Intro to Italian Longsword (photos missing)
Jan 27, 2010 1:48:24 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2010 1:48:24 GMT
Introduction to Italian Longsword
by J.E. Sarge (Odingaard)
by J.E. Sarge (Odingaard)
Prologue
As member of the SBG, I noticed a lack of articles on actual swordsmanship. I decided that it may be beneficial to members of the board if I were to introduce an article on Italian Longsword. I am a member and area instructor with the Schola St. George; which focuses primarily on the Fiore manuscripts as inspiration for its instruction. I give this course a few times a year, so I am used to teaching it. Hopefully, it will benefit the community as a whole.
These will be formatted into lessons taken from the Schola’s First Masters of Battle curriculum. I will make these lessons very easy to digest, meaning that I will be cutting a lot of the fat and finer details in lieu of giving a good overview for those interested who will go on to seek instruction of their own. These lessons are not intended to make someone a master of the sword. They are intended to introduce people to the Fiore and the idea of the Italian Longsword.
I’ll request that any criticism or naysaying of the Italian Longsword system be withheld in the spirit in which these articles will be given. I’m not here to argue about the differences between German and Italian systems, how you are really supposed to pronounce travassare, or if I am sure that Fiore’s dialect of Italian was actually translated properly from the manuscript. There, of course, will be grammatical / spelling errors, as I am doing these lessons while at work and don't always have reference materials with me. If something too jacked up; please send me a PM and I will correct it.
My goal is to give the complete course over a period of two months or so. My personal schedule may interfere at times, but I will be sure to update as frequently as I can with a new lesson. Right now, I intend to get a new lesson up every 10-14 days (give or take).
Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the lessons and that they spur you forward in your search for knowledge about the Art of the Sword.
I look forward to our journey on the chivalric path together,
Jonathan
(Odingaard)
Safety Considerations and Equipment Recommendations
A sword is an implement of war made for killing an enemy. It evolved over a period of thousands of years to do this one job perfectly. At any time, you should properly respect both blunt and sharp swords; for they are dangerous in untrained or negligent hands. Though this course is offered without providing for sparring / practice, this is not to say that you may not someday find a sparring partner in your area.
In practicing safe sparring, I recommend the following equipment:
Padded gauntlets
A 3-weapon certified fencing mask
A leather or steel gorget
A quality padded gambeson
A bamboo shinai with longsword guard and pommel.
*I don't recommend the wood or poly for sparring because the weight/mass will still cause injury though padding. However, this may change as there are new composite training blades being introduced this year.
For the purpose of this training, I recommending the following:
Leather gauntlets
Flat-soled atheletic or period authentic shoes.
A quality steel longsword training blunt (such as an ATrim I-Beam or H/T Longsword Blunt)
*I don't personally recommend wooden/poly wasters because the weight does not give the feel / performance of an actual sword.
Who was Fiore?
Sir Fiore Furlano de Civida d'Austria delli Liberi da Premariacco otherwise known as Fiore dei Liberi (ca. 1350s - 1410s), was a Medieval master of arms and the earliest Italian master from whom we have an extant martial arts manual. His Flower of Battle (Fior di Battaglia) is also the third oldest fighting manual yet discovered (after the MS I.33 and the HS 3227a), and the most extensive from the Medieval period. As such, he is one of the most significant figures in the Historical European Martial Arts.
Fiore dei Liberi records in his book that he was the son of Sir Benedetto delli Liberi of Premariacco, a minor noble from the Friuli region of modern-day Italy, and was born in Cividale del Friuli in the diocese of the Patriarchate of Aquileia.There are few records of his life beyond his own brief autobiographical account, but in 1383 a "Master Fiore" was recorded at Udine, where he was listed as a commander in the civil war on the side of the alliance of towns. In 1395 he can be placed at a duel fought in Padua, and in 1399 he was recorded in Pavia. At some point thereafter, he became associated with Niccolò III d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara, Modena, and Parma, though the nature of this association is unclear.
Fiore dei Liberi wrote that he had a natural inclination to the martial arts and began at a young age. Later he studied under many masters of arms from both Italy and Germany. He named only one of these, a Master Johannes "called Suueno" (possibly 'the Swebian' or 'of Swabia'), who was himself a scholar of Master Nicholai of Toblem. Though he tells us little of his own career as a commander and master at arms, he offers an extensive list of his more famous students, including Piero dei Verde, Nicolò Borialino, Galeazzo di Mantua, and Azzone Francesco di Castelbarco, and details their martial exploits. He also mentions that on five separate occasions he was forced to fight lethal duels for his honor against other masters, whom he described as envious because he refused to teach them, and survived each without taking any wounds.
