Arts & Sciences: La Verdadera Destreza Research Paper Experience

(If you stick through to the end you get a peek at me in my epic period Elizabethan kit that makes me look like I stepped out of a Spanish painting, hehe) 

"Life pleasant, the enemy a strong man, danger ordinary, defence natural, the science to achieve it infallible, its study obligatory and practice necessary."

Don Luis Pacheco de Narvaez, Nueva cienicia

This past weekend I had the privilege of entering a La Verdadera Destreza (LVD) research paper into an SCA Arts and Sciences (A&S) event.  The event was called the Laurel's Prize Tourney and involved more than 20 challenges that were issued by the Laurels of the SCA (peers of the A&S community).  The challenges included those in weaving, brewing, heraldry, performance, and many more crafts.

The challenge that I entered was called "Research, Research, and then Research Some More" offered by Mistress Elysabeth Underhill.  It involved submitting a research paper on the topic of your choice, as well as displaying and presenting this information to those at the event in a creative and informative way.

The paper I submitted was originally written for King and Queen's A&S Championship that was held in February, but due to some things in life beyond my control I was not able to attend that event.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to enter my paper into another event that I could actually attend, where I could receive additional feedback, learn how I could better myself, and hopefully spread the good word of La Verdadera Destreza far and wide :-)

If you would like to just jump to the paper I am providing a direct link below this paragraph.  Beware though that it is 13 pages of research paper and 27 overall with all of the extras.

"The Essential Elements of the Spanish Fencing Art of La Verdadera Destreza; 

An Analysis of the Components of the Style Across the Masters"

by Doroga Voronin

Other than giving you the link to my paper I wanted to do a little bit more here.  Similar to how I have told folks who read my blog what I have learned from applying LVD in practice and tournaments, I will do the same thing regarding my research and display.

It is a fine line I will walk though because while I don't want to beat myself up for what I feel I didn't do, I DO want to be honest and share with everyone what I learned from this event, how I am going to use this knowledge to move forward, and most importantly show that there is a process of growth that occurs from A&S experience like there is from fencing drills and competition.

To Begin:

To paraphrase a conversation and discussion I had with Mistress Underhill, I did not spring fully formed from the A&S womb into what I am today to compete in this competition, lol.  This was not my first Destreza related A&S event and I have been building up to this point with more than 2 years of research and slightly less than that entering events.  In the fall of 2015 I entered and won honorable mention at St. Eligius for a demo of a period technique (old blog post on that here).  Last spring I displayed an annotated bibliography (link to that older document here) at KnQ A&S champs that taught me a ton about displays and gave me a bunch of ideas for my research.  Last summer at Pennsic I hosted a Destreza meet and greet, and taught a class on footwork and theory that incorporated much about the history and context of this period style (lesson plan and blog post linked here).  All of that lead up to me writing and displaying this paper.

The Display:

Part of the competition was to "think about how you can present your work to those who are at the event and who may not have the time to read your entire paper"  Here is what my display looked like.

Sadly I forgot to take a picture of it at the event, but I recreated it for you on my kitchen table :-).

My display at last year's KnQ was much different.  One thing I learned from that was to use WORDS, lol.  My display last year was nothing but a board with various Spanish circles on it, along with my annotated bibliography printed out and displayed below.  What I found out was that the Spanish circle can in fact be used as a Rorschach ink blot test.  People had a hard time figuring out if I was showing examples of celestial navigation, map making, alchemy symbols, or fencing.  Those were all actual guesses that came up when people stopped by to look at my work.   So this year I made it clear with a title, summary points, and some fun quotes from my paper, such as the Pacheco quote at the top of this post, along with the plates I used and cited.  I also used as my table cloth the folded up full size replica Spanish circle that I created this past year (blog post on that linked here).  I actually got the idea to pursue and create that circle after a conversation I had with Master Magnus hvalmagi at last year's display.  That circle table cloth this year was't fully visible, but it was a really great conversation starter for folks walking by.

To summarize my A&S display growth, you can't share your passion with someone if they can't figure out what it is.  :-)

The Paper:

Let me say that I am so appreciative for the feedback that I received from Mistress Underhill at the event.  Not only did she take the time to read the paper and look at it with an academic's eye, but then she spent approximately an hour discussing it with me and how I can better my research and myself in the SCA.   I must also thank the judges from KnQ A&S champs who read the paper and gave me their feedback even though I was unable to come and speak with them in person at the event.  All of these conversations have helped me frame this and future research projects.

I am very proud of the work that I did.   There are many things that I did well, such as the quantity and quality of the sources that I used (8 primary sources and 6 secondary sources), but I am also looking at it critically so that I can grow as an academic studying and sharing this art.  It was said to me that no one will know what I left out except myself.  That is very true, but I also want to help other people along this path by showing the process of growth that occurs through academic reflection.

Things I can improve upon:

1. A Better Purpose or Argument: 

I knew this was a weakness going into the paper, especially when I wrote it for the KnQ champs competition.  The main purpose of this piece was to help clear up what La Verdadera Destreza actually is, at least in a general sense.  I wrote this paper to be informative and to be a summary of the main concepts of the style.  One of the accurate and main points of feedback that I received from multiple sources was that I could have better tailored the paper to have a more focused argument or purpose rather than a general summary of the material.

2. Narrower Focus for the Topic

Simply put, the scope of what I was trying to cover was too large.  I could have written 4-5 separate papers or an entire book on the material I was trying to cover.  By being general in my informative paper rather than more focused I had to leave a great deal of information out and in doing so I might have left the reader with more questions than answers.  I am idealistic and hope that I encouraged them to study more LVD to find those answers, but I know that is the wrong way to do it.  Going forward I shouldn't be afraid to write a shorter paper that is a closer look at only a part of the art.

