We're into the closing topics of the month. In Green Cord we're looking at the fundamental strategy for rapier combat: the True Fight. In Blue Cord we are countering defences of the offhand, and at Red Cord we're making some tricky plays with the cloak and then defeating them. In our longsword focus classes we are beginning our exploration of provocations and opportunities to strike. It's going to be a good week.
Longsword Focus
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A provocation is an attacking, inviting, or constraining action used to prompt the opponent into a predictable motion that can be exploited. In these first two classes we look at the opportunity to strike as an opponent steps into range and then how we can use the idea of stepping ot range to prompt the opponent into an attack that can be exploited.
Green Cord (Level 1)
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In this week's classes we will explore a straight forward flow chart for rapier strategy. This flow chart explores how to constrain the opponent and then respond to them logically at each measure based on their direction of movement and the actions of their sword. This strategy is the foundation of all Italian Rapier combat.
Blue Cord (Level 2)
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This week we explore how to get around the fundamental defences of the offhand while maintaining control of the opponent's sword. In the classes we explore disengages around the offhand, striking the offhand directly, and using offline attacks to angulate behind the offhand.
Red Cord (Level 3)
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This week with the cloak we look at some of the additional plays such as dropping the cloak, unfurling the cloak, and hiding the sword behind it. Then we look at how to defeat the cloak and use its weight and unwieldyness against the bearer.
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.