Playing the Prize - Leveling up at the Chicago Swordplay Guild

The List Awaits

So what does it mean to hold rank in the CSG?

I know the concept of ranks varies widely from school to school in the historic swordsmanship world. Some places have only student and instructor, others a loose confederation of individuals.

Here in Chicago we started a tradition back in 2001: We fight to prove our place in the guild.


We call this Playing the Prize.




Now, to be allowed to do it, you must have passed a vigorous private skills exam, and a lengthy written test. Why? First, we need to know they can do what is expected of a swords person. This test is nothing new for the student. We have several ranks within the guild, Novice (6 weeks), Companion at arms (one year), Scholar and it's 3 subsequent grades (two years, and one more for each grade) Free  Scholar (5 years) and Provost (7 years). They have tested before scholar.

The underlined ranks are prize ranks. Ranks where there is more than just a test.

Let's remember, tests don't show us everything. They show us what you know, sure. The tests do not show us if you can back up those skills. The real deal, the proof mark if you will, is the Prize.

The Challengers

The Prize consists of three fights, each three minutes long. They come back to back with only a short, one minute break in between. Each round is against an opponent who has passed the test before you. An opponent who has watched you and learned your weaknesses and strengths.  Each Challenger will in turn punish your flaws and draw out your strengths.

You will enter the list, no one beside you save for your fellow defenders. You are greeted by the cheers of the crowd, a full house, waiting to see what you will do. Salute, On Guard, Ready, and Begin!

Three minutes will seem an hour. You sweat and strive to defend your right to be here, the challengers testing not only your skill, but your resolve to proceed. They will test it well.

After your fight, one of the marshals, your novice instructor, will peel off your mask and water you, before sending you right back into the fray.

The Prize is more than a test, it is a right of passage. It is exhilarating and uplifting, but also an overbearing and slogging battle. When it ends, you are weighed and measured. One is either found wanting or accepted as a full student,with freedoms and privileges barred to newer members of the school.

You will be take your oath, and be given your garter - an ancient symbol of skill and honor. The garter will be given to you by one of those who stood to challenge you. One who's vote you earned to pass this test. If you read the inside of the band, there will be the names of all those who wore that band before you. You will write your own name there as well, so that one day you might pass on that garter in an unbroken chain from senior student to novice, again and again.

The Guild Book

You will sign your name in the guild book, on pages lovingly hand painted. A page that has been waiting for your name. A page that will carry your name forward, as an example generations to come.

We do all this to teach you. To show you that many of your limits have fallen away, and which problems still nag your fencing. We do it to to inspire you to new heights, and to help you feel the bonds you share with your fellow swordsfolk more strongly.

Someday I hope to see your name in the guild book, and your feet on the floor of the Prize List.

Short post this week - Low line lock, low line arm bar.

a nice little summary of dagger class from tonight.

https://youtu.be/dry9N0CvRZM

I am very fond of the close in materiel, it seems.
Any way, if you are having trouble with you Ligadura Soprana, this should help.

Ties that Bind - the Figure 4 aka Ligadura Soprana

So, tonight in class we were working on the ligadure soprana, a continuation of last weeks lessons @ Forteza Fitness. Remember that this is all class footage or quickie footage that I shoot just for you gentle reader. I take requests if you want a more in depth look. Leave comments below.

Any way, Fiore's Ligadura Soprana is a fun technique, basically a "figure 4" lock. We should note that this action comes up many times in Fiore's manuscripts. Personally, I find it significant that this is the case. The old man was not one to repeat himself when he has the option to self reference earlier bits, which he does in several cases.

So, any time a play get a lot of attention from him, it's worth giving a bit more attention.

In the video ( https://youtu.be/4Nua76njYbw ) I only go over two of the 3 variants. Yes, he talk about it more than 3 times, but the lock itself is only shown in three variants. The inside and outside are my faves, the the under the arm is repeated more. I'll leave that to you to explore.

So, some key points:

One: don't miss the defense, or you die.

Two: you can't safely advance till you've broken the targets structure. Move thier elbow, don't hug thier arm which is what will happen if you let you body come in before you've properly begun the lock.

Three: Firire Help. Hit or strike the target before you try these, so thier attention is not on the play, but on the strike you just did or atleast attempted.

Four: It's all strikes. Don't get snakey with it. Stop the thrust, and HIT the enemy elbow towards you. The hit becomes a pull, but you can't do this with out precussion. We call that a massage. It's not a fight ender....

Between that and the video that shoudl cover it. Let me know if yo uhave questions.

J

Revisiting Bio Mechanics

I was talking with my friend and student "Boston" early this morning, and he asked me an interesting question about bio-mechanics. This blog is not about that, but it rather a smaller part of that conversation.

Fiore's First master of Long Sword

So here we have the first master of the long sword plays, where in the swords are crossed at he points. With a simple redirection we are able to cut the head or arms of the opponent, or possibly to thrust him.

This is the same in the three versions of his manuscript that I have read. So, as an exercise in bio-mechanics, lets break down what's happening in the play and what is demanded of the body to make it work.

Let's start with a few limiters: I am not including the next set of actions, we are only talking about crossing at the points, not the mid-blade. Keep the discussion tight, it's a blog people.

You don't need to be in great shape to have decent bio-mechanics, but conditioning does matter and there is a threshold below which skill cannot trump power. So, they are related.

Now, let's watch the video.

https://youtu.be/i_d1iM0nVwY

Now, you see how I go about it. What you see here is the use of  foot work to create an angle that will wedge out the other persons sword.

Noteable points:

1. Step left to gain an advantageous angle.

2. Cut down, onto the flat of the foe's blade. you'll note that this lets you almost glide down the foe'     sword as you suppress his cut.

3. Make sure your point ends up in line, even if you succeed at cutting him on the way in.

4. Use your back muscles. This action will fall apart with out having your body committed. Not over committed, though.

5. The player is settling his weight into a forward cut, not a downward one.

* Some notice that you may be able to get away with with out great footwork here, but it requires more skill and power to do to it that way.

* Bad footwork is not advised.


It's also interesting to note the that most of fiore's sections begin with a play that leaves the left foot in the front, and the player's weapon on the inside. Food for thought.