Sword drill: Basic technical exercises

These video shows 7 basic drills to develop better combination skills. The drills also builds up intuitive follow-up motions.
These exercises are perfect for beginners in sword fighting.

[@KIRBA30]

Addidas shoes of The Slavic Squat +5% to faster run/walk

xD

[@thegregitto]

+15% Shuffling speed and Into-Stance Speed

[@xiezicong]

4 Guards Cross strikes: 1:09 Lower strikes: 1:54 Meyer Square (half): 2:36 Changer: 3:20 Four thrusts: 4:05 The Zwircher: 4:50

[@Judicial78]

3:17 Bzzzzhau

[@igneous061]

ahhaha the most important guard in the whole world....we wouldnt have any food if there werent any bzzzhau :D

[@GenX-Rising]

@@igneous061 I'm still working on the footwork of the 4 guards but i just started a couple weeks ago. It helped that i collect swords but probably should have started off with a 3 lbs long sword instead of a 4.5lbs hand and a half sword. That 1.5lbs was a huge difference

[@LokiCDK]

A couple of very basic guards and strikes mixed with good stances in a flowing combination look beautiful and advanced. This is why we must always focus on and master the basics. "I don't fear the man who has practice 10,000 kicks a single time, but the man who has practiced a single kick, 10,000 times."

[@faeragon]

there aren't alot of comprehensive technical videos like this, thanks for your work, great attention to detail

[@phoenixguild8375]

The footwork seems to be the king of these exercises making that rotation instinctual and naturally paired to the motions of the sword.

[@StNicolausVI]

Looked at this vid and was like’ “That is super easy let’s go, it’s going to be dumb it’s so easy”. *Grabs unsharpened bastard sword and does entire routine* “Holy crap bro I am winded and can barely hold the sword above my head!” *Sweating profusely* 😅

[@thetrojanhoss]

3:16 he keeps the giant wasp at bay. Good work.

[@danjohnston9037]

actual reality verified, not vr

[@GamerMax]

Well, I signed up for my local HEMA school, basic starts in June, so I am getting a head start. thank you for your intro to the basics, very helpful. I'm on the last one.

[@DapperestDave]

I was really looking for a good compilation of basic drills to get into sword fighting, since most of the videos on youtube focus on interesting advanced techniques or singular basic techniques and more about explaining the mechanics behind them. This is really useful for getting into Hema without a club nearby.

[@TheNtr143]

When zombies come around all this training will mean a lot

[@punkm0nk3y2]

Where can one find those pants and pants like them

[@noer6443]

That actually heavied than it look 😮

[@darkpignouf7532]

Great video ! exactly what I nedded to train in my garden during this historical COVID 19 period !

[@enragiusmattheo6003]

Stopped sword fighting years ago because there is no local club in my city. Now's the time to solo drill alone. Come at me zombies :D

[@SGWeber]

Meyer's squares make more sense now. Thanks for breaking down the drills for noobs like me :)

[@robertwallace9215]

By the looks of things, the basics can be done from the 1 & 4 position. Good to know for my long sword practicing. It will help keep me in shape, thank you ❤😊

[@kieranlock3070]

This video, especially the changer has helped so much in my routine. Thank you

[@mr.pavone9719]

My son does SCA combat and uses a 5" long piece of black iron pipe for weight training. I've been looking for a fun way to get a low impact upper body workout and this is just the thing. It's like those Indian club drills but a little different. A step by step demo through would help a lot but I'm guessing that's available somewhere online or in your other videos.

[@ДмитрийАлексеев-й6э8г]

I see Bjorn - I put like 😀 А powerful element, quality performance 👍

[@mitchellcollins4215]

4 Guards 0:31 Cross strikes: 1:09 Lower strikes: 1:54 Meyer Square (half): 2:36 Changer: 3:20 Four thrusts: 4:05 The Zwircher: 4:50 Thanks @John, this is for my personal reference. All rights reserved ;)

[@taurielnightblade7200]

THKS A LOT A GREAT INSTRUCTOR, !!!!