3. Don't Generalize

In my excitement and passion for LVD, it was pointed out to me that many times I made very general statements throughout the paper.  This might be permissible in another format, but in an academic research paper, these generalizations are very big holes.  Frequently I compared Destreza to the Italian styles of fencing and since my paper was not on those styles, at best I left the reader hanging and not fully understanding the comparison I was trying to make, at worst my comparison might have been inaccurate or full of research holes you could drive a bus through.  If I am going to prove a point I need to do it more clearly and with less generalization.


I will keep the main summary to the big three take homes for now.  There are other pieces of feedback I received that are just as valuable and that I will always need to be aware of in my studies.  These include:

• Watching out for the over use of jargon or terminology that people might not understand.  
• Do not use or overuse quotes without explaining the point they are proving
• Be aware of my audience and not talk over them with my language
• Use pictures, data, and graphs effectively to prove my point
• Stay closer to SCA period when I am writing for this audience

I believe that these items are things that all researchers need to do as they study and write about their topics and I feel very lucky for the guidance and feedback that has been provided to me.  I hope that my reflection on this can help other folks that are interested in researching and writing about a topic understand that this is a gradual process of growth and refinement like the study or practice of any art.

My Reward:

Along with the education and feedback I received, the other take home from this event was a gift from Mistress Underhill.  She rewarded each person who entered one of her challenges with chocolate covered pretzels along with one of her amazing hand made beads.  I am keeping the insanely beautiful bead on my desk at work to remind me to keep chugging along in the art and science of Destreza. I should note that she did in fact give us more pretzels than the one in the photo, but that was the only one left.

Destreza research never tasted so good.  :-)

The Bonus Photo:

Huge thanks to Jeanne Clifton for my period Elizabethan Outfit.
I even have the angry dour period Spanish face going on and everything.
If you want to learn more about this outfit you can check out her write up at Elena's Threads.



Thanks for reading.

Tournaments and Encouragements with Destreza

Hello,

This past weekend I went to an SCA event where some wonderful friends received well-earned awards.  I also participated in 2 fencing tournaments where I was very pleased with how I performed (understatement).  I placed 2nd in the single rapier tournament, where only single rapier was allowed as the name implies, and 3rd in a mixed styles tournament, where you had to pick from a hat for each bout to find out what your off hand weapon would be (dagger, case, soft parry i.e. cloak, ridged parry i.e. buckler, single rapier, or opponent's choice).  The caliber of the competition was probably some of the most qualified that I have fought and the take home message for me from the day was that I am on the right path with my La Verdadera Destreza (LVD) practice.

Other than the results of the tourney, one of the things that stuck with me was a conversation I had with a fellow fencer after the tournaments.  This person told me that he was very happy to see someone succeeding with Destreza.  He said that when he started fencing, he originally tried practicing Destreza for about 6 months.  During that time he was continually told by other fencers that the style did not work and that was why most of the people in the area practiced an Italian style or Olympic off shoot instead of Spanish.  Eventually he became discouraged and started practicing Italian instead of Spanish, but still tries to incorporate some of those early ideas when possible.  I told him that I was sorry he encountered this and in fact I heard the same thing when I started along this historical path.

I vividly remember the day at practice that I was told by someone that exact thing and how an experienced fencer told HIM that he shouldn’t practice Destreza because it didn’t work and that I shouldn’t waste my time on it.  Thanks to my previous knowledge of how muscle memory is built and the words and help of some other experienced fencers whose opinions I valued, I completely ignored this guy and used his words to fuel my desire to practice harder.  Those friends and also my own experience in the martial arts are what kept me going.

What I want people, especially those just starting out along this path, to get from this post is:

La Verdadera Destreza DOES WORK! 

(If practiced correctly of course) 

If you want to follow this art (or any historical art) you need to ignore those doubters, keep your head high, and keep chugging along.

I told this person I met over the weekend that my experience with LVD fencing was very similar to my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) experience.  For those not familiar with that martial art, it is a grappling / wrestling style of fighting that is one of the foundation styles for mixed martial arts (i.e. UFC fighting).  While some of the martial arts I practice use forms or kata, BJJ was like fencing in that it is results driven.  You drill first, then practice full out with your opponents and either what you drill works or it doesn’t.  The learning curve for that art is very similar to LVD.  I tell people you spend the first 6 months of BJJ tapping out to just about everyone, wondering how on earth did that 200lb. Brazilian man just get on your back.  “Tapping out” to your opponent is what you do when you are being choked or locked and it is how you indicate you lost and are about to possibly lose consciousness or have something broken.  I say, “You know what the sound of learning is…. Tap, Tap, Tap”.

LVD is very similar to BJJ in that I spent at least the first 6 months getting stabbed a lot.  Each poke was like a tap in BJJ… it was the sound of learning.  I was drilling like mad, be it footwork or blade work. I was working on standing straight, holding my arm straight, moving fluidly or at least on a circle and in angles when attacking, and integrating the concepts of distance and blade work into my head slowly.  Eventually some of that training became instinct and I could disengage those parts of my brain to focus and refine other movements.  When that started happening, I noticed I was getting stabbed less and less.

Just like I remember the day that I tapped someone out in BJJ, I now vividly remember the day that, without conscious thought, my blade was able to execute one of the 4 generals of LVD in a bout (it was the general of narrowing or “General del Estrechar” to be exact).  It was euphoric and it felt like Christmas morning when it happened.  For the rest of the practice I was stabbed repeatedly in new and unusual ways, but you know what… you couldn’t take that moment of an actual result away from me for the world.

I will not lie.  It is not easy to practice an art done by very few people that has very little information translated into English.  This is also why I run the LVD Resource List to let people know that they are not alone and that there are masters and materials available to help guide their journey.

