Military sabre guards lesson 2

[@Dancorg]

My shoulder hates you.. Great video btw!

[@harleymcphee2369]

Fantastic. Many thanks.

[@robinhersom7383]

My copy of Roworth says this about the Inside Hanging Guard: "The inside (or prime) hanging guard, is formed by bending the elbow, till the back of the wrist is brought opposite the forehead over the left eye". That doesn't seem to square up with the octave guard you're showing here; am I misinterpreting something?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

+Robin Hersom Yes you are right. I have fallen into using high quarta here after so many years of training that way for the equivalent attacks in rapier. I will be sure to re-shoot an improved version soon.

[@Sebastian_Gecko]

"soon". :P

[@filipinogopnik4161]

mate is that seven guards

[@filipinogopnik4161]

is the guards same with basic fencing sabre guards prime and so on? Cus Im Might Have A Misconception,which is heavier dueling sabre or military sabre?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

Same as sport sabre? There are plenty of similarities, but as many differences. But then there are many different systems of military sabre. Talking about weight isn't always useful either, as many duelling sabres weigh as much as military sabres of the early 18th and late 19th century, they are just of a completely different size and weight distribution. Or did you mean sport sabres?

[@miloscucukovic4705]

Are the guards same for thumb up and a hammer fist grip? Because i have notice that its slightly easier to hold a sabre with thumb up grip if you are using a hanging guards.

[@Nikos3000]

+Milos Cucukovic Yep, just the same, though thumbs up will encourage a more point online position, but both can be used the same.

[@nathanlyrakis7733]

where can i find this manual (rowarth)?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

+Nathan Lyrakis The book is called the art of defence on foot with broadsword and sabre. You can find free scans on google books. Or a better reprint by fallen book publishing that has some of the images that are missing from those scans.

[@nathanlyrakis7733]

+Academy of Historical Fencing thank you very much :)

[@beardedpriest9715]

Where can a person buy one of those practice Sabers?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

Direct from Black Fencer (Spain) or their resellers around the world

[@cygil1]

@0.16 I wouldn't advice from Richard Burton on anything other than flagrant self-promotion and how to handle an unfortunate case of venereal disease.

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

+cygil1 lol. True. Sometimes people use Burton as a reference as why hanging parries should not be used. Whatever he was or wasn't, and certainly his ego was massive and his own reputation in doubt many times, the fact is, his system was not accepted for use by the military. So we do need to take what he says with a pinch of salt.

[@larsf92]

is the inside hanging guard the same as a high octave?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

fockmen It is the equivalent of yes. Though if you look at high octave in say Hutton's Cold Steel, it is done with the blade almost vertical pointing towards the ground. Whereas high inside is made with the point towards the enemy in a diagonal angle, much like high fourth guard in rapier.

[@javanmaes7850]

+Academy of Historical Fencing +Academy of Historical Fencing great vid. The only thing I would suggest is that the elbow should be bent for the inside half hanger. this is mentioned on pg.57 of Roworth. Not sure if you have the edition with all the plates (mine is missing some) but the same parry is shown in detail in any of the Angelo posters. In the outside half hanger, the elbow joint needs to be straightened so it doesn't collapse but the inside half hanger is done with a bent elbow.

[@londiniumarmoury7037]

Would you say hanging guard and St Georges guard are the best guard for defending your hands and wrists? I need to stop getting hit in the arms, last week at training I got hit like 5 times in the arm using medium guard.

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

We don't use medium guard, as its not liked in the manual we mostly work from (Roworth), and that makes a lot of sense when using stirrup hilts. But either way I'd far rather choose a line and defend it. (As opposed to rapier where I default to terza, which is basically medium). I'd recommend outside or engaging guard for default position, and the movement between the two is really good. As for getting hit on the hands well it really depends where you're getting hit from. Going to St George is for defending the head and slipping blows, so in that way yes it can. Hanging guard is fantastic for defending the hand on the inside, but it is much weaker on the outside. Often hanging can be used to move an outside attack on to the inside. Such as the movement from outside guard to hanging when they attack the outside arm. That is good. Largely that motion and the movement between inside and outside guard should protect the vast majority of arm strikes. Got to watch cut 3 and 4 though. I like a low inside against 3, and outside half hanger against 4.

[@londiniumarmoury7037]

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing Basically I'm starting with a medium guard to engage, then reciecing light cuts to the top side of my sword hand around the wrist and forearm. I try holding my guard slightly higher so the angle is more acute, but I still get hit on my arm, and I assume the sabre hilt will protect my arm but it doesn't always. So now I'm thinking to completely stop using medium and engaging guards all together, and maybe just stick with my hanging guard or high seconde, whatever you want to call it. I don't really have a problem with fatique since I drill so much, so I'm thinking should I just adopt high seconde as my default guard since it works more for me. Or should I keep trying to improve my other guards?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

@@londiniumarmoury7037 Engaging is good, but ultimately it is a low version of hanging, so it strong on the inside and a little weak on the outside. That's why the motion between engaging guard/hanging (or outside half hanger which is about the closest we have in early styles) and outside guard is so great. It can parry a passive amount. Combine it with inside and you have a really strong defensive game. I'd always try and improve areas that you are weak on, but also accept that we all have preferences and things we are best at, and use that to best effect.

[@benj7254]

hey, what make and model is that sabre?

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

Black Fencer Polish sabre.

[@diegomontoya2713]

Anybody know where to buy a saber? I’d love to get into it

[@AcademyofHistoricalFencing]

If you want one of this type, go to the Spanish company Black Fencer, they sell synthetic and steel versions of it, its the 1796 infantry sabre model.