|
Understanding Measure
by Steven Reich
Together with Tempo, Measure is one of the
fundamental concepts of Italian swordsmanship and a proper understanding
of any of the Italian historical manuals requires a full understanding of this concept along with
the associated terminology. As the Italians defined it, measure encompassed the concept of distance
as used in nearly every martial art, but with a particular set of terms and definitions. By the
beginning of the 17th century, these terms had crystallized into the form which has survived
nearly unchanged to modern times. Simply stated, Measure is the distance between the swordsman
and his target. This is not an absolute value, such as a measurement of feet and inches; rather,
it is proportionate to the attributes of the swordsman: his height, his reach, the length of his
weapon, and even the type of weapon. It follows logically that there are distances from which you
can hit your target with a simple attack and distances from which your target is too far away for
you to hit it. The Italians have a specific term and definition for each of these two states:
- In Measure: Within the distance where you can strike your target with a lunge. Advancing
so that you arrive in measure is known as gaining the measure.
- Out of Measure: At a distance greater than that required for you to be In Measure.
Retreating so that you are no longer In Measure is known as breaking measure.
Because measure is based on the lunge, there are a few implications that you must consider when
reading the texts and when fencing. First, if you are at a distance where you can hit your opponent
with a pass but not with a lunge, you are not in measure! For example, if you are trying to
analyze and learn a technique from Capoferro, and he describes it as being executed from within
measure, you must ensure that you situate yourself in measure when practicing the technique.
Starting from too far away might give your opponent options that are unavailable when you begin
from within measure—possibly changing the technique from one that is tactically sound into one
that is fundamentally unsafe. Second, whether or not you are in measure is determined by the
location of your rear foot. This means that by drawing your rear foot forward, and without moving
any other part of your body, you can gain the measure. With the subtle application of this technique,
you can sometimes gain the measure without your opponent even noticing—he will be in danger from
your attack and be completely unaware of it. Many of the masters describe this action (Marcelli
refers to this “stealing the measure”), and it is commonly used in classical fencing.
Despite the fact that you cannot hit your opponent with a lunge when you are out of measure,
this distance is not completely safe. Many masters begin compound attacks or other actions from
one step out of measure: the action begins with a feint or a blade action (such as engagement)
accompanied by a step into measure, whereupon the attacker executes the final motion of his
attack. Although most of the rapier masters make use of this distance, it is not specificaly labelled
until the middle to late 17th century, when it is called misura scorsa; the classical masters
refer to it as misura camminando in Italian, both terms essentially translating to advancing
measure in English. When you are at this distance, consider carefully your actions and the actions
of your opponent; many times the outcome of an exchange is determined by what both of you do here,
before you gain the measure.
From advancing measure (remembering that you are still out of measure), you
enter the measure with an advance so that you are at the distance where you can hit your
opponent, but to do so will necessitate that you advance your right foot so that you are in
Capoferro’s passo straordinario (extraordinary step)—what we call the lunge. Here, the
Italian terminology gets a little complicated as Capoferro deviates from most of the other Italian
masters. While all of the Italians refer to this is misura larga or wide measure,
Capoferro also
defines this distance as a type of misura stretta or narrow measure—specifically, he refers to
this measure as misura stretta di pič accresciuto or narrow measure of the advancing foot.
However, to make things even more confusing, Capoferro often uses the abbreviated term, narrow
measure, when he means the narrow measure of the advancing foot. Fabris, like most of the other
Italian masters, uses the term, narrow measure, to refer to a distance which is exclusive with
wide measure; that is, they do not overlap. Within the wide measure, there is a distance where
(as Alfieri says) your lunge is not forced or extended so that you cannot quickly recover—this is
called the misura perfetta or perfect measure. Capoferro does
not define this distance, nor do all of the other masters; however, many of them instruct you
to the measure such that you can comfortably hit and recover.
Approaching your opponent from the wide measure, where you must lunge to hit your target, there is
one more measure
defined by most of the Italians: misura stretta or narrow measure. As I
noted above,
Capoferro deviates from his contemporaries (since he has defined a type of narrow measure
as equivalent the wide measure): he calls this distance the misura stretta di pič fermo or narrow
measure of the firm foot. As the name implies, at his measure you can hit your target by merely
extending your arm or leaning forward, but without moving either of your feet in both cases.
