Week 1
Review the Footwork
We learnt the figure-8 drill, which contains two key cuts:
- Mandritto Squelembro (descending diagonal cut, starting on the sword side)
- Riverso Squelembro (descending diagonal cut, starting on the non-sword side)
We named the two guards which are at the end points of these cuts:
- Coda Lunga e Larga (Sword on the right side, at the end of a Riverso Squelembro)
- Porta di Ferro Larga (Sword on the left side, at the end of a Mandritto Squelembro)
We also learnt the school rules & etiquette to keep us safe, and practiced measure and voiding.
Revision
Avoid the temptation to learn other guards and cuts until you have been taught them in class.
For the first week, the most important thing to practice is the footwork. Remember to stop and check regularly your foot position & spacing, shoulder position, and that your knees are bent.
Next week
Next week, we will:
- revise the footwork and figure-8 drill,
- introduce the pretzel (parrying) drill,
- learn some new cuts and guards,
- and start to learn a longer drill.