Welcome to the last week of one of the most intricate and fundamentally satisfying months of curriculum at Academie Duello. In Longsword focus we continue to work on the fundamental blows, seeking to make them as precise and powerful as possible. In the Mastery program, Greens (level 1) take the techniques of the first three weeks and bring them together into the strategic base of the True Fight, Blues (level 2) continue to develop the Deceptive Fight, and Reds (level 3) step into the final tempo of opportunity: Dui Tempi.

Longsword Focus

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The Sotani, or rising blows, can be done with the true or false edge and can originate from both high and low poste. In this video you will explore how to make sotani from all the poste and then how to make those blows with proper intention and safety.

Green Cord (Level 1)

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The True Fight is the fundamental strategy of Italian Rapier. When you are in control - move forward, when you lose control - move backward. In these two videos you will explore the decision tree to follow at each measure to follow this strategy, keep a solid defence and act opportunely to strike.

Blue Cord (Level 2)

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Building on the work of last week, you will look at the principles of cover and tempo as a means to keep yourself safe as you employ feints to open your opponent and exploit the opportunity created to strike.

Red Cord (Level 3)

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Dui-tempi is an opportunity to strike your opponent in two motions. Generally this is done by displacing the opponent's sword in the first motion and then striking them in the second as they attempt to bring their sword back on-line. This week's videos look at various methods of creating these opportunities and then how to counter them.

Exercise of the Week

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In sidesword focus class this past week we explored how you put shoulder and hip power into your cuts. This comes naturally when you're alternating between cuts from the right and left but requires some special footwork if you want to throw more than one blow from the same side. This week's fundamental video gives you an exercise that will help you learn how to do just that.

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.