There are generally four ways to reach this distance. First, both you and your opponent, from
one step out of measure, advance at the same time. Second, if you are short, while attempting
to advance into your wide measure you inadvertently come into the narrow measure of your taller
opponent. Third, from the wide measure, you advance into the narrow measure. Finally, you can gain
the narrow measure by stepping forward with your right foot (but only your right foot). In this
last instance, you have essentially moved your forward foot into a lunge, but without moving the
rest of your body forward. Fabris likes this technique and dedicates plate 11 in his manual to
describing the resulting guard. One important point that you must recognize about the narrow
measure: unless you can gain the narrow measure such that you are still at your opponent’s wide
measure, you must never enter narrow measure unless you have an extremely strong positional
advantage. This usually means that your opponent’s point is out of your presence and you have
completely closed the line to prevent him from putting it back online, or you have removed
his point from your presence by engaging his sword. Some masters advise their readers to never
use this measure. Parise, for example, states that “good fencers are never found in this measure.”
In addition to the distances I described above, there is one more special type of measure
described by Capoferro: strettissima misura or narrowest measure. This is actually the wide
measure, but within the context of a specific tactical circumstance. Here is a translation of
Capoferro’s definition:
- The strettissima misura is when, from misura larga, you strike the opponent in the arm (either
his dagger-arm or his sword-arm) as he extends it while leaving it uncovered; at the same time,
you step back with your left foot followed by your right.
The Italian masters, unless they specifically state otherwise, nearly always take the
measure from the body (in their 1803 manual, Rosaroll-Scorza and Grisetti even go out of
their way to denigrate those fencers who take the measure from their opponent’s arm).
Capoferro, in response to a particular tactical situation, is changing to a closer target
while stepping back. In modern terms, this is a stop-thrust or stop-cut to the opponent’s
arm accompanied by a retreat.
One item you must always keep in mind when considering your measure is that it is relative
to your physical attributes. For example, since the length of your lunge determines the
wide measure, if you do not develop a long lunge—even if you are tall—you will reduce your
measure. If like many people, you do not use a full lunge when you bout, you are also
restricting your measure. Also, do not forget that if you are facing an opponent of a
different height than you, your measures are likely not equal. This is often an advantage
for the taller person, but not always. Finally, to ensure that you internalize your measure
so that you learn to instantly recognize when you can reach your target, be sure that you
always drill at the correct distance. In this way, you will learn to feel when you are too
far to attack, or when you have allowed your opponent to come to close.
As you can see, there are a significant number of specific terms which the Italians use to
describe various distances. All of their techniques are explained with the expectation that
the reader knows the definition of each of these terms and understands the implication of
each one. Here is a final review of the terms and an image to display the various distances
relative to each other:
In Measure: Within the distance where you can strike your target with a lunge. Advancing
so that you arrive in measure is known as gaining the measure.
Out of Measure: At a distance greater than that required for you to be In Measure.
Retreating so that you are no longer In Measure is known as breaking measure.
More than One Step Out of Measure: You must advance at least twice before you can
hit your target with a lunge.
One Step Out of Measure: You must advance once before you can hit your target with a lunge.
Can Hit Target with a Lunge: You must lunge in order to hit your target.
Can Hit Target by Leaning Forward and/or Extending Arm: You can hit your target without
moving either foot.
Fabris and Others Italian Masters:
Fuora di Misura (Out of Measure): You are Out of Measure
In Misura/A Misura (In Measure): You are In Measure
Misura Camminando/Misura Scorsa (Advancing Measure): You are one step out of measure (although
implied, not generally referred to by name until the late 17th century).
Misura Larga (Wide Measure): You can hit your target with a lunge.
Misura Stretta (Narrow Measure): You can hit your target by leaning forward and/or
extending your arm.
Misura Perfetta (Perfect Measure): A distance within Misura Larga where the lunge
that is required to hit your target is not forced and does not prevent a quick recovery
(explicitly defined by Alfieri).
Capoferro:
Fuora di Misura (Out of Measure): You are Out of Measure
In Misura/A Misura (In Measure): You are In Measure
Misura Larga (Wide Measure): You can hit your target with a lunge (the first type of Misura Stretta below, that is Misura Stretta di Pič Accresciuto).
Misura Stretta (Narrow Measure): When used without the qualifier, is either used to
refer to Misura Stretta di Pič Accresciuto or to both types of Narrow Measure, depending on
the context.
Misura Stretta di Pič Accresciuto (Narrow Measure of the Extended Step): You can hit
your target by stepping forward with your front foot (that is, lunging).
Misura Stretta di Pič Fermo (Narrow Measure of the Firm Foot): You can hit your target
by leaning forward and/or extending your arm.
Strettissima Misura (Narrowest Measure): The measure created by targeting the uncovered
sword or dagger arm as you make a full pass backward.
|
