and trained in the closet last week.

Rawlings PRO LINE guards now available.

 

The new Rawlings Pro Line cross guards are now in stock at the Knight Shop  made of stainless steel these increase the overall weight and drastically improve balance and realistic feel of the training sword, offering a much  better work out and a closer experience to training with the real thing...

There are some new blades in the pipeline too, more news on those as we get it, as you'd expect all the fittings (old/new blades/crosses) are fully interchangeable. Train hard..Dave

Thursday (last night)

Bromley class: Longsword, well done for all of you who turned up regardless of the conditions, and well done for the hard work you put in, last night was squinter practice against striking pads and the the thrust. Very impressed with everyone.

Wednesday December 1st

Blackfriars:
Rapier 7.30pm: is by invite only tonight.
Longsword: 8.30pm:  is, by popular demand "squinter practice".

Wrap up warm chaps, I'll see you there...

Monday 29 onwards class plan...

Monday 29th Barbican: Longsword; Well done to those of you who made through the tube strike and made it to last night training, you all did great, we were going to do the zwerch and countering the soft, however the lesson branched out into a discussion and practical on tactile sensitivity, most of which was bought on by your own readings of the pressures you were experiencing, very well done.


Tuesday 30th Hither Green: longsword; BURN NIGHT, due to  the snow and awful conditions, burn night is still on bring a jumper for afterwards, tonight is high rep HIRTS work with the zwerch and counters.
Look forward to seeing you there.

London Longsword Academy: training guide Monday 22 Nov onwards

For class times and availability please call 0770 9639881 
Monday 22nd Barbican: Longsword zwerch and counter, cutting practice.
Tuesday 23rd Hither Green: BURN NIGHT intense longsword drilling, resistance training at the OLF gym, Zwerch and counters.
Wednesday 24th Blackfriars: Rapier, by appointment only.
Longsword zwerch and counters, cut drilling.
Thursday 25th Bromley:Longsword zwerch and counters.
Sword & buckler entering in half shield first ward counter.
Friday 26th Sutton: Short Staff 4th form.
Longsword zwerch and counters.

A brief introduction: the LLA's Burn Night...

The rest of the week...

Wednesday Blackfriars: Rapier- invited student only.
Longsword- more krieg work, harder faster.
Thursday Bromley:  Longsword-free cutting, flow drills, constant motion in sparring.
Friday Sutton: Longsword-krieg work, short staff-fourth form lower right binds.

Tuesday 16th BURN NIGHT

Tuesday night is Burn Night, at the O.L.F gym in Hither Green, Longsword cutting drills on the H.I.R.T.S (high intensity rope training system) not only does it make a big  difference to your longsword cutting ability, good strength, good cardio and it's a hell of a lot of fun.
We may video this session.
See you there, Dave
To check class availability call 0770 9639881

Monday 15th Barbican class.

Barbican class tonight, mixed weapon circuit training, Krieg with the longsword, subjection with the rapier, sword and buckler transitional cutting, and fifth form with the short staff.

To check availability of training places in any of our classes please email londonlongsword@gmail.com or call/text 0770 9639881

Sutton Friday 12th

To check availability of training places in any of our classes please email londonlongsword@gmail.com or call/text 0770 9639881 please leave a contact number in any correspondence. 

Krieg work from last weeks class.

 

 

 

 

Short staff again this week, the 5' staves have arrived and they are a fair bit stronger, so we can up the training a notch. Look forward to seeing you there.
Dave

Thursday Nov 11

We were going to practice the krieg last night, but due to the great effort put in by the students at the start of the lesson (some of whom were still feeling the rigours of Tuesday's Burn Night) We instead worked on flowing and multiple cuts, moving this approach (constant cutting) into a bouting environment. Everyone made progress this week, special mention however to Steve C who seems to have leapt a level in his understanding.

Wednesday class details.

Rapier: It's a week off for rapier this week, classes resume as normal next week.

Longsword: Krieg, war work, zornhau, wind, wind and disengage. Simple and with lots of repetition, also counter thrusts.
Look forward to seeing you there, Dave

Burn Night. Tuesdays at optimal life fitness.

This Tuesday saw a change of pace, an hour of full on longsword resistance training, Bungees, bag work, high rep drilling, with everyone leaving the hall slightly burnt out but buzzing.
It's a perfect way for beginners to learn (no time or need to be precise, just work it) and an awesome way for the more advanced to push themselves to their limits.