He states that he began writing Flos Duellatorum (the Pisani-Dossi MS) on February 10, 1410, and noted in its prologue that he had studied the arts of combat for more than 50 years. Based on the customary age of martial arts instruction for the nobility, it is estimated that Fiore was born around 1350. His death date is also an estimate as there are no known records of his life after he completed his book.
Fiore's teachings greatly influenced many of the Italian masters who came after him, most notably Filippo Vadi, as well as certain of the later-period German masters including Ludwig von Eyb. There is some evidence leading researchers to speculate that Johannes ditto Suueno may have been the German grand master Johannes Liechtenauer.
The Flower of Battle (Fior di Battaglia)
Four copies of the Fiore manuscript are currently known to exist, and there are records of two others whose current locations are unknown. The MS Ludwig XV 13 and the Pisani-Dossi MS are both dedicated to Niccolò III d'Este and state that they were written at his request and according to his design. The MS M.383, on the other hand, lacks a dedication and claims to have been laid out according to his own intelligence. The MSS Latin 11269 lost any dedication it might have had along with its prologue. Each of the extant copies of the Flower of Battle follows a distinct order, though both of these pairs contain strong similarities to each other in order of presentation.
The major sections of the work include: abrazare, unarmed plays (usually translated as wrestling but more literally grappling); daga, including both unarmed defenses against the dagger and plays of dagger against dagger; spada a un mano, the use of the longsword in one hand (also called "the sword without the buckler"); spada a dui mani, the use of the longsword in two hands; spada en arme, the use of the longsword in armor (primarily techniques from the halfsword); azza, plays of the poleaxe in armor; lancia, spear and staff plays; and mounted combat (including the spear, the longsword, and mounted grappling). Brief bridging sections serve to connect each of these, covering such topics as bastoncello, or plays of a small stick or baton against unarmed and dagger-wielding opponents; plays of longsword vs. dagger; plays of staff and dagger and of two clubs and a dagger; and the use of the chiavarina against a man on horseback.
The format of instruction is largely consistent across all of the copies of the manual. Each section begins with a Master Remedy, a figure in a golden crown who demonstrates a counter technique against a basic attack. He is followed by various Scholars, figures wearing golden garters on their legs who demonstrate iterations and variations on this counter. After the Scholars there is a Master Contrario, a figure wearing both a crown and a garter, who demonstrates how to counter the Master Remedy's technique (and those of the Scholars). Some sections feature multiple Masters Remedy or Masters Contrario, while some have only one. There are also many cases in which an image in one copy will only feature a scholar's garter where the corresponding image in another copy also features a master's crown. Depending on the instance, this may be intentional or may be an error in the art.
Beneath each of the image frames or panels is a description of the actions being taken. These are not in the form of traditional instruction, but rather a first-person descriptive of the action taking place and the results. This is why there are different interpretations of what Fiore actually intended. Different translations and different takes on his prose have lead to different methods of teaching his Italian longsword.
[Portions of this article used courtesy of Wikipedia]
Here are links to the transliterations and photocopies to the actual manuscripts:
www.the-exiles.org.uk/fioreproject/default.asp
I'd suggest that you download these and give them a look over when you have the time to understand the feel in how the manuscripts were written and how modern day scholars have derived the fighting system from them.
The Segno of Fiore
In Fiore’s manuscript, you will find a version of the Vetruvian man. Around the drawing, you will several swords denoting areas of attack/defense, and 4 animals at cardinal points around the body. In Fiore’s time, these animals are attributed to the Four Virtues, otherwise know as the Segno. Each of the animals stood for a different attribute used by the swordsman in the art of the sword.
The depth of meaning of the Segno would be an article for discussion itself, however, in the interest of the introductory lesson – I will be brief in addressing them.
The animal at the feet of the man is the The Elephant, which stands for the virtue of Fortudio [Strength and Stability]. Fortudio is the root of any defensive posture, as symbolized by the castle upon its back.
The animal at the head of the man is The Lynx, which stands for the virtue of Prudentia [Measure, Judgement, and Perception]. This is the essence of the tactical, thinking mind, and important for both defense and offense. In his paw, he holds a compass – an important measuring tool used by architects, cartographers, and navigators of the period.