I am also very happy to tell you that Destreza, both the Verdadera and the Comun styles, are getting more and more popular as time goes on and there is more material out there each year.  At Pennsic 45 this past summer the “By the Book Tourney” had to have a separate Destreza pool because there were so many of us (7) studying the art.  This warms my heart and hopefully it will help others understand that this is a growing field and we who walk this path are not alone in our practice and study.

Keep practicing.

Lesson Plan for La Verdadera Destreza: Spanish Fencing Circle Use and Footwork

Hello again,

I am very happy to get another post up here.  In my last one on the Creation of a La Verdadera Destreza Fencing Circle I mentioned how I was going to use the circle I made to teach a class on footwork at Pennsic 45. I am very happy to report that the class went very well, even with multiple hurdles. No lesson plan ever survives first contact with the enemy and that was very true when they had to shut down my battlefield tent 15 min. into the class due to lightning.  I turned it into a walking lecture on the history of the Spanish circle on our way through the food court to a much smaller classroom.  Sadly due to the size of the new space I wasn't able to use my big canvas circle, but we were still able to cover all of the information and improvised while walking around a center tent pole.

It was a 2 hour class and I had a great group of folks taking it for various reasons. The participants included fencers for the obvious content, academics trying to understand the social context of the art, and heavy list / rattan fighters looking to apply these concepts to their own style of fighting.

Below are my internal class notes. I considered posting just the external material, but I thought that my personal notes would be more useful to understanding what I covered. The internal personal notes are in italics and are VERY extensive as I am a firm believer in being over prepared when teaching.  I typically want my external handouts to be a general outline and place for folks to take notes, not a book or essay for them to read while we talk and learn.  These notes on the blog are more comprehensive to allow you to see behind the curtain since you are just reading and not listening to it as well.

I also handed out a set of pictures of various Spanish fencing circle interpretations by the masters.  Instead of posting those here I updated my other post on The Spanish Circle Through the Years with the new circles I found, so anyone interested in those can click over there for a more comprehensive view.

Here you go:

La Verdadera Destreza: Spanish Fencing Circle Use and Footwork

Lord Doroga Voronin

Pennsic 45 / Aug. 10, 2016 / 3pm-5pm

• Ask Questions as we go through the class
• I will be covering concepts and strategy at the same time
• Brief intro about me and why I got into this
• The Spanish circle is not mysterious unless you consider balancing your checkbook a mystery
• Format I am following today is on your handout.  
• Spanish Masters suggested learning the theory first and then the skill or practice
• I am going over the style of fencing, the footwork, the parts and use of the circle, LVD concepts and how they can be applied to other fencing and fighting styles
• All of what I am going over needs to be practiced slowly and applied gradually to ingrain it as an instinct, then it can be made to move fast
• Use your surroundings as you do not need a formal circle for training, basketball court layout, pieces of tape on the ground, etc.
• It is a dance, 8th grade dance analogy on how at your first dance everyone looks and feels awkward

George Silver 1598 said:

"They stand as brave as they can with their bodies straight upright, narrow spaced, with their feet continually moving, as if they were in a dance, holding forth their arms and rapiers very straight against the face or bodes of their enemies"

•  My knowledge is based off of both historical and modern master's analysis 
• Carranza was father of the style, treatise written in 1569, published large scale in 1582
• Lasted formally for almost 300 years with manuals being published up to the mid 1800’s 

La Verdadera Destreza (LVD)

   
    History and Masters

o   Jeronimo de Carranza,   Luis Pacheco de Narvaez,   Gerard Thibault d’Anvers

o   Luis de Viedma,   Franciso Antonio de Ettenhard,    Francisco Lorenz de Rada              

          How LVD differs from other fencing styles

o   Upright Stance & Sword Position

o   Circular Stepping and Distance                  

o   Concepts / Techniques (i.e. Atajo, 4 Generals, Defensive, Right angle, Movements of conclusion)

Types of Circles:

Historical Examples (see handout)
Size of fencer can influence size of circle, steps, and blade length

 Ettenhard talks about how Pacheco details exact distances 3 feet single step, double step 5 feet, but also talks about his own philosophy on setting fixed distances.

“I consider determining a fixed distance for the steps to perform the proposed actions as extremely difficult (and even impossible)… Only in one case could a fixed distance be obtained, and that would be if one of the combatants did not move from his spot…"

• Ettenhard says to measure distance proportionally and if your opponent takes a long step you take a short one
• Describe Thibault's measurements and the concept of the vara
• The circle is a training tool not a battlefield.  It is imaginary, moves with the fencers, can be recreated or changed mid fight.  It can also be rotated to make a cylinder in front of you as a targeting tool

 Parts of the Circle:      

(Most Translations from Puck and Mary Dill Curtis)

• Greater Circle              Círculo Mayor                  Large circle between the fencers
• Diameter                      Diametro                          Line that separates the fencers on the greater circle
• Lines of Infinity           Linea Infinita                   Parallel lines perpendicular to the diameter
• Minor Circle                Círculo Menor                 The circles around each fencer

LVD Concepts of Distance:·         

           Measure of proportion                    Medio de proportión       

              Defensive location that defines the circle and where the fight begins

• This is where you can recognize and react to your opponent’s movement
• Where swords meet each other’s hilt
• Just like the circle, it changes based on your opponents size, blade length, and stance
• Some like Rada specify distances for this 8ft., 7-5, 3, etc.
• Judge the distance by what is there and what is their POTENTIAL reach (DEMO)
• DEMO of Measure of Proportion (possible drill)
• Strategy of gaining distance and goals, Puck suggests
• If you have a longer reach or blade, you want to violate their space, medio
• If you have a shorter reach or blade, you want to keep them outside until you want to move
• Puck says, “Walking the circle without a reason gives your opponent a tempo and an advantage” 
• Always have a reason when you move in and out of the circle of death 

