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Antagonistic Drill: Taking the Tempo of an Engagement or Invitation (16-September-06)
Description
This is a potentially complicated drill involving a whole fencing phrase that involves
multiple tempi. The drill begins with both fencers in guard and one step out of measure (Misura
Camminando) and with their swords at parity (i.e. neither fencer has gained or engaged his
drilling partner's sword).
- The Defender either attempts to gain his opponent's sword (i.e. an engagement or the gain described
by Fabris and Capoferro) or he makes an invitation. Note that he does not advance or retreat, his only
motion involves his sword. (Examples would be an invitation made to the
outside by the Defender putting his sword in a Quarta angled to his inside, or an invitation to the
inside made in Quarta with the sword angled to his outside.) In the tempo of the attempted gain/engagement
or invitation, the Attacker must make a Feint with Advance. Against an attempted gaining of the sword,
that will generally be done as a feint by cavazione; against an invitation, it will usually be a
straight-line feint.
- The Defender, against the Attacker's feint, has the option of either countering the feint with an
attack, or defending with a parry/blade seizure. If he attacks, he must be sure to properly take the
tempo of the feint--the Attacker should not be able to void or parry an attack performed in the correct
tempo. Note that in the event that the Attacker did not correctly take the tempo of the Defender's first
motion, the Defender's best choice is usually to counter with an attack.
- The Attacker, in the case that the Defender moves to parry the feint, should avoid it with a cavazione
and strike to the new opening presented by the Defender.
- The Defender, against the Attacker's earnest attack, will either parry or counter with an attack (with
or without a void). Note that another feint by the attacker is not generally an option with the rapier, as
countering a second feint with an attack would be fairly easy for a skilled Defender (this is less true
in the case of the lighter dueling sword). If the Attacker
performs the initial feint in the correct tempo, and attacks with proper technique, is is likely that he
will hit regardless of what the Defender does (thus, the reason for making the initial feint in a tempo
made by the Defender).
- However, if the Defender parries the attack, then in the tempo of the Attacker's (immediate) recovery,
the Defender, without losing contact with the Attacker's blade, should extend his arm and make a riposte.
- The Attacker has the option of parrying or accepting the hit. Should he move to parry during the Defender's
extension, the Defender should avoid the parry with a cavazione and hit the Attacker's open line (the Attacker
should accept the hit, as this is a drill).
It is important to adhere to a few "rules" for this drill:
- The Attacker only makes one advance and does not retreat (except after his attack and recovery, to return
to being one step out of measure--i.e., the end of the drill).
- The Defender neither advances nor retreats during the course of this drill. His steps are limited to lunging
and voids.
- In the event that one of the two fencers is attacking in Contratempo, both fencers should finish their attacks
with commitment. Avoid the temptation to get "cute." Instead, focus on carrying all actions through to completion,
regardless of result. Learn to recognize the tempo and execute the actions cleanly and with deliberation.
Prerequisites
Most of the fundamental actions of the rapier (or possibly, dueling sword) system you are practicing must
be mastered before attempting this drill. Also, participants must have developed an intuitive feeling for
measure and at least the beginnings of a feeling for tempo.
Goal
The fencers will develop a feel for the various tempi and learn to recognize the specifically when they can
attack, counter-attack or just parry.
Notes
While this drill is quite advanced, fencers should be able to perform it or drills of similar complexity
before engaging in any sort of freeplay. Note that although this is a complex drill with many options, it
is important that neither fencer moves outside of the allowed range of options. The first purpose of this
drill is not to score the point; the purpose is to learn to intuitively recognize the various tempi, to
instantly analyze the actions of the opponent and to utilize correct actions to defend or counter--all with
correct form and technique.
Variations
There are many ways in which the complexity of this drill can be increased or decreased. For example,
mandating that the Defender must parry the initial feint or (should it go that far) mandating the the
Defender will hit on a simple riposte (when a repetition of the drill goes that far). For further
simplification, have the Attacker's initial feint be out of tempo (i.e. after the Defender has finished
finding the sword or has settled in the position of the invitation).
For an added complication, allow
any fencer the option of using the off hand to parry as he counters an earnest attack with an attack
of his own. For example, if the Attacker feints to the inside and the Defender goes to parry with his sword,
the Defender can parry the earnest attack to the high outside with the left hand parry to the outside over the
right shoulder (see Fabris Plate 43) while simultaneously thrusting to the Attacker's flank.
List of Drills
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