As a result of this Tuesdays longsword class, is going to get more intense and more high rep. Are you ready for Burn Night?

And now, some good examples...

Fun as it was to teach the All Blacks, what you see them displaying in the (previous post)is mainly childish flailing, that's to be expected, as they only had an hour to train. However, I wanted to show these clips from the 2010 swordfish finals as it shows fencers at the height of their game.

In the first clip Axel P and his trainer Anders L fence with steel longswords



and in the second (the rapier final)Phil and Colin, look at 2.15-2.19 for an excellent example of the correct mind set, Phil attacks, then immediately moves back, fully mindful of his defence afterwards, outstanding.



I hope you enjoy this, Dave

Tonight and the All Blacks

Tonight there is a slight change of plan, tonight is krieg, working the close winding with the sword.




In the mean time however here is the clip of me teaching the All Blacks on Friday just gone, enjoy:

Week commencing 1st November, training schedule

Monday 1st Barbican: Mixed weapon circuits. Sword and buckler, short staff, longsword, rapier.
Tuesday 2nd Hither Green: short staff, upper left bind work and striking the mittlehau.
Wednesday 3rd Blackfriars:  Rapier by appointment only,
Longsword and sword staff, parries and binds.
Thurdsday 4th Bromley: longsword, parries and countering the afterblow.
Friday 5th Sutton: short staff finishing his reps of the upper left bind mittlehau. 

Following is an article written by Matt Galas, it gives a much more historical (and geographical) context of the much debated afterblow (the after blow is this: I get hit,but even though that struck may have killed me in real life, I still get one step in which to hit you back).
My thanks to Matt for letting me reproduce it here...
On the After-Blow
Copyright Matt Galas 2010

Grieve not greatly if thou be touched a little;
for an after-stroke is better if thou dare him smite.
-- The Play with the 2 Hand Sword in Verse, Harleian MS 3542, late 15th century

Over the past five years, HEMA researchers have uncovered a series of historical rules for playing prizes with various weapons. The richest sources of information come from Belgium and France, where the statutes of fencing masters and the internal rules of the civic fencing guilds provide a great amount of detail on how prizes were played. These rules, which deal with the use of the longsword, rapier, and rapier & dagger, were in effect from the early 1500s until 1791, when the French Revolution put an end to the fencing guilds. It is likely that these rules were in effect for much longer, but were undocumented.

One of the common elements that has emerged from these documents is a special rule on the so-called "after blow." This term is a translation of the Flemish term "naerslag" (after-blow) or "naersteek" (after-thrust) found in Belgian fencing guild rules. In the after-blow rule, a blow struck by an attacker is not considered to be a valid hit unless he escapes unscathed. Thus, a successful attack is negated by the after-blow, which is a blow struck by the defender immediately after he is hit. The defender has a limited number of steps he can take with his after-blow. One step appears to be the norm, but some guild rules allow as many as three steps to be taken when delivering the after-blow. Double hits (i.e., simultaneous hits by both fencers) are not the same as an after-blow, but also negate a successful attack.

To make the effect of this rule clear, here is an example of its application: My opponent deceives me with a feint, then hits me with a blow on my shoulder. As he retreats, I pursue him with a passing step, striking at him. If I hit him with this after-blow, his earlier hit is nullified. If he evades or parries my blow, then his blow is counted as a clean hit, and is valid.

The after-blow rule is not unique to France and Belgium. It can also be documented in Italy, where it is discussed in Manciolino's manual of fence, the Opera Nova of 1531, as well as in a work known as the Anonimo Bolognese, a manuscript written in the 16th century. The concept appears to have been used in England, too, where the term "after stroke" can be documented in the late 15th century, and the term "after veny" in the early 17th century. (The word "veny", which had many variations in English, is taken from the French work "venue", and meant a blow given while fencing.) Thus, this rule appears to have been a broad phenomenon in fencing circles in Europe during the 16th century. It remained current in Belgium until the French Revolutionaries disbanded the guild system in 1791.

The after-blow was a feature of European fencing in quite a few countries for several hundred years, during a time when the sword was a relevant weapon. Considering that these competitions were run by fencing masters, presumably it had martial value. The following paragraphs discuss the martial significance of the after-blow. Annex I contains primary source material on the after-blow. Annex II contains a selection of medieval proverbs reflecting how ingrained the concept was in the medieval mind.