The animal on the right side of the man’s body is The Tiger, which stands for the virtue of Celeritas [Speed / Quickness]. Medieval cultures viewed the Tiger as the fastest of all animals, hunters of the period rumored that it could outrun an arrow – which is symbolized by the arrow clutched in its paw. Speed is naturally important, for without it, both defenses and offenses will fail.
The last animal; the one located on the left side of the man is The Lion. He signifies the virtue of Audatia [Courage, Boldness, and Audacity]. The lion was the epitome of a courageous hunter, appearing not to fear any other creature. Medieval people used to believe that the heart was on the left side of the chest - which is symbolized with the Lion in the drawing.
It is easy to see how each of the Four Virtues are of equal importance to a swordsman. The lessons I will be providing will be focusing on building Fortudio or the Elephant. Just as it rests at the feet of the man, it is the foundation of learning Fiore’s Longsword.
Parts of the Longsword
I won’t insult anyone’s intelligence by giving a lecture on the parts of a longsword. If you are reading this article, chances are you already know these parts. I will, however, briefly itemize these and give some of the Italian words for them:
1. Tip [Punta]
2. Middle Blade [Mezzo Spada]
3. The Ricasso / Base [Fortenza]
4. The Edges [Tagli]
5. The True Edge (The edge facing the knuckles on your dominant hand)
6. The False Edge [Falso] (The edge opposite of the true edge)
7. The Cross [Croce]
8. The Grip [Impungata]
9. The Pommel [Pommelo]
Links and Resources
Here are some additional links and resources that you may wish to bookmark for future reference:
Schola Saint George: www.scholasaintgeorge.org/joomla_new/
Guy Windsor's School of European Swordsmanship: www.swordschool.com/
Schola Gladitoria: www.fioredeiliberi.org/fiore/
AEMMA Links: www.aemma.org/onlineResources/liberi/liberi_contents_body_p4.htm
ARMA Links: www.thearma.org/Manuals/Liberi.htm
Learning Fiore dei Liberi: learningfiore.com/
Closing
So, this has us covered for most of the academic work. Some may find this a little boring, but trust me, I presented a very watered down version of this for you to conserve time and move along quickly as possible. The next lesson will cover footwork and movement, and perhaps we can also move into the poste or positions of the sword...
PART TWO
Beginning Notes
Welcome back to the Introduction to Italian Longsword. As I quickly found out, these lessons are taking me a little longer to complete that I initially figured; due to having to do photos/videos around my schedule. Future lessons will come at 3-4 week intervals instead of the two weeks I initially figured. Sorry about this, but it's one of those little things that I could not anticipate. With this out of the way, I'll not waste any more time, and move forward.
We will be continuing our lesson this week by learning the basic stance and movements involved with Fiore’s longsword method.
In this lesson, you will begin to see the word, zugadore (pron: zoog-uh-door-eh). This is a Italian term which means player. In Fiore’s work, the zugadore is an active participant in drawings who learns and demonstrates plays with the Master. The Master or maestro, is the one who executes the plays. In these lessons, you are the zugadore – simply meaning that you are learning the system. When you are executing a play, you will become the maestro, and your partner will become the zugadore. We will touch more on this later, but I did want to prepare you for it in advance.
This lesson will be a lengthy one; we have a lot of ground to cover so let us begin…
Selecting the Longsword that’s Right for You
In Italian Longsword, we use hand-an-a-half swords. A single-handed sword does not afford a two-handed grip and a full two handed sword is too long and cumbersome for most people to use with Fiore’s methods.
Not all hand-and-a-half swords are well suited for use with longsword. We prefer to use swords with blade lengths between 34”-36”, 9”-12” grips, straight crossguards, and smooth, small pommels that you can slip your hand over if needed. I recommend both the Valiant Armory I-Beam and Hanwei-Tinker Longsword for training. Other more expensive offerings such as the Arms and Armor Zohgo Di Spada or the Albion Lichtenhauer are nice, but you cannot replace / tighten the blade. I do not recommend the Hanwei or Gen 2 federschwerts because they are too flexible. A lot of people use the Hanwei Albrecht trainer, but I don’t like it because of the large pommel.
To gauge if a longsword is right for you is important. How does it feel? Is it too heavy? Is the point of balance too far forward making it seem blade heavy? Is the point of balance so close to the guard that the blade seems to have no presence? Is the length right for you? Most of these factors will be up to you to decide upon.