      Proportional measure                    Medio proporcional                      

             Middle distance (referenced by Alvaro Guerra de la Vega and Francisco Lorenz de Rada)

      Proportionate measure                  Medio proporcionado                   

              Offensive location or place of termination 

Types of Steps:

                     Forward                          Compás Accidental / Recto          
           Backward                       Compás Extraňo
           Lateral                            Compás Trepidante    
           Transverse (diagonal)     Compás Transversal 
           Curved                            Compás Curvo              
           Mixed (combination)      Compás Mixto  

           Spanish Gaining Step     (Puck Curtis)   Crosses to gain distance

• Feet are equally balanced, no further than shoulder width apart 
• Sword arm foot forward, line up heels
• Which foot steps first?
                
• GENERAL RULE of thumb is the one closer to where you are going
• How far you should step? 
          
• Varies depending on the Master you read and your size, no lunging in traditional LVD
• GENERAL RULE, do not cross the feet on stepping, but there are times you do i.e. gaining step
• Transverse Steps
• Closes the distance more rapidly and aggressively than a curved 
• Closest thing to a lunge, front foot points at opponent on the step
• Transverse angle can vary, Viedma says step from A to B for both transverse and the curved
• All Actions are a combination of movements, common Examples of mixed steps – back lateral, movement of conclusion
• A step in the Spanish style starts and ends in the stance, always recover to exit and defend
• Ettenhard says          
• Forward is superior to back
• Transverse defeats the forward
• Transverse and curved defeats transverse and curved

Concepts and Reminders:

•        Misconception:  the opponent is always in the center and you never get closer
•          Truth: there are many circles and they are dynamic and changing
•       Misconception:  Spanish fencing is only with a single sword   
•          Truth: they use dagger, buckler, shield, cloak, etc ,      

      The circle is a training tool and is imaginary, moves with the fencers, can be changed mid fight

      The style of fencer you are facing (i.e. Italian, LVD, Destreza Vulgar/Comun) will change how you fence

Learn slow, drill slow, gradually increase the speed, learn the moves before you dance fast     
Remember to train to circle and attack in both directions (right and left) and with both hands

      Strategy and use can be applied to other styles of fighting

Drills and Final Questions

• Drill setting measure with hands 
• Mirror Drill - Forward, Back, Lateral, Transverse, Curve both ways, one leads, then swap

That is about it for the internal version of my lesson plan from the class that I taught this past summer.  Perhaps I will teach this again some day, but until then....

Thanks for reading.

Creation of a La Verdadera Destreza Training Circle

Hello again,

Below you will see photos of several stages of the process and the final version of my historical recreation of a La Vedadera Destreza (LVD) training circle.  This one in particular is from Luis Dias de Viedma's work "Metodo de Ensenanza de Maestros" (Method of Teaching of Masters), 1639.  The translation of the manual was done by Tim Rivera and is located here: Spanish Swordsmanship Society of St. Louis.  I posted Viedma's original circle from the manual at the bottom so you can compare it to my final circle.

I have been wanting to do this for a while and selected Viedma's circle for a few reasons.  The primary being that it seemed to be the easiest to start out with and contained most of the needed parts (major circle, lines of infinity, etc.). I intend to recreate Carranza's circle next or perhaps Ettenhard.  While Thibault has the best instructions for creating his circle, it is by far the most complex and I will hold off on that for now.

I am using this as a training tool to teach my "LVD footwork and use of the Spanish Circle" class at Pennsic 45 this year.  I will emphasize that the circle is an imaginary construct you create in your head as you fight.  It is in no way meant to be an actual battlefield or used like a fencing strip, BUT having an actual circle to train upon certainly has many benefits.  I also will go into how you can mark out places on the floor with pieces of tape, as my training partner Xavier showed me.  I have also used the circles on the basketball court where we hold our practices.  In the end the circle can be a very valuable tool for training and learning to judge distance and movement in LVD.


Measurements
I wanted to stay as close to Viedma's measurements as possible,

"This whole circle must be twenty-four feet around, all of which is divided into steps of three feet, makes eight steps in all its circumference."

Method of Teaching of Masters, Luis de Viedma, pg 11r (1639)

Before making the circle, I also was curious what my personal measurements would be, as defined by Thibault's work.

"..one end of a large compass is placed at the navel and the other at the toes or against the soles of the feet, and the circumference is then drawn all around, it forms a circle, the center of which will be the person's navel, the diameter equal to the height at full extension."

Academy of the Sword, Gerard Thibault d'Anvers (1630)

Thibault says the radius of your circle should be measured from your navel to the sole of the feet.  As discussed in my previous post Blade Length in La Verdadera Destreza (Part 1 of 2) I am very tall at 6ft. 5in. and my navel to the floor (without shoes) is 46 and 1/2 in.  Since I use a 45 inch blade I decided to round down to 46 inches (3ft. 10in). Low and behold my personalized Thibault circle comes out to 24 ft. 8/10ths of an inch circumference.

My personal measurement is so extremely close to Viedma's defined 24 ft circumference or untranslated "veinte y cuatro pies de circuito".  Since I am far taller than most people in period, this lead me to ask even more questions regarding what the period size of the circle should be. Viedma does not use the measurement of the vara in his work, but actually uses the word "pies" or feet.   I have read that the actual formal modern measurement of the foot was not established until much later than this work and there was significant variation in its definition at the time.  For example, the Roman foot came out to approx. 11.65 inches of the modern foot, which would make his circle translate into a modern measurement of approx. 23ft. 4in. circumference.

