This week on DuelloTV: Green cords (level 1) are moving into the strategic side of the rapier with classes on Stringere and responding to the opponent, Blues (level 2) focus on the foundation of the Deceptive Fight, and Reds (level 3) on contra-tempo and how to defeat it. For our longsword focus we are moving into our second class on precision, looking at how to throw a fendente from all poste. We also have an excellent partner exercise to share that will help practitioners of any discipline explore how to put individual techniques into the grander context of a full fight.

Longsword Focus

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To be an effective combatant you want to be able to deliver every blow from as many positions as possible. In this week's lesson we explore how to deliver a powerful and efficient fendente from every potential starting point.

Green Cord (Level 1)

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With the tools of finding and gaining under your belt you can now press your opponent into a position of strategic weakness. This week's classes look at the concept of stringere or "constraint" as a tool for forcing your opponent into predictable reactions and how to exploit those reactions.

Blue Cord (Level 2)

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This week's videos look at the mechanics of the feint, a deceptive fight action designed to draw your opponent out of position with a false attack.

Red Cord (Level 3)

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Contra-tempo is to strike your opponent as they attempt to strike you. In this week's two classes we first look at how to create a diversity of contra-tempo scenarios and then in the second class we explore how to defeat them based on our distance and the degree of constraint our sword has been subjected to.

Exercise of the Week

http://duello.tv/featured-videos/fundamental-exercises-longsword

The play building execs presented is a valuable and viable drill for you and a partner to practice with any weapon or combination. In the exercise you and a partner will build up a fight one movement at a time until a complex action has been explored.

Devon Boorman is the Co-Founder and Director of Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay, which has been active in Vancouver, Canada since 2004. Devon’s expertise centres on the Italian swordplay tradition including the arts of the Renaissance Italian rapier, sidesword, and longsword, as well as knife and unarmed techniques.
Read more from Devon Boorman.