The check the length: Hold a longsword at your hip with your sword arm. Tilt the blade up at a 45 degree angle. Now, extend your left arm out fully. The tip of your sword and your left hand should be even and both touch the chest of an equal-sized opponent. This is merely a guideline from antiquity, but it can be useful as a guideline in selecting a longsword.
Selecting the right sword for you will be a matter or trial and error.
Gripping the Longsword
Another key part of Italian longsword is how the weapon is gripped. A proper grip goes a long way to vastly improve your offensive and defensive skills.
The dominant hand (depending on if you are left or right handed) grips the sword closest to the guard. The hand sits against the guard firmly. For our purposes in these lessons, this hand never comes off the sword. Imagine it glued in place.
The off-hand remains fluid, grasping the grip lightly below the dominant hand. Distance may vary, because this hand is free to move back and forth along the grip, and at times, may even come off the grip. The off-hand should only be tightened on the grip when the sword is committed to an action; to assist in leverage or power. Otherwise, it should be only lightly gripping the sword.
A hands together approach.
And hands apart...
Either of the above grips are correct, depending on how you are about to use the sword.
Posture and Stance
We call this our Elephant or Fortudio (pron. four-two-dee-oh) stance. It is foundation stance for all of Fiore’s longsword postures and movements. The stance is executed much like the drawing of the Ellephante (pron. el-if-aunt-tay) below the man’s feet in the Segno.
The torso is kept upright with the spine straight, the left foot is placed slightly forward with your toe pointed at your opponent. The right foot is slightly to the rear and turned to the side at a 30-45 degree angle. The feet are placed roughly shoulder width apart with the knees slightly bent. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet – not the heel or the flats. The weight should be centered over both feet evenly – to the point to where you can feel a slight tension on your inner thighs.
Here are a couple different photos of how the Elephant stance is executed:
Fortudio from a frontal view.
Fortudio, viewed from the left side.
At first, this stance will seem a little awkward; but it will come naturally with practice. Keeping your weight on the balls of your feet always keeps you in a posture to move quickly and properly, while maintaining your balance. It also allows you to turn rapidly and torque your hips when throwing blows (which we will cover later).
Poste di Donna: The Woman’s Guard
Actually, the guards will be reserved for the third lesson so they can be covered in detail without making this second installment several pages long. However, I will cover this one guard so that you may incorporate your longsword into the posture, stance, and footwork lessons below.
Poste (pron. post-uh) means guard in Italian. Fiore has 12 different poste described in his manuscripts - with another two poste speculated upon. The first is Poste di Donna, or the Woman’s Guard. It is called the woman’s guard because it is a relaxed and unimposing poste that offers excellent offensive and defensive posturing.
Here are some photos of the Poste Di Donna guard:
Poste di Donna viewed from the front.
Posta di Donna viewed from the right.
As described earlier, you will maintain your fortudio stance and posture in this guard (and all future guards for that matter). Hold the sword up at your dominant shoulder, keeping the blade about 6” from your body. The CoP should be right at shoulder level. The pommel of the sword should be slightly forward and the tip of the sword should be at a 45 degree angle, extending past your right ear. The true edge of the sword should be facing your opponent.
Poste di Donna is basic beginning guard for most of what I will be covering in these lessons.
Basic Footwork
* Note: All movement and stances in Fiore is with your weight on the balls of your feet! Don’t move or step heel-toe at any time! If you are used to martial arts, this is probably already a habit for you, but if it is not; practice, practice, practice! Keep your weight on the balls of your feet!
Slip Forward - Acressere (pron. eh-cress-uh-ray)
This is used to move forward a short distance.
To execute an acressere, you simultaneously lift your left foot slightly and slide it forward while pushing off with your right foot. Make sure to keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Your movement forward should only be 12”-18” or so. This is a rapid forward adjustment used to close distance between yourself and your opponent.
Slip Backward - Dicressere (pron. dee-kress-uh-ray)
This is used to move backward a short distance.
To do a dicressere, you do the exact opposite that you would do for an acressere. Lift your right foot slightly and slide it rearward, while pushing backward with your left foot. Like the acressere, the movement should only be over a short distance. This is a short retreat to take you just out of your opponent’s range.
Here are examples of acresseres and dicresseres executed on video:
Passing Step Forward - Passare (pron. pass-are-eh)
This type of step is used to advance long distances.
A passare is merely a full step forward. From your stance, take a step forward with your right foot and readjust your stance back to your fortudio. The only difference is that now your opposite leg is forward with the toe facing the opponent, while your left leg trails resting with the foot at a 30-45 degree angle of center.