Did Viedma measure his circle using a different period foot size?  Did he actually intend his circle to be larger than the average man, as defined by Thibault's measurements which were published less than a decade before him?  I do not have answers to these questions at this time, but they have given me something to think about as I move forward with my studies of this art.


My Viedma Circle
I decided to go with the 46 inch radius or modern measurement of 24ft 8/10th of an inch circumference as I felt that it was staying true to Viedma's work.  I did not create this alone and need to thank my girlfriend Elena Hylton for assisting me with this entire process.

We started out with a 9ft. by 12ft. canvas and drew out all of the lines with a pencil.  It was pretty dark in our driveway at the end of the first night and it might be hard to see the lines in the spotlight, but they are there.  I had also kind of lost my mind at this point, as you can see here with my Destreza Man pose.

The 24ft. circumference I refer to above is the outer circle and the inner circle is 6 inches smaller or a 40in. radius. The inner circle can also be used for a shorter person if needed.  Each of the lines was created using a 1 in. wide painting sponge.  Here is a partially painted circle.

 Here is the final product.  I attempted to recreate the handwriting and placement of the letters as well as all of the angles.  I left my car in the photo so you can have a concept of scale for the work.

Lastly, here is Viedma's actual circle from his manual, pg. 9r.

I did not have enough room at the top of the canvas to add both of the opponent's feet, but I did add a half foot up there so my training partner can have a reference point.

I am very proud of how this turned out and I found all of the work to be very much worth it.

As mentioned earlier, I was left with a number of questions regarding what the measurement of the period "foot" should be, but that is the fun about researching and recreating something like this.  It is a great tool as both a physical and intellectual exercise.

I look forward to experimenting with this circle, and possibly others, while training and finding more questions / answers along the way.

Thanks for reading.

Blade Length in La Verdadera Destreza (Part 2 of 2)

Hello again,

This is part 2 of this post.  The first part dealt with the historical context of blade length and how I personally selected the blade size I use. That post is located here: Blade Length in La Verdadera Destreza Part 1

Part 2 of the post focuses on my insights around how blade length and distance in La Verdadera Destreza (LVD) affect the major techniques and concepts used in this Spanish style of fencing.  

Some of this post will require previous a knowledge of the concept of Atajo as well as the 4 general techniques.  If you need more information on the 4 generals, I made a post on them here: Simplicity and Complexity in the 4 Generals

If you want a tutorial in them or more information on what an atajo is, I always suggest people begin with Puck and Mary Curtis' work "From the Page to the Practice".  It is contained in the anthology "In the Service of Mars, Vol. 2" .  That book can be purchased here: In Service of Mars, Vol. II 

How Blade Length Influences LVD Techniques:

In my first post I described how I use a relatively larger blade (45 inches), but due to my being 6 feet 5 inches tall it is in fact proportional to my body in regards to period measurement techniques.  In this post I will be discussing the length of the blade and its affects on LVD fencing techniques regardless of the size of the fencer using it.

I will say that I agree with Pacheco in some ways about how a longer blade does have a number of weaknesses.  I do not agree with him when he seems to say that there is nothing but weakness and vanity in the larger blade, although due to my size I have never fought with one that would be disproportionately long. I fall much more strongly into the Thibault philosophy that each length has its strengths and there are situations where each is appropriate.   I firmly believe it is the Diestro's job to understand those and shape his utilization of the techniques around his weapon and his own strengths, all while being aware of the weaknesses and trying to minimize them.

My conversation with my friend Lupold started around the 4 generals and distance, but my thoughts on it after practice went a bit further.  You can find an awesome post that Lupold made regarding this and other material here: "Relating Italian Tempo and Spanish Distance".

The insights I gained in relation to blade length can be broken down into 3 major areas of technique. They are the 4 generals, atajos, and footwork / measure.  I had some difficulty deciding on which to place first since they tie in together and interweave within the style.  I took a stab at what I felt should be an appropriate arrangement, but in theory you can read or review them in any order you wish.

1. The 4 General Techniques

I started talking to Lupold about how I have been having a hard time pulling off 2 of the 4 generals while fighting (Narrowing and Line in the Cross), but the other 2 (weak under strong and weak over strong) have turned into my "go to" techniques.  This was a bit of a surprise to me as those were initially the ones I had difficulty learning slowly while drilling.

While all of the generals begin with an atajo, both the weak under and the weak over generals require the diestro to "liberate the blade", as Puck and Mary Curtis write in their manual, before executing the thrust.  This motion essentially throws the opponent's blade away for a moment to allow you an attack.  It should be noted that both are traditionally attacks to the inside line and also can be done with cuts or thrusts, but I almost exclusively thrust.  Narrowing as well as Line in Cross both require the diestro to try and maintain contact as they close, in order to control the opponent's blade from the strength of their own blade and prevent the opponent from disengaging.

Through our conversation I determined that since I have such a comparatively long blade (45 inches) I have been playing to that strength.  I use the distance and make my opponent take a risk to cross that field of battle to get to me.  This can lead to problems as I typically like playing in second intention and if I have a timid opponent or patient one, I have had to learn to use my aggression strategically or get stabbed.  I also find truth in Pacheco's warning about difficulty if the opponent comes in fast and binds you, but I have attempted to counter that through better footwork and disengages when possible. 

Where the distance intersects with the weak under and weak over is that I do not need to close or have as much control over my opponents blade as in the other 2 generals. I can circle their blade farther out, staying at a safe medio de propocion (measure of proportion), and liberate my blade or throw theirs, even if my blade has less strength.  I can honestly see why these 2 techniques are called weak above and weak below, as it is the weak part of your blade in each of these positions against the opponent's strong. Simply put, it can be a very quick and effective attack from a safe distance.

