Freeplay examples - Two-handed sword freeplay from 22.6.2024

This was a small session of light freeplay with only two students as almost everyone are spending Midsummer weekend, but it was good! We worked on the two-handed sword this time, the emphasis on technical action according to the sources and what we train. So it is not competitive sparring but freeplay with the emphasis on play. Mari is one of my assistant instructors and Jooel is one of the advanced students, though it should be noted that he does not practice the two-handed sword. Even still, he has a good enough understanding on Bolognese fencing to make him a good training partner with two-handed sword too.
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We did the rounds in two parts. I've used only the rounds where I was fencing myself to keep the video shorter. The first rounds were done with only masks and gloves (I chose to do the whole session without gloves to keep myself concentrated). The rounds were also tasked to be done with minimal contact to emphasis the distancing and tactical aspects of the fencing. Those who study Bolognese fencing can probably see me using gioco largo plays and pushing my students to work on that distance.
The second set of rounds were done with the addition of the jackets. These rounds were still tasked to be done with light contact though the working distance was giocho stretta. You can see me pushing my partners to engage in stretta di mezza spada exchanges.
We actually did a third set of rounds which were done two-handed sword against sword and dagger. But my phone's storage space ran out. Next time!
Why light and a limited amount of contact? To put the emphasis on the defense and not on the attack. Any flailing maniac can score hits. But it is ever so much harder to do it without getting hit yourself. Furthermore, the minimal amount of gear makes you depend on your skill not on your speed. Controlled, methodological and disciplined approach is the way to a realistic fencing skill. With controlled speed and sensible choices, one can always strike with evil intention and full speed and force when the opening appears (not that much in friendly learning though); but the control cannot be learned from suicide attacks, getting double hits all the time, and exchanges where someone gets hit every time the swords cross.
00:00 Intro
00:15 First set, round 1
01:43 First set, round 2
03:08 Second set, round 1
04:38 Second set, round 2
06:04 Second set, round 3