Two passare steps will result in your being back in your original stance with your left leg forward, however, you will be 4-6’ closer to your opponent.
It is important to mention that every time you take a passare step, you do not have to readjust your stance. If you are 35’ away from your opponent, you take several passare steps before finally adjusting into your fortudio stance.
Passing Step Backward - Tounare (pron. tune-are-eh)
Tounare means to return in Italian. This type of step is used to retreat rearward. It is the exact opposite of the passare.
Here are some tounare and passare steps executed on video:
Stepping Laterally - Travasare (pron. tra-vuh-sarr-eh)
These types of steps are used to move to the left or right of your opponent. Imagine walking toward your opponent; just before you walk into them, you extend the foot closest to your opponent at a 45 degree angle to the left or right side of your opponent during your next step. You will then swing your rear foot around in a semi-circle behind you, which with put you into a fortudio stance facing your opponent at a 45 degee angle to their right or left.
At this point, you can either continue past your opponent or engage your opponent at a point of advantage at close range.
Here is a video of travasare steps to the left and right:
The Three Types of Turns
The Stable Turn - Volta Stabile (pron. volt-ah stab-eel-eh)
A volta stabile will turn your body 180 degrees. To execute a volta stabile, simply pivot your hips and spin your body in the direction you wish to turn. Once you have turned, adjust your feet as needed. With practice, you will do this fluidly. It is a fast and easy to execute turn.
The Half Turn - Mezza Volta (pron. mezz-ah volt-ah)
This is a fairly simple turn. Simply take a passare step forward and readjust your fortudio stance. You will find that your hips and centerline are now facing 90 degrees in direction to their original position.
The Full Turn - Tutta Volta (pron. toot-ah volt-ah)
This is actually quite simple. Take a passare step forward, and at the same time, spin your body to execute at volta stabile to the right or left. You will be facing 180 degrees in the opposite direction. It takes a little practice, but it's very easy once you nail it.
Here are each of the turns demonstrated on video:
This will conclude the lesson for now. I completely understand if some of these concepts are difficult to understand though written word, pictures, or video. If you care to PM me with any questions, I can more than explain futher or answer any questions you may have.
The third lesson will cover the 12 Poste (or Guards) of Fiore, which should prove to be very interesting for everyone!
Until then, take care!
Welcome back to the Introduction to Italian Longsword. As I quickly found out, these lessons are taking me a little longer to complete that I initially figured; due to having to do photos/videos around my schedule. Future lessons will come at 3-4 week intervals instead of the two weeks I initially figured. Sorry about this, but it's one of those little things that I could not anticipate. With this out of the way, I'll not waste any more time, and move forward.
We will be continuing our lesson this week by learning the basic stance and movements involved with Fiore’s longsword method.
In this lesson, you will begin to see the word, zugadore (pron: zoog-uh-door-eh). This is a Italian term which means player. In Fiore’s work, the zugadore is an active participant in drawings who learns and demonstrates plays with the Master. The Master or maestro, is the one who executes the plays. In these lessons, you are the zugadore – simply meaning that you are learning the system. When you are executing a play, you will become the maestro, and your partner will become the zugadore. We will touch more on this later, but I did want to prepare you for it in advance.
This lesson will be a lengthy one; we have a lot of ground to cover so let us begin…
Selecting the Longsword that’s Right for You
In Italian Longsword, we use hand-an-a-half swords. A single-handed sword does not afford a two-handed grip and a full two handed sword is too long and cumbersome for most people to use with Fiore’s methods.
Not all hand-and-a-half swords are well suited for use with longsword. We prefer to use swords with blade lengths between 34”-36”, 9”-12” grips, straight crossguards, and smooth, small pommels that you can slip your hand over if needed. I recommend both the Valiant Armory I-Beam and Hanwei-Tinker Longsword for training. Other more expensive offerings such as the Arms and Armor Zohgo Di Spada or the Albion Lichtenhauer are nice, but you cannot replace / tighten the blade. I do not recommend the Hanwei or Gen 2 federschwerts because they are too flexible. A lot of people use the Hanwei Albrecht trainer, but I don’t like it because of the large pommel.
To gauge if a longsword is right for you is important. How does it feel? Is it too heavy? Is the point of balance too far forward making it seem blade heavy? Is the point of balance so close to the guard that the blade seems to have no presence? Is the length right for you? Most of these factors will be up to you to decide upon.
