A poorly constructed house will not stand the test of time or the elements. Without being built on solid foundations that only then are added to, the home will be nothing more than a shoddy frame unable to do its job. The building of a good, strong and sound house is not unlike the path every martial artist and fencer takes when pursuing their sport. Without first developing good body mechanics and solid control, a swordfighter will not be able to develop the long-term strength and agility needed to perform their art safely and well.
On Saturday, January 24th Academie Duello will be hosting a 4-hour rapier workshop that will be split into 2 parts:
- body mechanics
- control
This workshop will work fundamental mechanical skills thoroughly. Participants should expect a good work-out and walk away with more confidence in their application of core rapier techniques that we use in our ongoing program.
The first 2 hours will be devoted to developing good body mechanics, the foundation of effective swordplay. Following Capoferro’s description of the use of the body, this workshop will help you develop both strength and ease in your basic guard and agility and quickness in your disengage and lunge.
In the second half of the workshop we will improve the mechanical techniques of controlling the opponent’s sword to create opportunities for striking. Students will develop the skills to hold a controlled line, yield to a strongly parried line and to maintain control against a disengage.
Understanding of guard positions, lunging and control is required to register. Members who have completed the Taste of the Renaissance course in 2014, who have been practicing with the rapier or who have approval from our head of programming (C. Fernandes) may attend. Please contact the front desk if you have any questions.
Let's get some solid foundations built, or get some renovations done to improve our fencing which starts with our bodies: our house.
You can sign up online, by calling our front desk at 604-568-9907 or, by visiting us at our downtown Vancouver location at 412 West Hastings Street.
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.