[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Okay all you bloodthirsty fiction writers and sword-fans, here's some more realistic info to chew on.<P>Now we switch grips (right hand on top, left on bottom) and do the same to the right. Your hands should be separated by several inches, depending on the length of your hilt.<P>Remember to switch your stance as well. <BR>Yep, left knee forward, bent. <BR>No, make sure your weight is forward, over that knee. When the shock hits, you want the force to carry to that knee, not your back leg, which will throw you backwards.<P><B>Defend!</B><P>Whoa! First time you have steel coming at you, you want to back off. You have to <I>lean</I> into it, like skiing. <P>Don't worry about it kid. <I>Everyone</I> leans back like that the first time. This goes against your every instinct for self-preservation. You feel like you're putting your face closer. You're really putting your only defense, that blade, closer.<P>Let's try again.<BR><UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>A downward diagonal cut to your right shoulder - Clang! Got it. Felt that to your elbows, did you? <BR><LI>Now don't hold it up straight up and down like that. Angle the point towards your opponent. Keep me back and on my toes.<BR><LI>A 'head-chop' to your neck (right side) - Clang! Got that, too. Yep slightly higher, just so.<BR><LI>A vertical slice-n-dice from above - Clang! Braced way up high. That's gonna take some practice, you're a little weaker, holding that weight up there. Remember that. Others will be too.<BR><LI>Now let's do a head chop to the right.. aaaand now the left.<P>Gotcha. You couldn't switch grips fast enough, could you? Aren't you glad I went slow?<BR></UL>*Maril leans on sword (remember to never do this by the way, dulls the blade)* <P>Generally, you will use only one of these two grips, always with your strongest arm on top. For obvious reasons. Most of you, it will be your right hand by the hilt.<P><B>A new Parry - the technical term is Tierce, let's call it Angled Parry</B><BR>How do you defend your other side, without switching grips?<P><I>Angle</I><BR>Get out your swords (i.e. pencils) again. Something longer will help this time. Hold them out again as you have been, braced. <P>Now angle your sword diagonally (if you're right handed, right hand on top, you'll tip it to the left), until it's almost at a 90 degree angle, almost horizontal. The point is still up slightly. If your forearms touch, you've gone too far. <BR>You'll feel it balance, suddenly your right arm will feel strong, braced, at this angle.<P>You also feel your balance has shifted. <BR>Your stance is now all wrong.<BR>The bigger the sword, the more important the stance. Naturally. You're balancing a heavier weight.<BR>You're almost falling over to the side now.<P>We're gonna do this from the righties point of view (sorry, majority rules).<P><I>Stance</I><BR>Bring your right knee forward, bent. <BR>Same knee as the side the side of the arm holding the sword. <BR>Your left leg is back. <P>Now this position is naturally more awkward, weaker, less stable than the previous move. So your back foot position is vital to balance. <P>If you have your feet both pointed forward, a blow Will tip you, left or right. Mostly left. If your back foot is angled out, making a wide L, suddenly you find you're braced solidly again.<P><B>Now you have a Second Chance - Defend!</B><P>Head-chop from the left - Clang! Now ANGLE, step forward - shift that left foot -<P>Head-chop from the right - Clang!<P>You got it. Now get faster. (Gradually. Be exact.) No one strikes the same side twice in a row. Law of physics.<p>[ May 20, 2002: Message edited by: Marileangorifurnimaluim ]