The check the length: Hold a longsword at your hip with your sword arm. Tilt the blade up at a 45 degree angle. Now, extend your left arm out fully. The tip of your sword and your left hand should be even and both touch the chest of an equal-sized opponent. This is merely a guideline from antiquity, but it can be useful as a guideline in selecting a longsword.
Selecting the right sword for you will be a matter or trial and error.
Gripping the Longsword
Another key part of Italian longsword is how the weapon is gripped. A proper grip goes a long way to vastly improve your offensive and defensive skills.
The dominant hand (depending on if you are left or right handed) grips the sword closest to the guard. The hand sits against the guard firmly. For our purposes in these lessons, this hand never comes off the sword. Imagine it glued in place.
The off-hand remains fluid, grasping the grip lightly below the dominant hand. Distance may vary, because this hand is free to move back and forth along the grip, and at times, may even come off the grip. The off-hand should only be tightened on the grip when the sword is committed to an action; to assist in leverage or power. Otherwise, it should be only lightly gripping the sword.
A hands together approach.
And hands apart...
Either of the above grips are correct, depending on how you are about to use the sword.
Posture and Stance
We call this our Elephant or Fortudio (pron. four-two-dee-oh) stance. It is foundation stance for all of Fiore’s longsword postures and movements. The stance is executed much like the drawing of the Ellephante (pron. el-if-aunt-tay) below the man’s feet in the Segno.
The torso is kept upright with the spine straight, the left foot is placed slightly forward with your toe pointed at your opponent. The right foot is slightly to the rear and turned to the side at a 30-45 degree angle. The feet are placed roughly shoulder width apart with the knees slightly bent. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet – not the heel or the flats. The weight should be centered over both feet evenly – to the point to where you can feel a slight tension on your inner thighs.
Here are a couple different photos of how the Elephant stance is executed:
Fortudio from a frontal view.
Fortudio, viewed from the left side.
At first, this stance will seem a little awkward; but it will come naturally with practice. Keeping your weight on the balls of your feet always keeps you in a posture to move quickly and properly, while maintaining your balance. It also allows you to turn rapidly and torque your hips when throwing blows (which we will cover later).
Poste di Donna: The Woman’s Guard
Actually, the guards will be reserved for the third lesson so they can be covered in detail without making this second installment several pages long. However, I will cover this one guard so that you may incorporate your longsword into the posture, stance, and footwork lessons below.
Poste (pron. post-uh) means guard in Italian. Fiore has 12 different poste described in his manuscripts - with another two poste speculated upon. The first is Poste di Donna, or the Woman’s Guard. It is called the woman’s guard because it is a relaxed and unimposing poste that offers excellent offensive and defensive posturing.
Here are some photos of the Poste Di Donna guard:
Poste di Donna viewed from the front.
Posta di Donna viewed from the right.
As described earlier, you will maintain your fortudio stance and posture in this guard (and all future guards for that matter). Hold the sword up at your dominant shoulder, keeping the blade about 6” from your body. The CoP should be right at shoulder level. The pommel of the sword should be slightly forward and the tip of the sword should be at a 45 degree angle, extending past your right ear. The true edge of the sword should be facing your opponent.
Poste di Donna is basic beginning guard for most of what I will be covering in these lessons.
Basic Footwork
* Note: All movement and stances in Fiore is with your weight on the balls of your feet! Don’t move or step heel-toe at any time! If you are used to martial arts, this is probably already a habit for you, but if it is not; practice, practice, practice! Keep your weight on the balls of your feet!
Slip Forward - Acressere (pron. eh-cress-uh-ray)
This is used to move forward a short distance.
To execute an acressere, you simultaneously lift your left foot slightly and slide it forward while pushing off with your right foot. Make sure to keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Your movement forward should only be 12”-18” or so. This is a rapid forward adjustment used to close distance between yourself and your opponent.
Slip Backward - Dicressere (pron. dee-kress-uh-ray)
This is used to move backward a short distance.
To do a dicressere, you do the exact opposite that you would do for an acressere. Lift your right foot slightly and slide it rearward, while pushing backward with your left foot. Like the acressere, the movement should only be over a short distance. This is a short retreat to take you just out of your opponent’s range.
Here are examples of acresseres and dicresseres executed on video:
Passing Step Forward - Passare (pron. pass-are-eh)
This type of step is used to advance long distances.