Making Sense of the After-Blow Rule

This was a pass, 'twas fencer's play, and for the after veny, let me use my skill.
-- The Two Maids of More-clacke, 1609

From the source material cited in Annex I below, it appears that the after-blow was a phenomenon that was wide-spread across Europe. What are we to make of this rule? To make sense of the after-blow, it needs to be examined from two perspectives: That of the attacker, and that of the defender.

From an attacker's perspective, the after-blow rule is extremely demanding. It requires him to display consummate swordsmanship in attacking his opponent, since the slightest fault will negate his attack. He must not only close distance and strike the opponent without receiving a double-hit, but must also escape unscathed, without allowing the opponent to land a blow on him -- a very high standard indeed.

This high standard makes eminent good sense from the perspective of training a swordsman for earnest combat. Recent research makes clear that there is no such thing as a guaranteed sudden kill. Books such as David Grossman's On Combat (PPCT Research Publications, 2004) and articles such as Frank Lurz's "The Dubious Quick Kill" (http://www.classicalfencing.com/articles/bloody.php) provide extensive evidence showing that human beings are capable of functioning after taking tremendous amounts of damage. Numerous accounts survive of swordsmen fighting on after sustaining terrible wounds that one would ordinarily expect to be debilitating. History is replete with examples of swordsmen striking back effectively even after receiving a mortal blow. One illustrative example, from the Peninsular War, follows:

"Just then, a French officer delivered a thrust at poor Harry Wilson's body, and delivered it effectually. I firmly believe that Wilson died on the instant; yet, though he felt the sword in its progress, he, with characteristic self command, kept his eye still on the enemy in his front, and raising himself in his stirrups, let fall upon the Frenchman's helmet such a blow that brass and skull parted before it; and the man's head was cloven asunder to the chin. It was the most tremendous blow I ever beheld struck; and both he who gave, and his opponent who received it, dropped dead together." (Source: Reminiscences of a Light Dragoon, in The United Service Journal, 1840. Cited in Sword Fighters of the British Empire, D.A. Kinsley, 2009.)

With this in mind, requiring a fencer to show that he is capable of parrying or evading an opponent's retaliatory strike before awarding him a point makes excellent martial sense. As a fellow instructor put it, we should always assume that our opponent's blow will stop us, but that our own blow will not stop the opponent. This is eminent good sense, and I believe is the underlying reason for the custom of the after-blow. Compare this to the rule in modern sport fencing, where a thrust by an epee-fencer is counted as valid, even though it arrives a mere split-second before the opponent's counter-thrust, which also lands.

From the defender's perspective, the after-blow rule also makes good martial sense. In a real fight, if your opponent has struck you, what is the proper response? Is it to shut down and remain passive? Or is it to retaliate, striking the opponent in turn, while he is still within range? Clearly, the answer is the latter.

Phrased another way, the after-blow is what you do after your defenses have failed, and you have been hit. What else are you supposed to do at that point? Striking back at the opponent makes good sense in that situation, since at least it prevents the opponent from getting away unscathed. There is something very martial about this, considering the context of a real fight. This attitude says, "I'll fight the best I can; but if he gets through my defenses, I'll have my revenge on him."

The following example, from a knightly epic known as Willehalm (ca. 1265), shows that this notion was appreciated in the warrior classes in medieval times:

"He struck through Halzibier's helmet
So that he was nearly dismounted by the blow.
Halzibier was no slouch either;
he did not forget to deliver a blow in return."

(Source: Ulrich von dem Türlîn's Willehalm, stanza 44, verses 28-31, ed. S. Singer, Bibliothek der mhd. Litteratur in Böhmen, Vol. 4 (Prague, 1893))

More recent examples of this can be found as well. In "Swordsmen of the Raj" (D.A. Kinsley, 2009), there is an account of a sword fight written by an English officer who fought in the Sepoy Mutiny. In this mounted encounter with cavalry sabres, the Englishman began to deliver a cut at his Sikh opponent. The Sikh struck at him at the same time, so he aborted his cut, converting it into a parry at the last moment. The incoming blow collapsed his parry, and he was cut through the face. He said, "However, my guard having been hurriedly made, and my opponent a stronger man than myself, my sword was beaten down and my cheek laid open. After the blow, I had my turn, and gave my 'friend' one over the head." The officer later collapsed from blood loss from the cut to his face, which was a severe one.