[@anoblefish411]

Bro's arm is as big as my whole body, godang

[@sayonvertigo]

Nice video. Thanks 🖤

[@joebloggs5318]

Your footwork moves seem to be a half second behind the sword work, with your second steps landing after your sword has 'struck' rather than at the same time. I was taught to make sure I'd completed my stance changes slightly before my weapon landed and not just after, otherwise I wasn't on stable enough footing to land a proper strike.

[@F5L9X]

My Mentor teaches: “Hand before foot.“ This means first your sword swings and then your foot follows. If your opponent sees you moving your foot first, he knows where your strike is going to go and can easily dodge or counter.

[@joebloggs5318]

​@@F5L9X Wow never heard of that approach before that's interesting

[@Giagantus]

@@joebloggs5318 its true, people predict in sparring where you are going to attack if you move feet first.

[@joebloggs5318]

@@Giagantus I don't :-) I'm too busy looking at where their weapon is to worry about their feet.

[@Helldeskr]

@@F5L9X The power of the strike comes from the pivot in the wrists. Not from the step. Stepping telegraphs the move.. Strike first then follow-trough withe the step

[@WelcomeToHelljosun]

Thanks from SouthKorea

[@zethron1173]

Thank you so much, Sword Brother.

[@GenX-Rising]

Lol. I love that it starts out by saying "Part 1 THE BASIC DRILLS" and it looks like he just murders 5 opponents

[@striderhiryu2]

thanks for sharing this,it has helped me a lot.

[@ivanatotra]

Ox needs hands more extended i thinlk :D thanks anyway

[@benjudd3486]

Why do you move the sword so high on the cuts? Is it to practice the blocks associated with the cuts?

I practice the full movement from start to end. And yes, a good parry is done with a cut :)

[@Gharrisonc]

Extremely helpful. Thank you, Björn!

[@dradamov]

Fun fact: "Zwircher" movement in Filipino Martial Arts is called "Abaniko" which means "fan" because the movement mimics waving.

[@datyeen]

3:17 🐝

[@taylorahern3755]

Great Stuff👍👍👍 Very graceful & dazzling in the finesse of your scientific precision. Just amazing!

[@b19931228]

What's your shoes if you don't mind me asking.

[@Tusane001]

looks like Adidas box hogs or something similar to a wrestling or boxing shoe from Adidas

[@LionheartSJZ]

All good, except those Twerchaus would hit literally no one as you are striking above your own head-height. So unless you are facing a +2m devil all you would hit is air :)

your are absolutely right! But it looks allways a bit arkward when i put my zwerchs in a good hight to hit someone. I think for a solo drill i can gave me the space to strike my zwerchs hoizontally and raise my arms nice and high. Good observed ;)

[@LionheartSJZ]

Sure, I mean for a solo drill it doesn't really matter that much since in a real fight your striking height would highly depend on the situation anyway. The way I solo-drill and also teach a "standard" Twerchau is to hold the blade a slight angle (10° maybe?) so it would hit the temple area of your own head. The reason for that is that I often see people striking too high with a Twerch the first few times they go into sparring...

Lionheart XVa good point! I think a lot of my zwerchs got a 10° angle but the other ones are a bit sloppy from time to time. Ill keep that in mind for upcoming videos :)

[@jeffreyfuhz]

I don't understand the numbers on the Meyer square. I get the cuts and seem pretty self explanatory but I don't understand the numbers and why they're in different orders

[@benjaminbeach2152]

Thank you so much I've been wondering if I was doing things right and this helped me so much.

[@erho2967]

Thank you so much

[@vergil5644]

3:15 the bzzzhau my favorite stance

[@nighthawk7151]

Nicely done. Thanks for the video.

[@MrTomTeachesAgain]

I can't follow th sequence of the Meyersquare half. Is there a way to get the pattern?