A passare is merely a full step forward. From your stance, take a step forward with your right foot and readjust your stance back to your fortudio. The only difference is that now your opposite leg is forward with the toe facing the opponent, while your left leg trails resting with the foot at a 30-45 degree angle of center.
Two passare steps will result in your being back in your original stance with your left leg forward, however, you will be 4-6’ closer to your opponent.
It is important to mention that every time you take a passare step, you do not have to readjust your stance. If you are 35’ away from your opponent, you take several passare steps before finally adjusting into your fortudio stance.
Passing Step Backward - Tounare (pron. tune-are-eh)
Tounare means to return in Italian. This type of step is used to retreat rearward. It is the exact opposite of the passare.
Here are some tounare and passare steps executed on video:
Stepping Laterally - Travasare (pron. tra-vuh-sarr-eh)
These types of steps are used to move to the left or right of your opponent. Imagine walking toward your opponent; just before you walk into them, you extend the foot closest to your opponent at a 45 degree angle to the left or right side of your opponent during your next step. You will then swing your rear foot around in a semi-circle behind you, which with put you into a fortudio stance facing your opponent at a 45 degee angle to their right or left.
At this point, you can either continue past your opponent or engage your opponent at a point of advantage at close range.
Here is a video of travasare steps to the left and right:
The Three Types of Turns
The Stable Turn - Volta Stabile (pron. volt-ah stab-eel-eh)
A volta stabile will turn your body 180 degrees. To execute a volta stabile, simply pivot your hips and spin your body in the direction you wish to turn. Once you have turned, adjust your feet as needed. With practice, you will do this fluidly. It is a fast and easy to execute turn.
The Half Turn - Mezza Volta (pron. mezz-ah volt-ah)
This is a fairly simple turn. Simply take a passare step forward and readjust your fortudio stance. You will find that your hips and centerline are now facing 90 degrees in direction to their original position.
The Full Turn - Tutta Volta (pron. toot-ah volt-ah)
This is actually quite simple. Take a passare step forward, and at the same time, spin your body to execute at volta stabile to the right or left. You will be facing 180 degrees in the opposite direction. It takes a little practice, but it's very easy once you nail it.
Here are each of the turns demonstrated on video:
This will conclude the lesson for now. I completely understand if some of these concepts are difficult to understand though written word, pictures, or video. If you care to PM me with any questions, I can more than explain futher or answer any questions you may have.
The third lesson will cover the 12 Poste (or Guards) of Fiore, which should prove to be very interesting for everyone!
Until then, take care!
PART THREE
Welcome back to the Introduction to Italian Longsword for the third installment. Thus far we have covered the academic fundamentals, history, some basic terminology, and worked on the correct posture, positioning, gripping, and footwork – including forward, rearward, and lateral movements; as well as turns. That’s a pretty good amount to cover and retain; so continue to reflect back on the previous two installments for review if you need to.
I’ll not waste any time at all here and we will jump right back in to our lessons:
The Poste of Fiore
Fiore put forth twelve major poste (or guards) for fighting with the longsword. The purpose of a poste is to give a predetermined position for the longsword which may be good for defense, offense, or both.
Before jumping into the actual poste, I will tell you that there are three different types:
First, there are poste which are pulsativa (pron. pulse-ah-tee-vah). Examples of these poste are capable of generating great force in an attack. These are optimum for striking though an open defense, or in come cases, blasting a hole though to your target by circumnavigating their defense with raw power.
Secondly, there are poste which are good for waiting. In these cases, we call the poste stabile (pron. stab-you-lay). A stabile poste is good for defense, because it keeps the sword in a position which offers good defense and covering a swordsman’s centerline.
Lastly, there are poste which we call instabile (pron. in-stab-you-lay). The instabile poste are transitional poste, meaning that you may flow though them, but you don’t want to stay in them for very long. They do not offer a good defensive posture.
Now, a poste can be pulsativa and stabile, or pulsativa and instabile. Some may generate a lot of power, yet have a poor defensive posture. Others may have great defense, but no power whatsoever. As we go though the poste, you will see the differences become apparent.
Now, let’s continue to the actual poste of Fiore:
1. The Woman’s Guard - Poste di Donna
As discussed in the previous article, Poste di Donna is a good basic position. The sword is held up to the lead shoulder with the true edge of the blade facing your opponent. The blade angles back slightly over your lead shoulder, extending past your head. The hilt of the sword is held up at approximately sternum level and out from your body approximately 4”-6”.