Accounts such as these make clear that the after-blow happened in real life, fighting with sharps. In my view, this attitude is something we should seek to cultivate, rather than the opposite. ("Oh dear, I've been hit. Time to stop.")

Training martial artists to strike an after-blow in retribution after they are hit amounts to training and honing a natural response. Doing the opposite -- forbidding a fencer to strike after he has been hit -- is potentially a very dangerous thing to do from a training standpoint. Training habits (good or bad) have a way of showing up in real combat. If a martial artist is trained to stop upon receiving a first hit, there is a very real danger that such behavior will manifest itself as a training artifact that surfaces when it is most harmful -- in real combat.

Viewed from this perspective, conditioning a fighter to stop immediately after a hit is maladaptive in the extreme. Remember the story of the cop who practices his disarms multiple times, always giving the weapon back to his training partner -- and then automatically does that in a real life situation. Not using the after-blow leads the successful fencer to drop his guard while still within striking distance; likewise, it conditions the unsuccessful fencer to stop fighting as soon as he is hit. Neither of these are behaviors which we should encourage in martial artists.

On the contrary, training the after-blow is a method of developing what old English pugilists used to call "bottom" -- the ability to take a hard blow and continue fighting nonetheless. The idea is to foster the same attitude and fighting spirit captured in this inscription on a German sword from the early 16th century: Haust du mich, so stich Ich dich. (If you cut me, I will stab you in return.) The fact that the after-blow was used in fencing practice for centuries, under the watchful eye of fencing masters, would suggest that they found martial value in the rule as well.

The concept of the after-blow is inherent in human nature. If we are struck, our natural reaction is to lash back. In medieval German law, this was recognized to such an extent that it is reflected in a legal proverb: "One cannot forbid the after-blow." In medieval German, the term widerslac was not used in a strict fencing sense, but rather was used to describe a blow struck in retaliation by the victim of an attack. This notion was reflected across Europe in proverbs; Appendix II (see below) presents examples which give an idea of how prevalent this concept was across medieval and Renaissance Europe.

For the reasons stated above, the after-blow rule has been incorporated into many HEMA tournament rule-sets in recent years. Experience at major HEMA tournaments, such as the 2010 tournament at Apelern, Germany, indicates that the better fighters are able to effectively deal with the after-blow. For the rest, this is mainly a matter of training. One easy way to do this is by using drills in which the training partner gives an opening; the swordsman strikes the open target; and the partner delivers a half-speed after-blow, which the swordsman parries as he moves back out of distance. Many variations of this kind of drill can easily be created with a little imagination. Simply remember Joachim Meyer's adage, in his section on the Zornhut: "Thus, in all techniques you should go from the sword to the body, and from the body to the sword."

Matt Galas / HEMAC, Belgium

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix I: Primary Source Material on the After-Blow

The following paragraphs provide a sampling of primary source material documenting the after-blow in Italy, France, Belgium, and England. It spans the time period from the late 15th century to the mid-18th century. (Thanks for Italian translation assistance goes to Ilkka Hartikainen, Caroline Stewart, and Mario Quarta; thanks for Flemish translation assistance goes to Eli Steenput.)

Italian: Excerpt from Antonio Manciolino, Opera Nova (Venice, 1531), 6 recto:
"After being hit, it is only allowed to strike back once with one step, as it is in this way that the honor is recovered."

Italian: Excerpt from the Anonymous Bolognese (manuscript, 16th century, para. 62):
"The art of fencing with blunt weapons is called giucare (playing), and it is not permitted for a fencer, after he has received a blow, to pass more than one step forward to strike at his enemy. The reason is this: If he were free to take as many steps as he wanted, that would no longer be fencing, but would instead be as if he were fighting for real. Because quite often it occurs that a fencer steps forward as many times as he likes after receiving a blow, throwing himself upon his enemy because he is overcome by anger. And he runs towards his enemy, trying to strike at him anywhere he can on his body, in order to hit him again. Because of this, those who are watching [i.e., the judges] cannot tell what happened, due to him running at his enemy in such a bestial manner, taking more than one step.