Hi :) I have added the square in the lower left corner while im doing it. Too small picture?

[@MrTomTeachesAgain]

Thanks for replying. The picture is fine. I just didn’t understand it. I’ll study the video and see if I can get it.

[@geraldsamson3796]

thank you !

Thank you mate!

[@bugs4680]

Thank you good man

[@InspiringBard]

More useful than ever.

[@Sylentmana]

I want to learn swordsmanship but there aren’t any clubs nearby and I’m not in the best position to travel to one for now. Hopefully these will help me get started until I can find an actual teacher and/or club.

Hey there...where are you from?

[@Sylentmana]

@ Eastern Kentucky in America.

[@patrickGforce]

super!

[@thememeoverlord.1949]

My man, don't try to learn sword fighting on the internet.

[@Melanrick]

How good does this translates into a single bladed sword (Katana)? I want to put more flavour into my kenjutsu.

[@datyeen]

Honestly? This could work almost just the same with a katana. Of course, it handles differently than a western sword, but its the same principle.

[@GenX-Rising]

Is your left hand grabbing the pommel or is that a custom made Longwood with an extended handle? Lol but thank you so much for doing these videos. I've lost 25 lbs and feel lighter on my feet and I'm still definitely a beginner

[@GenX-Rising]

I'm pretty sure we found a descendant from Bjorn Ironside's father's side and Geralt of Rivia's sword instructor's mother's side

[@GenX-Rising]

So if your are right handed, does your right hand always stay above your left hand on the handle? I was trying to switch hands based on what side my strike was coming from. This is probably obvious but this is the first form of exercise that's ever excited me about getting better and quicker and stronger. Ellipticals just aren't cutting it anymore....pun intended. During cross strikes i would try to switch my left hand to be above my right hand which felt ok but when i kept my right hand above for left cross strike i could tell i would be able to swing with more accuracy and power. Footwork seems to be extremely important. If you got any tips on how to remember which foot stays forward, please enlighten me

Hi Daniel! First of all hold your right hand allways above your left. Dont switch your grip while striking from left and right. It true that you habe a strong and weak side. But with enough training you will get nearly the same quality of striking from both sides with your right hand allways abobe your left near the quillions. Secondly a simple but important thing about footwork: Strike to left and follow with your right foot or strike to your right and step with your left foot. Its a simple rule and provides space for your sword and stability for your body. Every strike needs a step! (We have excuses in special situations). Also try to focus the center between you and the opponent with your body and strikes.

[@GenX-Rising]

@ hey man! Thanks for responding. Ya when i do a left cross and keep my right hand above, it feels like doing a vicious backhand. Also is it a good rule of thumb for footwork that if you swing from right to left you keep you left foot back and step forward with the right. I noticed that was pretty much what you were doing but i work on the 4 hair guards every day and sometimes get mixed up with the second and third guard.. I wish i could remember the names you use. I appreciate the reply and wish i found this a long time ago. I did the square moveset with the upper cuts and down cuts using the pattern you put on the screen and set a timer for 10 minutes. I didn't make it to 10 minutes but that was during my first week. I'm gonna try to go for a full 10 minutes again once i reach a month. Better work out than anything I've ever done in a gym

@@GenX-Rising Additional note...do you cut with the same edge from left and right? I noticed that you used the term "Backhand". Dont switch the edges! Your upper and lower main-hews should be done with the same edge all the time :)

[@GenX-Rising]

@ thanks again for the extra info. I'm really loving this and wanna make sure I'm getting it right and develop the correct habits and form

[@GenX-Rising]

@ whether it's a cross strike from right or left, i cut with the left side of the blade and uppercuts from either side, i cut with the right but blade position is the same regardless? Right cross and left uppercut have the blade in the same position? I think I'm catching on. I notice it helps with speed once you get the technique down. I've gotten to wear i run through the 4 guards when i dont even have anything in my hands.. Lol