Poste di Donna is both pulsativa and stabile.
2. Poste di Donna Sinestra (pron. sin-ess-trah)
This poste is the same as Poste di Donna except with the sword on your left hand side. The lead leg is also switched.
Poste di Donna Sinestra is both pulsativa and stabile.
3. Poste di Donna Soprana (pron. all-tar-uh)
In this poste, the sword is raised high over the head and tilted backward. The blade should be behind you, and may be tilted back as far as comfortably possible – but this will vary with different swordsmen. The elbows are raised high, you should be looking under your left elbow at your opponent. Depending on how hard you are preparing to swing the weapon, you may be moving your weight to your rear foot in order to bring the sword downward with tremendous energy.
This poste is also called Poste di Donna Altara. It is pulsativa, but lacks defensive posturing, so it is also considered to be instabile.
4. Poste di Finestra (pron. fin-ess-trah)
This poste is the only poste in which the wrists will be crossed. The best way to express this poste is that is you go into a poste di Donna, then bring the blade of the sword over your head and cross the wrists. The tip of the blade should be facing your opponent. Your elbows are high, but not so high in which you cannot see over them.
This poste is not pulsativa and it is considered to be instabile.
5. The Long Guard - Poste Longa (pron. lawn-gah)
In this poste, the longsword and arms are extended fully forward at shoulder level. The tip of the sword should be slightly higher than the pommel.
This poste is not pulsativa and it is instabile.
6. The Front Guard - Poste Frontale (pron. fron-tall-eh)
The sword is held up with the grip at nose level. It is held firmly about a foot out from your face, with both elbows bent to a 90 degree angle. The guard of the sword should be parallel with your chest, with the flat of the blade facing your opponent.
This poste is not pulsativa and it is instabile.
7. The Brave Guard - Poste Breve (pron. brev-uh)
In this poste, the pommel of the sword is held at waist level with the tip pointed at the nose of your opponent. The blade may be twisted slightly toward the right to give a speed advantage when attacking or if in preparation to go into poste frontale.
Poste Breve is stabile, but not pulsativa.
8. Poste Bicorno (pron. by-corn-oh)
The sword is held in front of you at chest level. The pommel should be approximately one foot from your chest. The tip of the blade should point at the chest of your opponent. Your lead hand grips the sword firmly, while the off-hand rests open at the base of the pommel. The point of this poste is preparing to make a thrust into your opponent’s chest, with the off-hand adding a strength advantage to force the sword though your opponent’s armor.
This poste is instabile, but not pulsativa.
9. The Boar’s Tooth - Dente di Chingale (pron. den-tay de chin-gaul-ay)
In this poste, you will switch lead legs – with your right leg forward. The sword is held downward, with the tip close to being even with the toe of your lead foot. The grip of the sword is tucked up and back. The sword is held close to you. In order to get it high enough up, you may have to relax your grip with your lead hand on the sword and grip more firmly with the off hand (which rests near the pommel).
The Boar’s Tooth is stabile, but not pulsativa.
10. The Half Iron Door - Porto di Ferro Mezana (pron. porto de fair-oh mess-on-uh)
In this poste, the sword is held out in front of you, aligned with your centerline. The tip is pointed downward at your opponent’s centerline. The hilt of the sword remains at waist level.
The Half Iron Door is stabile, but not pulsativa.
11. Tutta Porto di Ferro (pron. two-tuh port-oh de fair-oh)
The sword is held down, with the hilt at waist level and the blade angled downward. The tip will face the floor on your lead side. The true edge of the sword should face your opponent.
Tutta Porto di Ferro is pulsativa, but not stabile.
12. Coda Longa di Statza (pron. code-uh lawn-guh de state-suh)
In Coda Longa di Statza, the sword is behind you; with the grip at waist level and the tip angled downward. The point of Coda Longa is to hide the length of your sword from your opponent. You may use one or both hands on the sword; I personally only use my lead hand because it’s easier to move the sword completely out of view.
Coda Longa di Statza is not considered to be pulsativa and it is instabile.
That covers it for the 12 Poste of Fiore. The only way to master these is to practice them, so until the next lesson; I’d like you to work on these poste and commit them to memory. Additionally, I’d like for you to practice moving between the poste until you feel that they flow comfortably from memory.
Here is are some video examples of practicing poste together, doing transitions though them:
In the next lesson, we will get into actually using the sword though blows and thrusting. Until then, take care!
Fixed now, I just PM'd Marc and Adam. 