But why do I say that when one has received a blow, he must not take more than one step, while another might say that he should take as many steps as he likes? To him I would respond that such an action happens in the art of combat when one has received a blow, and one can decide to step forward and retreat as much as he likes. However, it often happens that one receives a blow, he is motivated by a desire to throw himself upon his enemy to take revenge, but the blow was of such a nature that he is unable to move and in fact falls to the ground. For that reason, in the art of sport-fencing one cannot step forward more than one step after receiving a blow. Because if you want to take more steps, I will tell you the reason given above: that if the sword was sharp, the blow could have been of such a nature that you would be unable to run forward, but might instead fall to the ground.”

French: Excerpt from the longsword rules of the fencing guild of Lille (manuscript, late 16th century):

"Item: In order to maintain order in the game, and to prevent those who are accustomed to run after their opponents, despite having been previously hit, it has been resolved that one will have but a single step after having received a blow; and if one does not deliver the said blow on the first step (such as if one takes two steps), that blow will not be counted for good nor valid."

Flemish: Excerpt from the longsword rules of the fencing guild of Mechelen (manuscript, 17th century):

"Whoever fights the defending King at the Knightly Sword must strike him with a valid hit, on the head, shoulders, back or chest, above the elbows and above the belt, as shown by the [chalk] marks, remembering that the King has his after-blow, which must be delivered at once, without following the challenger or opponent more than three steps to give this after-blow, on pain of losing it."

Flemish: Excerpt from the longsword rules of the fencing guild of Brussels (manuscript, dated 1617):

"Whoever is fighting against the defending King with the Noble Sword, and strikes him a valid hit (to wit, above the belt, or from the bend of the elbow upwards; because anything below that shall not be counted, either for the Defender or for the Challenger) and then departs from the King free and untouched, then the same one that struck the valid hit shall stand in place of the King. All the others from the Guild shall then play against him, who haven't yet played; and they shall fight him to see whether they can hit him with a higher valid hit. Because whoever strikes the highest valid hit shall remain King, bearing in mind that the King still has a step with an after-blow."

Flemish: Excerpt from the rapier rules of the fencing guild of Brussels (manuscript, dated 1716):

"If the challenger can give the champion a thrust without being thrust by the champion above the belt or elbow, then he is rewarded by taking the champion's place (his thrust being registered); he must then try to defend against the other challengers. [...] The champion has the advantage that he can give an after-thrust, which the challenger is not allowed. And for him [i.e., the challenger], an after-thrust will not be counted as valid."

English: Excerpt from Harleian Manuscript 3542, folios 82-85, The Play of the 2 Hand Sword in Verse (late 15th century):

"Greve not gretly thou yu be tochyd a lyte
ffor an aftr stroke ys betr yf thou dar hym smyte"

Note: In the following two excerpts from England, a "veneye" or "veny" is defined in Bullokar's English Expositor (1616) as follows: "Venie. A touch in the body at playing with weapons."

English: Excerpt from Sloane Manuscript 2530, with the rules of the London Maisters of Defence (manuscript, late 16th - early 17th century):

"And at anny prize Whether it be maisters prize Provosts prize or fre schollers prize who soever dothe play agaynste ye prizor, and doth strike his blowe and close withall, so that the prizor cannot strike his blowe after agayne, shall wynn no game for anny Veneye so geven althoughe it shold breake the Prizor's head."

English: Excerpt from The Two Maids of More-clacke, 1609:

"Can ye warde your selfe? This was a pass, 'twas fencer's play, and for the after veny, let me use my skill."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix II: The Proverbial After-Blow

The concept of the after-blow is inherent in human nature. If we are struck, our natural reaction is to lash back. This notion was reflected across Europe in proverbs; the following examples give an idea of how prevalent this concept was.

Daniel von dem blühenden Tal (ca. 1220), verses 7696-7703, by Der Stricker, ed. Michael Resler (Tübingen, 1983)

The after-blow has never been forbidden
to a wrathful man;
for if he is to survive,
he must defend himself.
If he is to preserve his body,
then he gladly strikes back
before he lays down and dies;
we did the same, and rightly so.

A variety of other examples follow, primarily from this source: Thesaurus proverbiorum medii aevi, by Samuel Singer, (New York, de Gruyter, 2000) p. 118-19

German proverbs:

Swer sleht, der sol umbe sehen, Waz im da wider muege geschehen (He who strikes should beware what might happen to him in return.) Freidank, Bescheidenheit (ca. 1220), 127, 14.

