Rapier Fundamentals
Before we get into how to use the rapier (or rapier and dagger), we need to understand some basic principles. This page is a collection of exercises to use to assist in developing these understandings.
Fundamentals not outlined in detail here include the basic stance, the hand positions of tierce and quarte, the half-thrust movement action.
The Line of Direction
This is the straight line from your centre-of-mass to the opponent's centre-of-mass. Doninating the line of direction provides you with a safe space to advance into danger to make a touch.
Lois describes this differently, as a boxcar. It's corners are at your shoulders and hips, with lines extending to the shoulders and hips of your opponent. Your task is to maintain your point within this boxcar and your opponent's point outside it, pushing through on of the walls of the boxcar.
Q: How do you prevent the opponent from getting close to you?
A: Stick your arm/sword straight out towards them. Stand in something like the LVD “defence of the right angle,” which creates the longest distance you can make directly towards the opponent. Your arm/sword is now lying on the line of direction.
Q: If your opponent is defending themselves like this, how can you get around this to make a touch on them?
A: There's a bunch of options, including beating the opponent's sword, subjecting it, sidestepping around it, etc. Playing with them and discovering different ways to get around the opponent's sword is the purpose of this exercise.
Exercises on the Line
Objective: The defender's task is to maintain their weapon on the line of direction but not necessarily to defend themselves. The defender provides an obstacle to be overcome, rather than an active opponent. (That comes later.)
The attacker must advance from out of distance along the line of direction with the aim of making a touch on the defender, dealing with the defenders outstretched sword as required.
Initial Game: The defender stands the LVD “defence of the right angle.” The defender may pivot as they please to maintain their weapon along the line of direction.
The attacker starts out of measure and approaches to make the touch. The attacker cannot stop and must always “proceed with resolution.”
Level Up 1: The defender can add disengages, cut-overs, cut-arounds, etc to their repertoire.
Level Up 2: Repeat the game using the standard fencing stance, sword hand in either tierce or quarte.
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