Climbing the Fence

The art of longsword Flynning, exhibit G:

Oberhau, unterhau in opposition on passes

Zornhau-ort-umbschlagen on pass-advance

Zwerch redoubled to each side on passes

Mittelhau redoubled to each side on passes

Moving between the hangings on lead change

Wechselhau-oberhau each side

Meyer square on passes and lead change

It will be strange. It will feel weird. It will probably involve moving and striking in ways that you aren’t used to, depending on your previous background. However, it will also teach you very well about how to use a sword as a sword, an edged weapon capable of hewing through heads or arms. 

Jacket, pants, plastron, check

Mask, check

Glove, check

Lame, check

Oh right, weapons too!

…Why do I feel like I’m forgetting something?

Thinking of taking up longsword? Here are some tips to make sure you make life easier for both your instructors and yourself.

If you don’t get it, ask. Sword nerds love talking about it. There are no stupid questions. If you are sitting there not knowing the aim of a drill you will find it hard to correct any errors you make. It will also make it harder for your partner. If something takes more than a couple of minutes to explain, your instructor will make time for it later.

Seek out second opinions. Don’t question everything you’re told or challenge your instructor during a class demo etc, but it can help to get second opinions on stuff. There is a lot of disagreement in the community about how to do this-or-that and the more people you talk to about something you’re unsure about, the more you options you have. There are crackpot theories too - even a facebook group specifically for inventing wild unprovable theories, lots of fun for those who think too much about fencing. Go with what you feel is convincing rather than what you think is “cool” or whatever.

Avoid antisocial behaviour. It’s better to have friends than enemies in this hobby, cause there aren’t that many people doing it in the scheme of things. Consider whether your actions are more likely to befriend or alienate people. Consider whether your advice is appreciated. Consider what kind of group environment you’d like to involve yourself in. Be gregarious.

Be good about giving advice. Establish good intentions and friendly attitude before giving someone unsolicited advice, and consider the way in which you do it. Ask them what kind of advice they want, or what they’re working on, then help them with that. If you are criticising someone’s form, point out what is good about it at the same time. Try to focus on giving them feedback which only you can give, for example, how a parry or action “feels” from your end. Remember your role in partner training is always to help your partner improve. Phrases like “if you do X, It will be more difficult for me to counter it.” Stick to one piece of advice at a time - pick one single thing to work on. Read your partner’s response. If it isn’t obviously thankful, assume it’s not appreciated at this point.

Don’t assume the highest placing fencers give the best advice. While there are cases where fencers both score well in competition and instruct well, there isn’t necessarily a crossover. If someone is good at fencing, they are for sure a good learner. Whether they are a good teacher is an unknown.

Read a little. You don’t have to go crazy on the text but if you read even some modern writing on what you are studying, it will help your instructors and your progress. Knowing what the words mean is a start. There’s no pressure to know how to do everything, but it helps if your teacher can use less words to put an idea in your head. It’s also a good way to do something for your training while you are out of the salle. Ask your instructor for recommendations on what to read.

Respect other people’s stuff. If you are given loaner gear, treat it better than if it was your own. It’s not cheap, and a lot of instructors and sometimes students are the only reason you get to use good equipment to train. Gear does break, even tough longswords, so it’s a risk any time someone lets you use something. Try to appreciate it.

Spar a little. Even if you are new, even if you are very non-confrontational. Almost every technique is impossible to really understand until you use it against an unwilling opponent. If you are doing your drills and feel lost, it may be because you don’t have the required stimulus to use the technique. Ask your instructor to find you someone to play around with who won’t punish your mistakes too badly. Generally, most people are respectful and will match your level of intensity.

For my last gifs of 2017, a handy little quote concerning the Vor and the Nach found on Wylde Theories:

“If you are the first to make an attack that they are forced to parry, that is the Vor. And any counter you make against their action is the Nach. That’s it. And Indes is just that moment where you transition from making a parry or counter, to making an attack again”.

“Sir Don Costantino, as one of those aware of their play, quickly said in a loud voice: “halt my good fellows, that you will witness two valiant men”.

At these words many were opposed, asserting worriedly that it shouldn’t be allowed for two youngsters to partake in this play with two handed swords, unarmoured as they appeared.

The Prince and the Duke of Amalfi, as it happens gentlemen not easily frightened by such games, even they were suddenly struck with concern; and would have been even more so, had Pagano not assured them that the play between the two would end well.

This was because, having left space for the combatants, as soon as the two youngsters appeared, facing each other with their spadoni, all of their apparel seemed normal. But nonetheless underneath they were armoured, which none of those present, however discerning they might have been, had noticed.

The most appropriate measure was that they had hats on their head, made in such a way that as soon as they lifted them, an iron mask came out to cover their faces.

Pagano divided the two of them, and from that moment, having taken a step back, suddenly they produced fierce blows, touching their hands to their hats so that their faces remained armoured.

They were strong with their sword in hand, and by God with such speed that they seemed two bolts of lighting entwining with each other.”