Als her Fridank gesprochen hat: Ich geloub, den widerslac Niemen wol verbieten mac. (As Sir Freidank said, 'I believe that no-one can forbid the after-blow.') Heinrich der Teichner, Karajan, 32.

Latin equivalents:

Non interdictum fit verber post prius ictum. (It is not forbidden to strike, having been struck before.) Laele 676.

Lex que plagavit nullo plagare vetavit. (It is the law that he who has been struck cannot be forbidden from striking.) (Freidank Lat. (Graz) 90.

French equivalents:

Colée demande son per. (One blow calls for another.) Chast. 26, 118.

Qui cop reçoit, colée renge. (He who receives a blow, gives a blow in return) Roman de Thebes, App. 3, 10943 (II, 194), (13th century)

Se tu fiers mi, jou ferrai ti. (If you hit me, I will hit you.) Jehan, Les Mervelles de Rigomer, verse 3714 (13th century)

English equivalents:

For he that smytys, he shal be smyten. (He who strikes, he shall be struck.) (Towneley Plays 20, 699) (Also remember the common turn of phrase, "To give as good as you get.")

Spanish equivalent, using fencing terminology:

A tal tajo, tal reves. (For such right blow, a reverse blow in return.) (Nunez I, 137)

After blow news

For those of you familiar with the open rules concept (a set of evolving rules for HEMA competition designed to promote skill and athletic prowess), will I hope have seen some of the discussions in places such as sword forum and the WMA coalition sites (don't worry if not, I'll post them here very soon), one of the contested features of the rules is that of  the after blow whereby if a party is struck, he gets one step (or jump or lunge) in which to strike his assailant back. This one step limit is, as Caroline Stewart has said "simply delimiting the extent of a double hit in an exchange or pass at arms. If you are hit within the allowable span of the afterblow,  then you failed to hit under cover, to hit without being hit in return".
However though we as a school feel that the afterblow encourages good fencing and increased skill, we have been able to provide little historical precedent (other than the Belgian Longsword fencing guilds felt the same way and used it to similar ends).
 Now thanks to the hard work of Piermarco Terminello I am able to offer this snippet from "Annonimo Bolognese"


"Annonimo Bolognese"
The art of fencing with blunt weapons is called playing, and it is not permitted for a player, after they have received a blow, to pass more than one step forward to wound his enemy. The reason is this, if he could take as many steps as he wanted this would not be playing but fighting for real.

Because quite often it occurs that after receiving the blow a player steps forward as much as he likes and throws himself at his enemy overcome by anger, and as soon as he runs towards his enemy he too tries to wound to him anywhere he can and give him a few hits, and for those which weren't seen sometimes you don't know how it went due to him running wildly towards his enemy more than one step.

But why do I say that when one has received a blow they must not take more than one step but another might say that he should take as many steps as he likes? To him I say that such an action happens in the art of combat when one has a wound where one can decide to step forward and retreat as much as one likes. But often it happens that one receives a wound and has the desire to want to throw oneself upon the enemy to get revenge but the blow was of such a nature that one is unable to move and in fact falls to the ground. And it is for this reason that in the art of playing one cannot step forward more than one step after receiving a blow, because if you want to take more step I will tell you the reason given above, that if the sword was sharp the blow could have been of a nature such that you would not want to run head but you might instead fall to the ground.”

I hope this gives a valuable insight into the historical relevance of the afterblow.
Many thanks to Caroline Stewart from School Of The Sword for making this available.
Dave

Short Staff orders.

Staves: We have a shipment of short staves (5') due in at the end of the month, at the moment. These will be red oak Bo cut down so will be thicker and stronger than the ones we are using at the moment.
Anyone wanting to add to the order please let me know by the  end of this week.



Don't forget , there is a Combat magazine article on short staff showing the full first sequence, at the end of this month.

Monday 18th oct onwards training update

Monday 18th Barbican: Lonsword, more basic positions and transitions, breaking the guards, Ox and Fool.
Advanced students, counter thrusts from Fool, parrying.

Tues 19th Hither Green: Short staff, 1st and 3rd forms to completion.

Wed 20th Blackfriars, Rapier (please check with me).
Longsword, counter thrusts and breaking Fool.

Thurs Bromley: Longsword, parrying  breaking Ox and fool.

Friday Sutton: Short staff, 1st and 3 forms to completion.

T Shirts

They have arrived, they look awesome. I will bring a selection to each lesson.