We continued the discussion to include how I can better execute the other 2 generals by maintaining my distance and instead of using thrusts at the end, turning them into cuts.  Those are much harder for me to describe at this time since I need to practice and drill them first, but I will try and remember to come back and write more about them here when I do.

Distance and personal awareness are essential to any technique.  I imagine a shorter diestro or someone with a shorter sword might have better success with a Narrowing or a Line in cross, due to a stronger starting position.   While they might be stronger when closer and controlling my blade, my job is to keep them from getting there.  I look forward to working on ways to implement the other 2 generals in a more effective manner with my weapon and distance.

2. Atajos

I also mentioned to Lupold how I was having difficulty applying my atajos effectively during combat and that I found myself  using disengages, feints, or virtual atajos to control the fight more often.  What came of this was a brief demonstration by him on how, with the shorter blade, it is easier to gain strength on the opponent's sword once they get a bit closer, while my longer blade has a great deal more weak to go through before I get to my strength.

There was no simple answer to this one for me, as the use of the atajo is essential to LVD.  I have learned to adapt with very fast disengages or if I want to enter I frequently yield my blade and attempt to move into a Spanish movement of conclusion.  Where I go once I get in there is a whole other mess, but it still allows me to play with a variety of movements.

I can also try and play with my opponent's blade as I gain distance, slowly attempting to get the atajo, or I can just move fast and pray it works.  Neither has been extremely effective and I have been left in some vulnerable positions.  I have found some success with Rada's hanging guard and I am starting to explore his use of atajo from the bottom, which goes against many of the earlier masters who dictated that the atajo be placed from above.  I am looking forward to exploring his methods of spiraling and moving to another atajo when the first attempt fails.

3. Footwork / Measure

Like in real estate, I have found that in fencing with LVD, it is all about location, location, location.  Since there is a great deal of movement in LVD with circling, you can easily substitute the word Measure for Location.  Knowing where you are and how far you are from your opponent is a necessity.

Since I have a longer blade my strategy has been to stay farther out until I decide to enter. I try to  maintain that measure until I make the decision to act and implement one of the previously discussed techniques.  I and my opponent are constantly playing a chess game of minor and major adjustments with our blades and bodies.

Where my study of LVD and distance has taken me recently has been in how I enter and how far I extend myself with my footwork as I make my entry.  Much of what I have read indicates that the end goal in LVD is to not only win, but to do so by placing yourself at the least amount of risk possible. Since almost all of the attacks and distance gaining in LVD are done on the circle, the 2 types of steps used to do that are the Traversal step (compas traversal) and the Curved step (compas curvo).

To illustrate the traverse step, below is a picture of Pacheco's circle (feet and circle are not in scale with each other).  The traverse would be a step along one of the lines of the square contained within the circle.

Don Louis Pacheco de Navarez

Libro de las grandezas de la espada (Book of the Greatness of the Sword), 1600

I have typically been using this traverse step on most of my attacks and using the curved step around the circle as a more gentle way to gain distance before I attack 

If you read Viedma's work, translated by Tim Rivera here: Spanish Swordsmanship Society of St. Louis , you will notice that he has a different take on where the step needs to be made.

Luis Diaz de Viedma

Metodo de Ensenanza de Maestros (Method of Teaching of Masters), 1639

In his manual, Viedma describes a Traverse step to be from A to B or from A to D and he also describes the curved steps along the same points, but those are made around the circumference. You can also find more information and details on the measurements of this circle in the manual and also in Lupold's post.  Viedma also has you making your attacks or entries on those letters.

"As a demonstration of the general of line in cross, the master leaves to wound the chest, giving a step from point A to point B..."

-Luis Dias de Viedma, Method of Teaching of Masters (1639)

Viedma is writing his manual to teach someone how to teach others, so there is a great deal of assumed knowledge in his writing, but it is pretty clear where he is saying you should step on these movements. This movement is not necessarily an A to C step as it might first appear in a Pacheco drawing.  The traverse is not a lunge, but instead a controlled off line angular step inside the circle and not around it.

How this realization has helped me in relation to distance and my blade length is that Viedma pretty much gave me permission to stay farther away from my opponent as I enter into the danger zone with my attack. Perhaps this is obvious to others, but I had previously been taking deeper steps to accomplish something that could possibly be achieved at a longer range and in greater safety.

Would a shorter bladed opponent need a deeper step?  Most likely or perhaps they would need to gain distance in a different way before launching one of Viedma's more shallow attack angles.  Either way this further serves to reinforce the need to understand yourself in relation to your weapon and the opponent you are fencing.

In just about a month I will be teaching a class at Pennsic on Spanish footwork and the use of the conceptual circle when fencing.  I need to organize those thoughts better and maybe I will put a post together on that, but I guarantee that what I have addressed here will be included in that class.

Summary

To over simplify this entire 2 part post it comes down to being aware of your own range and the distance needed to execute any technique.  That distance is a combination of your body, the blade you are using, as well as the location you stand in relation to your opponent.  You also have to factor in your stance and how you hold your sword when fencing.  All of this is also variable and changing constantly within the bout you are fighting.

What I enjoy and I am also frustrated by on occasion, is that LVD lays out a set of concepts to help you navigate the style and personalize it to your own body.  Many masters are pretty clear and tell you that each diestro is unique and should apply each technique slightly differently based on their own body type.  For more on that you can read Ettenhard and his interpretation of appropriate distance or Thibault and how he instructs you to make your circle.  A discussion of sword length in relation to these techniques is pretty much just the tip of the iceberg in the process of tailoring this art.

As Thibault mentions, there are things in favor of both the long and the short blade.  In the end you need a weapon you can wield effectively and one you understand in relation to yourself, your opponent, and the style of fencing that you practice.

Thanks for reading.

