Question on Flourish's

[coryzamparelli]

So I've been improving over these long months with my fencing capabilities, as well as my perception of the old manuscripts. I know it has been a while since I posted on here but I have been going through much training but I am trying to improve even more by tackling flourish's. If you have read any of my posts before you would be able to deduce that I am very interested in the Italian school of combat, and am trying top master Longsword in 2 hands (I am following the teachings of Fiore Dei Liberi) yet when I look up flourish's on Youtube or Bing or Google, they are always German routines. I was just wondering what would be a good source or something I could study for Italian flourish's? If they even exist, that is.

[Stacy Clifford]

A florysh is simply shadow boxing with a sword by stringing together techniques you know, to put it the simplest way. The "German routines" you see aren't specific sequences prescribed in German manuals, they are just variations on the concept of the florysh using more German-style techniques. If you want to do an Italian florysh, just build your own using what you've learned from the Italian sources. I know Di Grassi describes exercising with the sword, but nothing that sounds specifically like floryshing. Perhaps our friends who study the Bolognese school more closely know of an example or two, but in general not all sources mention floryshing, and those that do mostly don't tell you how, they just remind you that you should be doing it (as though you learned it in their school in person).

[coryzamparelli]

Ah, so basically it is an exercise based upon the techniques you know, no matter the style of swordsmanship you're studying. That makes much more sense now. Now is there exactly a proper way to go about performing a florysh or is it strictly what you know and you get better at is as you learn?

[Stacy Clifford]

The point of a florysh is to practice making different moves and techniques flow together smoothly and increase your efficiency of movement. You can only use what you already know, obviously, but the more you learn, the more you can incorporate into your florysh, and you will get better the more you do it. Each florysh should be spontaneous and unique, using both offensive and defensive actions, just like shadowboxing as I mentioned before. Pausing during the florysh to reset yourself in a guard is perfectly OK, and sometimes necessary after an awkward transition; it's also natural in a fight to exchange a few blows and then back off for a second before going back in, so think of fighting rhythm as you do it. String together different combinations of cuts, thrusts, and defenses and notice which ones come easy and which ones you need to work on if they feel awkward. Don't forget to practice different footwork and change directions as if switching opponents (that one's dead, next please...). Try not to be too repetitive. You may find some combinations you want to turn into separate practice exercises, which will only help you get better. Ultimately you want to be able to florysh at full fighting speed, but sometimes you'll need to slow down and practice at half speed to work things out before speeding up again. Keep your eyes on your imaginary opponent, not your feet or your sword. That's all I can think of for right now, but floryshing is an amazing learning tool (and great exercise) that will improve your skill a lot if you use it well. Let us know how you progress with it.

[coryzamparelli]

Thank you! I understand now completely how the florysh works. I gave it a go yesterday and I'm doing half decent with it. I just have a difficult time combining Fendente's fluidly. I'm fine with Volanti, Fendenti, and thrusts (couldn't find the Italian term for thrusts) but when it comes to those downward strikes I just can't seem to get two of them consecutively in a florysh. Ah well, I'll get it as I go haha.

[steve hick]

Thank you! I understand now completely how the florysh works. I gave it a go yesterday and I'm doing half decent with it. I just have a difficult time combining Fendente's fluidly. I'm fine with Volanti, Fendenti, and thrusts (couldn't find the Italian term for thrusts) but when it comes to those downward strikes I just can't seem to get two of them consecutively in a florysh. Ah well, I'll get it as I go haha.

Italian term for thrusts = punta

[coryzamparelli]

Thank you, I guess I've been overlooking that word as I read through Fiore's work on Wiktenauer.

[Sal Bertucci]

The bolongese schools have series of set plays that are a more formalized florysh.

I've mainly used the sword and buckler ones though.