Wed 14th training update...

Rapier: no rapier tonight, back to normal next week.
Longsword: parries, lots of parries, keeping the point on against over and under hews. For those of you confused by this, it's simple:
The attacker will attack as often as possible maintaining a fluid approach but not worrying too much if they get hit.
The defender should try not to get hit, but not get frustrated if they do, merely improving the next attempt at defence, you will get hit as it's pretty impossible to just block, accept this, it is an exercise to help you improve a skill set, not free play).

Tues 13th lesson update

Last night was pure impact training, going through the initial strikes of the first four forms of short staff, allowing the blows to move independently of the foot, checking balance and foot work whilst striking a target (Bob).
Good progress all round.

Monday 11th reminder.

Don't forget we are in the new hall today and that we start at 8pm . Today's lesson is parries and counters in longsword, or "half an el, keep your point on".
See you there, Dave
The training page says 7.30 at the moment, this will be changed.

Again don't forget to check out next months Combat article, see the blog post below this.

LLA in Combat magazine november issue...

The
London Longsword Academy is being featured in the November issue of
Combat magazine, with an article on Paulus Hector Mair's short staff.
release date is 21-23 of November. It will show a break down of the first page of Mair's staff sequence, we hope you'll like it, it truly is an amazing form.

Barbican class, new times, new venue!

From Monday 11th of October the Barbican  class is moving to:

City YMCA, London

8 Errol Street

EC1Y 8SE

This means that we get a longer class and a warmer hall for the winter.

Training times will be  8pm-9.30pm.

For class availability please call or text 0770 9639881

Training update Monday 4th Oct Onwards

For class availability please call; 0770 9639881
Monday the 4th Barbican:
Back on Longsword and everyone settled in nicely. Guard transitions and footwork, working into free attack and parries.
Tuesday 5th Hither Green:
Short staff, finishing of the first and second forms, with safety equipment and intent.
Wednesday 6th Blackfriars:
Rapier...a suprise.
Second lesson : Circuit training three weapons Longsword/staff/sword and buckler
Thursday 7th Bromley:
Guard transitions and footwork, working into free attack and parries.
Friday 8th Sutton:
Short staff, 3rd form.

Wednesday night change of plan

Ok it's short notice, but as I'm going to be carrying it all no one had better complain;)

 By way of a change, tonight is circuit training.
Three paired weapons:
Longsword-shortstaff-sword and buckler.
Lots of reps, tonight we work hard, look forward to seeing you there...Dave

Class update and schedule 27sept-

For class times and availability please call 0770 9639881
Monday 27th, this was the last night of short staff in the Barbican for a while, next week we are back to longsword, starting from the very beginning, if you are new to the art and want to try longsword, next week is the time to start.
Tues 28th Hither Green: Due to popular demand, Short staff, this has been growing in popularity in the classes and offers a solid base for the pressures needed for londsword. So second staff form tonight.
Wed 29th Blackfriars:
Rapier: ok last week we ended up taking pics for an upcoming article (more on that soon) this week inbrocades.
Rapier and in particular Thibault is such a well structured form, I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in European blade arts, not only is Rapier the foundation of arts such as Escrima Thibault in particular offers one of the most precise and well structured systems you could ever study.
Longsword: continuing countering the strong bind against zorn, countering the hilt lift. Krump and a counter.
Thursday 30th Bromley: Longsword, Krump and counters, still plenty of work on cutting to warm up.
Friday 1st Oct Sutton:  Again short staff, I'm really pleased to see how well his has taken off, Friday will be the second form going into the third.

Coming soon, some very important news about the Barbican classes...

Training overview Monday 21st onwards

For class availability please call; 0770 9639881
This weeks overview, Bouting application
Monday 20th Barbican: Short staff...As I'm a day late in updating:), last night we ran through the first two forms again, looking at other possible interpretations of passages from Paulus Hector Mair. Making sure that each student was happy that the technique used was the most logical.
Tuesday 21st Hither Green; Longsword. Pressure testing the last few weeks work, Sparring.
Wednesday 22nd Southwark; 7.30 class Rapier; as last weeks lesson had to be cancelled at very short notice, this week we'll carry on with the free play applications of the subjections & continuing countering the imbrocade to the inside. 8.45 class Longsword; Winds against the strong & taking the point down, theory and application.
Thursday 23rd Bromley; Longsword; Winds against the strong & taking the point down, theory and application, advanced students will have the opportunity to spar.
Friday 24th Sutton; Longsword; PHM short staff.