Blade Length in La Verdadera Destreza (Part 1 of 2)

Hello,

This will be a 2 part post this week since I have many thoughts on distance and measure in relation to La Verdadera Destreza (LVD).  I broke it into 2 posts since the last thing I want is for folks to get overwhelmed and just say TLDR (too long didn't read).  This first part will be on period blade length in the LVD style of fencing and things to consider when deciding on what size blade to use.  The second post will deal more with how blade length and distance are related to the LVD concepts of the 4 generals, atajo, and footwork/measure.

I give credit to my friend Lupold for inspiring this post.  After practice last week we had a conversation regarding the effects of blade length on the techniques in LVD.  You can find a link to his blog over on the right side of this page and here is a direct link as well: Lupold's Mad Sword Science . I will try to summarize some of these insights and their historical context, to give folks something to think about as they chose their blade length and how it might  effect their LVD fencing.

On Period Blade Length and What I Chose to Use:

I completely understand that many people will question why it matters how long your blade is, since we are practicing a modern interpretation of a historical style, be it HEMA, the SCA, or some other blade group.  That is very true to some degree, but what I will hopefully show in this and even more in the  second part of this post is that, if you are studying a historical style of fencing, the period material you are reading bases its concepts and techniques on certain premises.  One of these foundations in the Spanish style of LVD, as laid out by the period laws and masters, deals with how long your blade should be in relation to your body.

There are many arguments in the old on-line sword forums (old meaning 2006-2010) regarding what was the period LVD blade length.  Based on the Spanish law of 1564, King Philip II gave an edict saying that the length of the blade could not be longer than "5/4ths Vara". The Vara was a period measurement that did have some variation, but Puck Curtis estimates it to be 0.835 meters.  This means that 5/4th came out to approximately 41-42 inches.  It should be noted that there are also many historical Spanish rapiers (not 2 handed montantes) that are significantly longer than that, going up to 50 inches or greater in length.  I have no idea if the owners of these weapons flaunted them openly or what not, but they did exist.

Pacheco writes at length about how men with longer swords lack valor and are pretty much over compensating, if you get my drift.  He says in the same paragraph how the longer blades are slower, weaker, and at the same time appear to give the person an unfair advantage.

I will tell you that I use a long blade (Darkwood 45 inches), BUT I am also very tall at 6 feet 5 inches. I am in no way period size and would be a historical giant, but by any "period" measurement my blade is proportional to my body.

Pacheco says to measure the blade length as follows:

"... and that from the left shoulder to the extremity of the right hand there are five fourths." 

-Luis Pacheco de Narvaez, New Science (1672)

According to this standard my 45 inch blade is pretty much 5/4th vara in relation to my body.

Thibault might be considered outside of LVD standard on occasion, but he also goes in depth on how to get the correct length blade.  He agrees with Pacheco and calls the men who prefer long blades cowards, but goes into a "science" to describe the proper way to get your blade measurement.

"Therefore the measure of the sword is such that the length of the blade from the point to the quillons is equal to the half diameter; that is, if the point is set on the ground between the hollows of the two feet, the quillons come exactly to the height of the navel"

-Girard Thibault d'Anvers, Academy of the Sword (1630)

By that historical standard I should in fact be wielding a 47 inch rapier.  Thibault also precedes this standard measurement by saying that there are, "occasions more favorable for long swords, and others more favorable for the short ones".  This alone would be my suggested take away. While historical context is important, it is essential for each fencer to look at all of the evidence and decide in an informed fashion what is best for their body and sport.

That is about it for the first part of this post.  Stop back later this week to read more about my thoughts on how blade length and distance affect a number of important techniques and concepts within LVD.

Click to go directly to: Blade Length in La Verdadera Destreza (Part 2 of 2)

Thanks for reading.

Simplicity and Complexity in the 4 Generals

Hello again,

I realized during practice last night that I needed to put some of my realizations around the 4 general drills into words.  Other than footwork drills, these have been my go to activity to practice since I started working with La Verdadera Destreza (LVD).  The further I go with them the more I discover how awesome and how much complexity there is in what initially seems so simple.

Like driving along the road to a destination and spotting a wild animal on the side of the road, I have seen them show up occasionally in my bouting over the months.  They are beautiful and majestic and you want to see more, but it felt more like random chance than actual skill initially.  Now that I am seeing connections and complexities in these drills and movements I am starting to see them more in my live fencing, which is awesome.

In this post I will be discussing, what the 4 generals are, what I have been doing and why, and recent realizations around these techniques.


Let's start with what they are:

After the three universal methods, in which consists a man's defense, the general techniques rank highest... The names that we imposed on them (without obliging ourselves to defend their correctness, since it is not necessary for them) are the line in cross, narrowing, weak under the strong, and weak over the strong.

- Pacheco de Narvaez, New Science p. 442 (1672)

I initially found them in Puck Curtis' "From the Page to the Practice" which you can purchase in this anthology here: In Service of Mars, Vol. II. This is where I tell people new to LVD to start their journey.

Puck describes them wonderfully in his work as; "The general techniques are four offensive actions used to dominate or deviate the opposing steel in order to initiate attacks. With these techniques the swordsman can control the adversary's blade while moving forward.  In contrast to a defensive action on the blade, such as a deflection or parry, these are performed with the intention of striking."

Other LVD masters reference them in their works with some seeming to believe the generals to be such a foundation that they are described as simply being understood.  They also use them to describe other techniques they are teaching.

This type of atajo movement is composed of three generals, that are the general of line in cross, and the general of weak below the strong, and the case seen that in itself alone, it is the low general.

- Luis Dias de Viedma, Method of Teaching of Masters (1639)

If you want to see them in action you can find them on Ton Puey's youtube channel here: - Academia da Espada - Ton Puey. His versions are more of a Rada interpretation of them, which is wonderful as you can see that while the movements were the same, the masters interpreted them slightly different.  As Ton is Spanish (as is our style of fencing) it is important to learn the Spanish names for these movements if you want to find them on his channel.