Marcantonio Pagano (1553)

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“You don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training.”

Tim Beerens studies archeology in Leiden and is a trainer at the official student and (H.E.M.A.!) sport association Ludolph van Ceulen. He also trains with Historisch Vrijvechten Nederland, sees a future full of growth for H.E.M.A., and would like to study not just the old manuscripts, but the weapons themselves as well.

My name is Tim Beerens. I’m currently 24 years old and originally from the general area of Den Bosch. I started my study in Communication and Multimedia Design there, but stopped after my first year because the focus was less on the creative elements of the field that I enjoyed, and more on subjects I didn’t care as much about. Now, I’ve been studying archeology for the past four years in Leiden and I’m working on my master thesis, which I hope to hand in this year.

How did you end up in H.E.M.A.?

I (sadly) didn’t realize there was such a thing as H.E.M.A. until I started studying. I often talked about weapons with my fellow archeology students, and at one point Casper van Dijk mentioned there being medieval manuscripts about swordfighting. We quickly realized there was quite some interest amongst fellow students, so we started looking for a place for us to practice. Eventually, we ended up with a pile of wooden swords in an area in the faculty that is now a library.

Now, 2,5 years later, we train with nylon and steel in a gym as the official student and sports association Ludolph van Ceulen, where I have spent the past year as both trainer and chairman. The club was named after a mathematics professor of the university in Leiden in the 16th century. Besides being a mathematician, he was also a fencing master. We train mostly in messer, but occasionally try our hand in dagger, quarterstaff or wrestling. Oh, and then there’s also Jasper Boelsma, our Viking, who regularly picks students out of the regular class to experiment with spathae and Viking shields.

Where do you train?

At the moment I train with two clubs. That started, as I said, with the student association Ludolph van Ceulen. Once I knew about H.E.M.A., it wasn’t long until just messer wasn’t enough for me anymore and I wanted to expand my arsenal. That’s how I ended up in Oegstgeest, where I’ve been training since February this year with Historisch Vrijvechten Nederland. I started off going there so that I could train in longsword, but by now I’ve also picked up sabre.

What do you like about your club/school/association?

The nice thing about LvC is the growth we have had in a relatively short time period. We started off training with wooden swords in a dusty room full of building materials and have become an official association in a gym where most members have their own mask and a messer made of nylon or steel. Apart from that it’s nice that the association focusses on less well-known or obvious weaponry.

What I like about HVN is the dedication to the sport, but also the dedication the instructors and members have to the club. The ‘HVN orange’ is often well-represented at events, and the great amount of activities organized within the club itself also creates a good atmosphere. I appreciate as well that there is plenty of room for individual feedback during trainings. Especially when it comes down to the details, I like to hear about where I still have room to grow.

What is your favorite weapon?

Oh, that’s a tough one. I don’t believe I have a favorite, but I have noticed that training with many different weapons really works well. For example, when I started training in longsword at the HVN I recognized a lot of techniques that are also used in messer. Fighting with longsword, and especially fighting in a competitive setting like a tournament, taught me that taking the initiative is not only a good way to score points, but also to prevent them, which obviously is not just applicable to longsword.

Do you also study manuscripts?

When we started training with messer at Ludolph van Ceulen, we based our fighting on Johannes Lecküchner. As trainers, we come together with our ‘reading club’ to go through certain chapters and to discuss our interpretations. Those discussions give us the advantage of being able to try out on the spot what works best and what interpretation is therefore the most logical. The anonymous manuscript from Glasgow also has a modest piece on messer that we have used.

Because the trainers at LvC, myself amongst them, are at the brink of finishing our degrees, we have started going through the lessons with new people who can take over from the current trainers. In doing so we also take inspiration from Fechtregeln, an anonymous manuscript from Cologne, though I have to admit I have not studied it yet myself.

What are your ambitions? Do you have a dream?

I want to be the best I can. I strive to become the best fighter that I can be, whether it’s technique-wise, endurance-wise, or speed and creativity when fighting. I hope, in time, to be able to stand my ground and occasionally be able to step on to a podium here and there.

What are you proud of?

I recently fought in the beginner’s tournament that was held at Castle Hernen. After a close fight over third place I eventually finished fourth, but before that time I hadn’t expected to get even that far. I was glad with my results and it also gave me a sense of satisfaction to notice that I was building up confidence during the fights, and that I felt like I knew what I was doing. I am especially proud of the hits that came forth from good techniques, used at the right moment and in the right way for that specific situation.

What are your expectations for the future of H.E.M.A.?

I expect that H.E.M.A. will only continue to grow. I have noticed that, outside of practitioners, few people realize that sword fighting is an actual sport. However, when you have explained this to people, many are interested. I have noticed that especially at Ludolph, where the membership is very dynamic because many people are only members while they study. That means that we get new members each year, but also that people leave when they have their degrees. That moment is approaching for me as well, though I know I want to continue with this sport no matter where I end up.

What question would you have liked to have answered, that hasn’t been asked?