The new LLA Tshirt artwork is almost done, so get your order in soon, we are getting vest tops as well as sleeved.
Train hard, Dave

London Longsword Academy: training guide Mon 13th september

Monday 13th Barbican; Short staff (Paulus Hector Mair) Drilling the first two sections & continuing on with section three high left bind.
Tuesday 14th Hither Green: Longsword continuing with the taking off, wrath strike to thrust, parry taking off and counter, combining into with the first winding, free-play application.
Wednesday 15th Blackfriars: Rapier: free play applications of the subjections & continuing countering the imbrocade to the inside.
Longsword;  Longsword: Continuing with the taking off/, wrath strike to thrust/changing through, parry taking off and counter. beginning the first winding.
Thursday Bromley: Longsword;  Longsword: Continuing with the taking off/, wrath strike to thrust/changing through, parry taking off and counter. beginning the first winding. Free play for senior students.
Friday Sutton: Longsword;  Longsword: Continuing with the taking off/, wrath strike to thrust/changing through, parry taking off and counter. beginning the first winding.

A special mention for Pete Lewis this week, I spent a fair bit of time watching your free play on Thursday, a VAST improvement. Keep it up.
Coming soon we have a  review of Reinier van Noort's sickle workshops, to summarize quickly though, excellent, he knows his material very well, his classes are well structured and you can really feel the amount of thought he's put into the mechanics of his interpretation. If you get a chance, work with him. I know that all the students who got to train with him found it massively fun and rewarding.

London Longsword Academy: training guide Mon 6th september -

Monday: Last nights format for the short staff  was slightly different,  well done for the hard work you all put in, rather than the usual "I will tell you how it goes you will follow", we looked at Mair shortstaff section 3;  with each pairing working through the options exploring different to make it work while fitting the instructions given in the manual. Making sure that the interpretation then fitted to all the other parts of the technique. You all worked very hard and I hope it gave you a good insight.
Tuesday: Longsword continuing with the taking off, wrath strike to thrust, parry taking off and counter.
Wednesday: Rapier: countering the imbrocade to the inside.
Longsword: Continuing with the taking off, wrath strike to thrust, parry taking off and counter. beginning the first winding.
Thursday: Longsword: Continuing with the taking off, wrath strike to thrust, parry taking off and counter. beginning the first winding.
Friday: Longsword: The taking off, wrath strike to thrust, parry taking off and counter. beginning the first winding.


Also we are going to start shooting short videos (in lesson) of the short staff for student reference.

London Longsword Academy: training guide Mon 30th August-

For class availability please call; 0770 9639881 
This weeks overview...
Monday 30th Barbican:
No training tonight of course as it's bank holiday, well done for the last few weeks though guys, enjoy your night off.
Tuesday 31st,Hither Green:
Longsword, working from longpoint to abnehman and counter. Light sparring.
Wednesday 1st September Blackfriars:
Rapier: inner subjection and entering inside the angles. Longsword: from longpoint to abnehman and counter.
Thursday 2nd Bromley:
Longsword: from longpoint to abnehman and counter. Competitive drilling.
Friday 3rd Sutton:
Longsword: wrath strike to longpoint.

London Longsword Academy: training guide Mon 23rd August

For class availability please call; 0770 9639881
This weeks overview, using the pause in training.
Monday 23rd Barbican: Short staff...first two forms...
Tuesday 24th Hither Green; Longsword. Zorn drills and light bouting practice.
Wednesday 25th Southwark; 7.30 class Rapier; inner and outer subjections. 8.45 class Longsword; Wrath to Longpoint.
Thursday 26th Bromley; Longsword; Wrath to Longpoint & parrying.
Friday 27th Sutton; Longsword; Wrath to Longpoint & parrying continuing on from last weeks lesson.

Again much of the focus is going to be on making sure both parties are giving the right response before continuing to the second part of the move.
Simply put: attacker aim on target.
Defender react to stimulus, dealing with the attack you see or feel coming, when you see or feel it, not the attack you think you know is coming. This form of practice will help you understand pressure and necessity much more... train hard...Dave...

Hi

This is a test to see if news is getting to this new website. Over the next few weeks, more news will be added , so keep an eye-out for updates.