• Line in Cross - Linea de Cruz - 
• Narrowing  - Estrechar - 
• Weak under Strong - Flaqueza Debajo de la Fuerza - 
• Weak over Strong - Flaqueza Encima de la Fuerza - 

Next, why I chose these and what I have been doing:

My logic in choosing these was based on how Puck and the masters describe them as so essential.  I thought this was the best place for me to start.  I went with the idea of the pretentious martial arts quote around fearing the man who practices 1 technique a 1000 times rather than the guy who knows a thousand techniques.  In this case there are 4 techniques not 1, but it was a place to start.  I have been studying and implementing other concepts in my LVD work, but these are what I drill every practice, what I visualize at my desk at work, and on the couch at home in various combinations.

To over simplify what we do.... DRILLING.  I have been working with Xavier, my friend and partner in Spanish.   We began with Puck's material which has all of the attacks occurring in the following stages initiated with a traverse step to the right:

• Start with an atajo on either the outside or inside line (depending on the general)
• Take a gaining step and traverse step 
• Execute the general technique
• Retreat along the new diameter while keeping the point on the opponent.  

We drill them in a circle. If I am traversing to my right we will move counter clockwise around the circle.  What I mean by this is: I am at 12 on a clock face (or the common circle) and facing my opponent who is at 6.  I execute a general to my right and end up at 9 stabbing him and I stay there.  My partner re-positions himself to be at 3 across from me and I do another general and end up at 6 staying there.  My partner then re-positions himself across from me at 12 for the next general that I execute, ending up at 3.  My partner moves across from me to the 9 and I execute a 4th general to end up at 12 again  having moved full circle.

Sometimes we drill all 4 in a rotation, sometimes we just drill 1 of them 4 times. We also will sometimes just drill 2 of them 2x each, etc.  We also tried to bring them alive with each of us actively circling each other and at what ever point we felt was appropriate, executing one of the attacks.  We pulled back from this as it was getting sloppy, but we will be going back to that version soon I hope.

In order to make things more interesting and hit the next level we started doing all of these drills traversing to the left instead of the right on the attacks.  This opened up a whole new world of blade control and combinations that I will talk about more in the realizations section.  With the left traverse option came the ability to tick tock our drills.  What I mean by this is if I am at the 12, I "tick" or traverse right to the 9.  On my next move I "tock" or traverse to the left and end up back at the 12 where I started.

Recently we have also started drilling them with our opponent standing in a more traditional Italian guard (usually Capo Ferro, but also sometimes in an Olympic stance).  Those stances and the blade contact or refusal you get in them is completely different than facing a Spanish opponent.  Also, since there are so few Spanish fencers in our area, we better learn how to fight the opponent in front of us, not the one in our imagination or ideal.

I also practice each of these when alone while visualizing a left handed opponent and I also make an attempt to practice these left handed as well, since I know that I do lose my arm in bouts pretty frequently.

As you can see there are an insane number of combinations and variations that you can encounter with just these 4 general techniques.  If you add in the concepts of medio or distance and when or when not to put in a gaining step, oh my goodness there is no shortage of things to work on.

To summarize some of the drill options:

• Circle and do the 4 generals in various combinations
• Go to the right and the left with these 4 generals (also tick-tock)
• Work against various versions of opponents (Italian guard, left handed, etc.)
• Work all of the drills with the left hand
• Bring the drill alive with both of you circling each other and executing the generals

My realizations:

Recently there have been a number of "aha moments" when doing these drills.  Things that jump out at me and make me simply say "Wow!".  I will try and describe a few of these simple things that were kind of epiphanies to me.

1. A cool concept that is built into the generals, is what I would identify in martial arts terms as "a flow drill".  There is a natural switch point from "line in cross" to weak under strong" since they are both on the outside line.  On the inside there is a switch point between "narrowing" and "weak over strong".  When executing these general you are not doing them in a vacuum.  They are meant to be alive in a fencing bout and executed without thought at a moments notice.  These natural interchanges and options allow you flexibility when your opponent does something you don't expect (which is all of the time).

2. This one might be harder to explain in words, but I will try.  While there is the above switch point between both generals on the outside atajos and both on the inside atajos, there is also a switch point or mirror between an outside and an inside.  Specifically "line in cross" executed on a right traverse, is the same as if you executed "weak over strong" when it is executed on a left traverse (with some exceptions to throwing the opponents blade away in some techniques).  This also goes the same with "narrowing" and "weak under strong" as a pairing.

This might be an experiential exercise, but pretty much, depending on which way you step, which side of the blade you are on you, and what kind of blade control you have, you are provided with multiple options of generals.

3. Distance and medio are everything and they are relative to the individual and the opponent. Many masters have talked about this.  Ettenhard did at length when mentioning how you can not dictate how long a step has to be.

"I consider determining fixed distance for the steps to perform the proposed actions as extremely difficult (and even impossible)." 

Don Franciso Antonio de Ettenhard, Compendium of the foundations of the true Art and Philosophy of Arms (1675)

There are tons of things that go through my head when fencing an opponent, but one that keeps coming to me every time is distance, distance, distance.  It is like in real estate location, location, location.  I have a long blade and a long arm, do I really need that gaining step all of the time?  The answer is no, but I better know how to do it and execute it correctly because there will be times I need it.  Distance...how you close it, how you visualize it, and how you measure it in a fight are essential to how you will be able to execute any of the generals discussed here.


That is about it for now. If there is a take away from this post I would say it is have fun with the 4 general techniques as there is an endless amount of knowledge to be gained from them.

Thanks for reading.