Teaching... success?
We've switched over to a formal class structure at fencing practice. Previously, experienced fencers just worked one-on-one with individuals, followed by free-play for the rest of the evening. It worked pretty well for some time, but the problem is one of scalability. Now that we have over a dozen fencers on an average night, there's really no way to teach everyone who needs teaching. Also, there is a new emphasis on drilling, which I think is a positive change.
I was also glad to see two brand-new faces, and one face returned from the distant past. Welcome back, Lord Sevrin!
I taught the class on the Thrust and the Lunge last night, and I think it was well-received. At the very least, I need to work on leading drills a bit more effectively... keep the drill going, and don't stop to work with individuals (like I'm used to). Rely on other instructors for that so I don't hold back the whole class. Later, individuals can be pulled aside for additional one-on-one work. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery on this?
It did feel a little weird to be teaching a thrust and lunge which I have long ago abandoned in favor of the style of Ridolfo Capo Ferro. As I taught it last night, the attacker must gain the line of attack against the defender by extending the sword-hand about 3/4 of the way forward, while bending the wrist--think of modern foil.
Capo Ferro wrote, "The sword is regarded entirely as one limb with the arm, and it has to form a straight line with the forearm"
He also has the body turned far more in profile than the way we are teaching. I know that if I were to assume a back-weighted-with-the-body-in-profile-stance of CF, and bend my wrist while attempting to gain the line, I'd be easily disengaged and hit in the right flank.
As it was explained to me, Capo Ferro is an entire system. You can't really use just one part and not the other. Since the rest of the instructors were opposed to teaching the Capo Ferro stance (understandable, given that it really is quite specialized, and not everyone's cuppa tea), the straight line from the elbow to the wrist to the tip of the sword doesn't come into play.
After understanding stringere (a way to gain the line with the "sword as one limb with the arm") and seeing how dangerous it can be to attempt to gain the line by reaching out obliquely (as we are teaching now) I'm still not 100% convinced of this method.
Time will tell.
I was also glad to see two brand-new faces, and one face returned from the distant past. Welcome back, Lord Sevrin!
I taught the class on the Thrust and the Lunge last night, and I think it was well-received. At the very least, I need to work on leading drills a bit more effectively... keep the drill going, and don't stop to work with individuals (like I'm used to). Rely on other instructors for that so I don't hold back the whole class. Later, individuals can be pulled aside for additional one-on-one work. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery on this?
It did feel a little weird to be teaching a thrust and lunge which I have long ago abandoned in favor of the style of Ridolfo Capo Ferro. As I taught it last night, the attacker must gain the line of attack against the defender by extending the sword-hand about 3/4 of the way forward, while bending the wrist--think of modern foil.
Capo Ferro wrote, "The sword is regarded entirely as one limb with the arm, and it has to form a straight line with the forearm"
He also has the body turned far more in profile than the way we are teaching. I know that if I were to assume a back-weighted-with-the-body-in-profile-stance of CF, and bend my wrist while attempting to gain the line, I'd be easily disengaged and hit in the right flank.
As it was explained to me, Capo Ferro is an entire system. You can't really use just one part and not the other. Since the rest of the instructors were opposed to teaching the Capo Ferro stance (understandable, given that it really is quite specialized, and not everyone's cuppa tea), the straight line from the elbow to the wrist to the tip of the sword doesn't come into play.
After understanding stringere (a way to gain the line with the "sword as one limb with the arm") and seeing how dangerous it can be to attempt to gain the line by reaching out obliquely (as we are teaching now) I'm still not 100% convinced of this method.
Time will tell.